#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

#WrestleAthens

China wins two golds; India defends women's team title

Friday, August 1, 2025 - 19:07 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- India managed to win its second straight women's team title at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece on Friday. India finished with 151 points, thanks to its two gold, three silver and one bronze medal in 10 weight class.

The United States, which did not finish on the podium last year, bounced back in style and finished second, just nine points behind India with 142 points. Japan was third with 113 points. The U.S. and Japan both had two champions as well.

China had three champions in Athens and a silver medalist. However, it only had nine wrestlers and three of them did not contribute any points to the team total. It finished fourth with 107 points. Third-placer in 2024 Kazakhstan managed to earn itself a top-five finish with 69 points.

After the 73kg gold medal on Thursday, China added two more on Friday through Min ZHAO (CHN) at 69kg and Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) at 53kg after the two won their respective finals in contrasting fashion.

Zhao, wrestling at her first international tournament, did not have much trouble seeing off European 17 champion Ayla SAHIN (GER), 13-2, in the 69kg final.

The 15-year-old managed to open the scoring by a ankle pick of the far foot of Sahin and then turned her for two more points. Sahin scored two points when she tried to cradle Zhao but that was the only dominating move of the match for her.

Sahin tried a leg attack but Zhao countered hit with a headpinch and got four points. She hit another one for two points to lead 10-2. A deep single gave her another takedown for a 12-2 technical superiority win. Germany challenged but there was nothing to be reviewed. A lost challenge awarded Zhao another point to make her score 13-2.

Jiaqing JIANG (CHN)Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) defeated Epenesa ELISON (USA) in the 53kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The second gold medal for China came from Jiang who had to defend with all might to beat Epenesa ELISON (USA) in the 53kg final and win the world title.

Jiang got a 6-0 lead against Elison but the U.S. wrestler mounted a comeback in the second period. She scored a takedown to cut the score to 6-2. Another takedown helped her make it 6-4. Jiang got one point for reversal and extended her lead to 7-4. Elison got Jiang for a big throw but the referees called it a foot-stomp, a second earlier, and did not score any points.

There was one more sequence where it seemed that Jiang had her three points touch on the mat but neither referees score nor the U.S. corner challenged. She eventually won 7-4.

Fernandez repeats

The U.S. did get one gold medalist on Friday. After Morgan TURNER (USA) became a two-time world champion on Thursday for the U.S., Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) also achieved the feat as she defended her 61kg title against YASHITA (IND) in the final.

Fernandez was never slow to start and Yashita was on the backfoot straightaway. Yashita was put on the activity clock and Fernandez did not wait for it to end and got the takedown. She led 3-0 before another takedown made it 5-0. She turned Yashita using a leg-lace and made it 9-0.

There is no waiting game for Fernandez as she performed one more leg attacked for a takedown and finished the bout 11-0.

"A little pressure [as I] went into it," Fernandez said. "I just want that really bad. It just come together. I was just keep on wrestling. I could just keep on wrestling and test myself and just see what things I need to get better to be the best of myself. I just love to wrestle so. Every opportunity again, I want to think it."

Fernandez, who is still 16 and eligible for the U17 competitions next year as well, can became the first U.S. wrestler to win three gold medals at the World U17 Championships.

"All you can say is that next year, that's my goal," she said.

Hanano OYA (JPN)Hanano OYA (JPN) won the 46kg gold medal in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan also claimed a gold medal Thursday to win its first gold medal of the tournament.

Hanano OYA (JPN) put on a defensive masterclass in the 46kg final against Janka SILLEI (HUN) and won the gold medal with a 3-0 score line. Oya got her first point when Sillei was put on activity clock but the Hungarian failed to score in the 30 seconds.

In the second period, a hard-fought takedown gave Oya two more points and then she locked Sillei and held her position in the final seconds to avoid any upset.

"I can't believe I actually won, but when I stood on the podium and sang the national anthem at the end, I was so happy," Oya said. "I'm really grateful to my teachers and everyone who supported me."

Talking about the final, Oya said that while she was not able to score many points, she was content that she did not let her opponents score on her as well, especially in semifinal and final.

"The opponent in the final [Sillei] was very strong, and there were no opportunities to score. It turned into a very close match," she said. "I don't know how to describe it. The same was true for the [bout against] United States in the semifinals. The Hungarian wrestler in the final were also very strong, so I realized that I need to practice even harder and aim for higher goals."

History for Uzbekistan

No woman from Uzbekistan has ever been a world champion in wrestling but Friday will be registered as a historic day in Uzbekistan's history.

Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB), the Asian U17 champion, became the first-ever women's world champion in wrestling from Uzbekistan. She defeated An NAKANISHI (JPN), 11-0, in the 40kg final and created history for her country.

Before Shonazarova, three other Uzbekistan wrestler had reached the final of Women's Wrestling at different World Championships but no one was able to win gold until Shonazarova changed that.

RESULTS

40kg
GOLD: Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB) df. An NAKANISHI (JPN), 11-0

BRONZE: Asema ASANGARYEVA (KGZ) df. Valia HARSAN (ROU), 2-0
BRONZE: Maisie ELLIOTT (USA) df. Finja STRAUCH (GER), 6-0

46kg
GOLD: Hanano OYA (JPN) df. Janka SILLEI (HUN), 3-0

BRONZE: Jaclyn BOUZAKIS (USA) df. Irina TSYDEEVA (UWW), 12-2
BRONZE: Maria GKIKA (GRE) df. Kamila KUCHMA (UKR), 4-3

53kg
GOLD: Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) df. Epenesa ELISON (USA), 7-4

BRONZE: Rion OGAWA (JPN) df. Margarita IARYGINA (UWW), 8-0
BRONZE: Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN) df. Farida ABDRAKHMANOVA (KAZ), via fall (10-0)

61kg
GOLD: Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) df. YASHITA (IND), 11-0

BRONZE: Barbara BAGER (HUN) df. Varvara ALISEYENKA (UWW), 3-0
BRONZE: Zalina TOTROVA (UWW) df. Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO), 8-0

69kg
GOLD: Min ZHAO (CHN) df. Ayla SAHIN (GER), 13-2

BRONZE: Solomiia PETRIV (UKR) df. MANISHA (IND), 5-2
BRONZE: Shakhizada DAULETZHAN (KAZ) df. Linda MARTINEZ (MEX), 4-1