event, calendar, 2018 events, tournaments, 2019 events, wrestling, Women's Wrestling, freestyle, Greco-Roman

United World Wrestling Announces 2018 Host Cities and Dates

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (September 8) – United World Wrestling today announced the finalized list of host cities and dates for the 2018 season along with a handful of locations for 2019 championships in Europe and Africa.

As released during the world championship, the international calendar is highlighted by the Senior European Championships in wrestling-rich city of Kaspiisk, Russia and the fast-rising Nigerian Wrestling Federation hosting the Senior African Championships in Port Hartcourt.

Added to the calendar, Istanbul will host the popular U23 European Championships in mid-June and Zagreb was confirmed for the Cadet World Championships.

The 2019 calendar is also starting to take shape with the African Championships awarded to Tunis (TUN), the Senior European Championships to Bucharest (ROU), the Junior European Championships to Pontevedra (ESP) and the Cadet European Championships to Faenza (ITA).

The Greco-Roman World Cup, U23 World Championships and Junior Pan-American championships location and dates will be finalized soon.

World Cups

Women’s Wrestling World Cup         Takasaki (JPN) // March 17-18
Freestyle World Cup                           Iowa City (USA) // April 7-8

African Championships

All Styles and Age Groups                  Port Harcourt (NGR) // February 7-11

Asian Championships

Senior Asian Championships              Bishkek (KGZ) // February 28- March 4
Junior Asian Championships               New Delhi (IND) // July 19-22
Cadet Asian Championships               Tashkent (UZB) // May 3-6

European Championships

Senior European Championships        Kaspiisk (RUS) // March 20-25
U23 European Championships           Istanbul (TUR) // June 5-10
Junior European Championships        Roma (ITA) // July 31- August 5
Cadet European Championships         Kiev (UKR) // May 8-13

Oceania Championships

All Styles and Age Groups                  Yigo (GUM) // May 17-20

Pan American Championships

Senior Pan-American C’Ships             Lima (PER) // April 27-29
Cadet Pan-American C’Ships              Guatemala (GUA) // May 25-27

World Championships

Cadet World Championships              Zagreb (CRO) // July 3-8
Junior World Championships              Trnava (SVK) // September 18-23
Senior World Championships             Budapest (HUN) // October 22-28

GR Veteran World Championships    Perm (RUS) // TBD
FS Veteran World Championships     Skopje (MKD) // TBD

#WrestleZagreb

Blockbuster WW bouts on cards at Zagreb Open

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (January 5) -- Three World Championships finals rematches are on the cards in women's wrestling at the Zagreb Open next week.

World champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) can lock horns with silver medalist Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) at 50kg, Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) will look to avenge her loss in the final to Buse TOSUN (TUR) at 68kg and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) will look to overcome a heart-wrenching loss to Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) at 62kg.

All four 62kg world medalists are entered for the January 10-14 tournament in the Croatian capital with Tynybekova returning to the mat after finishing with a bronze medal at the Asian Games. Motoki will get a chance to take on Tynybekova who handed the Japanese a 4-1 loss in Belgrade last year.

Two bronze medalists, Grace BULLEN (NOR) and Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), will also look to upset Motoki and Tynybekova respectively. Motoki defeated Bullen in the semifinals 2-1 while Kolidenko lost the quarterfinals 2-1.

The line-up also includes Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), Ana GODINEZ (CAN) and Kayla MIRACLE (USA). China is sending three wrestlers -- Jia LONG (CHN), Yaru WU (CHN) and LILI (CHN) -- hoping to find the best one for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in April.

At 50kg, Susaki and Dolgorjav are likely to meet in the final but Ziqi FENG (CHN), who won bronze in Belgrade, can stop that rematch. Feng troubled Susaki in the World Championships semifinal, taking two points in a 4-2 loss. A Feng vs Dolgorjav bout can prove to be a thriller.

Tosun, whose stunning run in Belgrade win the 68kg world title, will be in action in Zagreb. She would like to continue her winning run but Enkhsaikhan will look to end that. Enkhsaikhan was pinned by Tosun in the World Championships final in a shocking manner after she threw the Turkish wrestler for a four.

Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) and Forrest MOLINARI (USA) are also in the fray with three wrestlers from Bulgaria -- Yuliana YANEVA (BUL), Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL) and Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL).

China will send Feng ZHOU (CHN) and Qian JIANG (CHN) to find the best representation for the Paris Olympic qualifying events.

It's the same story at 76kg as it is sending Juan WANG (CHN) and Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN). But the weight class will also see Samar HAMZA (EGY), world silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and world bronze medalist Adeline GRAY (USA). The United States also has Kennedy BLADES (USA) and Kylie WELKER (USA) at 76kg.

France's entries include Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), Kendra DACHER (FRA) and Ambre CHEVREAU (FRA) while Ukraine is trying to pick between Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) and Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR).

The 53kg weight class is wide open with more than one wrestler good enough to win the gold medal. Three Chinese and three U.S. wrestlers dominate the entries. Chun LEI (CHN), Qianyu PANG (CHN) and Min ZHANG (CHN) will look to finish at the best position to lay claim to the national team's spot.

The U.S. has Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Haley AUGELLO (USA) and Dominique PARRISH (USA). The weight class has not been qualified yet by the nation and the Pan-Am Olympic Qualifiers' represtative will be selected in February.

World bronze medalist Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) and European champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) are entered for the competition along with young prodigy Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) and Karla GODINEZ (CAN).

World silver medalist Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) is the favorite to win the gold medal but will have to go through Helen MAROULIS (USA) and three Chinese walls in Qi ZHANG (CHN), Kexin HONG (CHN) and Yongxin FENG (CHN).