U17 Worlds: Young stars set to battle for supremacy in Rome

Thursday, July 21, 2022 - 13:28 By Vinay Siwach

ROME, Italy (June 21) -- Last year at the U17 World Championships, the USA and India were involved in a fierce team title race in two styles. While India won the freestyle title, the USA clinched the women's trophy. In Greco-Roman, Georgia had a comfortable lead to win the first spot after the initial battle with Ukraine and Russia which finished second and third respectively.

But the three nations will be under pressure to repeat their performance in Rome where the U17 World Championships begin Monday at the Pala Pellicone.

The biggest change from the previous edition will be the return of Japan to the competition after giving it a skip last year due to COVID-19.

U17 Asia silver medalist Mona EZAKA (JPN) will lead the team Japan team along with former U15 Asian champion Sakura ONISHI (JPN). The two will be competing in 40kg and 53kg respectively.

Historically, Japan has done well in lifting the trophy in women's wrestling since 2012. It should be the case in Rome unless one of India or the USA comes with a similar performance as last year.

India will also take heart from the fact that it won six gold medals at the recent U17 Asian Championships. The team will be led by defending champion at 73kg Priya MALIK (IND) as she tries to join KOMAL (IND) and Sonam MALIK (IND) as the country's only multiple U17 world champions.

Since she won the title in Budapest, Malik has lost only one bout -- a 3-3 criteria decision to Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) at the U20 Asian Championships in Bahrain last month.

In Rome, she will face quite a challenge as U17 European Championships gold medalist Ambre CHEVREAU (FRA) and silver Gabriela MAEVA (BUL) are both entered. Pan-Am champion Rupinder JOHAL (CAN) will also hope to medal on the global stage.

Apart from Malik, MUSKAN (IND), RITIKA (IND), SHRUTI (IND), REENA (IND) and SAVITA (IND) are also part of the team. All six won the U17 Asia title. HARSHITA (IND), who finished fifth last year, would like to be on the podium this year.

The USA will have '21 champion Erica PASTORIZA (USA) leading the charge. She won the title at 40kg in Budapest but will be competing at 43kg this year. Bronze medalist at 49kg Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) is returning to change the color of her medal in the same weight class.

A lot of interest will be in Shelby MOORE (USA) who has dominated the 57kg weight class at this level in the USA. Also in action will be the U17 Pan-Am silver medalist at 65kg Sydney PERRY (USA).

Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) won the European title at 51kg in Bucharest. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

A European challenge in the form of Ukraine will also be waiting for the three nations. Upcoming star and world champion at 49kg Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) along with teammates and fellow European champions Yevheniia DRUZENKO (UKR) at 40kg, Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) at 43kg and Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) at 69kg, are all entered for the Worlds.

Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU) finished second to Pastoriza at 40kg last year but she is moving up to 46kg for the Rome event. A rematch of the U17 European Championships against Korneila LASZLO (HUN) is also on the cards. Laszlo won the final in Bucharest.

At 49kg, while Jiminez will be the favorite, she is up against a tough European field. Fabiana RINELLA (ITA), who won silver in Bucharest, will be in the field along with both bronze medalists Sevval CAYIR (TUR) and Anastasiia ZADVORNA (UKR). Laura FATH (HUN), Ana ROTARU (ROU), Anja EPP (SUI), Reka HEGEDUS (SVK) are also entered.

Turkey is also bringing a solid team to Rome with all seven European Championships medalists on the team including gold medalist Tuba DEMIR (TUR) at 57kg. Demir missed out on a medal last year finishing fifth at 53kg.

In a historic moment, Anya HATCH (TGA) will become the first woman from Tonga to represent her country at a World Championships.

Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) can be the breakout performer in Rome. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Freestyle

Defending champions India will be banking on a new group of wrestlers after the medalists from the previous edition failed to make the team.

U17 Asian champions Ningappa GENANNAVAR (IND) and Vaibhav PATIL (IND) will be carrying the team with Patil also having experience from the Budapest edition in which he finished fifth.

But Iran, Azerbaijan and the USA will be its biggest challenge to the team title defense. Azerbaijan can have a breakout Worlds as it did at the U17 European Championships, easily winning the team title.

At 48kg, Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) will be the favorite to win the title. Baghirov had three victories via fall in his four outs in Bucharest. He will be joined by silver medalist Rassoul GALBOURAEV (FRA) and Asian bronze medalist Ramil RASSIM (KAZ) at the same weight.

It may turn out to be a battle at 51kg as the silver medalist from Budapest Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) will go up against continental champions Elman AGHAYEV (AZE) and Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ). The silver medalists from both Asia and Europe -- Mohammad Reza ASADI (IRI) and Narek HAKOBYAN (ARM) -- are also in the field.

Patil, who lost to Abdinur NURLANBEK (KAZ) in the semifinal and later to Javid JADADOV (AZE) in the bronze bout last year, will look to make amends at 55kg. But he will have his task cut out as five other continental medalists are wrestling.

At the U17 Asians, he defeated Husanboy USMONOV (UZB) and Daryn ASKERBEK (KAZ) in the semifinal and final respectively and both wrestlers will be eyeing to avenge their losses to Patil in Rome.

European champion Jamal ABBASOV (AZE) and silver to him Illia SHKETYK (UKR) are also entered the field. Abbasov put on a show at the Euros, winning three bouts via superiority and two, semifinal and final, via falls.

Azerbaijan will have favorites at 60kg in Agha GASIMOV (AZE), Ilyas ISAYEV (AZE) at 65kg and Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE) at 110kg. However, 60kg will have Asian finalists Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) and Javokhir CHULIBOYEV (UZB) as well as Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR), who won the gold over Gasimov in Bucharest.

Zan FUGGIT (USA) will also hope to make an impression after winning the Pan-Am title with ease.

Iran, which dominates the heavyweights, will be a big challenge for Dursunov, a bronze medalist at 92kg from last year, as he will be facing Mohammadreza LOTFI (IRI) who won the Asian title without giving up a single point.

At 92kg, the bronze medalist from Budapest and now U17 Asian champion Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ), a cousin of world medalist Dauren KURUGLIEV (RWF), will hope to win the title this year. His biggest threat will be European champion Ibrahim BENEKLI (TUR) and silver medalist Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN) along with bronze medalists Nika PANTSULAIA (GEO) and Yaroslav LISNIAK (UKR).

In his run to Asian gold, he defeated Sahil JAGLAN (IND) in the semifinals and Erfan ALIZADEH (IRI) in the final. Both Jaglan and Alizadeh are wrestling in Rome.

Mohammad JAHANGIRI (IRI) is one of the favorites to win the 110kg GR title. (Photo: UWW / Assem Shalgumbayeva)

Greco-Roman

Georgia emerged as the world champions last year and a repeat cannot be ruled out with a strong squad present in Budapest.

European champions Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), 48kg, and Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO), 51kg, lead the unit with silver and bronze medalists from Bucharest.

Khozrevanidze will be keen on winning the world title after he finished with a bronze medal at the last edition at 45kg. He is jumping up to 51kg for this year.

At 48kg, world champion Nikita DEMENTIEV (UKR), who won the title at 45kg, will like to repeat despite his loss to Lolua at the Europeans.

Dementiev is leading a solid Ukraine team as it hopes to build on the second-place finish from Budapest. Yevhen POKOVBA (UKR) at 45kg became the European champion and will start as the favorite.

Ukraine finished third at the U17 Europeans with 109 points, equal as Georgia. The title was won by Azerbaijan convincingly with 175 points and it will be gunning to win the title in Rome as well.

Azerbaijan has two European champions in Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), also a bronze medalist from Budapest, at 55kg and Mahammad GASIMZADE (AZE) at 60kg along with four silver medalists from Bucharest wrestling in Rome.

Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan may spoil the party for Azerbaijan and Georgia. Kyrgyzstan won the Asian title after winning four of the 10 golds on offer. The other three nations won two each in the same competition.

One of the most intriguing battles may be seen at 110kg as Asian Mohammad JAHANGIRI (IRI) and European champion Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) are expected to clash in Budapest. Both had dominant runs to gold in their respective competition and will now like to win the gold at Worlds.

With close to 600 wrestlers entered, it may turn out to be an eye-opening World Championships, the first of the season. The action will be live on uww.org from Monday.

#KoreaWrestling

Special referee at national meet part of Japanese efforts to get more women to become officials

Tuesday, January 16, 2024 - 20:32 By Ikuo Higuchi

(Editor's Note: The following appeared on the Japan Wrestling Federation website on Jan. 1. It has been translated and published by permission.)

With its connection to the Paris Olympics, this year's Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships drew a record field of 470 competitors. But history was also made regarding the third person on the mat. For the first time ever, a foreign referee was on the whistle, one specifically invited with the hope of producing long-term effects beyond the outcome of matches.

The Japan federation brought in Ji-Woo LEE, one of six Korean women holding international licenses, as part of its efforts to get more women interested in becoming referees. Lee is a holder of the UWW's highest Category IS License, which qualifies her to officiate at the Olympics and World Championships.

While Japan remains the dominant country in women’s wrestling, in the case of women referees, it can be regarded as “undeveloped.” Of Japan’s 19 international referees, only two are women, putting Japan far behind United World Wrestling’s objective of having equal numbers from both genders.

JPN1 Ji-Woo Lee holds the highest Category IS License. (photo by Japan Wrestling Federation)

"It was a big surprise, and wonderful," Lee said of being asked to officiate at the All-Japan Championships, which was held Dec. 21-24 in Tokyo and was serving as a qualifier for the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in April. "It is really a joyful [moment] in my life. A big honor, also."

Lee said she was impressed by the large and enthusiastic crowd that packed into Yoyogi No. 2 Gym, saying it reminded her of the atmosphere at the big venues that stage the World Championships and European Championships.

JPN4 Lee faces Saori YOSHIDA at the 2004 Asian Championships in Tokyo. (photo by Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Lee herself was no stranger to Japan. Long before she officiated at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, she came on numerous trips during her career as a wrestler to train at the well-known Oka Wrestling Dojo in the mountains of Niigata Prefecture. Wrestling at 55kg and competing under the name LEE Na-Lae, she faced three-time Olympic champion Saori YOSHIDA three times, in the final at the 2002 Asian Games, and at both the 2004 and 2005 Asian Championships. Lee was the lone Korean woman to appear at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

While she knows a little Japanese, she basically operates in her native Korean or English. As for communicating on the mat at the All-Japan, she said, "I used very simple words. 'Fingers.' 'Open.' Maybe after a foul, I say, 'Next time caution.' Or 'One more time, the match is finished.'" Having Olympic experience both as a wrestler and a referee has given her the confidence to dish out warnings as she sees fit and remain in control on the mat.

JPN2 Lee made her Olympic refereeing debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021. (Photo by Japan Wrestling Federation)

Handling the big matches

After retiring as a wrestler, Lee went to the 2012 London Olympics as a national team coach, then changed course and embarked on a new path to become a referee, while also earning a doctorate and becoming a professor at Yong-In University. She obtained the Category IS License just before the 2019 World Championships, and was among the officiating crew at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

It was Isao OKIYAMA, head of the Japan Federation's refereeing commission, who suggested inviting Lee to the All-Japan. Okiyama's thinking took a two-pronged approach. In the big matches with so much at stake, the federation would get a neutral official completely free of any suspicions -- justified or not -- about college affiliations and other links that are so strong in Japanese wrestling.

And, by having a female Category IS official at Japan's highest-level tournament, it would bring national attention on the existence of female referees and further motivate more women to want to become one.

JPN5 Lee was on the whistle when Nonoka OZAKI defeated Ami ISHII in a vital 68kg match with Olympic implications. (photo by Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

At this year's All-Japan, three matches in particular stood out, each with global implications: 1) the first-round match at women's 68kg in which Nonoka OZAKI defeated Ami ISHII, who had needed to win the title to fill the Paris Olympic berth she secured for Japan at the World Championships; 2) the freestyle 65kg semifinal between Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO and collegian Kotaro KIYOOKA, which Otoguro lost to end his chances of a repeat in Paris; and 3) the 68kg final between Ozaki and Miwa MORIKAWA, which Ozaki won to advance to a future playoff with Ishii for the Paris ticket.

Lee was the mat official for all three. Asked if she was nervous, she replied, "I'm never nervous. I know this championships is very important for Japan, also in the world because the champions [can go to the Olympic qualifier]. More than being nervous, I was concerned with doing my best to make fair and clear decisions."

She admits she did feel jittery at her first major tournament at the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan (now Astana). She particularly recalled a bronze-medal match between Iranian and Azerbaijan wrestlers where it seemed the entire crowd turned against her. "I was very nervous. One time [I made a] mistake, just a warning, and everyone goes, 'Boooooo,'"she recalled with a laugh.

JPN4 Lee poses with the three Japanese female referees at the All-Japan Championships, from right, Mariko SHIMIZU, Airi FURUSATO and Honoka SAITO. (photo courtesy of Airi FURUSATO)

Getting more women involved

At the All-Japan, there were only three other women referees, Airi FURUSATO, Mariko SHIMIZU and Honoka SAITO, putting them well in the minority. Only Furusato and Haruka WATANABE, currently on maternity leave, hold international licenses, and neither is at the Category IS level.

Of the 393 referees registered domestically in Japan, just 19 are women, or 4.8%. The percentage is even lower for those with a Class A license, which is required for officiating at the All-Japan — just seven out of 197, or 3.6%.

In its Global Gender Gap Report released in June last year by the World Economic Forum, Japan ranked 125th out of 146 countries in terms of achieving gender equality. While Japan is on top in women's wrestling, when it comes to women referees, it unfortunately aligns with the gender gap ranking.

JPN6 World champion Akari FUJINAMI tries her hand as a referee at a men's collegiate event last May. ((photo by Ikuo Higuchi / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Among recent moves to cultivate women referees was having world champions Akari FUJINAMI and Yuka KAGAMI serve as referees at the men's East Japan Collegiate League last May. Officials hope that seeing the female stars filling such roles will appeal to more women to consider becoming referees.

Lee said she hopes to see more Japanese women entering the referee ranks and believes that with the right training and support, they can become as much as factor as their wrestling sisters. In fact, it was Japan's Osamu SAITO, a former member of the UWW Refereeing Commission, who encouraged and mentored her and to whom she credits her advancement.

"I am waiting for the day when I can work with Japanese women referees," Lee said. "We are professionals with skills. I support the development of women referees."

--Translation and editing by Ken Marantz

U17 Worlds: Young stars set to battle for supremacy in Rome

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Special referee at national meet part of Japanese efforts to get more women to become officials