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Zagreb Open: five women’s wrestling storylines

Wednesday, January 25, 2023 - 08:58 By Taylor GREGORIO

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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.

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Zagreb Open 2026 Day 3 Results: Morikawa, Ozaki in final

Friday, February 6, 2026 - 09:36 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 6) -- The third day of the Zagreb Open will see Women's Wrestling in four weight classes and Greco-Roman in two weight classes. Women's Wrestling will be competed in 59kg, 62kg, 65kg and 68kg while GR will be in 63kg and 67kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | YAZDANI vs BUCHANAN FINAL

14:05: GR 67kg semifinals - Two top class matches! Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB), world champion at 63kg, beats Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN), 11-5. He began with an arm-throw for four and added a turn for a 6-0 lead. Sogabe managed to come back a few times but failed to take the lead. Eventually, Khalmakhanov threw Sogabe for two correct throws and win the semifinals.

He will face Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) who defeated another Japanese Katsuaki ENDO (JPN), 11-3. Chkhikvadze scored multiple correct throws in his semifinals to complete the victory.

13:55: GR 63kg semifinals - Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) drops his semifinal against Erfan JARKANI (IRI) 3-1 as the Iranian enters the final. He will face a surprise finalist in CHETAN (IND) who stunned former world champion Meysam DALKHANI (IR), 14-5.

13:40: 68kg semifinals - A fall for Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) in the semifinals over Aleah NICKEL (CAN) after building a 5-0 lead. Morikawa will face her first tough battle against Nesrin BAS (TUR) who stunned Kennedy BLADES (USA) in the other semifinal. In a low scoring bout, Blades went up 1-0 after a activity clock point. In the second period, Bas got the same point and then a stepout to lead 2-1, a lead she defended till the end.

13:25: 62kg semifinals - European silver medalist Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) with a quick 10-0 victory over ANJLI (IND). Lindborg with a drag for four before rolling to a technical superiority. For the gold medal, Lindborg will face Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) who had a tough time beating Macey KILTY (USA), 5-2, in the other semifinal.

13:15: 59kg semifinals - Alexis JANIAK (USA), a former U20 world bronze medalist, gets the better of U20 world silver medalist Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) in the semifinals. Janiak with a takedown and turn to make it 4-0. She then counters Hurbanova on three different occasions and wins 10-0. A lost challenge from Azerbaijan makes it 11-0.

Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) stops the final from being all-USA as she beats Abigail NETTE (USA) 11-0 and secures a place in the final

12:55: Kennedy BLADES (USA) survives a scare against Mansi LATHER (IND) in the 68kg quarterfinal. Blades took a 5-1 in the first period but Lather scored a takedown to close the gap to 5-3. Blades challenged the decision and got it overturned on review. But Lather's pressure made Blades passive, though she defended well. Blades gave up a takedown but that was all as Blades wins and makes it to the semifinals.

12:28: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) puts a show and beats Valentin PETIC (MDA), 12-4, at 67kg. After leading 6-4, he hit a four-pointer and then a turn to finish the bout via technical superiority

12:20: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), U23 world champion, scores two turns from par terre and beats world champion Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) at 63kg. Sultangali was down 5-2 but scored an exposure to make it 5-4. However, he failed to score another point which would have given him the win.

12:15: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) continues her campaign with yet another 10-0 victory at 68kg. She beats Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) and moves into the semifinals.

12:10: Nesrin BAS (TUR) who got a walkover in her first bout, leg laces NISHA (IND) for a 10-0 win and make her place in the 68kg semifinal. Bas took a 4-0 lead and then decided to sit on it. But in the last minute, she got a takedown and two turns to win.

12:00: Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) is checked up Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND) but the Japanese star manages to hold on for a 4-2 victory and move into the quarterfinals at 67kg against Morten THORSEN (NOR). 

11:45: World champion at 65kg Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), now wrestling at 68kg, takes her own time but manages to beat Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), 10-0, in her opening bout in Zagreb

11:35: Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) failed to score any points from par terre in the first period but he gets the takedown and moves to a 9-0 victory at 67kg against Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO).

11:30: World champion at 63kg Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) has moved up to 67kg. And he has no trouble in winning his first bout via technical super superiority. He tries to score a throw when Mohamed ABDELREHIM (EGY) commits a leg foul. Back in par terre, Khalmakhanov completes the turn and wins 10-0

11:25: Kennedy BLADES (USA), world bronze medalist at 68kg, was flying against Karolina POK (HUN) having taken an 11-2 lead. However, she decided to not end the bout via technical superiority and kept her distance in the second period and won with the same scoreline.

11:20: NISHA (IND) stays in total control of her bout against Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) and posts an 8-1 victory. While Soltanova did get on a few scrambles, Nisha managed to defend the positions and scored her eight points.

11:15: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), a world champion at 65kg in 2023 and Paris bronze medalist at 68kg, is back at 62kg. She begins with a 12-2 technical superiority win over Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)

11:10: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ), world champion at 60kg, now wrestling 63kg gets going with an 8-2 victory over Adham ELSAYED (EGY).

11:00: Former age-group world champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN) gets a 10-0 technical superiority win over Marilyn GARCIA (USA) at 62kg. Excellent control throughout the bout for Elekes.

10:45: Early explosive Greco-Roman action here. Oybek SHARIBJONOV (UZB) gets the technical superiority win over Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) at 67kg in just over two minutes. Mohsen Nezhad, a U20 world champion, tries to front headlock Sharibjonov and score a throw but the Uzbek wrestler gets the control and sends Mohsen Nezhad to danger to get four points. Mohsen Nezhad tries to get another move but lands on his back and gives up two points. Sharibjonov scores a turn and wins 8-0. Iran challenges for the first action for four points but the challenge is lost.

10:30: Another big day of wrestling coming up in Zagreb. The 68kg weight class in Women's Wrestling has a few big names with Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), Kennedy BLADES (USA), NISHA (IND), Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), Nesrin BAS (TUR) competing among others.