#WrestleBelgrade

#WrestleBelgrade WW Preview: U23 Stars Ready to Shine at World Championships

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (October 25) -- As the current 76kg senior-level landscape sits, it's tough to hand one wrestler supremacy in that weight. A similar situation is arising in the 76kg bracket at the upcoming U23 World Championships. As many as 10 extraordinarily talented and proven wrestlers head into Belgrade eyeing 76kg gold. 

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) stands out with her Tokyo Olympics experience and the bronze medal at the Senior World Championships earlier this month. The former junior world champion is a part of Kyrgyzstan's women's wrestling trio, which is quickly becoming a force to reckon with.

Medet Kyzy lost a close semifinal at the Tokyo Olympics and later at the World Championships in Oslo. But that experience will help her when she takes the mat at the U23 event as one of the top contenders of her weight class, looking for her first world title since 2017.

Kylie WELKERKylie WELKER is a 2021 junior world champion. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Challenging her will be the most recent junior world champion Kylie WELKER (USA). The 18-year-old Welker, who also competed at the Senior Worlds, would like to put her Oslo disappointment behind her and capture her second world title of the year.

Ufa silver medalist BIPASHA (IND) and bronze medalists Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR) and Dilnaz MULKINOVA (KAZ) are also making the trip to Belgrade with the ambition to change the color of their medals.

Another quartet of medalists will be from the U23 European Championships as gold medalist Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RWF), silver medalist Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR), and two bronze medalists Enrica RINALDI (ITA) and Diana VLASCEANU (ROU) try to add a world medal to their continental one.

Zakharchenko, a returning bronze medalist, defeated Ozbege 10-0 in the final of the U23 Euros in Skopje after blanking Rindali 8-0 in the semifinal. From the other side, Ozbege and Blasceanu battled it out in the semifinal with the Turkish wrestler coming out on top 6-5.

Given her exploits from the U23 Euros, Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) can cause a few upsets and reach the podium, which she missed in Skopje.

Emily SHILSONEmily SHILSON (USA) is eyeing her third age-group world title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Another weight class that promises to be highly competitive is the 50kg with a Russian Wrestling Federation-USA rivalry on the cards. Junior world champion Emily SHILSON (USA) and U23 European champion Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RWF) are two of the hottest prospects in the field.

Shilson, a former cadet world champion, showed what she is capable of in Ufa, gut-wrenching her opponents on way to the junior title. She has been to a U23 Worlds before but failed to medal. Tiumerekova too has won a medal at most of the competitions she has entered and can challenge Shilson in Serbia.

Other big names in the weight class are Anastasiya YANOTAVA (BLR) who was second to Tiumerekova in the Skopje tournament, Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) who wrestled at the Tokyo Olympics and junior world bronze medalist Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL).

But as a team, Ukraine will be a severe threat to the team title, with most of the medal-winning members from U23 Euros being part of the squad. The list includes 55kg champion Khrystyna DEMKO (UKR), Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) at 62kg and gold medalist at 68kg Oksana CHUDYK (UKR).

Alina AKOBIYA U23 European ChampionshipsAlina AKOBIIA (UKR) is a returning silver medalist in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 57kg, the ever-improving Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) is gunning for the gold medal which she missed in 2019 after losing the final to Sae NANJO (JPN). Hrushyna Akobiia, who has a U23 bronze as well from 2017, will be the favorite to win the title in the absence of women's wrestling powerhouses like Japan and China as she has already won the continental tour without giving up a point in the process. The Ukraine wrestler has not competed since May but it's unlikely that anyone will challenge her to the final.

Silver medalist to her in Skopje, Patrycja GIL (POL), and the two bronze medalists from the same event Othelie HOEIE (NOR) and Viktoriia VAULINA (RWF) are also part of the field looking for a U23 medal. Junior world  silver medalist Aurora RUSSO (ITA) can surprise the field, similar to how she did in Ufa.

Individual World Cup winner Rizhko will be trying to win her first world title in her long career, which began with a cadet European title back in 2013 when she was 15. In Skopje, she manhandled everyone, winning her four bouts via fall or technical superiority, including the final against Tatsiana PAULAVA (BLR). The Belarusian will try to avenge that loss if the two meet in Belgrade.

At 55kg, Demko will be making her third trip to the U23 Worlds but is yet to win a medal. In 2019, she lost the bronze medal bout while finishing eighth in 2018. This year, Tokyo Olympian Andreea ANA (ROU) will be her toughest challenge, along with Aleksandra SKIRENKO (RWF), who finished second to Demko at the U23 Euros. Both were dominant at the Skopje event, but the final was one-sided, with Demko winning 12-1.

With two European titles under her belt this year at 68kg, Chudyk is in red-hot form and is expected to continue that when she wrestles at her first U23 Worlds. But it won't be a cakewalk for her, especially with Vusala PARFIANOVICH (RWF) and Nesrin BAS (TUR) waiting to avenge their losses from Skopje. This will be the second U23 Worlds for Parfianovich, but she can bank on her silver medal-winning run at the U23 Euros to turn around her performance.

Another team looking for a place on the podium is the Russian Wrestling Federation. They'll bring a few future stars, too. Ekaterina VERBINA (RWF), the U23 European gold, will try to make this opportunity count after losing in the bronze medal bout at the 2019 U23 Worlds. No one was able to score a point on her during the Skopje tournament. In the final, Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) conceded an injury default.

If Yetgil, a returning bronze medalist, can repeat her performance from Euros, a thrilling bout is expected against Verbina. The Turkey wrestler placed seventh at the Senior World Championships in Oslo but not before shocking Tokyo bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL).

Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) is also in contention, given that she only lost to Yetgil 3-3 in Skopje.

At 72kg, Marina SUROVTSEVA (RUS) will use her Oslo experience to win a medal in Belgrade. The silver medalist from U23 Euros juggled 76kg and 72kg, but after a ninth-place finish in Oslo, she moved back to the lower division.

But two-time Asian champion Divya KAKRAN (IND) and junior Worlds silver Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER) will be her biggest threats, along with Anastasiya ZIMIANKOV (BLR), the bronze medalist from U23 Euros.

Anastasia NICHITAAnastasia NCHITA (MDA) is looking to her first U23 World title. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Though there is no doubt that Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) will be the clear favorite to win the 59kg weight class, junior world champion Anastasia SIDELNIKOVA (RWF), returning bronze medalist Anhelina LYSAK (POL) and Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR) can stop the Moldovan.

Nichita has European titles at all levels, including the senior one, which she won in 2020 after beating 2021 world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL). Her performance at the gold-winning Individual World Cup and later at the U23 Euros confirm the fact that it will be near impossible to get past her in Belgrade.

Koumba LARROQUEKoumba LARROQUE (FRA), blue, is a U23 world champion from 2017. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

A similar story can run in the 65kg weight class in which two-time senior World medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) begins her quest to capture the second U23 World title. The 2017 champion has been struggling with a knee injury which makes it even more difficult to make a comeback since that silver medal at the 2018 senior Worlds.

She did win the senior European title this year, but the chink in her armor -- to give up points late in the bouts -- could be a cause of concern for her. At the Individual World Cup, Olympics Games and even the Oslo World Championships, Larroque suffered heartbreaking losses.

One wrestler who can cause an upset is Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR), a silver medalist from U23 Euros. Zlenykh was unstoppable at that tournament and it was only in the final that she met Irina RIGACI (MDA) and lost 5-9. But her ability to chalk out a big throw from nowhere did catch a lot of her opponents and she used it well to claim falls.

Women's wrestling begins Wednesday, November 3, with five weight classes followed by the qualification rounds of the remaining five weights on Thursday at the Belexpocentar arena.

#WrestleBelgrade

Japan secures 2 Olympic spots; Elor returns to World Championships final

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 20) -- The World Championships in Belgrade has seen a number of champions fall to young stars but the biggest of all could have come on Wednesday as Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) scored five points on Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), who entered the tournament with a 122-match winning streak which goes back to her junior high school days.

In the 53kg quarterfinal, Yepez scored raced to a 5-0 lead against Fujinami, who admitted that she felt anxious after giving up the lead, but composed herself and pinned the Ecuadorian.

Fujinami recovered from that shock match and defeated Maria PREVALORAKI (GRE) to secure a spot for Japan for the Paris Olympics next year. According to Japan Wrestling Federation rules, a wrestler who qualifies the weight for Paris with a medal in Belgrade automatically secures a spot on the Japan team as well.

"In the match against Ecuador, it's something that's never happened up to now," Fujinami said. "It ended up being a good match. Right now, I don't know, it really hasn't sunk in."

Yepez opened the bout with a double leg for two then hit a single leg which Fujinami defended before Yepez grabbed her around the waist and threw the Japanese, earning two more points. A stepout made it 5-0. Fujinami then got back to doing what she does best and locked up a lace to lead 14-5.

She gave up two more points but Fujinami locked the arm and got the fall with 1:10 remaining on the clock. The 2021 world champion explained that she will try to win her second world gold medal on Thursday.

"I came for the Olympic berth and to become the world champion and I want it to carry over to tomorrow," she said. "In the third-round match, I got a little anxious at one point, but I just thought, it's OK, just do what I always do. It was a tough match, but I was able to pull out the win."

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) will join Fujinami on that trip to Paris as she entered the final at 62kg, securing her spot on the Japan team.

However, Ami ISHII (JPN), returning silver medalist, will have to slog it out in the bronze medal bouts to secure her spot after she was stunned by Buse TOSUN (TUR) 11-1 in the 68kg semifinals.

Fujinami will now face Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN) for the gold medal after the Individual Neutral Athlete snatched a victory from U20 world champion ANTIM (UWW) in the final second of the semifinal.

Antim scored a takedown with an ankle pick and led 4-3 with three seconds remaining and got her grip loose. The willy Kaladzinskaya locked Antim's elbow and scored an exposure with 0.3 seconds on the clock for a remarkable 5-3 win.

Motoki had to dig deep to beat world silver medalist at 59kg Grace BULLEN (NOR) as she etched out a 2-1 win. Motoki will now face Olympic silver medalist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ).

Motoki will look to join the list of Japanese wrestlers who have denied Tynybekova a world or Olympic gold medal in the last two years. The Kyrgyz wrestler lost to Yukako KAWAI (JPN) in the Tokyo Olympics final and then to teenage star Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) in the World Championships last year.

Tynybekova has bounced back, beating Ozaki in the Asian Championships and will have her hands full as she takes on Motoki for her third world gold medal.

Kyrgyzstan's first world champion, Tynybekova defeated Tokyo bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), 2-2, in the quarterfinal, a completely contrasting win than her 10-0 win in Tokyo over the Ukrainian. Tynybekova then defeated Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) 4-2 in the semifinal.

At 68kg, Tosun did not let Ishii settle down after giving up a stepout, using a headlock when Ishii was going for an underhook for four points. Tosun tried pinning Ishii but the Japanese survived and as she was trying to escape, Tosun put her on the back for two more points to lead 6-1 with four minutes left. And as Ishii tried calming herself, Tosun scored another takedown on the edge.

Ishii tried an underhook again and Tosun hit another headlock, this time getting only two points. But that made the score 10-1 and Tosun managed to push Ishii out to win 11-1 with 3:19 left on the clock.

Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) reached the final from the other side of the bracket as she pinned Emma BRUNTIL (USA) in the other semifinal. She defeated Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) 2-1 in the quarterfinals.

In the non-Olympic weight class 72kg, defending world champion Amit ELOR (USA) entered the final with another dominant display, winning her semifinal against Kendra DACHER (FRA) 12-2. Elor took out 65kg world champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) in the quarterfinals.

Chasing her second straight title, Elor will take on Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) in the final after the Mongolian defeated two-time returning world silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) 6-2.