BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (August 19) -- The U20 World Wrestling Championships enters day four with Women's Wrestling in 55kg, 62kg, 65kg and 76kg. Three returning champions, Everest LEYDECKER (USA) at 55kg, Sakura ONISHI (JPN) at 62kg and KAJAL (IND) at 76kg, will look to repeat.
WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | WOMEN'S WRESTLING PREVIEW
76kg semifinals: The 72kg champion KAJAL (IND), now at 76kg, returns to the final after a controlled 6-0 win over former U17 world champion Piper FOWLER (USA). To win her second straight gold medal, Kajal will face Jingru SUN (CHN) who defeated Diana TITOVA (RUS), 8-5. Titova controlled the bout and led 4-2 but Sun caught her in lace and turned her two times to exchange the lead.
65kg semifinals: U20 Asian champion Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB) enters the final after a close 4-4 criteria win over Saga SVENSSON (SWE). Narzilloeva scored two takedowns to lead 4-1 before Svensson managed a takedown to make it 4-3 with 11 seconds left. She scored a stepout but could not break criteria.
Narzilloeva will face returning silver medalist Margarita SALNAZARIAN (RUS) who returned to the final after a 17-7 victory over Zhengwei MA (CHN).
62kg semifinals: Two-time U20 world champion Sakura ONISHI (JPN) with her deadly lace to beat Ekaterina RADYSHEVA (RUS), 10-0. She will face former U17 world champion SAVITA (IND) after the Indian used a four-pointer in her 10-0 win over Yifan ZHU (CHN)
55kg semifinals: Nana KOZUKA (JPN) reaches the final after a quick 10-0 win over Karolina POPLAVSKA (UKR) using the lace. Kozuka is the third finalist for Japan in Women's Wrestling at this tournament. She will take on defending champion Everest LEYDECKER (USA) in the final after the U.S. wrestler defeated Meilin ZHOU (CHN), 8-0.
Semifinals start at 17:00 hours local time
55kg
Meilin ZHOU (CHN) vs. Everest LEYDECKER (USA)
Nana KOZUKA (JPN) vs. Karolina POPLAVSKA (UKR)
62kg
Sakura ONISHI (JPN) vs. Ekaterina RADYSHEVA (RUS)
SAVITA (IND) vs. Yifan ZHU (CHN)
65kg
Margarita SALNAZARIAN (RUS) vs. Zhengwei MA (CHN)
Saga SVENSSON (SWE) vs. Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB)
76kg
Piper FOWLER (USA) vs. KAJAL (IND)
Jingru SUN (CHN) vs. Diana TITOVA (RUS)
12:25: Sakura ONISHI (JPN), a little disappointed to give up the two points in her previous bout, makes amends and rolls to another 10-0 win, this time against Bella WILLIAMS (USA) to advance to the 62kg semifinals
12:10: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) takes two minutes and 56 seconds to get the fall over Valeryia MIKITSICH (BLR) at 55kg. Leydecker had already piled up 10 points but went for the fall and enter the semifinals.
12:05: SAVITA (IND) with a 10-0 win over Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR), the U17 world champion. Savita was relentless in her attack and did not get Ozmez to settle down. Savita, a former U17 world champion, moves into the 62kg semifinals.
12:00: KAJAL (IND) with a double-leg blast for the win against Elmira YASIN (TUR) at 76kg. Leading 7-0, Kajal with a big move to finish the bout 11-0 before Turkiye challenged and lost it to add one more point to her score. She is into the semifinals.
11:50: Piper FOWLER (USA), looking for her second age-group world title, moves into the 76kg semifinals after a 10-0 victory over Sophia PEREZ (BRA). Huge four for Fowler to finish the bout
11:38: Shodiyona DILMURATOVA (KAZ) must be thanking her stars! She had no business winning the bout against Munisa MINGYASHAROVA (UZB) but she pins the Uzbekistan wrestlers while down 17-8 to advance at 55kg
11:30: Margarita SALNAZARIAN (RUS) with a fall over Viktoria PUPP (HUN) to move into the quarterfinals at 65kg. Salnazarian is looking to improve on her silver medal
11:14: Everest LEYDECKER (USA), returning champion at 55kg, builds a 7-0 lead against Hansika LAMBA (IND) before pressuring her into a fall and advancing at 55kg
11:00: Quick return to the mat for Sakura ONISHI (JPN) but she doesn't waste time in beating Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO), 13-2. She scores using the lace and Figure 4 exposure but Kapanadze with two points, first scored on Onishi in three years at U20 Worlds.
10:40: Defending champion KAJAL (IND) with a fall over Miyu TAKAYAMA (JPN) after building a 6-0 lead. She is looking to become only the second wrestler to win two U20 world titles for India
10:30: Yet to be scored upon at the U20 World Championships! Two-time world champion Sakura ONISHI (JPN) starts with yet another 10-0 technical superiority win. She rolls over Barbara BAGER (HUN) to advance at 62kg
10:25: Former U17 world champion Piper FOWLER (USA) begins her 76kg campaign with an 11-1 Evelin UJHELJI (SRB). Some crafty wrestling from Fowler to score her points.
10:00: The day four of the U20 World Championships will be all about Women's Wrestling. While Leydecker is returning at 55kg, Kajal and Onishi have moved up a weight class and will be at 76kg and 62kg respectively.
