#Yariguin2019

Yariguin Final Pairings Set for Sunday Afternoon

By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 26) - Russia continued its stronghold on the freestyle competition and inserted three additional wrestlers into Day Four Yariguin finals. They also have two of the four wrestlers competing for the top spot in the 92kg round-robin tournament.

The Russian Federation has already won six gold medals and has an opportunity to sweep the freestyle competition. If they can find a way to remain undefeated during Sunday’s final session, they’ll claim a gold medal in each of the ten weight classes. 

In women’s wrestling, Russia leads the gold medal race with a trio of champions, but Japan, who has a pair of champions and a pair of day four finalists, can take control of the gold medal race if they win each of their two gold medal matches on Sunday.  

Belarus and the United States claimed the remaining two women’s wrestling finalist spots. 

Belarus is looking for their first Yariguin gold medal of 2019, while Tamyra Mariama MENSAH is looking to give the United States their second women’s wrestling title in the past two days. 

If Mensah wins against Japan’s Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI, she’ll become the first American wrestler in any style to win three Yariguin titles. 

The final day of wrestling begins at 11:00 (local time), with the finals expected to start at (13:00).

FINALS

Freestyle

74kg - Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) vs. Yakup GOR (TUR)
86kg - Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) vs. Fatih ERDIN (TUR)  
97kg - Shamil MUSAEV (RUS) vs. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR)

Women’s Wrestling
 
72kg - Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA) vs. Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
76kg - Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) vs. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)

#USAWrestling

Paris Olympic champ Hildebrandt announces retirement

By Vinay Siwach

COLRADO, United States (February 17) -- Olympic champion Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) has announced her retirement from wrestling.

The 31-year-old won gold in Women's Wrestling 50kg at the 2024 Paris Olympics and is also a bronze medalist from the Tokyo Olympics. At the World Championships, Hildebrandt won two silver (2018, 2021) and two bronze medals (2022, 2023).

Her decision was accompanied with an announcement from USA Wrestling that Hildebrandt will be joining as the assistant coach for Women's Wrestling with senior women's team.

“I have had a really long career and I’ve gotten the experience of what wrestling has taught me," Hildebrandt said. "It has made me so passionate about what this sport can do for people. If I can bring a passion and energy in support of their journey, kind of a door handle to open up their own adventure, that is exciting to me. Wrestling has given me so much. The sport has taught me everything about myself and helped me grow as a woman."

Hildebrandt made her debut at the U20 World Championships in 2010 at 55kg and remained a 53-55kg wrestler for long. At the 2019 World Championships, Hildebrandt failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics at 53kg and made the move to 50kg and qualified.

She went on to have one of most successful careers at 50kg, becoming the fourth Olympic champion for the United States in Women's Wrestling. She is only the second wrestler to win multiple medals at the Olympics for the U.S. after Helen MAROULIS (USA), who has three.

More to follow