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UWW Awards: Sadulaev, Burroughs, Otoguro Among 10 FS Wrestlers Awarded $10,000

By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 28) -- After a forced delay of two years, United World Wrestling's end-of-year awards are back.

For the first time, wrestlers of all three styles and 30 weight categories will receive prize money with the top-ranked wrestler getting $10,000 followed by $7,000 for the second-placed wrestler and $3,000 for the third-ranked wrestler. Previously the Ranking Series award allocation went to the top three overall point-getters in each style.

Making a significant jump from the 2019 prize money, which was around $200,000, the UWW Bureau approved a generous $600,000 prize package at the beginning of the season.

The 2021 prize money combines the amount that was reserved for 2020 but was not distributed due to the impact COVID-19 had on the competition.

This season was unlike any other with Olympics and World Championships in the same year apart from the other ranking events which allowed wrestlers to collect ranking points. The point distributions are unchanged for all events except the Olympic Games, where medalists earned 20 percent more than they did for performances at the 2021 World Championships. All Tokyo Games gold medalists will get 10 additional points, silver will get 6 additional points and bronze will be awarded 3 additional points.

For the convenience of the fans, here's a breakdown of how the points are distributed.

Thomas GILMANThomas GILMAN (USA) was the top-ranked wrestler at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

57kg
Thomas GILMAN (USA) 86 points
Zavur UGUEV (RWF) 68 points
Ravi KUMAR (IND) 64 points

The top three wrestlers at 57kg won medals at the Tokyo Olympics. But only Thomas GILMAN (USA) participated in the World Championships in Oslo and overtook Olympic champion Zavur UGUEV (RWF) and silver medalist Ravi KUMAR (IND) to take home $10,000.

In the 2021 season, Gilman participated in only two ranking events – Olympics and Worlds – and collected 26 (15 + 3 + 8) points from Tokyo for his bronze medal and 60 (50 + 10) from Oslo for his gold medal. His combined 86 points were 18 more than Uguev and 22 more than Dahiya.

Uguev only participated in Tokyo and captured 68 points with his gold medal performance. Dahiya's silver in Tokyo gave him 44 points while his gold at the Asian Championships in April added 20 more to his account.

Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF)Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF), left, will collect the top prize while Daton FIX (USA) finished second in the race. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

61kg
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) 80 points
Daton FIX (USA) 40 points
Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) 38 points

For Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF), winning the continental and the World titles was enough to ensure him the top spot at 61kg. His 80 points from the two events put him in the front as silver medalist in Oslo Daton FIX (USA) only had 40 points.

Magomedov got 60 points from the World Championships, adding to the 20 that he had accumulated by winning the gold at the European Championships.

"Before the World Championships, I was second and my coaches had told me that there is some ranking system for the end of the year," Magomedov said. "It's good news that I will get this big amount and I appreciate it."

The Russian champion has not thought about what he will do with the prize money but hopes to use it to buy an apartment.

"I have been saving to buy an apartment and I can add this money to the savings as well," he said.

For third place, Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) participated in four events in the year with gold in Matteo Pellicone, silver at the Asian Championships and a fifth-place finish at the Poland Open. He could not get any points in Oslo.

He got 14 points in Rome, 16 points in Almaty and 8 points in Poland, making it 38 points for him, six more than fourth-placed Ravinder DAHIYA (IND).

Takuto OtoguroTakuto OTOGURO (JPN) finished at the top in 65kg with 88 points. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

65kg
Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) 88 points
Zagir SHAKHIEV (RWF) 80 points
Bajrang PUNIA (IND) 58 points

Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) and world champion Zagir SHAKHIEV (RUS) take the top two spots at the 65kg rankings while bronze medalist in Tokyo Bajrang PUNIA (IND) is third.

Before the Tokyo Games, Otoguro had 20 points for winning the gold at the Asian Championships but by winning in Tokyo, he add 68 more points and climbed up to the top spot with 88 points.

"I was aware of the ranking system but wasn't sure that I will get this prize money," Tokyo Olympic champion Otoguro said. "I am happy to win it and I will use this fund to prepare for the next tournament."

Punia was in the second spot but decided to skip the '21 Worlds and Shakhiev, who won gold in Oslo, leapfrogged him for the second spot. The RWF wrestler got 60 points from Oslo, adding to the 20 he was awarded for winning the senior European Championships.

Punia earned 14 points for his gold medal at the Matteo Pellicone in March before a silver medal at the Asian Championships gave him 18 more. His total reached 58 when he won the bronze at the Olympics given him 26 points.

Magomedmurad GHADZIEVMagomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), blue, won the world title at 70kg and finished top while Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) finished second. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

70kg
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) 60 points
Alec PANTALEO (USA) 46 points
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) 40 points

Alec PANTALEO (USA) was the runaway leader in the 70kg rankings but his absence from the World Championships in Oslo hindered his chances of winning the grand amount of $10,000.

Before Oslo, the USA wrestler had accumulated 46 points by winning the gold medal at Matteo Pellicone (14 points), Pan Am Championships (18 points) and Poland Open (14 points). But he failed to make the USA team for Oslo after suffering an injury against Ryan DEAKIN (USA) in the team trials, stopping from adding any more points.

That gave the gold medal in Oslo a clear path to take the top spot and Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) was up for it. He won a historic gold medal for Poland in Oslo and collected 60 points to push the American wrestler to the second position.

Rising star Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) will collect the $3000 for finishing third, thanks to his silver medal-winning performance at the Worlds which gave him 40 points.

Kyle DAKEKyle DAKE (USA) finished at the top in 74kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

74kg
Kyle DAKE (USA) 106 points
Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RWF) 68 points
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) 66 points

Kyle DAKE (USA) is one of three top rankers across 10 freestyle weight classes who managed to accumulate more than 100 points in series. He took the top spot at 74kg after winning the gold medal at the World Championships, bronze at the Olympics and a senior Pan Am title.

The three-time world champion had only 28 points from the Olympics as he finished with a bronze medal and 18 for the Pan Am gold medal. But he got 60 points for the gold medal at the World Championships which helped him move ahead of Olympic champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RWF) and Frank CHAMIZO (ITA).

"I'll have to check with my wife and see what we have to buy," Dake said after winning the gold in Oslo.

Sidakov, who skipped the Worlds Championships, got 50 points for his gold medal in Tokyo plus an additional 8 points as the number of participants was between 10 and 20. Ten more points were added as the UWW Bureau had approved that Tokyo Olympic medalists will earn 20 percent more points than the Worlds medalists (only for 2021).

Chamizo did not win a medal at the Olympics and later skipped the World Championships but still finished third in the rankings, thanks for his active participation in the first half of the year.

In Tokyo, Chamizo finished fifth and collected 18 points which were in addition to 16 he got at the Matteo Pellicone in March, another 18 for the bronze medal at the Europen Championships and 14 points for silver at the Poland Open. He finished with 66 points.

Had Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) won the gold medal in Oslo instead of silver, he would have gone past both Chamizo and Sidakov but the European champion could only manage 62 points to finish fourth.

Jordan BurroughsJordan BURROUGHS (USA), left, won the gold at 79kg in Oslo to climb to the top of the rankings. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

79kg
Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) 60 points
Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) 41 points
Mohamad NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) 40 points

If Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)'s absence from the 74kg rankings left the wrestling fans surprised, it is because he wrestled at 79kg internationally for the first time in his career. And he took the top spot instantly.

Winning his fifth world title in Oslo, Burroughs once again assured his fans that he is far from finished. His gold medal gave him 60 points and $10,000 in winnings.

Mohamad NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) was second to Burroughs in Oslo but his 40 points were one less than bronze medalist Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO)'s 41 points.

The Georgian wrestler won a bronze medal at the European Championships which gave him 16 points and he added 25 more in Oslo to climb up to the second spot.

Junior world champion Nokhoilarimi's silver was worth 40 points, enough to get him a third spot and $3000.

David TAYLOR USADavid TAYLOR (USA), red, finished first, two points ahead of Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), blue, in the rankings. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

86kg
David TAYLOR (USA) 126 points
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) 124 points
Artur NAIFONOV (RWF) 71 points

David TAYLOR (USA) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) took their rivalry to the next level with a bout of the tournament at the Olympics and then a sensational comeback from Yazdani in Oslo. They were neck-to-neck in the rankings but it was Taylor who edged Yazdani by two points to be the top-ranked wrestler in the weight class with 126 points as his rival finished with 124 points.

Yazdani led mid-year as his gold at Asian Championships gave him 20 points while Taylor's Pan Am title was worth only 18 points. But at the Olympics, Taylor defeated Yazdani with a late takedown and the gold gave him 68 points while Yazdani got 44 points.

The medals were reversed in Oslo as Yazdani took home a gold and 50 points and the silver for Taylor fetched him 40 points.

Artur NAIFONOV (RWF), who has been in the shadow of Yazdani and Taylor at 86kg, finished third with 71 points with most, 26, coming through his bronze medal at the Olympics. He had 20 points from the gold medal at the European Championships and added 25 more through his bronze in Oslo.

Kamran GHASEMPOURKamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), left, defeated Magomed KURBANOV (RWF) in the 92kg final to claim the top rank. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

92kg
Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) 76 points
Magomed KURBANOV (RWF) 58 points
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) 39 points

Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) and Magomed KURBANOV (RWF) came to the World Championships with gold medals at the Asian and European Championships respectively.

Kurbanov led the ranking with 20 points to Ghasempour's 18 but then positions were interchanged in Oslo when the Iranian wrestler won the gold medal by defeating Kurbanov at 92kg. The Asian champion collected 58 points from Oslo while Kurbanov managed only 38 for his silver medal.

The young star and U23 world champion Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) finished third in the ranking with 39 points, thanks to his bronze medal finish which gave him 23 points. He also had 16 points from the bronze medal finish at the European Championships.

Abdulrashid SADULAEVAbdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF), red, had 128 points against Kyle SNYDER (USA)'s 102 at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

97kg
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) 128 points
Kyle SNYDER (USA) 102 points
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) 68 points

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) is undefeated at the Olympics. He has gold medals at the last three World Championships and fittingly, he claimed the most ranking points in the 2021 season.

With 128 points in just two tournaments, Sadulaev locked up the top position at 97kg against his arch-rival Kyle SNYDER (USA) who managed only 102 points in three tournaments.

The two met in the Olympics and World Championships finals and Sadulaev came out on top both times which proved to be the difference between the two fighters.

Sadulaev defeated Snyder 6-3 at the Olympics and collected 68 points for the gold medal. He then added 60 more points with another gold in Oslo.

Snyder had 18 points from his Pan Am gold before the Olympics where he got 44 points for his silver medal. He added 40 more from the silver in Oslo to sit at 102 points.

Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) managed to finish third in the ranking with 68 points which he collected over five tournaments. He began with the Matteo Pellicone and finished with a bronze medal which opened his account with 10 points. He added 18 more with a silver medal finish at the Asian Championships and 12 more with another bronze medal finish at the Poland Open.

He failed to medal at the Olympics or the Worlds Championships but finished seventh and 10th to claim 16 and 12 points respectively.

Geno Petriashvili Amir ZAREGeno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), red, and Amir ZARE (IRI) both finished with 98 points but the former's Tokyo Olympic silver held more weightage than the latter's bronze. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan) 

125kg
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) 98 points
Amir ZARE (IRI) 98 points
Gable STEVESON (USA) 78 points

Olympic and World Championships silver medalist Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) finished the ranking series with 98 points. Olympic bronze and world champion Amir ZARE (IRI) finished the ranking series with 98 points.

There was little to separate the two but in the end, Petriashvili's silver at the Olympics was given more weightage than Zare's bronze in Tokyo.

The Georgian former world champion began the year with a bronze medal at the European Championships giving him 16 points. Tokyo silver added 44 points and the medal in Oslo added another 38 points to his tally.

Zare's path began at the Poland Open where he won the gold and collected 14 points for the win. He then traveled to Tokyo and came back with a bronze medal and 26 points. But he got a big boost to his ranking when he won the gold in Oslo, giving him 58 points for the win.

Steveson, who stunned the wrestling world by winning gold in Tokyo, finished in third with 68 points, all collected at the Olympics. He also won continental gold at the Pan-American Championships.

The ranking events for the 2022 season will begin with Matteo Pellicone in Rome, Italy from February 3-6 and continue to Yasar Dogu in Istanbul, Turkey from February 24-27 before rolling into the continental championships.

For more events, please log on to uww.org/events

#UWWAwards

End of the year women's wrestling rankings

By Eric Olanowski & Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (November 9) -- With the ranking season coming to an end with the World Championships in Belgrade, wrestlers managed to shift their rankings based on points solely earned in 2022.

The performances at the senior world and continental championships, four ranking series events and select Games, wrestlers with the highest participating and medals were rewarded at the end of the year.

Here are the new rankings after the senior World Championships with points from 2022 tournaments only.

Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL)Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) finished at the top at 50kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

50kg
1. Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) - $5000
2. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) - $3000
3. Anna LUKASIAK (POL) - $2000

Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) takes the top spot at 50kg with her silver medal at the World Championships. In 2022, the Mongolian also has bronze medals at two ranking series events. The three medals earned her 52400 points.

She has 400 more than world bronze medalist Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) who is ranked second in the world for her medals at World Championships, Pan-Am Championships and the ranking series event in Tunis.

Hildebrandt got 13000 points for her Pan-Am gold, 8000 points for Zouhaier Sghaier and 31000 points for the bronze at Worlds. However, Dolgorjav earned 10200 and 5200 points for bronze medals at Yasar Dogu and Bolat Turlykhanov Cup respectively. Her biggest collection was from the Worlds as the silver medal was worth 37000 points, taking her ahead of Hildebrandt.

The third spot goes to Anna LUKASIAK (POL), the second bronze medalist from the World Championships. The 31000 points along with the 6500 points from European Championships, 7800 points from Yasar Dogu and 5200 points from Matteo Pellicone.

World champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) comes in at fourth with 45000 points, all collected for her gold in Belgrade. She only participated in one event in 2022.

Dominique PARRISH (USA)Dominique PARRISH (USA) became the world champion at 53kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

53kg
1. Dominique PARRISH (USA) - $5000
2. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) - $3000
3. Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) - $2000

Dominique PARRISH (USA) not only became the world champion in her first apperance, she will end the season as the top ranked wrestler at 53kg, pocketing $5000 for her achievement.

Participating in four events that offered ranking points, Parrish began with the Yasar Dogu in Istanbul, winning bronze for 10200 points. She then added the Pan-Am title to her collection for another 13000 points. She did not win a medal at the Zouhaier Sghaier Cup but still got 4640 points. In September, her run to the gold at World Championships clinched the top rank for her with 45000 points.

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) never came close to beating Parrish for the number one spot and finished second. She began the season with silver at the European Championships to earn 8000 points before winning the gold at the Mediterranean Games for another 8000 points. It was her bronze at the World Championships that earned her 31000 points, taking her tally to 47000 points.

Two silver medals in 2022 were enough for Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) to earn 45000 points and the third spot. She won her first silver at the Asian Championships for 8000 points before finishing with similar color at the World Championships for 37000 points.

Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN)Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) defeated Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) in the 55kg final at World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

55kg
1. Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) - $5000
2. Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) - $3000
3. Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) - $2000

It could not have got any closer than this. Both Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) and Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) finished with 45000 points but it was the former's gold at the World Championships which helped her outrank Khomenets who won the silver in Belgrade.

All of Shidochi's points came from the World Championships while Khomenets earned 37000 points for her silver. The other 8000 points are for the silver medal she won at the European Championships.

At third comes Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) who fell short of the top rank by only 1000 points. Finishing with 44000 points, Winchester earned them in three different events in 2022. Her first was in Istanbul where she won gold for 11000 points before silver at the Pan-Am Championships for 8000 points.

She finished fifth at the World Championships with an injured knee but still managed 25000 points to reach the third spot in rankings.

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) became the 57kg world champion to claim the top spot. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

57kg
1. Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) - $5000
2. Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) - $3000
3. Anhelina LYSAK (POL) - $2000

World and Asian champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) clinched the top spot with her two gold medals of 2022. She received 10000 points for gold in Mongolia and then 45000 when she became the world champion at 57kg over Helen MAROULIS (USA).

Finishing second at 57kg is Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) with 49000 points. She won gold medals at the European Championships and Matteo Pellicone for a combined 18000 points. In September, she added a world bronze to her name for 31000 points and the second spot in the rankings.

Another world bronze medalist, Anhelina LYSAK (POL), finished third with 45000 points. Her bronze in Belgrade was the only medal of 2022 but she finished fifth in Istanbul and the European Championships which helped her with 14000 points. She got 9000 points for Yasar Dogu event and 5000 points for the Euros. 31000 points were added when she won the bronze at the Worlds.

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) finished ranked one at 59kg after winning the gold at World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

59kg
1. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) - $5000
2. Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) - $3000
3. Grace BULLEN (NOR) - $2000

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) may have been around for long but she won her first senior world title in Belgrade. Her three gold medals in 2022 cleared her path to be the top wrestler at 59kg with 64000 points. She got 45000 points for the gold medal in Belgrade adding to her 10000 points from European Championships and 11000 points from Yasar Dogu.

Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) jumped to second spot with 51600 points after bronze at the World Championships. She competed at four events for rankings points and won medals at all four of them. Beginning the season with bronze in Istanbul, she got 8200 points for that. Silver at the European Championships earned her 8000 points before another silver, at Matteo Pellicone, added 6400 points to her tally.

The wrestler who won the Matteo Pellicone gold was Grace BULLEN (NOR) who later reach the final at the World Championships which helped her finish third in the weight class. She got 37000 points for her silver in Belgrade and 8000 points for the gold in Rome.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) is ranked number one at 62kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

62kg
1. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) - $5000 
2. Kayla MIRACLE (USA) - $3000 
3. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) - $2000

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) went unscathed in 2022 and earned the world’s top billing at 62kg. The 20-year-old Japanese star went 16-0, and collected gold medals at the U20, U23 and Senior World Championships. Although she won three world titles and five competitions during her ’22 campaign, her Asian and Belgrade titles were the only two competitions that counted towards her 55,000-point total.

World silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) closed out the season ranked second in the world at 62kg with 45,000 points. This season, the American only dropped two matches and won silver medals at the Pan-American and World Championships. She fell to top-ranked Ozaki in the world finals and Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) but avenged that Acapulco loss en route to the Belgrade world finals.

Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) strung together an impressive season, medaling at the World and European Championships and the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event. She earned the third spot in the ranking with 43,900 points – 1,100 points shy of Miracle's No. 2 spot.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) claimed the top spot at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

65kg
1. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) - $5000 
2. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) - $3000 
3. Mallory VELTE (USA) - $2000

In one of the closest races to the top spot in the rankings, Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) outclassed Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) by 1,400 points to steal the top spot at 65kg.

Morikawa moved past Manolova with gold-medal wins at the Asian and World Championships. Although it didn’t count towards her 2022 ranking total, the 23-year-old also won a gold medal in Spain at the U23 World Championships.

Manolova finished in the top five of the four competitions she entered, winning silver medals at the European Championships and Bolat Turlykhanov Cup and finished in fifth place at the World Championships and the Yasar Dogu. If the 26-year-old Azeri finished with a medal at either the World Championships or the Yasar Dogu, she would have closed out the year ranked first in the world.

Mallory VELTE (USA) finished the season as the third-ranked wrestler at 65kg. After opening the season in Istanbul with a silver medal, she closed out the season with a bronze medal in Belgrade at the World Championships.

Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA)Olympic and world champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) earned 49000 points. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

68kg
1. Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) - $5000 
2. Irina RINGACI (MDA) - $3000
3. Ami ISHII (JPN) - $2000

The battle for the top billing at 68kg went through fellow world champions Tamyra STOCK MENSAH (USA) and Irina RINGACI (MDA).

Mensah reached the summit of the world podium for the second time since 2019 and finished 1,600 points ahead of 2021 world champion Ringaci for the weight’s top ranking. Despite competiting in one less event, Mensah-Stock’s golds at the World Championships and Zouhaier Sghaier Ranking Series events trumped Ringaci’s World bronze, European gold and Matteo Pellicone silver.

Mensah ended 2022 with 49000 points while Ringaci had 47400 points.

Ami ISHII (JPN) rounded out the top three in the rankings with 37,000 points after finishing with a silver medal at the World Championships.

Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) earned the top spot at 72kg with 52000 points. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

72kg
1. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) - $5000 
2. Amit ELOR (USA) - $3000
3. Buse TOSUN CAVUSOGLU (TUR) - $2000

Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) had arguably the most complete season out of any women’s wrestler in the world. Her 2022 campaign featured a 13-match win streak and included gold medals at the Asian Championships, Yasar Dogu and Bolat Turlykhanov Cup Ranking Series events before settling for a silver medal at the World Championships. She closed out the season with 52,000, which was 9,000 points ahead of second-ranked Amit ELOR (USA).

Elor had a season that’ll be talked about for years to come. The 19-year-old budding superstar won a trio of world titles in a three-month span and leaped into the third spot in the rankings. She won gold medals at the U20, U23 and Senior World Championships. 

Buse TOSUN CAVUSOGLU (TUR) medaled in three of the five events she entered this season and finished ranked third at 72kg. She started the season with a fifth-place finish at the Yasar Dogu before grabbing consecutive medals at the European Championships, XIX Mediterranean Games and  Zouhaier Sghaier Ranking Series event before closing out the year with a world fifth-place finish.

Samar HAMZA (EGY)Samar HAMZA (EGY) won a silver medal at the World Championships to finish at top at 76kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

76kg
1. Samar HAMZA (EGY) - $5000 
2. Yasemin ADAR (TUR) - $3000  
3. Epp MAE (EST) - $2000

Samar HAMZA (EGY) made history in becoming the first women’s wrestler from Egypt to reach the world finals and rounded out the season ranked atop the world standings at 76kg.

Hamza wrestled six times in 2022 and earned medals in five events. After going 1-1 and finishing ninth at the Yasar Dogu, the 26-year-old Egyptian went on a five-competition medal run. She grabbed the African title for the fifth time in her career, silver medals at the World Championships and Bolat Turlykhanov Cup Ranking Series event, and bronze medals at the Mediterranean Games and Zouhaier Sghaier Ranking Series event.

In a year where she took the reigns as the Turkish Federation Vice President, Yasemin ADAR (TUR) still managed to end the season ranked second in the world at 76kg. She finished the season with a perfect 10-0 record through her gold-medal finishes at the World and European Championships and the Mediterranean Games.

Epp MAE (EST) picked up a bronze medal at the World Championships and a silver medal at the European Championships and finished the season in the third position.