MacDonald, Bullen Post Wins in Germany, Continue Charge Up Women’s Rankings for July

By William May

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (July 12) – Former world champion Jessica MacDONALD (CAN) and recently crowned European champion Grace BULLEN (NOR) each posted big wins Germany in June to continue their charge up this month’s United World Wrestling rankings for women.

MacDonald returned to the mats in January after a 14-month maternity leave and hit her stride in May with the 53kg title at the Pan American championships in Brazil to rejoin the rankings at No.14. The 2012 world champion then took the German Grand Prix title in Dormagen in June to vault to No.7 at the women’s lightweight.

Meanwhile, Bullen, who turned 20 in February, won her first senior European championship title in May in Novi Sad, and then followed that up with a tour de force in Dormagen, Germany, for her third European junior title in a row to climb from No.8 to fourth in the welterweight rankings.

With the focus in June on three junior continental championships, changes in the upper half of the rankings were limited while changes in the lower halves resulted from the German Grand Prix and a handful of junior results.

The biggest moves of the month resulted from a victory at 55kg in Dormagen by senior European bronze medal winner Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA) and at 58kg in Dortmund as Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) muscled her way into the 58kg final at the European junior meet only to be undone by Bullen. Riviere and Nichita both went from unranked to No.12 in their respective categories.

Also, other results of note included senior European bronze medalist Alina VUC (ROU) going from 18th to No.12 at 48kg with a victory by fall over Rio 2016 bronze medal finalist Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG).

Belorussian duo Katerina PICHKOVSKAYA (53kg) and Evgenia ANDREICHENKO (75kg) both joined the rankings at No.17 following bronze medals at the European junior championships. Pichkovskaya’s month also included a bronze medal at the grand prix in Dormagen.

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 – Jade PARSONS (CAN) won the Sassari Tourney and finished second to Alina VUC (ROU) at the German Grand Prix to claim No.15 in the rankings.

1. Eri TOSAKA (JPN) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Mariya STADNIK (AZE) – Europe No.1 (2)
3. Yui SUSAKI (JPN) – Asia No.1 (3)
4. SUN Yanan (CHN) – Rio OG No.3 (4)
5. Valerie CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS) – Klippan Open No.3 (5)
6. Victoria ANTHONY (USA) – Pan America No.1 (6)
7. Ilona SEMKIV (UKR) – Europe No.2 (8)
8. Irina BORISSOVA (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (10)
9. Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (9)
10. Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL) – Rio OG No.3 (7)
11. Daria LEKSINA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (11)
12. Alina VUC (ROU) – German GP No.1 (18)
13. Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) – German GP No.3 (13)
14. Frederika PETERSSON (SWE) – Europe No.3 (14)
15. Jade PARSONS (CAN) – Sassari Tourney No.1 (Not Ranked)
16. Miho IGARASHI (JPN) – GGP Final No.2 (16)
17. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) – European Jrs No.1 (nr)
18. Jasmine MIAN (CAN) – Klippan Open No.2 (14)
19. KIM Son-Hyang (PRK) – Asia No.2 (15)
20. Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL) – Pan America No.2@53 (17)

53kg – 2016 Pan American champ Samantha STEWART (CAN) won the Sassari tourney and then grabbed a bronze medal at the German Grand Prix to climb to No.10 in the rankings from 15th.

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. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) – Europe No.1 (4)
5. Jyldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ) – Asia No.2 (5)
6. Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS) – Europe No.2 (6)
7. Jessica MacDONALD (CAN) – German GP No.1 (14)
8. Haruna OKUNO (JPN) – Klippan Open No.1 (11)
9. Nina HEMMER (GER) – German GP No.2 (9)
10. Samantha STEWART (CAN) – Sassari Tourney No.1 (15)
11. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) – Klippan Open No.3 (7)
12. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) – Europe No.3 (8)
13. Liliya HORISHNA (UKR) – European U23 No.1 (10)
14. JONG Myong-Suk (PRK) – Asia No.3 (16)
15. ZHONG Xuechun (CHN) – Rio OG No.5 (12)
16. Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN) – Rio OG No.5 (13)
17. Katerina PICHKOVSKAYA (BLR) – German GP No.3 (nr)
18. ERDENECHIMEG Sumiya (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.3 (17)
19. Irina HUSYAK (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (18) 
20. Ksenia NEZGOVOROVA (RUS) – European Jrs No.1 (nr)

55kg – Defending champion Elena BRUGGER (GER) had to settle for a bronze medal in Dortmund, but claimed No.18 in the rankings with a silver medal at the women’s grand prix.

1. Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) – Africa No.1 (3)
3. Sae NANJO (JPN) – Asia No.1 (4)
4. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) – World No.2 (2)
5. Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (5)
6. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) – Europe No.1 (6)
7. Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) – Paris GP No.1 (7)
8. Nina MENKENOVA (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (8)
9. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) – Europe No.3 (9)
10. Irina KURACHKINA (BLR) – European U23 No.1 (10)
11. DAVAASUKH Otgontsetseg (MGL) – World No.3 (11)
12. Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA) – German GP No.1 (nr)
13. Bediha GUN (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (12)
14. Tatyana KIT (UKR) – European U23 No.1@58 (13)
15. ERKHEMBAYAR Davaanchimeg (MGL) – Asia No.3 (14)
16. Olena KREMZER (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (15)
17. Becka LEATHERS (USA) – Pan America No.1 (17)
18. Elena BRUGGER (GER) – German GP No.2 (nr)
19. Alina AKOBIYA (UKR) – European Jrs. No.1 (nr)
20. Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) – Klippan Open No.1 (16)

58kg – Pan American champ Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) climbs two places to No.7 in the rankings after defeating European bronze medalist Laura MERTENS (GER) in the Dormagen final.

1. Kaori ICHO (JPN) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Marwa AMRI (TUN) – Africa No.1 (2)
3. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) – Asia No.1 (3)
4. Grace BULLEN (NOR) – Europe No.1 (6)
5. Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS) – Klippan Open No.1 (4)
6. Sakshi MALIK (IND) – Asia No.2@60 (5)
7. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) – Pan America No.1 (9)
8. Emese BARKA (HUN) – Europe No.3 (7)
9. Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) – Dan Kolov No.3 (8)
10. Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN) – Asia No.3 (10)
11. Mariana CHERDIVARA-ESANU (MDA) – Europe No.2 (11)
12. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) – European Jrs No.2 (2)
13. Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (12)
14. Elin NILSSON (SWE) – European U23 No.2 (13)
15. Laura MERTENS (GER) – Europe No.3 (18)
16. Yuzuru KUMANO (JPN) – Klippan Open No.3 (15)
17. Derya BAYHAN (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (14)
18. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) – European U23 No.3 (19)
19. Kayla MIRACLE (USA) – Pan America No.3 (16)
20. Sarita SARITA (IND) – Asia No.2 (17)

60kg – Therese PERSSON (SWE) collected her fourth silver medal over the last 12 months in Dormagen, finishing second to Rio 2016 bronze medal winner Marwa AMRI (TUN) and joins the rankings at No.15.

1. PEI Xingru (CHN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Allison RAGAN (USA) – Pan America No.1 (2)
3. Lyubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) – Europe No.1 (3)
4. Ayaulaylm KASYMOVA (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (4)
5. Tatyana OMELCHENKO (AZE) – Europe No.3 (6)
6. Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) – Europe No.3 (8)
7. Yui SAKANO (JPN) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (5)
8. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (7)
9. ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) – Asia No.3 (9)
10. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) – Europe No.2 (10)
11. Linda MORAIS (CAN) – World No.3 (13)
12. Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS) – Klippan Open No.1 (11)
13. Oksana HERHEL (UKR) – European U23 No.3 (12)
14. Anzhelina LYSAK (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (14)
15. Therese PERSSON (SWE) – German GP No.2 (nr)
16. Zhargalma TSYRENOVA (RUS) – Asia No.3 (15)
17. Gabriella SLEISZ (HUN) – Klippan Open No.3 (16)
18. Ayaka Ito (JPN) – Yarygin GP No.3@63 (17)
19. BAATARJAV Shoovdor – Asia No.5 (18)
20. Ulyana TUKURENOVA (RUS) – Klippan Open No.2 (19)

63kg – 2015 Pan American Games gold medalist Braxton STONE (CAN) cruised to the middleweight title in Dormagen after a triumph in Brazil to climb to No.13, while Maria KUZNETZOVA (RUS) won at the European juniors event down the road to take over the No.16 position.

1. Risako KAWAI (JPN) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Yulia TKACH (UKR) – Europe No.3 (2)
3. Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) – Europe No.2@69 (3)
4. PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.1 (4)
5. SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) – Asia No.1 (5)
6. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) – Europe No.2 (6)
7. Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) – Asia No.2 (7)
8. Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (8)
9. XU Rui (CHN) – Cerrado Pelado No.1 (9)
10. Monica MICHALIK (POL) – Europe No.1 (10)
11. Petra OLLI (FIN) – European U23 No.1 (11)
12. Valeria LAZINSKAYA (RUS) – Klippan Open No.1 (12)
13. Braxton STONE (CAN) – German GP No.1 (16)
14. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) – German GP No.3 (14)
15. Hafize SAHIN (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (15)
16. Maria KUZNETZOVA (RUS) – European Jrs No.1 (19)
17. Ekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ) – Rio OG No.3 (15)
18. WANG Xiaoqian (CHN) – Asia No.3 (17)
19. Kriszta INCZE (ROU) – European U23 No.3 (18)
20. Janet SOVERO NINO (PER) – Pan America No.2 (20)

69kg – Former world champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) fell in the finale of the German Grand Prix at 75kg to Klippan Open titlist Justina DiSTASIO (CAN) and slipped one place to No.14.

1. Sara DOSHO (JPN) – Asia No.1 (1)
2. Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) – Rio OG No.2 (2)
3. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
4. Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) – Klippan Open No.1 (4)
5. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) – Europe No.3 (5)
6. Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) – Europe No.1 (6)
7. Olivia DiBACCO (CAN) – German GP No.1 (9)
8. Masako FURUICHI (JPN) – Asia No.2@75 (7)
9. Tamyra MENSAH (USA) – Yarygin GP No.1 (8)
10. ZHOU Feng (CHN) – Asia No.3 (10)
11. Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) – Rio OG No.3 (12)
12. Buse TOSUN (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (11)
13. Aline FOCKEN (GER) – Dan Kolov No.1 (14)
14. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) – Yarygin GP No.3 (15)
15. OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.2 (13)
16. Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) – European Jrs No.1 (17)
17. Martina KUENZ (AUT) – European U23 No.2 (16)
18. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) – German GP No.3 (nr)
19. Kentra DACHER (FRA) – German GP No.3 (nr)
20. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) – European Jrs No.3 (nr)

75kg – Defending champion YAN Chuchu (CHN) fell in the final of the Asian junior championships in Taichung, but follows fellow junior world bronze medalist Evgenia ANDREICHENKO (BLR) at No.18.

1. Erica WIEBE (CAN) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Justina DISTACIO (CAN) – German GP No.1 (2)
3. Yasemin ADAR (TUR) – Europe No.1 (3)
4. Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) – European U23 No.1 (4)
5. Epp MAE (EST) – Europe No.3 (5)
6. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (6)
7. Aline FERREIRA (BRA) – Pan America No.2 (9)
8. Paliha PALIHA (CHN) – Asia No.1 (10)
9. Svetlana SAENKO (MDA) – Europe No.3 (11)
10. Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (12)
11. ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) – Rio OG No.3 (7)
12. Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) – Rio OG No.2 (8)
13. Anna SCHELL (GER) – Dan Kolov No.3 (13)
14. Andrea OLAYA GUITIERREZ (COL) – Pan America No.3 (14)
15. Elena PEREPELKINA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (18)
16. Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (15)
17. Evgenia ANDREICHENKO (BLR) – European Jrs No.3 (nr)
18. YAN Chuchu (CHN) – Asian Jrs No.2 (nr)
19. Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.3 (20)
20. Denise MAKOTA STROEM (SWE) – European Jrs No.3 (nr)