#ChinaOpen2018

World Champion Tkach Closes out China Open with First Gold of the Year

By Eric Olanowski

TAIYUAN, China (June 23) - Yuliia TKACH (UKR), the 2014 world champion improved on her second-place finish at the Klippan Lady Open, stopping China’s BAO Lingling (CHN), 4-1 in the 62kg finals to claim her first gold medal of the year. 

“I thought about the mistakes I made at the Klippan Lady Open and just wanted to win here. This is wrestling, and wrestling is my work and my life. I like wrestling and I’m happy that I took first place.” 

Tkach‘s lack of activity in the opening period of the finals put her in a 1-0 hole heading into the break. The three-time Olympian said, “I have to start wrestling if I want to win.” 

Last year's world runner-up got to work in the second period, scoring four points off a high crotch and a leg lace. “Overall, I thought I was aggressive. In the first period, not so much. But in the second period, I was go-go-go, and I was able to pick up the win.” 

At 68kg, fellow Ukranian Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) joined Tkach as a gold medalist after sticking Xiaoqian WANG (CHN) in the second China versus Ukraine match-up of the night.  

 

China wrapped up the final day of competition in Taiyuan with three gold medals, bringing their tournament total to four overall championship performances. 

TANG Chuying (CHN) captured the host nations first gold medal of the day, pummeling Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS), 11-0 in the 65kg finals.
 
In the first period, Tang led 1-0 before transitioning into two leg laces from a low-single. The Chinese wrestler held the 7-0 advantage heading into the final period. 

Tang closed out the match with a four-point throw, giving her an eleven-point technical superiority victory and China their second overall gold medal of the tournament. 

China's second gold medal went to WANG Juan (CHN) who won the 72kg Nordic tournament with four wins on the day, including a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Japan’s Masako FURUICHI (JPN). 

In the final bout of the tournament, Paliha PALIHA’s (CHN) second-period takedown helped her stop HUANG Yuanyuan (CHN), 3-1 in the all-China battle at 76kg, handing China their fourth gold medal of the tournament. 

TEAM SCORES 
GOLD – China (210 points)
SILVER – Russia (119 points)
BRONZE – Japan (110 points)
Fourth – Korea (90 points)
Fifth – Ukraine (65 points)

RESULTS
62kg (One bronze)
GOLD - Yulia TKACH (UKR) df. BAO Lingling (CHN), 4-1

BRONZE - CUI Fengfeng (CHN) df. HANG Jungwon (KOR), 5-1 

65kg (One bronze)
GOLD -  Chuying TANG (CHN) df. Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS), 11-0

BRONZE - Na LU (CHN) df. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), 6-4

68kg (One bronze)
GOLD - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) df. WANG Xiaoqian (CHN), via fall 

BRONZE - QIN Suning (CHN) df. WANG Jiao (CHN), 12-2

72kg (One bronze)
GOLD - WANG Juan (CHN)
SILVER - Masako FURUICHI (JPN)
BRONZE - WANG Kunming (CHN)

76kg (One bronze)
GOLD - Paliha PALIHA (CHN) df. Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN), 3-1

BRONZE - Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) df. Eunju HWANG (KOR), 6-1

2026 U20 Asian Championships

U20 Asian Wrestling Championships: Watch Live Streaming, Brackets, Results

By United World Wrestling Press

PATTAYA, Thailand (June 29) -- The U20 Asian Championships kicks off in Pattaya, Thailand from Wednesday with Greco-Roman, followed by Women's Wrestling and then Freestyle.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | WATCH GRECO-ROMAN LIVE

The U20 Asian Wrestling Championships will run from July 1 to 5 with 120 medals up for grabs. Iran, India, Japan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan remain the strongest countries in the mix.

Full schedule of the U20 Asian Championships 2026, click here.

The live streaming of the U20 Asian Wrestling Championships will be free on uww.org and the UWW App: Download UWW+ App on Apple's App Store | Google Play Store

 

Complete list of wrestlers participating, results, live streaming, brackets, team standing, and photos.

ENTRIES | BRACKETS | RESULTS | NEWS | TEAM RANKING | PHOTOS

Full schedule of the U20 Asian Championships:

Day 1 - July 1, Wednesday

Greco-Roman Qualification Rounds & Semifinals: 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg, 130kg - 10:30 hours onwards
Greco-Roman Repechage Rounds: 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg, 130kg - after semifinals
Greco-Roman Final Medal Bouts: 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg, 130kg - 18:00 hours

Day 2 - July 2, Thursday

Greco-Roman Qualification Rounds & Semifinals: 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg - 10:30 hours onwards
Greco-Roman Repechage Rounds: 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg - after semifinals
Greco-Roman Final Medal Bouts: 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg - 18:00 hours

Day 3 - July 3, Friday

Women's Wrestling Qualification Rounds & Semifinals: All 10 weight classes - 10:30 hours onwards
Women's Wrestling Repechage Rounds: All 10 weight classes - after semifinals
Women's Wrestling Final Medal Bouts: All 10 weight classes - 18:00 hours

Day 4 - July 4, Saturday

Freestyle Qualification Rounds & Repechage: 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, 97kg - 10:30 hours onwards
Freestyle Repechage Rounds: 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, 97kg - after semifinals
Freestyle Final Medal Bouts: 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, 97kg - 18:00 hours

Day 5 - July 5, Sunday

Freestyle Qualification Rounds & Semifinals: 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg, 125kg - 10:30 hours onwards
Freestyle Repechage Rounds: 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg, 125kg - after semifinals
Freestyle Final Medal Bouts: 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg, 125kg - 18:00 hours

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