#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open: five women’s wrestling storylines

By Taylor GREGORIO

ZAGREB, Croatia (January 25) — The 2023 season is officially here as next week Zagreb, Croatia, will play host to the first Ranking Series event — Zagreb Open set for February 1-5.

With close to 600 wrestlers registered for the event, it throws a number of storylines, especially in women’s wrestling.

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)

1. Japan returns to Ranking Series events after 5 year hiatus
The women’s team of Japan will be returning to a Ranking Series event after an absence of five years; the last competition being the 2018 Klippan Lady Open in Sweden. But this is the first time that all of Japan’s three styles will be competing at a Ranking Series event.

Headlining the Japanese squad is three-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN), registered at 50kg. At just 23 years old, Susaki also has three U17 World titles, two U20 golds and a 2022 U23 World championship. She is joined by 2021 World champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) at 53kg and world bronze medalists Sae NANJO (JPN) at 57kg and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) at 62kg.

Four of the other six Japanese women expected to compete own age-group World titles, including Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) at 55kg, Yui SAKANO (JPN) at 59kg, Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) at 65kg and Ayano MORO (JPN) at 76kg.

2. World champs Parrish, Fujinami in loaded 53kg bracket
A highly anticipated clash of world champions can occur at this weight as reigning gold medalist Dominique PARRISH (USA) and 2021 champ Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) are registered to compete. Parrish rolled to a world title in her senior world debut last September.

Fujinami was noticeably missing from the bracket as she pulled out due to an injury just days before the World Championships.

There are seven other past world medalists scattered throughout the field, including 2022 bronze winner Karla GODINEZ (CAN). She won her medal at 55kg in Belgrade, but moving down to 53kg in preparation for the Olympic year. Tokyo Olympic silver medalist and two-time world bronze medalist Qianyu PANG (CHN).

In addition to Fujinami, the other three medal winners from 2021 are registered for this weekend — silver medalist Iulia LEORDA (MDA) and bronze medalists Samantha STEWART (CAN) and Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL). 

A third Canadian world medalist in the mix at this weight is 2018 bronze winner Diana WEICKER (CAN). Poland is also bringing 2017 bronze medalist Roksana ZASINA (POL).

Helen MAROULIS (USA)

3. Six world champs registered at 57kg
There are three past senior world champions and three past U23 world champions set to compete in Zagreb at 57kg. Leading the group is 2016 Olympic champion and three-time world champion MAROULIS (USA). Also a Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist, Maroulis is the USA’s first women’s wrestling Olympic champion as well as its first two-time Olympic medalist in the women’s division. She earned silver in the 2022 World Championships, falling to Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) in the finals.

The reigning world champ at 59 kg, Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), is moving down a weight class to 57kg. The two-time European champion is sure to bring some power to the bracket.

Also competing is Ningning RONG (CHN), who won the senior world title in 2018. That same year, she captured silver at the U23 World Championships. Her last major international event was the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

U23 world champions Sae NANJO (JPN), Anhelina LYSAK (POL) and Alexandria TOWN (CAN) will be in Zagreb.

Nanjo is a two-time U23 World champ and two-time U20 World champ, and Lysak owns a 2015 U17 world gold. Both are senior world medalists with Nanjo winning bronze in 2021 and Lysak winning bronze in 2022.

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)

4. Notable weight class changes
As noted earlier, 2022 world champion at 59kg Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) is moving down to 57kg for this tournament. 

Also changing weight classes is last year’s World runner-up at 59kg Grace BULLEN (NOR), who is bumping up to 62kg. Bullen, who lost a heartbreaker in the 2022 World finals, claimed gold at the 2018 U23 World Championships at 59kg.

Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), who has bounced between 65kg and 68 kg over the last couple of years is registered at 68kg. She has been successful at both weight classes. Most recently at 65kg, Larroque took third at the 2022 senior world championships. At 68kg, she was a 2018 world silver medalist and 2021 U23 world champion.

5. Women’s field full of returning world medalists
There will be no shortage of superstars in the women’s brackets at the Zagreb Open. There are 16 returning senior world medalists across the field, including four 2022 world champions — Yui SUSAKI (JPN), Dominique PARRISH (USA), Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) and Amit ELOR (USA). 

After producing one of the most impressive performances of the 2022 season, 20-year-old Elor, who won U20, U23 and Senior World titles in a span of eight weeks, returns to the international stage at 72 kg. 

Silver medalists expected to compete are Helen MAROULIS (USA), Kayla MIRACLE (USA) and Samar HAMZA (EGY).

Rounding out the returning medalists are ten bronze winners, counting Anna LUKASIAK (POL), Vinesh VINESH (IND), Mengyu XIE (CHN), Anhelina LYSAK (POL), Jowita Maria WRZESIEN (POL), Xiaojuan LUO (CHN), Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), Mallory VELTE (USA), Irina RINGACI (MDA) and Koumba LARROQUE (FRA). 

Fans can watch all the action live on uww.org or on UWW's app and follow along on Twitter @wrestling and Instagram @unitedworldwrestling.

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open Day 3: Women's Wrestling & Freestyle Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 6) -- The Ulaanbaatar Open action will see five Women's Wrestling and three Freestyle weight classes on day three in the Mongolian capital. Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) will also be marking his return to competition after a year.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

14:30: Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) beats Punit KUMAR (IND), 10-0, to enter the final at 92kg. He will face defending champion Askhab SAADULAEV (RUS) who moved into the final after a 5-0 win over Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL). 

14:15: Top tier final at 86kg as Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) and Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) reach the gold medal bout. Ramazanov rolls Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL), 10-0, in the semifinal while Nokhodi has to work harder for his win against Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ). Nokhodi scored a stepout before getting a point for Shavaev's passivity to lead 2-0. But the Kyrgyzstan wrestler hit a quick leg attack to score a takedown and then a turn. Nokhodi managed to toss Shavaev as well and then a gut-wrench to lead 6-4 after the scramble. In the second period, Nokhodi used a duckunder to score two points but as he tried to turn Shavaev, he gave up a reversal. He still led 8-5, the winning score. 

14:05: Sagar JAGLAN (IND) makes it to the final at 74kg after a 10-0 win over Tolui MUNKHBAT (MGL) and awaits his toughest test yet in Tamir ESHINIMAEV (RUS) who held on for a 2-1 win over Tumen BODIEV (RUS).

Freestyle Semifinals

13:55: KAJAL (IND) with a fall over Elmira SZYDYKOVA (KAZ) to enter the final at 76kg. But it won't be an all-India final as Damola OJO (NGR) beats PRIYA (IND), 5-1, to put breaks to Priya's run.

13:45: It would have been perfect for DPR Korea will all eight wrestlers in the final in Women's Wrestling but former world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) denies that by beating Sol Gum PAK (PRK) in the 68kg semifinals, 7-3. In the other semifinal, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS) stuns European champion Nesrin BAS (TUR), 9-8. The U23 world champion gave up the first takedown but managed to lead 2-2 on criteria at the  break. She brought Bas down for four points in the second period to extend the lead to 6-4. As Bas hit a leg-attack, Petliakova scored epxosure points for an 8-4 lead before Bas reversed for a takedown and cradle looking for a fall. Leading 8-8 on criteria, Petliakova managed to get out of the position and Bas could not score in the remaining 30 seconds. Bas challenged for a turn but it was not complete and the lost challenge gave one more point to the Russian.

13:30: Another DPR Korea wrestler in the final! Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) holds off Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) 5-3 in the 65kg semifinal. After getting a point for Tuvshinjargal's passivity, Mun scored a takedown and trap-arm gut to lead 5-0. However, Tuvshinjargal blocked her in danger to get two points before the break. Mun was called passive in the second period but one point was all Tuvshinjargal got. Mun will face Shuai ZHANG (CHN) in the final after the China wrestler pinned PULKIT (IND). The Indian led 4-2 with 24 seconds left when Zhang brought her down from standing and secured the fall.

13:20: At 62kg, Ok Ji KIM (PRK) becomes the sixth wrestler from DPR Korea to reach the women's final in Ulaanbaatar. She beats Huan YANG (CHN), 10-0 in the semifinals. For the gold medal bout, she will face Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) after she defeated MANSI (IND), 6-4. The first period saw Mansi score a takedown to lead 2-0 but Dudova fired one back during her activity clock in the second period to lead 2-2 on criteria. She also turned Mansi to extend the lead to 4-2. The lead changed hands when Mansi scored using a slideby. Leading 4-4 on criteria, Mansi had 19 more seconds to defend when Dudova used a two-on-one grip to bring her down and score the match-winning takedown.

13:10: Leg lace is the weapon that Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) uses to complete a 10-0 win over Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) in the 55kg semifinals. She will face Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) for the gold medal after the Japanese wrestler humbled age-group world medalist Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 14-4, in the other semifinal

13:00:Semifinals begin with Women's Wrestling

12:55: Last match of the qualification rounds and Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) stuns Abofazl RAHMANI (IRI) at 92kg! Rahmani led 4-0 with just 15 seconds left but had Dauletbekov in the zone when the Kazakhstan wrestler hit a chest wrap throw for four points and take a 4-4 criteria lead based on his bigger technique to score. Rahmani had 11 seconds to score but failed.

12:31: Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) was slightly troubled by Abdulmuslim ABULMUSLIMOV (RUS) but he controls the bout at 86kg to win 5-0. He got a point for Abulmuslimov's passivity before scoring a takedown in the second period to lead 3-0. The second takedown came just before the clock expired.

12:27: Sagar JAGLAN (IND) defeated JAIDEEP (IND) in the domestic selection trials for the Asian Games in India. He repeats his victory in Ulaanbaatar and beats Jaideep 7-2 on Saturday. Leading 3-0, he scores a takedown and turn to extend his points while Jaideep was able to score only a takedown.

12:25: Nesrin BAS (TUR) with three turns using the lace over Odzaya ERDENEBAT (MGL) to lead 8-0 before she finishes the match with a takedown. A 10-0 win inside the first period for Bas to start her campaign in Mongolia

12:10: PRIYA (IND) takes out Urtnasan GAN OCHIR (MGL) in under a minute. She beats the Mongolian 10-0 in just 54 seconds. She makes it to the semifinals.

12:05: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) survives against Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) at 62kg! Leading 5-2, Kim gives up a takedown in the final 10 seconds but Kolawole runs out of time to score that one point needed for victory.

12:00: KAJAL (IND) with some relentless pressure wrestling and she beats Saihan AO (CHN) at 76kg, 12-1. Ao could not find a single way to stop a barging Kajal.

11:45: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) becomes a rock in the second period after taking a 4-0 lead against NITIKA (IND). She gives up one takedown but manages to hold her off 4-2 and win at 62kg

11:22: Not the results Asian silver medalist Mukul DAHIYA (IND) would have expected in his first bout. Up against Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ), Dahiya gives up a takedown in the first period but keeps it close to be down only 2-0 at the break. Shavaev keeps his distance from Dahiya in the second period. Dahiya is forced to attack and Shavaev manages to catch his leg and complete a takedown after some resistance from Dahiya. He then completes three turns using a gut-wrench and wins 10-0

11:15: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), who has moved up from 79kg to 86kg, takes two minutes and 37 seconds to complete a 10-0 victory over Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL). A trusts the gut-wrench to score his points.

11:12: Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) opens his day with an 8-2 win over Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) at 86kg. Ramazanov with a slow first period and gets a point for Sakayev's passivity. But he begins the second with a duck under to suplex and gut wrench and races to 7-0 lead. Kazakhstan challenge but lose it and that gives one more point to Ramazanov. Sakayev gets a takedown but that is all as Ramazanov keeps his distance to win.

11:00: KAJAL (IND) with a slow start but she manages to score three takedowns and beat Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA  (KAZ), 7-1 at 76kg.

10:45: European silver medalist Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) cannot match the power of world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), who blanks Tandelova 6-0 at 62kg.

10:40: Quick results at 62kg as European bronze medalist Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) rolls to an 11-0 victory over Subeen JO (KOR) in just a minute and 47 seconds.

10:30: Third day of the Ulaanbaatar Open and weights in action are Women's 55kg, 62kg, 65kg, 68kg and 76kg. In Freestyle it will be 74kg, 86kg and 92kg