CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (December 21) – Junior world medalists Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) and PEI Xingru (CHN) won senior world titles at 55kg and 60kg in Budapest and claimed the final two positions on top of United World Wrestling’s yearend rankings for women’s wrestling.

Mukaida, who won her first senior title 100 days after taking the junior crown in Macon, France, becomes the fifth wrestler from Japan to finish the year atop her category after Japan’s Rio 2016 squad grabbed four of the six gold medals on offer at the Olympic Games.

Pei, meanwhile, who won a bronze medal in Macon after dropping her opening bout to eventual champion Yuzuru KUMANO (JPN), defeated 2013 world bronze medalist Emese BARKA (HUN) on her way to the final where she defeated Allison RAGAN (USA).

Pei became the first wrestler from China to win a world title since the 2013 world championships, also in Budapest, where SUN Yanan (51kg) and ZHANG Fengliu (72kg) bagged the country’s 23rd and 24th gold medals in women’s wrestling.

Pei also led an onslaught of five unranked wrestlers on the top six places at 60kg, pushing Rio 2016 Olympians at 58kg Petra OLLI (FIN) and Oksana HERHEL (UKR) to seventh and eighth positions in the light middleweight poll.

The Golden Grand Prix Final in Baku at the end of November also provided a bump for a handful of wrestlers beneath the six Rio 2016 gold and bronze medalists, who will begin 2017 ranked at the top of their respective categories.

Three members of Japan’s junior world team received boosts in the rankings after medal-winner performances in Baku. Three-time junior world champion Masako FURUICHI (JPN) vaulted from No.12 to seventh at 69kg.

Two-time junior world winner Miho IGARASHI (JPN) joined the 48kg rankings at No.9 after finishing second to Rio 2016 bronze medal winner Sun, while Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) came in at No.16 after taking bronze at 63kg.

Two-time European junior champion Grace BULLEN (NOR) climbed two places to No.11 at 58kg, while Klippan Open winner Victoria ANTHONY (USA) vaulted to No.8 at 48kg after a triumph at the Farrell Memorial in New York followed by a bronze medal in Baku.

Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, most notable or most recent result over the last 12 months, and their position in the previous rankings.

48kg – Junior world champ Miho IGARASHI (JPN) edged former European champion Valerie CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS), 3-2, in the semifinals of the Golden Grand Prix Final before falling to Sun in the Baku final. Igarashi breaks into the rankings at No.9 while 2013 European champion Chepsarakova returns to the rankings at No.18.

1. Eri TOSAKA (JPN) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Mariya STADNIK (AZE) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. SUN Yanan (CHN) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Jyldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL) – Paris GP No.3 (7)
8. Victoria ANTHONY (USA) – Klippan Open No.1 (15)
9. Miho IGARASHI (JPN) – GGP Final No.2 (Not Ranked)
10. Haley AUGELLO (USA) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (9)
11. Alina VUC (ROU) – World Military No.1 (12)
12. Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) – World University No.1 (14)
13. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) – Poland Open No.3 (13)
14. KIM Hyon-Gyong (PRK) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.1 (8)
15. Valentina ISLAMOVA (RUS) - German GP No.1 (10)
16. Vinesh VINESH (IND) – Asia No.3 (11)
17. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) – European U23 No.1 (18)
18. Valerie CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS) – GGP Final No.3 (nr)
19. Maryna MARKEVICH (BLR) – Europe No.3 (19)
20. Allyssa CLEAVES (CAN) – World University No.1 (nr)

53kg – Las Vegas world bronze medal winner Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) climbed one place to No.7 after a winning the 55kg crown at the Golden Grand Prix Final. Samantha STEWART (CAN) joins the 53kg list at No.13 after taking a silver medal at the university world championships.
 
1. Helen MAROULIS (USA) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. ZHONG Xuechun (CHN) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) – GGP Final No.1 (8)
8. JONG Myong-Suk (PRK) – Rio OG No.7 (7)
9. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) – Poland Open No.1 (9)
10. Nina HEMMER (GER) – Spanish GP No.3 (10)
11. Irina KURACHKINA (BLR) – Europe No.2 (11)
12. Bediha GUN (TUR) – European U23 No.3 (14)
13. Samantha STEWART (CAN) – World University No.2 (9@55)
14. Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR) – Europe No.3 (12)
15. Isabelle SAMBOU (SEN) – Rio OG No.8 (13)
16. Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS) – European U23 No.1 (16)
17. Nadeshda SHUSHKO (BLR) – Klippan Open No.1 (19)
18. Anzhela DOROGAN (AZE) – GGP Final No.3 (18)
19. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) – Dan Kolov No.1 (15)
20. Liliya HORISHNA (UKR) – European U23 No.2 (17)

55kg – Asian championship silver medalist Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) missed her chance to qualify for Rio 2016 at 58kg, but came up with wins over three European opponents to snare a bronze medal in Budapest, lifting her from unranked to No.4 in the rankings.

1. Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) – World No.1 (5)
2. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) – World No.2 (2)
3. DAVAASUKH Otgontsetseg (MGL) – World No.3 (13)
4. Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) – World No.3 (nr)
5. Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR) – World No.5 (4)
6. Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) – World No.5 (15)
7. Tetyana KIT (UKR) – Poland Open No.1 (1)
8. Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (3)
9. Olena KREMZER (UKR) – European U23 No.1 (6)
10. Nina MENKENOVA (RUS) – GGP Final No.2 (nr)
11. Aleksandra ANDREEVA (RUS) – European U23 No.2 (7)
12. PANG Qianyu (CHN) – Asia No.1 (11)
13. Iulia LEORDA (MDA) – World University No.3 (nr)
14. Roksana ZASINA (POL) – Poland Open No.2 (10)
15. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) – Klippan Open No.2 (12)
16. Nadeshda TRETYAKOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (8)
17. Jacqueline SCHELLIN (GER) – World Military No.3 (nr)
18. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) – European U23 No.2 (16)
19. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) – Spanish GP No.1 (20)
20. LI Hui (CHN) – World Military No.1 (nr)

58kg – European silver medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR) nailed down her first major senior-level title with a pair of falls at the Golden Grand Prix Final, climbing two rungs to No.11. Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) defeated 2014 world champion Chiho HAMADA (JPN), 7-2, for a bronze medal and No.16 in the rankings.
 
1. Kaori ICHO (JPN) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Marwa AMRI (TUN) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Sakshi MALIK (IND) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) – Rio OG No.7 (7)
8. Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) – German GP No.1 (8)
9. Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) – Rio OG No.9 (9)
10. Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) – Pan America No.1 (10)
11. Grace BULLEN (NOR) – GGP Final No.1 (13)
12. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) – Europe No.3 (11)
13. Mariana CHERDIVARA-ESANU (MDA) – Dan Kolov No.2 (12)
14. Lyubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) – Klippan Open No.2 (14)
15. Joice SILVA (BRA) – World Military No.2 (15)
16. Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) – GGP Final No.3 (nr)
17. Yaquelin ESTORNELL (CUB) – GGP Final No.2 (nr)
18. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) – Spanish GP No.3 (16)
19. ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) – GGP Final No.3 (nr)
20. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) – German GP No.3 (18)

60kg – Medved Prizes runner-up Ayaulaylm KASYMOVA (KAZ) was the only ranked wrestler (No.12) to earn a place in the world medal finals after advancing to the semifinals in Budapest. Kasymova finished in fifth place for No.5 in the rankings.

European champion Petra OLLI (FIN) and Las Vegas world champion Oksana HERHEL (UKR), who wrestled at Rio 2016 and were ineligible for the world meet, slip to No.7 and No.8, respectively.

1. PEI Xingru (CHN) – World No.1 (nr)
2. Allison RAGAN (USA) – World No.2 (nr)
3. Emese BARKA (HUN) – World No.3 (nr)
4. Linda MORAIS (CAN) – World No.3 (nr)
5. Ayaulaylm KASYMOVA (KAZ) – World No.5 (12)
6. Yui SAKANO (JPN) – World No.5 (nr)
7. Petra OLLI (FIN) – Europe No.1 (1)
8. Oksana HERHEL (UKR) – Europe No.2 (5)
9. BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL) – Poland Open No.2 (20@58)
10. Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS) – Europe No.3 (2)
11. Tatyana OMELCHENKO (AZE) – European U23 No.1 (3)
12. Therese PERSSON (SWE) – German GP No.2 (4)
13. Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL) – Poland Open No.3 (8)
14. Laura MERTENS (GER) – German GP No.2@58 (7)
15. Anzhelina LYSAK (UKR) – European U23 No.2 (15)
16. Veronika IVANOVA (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (10)
17. SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) – Mongolia Open No.1 (9)
18. Anastassia HUCHOK (BLR) – Klippan Open No.2 (11)
19. Ayaka Ito (JPN) – Asia No.2 (17)
20. HAN Yingyan (CHN) – Asia No.1 (15)

63kg – Former world champion Yulia TKACH (UKR) avenged a loss to XU Rui (CHN) at Rio 2016 with a win by fall in the Golden Grand Prix Final championship bout to climb to No.7 in the rankings.

1. Risako KAWAI (JPN) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Ekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Monica MICHALIK (POL) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. Yulia TKACH (UKR) – GGP Final No.1 (8)
8. XU Rui (CHN) – GGP Final No.2 (9)
9. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) – Europe No.1 (7)
10. SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) – Poland Open No.3 (10)
11. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) – Spanish GP No.3 (11)
12. Hafize SAHIN (TUR) – Corneanu Memorial No.1 (12)
13. Marianna SASTIN (HUN) – GGP Final No.3 (17)
14. Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) – German GP No.1 (13)
15. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) – Poland Open No.3 (14)
16. Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) – GGP Final No.3 (nr)
17. Anzhela FOMENKA (RUS) – World University No.1 (nr)
18. Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) – World Jr No.1 (15)
19. Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) – GGP Final No.3@69 (nr)
20. Breanne GRAHAM (CAN) – Farrell Memorial No.2 (nr)

69kg – Junior world champion Masako FURUICHI (JPN) outscored three opponents 25-6 on her way to the Golden Grand Prix title to bound from No.12 to eighth in the rankings, while Baku runner-up Tamyra MENSAH (USA) followed at No.9.

1. Sara DOSHO (JPN) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. Dorothy YEATS (CAN) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Enas AHMED (EGY) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. Masako FURUICHI (JPN) – GGP Final No.1 (12)
8. Aline FOCKEN (GER) – German GP No.1 (7)
9. Tamyra MENSAH (USA) – GGP Final No.2 (14)
10. Buse TOSUN (TUR) – European U23 No.1 (8)
11. OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) – Poland Open No.2 (9)
12. ZHOU Feng (CHN) – Rio OG No.12 (10)
13. Alina MAKHINYA (UKR) – Europe No.3 (11)
14. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) – European U23 No.3 (nr)
15. Agnieszka WIESZCZEK-KORDUS (POL) – World Military No.1 (13)
16. Gilda DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) – Pan Am OG Qualifier No.2 (13)
17. Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.1 (16)
18. Maria ACOSTA (VEN) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (17)
19. Signe Marie STORE (NOR) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.2 (18)
20. Martina KUENZ (AUT) – Henri Deglane No.1 (nr)

75kg – Asian bronze medalist QIANDEGENCHAGAN Qiandegenchagan (CHN) defeated compatriot ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) in the title match of the Golden Grand Prix Final to break into the rankings at No.8. Despite the loss, Zhang leap-frogged fellow Rio 2016 bronze medal winner Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) for No.3.

1. Erica WIEBE (CAN) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
4. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
5. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) – Rio OG No.5 (5)
6. Laure ALI ANNABEL (CMR) – Rio OG No.5 (6)
7. Adeline GRAY (USA) – Rio OG No.7 (7)
8. Aline FERREIRA (BRA) – World Military No.1 (9)
9. Yasemin ADAR (TUR) – Europe No.1 (8)
10. Justina DISTACIO (CAN) – World University No.1 (11)
11. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) – Europe No. 3 (10)
12. Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) – European U23 No.1 (12)
13. Epp MAE (EST) – Canada Cup No.3 (13)
14. Andrea OLAYA GUITIERREZ (COL) – Poland Open No.2 (14)
15. Anna SCHELL (GER) – European U23 No.2 (15)
16. Samar Amer HAMZA (EGY) – Spanish GP No.3 (17)
17. Cynthia VESCAN (FRA) – World University No.2 (18)
18. QIANDEGENCHAGAN Qiandegenchagan (CHN), GGP Final No.1 (nr)
19. Elena PEREPELKINA (RUS) – GGP Final No.3 (nr)
20. Jarismit WEFFER GUANIPA (VEN) – Poland Open No.3 (19)