#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW receives applications for UWW Athletes Commission election

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (July 23) -- The United World Wrestling Athletes' Commission will bear a new look come September.

After the July 15 deadline to submit applications for candidates, 14 wrestlers have sent their applications to be elected to the Commission. The election for the same will be held during the September World Championships in Zagreb.

Nine members, including minimum three women members, will be elected to the Athletes' Commission by secret ballot by the athletes participating in the World Championships.

The winning wrestlers will elect the Commission's chairman, who will have a seat on the UWW Bureau for the next four years, and a right to vote at the Congress.

After the careful reviewing of the applications by an ad-hoc Nomination Commission to ensure compliance with the eligibility criteria outlined in the original call for candidates, 14 wrestlers were deemed eligible for the election.

The criteria included competitive activity in the past six years, good standing of their national federation, absence of disciplinary sanctions, and a demonstrated commitment to athletes' rights, among others.

The candidates listed below have been confirmed as eligible:

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
Abdellatif Mohamed AHMED (EGY)
Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)
Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Jessica LAVERS-MCBAIN (AUS)

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Yui SUSAKI (JPN)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)

It is expected from the members of this commission to actively participate in the work of this commission, to be the voice of the athletes within UWW and to represent and promote the wrestlers and wrestling around the world.

Each Continent must be represented in this commission, and one of the continental members will represent the commission in the Executive Committee of the concerned Continental Council.

World Combat Games: Toth, Stepanova reign supreme in Grappling

By United World Wrestling Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (October 23) -- Grappling world champion from Hungary, Alexa TOTH (HUN), lived up to the tag of being the favorite as she reigned supreme at the World Combat Games in Riyadh and added another gold medal to her name on Monday.

The teenager, who won the world title last year and is also a U17 world champion, gave away just one point as she defeated opponents much senior to her to win the gold medal in women’s 58kg Grappling.

Toth began by recording a victory by submission against Melissa BENEDINI (ITA) in the quarterfinal. She followed up with another straightforward verdict of 4-0 against Germany’s Felicie OHLHOFF (GER) in the semifinals.

In the final, Toth defeated Ukraine’s Viktoriia SYNIAVINA (UKR) 3-1 to continue her dominance. Ohlhoff and Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ) won the bronze medals.

Another world champion, Kateryna STEPANOVA (UKR) claimed the women’s 71kg Grappling Gi gold medal by defeating Emily GUNZLER (GER) in the final 5-0.

Like Toth, Stepanova too was largely untested en route to another title and conceded just one point, during her 3-1 win over Spain’s Meryxell GONZALEZ (ESP)in the semifinals.

Gonzalez Correa and Shynar UZBEKOVA (KAZ) clinched the bronze medals.

 

 

In the women’s 53kg Grappling Gi category, Japan’s Rui HIRABAYASHI (JPN) won the gold medal by defeating Spain’s Naiomi MATTHEWS (ESP) 3-0 in the final. Kristina RAU (GER) and Maria Aisa RATCLIFF (PHI) won the bronze medals.

Antonia KANEW (GER) defeated Delfina dos Santos FRANCISCO (ANG) 3-1 to win the 64kg Grappling Gi title while in the women’s 90kg category, Nikoletta SZMOLKA (HUN) was the champion, defeating Claudia FORNES (ESP) 3-0 in the final.

Toth's gold was Hungary's first of the World Combat Games and Szmolka made it two for the day for her country.

In the men’s competition, world silver medallist and European champion Mayis NERSESYAN won the gold medal by defeating Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR) 2-0 in a tense final of the 66kg category, with Syimyk MAKHMEDOV (KGZ) defeating Osama KANDIL (KSA) to claim the bronze medal.

 

 

In the 71kg Grappling Gi category, Kazakhstan’s Sarsen ZHETIBAYEV (KAZ) emerged as the champion after he defeated Feruzbek URUKOV (UZB) 3-1 in the gold medal bout. Ivan RASIUK (UKR) and Fierre AFAN (PHI) won the bronze medals in the weight class.

Ulugbek RAKHMONOV (UZB) triumphed in the 84kg category by defeating Nurbek TABUDIN (KAZ) 3-0 in the final while Roman KIZIUK (UKR) won the gold medal in the 92kg class, beating Mantas DAUBLYS (LTU) 3-1 in the title bout.

Ivan MALIN (UKR)Ivan MALIN (UKR) won the gold medal in Grappling Gi 100kg. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the 100kg Grappling Gi category, former world champion Ivan MALIN (UKR), who lost his title to Poland’s Andrzej IWAT (POL) earlier this year, returned strongly to win the gold medal at Riyadh 2023, staying unbeaten throughout.

Malin defeated Reda MEBTOUCHE (FRA) 3-1 in the final, with Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA) beating Guglielmo CECCA (ITA) to win the bronze medal.