UWW's 25-Under-25: No. 16-No. 20

Tuesday, February 15, 2022 - 07:35 By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 15) -- United World Wrestling looked at 25 wrestlers who will undoubtedly keep wrestling fans at the edge of their seats throughout '22 and beyond.

With three short years left until the Paris Games, we're redirecting our attention to the sport's brightest young stars who are entering the prime of their careers. It's time to whisk in the next generation of talent that'll shoulder the weight of the sport into the '24 Olympics and beyond.

The question you asked, and we answered: "Who are the Top 25 Under 25?"

Here's UWW's second segment -- No. 16 through No. 20 -- of the Top 25 Under 25 to keep an eye on.

UWW 25-Under-25: No. 21-No. 25
No. 25 - Alina AKOBIYA (UKR), 23-years-old
No. 24 - Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 24-years-old
No. 23 - Artur SARGSYAN (RWF), 24-years-old
No. 22 - TUMUR OCHIR Tulga (MGL), 24-year-old
No. 21 - Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), 22-years-old

No. 20 Anshu MALIK (IND), 20-years-old (August 5, 2001)

Instagram: anshumalik57___

After a remarkable '21 season, Malik inserted herself into the discussion as one of India's women's wrestling greats. She earned her seat at the table with fellow trailblazers like Sakshi MALIK (IND), Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) and Pooja DHANDA (IND), among many others, after she strung together a '21 campaign that ended in a history-making world finals berth.

Last year, Malik entered five competitions and finished with at least a silver medal on three of those occasions. However, she started the season on a slow note, finishing in fifth place at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event. After that, she pushed the pressure aside and qualified India for the Olympic Games with a second-place finish at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Almaty before finishing top-ten at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

But the highlight of her year came in Oslo at the World Championships, where she became the first Indian woman ever to reach the world finals. In Norway, she outscored her first three opponents 31-6 – including 11-0 semifinals win over '20 European finalist Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) – before dropping her gold-medal match against three-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist Helen MAROULIS (USA).

No. 19 Irinia RINGACI (MDA), 21-years-old (August 23, 2001)

Instagram: i.r.i.n.e.l.l.001

Heading into '21, Ringaci set the seemingly unrealistic goal of winning world titles at the junior, U23 and senior levels.

The only thing that stopped her from winning the trifecta was how the calendar fell with the U23 World Championships coming after the Senior World Championships.

In August, Ringaci ran through the competition at the Junior World Championships, proving how far ahead of the competition she really is. She dominated each of her five opponents by a combined score of 49-10 but saved her most impressive performance in Ufa, Russia for the 65kg finals, where she stomped India's BHATERI, 12-2, en route to the gold medal.

Two months later, she shocked the world by becoming Moldova's first-ever women's wrestling world champion. She did so in a stacked 65kg bracket that featured the likes of two-time U23 world champ Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), world finalist Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) and world bronze-medal finishers Malin MATTSSON (SWE), Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) and Forrest MOLINARI (USA).

Although she would have loved to win a trio of world titles in the same year, after winning gold in Ufa and in Oslo, Ringaci and the Moldovan coaching staff felt that she had proved everything she set out to prove in '21 and elected to forgo the U23 World Championships.

No. 18 Zagir SHAKHIEV (RUS), 23-years-old (April 15, 1999)

Instagram: shakhiev65

There's no secret that the top guy for the Russian Federation at 65kg is world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS). But, after winning world and European gold in '21, rising star Shakhiev added his name to the shortlist of guys Coach Tedeev trusts with giving the starting nod.

Shakhiev debuted in the Russian Wrestling Federation's lineup at the European Championships in Poland in mid-'21 and quickly showed why he's trusted to hold such a coveted spot in the lineup.

In Warsaw, Shakiev opened up the competition with back-to-back technical superiority wins before earning his finals berth with an 8-5 decision over '18 U23 world runner-up Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE). Then, in the finals, the Russian Federation wrestler cruised past Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), 13-2, earning his first senior-level continental medal.

Fast forward six months and Shakhiev was in a familiar situation as he ended the World Championships atop the podium.

In Oslo, Shakhiev kicked off his senior world debut with a close 5-4 win over Rohit ROHIT (IND) but followed that up with three massive wins to establish himself as the world's best wrestler at 65kg.

He thrashed two-time European medalist Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR), 10-0, and edged Olympian Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 4-4, which set up a showdown with fan-favorite Amirmohammad YAZDANICHERATI (IRI).

Shakhiev made quick work of Yazdanicherati in the finals of Oslo. The match was scoreless in the first period, but the 23-year-old put up 14 points in less than a minute to grab gold with the 14-4 technical superiority win.

No. 17 Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), 23 years old (March 30, 1999)

Instagram: aiperi_medet_kyzy

Over the last 24 months, wrestling fans have witnessed the emergence of a women's wrestling powerhouse in Kyrgyzstan with Medet Kyzy being one of the core members of the Central Asian nation's "Big Three."

When you think about Kyrgyzstan's meteoric rise in the women's wrestling standings over the last two years, you think of Medet Kyzy standing arm-to-arm alongside Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) and Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ).

The former junior world champion took her licks in one of wrestling's most challenging weight classes, 76kg, before building the confidence and courage to compete with the best-of-the-best. The turning point for the 23-year-old -- validation, if you will -- came at the beginning of '21 when she pinned Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) to reach the finals of the International Ukrainian Tournament.

From that point on, Medet Kyzy's confidence and popularity skyrocketed. She punched Kyrgyzstan's ticket to the Olympic Games by winning the Asian Olympic Qualifiers, then followed that up with a silver medal at the Asian Championships.

In Tokyo, Medet Kyzy fell one match short of an Olympic medal. She dropped her bronze-medal match in Tokyo to former world champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and finished in fifth place.

Medet Kyzy closed out the year with two remarkable world-level competition performances. First, in Oslo at the Senior World Championships, she fell to rival Epp MAEE (EST) before bolting past Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR), 12-1, to win her first world medal on the senior circuit.

Then, Medet Kyzy closed out the year by winning 76kg gold at the U23 World Championships. However, her most impressive competition win came in the semifinals, where she shut out America's '21 junior world champion Kylie WELKER (USA), 8-0.

No. 16 Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 23 years old (January 19, 1999)

Instagram: leriabuladze14

Abuladze is the lone Georgian holding a spot on the Top 25 Under 25 list.

Despite only having nine senior-level competitions under his belt, Abuladze has proved to be one of the best 63kg wrestlers on the world and continental level. On the continental stage, his lone loss last season came against Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RWF) in the European championship semifinals. He bounced back for bronze after a win over former European champion Mihai MIHUT (ROU).

In Oslo, Abuladze took out Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ), Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) and Erik TORBA (HUN) before running into the Iranian buzzsaw Meysam DALKHANI in the gold-medal match.

#WrestleBaku

Malmgren boosts Olympics preparations with U23 Euro title

Thursday, May 23, 2024 - 18:01 By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (May 23) -- Jonna MALMGREN’S (SWE) social media bio, glittering with gold medal emojis, will soon have a new addition.

A three-time European medallist [two gold and a silver], four-time U17 and U20 European medal winner, a U20 world champion and a Youth Olympics gold medallist, the Paris Olympic-bound wrestler added another title to her overflowing cabinet. The 23-year-old, on Thursday, won her second consecutive U23 European Championship gold medal here.

And she did it with minimal fuss, winning the final against Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) 5-0.

Competing in the 55kg category instead of her usual 53kg, Malmgren conceded only two points in her four bouts and that too in her opening match against Tuba DEMIR (TUR). After that 10-2 win, she didn’t allow any of her opponents the slightest of chances to nick a point from her.

Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) used a duck under to score two points over Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) in the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the gold medal bout, Vynnyk tried testing Malmgren’s patience by blocking her attacking channels but the Swede isn’t a one-trick wrestler, as she has shown in the past.

Malmgren’s wrestling style can outfox many. She is never steady on the mat. Her legs constantly shuffle back and forth, and she moves around in circles. Her hands are always trying to break the opponent’s defense and the prying eyes look for the tiniest of gaps that she could exploit with her breathtaking speed.

Her Ukrainian opponent learned it the hard way. If Vynnyk planned to keep the scoreline close, she succeeded to an extent. But it was always going to be tough to sustain that level of defense, especially with the risk of being penalized for passivity, which she was inside the first two minutes of the bout.

Malmgren upped the ante in the second period, using a duck under to add two points to her tally. Then, with a little more than a minute remaining, she got control of Vynnyk’s arm and neck before turning her over onto her back for two more points.

Malmgren ran to her corner to celebrate her second consecutive title, the kind of performance that will leave her in good stead in the build-up to the Paris Olympics.

Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) defeated Laura KUEHN (GER) to win the 76kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

It was a mixed day for Ukrainian wrestlers, who featured in three out of the five finals that were held on Thursday and lost two while winning one.

Minutes after Vynnyk lost to Malmgren, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) defeated Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) 9-2 in the final of the 68kg category. It was the biggest title so far of the 20-year-old former U20 European silver medallist’s career.

But Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) ensured her country didn’t end the opening day of women’s wrestling with zero gold medals.

The former U20 European Championship silver medallist won the first title of her career as she defeated Laura KUEHN (GER) 6-0 in a lopsided 76kg final.

Orlevych looked in sublime form and was in the attacking mode from the get-go. Within the first 60 seconds, the Ukrainian used a one-on-two and scored a takedown over Kuehn for two points.

Kuehn defended well for the rest of the period but mid-way through the second period, Orlevych was on the offensive again, using the arm-drag to push her opponent on the mat for a further two points. Desperate to make a comeback, a tired Kuehn went for a single-leg attack but missed and Orlevych caught her on the counter to add two more points and seal the bout.

Natallia VARAKINA (AIN), right, celebrates after winning the 50kg gold medal after beating Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR), left, in the final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Earlier in the finals session, Natallia VARAKINA (AIN) won the gold medal in the most dramatic of circumstances, beating Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR) 8-8 on criteria in the 50kg final.

Varakina led 8-4 with only 10 seconds remaining but Demirhan cut the deficit to two points with a push-out and a caution to Varakina. As the clock ticked down, with just seven seconds remaining, Demirhan forced another takedown to level the scores at 8-8. However, as she tried to sneak in another point, the time was up and Varakina was declared the winner by the virtue of a higher-point hold.

Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) held on to a 5-3 win over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN) in the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The 59kg final, a battle between two former U20 world champions, Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) held on to a close 5-3 win over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN). Hetmanava was leading 4-0 with 25 seconds left in the bout when Sidelnikova scored her first point using a stepout. Both got in a tangle and Sidelnikova tripped Hetmanava who fell on her back and in danger of a fall, surviving that position as the time ran out.

Sidelnikova challenged asking for four points but the judges upheld the original decision of two points and Hetmanava won the gold medal 5-3.

Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) will wrestle for the 53kg gold medal on Friday. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Ukraine puts three more in finals

Meanwhile, on Friday, Ukraine will have more chances to win a women’s wrestling gold medal at the U23 European Championships when their three more wrestlers take to the mat in the gold medal bouts on Friday.

Leading the way for them in Thursday’s early rounds and the semifinals was the U23 European Championship silver medallist and U23 Worlds bronze medal winner Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) at 53kg.

Malanchuk didn’t concede a single point en route to the final, beating Venera NAFIKOVA (AIN) 8-0 in the quarterfinals and Laura STANELYTE (LTU) 7-0 in the semis. She will face home favorite Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) in the final.

Joining her in the title bout will be U20 European champion and U23 Worlds silver medallist Iryna BONDAR (UKR). Bondar wasn’t tested in her early rounds but was challenged in the semifinals by Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), who tried to make a late comeback. Bondar, however, prevailed 7-4 to set up a final encounter with Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) at 62kg.

The third Ukrainian in the final will be Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) who, like her compatriot, was dominant in all her bouts. She will face Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) in the 72kg gold medal match.

Paris-bound and former world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) will wrestle for the 65kg after she showed the gulf in class at the age-group level. She scored a 10-0 win in the quarterfinal and then handed another Paris-bound wrestler, Nesrin BAS (TUR), a 8-2 loss. She will take on Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) for the gold medal.

Koshkina dominated her semifinal 12-2 against Ingrid SKARD (NOR) but survived a scare in the quarterfinal against Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU). Trailing 10-5, Koshkina secured a fall over Zelenykh.

The 57kg final will be a battle between Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR).

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Natallia VARAKINA (AIN) df. Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR), 8-8

BRONZE: Ana Maria PIRVU (ROU) df. Khrystyna BASYCH (SVK), 6-2
BRONZE: Natalia WALCZAK (POL) df. Gabija DILYTE (LTU), 5-2

55kg
GOLD: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 8-4
BRONZE: Anastasiia IANDUSHKINA (AIN) df. Aliaksandra BULAVA (AIN), 13-3

59kg
GOLD: Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN), 5-3

BRONZE: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Ana Maria PUIU (ROU), via fall (8-0)
BRONZE: Amel REBIHA (FRA) df. Sevim AKBAS (TUR), 6-1

68kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) df. Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 10-2

BRONZE: Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN) df. Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER), via fall
BRONZE: Karolina POK (HUN) df. Luciana BEDA (MDA), 5-3

76kg
GOLD: Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) df. Laura KUEHN (GER), 6-0

BRONZE: Zsofia VIRAG (HUN) df. Nazar BATIR (TUR), 4-2
BRONZE: Olga KOZYREVA (AIN) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), via fall (5-4)

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) vs. Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)

SF 1: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Laura STANELYTE (LTU), 7-0
SF 2: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) df. Sevval CAYIR (TUR), 11-0

57kg
GOLD: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) vs. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)

SF 1: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR), 3-1
SF 2: Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) df. Volha HARDZEI (AIN), 8-0

62kg
GOLD: Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) df. Viktoria VESSO (EST), 4-4
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), 7-4

65kg
GOLD: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA)

SF 1: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), 8-2
SF 2: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) df. Ingrid SKARD (NOR), 12-2

72kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) vs. Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN)

SF 1: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Olesia BEZUGLOVA (AIN), via fall (7-0)
SF 2: Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) df. Bukrenaz SERT (TUR), 2-1

UWW's 25-Under-25: No. 16-No. 20

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Malmgren boosts Olympics preparations with U23 Euro title