World Championships Day 5: Women's Wrestling Highlights

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (October 28) -- The World Championships 2026 enters the fifth day with Women's Wrestling in 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg in what is an all Women's Wrestling day.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

13:12: In the wildest bout of the session, Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) prevails 12-11 in a topsy-turvy battle at 68kg with Grace BULLEN (NOR) that featured no less than four 4-point throws. Bullen gets it started with a 4-point headlock, from which Kolawole extricates herself to not only reverse, but also adds a roll to cut the lead to 4-3. In the second period, Bullen locks onto the Nigerian's arms and hits another 4-pointer, then adds a stepout. An unsuccessful challenge gives Bullen a 10-3 lead. Kolawole responds with consecutive 4-pointers off tackles to go ahead 11-10 with 20 seconds left. In the final seconds, Bullen presses for the winning scores, gets an underhook and the two go over the edge together, but the 1-point stepout leaves her short on criteria. She challenges to make it 2, but it is denied, giving Kolawole her final point. 

13:07: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) chalks up a pair of takedowns in the first period, then limits Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) to a stepout in the second to advance to the 62kg semifinals with a 4-1 victory and stay on track for a third world title and first since 2023. 

13:05: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) holds off Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) for a 2-2 criteria win in the 62kg quarterfinals. No action from either wrestler but Dudova has the criteria. Ivanova challenged at the end but it was only one point and the lost challenge gives one more point to Dudova.

13:02:  Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) dominates Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) and moves into the 62kg semifinals. Nwachukwu hits a four and then two and two to lead 7-1. She then manages four more points for the win

12:56: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) storms from behind to win the battle of Paris Olympic bronze medalists against Kennedy BLADES (USA), gaining a fall at the buzzer after taking the lead in the final minute. Blades scores a first-period takedown while on the activity clock to take a 2-0 lead into the break. In the final minute, Zhumanazarova finally breaks through with a single-leg takedown, then after one exposure, puts Blades on her back and secures the fall just as time expires. 

12:56: Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) holds on for a 3-2 victory over Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS) to make the 68kg semifinals. Enkhsaikhan scores an activity point in the first period and takedown in the second, and that proves just enough when she gives up a late takedown. 

12:55: Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) with her trademark double arm lock and she gets the fall over Nesrin BAS (TUR) in the 68kg quarterfinals. Bas was leading 8-4 and had survived an earlier attempt from Hanzlickova but this time the Czech wrestler puts her down firmly.

12:54: Jia LONG (CHN) has no trouble seeing off Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 10-0, and the retuning bronze is back into the semifinals.

12:45: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) sews up a close 4-2 win over Andreea ANA (ROU) with a second-period takedown to gain a spot in the 53kg semifinals. Yepez trails 2-1 in the second period when she goes ahead on criteria with an activity point, but the Olympic silver medalist adds the takedown for good measure.

12:43: Jin ZHANG (CHN) scores takedowns at the right time and beats Otgontuya BAYANMUNKH (MGL), 7-4, in the 53kg quarterfinals. Zhang managed to gets a takedown and turn but also gave up exposure on the edge. Bayanmunkh scored another takedown at the end but it was called a stepout. 

12:42: 38-year-old and 2017 world bronze medalist Roksana ZASINA (POL) comes oh-so-close to a semifinal spot in the record 16th appearance at the World Championships, coming out on the short end of a 1-1 decision on criteria against Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) at 53kg. The match was limited to a pair of activity points, and Rodriguez's came last, giving her the win.

12:40: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), searching for her second world title, moves into the 53kg semifinals after a 9-1 win over Zeynep YETGIL KAMAL (TUR). Kiyooka giving no chance to her opponents to take her down.

12:32: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) took a 4-4 criteria lead against Zelu LI (CHN) but the China wrestler gets her in double underhook and then holds her in that position till the end of the time. Though she did not get the fall, Li wins 9-4

12:30: Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), a four-time world silver medalist, returns to the semifinals with a solid 9-1 win over Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) at 72kg. She gets a big counter four-pointer and exposure points to score her points.

12:30: Precious BELL (USA) scores a takedown and stepout in the first period, then limits Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) to a pair of stepouts to advance to the 72kg semifinals with a 3-2 victory. 

12:29: After stringing together four stepouts, to go with an activity point, Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) finally gets a multi-point move and turns it into a fall over Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) to move into the 72kg semifinals. Up 5-0, Choluj gains a 2-point exposure from a counter, then forces Sghaier onto her back to gain the fall with :58 left. 

12:15: Grace BULLEN (NOR) gave up a step out to Naemi LEISTNER (GER) but that was all Leistner was getting as Bullen works on an arm bar and pins the German to advance to the quarterfinals at 62kg

12:10: Returning bronze medalist Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) makes short work of NEHA (IND) at 62kg, going to the lace-lock roll to finish up a 10-0 win in 1:26.

12:07: Two-time former world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) avoids the upset bug with a solid and safe 10-0 win over Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ) to advance at 62kg. After a 4-point takedown gives Ozaki a 6-0 lead, she gets behind a takedown then, from the standing position, flips Kuznetsova over to end the match at 1:35.

12:04: Returning world bronze medalist Jia LONG (CHN) hits a double-leg four pointer and completes an easy 10-0 win over Maria CEBALLOS (COL) and advances to the 68kg quarterfinals.

12:00: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), world champion in 2021, manages to hold off age-group world medalist SHRISTI (IND), 5-1. Every time Shristi tried to get on Zhumanazarova, she would get countered and the Kyrgyzstan wrestler managed to score two takedowns during her win.

11:59: Ami ISHII (JPN) joins the growing list of defending champions to be dealt early defeats in Astana, suffering a shocking loss by fall to Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS) in their opening bout at 68kg. Petliakova stunned Ishii right off the bat by securing a cradle and putting the two-time world champion to her back. But after more than a minute, Ishii fought out of the predicament, and even came back with an exposure. She then settled down to score two takedowns and head into the break leading 6-4. But the walls caved in when Petliakova hit the Japanese with a driving inside arm throw straight to the back, then secured the fall at 3:31. 

11:51: Former world silver medalist and five-time Asian bronze medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) picks up a takedown in the first period and two in the second to safely advance at 68kg with a 7-0 victory over Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE).

11:50: A solid start for Kennedy BLADES (USA) at 68kg as she pins Laura KOEHLER (GER) in a minute and 40 seconds. She trips Koehler and then arm bars for the fall.

11:49: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) counters Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) attempted takedown four times to build her lead. Though on the slower side, Kiyooka manages to keep control of the bout and win 9-2 and advance at 53kg

11:42: Asian champion Jin ZHANG (CHN) comes out on top of a scrappy battle at 53kg with Annika WENDLE (GER), advancing with an 8-4 victory. 

11:41: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU), looking to improve on her silver medals from last year's worlds in Zagreb and the 2024 Paris Olympics, starts off strong with an 11-0 rout of Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB) to advance to the 53kg quarterfinals. 

11:40: U23 world champion Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) fends off Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS) at 53kg despite a big four-pointer from the Russian. Rodriguez builds a 4-0 lead and then sits on but Vaulina hits a fireman's carry for four. But Rodriguez quickly gets a takedown to make it 6-4 and win

11:15: 2022 world bronze medalist Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) overcomes a four-point deficit in the second period to knock off former world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN) with an 8-5 win at 62kg. Prokopevniuk fell behind 3-0 and 5-2 before putting up six unanswered points with a takedown-exposure combination and another takedown. 

11:05: In a clash of former Asian 65kg champions, Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) stuffs a desperation back suplex attempt by Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) to secure a fall and advance to the 72kg quarterfinals. Yoshitake had just stuck Zorigt for a 4-point throw to take a 7-0 lead when she ended the match with about a minute to spare.  

11:00: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), one of the favorites to win gold medal at 72kg, starts off with technical superiority over Tanu SHARMA (IND), 12-2. 

10:56: Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR), a Paris Olympic bronze medalist and former world champion at 68kg, falls at the first hurdle at 72kg, going down 9-4 to Precious BELL (USA). After the two trade 4-pointers, Bell goes ahead with a takedown for a 6-4 lead at the break. She adds a takedown and stepout in the second to set up a quarterfinal clash with returning bronze medalist and top seed Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ). 

10:54: European champion Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), the 2025 world U20 champion at 76kg, cruises into the 72kg quarterfinals with a 10-0 win over Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK). Sokolovska goes to the lace lock from a takedown to build a 6-0 lead, then takes Molnar down to her back for 2. When Molnar tries to reverse, Sokolovska rolls through to end the match at 2:48.