Coles Secures U20 World Gold; Katsume, Yoshida Give Japan Lead

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (August 19) -- Kaura COLES (CAN), Canada's first-ever U17 world champion, won the 53kg gold medal at the U20 World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia on Wednesday.

The gold medal also ended a 13-year drought for Canada for a U20 world title, last won by Dorothy YEATS (CAN) in 2013. Coles also became the first Canada wrestler to win both U17 and U20 world titles.

"I guess so," Coles said when made aware of the fact. "I feel really blessed just to be here. It kind of feels the same it did the first time. But I put a lot of hard work to get here."

Coles had a tough route to the final, facing Taylor WHITING (USA) in the opening bout that she won by fall. She faced former U17 world champion MUSKAN (IND) in the second bout but managed to hang on for a 9-7 win.

Kaura COLES (CAN) works on the fall against Alexa ALVAREZ (VEN) during the 53kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

In the semifinal against Yuxuan LI (CHN), Coles made a remarkable comeback from 7-2 down to win 14-7 and set up a final against Alexa ALVAREZ (VEN).

The opening points of the final were scored by Alvarez as she took a 2-0 lead but Coles piled up points from there on and used an arm-bar to win via fall just before the break.

"My mindset for every match is just the same," she said. "It doesn't matter who I'm wrestling. know that nobody's gonna go as hard as me, and even if someone is stronger than me, faster than me, more skilled than me, I know that I can keep the pace on them the whole time."

Yuu KATSUME (JPN) defeated Margarita IARYGINA (RUS), 10-0, to win the 50kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Japan Wins 2 Golds

Japan captured two golds medals on Wednesday after prodigy Yuu KATSUME (JPN) and Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN) won their final at 50kg and 72kg, respectively.

Katsume, who has never lost an international match, won her second age-group world title, two years after winning the U17 gold. Katsume took only a minute and 26 seconds to beat Margarita IARYGINA (RUS), 10-0, in the final. After scoring the opening takedown, Katsume turned Iarygina four times using a gut-wrench to win the gold medal.

While she has not yet made her senior international debut, Katsume wrestled at the 2026 Meiji Cup but lost 3-1 to Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN), her first loss since 2019.

 

 

 

 

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Yoshida, the niece of 13-time world champion Saori YOSHIDA (JPN), pulled off an arm-throw with one minute remaining to beat Tanu SHARMA (IND). Yoshida trailed 3-0 for five minutes of the final before setting up the arm-throw.

Sharma was keeping a safe distance from Yoshida who switched to underhook and put forward pressure on Sharma before going for the arm-throw. India challenged the decision but the four points were confirmed. The lost challenge extended Yoshida's lead to 5-3 which she managed to defend without any trouble.

The two gold medals have given a good start to Japan which is looking to win the Women's Wrestling team title after missing out the title last year.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Yuu KATSUME (JPN) df. Margarita IARYGINA (RUS), 10-0

BRONZE: Nilufar NURMUKHAMMADOVA (UZB) df. Diana VOICULESCU (ROU), 13-0
BRONZE: Morgan TURNER (USA) df. Kayla BATRES (GUA), 11-0

53kg
GOLD: Kaura COLES (CAN) df. Alexa ALVAREZ (VEN), via fall (10-2)

BRONZE: Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB) df. Dinara DAUYLKYZY (KAZ), via fall (12-0)
BRONZE: Yuxuan LI (CHN) df. Taylor WHITING (USA), 10-0

72kg
GOLD: Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Tanu SHARMA (IND), 5-3

BRONZE: Wenjin QIU (CHN) df. Khrystyna DEMCHUK (UKR), 6-3
BRONZE: Liliana KAZMINA (RUS) df. Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE), via fall (5-0)