Kratysh Becomes 1st Female Wrestler from Israel to Qualify for Olympic Games

ULAANBAATAR (April 23) – European Games silver medalist Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) came from behind for a semifinal triumph at 69kg on Saturday to become the first female wrestler from Israel to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Kratysh tripped up Tamyra MENSAH (USA) for four points early in the second period of their semifinal bout and then held on for a 6-5 victory that ensured her of a berth at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Kratysh, who has been the runner-up in European continental meets the last four years, was eliminated in the first round of the European qualifier last week in Zrenjanin, Serbia.

On Saturday, however, the second day of the first world Olympic Games qualifying tournament in Ulaanbaatar, Kratysh opened with a fall in the quarterfinals, then held on for the win after an throwing Mensah with one of her favorite leg techniques from judo, osotogari or great outer reap.

In Saturday evening’s tournament finals, Kratysh squares off with Pan American championships bronze medalist Maria ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN), who grabbed Venezuela’s third ticket to Rio 2016 for the women in the other semifinal.

Along with Kratysh, Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) earned Greece’s first berth in the wrestling events in Rio – and her second trip to the Olympic Games -- with a late headlock and a 6-5 win over European under-23 champion Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS) in the 53kg semifinals.

Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU) and Cynthia VESCAN (FRA) also booked their returns to the Olympic Games and became the first female wrestlers in their respective NOC delegations headed to Rio de Janeiro.

Meanwhile, world champions Marianna SASTIN (HUN) and Helen MAROULIS (USA) were joined by younger teammates with semifinal wins to give Hungary and the United States each a pair of qualifiers.

Sastin fashioned a 3-0 win over cadet world champion Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) at 63kg to become Hungary’s first female wrestler on the Rio 2016 team. Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) then reprised her European under-23 win over Anna SCHELL (GER), 4-2, at 75kg.

Maroulis took care of business quickly in her 53kg final, dropping U23 runner-up Liliya HORISHNA (UKR) to her back early and pressing for the fall at 0:28. Haley AUGELLO (USA), then, earned a technical fall at 48kg over Maria LIVACH (UKR).

Women’s Wrestling

48kg (17 entries)
Semifinal – Haley AUGELLO (USA) df. Maria LIVACH (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 4:57
Semifinal – KIM Hyon-Gyong (PRK) df. Anna LUKASIAK (POL), 6-0

Gold – Haley AUGELLO (USA) v KIM Hyon-Gyong (PRK)
Bronze – Violeta CHYRYK (BLR) v Maria LIVACH (UKR)
Bronze – Jaqueline SCHELLIN (GER) v Anna LUKASIAK (POL)

53kg (22 entries)
Semifinal – Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Liliya HORISHNA (UKR) by Fall, 0:28 (4-0)
Semifinal – Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS), 6-5

Gold – Helen MAROULIS (USA) v Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Bronze – Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) v Liliya HORISHNA (UKR)
Bronze – Bediha GUN (TUR) v Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS)

58kg (22 entries)
Semifinal – Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df. Natalya GOLTS (RUS), 5-4
Semifinal – Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU) df. Mariana CHERDIVARA-ESANU (MDA), 7-2

Gold – Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) v Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU)
Bronze – Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ) v Natalya GOLTS (RUS)
Bronze – ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) v Mariana CHERDIVARA-ESANU (MDA)

63kg (14 entries)
Semifinal – Hafize SAHIN (TUR) df. Leidy IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL), 4-0
Semifinal – Marianna SASTIN (HUN) df. Koumba LARROUQUE (FRA), 3-0

Gold – Hafize SAHIN (TUR) v Marianna SASTIN (HUN)
Bronze – Monika MICHALIK (POL) v Leidy IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL)
Bronze – Tayla Tuahine FORD (NZL) v Koumba LARROUQUE (FRA)

69kg (14 entries)
Semifinal – Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) df. Tamyra MENSAH (USA), 6-5
Semifinal – Maria ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN) df. Evgenia ANDREICHENKO (BLR), 6-2

Gold – Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) v Maria ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN)
Bronze – Diana MIRANDA GONZALEZ (MEX) v Tamyra MENSAH (USA)
Bronze – Alla BELINSKA (UKR) v Evgenia ANDREICHENKO (BLR)

75kg (13 entries)
Semifinal – Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) df. Anna SCHELL (GER), 4-2
Semifinal – Cynthia VESCAN (FRA) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), 8-5

Gold – Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) v Cynthia VESCAN (FRA)
Bronze – CHANG Hui-tsu (TPE) v Anna SCHELL (GER)
Bronze – Svetlana SAENKO (MDA) v Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)