BAKU (November 28) – Helen MAROULIS (USA) and Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS) will lead the parade of world champions who advanced to Saturday evening’s gold medal matches in the women’s events at the Golden Grand Prix Final.

Las Vegas winners Maroulis and Vorobieva will both meet former world champions from Sweden, Sofia MATTSSON (53kg) and Jenny FRANSSON (69kg), in the gold medal matches at Baku Sports Hall.

The fifth world champion in the gold medal mix will be 2012 world champion Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA), who squares off at 63kg with Las Vegas bronze medal winner Taybe YUSEIN (BUL).

In addition to the five reigning and former world champions wrestling for gold medals, three more will battle for bronze medals. 2013 world champ Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR) squares off with 2014 winner Aline FOCKEN (GER) at 69kg, while Marianna SASTIN (HUN), another 2013 winner, will try at 60kg.

Meanwhile, five more world champions, including the reigning champ at 63kg SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL), were upset in the early rounds and did not get the chance to wrestle in the consolations matches.

In some of the highlighted action of the morning session, newly minted world bronze medalist Jessica BLASZKA (NED) showed she is the real deal at 48kg, tripping 2014 world silver medalist Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) to her back in the semifinals for the fall at 5:57.

In the 48kg final, Blaszka will meet European Games bronze medalist Valentina ISLAMOVA, (RUS), who finished in fifth place in the world championships.

And, while 55kg world champ Maroulis advanced to the gold medal final at 53kg, she was forced to come from behind to claim a 6-6 victory on criteria over world bronze medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) in the quarterfinals.

Maroulis squares off with Mattsson in the 53kg final, while Adekuoroye meets European Games champion Angela DOROGAN (AZE) for a bronze medal.

At 63kg, Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) frustrated 2014 world champ Yulia TKACH (UKR) for an 8-4 victory in the round of 16 and had Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) worried in the quarterfinals before the European Games bronze medalist pulled out an 8-5 win.

Meanwhile, Japan’s young team was unable to break through to the gold medal finals after claiming a pair of champions and runners-up each lat year. Four Japanese, including Asian Games gold medalist Rio WATARI (69kg) and junior world champ Miho IGARASHI (48kg), will battle for bronze medals.

Saturday evening’s gold and bronze medal finals, and semifinal results:

Women’s Wrestling
48kg (10 entries)

Gold – Jessica BLASZKA (NED) v Valentina ISLAMOVA (RUS)
Bronze – Onmariel VILIBETH (VEN) v Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL)
Bronze – Shafag MURADZADE (AZE) v Miho IGARASHI (JPN)
 
SF – Jessica BLASZKA (NED) df. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) by Fall, 5:57
SF – Valentina ISLAMOVA (RUS) df. Miho IGARASHI (JPN), 6-3

53kg (17 entries)

Gold – Helen MAROULIS (USA) v Sofia MATTSSON (SWE)
Bronze – Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) v Angela DOROGAN (AZE)
Bronze – PAK Yong-Mi (PRK) v ZHONG Xuechun (CHN)

SF – Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Angela DOROGAN (AZE), 9-0
SF – Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) df. ZHONG Xuechun (CHN), 4-2

55kg (11 entries)

Gold – LI Hui (CHN) v Natalya SINISHIN (AZE)
Bronze – Rim AYARI (TUN) v JONG In-Sun (PRK)
Bronze – Hikari SUGAWARA (JPN) v Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)

SF – LI Hui (CHN) df. JONG In-Sun (PRK), 4-2
SF – Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) df. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 4-1

58kg (14 entries)

Gold – Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) v Emese BARKA (HUN)
Bronze – Derya BAYHAN (TUR) v Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ)
Bronze – Tatyana LAVRENCHUK (UKR) v Johanna MATTSSON (SWE)

SF – Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) by TF, 14-4, 4:36
SF – Emese BARKA (HUN) df. Johanna MATTSSON (SWE), 3-2

60kg (11 entries)

Gold – Allison RAGAN (USA) v LUO Xiaojuan (CHN)
Bronze – Jennifer PAGE (USA) v Marianna SASTIN (HUN)
Bronze – Yukako KAWAI v Dzhanan MANOLOVA (BUL)

SF – Allison RAGAN (USA) df. Marianna SASTIN (HUN), 2-1
SF – LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) df. Dzhanan MANOLOVA (BUL), 1-1

63kg (17 entries)

Gold – Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) v Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA)
Bronze – Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE) v Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Bronze – Erin CLODGO (USA) v Valeria LAZINSKAYA (RUS)
 
SF – Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) df. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) by TF, 10-0, 3:25
SF – Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) df. Valeria LAZINSKAYA (RUS), 7-6

69kg (12 entries)

Gold – Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) v Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS)
Bronze – Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR) v Aline FOCKEN (GER)
Bronze – Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) v Rio WATARI (JPN)
 
SF – Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) df. Aline FOCKEN (GER) by Fall, 5:51
SF – Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS) df. Rio WATARI (JPN), 10-8

75kg (11 entries)

Gold – ZHOU Qian (CHN) v Epp MAE (EST)
Bronze – Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE) v Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)
Bronze – Maider UNDA (ESP) v Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ)
 
SF – ZHOU Qian (CHN) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), 8-6
SF – Epp MAE df. (EST) Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ), 5-2