2026 U17 World Championships

Women's Wrestling Watch at U17 World Championships 2026

Tuesday, July 28, 2026 - 13:22 By Vinay Siwach

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Wrestling Taina FERNANDEZ (USA)

BAKU, Azerbaijan (July 23) -- Wrestlers at the U17 World Championships will take a sigh of relief. China, the top team in Asia at this level, will not take part in the tournament in Baku. With China missing, Japan, India, the United States will be the front-runners for the team title, which was won by India last year the U.S. finishing second and Japan third.

Despite the absence of China, the wrestling in Baku will still be top notch. From individual milestones to team performances, the tournament will have it.

Fernandez Chases Third Gold

Among the top storylines will be that of Taina FERNANDEZ (USA), a two-time world champion at 61kg. She is now at 69kg chasing a third U17 world title, a history-making feat if she wins the gold medal, as she will become the first non-Japanese wrestler to do it.

Only four wrestlers have three U17 world titles, all four being Japanese women -- Masako FURUICHI (JPN) [2011, 2012, 2013], Kika KAGATA (JPN) [2012, 2013, 2014], Yui SUSAKI (JPN) [2014, 2015, 2016] and Honoka NAKAI (JPN) [2017, 2018, 2019].

Fernandez, who is yet to lose an international bout, will be at 69kg in a tough field as she jumps eight kilograms. First up for her will be U17 Asia silver medalist TANIYA (IND). Let the commentators not mispronounce Taina and Taniya.

The bracket also includes U17 European champion Kiymet TEZCAN (TUR), bronze medalists Nino SAMKHARADZE (GEO) and Polina EFIMOVA (RUS), and also Hibiki IIDA (JPN), never counting out a Japanese wrestler.

Battle of 73kg

The weight class was introduced in 2018 and Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) won it. However, that was the last time a Japanese wrestler won the heaviest weight category. Since then, India has won three golds, and China, the U.S. and Russia once each.

The battle for the 73kg gold medal will be an open one in Baku as China is missing and India is betting on U17 champion GARIMA (IND). She will need to step up from her performance at the continental level if she wants the world title that KAJAL (IND) missed in the final last year.

It also has U17 European champion Solomiia PETRIV (UKR), a returning bronze medalist from 69kg. She will be the favorite to win the gold medal with potential rematches from U17 European Championships as silver medalist Bianka BARANY (HUN) and bronze medalists Karina MUZALEVSKAIA (RUS) and Lyra LEDERER (GER) are also entered.

U17 Asian silver medalist Namuuntsetseg BATBOLD (MGL) brings the typical Mongolian game of throws while Kaili MANUEL (USA) will be the dark horse.

Stars Clash at 57kg

The toughest weight class appears to be 57kg which has a few big names who have moved weight classes. Two returning silver medalists, Janka SILLEI (HUN) at 46kg and Epenesa ELISON (USA) from 53kg, are on the same half of the bracket at 57kg.

With Elison moving up only one weight class, she can go all the way but her first bout is against Rion SUZUKI (JPN). Sillei, who won the U17 European at 57kg, blanked everyone at the continental event.

Others at the weight include U17 European silver medalist Mariia POLTORAK (UKR), bronze medalist Marharyta DANILEVICH (BLR) and U17 Pan-Am silver Gurleen DHILLON (CAN).

While they don't have international medals yet, Suzuki, Nikita SEHRAWAT (IND) and Sofiia BELOVA (RUS) should not be counted out of the race.

Team Title Race

The U.S. will be hoping to win it all as a team and it has the wrestlers to do it. Fernandez leads the team that also has two returning medalists and three U17 Pan-Am champs. Elison will hope to change the colour of her medal while returning bronze medalist Madison HEALEY (USA) will be at 46kg.

The U17 Pan-American champions include Sophia VALDEZ (USA) at 40kg, Landri VON GONTEN (USA) at 61kg, and Eve SKROCKI (USA) at 69kg.

Last year, the U.S. fell short by four points to India which captured its first-ever U17 team title in Women's Wrestling. However, this year the team doesn't have the same aura as the one last year, opening the team race.

Despite the absence of some big names in the Japan team, it will be a strong squad. Japan is hosting an inter-high school tournament and many wrestlers have a compulsion to participate in the tournament. So it becomes a little difficult for Japan to go and win it all.

With Russia and Belarus getting team points and Ukraine having a strong squad, the team title race will not be as straight forward as it was last year.

2026 U17 World Championships

U17 World Championships 2026 Preview

Thursday, July 23, 2026 - 06:57 By Vinay Siwach

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Wrestling

BAKU, Azerbaijan (July 22) -- Records are usually made at the U17 World Championships. In Baku, one has been broken before the opening bout.

The tournament will have 675 wrestlers, the most-ever for a U17 World Wrestling Championships -- 242 Greco-Roman, 242 in Freestyle and 191 in Women's Wrestling, breaking the record of the 2017 edition in which 186 women participated.

From July 27 to August 2, the U17 World Championships will be live on UWW+. Subscribe to UWW+ using the code BUNDLE20 and get 20 percent off for all age-group World Championships - U17, U20 and U23.

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The competition is also set to return to Baku after 14 years and as it always does, it will be dramatic.

For instance, last year, the United States and Iran were locked in a tight race for the Freestyle team title. The former edged Iran in a dramatic final-day comeback, and the rivalry is expected to continue in Baku. Russia, which was not allotted team points last year, will be back in the race and with a strong team.

Russia will have most of its U17 national champions including Aldar BADMAEV (RUS), the first-ever national gold medal from Kalmykia, at 45kg. Five wrestlers hail from Dagestan and the team also includes four U17 European champions from 2026.

The U.S. will be led by returning silver medalist Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) at 65kg. In 2025, Kikiniou became the first wrestler in history to win a medal in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman since it was restarted in 2011, and he will attempt to repeat in Baku as well, perhaps with a gold medal.

Iran has four U17 Asian champions in its squad but to challenge for the team title, it will need its wrestlers to step up and not tank like they did in Athens last year, when the country did not win a single gold medal.

Hosts Azerbaijan, which had an exceptional U17 European Championships with seven medals including three golds, will hope to repeat the performance at home and stand among the top teams.

Here's a breakdown of 10 Freestyle weight classes:

45kg: Since this weight class was introduced in 2018, the U.S. and Iran have won all the golds. The former has won five golds while two have gone to Iran, one being Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) in 2018.

This year will be no different as Iran bring U17 Asian champion Mahdi DAMERCHELI (IRI) and the U.S. is going with U17 Pan-Am champ Rylen WAX (USA). Badmaev from Russia will have his first taste of international wrestling. U17 European champion Marko KVASNIUK (UKR) is also in the entries.

48kg: The best chance for hosts Azerbaijan will be Huseyn RZAZADE (AZE), the U17 European champion. He will likely have a rematch with Volodymyr BOIKO (UKR) from the final in Samakov, Bulgaria.

Both finalists from U17 Asia are also in the fray with the champion Farrukh MAKHMUDOV (UZB) hoping to add a world title to his name. Iran has silver medalist Amirali RAGHEB (IRI). But expect a tough challenge from Kirill KONDRASHOV (RUS) who won the U15 Europeans in 2025.

51kg: Ibrahim HASANOV (AZE), the U17 European champion, has the home crowd behind him as he tries to add a world title to his name. But in his part will be U17 Asian champion Benyamin ASHOFTEH (IRI), silver medalist Masamune USHIMADO (JPN) and Pan-Am champion Evan RESTIVO (USA).

Russia is going with Islam KURAKHMAEV (RUS), a rising prospect from Dagestan.

55kg: Can Chase KARENBAUER (USA), who made the team after beating Keegan BASSETT (USA), match the likes of wrestlers from Asia and Europe? He will be up against Arman ELAHI (IRI) won gold at the U17 Asian Championships, silver medalist Kyosuke IKEDA (JPN) and bronze Temirlan MURAT (KAZ), getting a chance to wrestle various styles.

Mustafa BERSANUKAEV (RUS) will make his U17 debut after making the team by winning the national championships. European bronze medalist Temuri TUTARASHVILI (GEO) is also in the mix along with Jakhongir TULKUNOV (UZB) who gave Elahi the toughest match in Da Nang.

60kg: The only weight class in which the defending champion is returning - SITENDER (IND). He won the gold medal in Athens but had close matches with wrestlers from Iran and Japan. To defend his title, Sitender will have to go through U17 European champion Sergei KARMRIAN (RUS), silver Mykyta KUZMENKO (UKR) and even U17 Asian champion Bekzodbek IBROHIMOV (UZB).

Among one of the toughest weight categories, the 60kg also includes U17 Asian silver Mardan ORYNBASSAR (KAZ), bronze medalists from Europe and Asia. Joseph BURKE (USA) will also be a tough bet.

65kg: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) created history in Athens by winning medals in both styles. Now, he would like to repeat with at least one gold medal. He finished with a silver medal in Athens in Freestyle. Unless a huge upset, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to stop the American.

Sam ARSHADGH (IRI) will throw a challenge from Iran but while Jovani SOLIS (PUR) is the U17 Pan-Am champion but Kikiniou did not participate in the tournament. Russia will be represented by Magomed IBRAGIMOV (RUS), who finished 10th last year.

71kg: In a very open weight class, U17 Asian champion Adilet RYSBAY (KAZ) and U17 European champion Nikolay ILIEV (BUL), both will fancy their chances to win gold. Iran has Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) who will also be in the race to win along with Mokhmad BAISULTANOV (RUS).

Camryn HOWARD (USA) will be representing the challenge from the U.S.

80kg: Hosts Azerbaijan will hope that U17 European champion Nihad SULEYMANLI (AZE) can give it a home world gold and also improve on his 13th place finish from last year. The route, however, may be a tough one. Amirali FERASATI (IRI), the U17 Asian champion, dominated his way to gold in Da Nang and is expected to have good result in Baku.

The weight class also has returning bronze medalist from 71kg Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK) and Arshavir DARAKHSHANIFARA (FIN), who won U17 European bronze and will now try to give Finland its first Freestyle medal at the U17 Worlds.

The U.S. challenge comes from Jayden OFARRILL (USA), while U17 European bronze medalist Rati REVAZASHVILI (GEO) will be at his third U17 Worlds, hoping for his first medal and Kantemir ELMESOV (RUS) will also be in the mix.

92kg: U17 European champion Abdurazak SHABANOV (RUS) is a favorite to win gold in the weight class. However, Ali DADAEV (FRA), silver to him, will try to avenge the loss from Bulgaria.

Iran, among the best as the weights get heavier, will be represented by Reza ISAZADEH (IRI), with U17 European bronze Nuradin MUSTAFAEV (GEO), U17 Pan-Am champion Salah TSARNI (USA) and U17 Asia silver Amirbek FAZLITDINOV (UZB) also entered.

110kg: Returning bronze medalist Hakim TAGHIYEV (AZE) will try to improve his medal but will have to be wary of U17 European champion Murtaz BAGDAVADZE (GEO) and silver medalist Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), both lost the bronze-medal bouts in Athens.

Arush RANA (IND), U17 Asian champion, and silver medalist Amirhossein ESMALI (IRI) will also be top prospects. Magomed OMAROV (RUS) and Peter MOCCO (USA) can make the run as well.