TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (September 4) – One year ago, Mongolia grabbed five medals at the world championships in Budapest and came within two points of unseating perennial champion Japan in the team standings.

When the curtain goes up on the Female Wrestling events Wednesday, September 10, Mongolia will unveil a stronger team with the potential to win a medal at each weight category.  Japan, in the meantime, brings in a squad eyeing, at least, half of the eight gold medals on offer.

Four of Mongolia’s five medalists from 2013 are back on the squad with the addition of potential point-getters 2013 junior world champion SUKHEE Tserenshimed (MGL) and BADRAKH Odonchimeg (MGL), who won the silver medal at 69kg at the Golden Grand Prix Final in July. 

SUNDEV Byambatseren (MGL) is also back at 55kg to improve on her eighth place finish in Budapest after warming up with a title run at the Poland Open where she defeated European bronze medalist Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) in the final.

Sundev, Sukhee and Badrakh all wrestle on the first day of women’s events. Japan will counter with defending world champion Eri TOSAKA (JPN) at 48kg, world bronze medalist Sara DOSHO (JPN), and GGP Final winner Chiho HAMADA (JPN).

On the second day of competition, Japan brings out the big guns -- Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) and Kaori ICHO (JPN) -- as well as second-ranked Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) at 75kg, fresh off her triumph at the GGP Final in Baku.

The final day of women’s events, which coincides with the start of Greco-Roman, features 2013 world silver medalist SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) taking the mats at 63kg. 

Along with Japan and Mongolia, Russia brings in three current and former European champions including London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS) at 69kg while Canada’s new generation of stars is led by top-ranked Erica WIEBE (CAN) at 75kg.

The United States has a squad that features 2012 world champion Elena PRIZHOKOVA (USA) at 63kg, 2012 world runner-up Helen MAROULIS (USA) and 2013 world bronze medalist Adeline GRAY (USA). 

Azerbaijan won the women’s team title in 2009 on the strength of their first-ever female world champions, Mariya STADNYK (AZE) and Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE). Stadnyk is one of the favorites at 48kg while Ratkevich, top-ranked at 60kg, joins the scrum at 58kg.

China, which had two world champions in Budapest – SUN Yanan (CHN) at 51kg and ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) at 72kg, is sending a less-experienced squad to Tashkent while focusing on the Asian Games closer to home in late September.

Female Wrestling 

48kg – Eri TOSAKA (JPN) won her first world title in Budapest with a pair of falls and technical falls, and defeated 51kg world champion SUN Yanan (CHN) in a World Cup match-up in March.

London 2012 silver medalist Mariya STADNYK (AZE) is back from maternity leave and has won five events this year, including the European championships and the GGP Final, to take the No.1 ranking from Tosaka. 

Challenges to Stadnyk and Tosaka are expected to come from 2013 world bronze medalist Alyssa LAMPE (USA), Asian championships runner-up ERDENESUKH NARANGEREL (MGL), and European bronze medal winner Frederika PETERSSON (SWE).

53kg – Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) targets her 12th world championships title with European champion Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) and two-time silver medalist Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) in pursuit. Yoshida, who has won all of her world and Olympic titles at 55kg, got off to a great start at 53kg in March with three one-sided wins at the World Cup.

Mattsson, the world silver medalist at 55kg in 2013, is looking for a second chance at Yoshida after a 5-0 loss in Budapest, while GGP Final winner Prevolaraki is looking forward for her first meeting with Japanese dynamo.

Further challenges could come from 2013 world silver medalist SUMIYA Erdenechimeg (MGL), junior world champ Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS), and Jillian GALLAYS (CAN), who has made huge strides over the summer under the tutelage of former Yoshida rival Tonya VERBEEK (CAN).  

55kg – Marwa AMRI (TUN) became the first wrestler from Africa to reach the top the FILA World Rankings in August, with five tournament wins in 2014 beginning with the prestigious Klippan Open.

A medal in Tashkent for Amri would be a first for Tunisian wrestling and the third in the women’s events for Africa. Ifeoma IHEANACHO (NGR) won world bronze medals at 67kg in 2009 and 2010.

Former junior world champion Chiho HAMADA (JPN) has come on strong in the summer with a wins in the student world championships and the GGP Final. Other challengers at 55kg will include Klippan Open runner-up Helen MAROULIS (USA) and Poland Open winner SUNDEV Byambatseren (MGL).

58kg – Kaori ICHO (JPN) won her eighth world title in Budapest to tie former teammate Hitomi OBARA (JPN) for No.3 on the all-time world titles list. In Tashkent, Icho will have a chance to win No.9 and draw even with Greco-Roman legend Alexander KARELIN (RUS) at No.2.

Icho, however, will face a hornets’ nest of challengers beginning with London 2012 bronze medalist Yuliya RATKEVICH (AZE) and including 2013 world bronze medalists Emese BARKA (HUN), TUNGALAG Munkhtuya (MGL) and Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS).

60kg – With top-ranked Yuliya RATKEVICH (AZE) at 58kg, the door is wide open to all challengers with Pan American champion Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) and European winner Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) leading the charge to take up the gauntlet.

Last year’s finalists at 59kg in Budapest, Marianna SASTIN (HUN) and Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) may also be in the mix, even though Sastin has not reached the podium since the Klippan Open in February. Taybe defeated Ratkevich in the European championship quarterfinals, but lost to Mattsson in the semis. 

Meanwhile, 2013 junior world champion SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) and three-time junior world bronze medalist Petra OLLI (FIN) are eager to be heard at the senior level. Five-time former European champ Natalya GOLTS (RUS) and GGP Final runner-up Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN) will make it interesting.

63kg – Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) has won eight of 10 events she has wrestled in since the London 2012 Games, including her second and third European championship crowns. She missed last year’s world championships because of neck problems, but appears determined to wrestle this year.

World bronze medalist Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) won the world title in 2012, and 2013 silver medalist SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) won the 2010 world title at 59kg. Pirozhkova won the GGP Final in July and Soronzonbold the Poland Open in August.

Two-time Olympic Games bronze medalist Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) may well be the X factor at 63kg, after throwing Icho to her back in their semifinal match-up in Budapest but ultimately settling for fifth place.

Befitting its scheduling with the first two events in Greco-Roman, 63kg features three of the most dynamic lock-and-launch wrestlers – Grigorjeva, Soronzonbold, and Renteria Castillo – in female wrestling.

69kg – London 2012 gold medalist Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS) was one takedown away from her first world title last year when she was whipped to her back by ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) and pinned in the 72kg final.

This year Vorobieva has been on quest, winning the Yarygin Grand Prix and her second European championship crown. Her only loss in 2014 was to Sara DOSHO (JPN) in the final of the World Cup.

World bronze medalist Dosho leads the group of challengers which include 2013 world champion at 67kg Alina MAKHINIA (UKR) as well as 2012 world champion Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) and GGP Final runner-up BADRAKH Odonchimeg (MGL).

75kg – Since finishing seventh in Budapest one year ago, Erica WIEBE (CAN) has won seven events, including the Klippan Open and the German Grand Prix.  She has also defeated 2013 world champion ZHANG Fengliu (CHN), 2011 world silver medalist Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) and European silver medalist Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR).

At the same time, she has also lost to Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) and Adeline GRAY (USA) at the NYAC International last November, and to Bukina and Zhang at the World Cup in March.

Second-ranked Suzuki was triumphant at the GGP Final in July with wins over Marzaliuk and Gray, while Bukina stopped 2013 world bronze medalist OCHIRBAT Burmaa (MGL) and Marzaliuk for the Poland Open crown.

Five-time world champion Stanka ZLATEVA returned to the mats in April and won her sixth European championship crown. Zlateva, however, lost to Gray in the GGP Final semifinals but bounced back for a bronze medal.

Schedule

Sunday, September 7
18:30-19:00  Weigh-in Freestyle 57, 70, 86, 125kg

Monday, September 8
09:00-14:00  Qualification Rounds & Repechage Freestyle 57, 70, 86, 125kg
17:30-18:00  Weigh-in Freestyle 61, 65, 74, 97kg
18:00-18:30  Opening Ceremony
19:00-21:00  Finals & Award Ceremonies Freestyle 57, 70, 86, 125kg

Tuesday, September 9
09:00-14:00  Qualification Rounds & Repechage Freestyle 61, 65, 74, 97kg
17:15-17:45  Weigh-in Female Wrestling 48, 55, 60, 69kg
18:00-20:00  Finals & Award Ceremonies Freestyle 61, 65, 74, 97kg

Wednesday, September 10
09:00-14:00  Qualification Rounds & Repechage Female Wrestling 48, 55, 60, 69kg
17:15-17:45  Weigh-in Female Wrestling 53, 58, 75kg
18:00-20:00  Finals & Award Ceremonies Female Wrestling 48, 55, 60, 69kg

Thursday, September 11
10:00-14:00  Qualification Rounds & Repechage Female Wrestling 53, 58, 75kg
17:15-17:45  Weigh-in Female Wrestling 63kg, Greco-Roman 75, 85kg
18:00-20:00  Finals & Award Ceremonies Female Wrestling 53, 58, 75kg

Friday, September 12
10:00-14:00  Qualification Rounds & Repechage Female Wrestling 63kg, Greco-Roman 75, 85kg
17:15-17:45  Weigh-in Greco-Roman 66, 80, 130kg
18:00-20:00  Finals & Award Ceremonies Female Wrestling 63kg, Greco-Roman 75, 85kg

Saturday, September 13
10:00-14:00  Qualification Rounds & Repechage Greco-Roman 66, 80, 130kg
17:15-17:45  Weigh-in Greco-Roman 59, 71, 98kg
18:00-20:00  Finals & Award Ceremonies Greco-Roman 66, 80, 130kg

Sunday, September 14
10:00-14:00  Qualification Rounds & Repechage Greco-Roman 59, 71, 98kg
18:00-20:00  Finals & Award Ceremonies Greco-Roman 59, 71, 98kg