#development

Wish Programme Cohort 4 wraps up in London

Wednesday, September 6, 2023 - 00:14 By Eric Olanowski

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LONDON, England (September 5) – Women in Sport High-Performance Pathway (WISH) kicked off the 1st Edition of the programme on May 23, 2022. 

Since then they have started 2nd, 3rd, 4th cohort to help develop more women coaches in sport. 

The WISH Programme is designed to equip women coaches, who have the potential and ambition, to succeed in gaining roles at elite coaching levels within their sports. The programme is specifically designed to help coaches develop their sport-specific skills, leaderships skills and behaviours, and build confidence. United World Wrestling is participating along with many other IF’s and is being support by Olympic Solidarity, University of Hertfordshire, and Females Achieving Brilliance (FAB).

United World Wrestling has had two additional coaches started the most recent cohorts. Teresa MENDEZ (ESP) and member of UWW Gender Equality Commission along with W.I.Lalanthi Disanayaka (SRI) are participating in the 4th cohort. A total of 124 coaches benefited from the programme which 12 are from wrestling. The coaches are from 60 nations representing the five continents and across the 33 Olympic sports.

 “I highly appreciate the opportunities provided by UWW to promote women wrestling. This week was amazing to be a group of women coaches from all Olympic sports. The programme and content prompted me to learn more about myself. I strengthen my self-confidence, learned positive thinking, how to better self-evaluate to improve, and to self-reflect to find a solution to any problem,” said Teresa Mendez.

W.I.Lalanthi Disanayaka “My country is facing so many economical and social issues but thanks to sport, we can promote a better society especially for the younger generations. Never in my dreams, I would have thought I would be selected for such scholarship. I am very grateful and will pursue the development of wrestling in my country”.

The residential session was a weeklong event where the coaches attended working sessions and participated in learning activities with over 20 coaches from other sports in attendance. Some of the key learning points included leadership skills, creative problem-solving, creating connections, mindset, having uncomfortable conversations, visualizing the future, etc.

“The WISH (Empowering Woman Coaches) is dear to me. Bringing women coaches, managers, administrators from around the globe to work on common challenges in sports is the only way forward to bridge the gap of gender equality," said Deqa Niamkey, UWW DD and WISH Strategy Chair. "We still have a long way to go before reaching the 50/50 gender equality but through such programmes, rest assured, we are on the right track. We are currently discussing with the University of Hertfordshire, WISH committee, IOC/OS to expand the programme to regional, continental level and in different languages.”

The WISH Programme is a 21-month programme. These coaches will continue meeting with the WISH Leadership Team, work with their leadership mentors, and sport-specific mentors. WISH was originally piloted as the WSLA High-Performance Coach Programme. UWW participated in the original pilot program with four coaches. After a successful experience, the WISH Programme was developed and expanded to include participation by more International Federations. UWW has renewed its participation to this outstanding programme.

#WrestleTirana

Japan adds 3 golds to maintain perfect record in Tirana

Friday, February 28, 2025 - 23:31 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (February 28) -- Ami ISHII (JPN) can't stop winning in Tirana.

Four months after she won the U23 and Senior World Championships in the Albanian capital, Ishii has begun her 2025 with a Ranking Series gold in Tirana on Friday.

While she won the World Championships at 72kg, Ishii returned to the Olympic weight class 68kg as she leaves memories of missing out on Paris Olympics behind.

"It [Tirana] is a luck city," Ishii said. "Also, 68kg is home for me."

 Ishii is now 12-0 in Tirana, winning golds at the U23 World Championships, senior World Championships and Muhamet Malo Ranking Series -- scoring six technical superiority wins and three pins.

Her gold medal was one of three that Japan won, maintaining its perfect record in Women's Wrestling in Tirana, adding to the two it won on Thursday. Out of the six golds on offer so far, Japan has won five with one -- 62kg -- going to China. Japan did not enter a wrestler in 62kg.

Ishii won the gold medal at 68kg after U20 world champion Sakura ONISHI (JPN) made a golden senior debut at 59kg. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) was successful at 65kg. On Thursday, Umi ITO (JPN) won at 50kg while Haruna MAYUMARA (JPN) won gold at 55kg.

Ami ISHII (JPN)Ami ISHII (JPN) won the 68kg gold medal in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ishii looked in sublime form at 68kg and seemed like she would go unscathed, however, Zelu LI (CHN) checked her in the final. Ishii managed to win 6-2 but could feel the pressure of the final.

"I think the opponent's level is quite high since it's in the finals," Ishii said. "The pressure is the most fun in the finals. There shouldn't be any pressure, but it was a close match so I'll practice a little more."

She opened the scoring with a double-leg takedown and kept aiming for Li's ankles, converting once such attempt to a takedown. Li tried to counter lift but Ishii was solid in her defense and led 4-0 at the break. Li did cut the lead to 4-2 in the second period but Ishii made it 6-2 with a similar takedown like the previous ones.

"My wrestling is different, and I keep updating my wrestling every day," she said. "My wrestling is completely different from the last time I came to Tirana. Wrestling Japanese, I continue to improve my skills."

After missing out on the Paris Olympics, losing in the domestic playoff to Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), Ishii remains motivated to be at the Olympic cycle.

"My goal for 2025 is to win the 68kg class at the World Championships," she said. "My biggest goal for 2025 is probably to win a gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics."

Sakura ONISHI (JPN)Sakura ONISHI (JPN) defeated Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) 10-0 in the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Onishi was the first to secure gold medal of the night for Japan as she dominated the 59kg weight class. In the final against Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), Onishi scored the first takedown with a single-leg attack and gut wrenched for two more points. She added another takedown with head outside before finishing the bout 10-0 with 4:16 remaining on the clock.

This was the first senior tournament for the teenager but remained unfazed the stage and the opponents.

"It was my first tournament and I was a bit nervous," Onishi said. "But since I had earned the right to compete at the All-Japan Championship in Japan, I decided to represent Japan and not worry about my age."

Before travelling to Tirana, Onishi was in a two-week training camp in China alongwith Morikawa. Both went to Kunming, world champion Jia LONG's(CHN) hometown, to train in different styles.

Previously, Onishi would finish her bouts in typical Japanese style of pins or leg lace but she used the gut-wrench effectively in Tirana. Onishi said she picked the technique in China.

"The lace is something I always do," she said. "I don't really pay attention to it but that gut wrench is a technique I learned the other day when I went on a two-week camp to China, and I was happy."

In the four bouts on Friday, Onishi, a training partner of Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) at the Nippon Sports Science University, outscored her opponents 45-3 and geared up for the Asian Championships.

"I think it was a really good tournament because I was able to see how much I've improved, even if just a little, in what I practice every day," she said.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) tries to turn Irina RINGACI (JPN) before Ringaci pulled out of the final citing knee injury. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) added another gold but she would have liked to avenge her round-robin loss to Irina RINGACI (MDA) in a better way. Ringaci pulled out injured midway through the final while leading 6-3. Morikawa had just scored a takedown when Ringaci left the match due to a injured knee. Ringaci had shown excellent movements till then, hitting double-leg attacks and gut wrenches to which Morikawa had no answers.

The two had met earlier in Round 1 bout of their group which Ringaci won 6-5 despite a solid comeback from Morikawa. This was their second meeting since the 2021 World Championships final which Ringaci won. 

Ringaci scored a takedown and turn to lead 4-0 and then a scramble resulted in Ringaci landing on top to take the lead 6-0. Morikawa was on board when she scored an exposure and another leg elevation forced a takedown which made the score 6-4 for Ringaci with 17 seconds left. A double leg from Morikawa resulted in just a stepout with six seconds on the clock. Japan challenged that call asking for two points but Morikawa had no control over Ringaci during stepout. Ringaci defended the 7-5 lead to win the bout.

LILI (CHN)LILI (CHN) defeated Paris Olympic bronze medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR) in 62kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 62kg, world bronze medalist LILI (CHN) completed a commanding performance in Tirana with a gold medal at 62kg, beating former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) 8-4 in the final after she had defeated Paris Olympic bronze medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR) in the semifinals.

Bullen was on her way to the final when she ran into Lili in the semis and was involved in a tense match which she led. She opened the scoring with a takedown and turn before Lili scored a reversal and lace. The Chinese added another takedown and turn to make it 7-4. Bullen closed the gap to 7-5 with a stepout but she failed to break the defense and lost 8-3.

In the final, Lili raced to an 8-0 lead over Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) and it seemed like she will close out the bout soon. However, Dudova hit a double-leg attack to get four points back. But Lili still managed to keep the lead with herself and defeated to claim the gold medal at 62kg.

RESULTS

59kg
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), 12-2

62kg
GOLD: LILI (CHN) df. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), 8-4

BRONZE: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) df. Anne NUERNBERGER (GER), 11-0 
BRONZE: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW), via inj. def.

65kg
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), via inj. (3-6)

BRONZE: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Aleah NICKEL (CAN), 10-0

68kg
GOLD: Ami ISHII (JPN) df. Zelu LI (CHN), 6-2 

BRONZE: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. Noémi SZABADOS (HUN), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) df. Gerda BARTH (GER), via fall (6-0)