2026 U17 World Championships

Tovar Ends Colombia's 43-Year Wait for U17 World Gold

Tuesday, August 4, 2026 - 09:00 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (August 1) -- "When you fall down, you got to keep going, come back up, can’t just let it bring you down."

Jovanni TOVAR (COL) said after falling short winning a medal at the 2025 U17 World Championships in Athens. He finished fifth.

WATCH: Jovanni Tovar Ends Colombia's 43-Year Wait for Gold

With lesson from Athens and a year of work behind him, Tovar came back to the U17 Worlds in 2026 and won a historic gold medal for Colombia, the country's first in 43 years. Luis PALOMINO (COL) had won the 62kg gold at the 1983 edition of the tournament.

Tovar lost in the quarterfinals and then in the bronze medal bout in 2025. But a year later, he dominated his way to gold, outscoring his opponents 37-1 in five bouts including a fall and two technical superiority wins.

Wrestling Jovanni TOVAR (COL)Jovanni TOVAR (COL) celebrates after winning the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the final, Tovar faced Jakhongir TULKUNOV (UZB), who had finished eighth at the 2025 U17 World Championships. Tovar set up the first takedown using a long shot deep on Tulkulnov's leg during the Uzbekistan wrestler's activity clock.

Tulkunov, who had very open stance leaving a wide gap to attack his legs, kept trying to get his collar ties but Tovar never allowed him. Tovar hit an attack on the legs and converted it into a takedown before using an arm-bar to pin the Uzbekistan wrestler. However, time ran out for the break and Tovar led 7-0.

Tovar would see an opening 30 seconds into the second period and hit a double-leg attack and rolled through for a four-pointer which gave the technical superiority win with 1:18 left in the match.

Tovar's Results in U17 Wrestling World Championships 2026

Final: df. Jakhongir TULKUNOV (UZB), 11-0
Semifinal: df. Chase KARENBAUER (USA), 10-0
Quarterfinal: df. Prathmesh PATIL (IND), 2-1
Pre-Quarterfinals: Khusel Erdene PUREVBAATAR (MGL), via fall (8-0)
Qualification: Yusuf KOCAK (TUR), 6-0

#WrestleBudapest

Grace Bullen Move: Outside Trip That Defines European Champ

Thursday, July 9, 2026 - 10:31 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 9) -- Grace BULLEN (NOR) lost the most important match of her career while attempting her trademark outside trip, trying to finish the bout with a fall. It came in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games semifinal against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), who countered with a neck bridge, tossing Bullen over for the fall.

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Despite the mixed results the move has produced over the years, Bullen did not hesitate to use it in the 2026 European Championships final against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS). Trailing 9-0, Bullen hooked her left foot behind Tandelova's heel and brought her down for the fall.

Three months after their epic European 62kg final, Bullen and Tandelova will be at the Budapest Ranking Series from July 15 to 19, the last stop to gain ranking points before the World Championships.

They will be joined by a strong field that includes former world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN), world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), and European medalists Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR).

The field also includes Ana GODINEZ (CAN) and former U20 world champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN), who will have the backing of the home crowd. Two Indians, MANSI (IND) and SAVITA (IND), are also entered among others.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) performs the outside trip against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) during the 62kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The same move also rescued Bullen at the Tirana Ranking Series, where she trailed Mansi before winning 6-5.

Speaking after winning European gold, Bullen acknowledged both the risk and the reward of the move.

"I know it's my go-to when I'm down, but I also lost in that situation, the same place," Bullen said. "I know how it is being on the receiving end, also being an attacker in that situation. But glad it worked out for me.

"It's more risky that way and just locking the leg and going forward it's much less risky, especially for me."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Grace Bullen (@gracebullen7)

 

A pivotal career decision saw Bullen relocate her training base to Georgia under coach Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI. Since moving to 62kg, she has won world and Olympic medals and established herself as one of the division's most dangerous wrestlers. The demanding training in Georgia and the move up in weight have transformed her wrestling and her mindset, even if the results have occasionally fluctuated.

"I'm also getting older," she said. "I have to be wise with how I train and so I keep my shape."

That experience has also made Bullen more patient than she was five years ago.

"I've years of experience in wrestling," she said. "I take losses with a greater smile than I ever did before. Just knowing that this year I was in two ranking series competitions and only won one match, I am more patient with everything. I know that even though I lose, I can win in the future."