CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (February 4) – Several top wrestlers in the United World Wrestling Women's Wrestling rankings asserted their position among the discipline’s elite with convincing performances in January's Yarygin and Paris Grand Prix events.

Other wrestlers, meanwhile, took advantage of the Nordhagen Classics and Dave Schultz Memorial in North America to make their own case for being listed higher in the World Wrestling poll.

Asian Games silver medalist SUN Yanan (CHN) (above) and bronze medalist ZHONG Xuechun (CHN) won in Paris and London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) prevailed in Krasnoyarsk to reaffirm their positions at No.2 and No.3 in the rankings.

World silver medalist Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), who slipped from No.2 to No.3 over the winter, also won at the Yarygin Grand Prix to hold onto her current ranking.

In Colorado Springs, Helen MAROULIS (USA) and Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) each won at the Schultz Memorial but will have to wait for another chance to improve on their No.2 rankings at 55kg and 63kg, respectively.

Meanwhile, some of the surprise winners in January went from unranked to the top 10 – or close to it.

Valentina ISLAMOVA (RUS) made the biggest leap from unranked to No.6 with a win at 48kg in Krasnoyarsk, followed closely by European junior champ Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS), who went from under the radar to No.7 at 53kg.

In their charges to the titles, both Islamova and Khoroshavtseva recorded key wins against two of Japan’s many world-champions-in-waiting – Yu MIYAHARA (48kg) and Mayu MUKAIDA (53).

In Paris, world team member WANG Xiaoqian (CHN) leapt to No. 11 with a win in the 63kg finals over two-time Olympic Games bronze medalist Jackeline RENTERIA (COL) and Martina KUENZ (AUT) (above) made a similar move with a surprise win over world bronze medalist Laura SKUJINA (LAT) at 69kg.

Among the ranked wrestlers, 2013 world silver medalist SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL), who won only one event in 2014, stormed to the Yarygin Grand Prix title with a key win over world bronze medal winner Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT to vault from 13th to No.3 at 63kg.

The world rankings are listed by the wrestler’s name, country code, the wrestler’s most recent or most notable result in the last 12 months, and the wrestler’s position in the previous rankings.

48kg – Russian Open winner Valentina ISLAMOVA (RUS) fashioned a 5-4 win over junior world champion Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) in the quarterfinals of the Yarygin Grand Prix on her way to the title and No.6 in the rankings.

Pan American champion Victoria ANTHONY (USA) squeezed out a 4-4 criteria win over Genevieve MORRISON (CAN) and then rolled over former world champion Clarissa CHUN (USA) for the Schultz Memorial crown to climb to No.9 in the rankings.

1. Eri TOSAKA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. SUN Yanan (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (2)
3. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) – Paris GP No.2 (3)
4. Mariya STADNYK (AZE) – World No.3 (4)
5. KIM Hyon-Gyong (PRK) – World No.3 (5)
6. Valentina ISLAMOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (not ranked)
7. Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) – Yarygin GP No. 3 (nr)
8. Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
9. Victoria ANTHONY (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (12)
10. Genevieve MORRISON (CAN) – Schultz Memorial No.3 (nr)
11. Alyssa LAMPE (USA) – Farrell Memorial No.1 (7)
12. Tatyana AMANZHOL (KAZ) – Yarygin GP No.5 (6)
13. BYAMBAZAYA Tsogtbaatar (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr_
14. Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) – Farrell Memorial No.3 (9)
15. WANG Lili (CHN) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)
16. Anna LUKASIAK (POL) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)
17. Clarissa CHUN (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.2 (nr)
18. Jasmine MIAN (CAN) – Yarygin GP No.5 (19)
19. ERDENESUKH Narangerel (MGL) – Paris GP No.5 (15)
20. Thalia MALLQUI PECHE (PER) – Copa Brasil No.2 (20)

53kg – World military silver medalist Whitney CONDER (USA) notched three wins by technical fall to claim the Schultz Memorial crown and moved up to No.6 in the rankings.

European junior champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) handed Youth Olympic Games gold medalist Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) her first international loss, 8-3, for the Yarygin Grand Prix crown to break into the rankings at No.7.

1. Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) – World No.2 (2)
3. ZHONG Xuechun (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (3)
4. JONG Myong-Suk (PRK) – World No.3 (5)
5. Jillian GALLAYS (CAN) – World No.3 (4)
6. Whitney CONDER (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (9)
7. Olga KHOROSHAVSTEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (nr)
8. Nadeshda SHUSHKO (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.3 (15)
9. SUMIYA Erdennechimeg (MGL) – Yarygin No.3 (12)
10. Roksana ZASINA (POL) – Paris GP No.2 (19)
11. PANG Qianyu (CHN) – Paris GP No.3 (nr
12. Natalia BUDU (ROU) – World No.5 (6)
13. Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS) – World No.5 (7)
14. Maria GUROVA (RUS) – Europe No.1 (8)
15. Yuliya BLAHINYA (UKR) – World No.8 (10)
16. Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN) – Poland Open No.1 (11)
17. Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) – German GP No.1 (14)
18. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) – GGP Final No.1 (13)
19. Nanami IRIE (JPN) – Farrell Memorial No.2 (16)
20. Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) – Olympia No.1 (17)

55kg – Six weeks after finishing one-two in the Russian Open, Helen MAROULIS (USA) and Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) won the Schultz Memorial and Yarygin Grand Prix on the same weekend.

DONG Jiahui (CHN), 10th at the world championships in September, won three bouts -- all inside of regulation -- to claim the Paris Grand Prix crown and climb from 13th to No.6 in the rankings.

1. Chiho HAMADA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Helen MAROULIS (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (2)
3. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (3)
4. Irina KHARIV (UKR) – World No.3 (4)
5. SUNDEV Byambatseren (MGL) – Asian Games No.2 (5)
6. DONG Jiahui (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (13)
7. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) – Paris GP No.3 (7)
8. Karima SANCHEZ RAMIS (ESP) – Deglane Challenge No.3 (6)
9. ALTANTSETSEG Battsetseg (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.2 (9)
10. Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) – Yarygin No.3 (12)
11. PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) – Paris GP No.3 (14)
12. Brittanee LAVERDURE (CAN) – Nordhagen Classics No.1 (16)
13. Marwa AMRI (TUN) – Poland Open No.3 (8)
14. Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.3 (17)
15. Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) – German GP No.3 (10)
16. JONG In-Sun (PRK) – Asian Games No.5 (11)
17. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) – Schultz Memorial No.3 (nr)
18. Aurelie BASSET (FRA) – Europe No.5 (18)
19. Tatyana KIT (UKR) – Jr World No.2 (19)
20. Giulia RODRIGUES (BRA) – World No.8 (20)

58kg – World team member ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) cruised into the 58kg final of the Paris Grand Prix and prevailed over Joice SILVA (BRA), 8-6, for the second international title of her career. The triumph lifted her five places to No.7.

Asian silver medalist BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL) stopped Pan American champion Michelle FAZZARI (CAN), 3-2, in the semifinals and then defeated Asian Games bronze medalist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) for her first international triumph and No.13 in the rankings.

1. Kaori ICHO (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) – World No.2 (2)
3. Anastassia HUCHOK (BLR) – World No.3 (3)
4. Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) – World No.3 (4)
5. Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU) – Copa Brasil No.1 (5)
6. Allison RAGAN (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (6)
7. ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (12)
8. Risako KAWAI (JPN) – Asia No.1 (7)
9. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) – Yarygin GP No.2 (9)
10. Joice SILVA (BRA) – Paris GP No.2 (18)
11. Emese BARKA (HUN) – Paris GP No.3 (8)
12. Irina NETREBA (AZE) – Paris GP No.3 (10)
13. BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.1 (nr)
14. Anna VASILENKO (UKR) – GGP Final No.1 (11)
15. Justine BOUCHARD (CAN) – Copa Brasil No.2 (15)
16. Braxton STONE (CAN) – Schultz Memorial No.3 (13)
17. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) – Schultz Memorial No.2 (14)
18. TUNGALAG Munkhtuya (MGL) – World No.8 (15)
19. Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.3 (nr)
20. Anna ZWIRYDOWSKA (POL) – Europe No.2 (18)

60kg – Two-time Klippan Open champion Petra OLLI (FIN) edged two-time former European champion Natalya SINISHIN (AZE), 4-2, to win her first senior-level title outside of Scandinavia and climb to No.4 in the rankings.
Former world team member Leigh JAYNES (USA) notched a pair of falls on her way to the title at the Schultz Memorial and No.17 in the rankings.

1. SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) – World No.1 (1)
2. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) – World No.2 (2)
3. Natalya GOLTS (RUS) – World No.3 (4)
4. Petra OLLI (FIN) – Paris GP No.1 (7)
5. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) – Yarygin GP No.3 (5)
6. Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) – Paris GP No.3 (6)
7. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) – World No.3 (4)
8. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (9)
9. Zhargalma TSYRENOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (8)
10. Haruka SATO (JPN) – Yarygin GP No.5 (nr)
11. Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) – Paris Open No.2 (nr)
12. LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) – Paris Open No.3 (nr)
13. Oksana HERHEL (UKR) – World No.7 (12)
14. Natalya FEDOSEEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
15. Yulia ALBOROVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.7 (13)
16. Yoshimi KAYAMA (JPN) – Farrell Memorial No.1 (14)
17. Leigh JAYNES (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (nr)
18. Anzhela FOMENKO (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.5 (nr)
19. Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) – Paris GP No.5 (nr)
20. Jenna BURKERT (USA) – Farrell Memorial No.3 (20)
 

63kg – Former world champion SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) defeated world bronze medalist Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) in the semifinals and rolled to the Yarygin Grand Prix title for No.3 in the rankings.

World team member WANG Xiaoqian (CHN) rolled up a fall and three technical falls on her way to the Paris Grand Prix crown, stopping Pan America champion Jackeline RENTERIA (COL) in the final to break into the rankings at No.11.

1. Yulia TKACH (UKR) – World No.1 (1)
2. Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) – World No.2 (2)
3. SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.1 (13)
4. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) – Yarygin GP No.3 (3)
5. Irina TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (17)
6. Valeria LAZINSKAYA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.9 (4)
7. Rio WATARI (JPN) – Yarygin GP No.5 (5)
8. Jackeline RENTARIA CASTILLO (COL) – Paris GP No.2 (10)
9. XILUO Zhuoma (CHN) – Paris GP No.3 (6)
10. Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.3 (12)
11. WANG Xiaoqian (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (nr)
12. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) – World No.5 (7)
13. Monica MICHALIK (POL) – Paris GP No.9 (8)
14. Yurika ITO (JPN) – GGP Final No.2 (9)
15. Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) – Commonwealth Games No.1 (11)
16. Erin CLODGO (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (18)
17. Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.5 (14)
18. Lais OLIVIERA (BRA) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)
19. HANG Yingyan (CHN) – Paris GP No.5 (nr)
20. Ekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (16)

69kg – 2013 world bronze medalist OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) rolled up a technical fall over compatriot BADRAKH Odonchimeg (MGL) in the Yarygin Grand Prix semifinals and bounds to No.9 in the rankings after finishing second to London 2012 gold medalist Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS).

Martin KUENZ (AUT) stunned world bronze medalist Laura SKUJINA (LAT), 8-5, in the final of the Paris Grand Prix and joins the rankings at No.11.

1. Aline FOCKEN (GER) – World No.1 (1)
2. Sara DOSHO (JPN) – World No.2 (2)
3. Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (3)
4. Laura SKUJINA (LAT) – Paris GP No.2 (4)
5. Dorothy YEATS (CAN) – Yarygin GP No.3 (7)
6. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) – World No.5 (5)
7. Diana GONZALEZ (MEX) – World No.5 (6)
8. Alina MAKHINYA (UKR) – Europe No.3 (8)
9. OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
10. BADRAKH Odonchimeg (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.7 (9)
11. Martina KUENZ (AUT) – Paris GP No.1 (nr)
12. HONG Yan (CHN) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)
13. Agnieszka WIESZCZEK-KORDUS (POL) – Paris GP No.5 (11)
14. Randi MILLER (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.2 (17)
15. Dalma CANEVA (ITA) – Deglane Challenge No.1 (14)
16. Luz Clara VAZQUEZ (ARG) – Schultz Memorial No. 3 (nr)
17. Leidy IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL) – Pan America No.1 (10)
18. Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) – Poland Open No.3 (12)
19. Nadeshda SEMENSTOVA (AZE) – German GP No.3 (13)
20. Adina POPESCU (ROU) – Deglane Challenge No.2 (15)

75kg – Erica WIEBE (CAN), top-ranked most of last summer, kicked off 2015 with wins at the Nordhagen Classics and the Yarygin Grand Prix to vault from eighth to No.4 in the rankings. In Krasnoyarsk, Wiebe notched wins against former world runner-up Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) and European silver medalist Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR).

In Paris, world bronze medalist ZHOU Qian (CHN) rolled over Epp MAE (EST) in the 75kg final, 10-4, in a repeat of their bronze medal final meeting at the world championships last September. The win lifted Qian to No.5 in the rankings.

1. Adeline GRAY (USA) – World No.1 (1)
2. ZHOU Feng (CHN) – Asia Games No.1 (2)
3. Aline FERREIRA (BRA) – World No.2 (3)
4. Erica WIEBE (CAN) – Yarygin GP No.1 (8)
5. ZHOU Qian (CHN) – Paris GP No.1 (6)
6. Epp MAE (EST) – Paris GP No.2 (7)
7. OCHIRBAT Burmaa (MGL) – World No.3 (4)
8. Gouzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) – Asia Games No.2 (5)
9. Andrea OLAYA GUTEIERREZ (COL) – Farrell Memorial No.3 (9)
10. Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) – GGP Final No.1 (10)
11. Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (18)
12. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (14)
13. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) – Yarygin GP No.5 (11)
14. ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)
15. Stanka ZLATEVA (BUL) – Europe No.1 (12)
16. Jackie CATALINE (USA) – Farrell Memorial No.1 (20)
17. Alyona AFANASEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
18. Justina DISTACIO (CAN) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (nrr)
19. Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) – Paris GP No.5 (16)
20. QIANDEGEN Chagan (CHN) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)