CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland – Three top-ranked wrestlers in the FILA World Rankings won titles at the European championships in April to further cement their claims to being the No.1 wrestlers in women’s freestyle at their respective categories.
World silver medalist Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) and London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) won by fall in the championship finals at 55kg and 69kg, while defending champion at 63kg Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) opened up in the second period for a 10-2 victory.
Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE), top-ranked at 60kg, was the only No.1 to fall in action in April, but three earlier tournament victories, especially at the Klippan Open in March, were enough to keep the London 2012 bronze medalist in front of the challengers.
Ratkevich lost her quarterfinal bout in Helsinki and did not get a chance to wrestle in the consolation bouts. The London 2012 bronze medalist, however, remains on top of the rankings, in part, because of a semifinal win in Klippan over eventual European champ Johanna MATTSSON (SWE).
Japan’s three world champions – Eri TOSAKA, Saori YOSHIDA and Kaori ICHO – along with world bronze medalist Adeline GRAY (USA) did not compete in April.
Mariya STADNYK (AZE) and Maria GUROVA (RUS) won European titles to firm up positions behind Tosaka at 48kg and Yoshida at 53kg. Risako KAWAI (JPN), meanwhile, took the Asia crown at 58kg but still finds herself at No.2 behind teammate Icho.
Marwa AMRI (TUN) climbed to No.3 at 55kg after winning her sixth African championship while world bronze medalists Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS) and Sara DOSHO (JPN) also earned third-place rankings with continental triumphs.
The rankings are listed by the wrestler’s name, country code, the wrestler’s most notable or most recent result, and the wrestler’s position in the previous rankings.
48kg – Mariya STADNYK (AZE) outscored four opponents 46-2 on her way to her fourth European championship crown while keeping pressure on top-ranked Eri TOSAKA (JPN) from her No.2 position.
Medved Prizes winner Tatyana AMANZHOL-BAKATYUK (KAZ) forged three wins by decision to claim her third Asian championship title and climb to No.6 in the rankings.
1. Eri TOSAKA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Mariya STADNYK (AZE) – Europe Open No.1 (2)
3. SUN Yanan (CHN) – World Cup No.3 (3)
4. Jessica MacDONALD (CAN) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (3)
5. Alyssa LAMPE (USA) – Klippan Open No.3 (4)
6. Tatyana AMANZHOL-BAKATYUK (KAZ) – Asia No.1 (10)
7. Yuki IRIE (JPN) – Yarygin GGP No.1 (6)
8. Victoria ANTHONY (USA) – Klippan Open No.2 (7)
9. Anna IWAMURE (JPN) – Asia No.3 (not ranked)
10. Natalya PULKOVSKA (UKR) – Europe No.2 (17)
11. Nadeshda FEDOROVA (RUS) – Europe No.3 (9)
12. Valeria CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GGP No.3 (8)
13. ERDENESUKH Narangerel (MGL) – Asia No.2 (20)
14. Frederika PETERSSON (SWE) – Europe No.3 (nr)
15. Elitse YANKOVA (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.2 (12)
16. Suemeyya SEZER (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (13)
17. Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL) – CAC Games No.1 (14)
18. Mayelis CARIPA CASTILLO (VEN) – CAC Games No.2 (18)
19. Maroi MEZIEN (TUN) – Africa No.1 (nr)
20. JON Hyang-Nam (PRK) – Mongolian Open No.1 (16)
53kg – Maria GUROVA (RUS) has found 53kg to her liking, notching four wins in Helsinki for her third major title of the year. After similar triumphs at the Yarygin Grand Prix and Klippan Open, the only blemish on Gurova’s record this year is a World Cup setback to Saori YOSHIDA (JPN).
ZHONG Xuechen (CHN), who also lost to Yoshida at the World Cup meet in March, bounced back with a title run at the Asia championships, which she kicked off with a technical fall over University Games gold medalist Hikari SUGAWARA (JPN).
1. Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) – World No.1 (1)
2. Maria GUROVA (RUS) – Europe No.1 (2)
3. Helen MAROULIS (USA) – Klippan Open No.2 (3)
4. ZHONG Xuechun (CHN) – Asia No.1 (14@55)
5. SUMIYA Erdennechimeg (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.3 (4)
6. Natalia BUDU (ROU) – Europe No.3 (7)
7. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) – Europe No.2 (8)
8. Hikari SUGAWARA (JPN) – Asia No.3 (nr)
9. Patimat BAGOMEDOVA (AZE) – Europe No.5 (nr)
10. NGUYEN Thi Lua (VIE) – Asia No.2 (nr)
11. Ana Maria PAVAL (ROU) – Europe No.3 (nr)
12. Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) – Klippan Open No.3 (5)
13. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) – Europe No.7 (19)
14. Katherine FULP-ALLEN (USA) – Paris GGP No.2 (6)
15. Aurelie BASSET (FRA) – Europe No.5 (9)
16. ALTANTSETSEG Battsetseg (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.2 (10)
17. Isabelle SAMBOU (SEN) – Africa No.1 (nr)
18. Nadesda SHUSHKO (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (12)
19. Liliya HORISHNA (UKR) – Medved Prizes No.2 (13)
20. Angela DOROGAN (AZE) – Medved Prizes No.3 (11)
55kg – World silver medalist Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) recorded a pair of first-period falls and a technical to successfully defend her European crown and reassert her position as the premier wrestler at 55kg.
Klippan Ladies Open winner Marwa AMRI (TUN), 10th in last year’s world championships, won her sixth African championship title and climbed to No.3 in the rankings. Newcomer JONG Sun-In (PRK) breaks into the poll at No.9 after winning her first international title at the Asia championships.
1. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) – Europe No.1 (1)
2. Kanako MURATA (JPN) – Yarygin GGP No.1 (2)
3. Marwa AMRI (TUN) – Africa No.1 (6)
4. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) – Europe No.3 (10)
5. Irina HUSYAK (UKR) – Medved Prizes No.2 (8)
6. Anna ZWIRYDOWSKA (POL) – Europe No.2 (nr)
7. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) – Europe No.3 (12@58)
8. Aurelie BASSETT (FRA) – Europe No.5 (9@53)
9. JONG Sun-In (PRK) – Asia No.1 (nr)
10. PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) – Asia No.2 (nr)
11. Chiho HAMADA (JPN) – Asia No.7 (4)
12. Emese BARKA (HUN) – Europe No.7 (5)
13. SUNDEV Byambatseren (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.2 (7)
14. Jill GALLAYS (CAN) – Schultz Memorial No.3 (11)
15. Bediha GUN (TUR) – Europe No.5 (12)
16. Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (9)
17. GUAN Yajing (CHN) – Asia No.3 (nr)
18. Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (nr)
19. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.2 (13)
20. PHAM Thi Hue (VIE) – SEA Games No.1 (nr)
58kg – Risako KAWAI rode a wave of momentum from the World Cup, where she recorded four wins by technical fall, into Astana and ran over three opponents, 30-7, for the title in her debut at the Asian championships.
World bronze medalist Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS) stopped Klippan Open champion Petra OLLI (FIN) in the semifinals on her way to her first European championships title and a No.3 in the rankings.
1. Kaori ICHO (JPN) – Yarygin GGP No.1 (1)
2. Risako KAWAI (JPN) – Asia No.1 (2)
3. Valeria KOBLOVA-ZHOLOBOVA (RUS) – Europe No.1 (3@55)
4. Irina NETREBA (AZE) – Europe No.2 (9@60)
5. Petra OLLI (FIN) – Europe No.3 (4)
6. Anastassia HUCHOK (BLR) – Europe No.5 (4@60)
7. Marianna SASTIN (HUN) – Klippan Open No.3 (7@60))
8. Viktoria BOBEVA (BUL) – Europe No.3 (nr)
9. Anna VASILENKO (UKR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (4)
10. ZHOU Zhangting (CHN) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (6)
11. Braxton STONE (CAN) – Klippan Open No.3 (7)
12. Allison RAGAN (USA) – Klippan Open No.5 (8)
13. Joice SOUZA DE SILVA (BRA) – Dan Kolov No.3 (9)
14. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) – Europe No.5 (nr)
15. BAATARJAV Shooydor (MGL) – Asia No.2 (18)
16. HAN Kum-Ok (PRK) – Asia No.3 (16@55)
17. Dhanda POOJA (IND) – Asia No.3 (nr)
18. Hela RIABI (TUN) – Africa No.1 (nr)
19. Sandra ROA VALENDI (COL) – CAC Games No.1 (13)
20. Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (11)
60kg – Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) capped a steady performance in Helsinki by pinning 2012 junior world silver medalist Hafize SAHIN (TUR) for her first European championship since 2009. In the semifinal, Mattsson, missing in action since early 2012, forged a 7-0 win over two-time world silver medalist Taybe YUSEIN (BUL).
ZHANG Lan (CHN) also returned to action this year after winning the world title in 2012 and won the Asia title by defeating two of her toughest young rivals – SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) and Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) – by fall.
1. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) – Klippan No.1 (1)
2. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) – Klippan No.2 (2)
3. Katsuki SAKAGAMI (JPN) - GGP Final No.3 (3)
4. ZHANG Lan (CHN) – Asia No.1 (14@58)
5. Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) – Europe No.1 (13)
6. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) – Europe No.3 (10)
7. SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) – Asia No.3 (3/58)
8. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (10@58)
9. Hafize SAHIN (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.2 (11)
10. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GGP No.1 (5)
11. MUNKHTUYA Tungalag (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.2 (6)
12. Olga BUTKEVICH (GBR) – Europe No.3 (nr)
13. Zhargalma TSYRENOVA (RUS) – Yarygin GGP No.2 (8)
14. Tatyana LAVRENCHUK (UKR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (10)
15. Jennifer PAGE (USA) – Klippan Open No.3 (12)
16. Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) – Paris GGP No.2 (16)
17. Haruka SATO (JPN) – Asia No.3 (nr)
18. Yaquelin STORNELL (CUB) – CAC Games No.3 (17)
19. Oksana HERHEL (UKR) – Medved Prizes No.3 (20)
20. Aminat ADEMIYI (NGR) – Africa No.1 (nr)
63kg – Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) had to scramble off her back in the first period of her opening bout, but was otherwise steady in winning her third European crown and her third tournament title of the year.
Katherine VIDIAUX LOPEZ (CUB), 2013 Pan American runner-up, defeated two-time Olympic bronze medalist Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) in the Central America and Caribbean Games final to break into this year’s rankings at No.11. Renteria Castillo, meanwhile, moved up to No.2 in the rankings behind Grigorjeva.
1. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) – Europe No.1 (1)
2. Jackeline RENTARIA CASTILLO (COL) – CAC Games No.2 (3)
3. XILUO Zhuoma (CHN) – Schultz Memorial No.2 (4)
4. Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) – Granma Cup No.1 (11)
5. Yurika ITO (JPN) – Asia No.1 (6)
6. SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) – World No.2 (2)
7. Yulia TKACH (UKR) – Europe No.3 (13)
8. Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) – Europe No.2 (nr)
9. Dzhanan MANOLOVA (BUL) – Europe No.3 (19)
10. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) – Europe No.5 (9)
11. Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) - Klippan Open No.3 (8)
12. OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.1 (14)
13. Katherine VIDIAUX LOPEZ (CUB) – CAC Games No.1 (nr)
14. Ekaterina LARIONOVA (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (nr)
15. Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.3 (12)
16. Lais OLIVIERA (BRA) – SA Games No.2 (16)
17. YING Yanhang (CHN) – Asia No.2 (nr)
18. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) – Africa No.1
19. Luz Clara VAZQUEZ (ARG) – SA Games No.3 (18)
20. Buse TOSUN (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.3 (20)
69kg – London 2012 gold medalist Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) pinned 2013 world champion at 67kg Alina MAKHINYA (UKR) and 2013 European runner-up Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) for her second European crown and her second trip to the top of the medals podium at 69kg this year.
Kratysh earned her second silver medal in the European championships after finishing second to Makhinya in Tbilisi last year, vaulting from No.13 to No.4 in the rankings.
World bronze medalist Sara DOSHO (JPN), who defeated Vorobieva in the final of the World Cup meet in March, won the Asia championship with three one-sided wins to improve one place to No.3 in the rankings.
1. Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) – Europe No.1 (1)
2. Alina MAKHINYA (UKR) – Europe No.3 (2)
3. Sara DOSHO (JPN) – Asia No.1 (4)
4. Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) – Europe No.2 (13)
5. Aline FOCKEN (GER) – Klippan Open No.1 (3)
6. SHARKUU Tumentsetseg (MGL) – Asia No.2 (15/63)
7. Laura SKUJINA (LAT) – Europe No.3 (11@63)
8. Dorothy YEATS (CAN) – Klippan Open No.5 (6)
9. BADRAKH Odonchimeg (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.1 (7)
10. Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (14)
11. Svetlana SAENKO (MDA) – Europe No.5 (17)
12. Randi MILLER (USA) – Klippan Open No.2 (8)
13. Darima SANZHEEVA (RUS) – Yarygin GGP No.2 (9)
14. Kayoko KUDO (JPN) – Yarygin GGP No.3 (10)
15. Enass MOUSTAFA (EGY) – Africa No.1 (nr)
16. Ifeoma IHEANACHO (NGR) – Africa No.3 (nr)
17. Oksana VASHCHUK (UKR) – Dan Kolov No.2 (11)
18. Adina POPESCU (ROU) – Dan Kolov No.3 (12)
19. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) – Medved Prizes No.3 (18)
20. Daria OSOCKA (POL) – Europe No.7 (nr)
75kg – Five-time world champion Stanka ZLATEVA (BUL) returned to international competition for the first time in 18 months and won her sixth European championship crown. Zlateva outlasted Katerina BURMISTROVA (UKR) in the semifinals and Vasilisa MARSALIUK (BLR) in the final to break into the rankings at No.6.
Medved Prizes winner Marsaliuk advanced from No.6 to No.3, while 2011 European champ Burmistrova earned bronze for a second year in a row for No.12 in the rankings.
Medved Prizes runner-up Gouzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) grabbed her fourth Asian title with a hard-fought 7-6 win over 2012 junior world champ ZHOU Feng (CHN). Zhou defeated defending champion Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) in the semifinals.
1. Adeline GRAY (USA) – Klippan Open No.3 (1)
2. Erica WIEBE (CAN) – Klippan Open No.1 (2)
3. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) – Europe No.2 (6)
4. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) – Europe No.3 (4)
5. Gouzel MANYUROVA (KAZ) – Asia No.1 (16)
6. Stanka ZLATEVA (BUL) – Europe No.1 (nr)
7. ZHOU Feng (CHN) – Asia No.2 (5@69)
8. Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) – Asia No.3 (5)
9. ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) – Schultz Memorial No.2 (3)
10. OCHIRBAT Burmaa (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.2 (7)
11. Aline SILVA FERREIRA (BRA) – SA Games No.1 (8)
12. Katerina BURMISTROVA (UKR) – Europe No.3 (17)
13. Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) – Europe No.5 (10)
14. Maria SELMAIER (GER) – Europe No.7 (9)
15. Lisset HECHEVARRIA MEDINA (CUB) – CAC Games No.1 (15)
16. Andrea OLAYA GUTEIERREZ (COL) – CAC Games No.2 (14)
17. Laure ALI ANNABEL (CMR) – Africa No.1 (nr)
18. Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS) – Mongolian Open No.3 (11)
19. Jarismit WEFFER GUANP (VEN) – CAC Games No.2 (nr)
20. Sabira ALIEVA (AZE) – Paris GGP No.3 (20)
