#WrestleIstanbul

Thursday's U17 World Championship semifinals set

Thursday, August 3, 2023 - 07:33 By Eric Olanowski

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ISTANBUL, Turkiye (August 3) --- The fourth day of wrestling at the 2023 U17 World Championships continue with women's wrestling action at 40kg, 46kg, 53kg, 61kg and 69kg. 

The morning session, which starts at 11:00 (local time), will run through the quarterfinals before taking our mid-day break. We'll return at 17:00 for the semifinals, then roll directly into the first set of women's wrestling medal bouts at 18:00.

Thursday's opening session will feature 23 medalists from this year's continental champions, including eight wrestlers who reached the top of the podium at the 2023 Asian, European, African or Pan-American Championships.

Everything you need to know:
📍Istanbul, Turkiye 🇹🇷
🗓️: July 31-August 6
Qualification: 11:00
🥇🥈🥉= 18:00
#️⃣: #WrestleIstanbul
🖥️: uww.org 
📱: UWW App

Here's a list of the reigning continental champs in action on Thursday:
40kg - Klara WINKLER (GER)
46kg - Dounia ZITOUNI (ALG)
53kg - Fabiana RINELLA (ITA)
61kg - Ekaterina RADYSHEVA (AIN)
61kg - Savita SAVITA (IND)
69kg - Srishti SRISHTI (IND)
69kg - Veronika VILK (CRO)
69kg - Joseth Sasa MAVUNGU (ANG)

Thursday's semifinal matchups:

40kg
Jaclyn Rose BOUZAKIS (USA) vs. Rachana RACHANA (IND)
Koharu AKUTSU (JPN) vs. Klara WINKLER (GER)

46kg
Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) vs. Daniella Tara HOSSEIN BEKY (NOR)
Meiramgul AKHMETZHAN (KAZ) vs. Muskan MUSKAN (IND)

53kg
Olga OVCHINNIKOVA (AIN) vs. Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB)
Fabiana RINELLA (ITA) vs. Sakura ONISHI (JPN)

61kg
Konami ONO (JPN) vs. Leah Melina Falkeid SAMSONSEN (NOR)
Haylie Emma JAFFEE (USA) vs. Savita SAVITA (IND)

69kg
Veronika VILK (CRO) vs. Evelin UJHELJI (SRB)
Srishti SRISHTI (IND) vs. Jasmine Dolores ROBINSON (USA)

13:21: That'll do it for the morning session. I'll update the semifinal matches as soon as the system refreshes. We'll see you back here at 17:00 for the semifinals, then 18:00 for the first set of women's wrestling medal matches. 

13:04: It looks like it'll be a short day. We only have two matches left on each mat before we head into the break.

13:02:  Savita SAVITA (IND) continued her dominance over the field at 61kg. She's scored 29 points in two matches, beating Beyza Nur AKKUS (TUR) and Sofya ZMAZNEVA (KAZ), 13-1 and 16-5, respectively.

12:42: U17 European champion Veronika VILK (CRO) headlocked Karyna FISHCHUK (AIN) in just over a minute and punched her ticket to the semifinal in the most stacked weight class of today, 69kg. She awaits the winner of Evelin UJHELJI (SRB) and Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE).

12:39: Reinging U17 Europaen champion Klara WINKLER (GER) defeated Anel BURKUTBAYEVA (KAZ), 6-1, in the 40kg quarterfinals, setting up a semifinal meeting with the winner of Koharu AKUTSU (JPN) and Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB).

12:14: Despite falling to Olga OVCHINNIKOVA (AIN), Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO) just became the fourth Georgian woman to compete at the U17 World Championships. With all the success Georgia has on the freestyle side of the sport, it's good to see things growing on the women's wrestling side.

11:57: Welcome to the World Championships, Jasmine Dolores ROBINSON (USA). The American just handled Ai SAKAI (JPN), 12-0, in the opening period.

11:53: This crowd has been incredible for the last four days--especially for the Turkish athletes. Elif Sevval KURT (TUR) just brought them to their feet, pinning Ingkar YERGALI (KAZ) in the opening round match at 69kg. She'll wrestle Srishti in the quarterfinals.

11:48: Srishti picked up the easy 10-0 win in 45 seconds, punching her ticket to the 69kg quarterfinals.

11:31: The first of the eight continental champions--Srishti SRISHTI (IND)--is coming up in two matches on Mat A. The reigning U17 Asian champion will wrestle U15 and U17 fifth-place finisher Viktorija IRKLE (LAT).

11:05: The first three matches on each mat are repechage bouts to determine who will compete in tonight's bronze-medal matches. 

10:40: We're 20 minutes away from the first whistles. We'll see you back here shortly.

#WrestleSamokov

Greco trained Sokolovska wins women's 76kg gold

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 09:07 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- "Have you ever seen her shoot for the legs? You haven’t!"

Vladimir SOKOLOVSKI has long been Greco-Roman coach in Ukraine. So when he put his daughters in wrestling, he trained them in Greco-Roman. Both Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) would perform upper body moves in competition and tried to complete the matches with fall.

In 2019, Krystyna won a bronze medal at the World U17 Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Out of her four wins, two were via fall and one via technical superiority.

Six year's later and back in Bulgaria for the World U20 Championships, Sokolovski's younger daughter Nadiia went a step further and won the gold medal at 76kg in Samokov on Thursday.

Just like her father had taught her Sokolovska performed those arm-drags to perfection. She scored takedowns, big throws and falls. Out of her four wins to gold, three victories were via fall, including one in the final. It was only her quarterfinal against Elmira YASIN (TUR) that the Ukraine wrestler won 5-2.

"I won three out of four bouts by fall," Sokolovska said after the final. "I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like to mess around with opponents for too long. I like to finish earlier, I always do things the way it’s comfortable for me. If I need to work on endurance, then I work on it. But if I get a chance, why not finish earlier?"

The final was no different story as Sokolovska finished the match in just 48 seconds, pinning former world U20 champion PRIYA (IND). The Ukraine wrestler first scored a takedown using arm-drag for two points. When Priya attacked after restart, Sokolovska did not let the Indian stand up and locked up a cradle as Priya sat in a squat position.

Sokolovska turned Priya on her back and then secured a fall to be crowned world champion.

"I still haven’t fully realized that I won," she said. "I had only competed once at the World U17 Championships and I placed fifth. This is my second World Championship and I really wanted to wrestle against the Asians and the Americans.

"I didn’t get the chance to wrestle an American, but I did get to wrestle an Asian -- just what I wanted."

Sokolovska is now a European and World U20 champion, with an unbeaten run in nine matches. Even at the European U20 Championships, she won five matches and three of them were via fall.

"I work only with the upper body in standing position. I have a strong upper body," she said.

But Sokolovska said that she will not rush herself to the senior level and plan her debut. Her father, who is also her coach, will devise a program that fits her training.

"I understood that it’s not always necessary to focus only on wrestling," she said. "You need to take psychological breaks. Play rugby or go swimming, take a mental break from the mat."

Momoko KITADE (JPN)Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final against Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In other weight classes, the United States, China and Japan won gold medals on day five of the tournament. Japan now has a firm grip on the Women's Wrestling team title.

After two golds medals on Thursday, Japan earned third one as Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final. She held off Margarita SALNAZARIAN's (UWW) onslaught in the second period, winning the 65kg final, 9-5, to secure the gold medal.

The first period belonged to Kitade as her speed and strength were no match for Salnazarian who was down 6-0 at the break. But Kitade's conditioning gave way for Salnazarian's comeback. She scored two takedowns to cut the lead to 7-4. However, Kitade still held her positions and scored two stepouts and made the score 7-5.

Salnazarian pressured Kitade towards the zone but she was never able to score as Kitade turned her and scored two stepouts. She got 9-5 lead and defended it for the final 40 seconds.

Everest LEYDECKER (USA)Everest LEYDECKER (USA) celebrates after winning the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. won its first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at this World U20 Championships through Everest LEYDECKER (USA) who had a dominant run to gold. After winning her three bouts via technical superiority on Wednesday, Leydecker seemed in no trouble in the final.

She raced to an 8-0 lead against REENA (IND) in the final after scoring a takedown using a leg attack. She then cross ankled Reena and turned her three times for the lead. There was little action after that in the match as Leydecker kept her strong defense despite being called passive and cautioned for points as well. But Leydecker had enough lead to not be trouble by those warning.

At 62kg, YANGZHEN (CHN) made a dream international debut by winning the 62kg gold medal in a thrilling final against former world U17 champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE). Down 6-0, Yangzhen managed to score six points in the second period and win the final, 6-6, on criteria.

Mammadova, who won World U17 gold in 2022, raced to a 6-0 lead with three counter exposure points and almost pinned Yangzhen. But in the second period, Yangzhen mounted the comeback, scoring a takedown from single leg and then got a turn using a strong gut-wrench.

With the clock ticking, Yangzhen needed one takedown for the win and she scored exactly that to lead 6-6 on criteria. Mammadova had one minute to reclaim the lead but Yangzhen managed to play the clock and win on criteria.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) df. REENA (IND), 10-2

BRONZE: So TSUTSUI (JPN) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 5-3
BRONZE: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU), 6-2

62kg
GOLD: YANGZHEN (CHN) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-6

BRONZE: Shirin TAKEMOTO (JPN) df. Neevis RODRIGUEZ (MEX), 9-7
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Busra EFE (TUR), 8-0

65kg
GOLD: Momoko KITADE (JPN) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW), 9-5

BRONZE: Iryna BORYSIUK (UKR) df. Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY), 12-2
BRONZE: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Daniella NUGENT (USA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. PRIYA (IND), via fall

BRONZE: Diana TITOVA (UWW) df. Evelin UJHELJI (SRB), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Cancan LIU (CHN) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 6-0