Ranking Series

USA, Turkey Wrestlers Sit Atop Women's Rankings in 5 of 10 Weight Classes

By United World Wrestling Press

Three-time world champion Adeline Gray (USA), fresh of winning a Pan American title, ascends to No.1 at 76kg in the May 2018 Ranking Series for women's wrestling. She won all three of her matches by fall at the Pan American Championships held in Lima, Puru.

Gray is one three Americans ranked No.1 in their respective weight classes. Joining Gray in the top spot are Sarah HILDEBRANDT (53kg) and Kayla MIRACLE (62kg). 


Hildebrandt, like Gray, is coming off a dominant performance at the Pan American Championships. She went 4-0 with three falls and a 10-0 technical fall. 

Miracle was a Klippan Lady Open gold medalist in February and recently earned a bronze medal at the Pan American Championships. 

Turkey has a pair of No.1-ranked wrestlers, Bediha GUN (55kg) and Elif YESILIRMAK (59kg). Both claimed medals at the Klippan Lady Open and European Championships. 

Gun, a 2016 Olympian, was a silver medalist at the Klippan Lady Open and a bronze medalist at the European Championships. 

Yesilirmak, a multiple-time world medalist, claimed a European gold medal after finishing with a bronze at the Klippan Lady Open.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE), who recently captured her eighth European title, occupies the top spot at 50kg. 

Other top-ranked wrestlers in women's wrestling include Irina OLOGONOVA (57kg), Petra OLLI (65kg), Laura SKUJINA (68kg) and Jenny FRANSSON (72kg). Olli and Fransson were gold medalists at the European Championships. 

The 2018 season is the first in which United World Wrestling is utilizing an objective ranking system. The points acquired at continental championships and select rankings series will determine the top four seeded athletes at the 2018 World Championships in October held in Budapest.

For more on the Ranking Series format, be sure to check out this article

View all the rankings on United World Wrestling's homepage

50kg
1. Mariya STADNIK (AZE) // 43 Points
2. Emilia VUC (ROU) // 39 Points
3. Chun LEI (CHN) // 24 Points
4. Whitney CONDER (USA) // 22 Points
5. Vinesh VINESH (IND) // 22 Points

53kg
1. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) // 38 Points
2. Aysun ERGE (TUR) // 33 Points
3. Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) // 26 Points
4. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) // 24 Points
5. Yongmi PAK (PRK) // 22 Points

55kg
1. Bediha GUN (TUR) // 33 Points
2. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) // 23 Points
3. Saki IGARASHI (JPN) // 21 Points
4. Roksana ZASINA (POL) // 21 Points
5. Hyemin OH (KOR) // 19 Points

57kg
1. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) // 37 Points
2. Laura MERTENS (GER) // 31 Points
3. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) // 24 Points
4. Xingru PEI (CHN) // 22 Points
5. Alejandra ROMERO BONILLA (MEX) // 22 Points

59kg
1. Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR) // 33 Points
2. Ningning RONG (CHN) // 22 Points
3. Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) // 20 Points
4. Bisola MAKANJUOLA (NGR) // 18 Points
5. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) // 18 Points

62kg
1. Kayla MIRACLE (USA) // 35 Points
2. Luzie MANZKE (GER) // 28 Points
3. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) // 23 Points
4. Yaquelin ESTORNELL ELIZASTIGUE (CUB) // 22 Points
5. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) // 22 Points

65kg
1. Petra OLLI (FIN) // 41 Points
2. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) // 33 Points
3. Forrest MOLINARI (USA) // 26 Points
4. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) // 21 Points
5. Krystsina FEDARASHKA (BLR) // 19 Points

68kg
1. Laura SKUJINA (LAT) // 31 Points
2. Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) // 25 Points
3. Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) // 23 Points
4. Feng ZHOU (CHN) // 21 Points
5. Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB) // 21 Points

72kg
1. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) // 36 Points
2. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) // 26 Points
3. Yue HAN (CHN) // 18 Points
4. Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) // 18 Points
5. Veronica KEEFE (CAN) // 16 Points

76kg
1. Adeline GRAY (USA) // 40 Points
2. Yasemin ADAR (TUR) // 38 Points
3. Epp MAE (EST) // 30 Points
4. Qian ZHOU (CHN) // 21 Points
5. Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) // 19 Points
 

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW decision on neutral athlete inclusion

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 4) -- United World Wrestling Bureau held an extraordinary meeting to discuss the possibility of wrestlers from Russia and Belarus returning to competition after the recommendations made by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board last week.

United World Wrestling's Bureau reiterated the organization's commitment to promoting peace and brotherhood through sports and its solidarity with the people of Ukraine. UWW will continue to support the Ukrainian wrestling community, as it has done since the war broke out.

As a general principle, the Bureau unanimously favored the return of wrestlers to competition from Russia and Belarus under the conditions of participation set forth by the IOC.

For the Senior age categories, an independent panel shall be formed to verify the eligibility of all athletes from Russia and Belarus based on the IOC’s recommended conditions of participation. The exact criteria and the members of the panel shall be decided in the coming weeks.

The Bureau approved to immediately allow wrestlers in the U15 and U17 age categories to compete as neutral athletes in international competitions.

"Sports, over history, has been a medium to bring people closer," Nenad LALOVIC, UWW President, said. "Wrestling, as a sport, has a unique ability to bring people from different cultures and backgrounds together. It has great potential to help in peacebuilding and tolerance among different communities, countries, and regions".

The sanctions on the Russian and Belarusian governments or state officials remain, and no international event under the UWW auspices shall be held in or allocated to the Russian Federation.