SARAJEVO (August 27) – Japan advanced four to the gold medal round but it will be the world-class match-up in Thursday evening’s finale that will likely draw the lion’s share of attention at the Cadet World Wrestling Championships.

Defending world champion Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) brings three falls and a 12-7 decision over Shiho TANAKA (JPN) into the 65kg final at Sports Hall Alem Beckovic and will find Khoumba LARROQUE (FRA) waiting on the center mat.

European champion Larroque was last year’s silver medalist at 60kg and won her two bouts in the morning by technical fall with a combined score of 20-0.

Meanwhile, returning champion Yumeka TANABE (JPN) led three teammates in the finals of the first day of women’s wrestling, but had her hands full in the 43kg semifinals with European champion Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU). 

Priceputu scored four points with a double-leg takedown near the end of the first period and enjoyed a 6-2 advantage over Tanabe midway through the second.  Tanabe, however, snuck behind for a takedown, quickly added exposure points and then locked in a cross-ankle turn for a 8-6 victory.

Tanabe, however, will not have a chance to relax Thursday evening against Pan American champion Areli PEREZ SORIS (MEX), racked up three wins by fall on her way to the 43kg gold medal bout.
Joining Tanabe on the center mat for Japan will be Asia champion Miu SHIMIZU (38kg), Saki IGARASHI (49kg) and Kotone NARIKUNI (56kg). 

Shimizu will lead off against Asian bronze medal winner Ankush ANKUSH (IND), Igarashi squares off with Ronna HEATON (USA), and Narikuni tests herself against 2014 world bronze medal winner Viktoria VAULINA (RUS).

Also at 56kg, Anastasiya KHORZ (NZL) carries the hopes of the Kiwis that she can bring home New Zealand’s first cadet wrestling world championships medal.  The Oceania champion faces Tatyana RIZHKO (UKR) in the bronze medal bouts.

Although New Zealand has yet to win a medal at the senior world championships, Tony GOODRICK won a silver medal in freestyle at the 1978 junior world championships and Shane JONES added a bronze medal in freestyle in 1980.

Women’s Wrestling

38kg (11 entries)
Gold – Ankush ANKUSH (IND) v Miu SHIMIZU (JPN)
Bronze – Zelfira ALAKBARLI (AZE) v Cansu YILMAZ (TUR)
Bronze – Petya DELCHEVA (BUL) v Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ)
 
Semifinal – Ankus ANKUS (IND) df. Cansu YILMAZ (TUR) by TF, 13-2, 3:01
Semifinal – Miu SHIMIZU (JPN) df. Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ), 6-1

43kg (17 entries)
Gold – Areli PEREZ SOLIS (MEX) v Yumeka TANABE (JPN)
Bronze – Aleksandra SKIRENKO (RUS) v Rahime ARI (TUR
Bronze – Mckayla CAMPBELL (USA) v Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU)

Semifinal – Areli PEREZ SOLIS (MEX) df. Rahime ARI (TUR) by Fall, 0:31
Semifinal – Yumeka TANABE (JPN) df. Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU), 8-6

49kg (17 entries)
Gold – Ronna HEATON (USA) v Saki IGARASHI (JPN)
Bronze – Anastasica SIZENKO (RUS) v Evgenia PAVLOVA (UKR)
Bronze – Marina ZAKSHEVSKAYA (KAZ) v Ellen RIESTERER (GER)

Semifinal – Ronna HEATON (USA) df. Evgenia PAVLOVA (UKR) by Fall, 1:50
Semifinal – Saki IGARASHI (JPN) df. Ellen RIESTERER (GER), 11-4

56kg (23 entries)
Gold – Kotone NARIKUNI (JPN) v Viktoria VAULINA (RUS)
Bronze – Anastasiya KHORZH (NZL) v Tatyana RIZHKO (UKR)
Bronze – Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) v Shabnam AHMADOVA (AZE)

Semifinal – Kotone NARIKUNI (JPN) df. Tatiana RIZHKO (UKR), 2-0
Semifinal – Viktoria VAULINA (RUS) df. Shabnam AHMADOVA (AZE) by TF, 11-0, 3:00

65kg (18 entries)
Gold – Khoumba LARROQUE (FRA) v Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
Bronze – Enrica RINALDI (ITA) v Kayla MARANO (USA)
Bronze – Bakhtigul BALTANIYAZOVA (UZB) v Shiho TANAKA (JPN)

Semifinal – Khoumba LARROQUE (FRA) df. Kayla MARANO (USA) by TF, 10-0, 1:38
Semifinal – Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Shiho TANAKA (JPN), 12-7