Junior Asian Championships

Trio of Junior World Champs Propel Japanese Women to Team Title at Junior Asian C'ships

Friday, July 12, 2019 - 15:10 By United World Wrestling Press

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CHON BURI, Thailand (July 12) - A trio of junior world champions helped propel Japan to the team title in women's wrestling on Friday at the Junior Asian Championships in Chon Buri, Thailand.

Umi IMAI (53kg), Andoriahanako SAWA (57kg) and Atena KODAMA (62kg), all returning junior world champions, captured gold medals on the final day of women's wrestling at the Junior Asian Championships.

Japan finished with 200 points and earned medals in all 10 weight categories. The medal haul included four gold medals, two silver medals and four bronze medals. China finished second in the team standings with 157 points, while India was third with 123 points. 

Umi IMAI (JPN) was dominant in the finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Imai, a Klippan Lady Open champion, won her second straight title at the Junior Asian Championships, beating Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL) by 10-0 technical superiority in the finals at 53kg. She went up 4-0 in the first period. In the second period she added two takedowns before ending the match with a gut wrench. 

Andoriahanako SAWA (JPN) cruised to a 10-0 technical superiority in the finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Sawa cruised to the gold medal at 57kg with a 10-0 victory over Nuraida ANARKULOVA (KGZ). She built a 6-0 lead after a takedown followed up by two gut wrenches. Sawa then took Anarkulova down to her back late in the first period, nearly securing the fall before settling with a technical superiority. 

Kodama claimed her gold medal at 62kg by defeating Yaru WU (CHN) 15-5 in the finals. She used two first-period takedowns to go up 4-0 at the break. Kodama added another takedown to go up 6-0 before Yu scored a reversal, which she followed up with two consecutive gut wrenches to get within a point at 6-5. But Kodama would dominate the rest of the way, scoring nine consecutive points on her way to a technical superiority. 


Yue ZHANG (CHN) celebrates after her finals victory. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Japan's gold-medal run was halted by Yue ZHANG (CHN), who defeated Shion MASUYAMA (JPN) by fall in the finals at 65kg. The two wrestlers traded four-point moves in the opening period, and Zhang held a 5-4 lead at the break. With just under two minutes remaining in the match, Zhang threw Masuyama to her back and secured a fall. 

Tsz CHANG (TPE) came from behind to win at 72kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

At 72kg, Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE) came back to defeat Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) to earn the gold medal. Oknazarova took a 2-0 lead into the break after a first-period takedown. She added to her lead in the second period with another takedown to go up 4-0 before Chang turned the tables, scoring with an exposure and then a takedown to take the lead on criteria with just over a minute and 30 seconds remaining. She would then hang on for the narrow victory. 

The freestyle competition at the Junior Asian Championships begins on Saturday. Action is set to begin at 10 a.m. local time.

RESULTS

Final Women's Wrestling Team Scores 
GOLD - Japan (200 points)
SILVER - China (157 points)
BRONZE - India (123 points)
Fourth - Uzbekistan (113 points)
Fifth - Kazakhstan (89 points)

53kg
GOLD - Umi IMAI (JPN) df. Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL), 10-0
BRONZE - Song Ok KIM (PRK) df. Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB), 10-0
BRONZE - Pooja POOJA (IND) df. Thi Oanh NGUYEN (VIE), 4-0

57kg
GOLD - Andoriahanako SAWA (JPN) df. Nuraida ANARKULOVA (KGZ), 10-0
BRONZE - Bharti BAGHEL (IND) df. Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE), 3-1
BRONZE - Youmei WU (CHN) df. Madina USMONJONOVA (UZB), 9-0

62kg
GOLD - Atena KODAMA (JPN) df. Yaru WU (CHN), 15-5
BRONZE - Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ) df. Aibike ARTYKALI KYZY (KGZ), 11-9
BRONZE - Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB) df. Phimsuphak AINPHEN (THA), FALL 

65kg
GOLD - Yue ZHANG (CHN) df. Shion MASUYAMA (JPN), FALL
BRONZE - Hsin Ping PAI (TPE) df. Assiya ALIBEK (KAZ), 7-2
BRONZE - Tina TINA (IND) df. Jeumeun KWON (KOR), FALL

72kg
GOLD - Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE) df. Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB), 4-4 
BRONZE - Dieu Thuong LAI (VIE) df. Dokyung (Hyerim) YUN (KOR), 10-0
BRONZE - Kanon KOBAYASHI (JPN) df. Gulnaz ZHAPPAROVA (KAZ), 5-5
 

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series 2026 Greco-Roman Results & Highlights Updated

Sunday, July 19, 2026 - 08:29 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 19) -- The final day of the Budapest Ranking Series 2026 will see six Greco-Roman weight classes - 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 82kg, 97kg and 130kg. The biggest talking point is the return of Tokyo Olympic champion Musa EVLOEV (RUS).

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | GRECO-ROMAN STORYLINES

130kg semifinal - Marat KAMPAROV (RUS) clears the semifinal hurdle with a 1-1 criteria win over Wenhao JIANG (CHN) and he will face Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) for the gold medal after he won 5-1 against Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN).

97kg semifinals - Musa EVLOEV's (RUS) comeback is cut short by Alex SZOKE (HUN) in the 97kg semifinal. Evloev held a 1-1 criteria lead but Szoke pushed him towards the zone. Evloev, trying to prevent a stepout, went for the headlock throw but Szoke escaped and scored a takedown to take a 3-1 lead with 33 seconds left in the bout. He defend it to win. For the gold medal, he will face another Russian as Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) blanked Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE), 10-0. After scoring from par terre, Ermolenko scored a stepout to lead 6-0 and then threw Niftullayev for four points to win 10-0

82kg semifinals - Asian champion Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) enters the final after a 4-1 win over Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO). Badghimofrad managed a go-behind when Mikeladze slipped in the second period to lead 2-1. Georgia challenged that there was leg foul but lost the challenge which made the score 3-1. The Qatar wrestler got the par terre and won 4-1.

Gamzat GADZHIEV (RUS) with a throw from par terre against Mihail BRADU (MDA) to lead 5-0 and then defends from par terre to complete a 5-1 win.

63kg semifinals - Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS), who last wrestled internationally in 2021, Kerem KAMAL (TUR) counters with a throw but only gets a stepout to lead 1-1 on criteria. Kamal with a powerful takedown in the second period to extend his lead to 3-1. He tries a throw but cannot complete it but Russia challenge for two points as Lokyaev fell on top of Kamal. Challenge as lost as it was all Kamal's risk. The two keeping getting their holds and locks but Kamal manages another stepout for a 5-1 lead. A stepout for Lokyaev but Kamal enters the final after a 5-2 win. 

European champion Sergey EMELIN (RUS) holds on to a 1-1 criteria win over Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT).

60kg semifinals - Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) blanks Asian champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB). What a performance from Sharshenbekov as he starts with a takedown and then gets the par terre to lead 3-0. He starts the second period with an strong throw for four points but Uzbekistan challenge the call and it is called a leg-foul from Sharshenbekov and the score is reversed to 3-0. But no stopping Sharshenbekov as he scores a go-behind and gets two points and lead 5-0. A tiring Ganiev gives up a stepout which is again cancelled after challenge. But Ganiev cannot get a point on Sharshenbekov who 

Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) uses his experience to hold off  Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ), 10-6, in the other semifinal and will now face Sharshenbekov for the gold medal.

55kg semifinals - In a rematch of the Asian Championships final, Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) slams LALIT (IND) using an arm throw for four points. India challenges that it was only two points for the throw. Though the four points stood, Lalit got two points for a block in danger and Botirov came on top and got the reversal point, giving Botirov a 5-2 lead. There is no more action or points in this bout as Botirov enters the final.

Brady KOONTZ (USA) stuns Artiom DELEANU (MDA) , 8-5, after a takedown and two stunning throws. He gave four points in the second period but held his lead to enter the final

13:33: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) hit a head throw against Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) and led 8-1. But Akbudak forfeits the match due to an elbow injury. It's the same one he had a surgery before. Badaghimofrad advances to 82kg semifinals

13:30: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) into the 60kg semifinal after a technical superiority 8-0 win over Mahmoud SAAD (EGY). He scored six points from par terre to lead 7-0 at the break and then gets the one point for the win in the second period

13:15: Asian champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) with a 16-second pin over BAOYINJIYA (CHN) at 60kg. Might have been called a little too quickly

13:11: Asian champion Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) needed a late stepout to beat Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ), 6-5, at 55kg. Kurbayev with a beautiful suplex in the second period to lead 5-5 on criteria but failed to hold on to it.

13:10: Musa EVLOEV (RUS) moves into the 97kg semifinals after Kevin MEJIA (HON) has to forfeit due to injury. Evloev got the par terre but failed to score as Mejia defended. Mejia actually scored a reversal but was cancelled on a challenge. Evloev then scored a takedown and Mejia called for a medical timeout.

12:58: European champion Sergey EMELIN (RUS) keeps Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) at bay and wins 5-1 at 63kg. He got two par terre position and scored three stepouts in his win.

12:40: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) counters Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) with a block after takedown and launches the Asian champion for two turns and lead 8-2. He thought he finished the match when a correct throw was counted for two points but Kyrgyzstan challenged and the points were cancelled as Taalaibek Uulu never came in danger. The second period remained pointless and Kamal won 8-2

12:30: Sergei SEMENOV (RUS) worked on a great throw for four points on Gino DILBERT (HON) but seemed to have injured his knee when landed. He forfeits the 130kg after the injury

12:20: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) needed a challenge to survive. Leading 6-5, Akbudak was struggling with conditioning and Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) pushed him out for one point and make it 6-6 with Akbudak leading on criteria. However, Akbudak challenged and on review, Zhadrayev was seen grabbing the singlet. The stepout was cancelled and Akbudak led 6-5 again. Moreover, it gave him time to catch a breather. He gave up a stepout at the end but Akbudak was still a 6-6 criteria winner. Kazakhstan challenged for fleeing but lost it to add one more point to Akbudak's score and win 7-6

12:15: Alex SZOKE (HUN) gets the par terre in the first period but fails to score. Hayk Khloyan (ARM) gets the par terre in the second period but fails to score. With the score 1-1, Szoke wins on first-point scored criteria. 

12:12: Asian champion Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) begins his 82kg campaign with a 4-1 win over Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) at 82kg.

11:42: Musa EVLOEV (RUS), first time competing at UWW tournament in 5 years, begins with a 3-0 win over Timothy YOUNG (RUS) at 97kg. He got two points for par terre in each period and one stepout for the win.

11:40: World silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB) with a close 2-1 win over Enes BASAR (TUR) at 60kg. Ganiev with a stepout from par terre to lead 2-0 and then Basar doesn't score any points from par terre and Ganiev defends his lead.

11:35: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) looking incredibly locked in! After his first victory via fall, he now beats Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) 10-0 in the second bout at 63kg. Sharshenbekov, who built a 7-0 lead from par terre, needed 39 seconds in the second period to score a takedown against Aliyev to win. Aliyev challenged the takedown but lost it to add one more point to the score of Sharshenbekov.

11:20: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) gets one back in his rivalry against Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ). The Kazakhstan wrestler, who defeated Makhmudov at the Paris 2024 and went on to win silver, pins Makhmudov at 82kg. Makhmudov tried to gut-wrench Zhadrayev from par terre but Kazakhstan wrestler blocked and grabbed the arm to get the fall.

11:12: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) with some highlights. He launches Sunny KUMAR (IND) for two massive throws, second of which was a five-point slam as he win at 63kg, 10-0

11:00: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM), who recently defeated Musa EVLOEV (RUS), now gets the better of Paris 2024 Paris medalist Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) at 97kg. Khloyan scored a turn from par terre in the first period and then was awarded par terre in the second period as well. He scored another gut-wrench to lead 6-0. Dzhuzupbekov did not score any points from par terre and lost a challenge as well to hand a 7-1 win to the Armenian

10:45: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) hits Dalton ROBERTS (USA) with an underhook throw and completes the fall in in quick time. Sharshenbekov, who wrestled at 63kg at the Ulaanbaatar Open in his first tournament since Paris 2024, is now at 60kg.