#WrestleBelgrade

Wrestling Returns with Individual World Cup in Belgrade, Dec. 12-18

Thursday, December 10, 2020 - 21:05 By United World Wrestling Press

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BELGRADE, Serbia (December 10) -- The 2020 Individual World Cup gets underway Saturday in Belgrade, Serbia, with 505 wrestlers representing 51 different countries. Thirty weight categories in three styles will be contested over seven days of competition. 

The Individual World Cup is serving as a substitute event for the 2020 World Championships. The event was canceled after not fulfilling the criteria set forth by the UWW Bureau. The criteria included having at least 8 of 10 of the top nations from the 2019 World Championships and 70% of total athletes participate in 2020.

The Individual World Cup represents international wrestling's return to competition and will lay the groundwork for safety protocols and countermeasures around all competitions. This will be vital to ensure a safe environment for future competitions in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympics. 

The event has a prize pool of 300,000 Swiss Francs, which will be divided evenly across the 30 weight categories.

Thirty-one returning world medalists, including five returning world champions, are entered in the field.

Olympic champion Davor STEFANEK (SRB) will compete at 67kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, United World Wrestling)

The Individual World Cup opens Saturday with Greco-Roman competition, which will be headlined by four Rio Olympic champions: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) at 97kg, Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS) at 87kg, Davor STEFANEK (SRB) at 67kg and Roman VLASOV (RUS) at 77kg.

The Greco-Roman 97kg weight category, which will be contested Sunday and Monday, is one of the most intriguing weight categories in the entire event. It includes Aleksanyan, returning world champion Musa EVLOEV (RUS) and multiple-time world medalist Mihail KAJAIA (SRB). 

Aleksanyan and Evloev have one of the sport's greatest rivalries. The two Greco-Roman stars have combined to win gold medals in every world championship or Olympic Games since 2014. Kajaia, who will be competing in his home country, won bronze medals at the last two world championships.

On Sunday, Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS), a 2018 world champion and multiple-time world medalist at 63 kg, will make his 60kg debut. Maryanyan defeated 60kg world champion Sergey EMELIN (RUS) at the Russian Cup.

Aisuulu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) became Kyrgyzstan's first world champion (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, United World Wrestling)

The women's wrestling competition will be held Monday through Wednesday. Returning world champion Aisuulu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) will compete at 62kg on Monday. Tynybekova earned a place in Kyrgyzstan's sporting history in 2019 as the first wrestler to win a senior world title when she claimed the women's 62kg gold medal with a 5-3 win over defending champion Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) at the World Championships. Tynybekova's road to the title next week could go through 2019 world silver medalist Liubov OVCHAROVA, who is also entered at 62kg. Ovcharova is ranked No.2 in the world at 59kg.

The 50kg weight category in women's wrestling includes a pair of returning world medalists, Emilia VUC (ROU) and Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS). Vuc, ranked No.1 in the world, finished as a runner-up to Mariya STADNIK (AZE) at the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan. In 2020, she earned a silver at the Matteo Pellicone in Rome and finished seventh at the European Championships. Poleshchuk won a bronze medal in Nur-Sultan.

Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) is a top contender at 76kg (Photo: Tony Rotundo, United World Wrestling)

Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) is entered at 76kg. She will compete in a field that includes 2017 world champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR), returning world bronze medalist Aline FOCKEN (GER), and multiple-time world medalist Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), among others.

Three returning world champions from Russia are entered in the freestyle competition, which begins Wednesday. Those Russian world champs include Zavur UGUEV (57kg), Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (65kg) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (97kg). 

Uguev, a two-time world champion, will compete in a 57kg field that includes returning world bronze medalist Kumar RAVI (IND). Uguev and Ravi met in the world championship semifinals last year, with Uguev winning 6-4. Ravi added a gold medal at the 2020 Asian Championships. 

Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (65kg) is one of three returning freestyle world champs competing for Russia (Photo: Kadir CALISKAN, United World Wrestling)

Rashidov, a world champion and two-time world silver medalist, will have to navigate a 65kg field that includes three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE) and returning world bronze medalist Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN).

Sadulaev, the Rio Olympic champion and four-time world champion, will face a 97kg field that includes returning world bronze medalist Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD) and U23 world champion Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE).

Two-time world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) is entered at 74kg (Photo: Tony Rotundo, United World Wrestling)

Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), one of the sport's biggest stars, is entered at 74kg. Chamizo, a two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist, could see competition from Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS), a U23 world champion and Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix silver medalist. 

The Individual World Cup begins Saturday at 11:00 local time, with Greco-Roman qualification rounds at 55 kg, 67kg, 72kg, 77kg and 87kg. 

Schedule

Saturday, December 12
11.00-15.00 Qualification rounds GR – 55-67-72-77-87kg
18.00-19.30 Semifinals GR – 55-67-72-77-87kg

Sunday, December 13
11.00-15.00 Qualification rounds GR – 60-63-82-97-130kg
11.00-15.00 Repechage GR – 55-67-72-77-87kg
17.30-17.45 Opening Ceremony
18.00-18.45 Semifinals GR – 60-63-82-97-130kg
19.00-22.00  Finals GR – 55-67-72-77-87kg

Monday, December 14
11.00-14.00 Qualification rounds WW – 50-53-55-62-72kg
11.00-14.00 Repechage GR – 60-63-82-97-130kg
17.00-17.45 Semifinals WW – 50-53-55-62-72kg
18.00-20.30 Finals GR – 60-63-82-97-130kg

Tuesday, December 15
11.00-14.00 Qualification rounds WW – 57-59-65-68-76kg
11.00-14.00 Repechage WW – 50-53-55-62-72kg
16.45-17.45 Semifinals WW – 57-59-65-68-76kg
18.00-20.30 Finals WW – 50-53-55-62-72kg

Wednesday, December 16
11.00-15.00 Qualification rounds FS – 57-70-74-92-125kg
11.00-15.00 Repechage WW – 57-59-65-68-76kg
16.45-17.45 Semifinals FS – 57-70-74-92-125kg
18.00-21.00 Finals WW – 57-59-65-68-76kg

Thursday, December 17
11.00-15.00 Qualification rounds FS – 61-65-79-86-97kg
11.00-15.00 Repechage FS – 57-70-74-92-125kg
16.45-17.45 Semifinals FS – 61-65-79-86-97kg
18.00-21.00 Finals FS – 57-70-74-92-125kg

Friday, December 18
15.30-17.30 Repechage FS – 61-65-79-86-97kg
18.00-21.00 Finals FS – 61-65-79-86-97kg

#WrestleNoviSad

Fujinami wins U23 world gold with perfect debut at 57kg

Saturday, October 25, 2025 - 00:37 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 24) -- Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) said she was 'a little nervous' before coming to Novi Sad for her first international tournament at 57kg.

On the mat, however, the Paris Olympic champion showed no signs of nerves.

Fujinami won her first U23 world title, extended her win streak to 145 matches dating back to 2017 and made a golden debut at the new weight class. Even more remarkable was the manner in which she won her all bouts, via technical superiority.

"It was my first match in a long time," Fujinami said. "I think it was a tournament where I was able to show my skills I had practiced, feeling relieved and have fun playing in the competition."

In the 57kg final, it took Fujinami only five second to hit that outside single against Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) and score the first takedown. Another similar attack and she was up 4-0. A go-behind made it 6-0 and a transitioned double-leg attack gave her four points as she won 10-0.

"I could feel the power of my opponents in the new weight class," Fujinami said. "I still had to reduce weight but I feel that I moved very well on the mat.

"As for the final, when it comes to handling when (my) head is outside, foreign players are strong [in dealing with that], so I have honed my skills a lot. It's a move that doesn't let the opponent get together, or to tackle."

Fujinami, who won the Japan's Queens Cup in April to qualify for the U23 World Championships, decided to skip the Meiji Cup and in turn the World Championships in Zagreb, as she would not be ready physically for the challenge.

The U23 Worlds, however, laid a perfect platform for her to test herself as she gears up for the all-important Emperor's Cup in December. In Novi Sad, she spent a total of 8:22 on the mat in four bouts with little trouble.

"I wasn't aware of it at all," she said about winning every bout via technical superiority. "I thought I was just doing what I had been doing. This time, I was practicing not only tackles but also snaps. It's a move like Masanosuke ONO, who dropped his opponent down. I want to practice more and more and make it a technique that can score."

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) won the gold medal at 57kg at the U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The competition at Emperor's Cup, which Fujinami wants to win in order to compete at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in 2026, will be much tougher. Apart from the regulars at 57kg including Sara NATAMI (JPN), Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) and Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), a possible return of fellow Paris Olympic champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), may spice up the competition.

Fujinami also has eyes on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and in particular wrestling one wrestler -- Helen MAROULIS (USA).

"I respect Helen Maroulis a lot," she said. "But now I am at 57kg and I must beat her."

In other women's wrestling finals on Friday, Kazakhstan got its first-ever U23 world champion in women's wrestling after Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) held on to a thrilling win against Tuba DEMIR (TUR) at 55kg.

Omirbek got a takedown to start the final as Demir was put on the activity clock. She then turned Demir three times using an underhook from behind and stretching the other arm of Demir for exposure. As the sequence finished, Omirbek was up 9-0.

Demir made a match out of it when she hit a slick ankle pick and landed Omirbek in danger for four points which she got after a challenge. A double-leg attack gave her two more points to make it 9-6.

The dramatic part of the final began now as Demir added another takedown to cut the lead to one point, 9-8, before exposing Omirbek for danger but the referees scored it as neutral as the Kazakhstan wrestler may not been have in danger position.

Not disheartened by the decision, Demir launched another attacked and almost got the stepout with 15 seconds left. However, the referees called it par terre position for both wrestlers and no points were given. Turkiye decided to challenge this time only to lose it and give a 10-8 lead to Omirbek.

After Demir missed her desperate shot, Omirbek circled and got behind to get two more points before bursting into a celebration with her coaches.

Turkiye's gloomy mood changed a little when Nesrin BAS (TUR) won her third U23 world title at 68kg in a dominant fashion. Bas now has three golds and one silver U23 Worlds.

The European and world silver medalist was facing Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the final and at no point she seemed in any danger of losing her title. She began with a single leg for takedown before a fireman's carry added two more point to her score.

It was way to simple from there on as Bas used a low single, go-behind and elevated leg takedown to finish the match 10-0. She joins Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Alenxadrin GUTU (MDA) as three-time U23 world champions.

At 65kg, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) pinned Yuqi RAO (CHN) in the final using a fireman's carry and finishing the bout in just a minute and four seconds to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 12-8

BRONZE: NISHU (IND) df. Albina RILLIA (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Amory ANDRICH (GER) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-5

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Neha SHARMA (IND) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE: Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) df. Emine CAKMAK (TUR), 6-4

65kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. Yuqi RAO (CHN), via fall (4-0)

BRONZE: PULKIT (IND) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), 8-4 
BRONZE: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) df. Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB), 10-0

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Gerda BARTH (GER), 4-2
BRONZE: SRISHTI (IND) df. Karolina POK (HUN), 6-1

Women's Wrestling Semifinal

53kg
GOLD: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Hansika LAMBA (IND)

SF 1: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR), 5-2
SF 2: Hansika LAMBA (IND) df. Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), 11-0

59kg
GOLD: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) vs. SARIKA (IND)

SF 1: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: SARIKA (IND) df. Olha PADOSHYK (POL), 12-6

62kg
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Immacolata DANISE (ITA), via fall
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Astrid MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN), 8-5

Freestyle Semifinal

74kg
GOLD: Halit OZMUS (TUR) vs. Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA)

SF 1: Halit OZMUS (TUR) df. Magomed KHANIEV (AZE), 7-3
SF 2: Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), 7-4

92kg
GOLD: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) vs. Mobin AZIMI (IRI)

SF 1: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) df. Ion DEMIAN (MDA), 12-1
SF 2: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Ivan CHORNOHUZ (UKR), 12-1