CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (March 2) – For a second month in a row, China had a role in seeing a new No.1 emerge in the United World Wrestling rankings for women’s wrestling. And, for a second month in a row, one of Japan’s top female stars felt the sting of defeat.

SUN Yanan (CHN) knocked three-time world champ Eri TOSAKA (JPN) out of the top spot at 48kg with a 5-4 win at the Asian championships in Bangkok, elevating world silver medalist Maria STADNYK (AZE) as the new No.1 at the women’s flyweight category.

Sun, who came to Bangkok ranked No.3 after a win at the Rio 2016 test event in January, edged up to No.2 while Tosaka slipped to third.

Tosaka’s setback followed the even more stunning loss by Kaori ICHO (JPN) at the Yarygin Grand Prix in January. Icho, however, still holds onto her top ranking at 58kg.

Also in January, world silver medalist ZHOU Feng (CHN) emerged the victor and the new No.1 at 69kg at the Rio 2016 test event, after Dorothy YEATS (CAN) defeated world champion Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) in the quarterfinals and subsequently fell to Zhou in the finals.

Other than Tosaka, the only other top-ranked wrestler in action in February was Oksana HERHEL (UKR). The world champion at 60kg tested the waters at 58kg at the Ukraine International and fell in the final, 8-5, to Natalya SINISHIN (AZE), who normally wrestles at 55kg.

And, while the No.1’s were going about their preparations off the mat, six of the eight second-ranked wrestlers were in action – most notably with Stadnyk winning in Ukraine, Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) dominating the Klippan Open, and Risako KAWAI (JPN) taking her second Asian championship title.

Along with Kawai, the top three women’s middleweights from Europe were busy doubling up on gold medals the last two months.

Former world champ Yulia TKACH (UKR) took Dan Kolov and Ukraine; Anastasija GRIGORIJEVA (LAT) won the Schultz Memorial and Klippan Open, while Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) ruled over Paris and the Medved Prizes.

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 – Former world champion SUN Yanan (CHN) scrambled past top-ranked Eri TOSAKA (JPN) in the semifinals of the Asian championships to climb to No.2 behind Ukraine International winner Mariya STADNYK (AZE). Tosaka slips to the third position.

A busy month for Jasmine MIAN (CAN) saw her collect a pair of bronze medals, the silver at the Klippan Open, and completing the set with a gold medal at the Pan American championships at 53kg. The productive month lifted Mian from 17th to No.5 in the rankings.

1. Mariya STADNYK (AZE) – World No.2 (2)
2. SUN Yanan (CHN) – Asia No.1 (3)
3. Eri TOSAKA (JPN) – Asia No.3 (1)
4. Valentina ISLAMOVA (RUS) – Rio Test No.2 (4)
5. Jasmine MIAN (CAN) – Klippan Open No.2 (17)
6. Jessica BLASZKA (NED) – World No.3 (6)
7. Genevieve MORRISON (CAN) – World No.3 (5)
8. Victoria ANTHONY (USA) – Klippan Open No.1 (not ranked)
9. Li Hui (CHN) – World No.5 (7)
10. Yuki IRIE (JPN) – Yarygin Grand Prix No.1 (8)
11. Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) – Dan Kolov No.1 (10)
12. Natalya PULKOVSKA (UKR) – Dan Kolov No.2 (11)
13. Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL) – Paris GP No.3 (9)
14. Alyssa LAMPE (USA) – Rio Test No.3 (12)
15. Nadezhda FEDOROVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (13)
16. Anna LUKASIAK (POL) – Paris GP No.1 (16)
17. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) – Klippan Open No.3 (19)
18. Maryna MARKEVICH (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.3 (nr)
19. Clarissa CHUN (USA) – Pan America No.1 (nr)
20. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (nr)

53kg – Klippan Open defending champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) had to settle for a silver medal this year but re-joins the rankings at No.10 while Iulia LEORDA (MDA) bagged her second medal of 2016, taking a silver at the Medved Prizes with a come-from-behind fall over Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS) in the semifinals.

1. Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) – Klippan Open No.1 (2)
3. Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) – World No.3 (3)
4. ZHONG Xuechun (CHN) – Rio Test No.1 (4)
5. Angela DOROGAN (AZE) – European Games No.1 (6)
6. JONG Myong-Suk (PRK) – World No.3 (5)
7. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) – Paris GP No.1 (7)
8. Lyubov SALNIKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (8)
9. Nadeshda SHUSHKO (BLR) – Klippan Open No.1@55 (9)
10. Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) – Klippan Open No.2 (nr)
11. Iulia LEORDA (MDA) – Medved Prizes No.2 (nr)
12. Chiho HAMADA (JPN) – Yarygin GP No.2 (9)
13. Maria GUROVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (11)
14. ERDENECHIMEG Sumiya (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.3 (12)
15. Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN) – Paris GP No.2 (17)
16. Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.3 (20)
17. Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) – Pan America No.2 (nr)
18. NGUYEN Thi Lua (VIE) – Asia No.2 (nr)
19. Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (nr)
20. Simona PRICOB (ROU) – Yasar Dogu No.3 (nr)

55kg – For the second month in a row, Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) wrapped up teammate Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR) in the final of a key event on the international calendar. This time it was for the Medved Prizes crown won by fall to lift Sidakova to No.7 in the rankings.

1. Helen MAROULIS (USA) – World No.1 (1)
2. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) – World No.2 (2)
3. Tatyana KIT (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (4)
4. PANG Qianyu (CHN) – Asia No.1 (6)
5. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) – World No.3 (3)
6. Nadeshda TRETYAKOVA (RUS) – Yarygin No.1 (12)
7. Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (11)
8. Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.2 (5)
9. Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) – Ukraine Int’l No.1@58 (7)
10. PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.1@58 (8)
11. Anri KIMURA (JPN) – Yarygin No.2 (10)
12. Samantha STEWART (CAN) – Pan America No.1 (nr)
13. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) – Klippan Open No.2 (nr)
14. DAVAASUKH Otgontsetseg (MGL) – Asia No.1 (nr)
15. Bediha GUN (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (14)
16. Giulia OLIVEIRA (BRA) – Pan America No.2 (nr)
17. Marwa AMRI (TUN) – Poland Open No.1 (8)
18. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) – GGP Final No.5 (13)
19. Viktoria SHULGINA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (20)
20. SUNDEV Byambatseren (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.3 (16) 

58kg – Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) won her first Asian title in Bangkok after being runner-up the last two years. Her victory lifted her to No.7 while junior world champion Lyubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) defeated European Games gold medalist Emese BARKA (HUN) at the Klippan Open for No.9.
 
1. Kaori ICHO (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Petra OLLI (FIN) – World No.2 (2)
3. Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) – World No.3 (3)
4. Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) – GGP Final No.3 (5)
5. Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) – Pan America No.1 (7)
6. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (6)
7. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) – Asia No.1 (10)
8. Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) – Asia No.2 (5)
9. Lyubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) – Klippan Open No.2 (18)
10. Emese BARKA (HUN) – Klippan Open No.3 (6@60)
11. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (8)
12. Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA) – Pan America No.1 (nr)
13. Yaquelin ESTORNELL (CUB) – Pan America No.2 (nr)
14. LI Qian (CHN) – Rio Test No.2 (13)
15. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) – Rio Test No.3 (14)
16. Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU) – Pan America No.3 (11)
17. Grace BULLEN (NOR) – Poland Open No.3 (12)
18. BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.3 (15)
19. ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) – Asia No.3 (20)
20. Alejandra ROMERO BONILLA (MEX) – Pan America No.3 (nr)

60kg – Cadet world champion Anzhelina LYSAK (UKR) won the Ukraine International at 60kg and 2011 senior world champ Anna VASILENKO (UKR) received a bronze medal at 58kg as both wrestlers break into the rankings this year for the first time. Vasilenko comes in at No.14 with Lysak three steps behind.

1. Oksana HERHEL (UKR) – World No.1 (1)
2. Dzhanan MANOLOVA (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (2)
3. SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.3 (3)
4. Leigh JAYNES (USA) – World No.3 (5)
5. Veronika IVANOVA (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (8)
6. Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS) – Yarygin No.1 (10)
7. LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) – GGP Final No.1 (7)
8. Irina NETREBA (AZE) – Poland Open No.3 (4)
9. Ayaulaylm KASYMOVA (KAZ) – Yarygin No.2 (11)
10. Ayaka Ito (JPN) – Asia No.2 (14@63)
11. HAN Yingyan (CHN) – Asia No.1 (nr)
12. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) – Yarygin No.3 (9)
13. Janet SOVERO NINO (PER) – Pan America No.2 (nr)
14. Anna VASILENKO (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (nr)
15. Hafize SAHIN (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (16)
16. Natalya FEDOSEEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (14)
17. Anzhelina LYSAK (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (nr)
18. Gabriella SLEISZ (HUN) – Ukraine Int’l No.2 (nr)
20. Therese PERSSON (SWE) – German Open No.2 (15)

63kg – Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) completed her set of medals in reverse order, adding a silver medal in Ukraine and a bronze at the Klippan Open to the gold medal she won in Rio de Janeiro at the end of January, for No.6 in the rankings.

1. SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) – World No.1 (1)
2. Risako KAWAI (JPN) – World No.2 (2)
3. Yulia TKACH (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (3)
4. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) – Klippan Open No.1 (4)
5. Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (6)
6. Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) – Klippan Open No.3 (10)
7. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.2 (5)
8. Marianna SASTIN (HUN) – Klippan Open No.2 (9@58)
9. Katherine VIDIAUX LOPEZ (CUB) - Pan America No.3 (9)
10. Valeria LAZINSKAYA (RUS) – GGP Final No.3 (8)
11. WANG Xiaoqian (CHN) – Rio Test No.2 (11)
12. Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) – Yarygin No.1 (12)
13. Braxton STONE (CAN) – Pan Am Games No.1 (7)
14. Ekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ) – Medved Prizes No.2 (15
15. Lais OLIVEIRA (BRA) – Pan America No.1 (nr)
16. Monica MICHALIK (POL) – Paris GP No.2 (13)
17. Buse TOSUN (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (nr)
18. Kriszte INCZE (ROU) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (nr)
19. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) – All-Africa Games No.1 (19)
20. Erin CLODGO (USA) – Rio Test No.3 (20)

69kg – Junior world champion Masako FURUICHI (JPN) forged a 6-4 win over 2014 world champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) at the Klippan Open to break into the rankings at No.10, only four steps behind compatriot Sara DOSHO (JPN) – a fixture on the medals podium the last three world meets.
 
1. ZHOU Feng (CHN) – Rio Test No.1 (1)
2. Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) – Rio Test No.3 (2)
3. Aline FOCKEN (GER) – Paris GP No.1 (3)
4. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) – GGP Final No.2 (4)
5. Alina MAKHINYA (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (5)
6. Sara DOSHO (JPN) – Asia No.1 (6)
7. Dorothy YEATS (CAN) – Rio Test No.2 (7)
8. Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) – Pan America No.1 (8)
9. Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) – Yarygin GP No.1 (10)
10. Masako FURUICHI (JPN) – Klippan Open No.1 (nr)
11. Agnieszka WIESZCZEK-KORDUS (POL) – Klippan Open No.3 (11)
12. OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) – Poland Open No.1 (9)
13. Tatyana KOLESNIKOVA-MOROZOVA (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (nr)
14. Victoria BOBEVA (BUL) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (12/60)
15. Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) – European Games No.2 (12)
16. Dalma CANEVA (ITA) – Yarygin GP No.2 (13)
17. Maria ACOSTA (VEN) – Pan America No.3 (14)
18. Martina KUENZ (AUT) – German GP No.2 (15)
19. Yudaris RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – Pan America No.2 (nr)
20. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.2 (18)

75kg – Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ), testing the waters for a run at a third Olympic Games, advanced to the finals of the Medved Prizes before slipping 3-2 to third-ranked Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR). Her second-place finish lifts Manyurova to No.12.

1. Adeline GRAY (USA) – World No.1 (1)
2. Epp MAE (EST) – GGP Final No.1 (2)
3. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (3)
4. Erica WIEBE (CAN) – Rio Test No.2 (4)
5. Aline FERREIRA (BRA) – Rio Test No.3 (5)
6. ZHOU Qian (CHN) – World No.2 (6)
7. Andrea OLAYA GUITIERREZ (COL) – Pan America No.2 (7)
8. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) – Klippan Open No.1 (9)
9. Justina DISTACIO (CAN) – Pan America No.1 (11)
10. ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) – Rio Test No.3 (8)
11. Svetlana SAENKO (MDA) – Dan Kolov No.1 (13)
12. Guzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) – Medved Prizes No.2 (19)
13. Daria OSOCKA (POL) – Paris GP No.1 (12)
14. OCHIRBAT Burmaa (MGL) – Asia No.1 (20)
15. Elena PEREPELKINA (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (17)
16. Yasemin ADAR (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (18)
17. BADRAKH Odonchimeg (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.1 (16)
18. Randi MILLER (USA) – Klippan Open No.1 (nr)
19. Lisset HECHEVARRIA (CUB) – Pan Am Games No.3 (14)
20. Maider UNDA (ESP) – GGP Final No.3 (15)