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2006 FEMALE WRESTLING TOYOTA WORLD CUP NAGOYA
A pool
JPN 6-1 USA
USA 6-1 UKR
B pool
CAN 4-3 CHN
CAN 5-2 RUS
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MATCH #1
JPN - USA
48kg Chiharu Icho 3 PO 3-0 2:00 0 @ Stephanie Murata 7-0 1:29
51kg Hitomi Sakamoto 3 PO 5-0 2:00 0 @ Patricia Miranda 5-0 2:00
55kg Saori Yoshida 5 TO 6-0 1:25 0 @ Sharon Jacobson
59kg Seiko Yamamoto 3 PP 3-3B 2:00 1 @ Sally Roberts 2-0 2:00 6-0 1:51
63kg Kaori Icho 3 PO 1-0 2:10 0 @ Sara McMann 1-0 2:00
67kg Yoshiko Inoue 0 @ 0-1 2:00 3 PO Katie Dowing 0-1 2:19
72kg Kyoko Hamaguchi 3 PO 1-0 2:00 0 @ Kristie Marano 4-0 2:00
6 TOTAL 1
MATCH #2
CHN - CAN
48kg Liao Rong 1 @ 0-2 2:00 3 PP Carol Huynh 1-0 2:05 0-2 2:00
51kg Ren Xueceng 4 ST 6-0 1:30 0 @ Belinda Chou 7-0 1:10
55kg Su Lihui 1 @ 1-1L 2:00 3 PP Tonya Verbeek 0-1 2:03
59kg Wang Ying 1 @ 1-1L 2:00 3 PP Breanne Graham 1-1L 2:00
63kg Xu Haiyan 5 TO 0-3 2:05 0 @ Megan Dolan 3-0 2:00 7-2 1:51
67kg Jing Ruixue 3 PO 3-0 2:00 0 @ Megan Buydens 2-0 2:00
72kg Xiao Li 0 @ 0-2 2:00 3 PO Ohenewa Akuffo 0-1 2:00
3 TOTAL 4
MATCH #3
USA - UKR
48kg Stephanie Murata 3 PO 7-0 1:50 0 @ Ludmila Balushka 2-0 2:00
51kg Patricia Miranda 3 PO 1-0 2:00 0 @ Oleksandra Kohut 4-0 2:00
55kg Sharon Jacobson 0 @ 0-7 1:20 5 TO Nataliya Synyshyn 0-8 1:03
59kg Sally Roberts 3 PP 1-0 2:00 1 @ Olena Komarova 0-1 2:00 3-0 2:00
63kg Sara McMann 3 PO 6-0 0:26 0 @ Ludmila Golovchenko 3-0 2:00
67kg Katie Dowing 3 PP 2-0 2:08 1 @ Voleriya Zlarovo 1C-1 2:00
72kg Kristie Marano 3 PO 2-0 2:04 0 @ Svitlana Sayinko 1-0 2:00
6 TOTAL 1
MATCH #4
CAN - RUS
48kg Carol Huynh 3 PP 1-0 2:00 1 @ Inga Karamchakova 2-1 2:00
51kg Belinda Chou 3 PP 1-0 2:30 1 @ Ekaterina Krasnova 2-1 2:00
55kg Tonya Verbeek 3 PO 1-0 2:00 0 @ Natalia Karamchakova 2-0 2:00
59kg Breanne Graham 5 TO 3-1 1:53 0 @ Larisa Kanaeva
63kg Megan Dolan 0 @ 0-4 2:00 3 PO Anna Polovneva 0-4 2:00
67kg Megan Buydens 0 @ 0-3 2:00 3 PO Elena Perepelkina 0-2 2:00
72kg Ohenewa Akuffo 3 PP 1L-1 2:00 1 @ Alena Starodubtsev 3-0 2:00
5 TOTAL 2
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Nagoya, Japan,
May 20 - 21, 2006
Senior Women's Freestyle Results
Event Results
POOL A
Japan 6, United States 1
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Chiharu Icho (Japan) dec. Stephanie Murata (USA), 3-0, 7-0
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Hitomi Sakamoto (Japan) dec. Patricia Miranda (USA), 5-0, 5-0
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan) pin Sharon Jacobson (USA), 1:25
59 kg/130 lbs. – Seiko Yamamoto (Japan) dec. Sally Roberts (USA), 3-3, 2-0, 6-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaori Icho (Japan) dec. Sara McMann (USA), 1-0, 1-0
67 kg/147.5 lbs. –Katie Downing (USA) dec. Yoshiko Inoue (Japan), 1-0, 1-0
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) dec. Kristie Marano (USA), 1-0, 4-0
Classification points – Japan 20, United States 4
United States 6, Ukraine 1
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Stephanie Murata (USA) dec. Ludmila Balushka (Ukraine), 7-0, 2-0
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Patricia Miranda (USA) dec. Oleksandra Kohut (Ukraine), 1-0, 4-0
55 kg/121 lbs. – Nataliya Synshyn (Ukraine) pin Sharon Jacobson (USA), 7-0, 1:03
59 kg/130 lbs. – Sally Roberts (USA) dec. Olena Komarova (Ukraine), 1-0, 0-1, 3-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Sara McMann (USA) dec. Ludmila Golovchenko (Ukraine), 6-0, 3-0
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Katie Downing (USA) dec. Voleriya Zlarovo (Ukraine), 2-0, 10-1
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Kristie Marano (USA) dec. Svitlana Sayenko (Ukraine), 2-0, 1-0
Classification points – United States 18, Ukraine 7
POOL B
Canada 4, China 3
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Carol Huynh (Canada) dec. Laio Rong (China), 2-0, 0-1, 2-0
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Ren Xueceng (China) tech. fall Belinda Chow (Canada), 6-0, 7-0
55 kg/121 lbs. – Tonya Verbeek (Canada) dec. Su Lihui (China), 1-1, 1-0
59 kg/130 lbs. – Breanne Graham (Canada) dec. Wang Ying (China), 1-1, 1-1
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Xu Haiyan (China) pin Megan Dolan (Canada), 0-3, 3-0, 1:51
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Jing Ruixue (China) dec. Megan Buydens (Canada), 3-0, 2-0
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Ohenewa Akuffo (Canada) dec. Xiao Li (China), 2-0, 1-0
Classification points – China 15, Canada 12
Canada 5, Russia 2
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Carol Huynh (Canada) dec. Inga Karamchakova (Russia), 1-0, 2-1
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Belinda Chow (Canada) dec. Ekaterina Krasnova (Russia), 1-0, 2-1
55 kg/121 lbs. – Tonya Verbeek (Canada) dec. Natalia Karamchakova (Russia), 1-0, 2-0
59 kg/130 lbs. – Breanne Graham (Canada) pin Larisa Kanaeva (Russia), 1:53
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Anna Polovneva (Russia) dec. Megan Dolan (Canada), 4-0, 4-0
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Elena Perepelkina (Russia) dec. Megan Buydens (Canada), 3-0, 2-0
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Ohenewa Akuffo (Canada) dec. Alena Starodubtseva (Russia), 1-1, 3-0
Classification points – Canada 17, Russia 9
U.S. loses to Japan, beats Ukraine on day one of Women’s World Cup in Nagoya, Japan Gary
Abbott USA Wrestling 05/20/2006
The United States went 1-1 in dual meets on the first day of the Women’s World Cup, held at the the Inaei Sports Center in Nagoya, Japan, May 20.
The U.S. team opened the tournament by losing to defending World Cup champion Japan, 6-1. Japan is the reigning World champion team in women’s wrestling.
The U.S. was able to win one match in the showdown, as 2005 World bronze medalist Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) stopped Yoshiko Inoue , 1-0, 1-0 at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Japan won the six other matches in the dual meet. All six of the Japanese athletes who won their matches are past World champions, with four all being Olympic medalists.
At 48 kg/105.5 lbs., past World champion Chiharu Icho defeated 2001 World silver medalist Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 3-0, 7-0.
2001 and 2005 World champion Hitomi Sakamoto defeated 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda (New Haven, Conn./Sunkist Kids) , 5-0, 5-0 at 51 kg/112.25 lbs.
2004 Olympic champion and four-time World champion Saori Yoshida scored a pin at 55 kg/121 lbs., stopping Sharon Jacobson (El Cajon, Calif./USOEC/Gator WC)in 1:25 of the first period.
At 59 kg/130 lbs., four-time World champion Seiko Yamamoto needed three periods to stop two-time World bronze medalist Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), 3-3, 2-0, 6-0
The battle at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. was part of a rivalry between two international stars. 2004 Olympic champion and four-time World champion Kaori Icho edged 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann (Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 1-0. Icho and McMann have battled every year at the major competitions, and the matches have been close and competitive.
At 72 kg/158.5 lbs., five-time World champion Kyoko Hamaguchi stopped two-time World champion Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), 1-0, 4-0
The Untied States rebounded with a dominant 6-1 win over Ukraine in the second match, capturing all six victories by decsion.
In one of the more competitive bouts, Marano stopped 2005 World bronze medalist Svitlana Sayenko, 2-0, 1-0.
Downing won her second match of the day, a 2-0, 10-0 win over Voleriya Zlarovo.
Other U.S. winners in the Ukraine bout were Murata, Miranda, Roberts and McMann.
The United States ends the competition in Pool A with a 1-1 record. There remains one more match in the pool, as Japan faces Ukraine on Sunday morning. If Japan wins, it will advance to the gold medal finals, with the United States moving onto the third-place match and Ukraine qualifying for the fifth-place match. If Ukraine wins, then there will be tie-breaking procedures to determine the medal match pairings.
In Pool B, Canada has clinched a spot in the championship finals by winning both of its matches on Saturday, stiopping China 4-3 and Russia, 5-2.
Canadian wrestlers who won both of their matches on Saturday include three-time World medalist Carol Huyhn at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., 2004 Olympic silver medalist Tonya Verbeek at 55 kg/121 lbs., Breanne Graham at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Ohenewa Akuffo at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.
On Sunday morning, the pool competition will be completed, as Japan faces Ukraine and China faces Russia. This will be followed by the medal match round, which will determine the final placement of the teams.
The top six ranked national teams in the world in women’s wrestling are showcased at the Women’s World Cup.
At the 2005 World Championships, Japan won the team title, followed by China in second, the United States in third, Canada in fourth, Russia in fifth and Ukraine in sixth. All six of these nations will be in the field at the competition this weekend.
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Jacobson vs. Ripley is the new “Bout of the Week” on USA Wrestling Members-Only website
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
05/19/2006
USA Wrestling has updated its new “Bout of the Week” which has been posted as a video file on-line on TheMat.com Audio/Video website .
The feature this week is Sharon Jacobson vs. Malinda Ripley match at 55 kg/121 lbs. at the 2006 U.S. National Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. in women’s freestyle wrestling.
There are times when the U.S. Nationals is the coming-out party for a young athlete who is making their name on the Senior level. Winning a first U.S. Nationals title is a tremendous achievement, and getting that first gold medal is often a major hurdle in a career.
Coming into this year, the 55 kg/121 lbs. division in women’s wrestling featured two prominent wrestlers, two-time World silver medalist Tina George of the U.S. Army and World University champion Marcie Van Dusen of the Sunkist Kids. Van Dusen was having a great winter season, including a win over George, but was injured and unable to compete the rest of the season. George entered the U.S. Nationals as a strong favorite to win.
Getting the No. 2 seed behind George in the championship was Sharon Jacobson of the Gator WC, among the women wrestlers who are part of the USOEC program at the Univ. of Northern Michigan.
Jacobson went to high school in California, and started her college career on the women’s team at the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris. She started to place at a number of age-group women’s events while at UM-Morris, and making a name on the Senior level. The sport of wrestling was dropped at the college, and Jacobson found her way to the new women’s university program at Northern Michigan.
Jacobson had a solid 2005 season, placing third at the U.S. Nationals and fifth at the World Team Trials. She also started doing well at many international events, taking medals at the Sunkist Kids International, the New York AC Holiday International and the Medved International in Belarus.
One of the athletes who did not receive a seed at this division was two-time U.S. Nationals champion Malinda Ripley of the Sunkist Kids. The reason? Ripley had never competed at the 121-pound division at the U.S. Nationals, and was actually seeded at No. 3 at 112.25 pounds prior to the event this year. When Ripley chose to move up in weight, she went into the mix without a seed, even though everybody knew she had both experience and talent.
Ripley first made her mark on the Senior level while still a high school wrestler in California, placing seventh at the U.S. Nationals and fifth in the World Team Trials as a senior. She also won a Junior Nationals title that season, making her a top prospect on the national scene.
Based upon her achievements and potential, Ripley became a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete and quickly moved up in the standings. In both 2003 and 2004, Ripley won U.S. Nationals titles at 51 kg/112.25 pounds. She has not able to make a U.S. World Team, however, placing second in the World Team Trials in 2003 and third in 2005.
In Las Vegas, the weight class became open for grabs quickly, when top seeded George was upset in the opening round of the U.S. Nationals, losing by fall to Leigh Jaynes in the first round.
In the second round, Ripley defeated Jaynes in a close 0-1, 2-0, 1-0 match. Ripley then scored a pin in the quarterfinals over Clarissa Calibuso of Missouri Valley in the second period, and defeated No. 4 seed Amy Borgnini of the USOEC 1-0, 3-0 in the semifinals.
On the other side, Jacobson stormed through the field. Her first win was a 7-0, 7-1 technical fall over Teresa Ayala of Pacific Univ. In the quarterfinals, she pinned Sharlee Solis of Missouri Valley in the first period. Her semifinal victory was another pin, stopping Tina Pihl of Team Dream in the second period.
The Jacobson vs. Ripley matchup was quite intriguing, with an experienced former champion in a new weight class facing a rising young star. Jacobson won the first period 3-0, then turned Ripley and scored a pin in 47 seconds in the second period.
Jacobson became the first USOEC women’s wrestler to win a U.S. Senior Nationals title with her triumph. She was also named Outstanding Wrestler in the competition based upon her dominance in the tournament.
The Women’s World Team Trials are set for June 30 in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Jacobson will enter as the athlete to beat for the first time in her young career. It will be interesting to see if her progress continues with a U.S. World team berth at stake.
This popular feature will be changed on a regular basis, allowing members to enjoy many of the greatest matches in wrestling history.
Posted in the archive section of the Members Only web page is the Jacob Clark vs. Brad Vering match at 84 kg/185 pounds at the 2006 U.S. National Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. in men’s Greco-Roman wrestling. Many other entertaining and historic matches are in the archive section for the Bout of the Week.
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SHODA, HAMAGUCHI CLOSE OUT ASIA C’SHIPS WITH WINS
By Sachiko Hotaka 4/10/06
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ALMATY (April 9) - Ayako Shoda and Kyoko Hamaguchi closed out the Asian Wrestling Championships on a high note for Japan, winning gold medals at 63 kg and 72 kg respectively.
The Japanese women finished the championships with five gold medals and a pair of silver for the team title. It was Shoda’s fourth Asian championships crown while Hamaguchi won her fifth continental title.
was happy to win against a strong field of wrestlers,EHamaguchi said. EIt was a new wrestler from China today, but I was more concerned about wrestling my own style.E
Meanwhile, Japan's final three entries in greco-roman all lost in the first round. Only Hideo Kitaoka qualified for repechage at 60 kg, but forfeited in a broken rib. The greco-roman squad finished the tourney with a combined 0-7 record. The Japanese men's freestyle team finished in third place with a pair of bronze medals earlier in the week.
Results of matches involving Japanese entries:
Women’s freestyle
63 kg - SHODA, Ayako (1st, 8 entries)
1R - df. Gao Pei (CHN) by fall, 1P=1:34
SF - df. Odonchimeg (MGL), 2-0 (2-0, 3-0)
F1 - df. Elena Shalygina (KAZ) by fall, 2P=1:52
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72 kg - HAMAGUCHI, Kyoko (1st, 6 entries)
1R - df. Aser Imanalieva (KGZ) by fall, 1P=0:31
SF - df. Qin Xiaoqing (CHN), 2-0 (3-0, 3-0)
F1 - df. Burmaa Ochirbat (MGL) by fall, 1P=0:53
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Japan April wrestling news
NISHIMAKI WINS 6TH JOC CUP TITLE
YOKOHAMA (April 22-23) -
Junior world champion Mio Nishimaki won her sixth straight title at the JOC Cup junior wrestling national championships. Nishimaki, the winner of the women's junior world championship at 59 kg last year, had little trouble winning the 63-kg division crown at Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium to give her a total of six cadet and junior titles in the JOC Cup meet.
Meanwhile, at 59 kg, Mizuka Kajita upended 63-kg junior world champion Kei Yamana for the title. Kajita was a runner-up in the 2005 Asian cadet championships.
Asia cadet champions Fuyuko Mimura (48 kg) and Yoshiko Inoue (67 kg) also prevailed in their debuts as junior wrestlers.
Mizuho Shibata, the winner at 55 kg, was named the outstanding wrestler in the women's junior division.
In the men's competition, collegiate national champion Shigeki Ozawa of Yamanashi Gakuin won the freestyle crown at 60 kg and was named the men's outstanding wrestler. In greco-roman, Kazuma Kuramoto of Takushoku University won the 55-kg title for his third straight JOC Cup triumph.
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Individual winners in the junior divisions:
Men's freestyle
50 kg - Musashi Nagao, Kinki University
55 kg - Yuhei Ishiyama, Nippon Sports Science University
60 kg - Shigeki Ozawa, Yamanashi Gakuin University
66 kg - Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu, Takushoku University
74 kg - Aoi Otsuki, Waseda University
84 kg - Naoki Monma, NSSU
96 kg - Tetsuro Asami, WU
120 kg - Nobuyoshi Arakida, Senshu University
Men's greco-roman
50 kg - Masaharu Kaji, Hyogo
55 kg - Kazuma Kuramoto, TU
60 kg - Ryutaro Matsumoto, NSSU
66 kg - Kazuhiko Naruse, NSSU
74 kg - Shuhei Kuraya, NSSU
84 kg - Norikatsu Saikawa, NSSU
96 kg - Yusuke Yamamoto, YGU
120 kg - Iori Yasuda, WU
Women,'s freestyle
44 kg - Yurie Sakamoto, Iwate
48 kg - Fuyuko Mimura, Kyoto
51 kg - Ai Maebara, Kansai University
55 kg - Mizuho Shibata, Chukyo Women's University
59 kg - Mizuka Kajita, CWU
63 kg - Mio Nishimaki, CWU
67 kg - Yoshiko Inoue, Aichi
72 kg - Kie Tanaka, CWU
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E. SAKAMOTO TO MISS WORLD CUP WITH BROKEN LEG
NAGOYA (April 19) -
National champion Eri Sakamoto will miss the upcoming women's World Cup wrestling meet in Nagoya due to a fracture in the shin of her left leg. The fracture occurred during a national team training camp in preparation for the May 20-21 World Cup, featuring six of the top female wrestling teams in the world.
National team head coach Kazuhito Sakae said the injury was not a compound fracture, adding that he expected Sakamoto to be back on the mats soon.
Sakae said that team officials would monitor Sakamoto's progress at future training camps and then decide on Japan's entry at 67 kg for the world championships in China (September 25-October 1, Guangzhou).
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JWF ANNOUNCES LINE-UP FOR WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
TOKYO (APRIL 29) -
The Japanese Wrestling Federation announced its line-up for the May 20-21 World Cup of women's wrestling in Nagoya. The Japanese squad will feature six reigning or past world champions at seven of the weight categories.
At 67 kg, where Japan does not have a senior world title holder, junior world champion Mami Shinkai has been named in place of injured Eri Sakamoto. Japan will be seeking its third straight and fifth overall World Cup crown.
Canada, China, Russia, Ukraine and the United States along with Japan will be divided into two groups of three teams each for the round-robin preliminaries.
The winners of each group will wrestle for the team championship, the second-place finishers in each group for third-place overall with the remaining two teams battling it out for fifth place.
n this year's meet, teams will need to secure wins in four of the seven individual matches to secure the dual meet victory. In the past, it was possible under the classification point scoring system to win the dual meet with victories in only three of the individual matches.
Also, the order of bouts in the dual meets will be 51, 59, 67, 48, 55, 63 and 72 kg in contrast to the previous practice of starting at 48 kg and progressing in order by weight category.
Japan's entries by weight:
48 kg - Chiharu Icho, Makiko Sakamoto
51 kg - Hitomi Sakamoto, Yuri Kai
55 kg - Saori Yoshida, Chikako Matsukawa
59 kg - Seiko Yamamoto, Mio Nishimaki
63 kg - Kaori Icho, Ayako Shoda
67 kg - Mami Shinkai, Yoshiko Inoue
72 kg - Kyoko Hamaguchi, Ayako Murashima
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OLYMPIC, WORLD MEDALISTS LEAD CHARGE TO UNSEAT JAPAN
TOKYO (April 29) -
Olympic and world medalists lead the charge for five teams hoping to unseat Japan as women's World Cup champion on May 20-21. The United States, which won the World Cup crown in 2003, is led by Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann, bronze medalist Patricia Miranda and two-time world champion Kristie Marano.
China brings world champion Ren Xueceng and world runners-up Su Lihui and Jing Ruixue. Xu Haiyan owns a rare win over Japan's Kaori Icho at the 2002 Asian Games.
Russia's line-up will feature world bronze medal winner Natalie Golts along with three other winners from this year's European championships. A dangerous Canadian squad is led by Olympic silver medalist Tonya Verbeek and world bronze medal winner Carol Huynh.
Ukraine has entered Olympic gold medalist Irina Melnik, but since countries are limited to one entry per weight category, the European power may opt to send newly crowned continental champ Mariya Stadnyk.Entries by country:
United States
48 kg - Clarissa Chun
51 kg - Patricia Miranda (04 Olympics, bronze)
55 kg - Sharon Jacobson
59 kg - Sally Roberts (05 worlds, 3rd)
63 kg - Sara McMann (04 Olympics, silver)
67 kg - Katie Dowing (05 worlds, 3rd)
72 kg - Kristie Marano (03 worlds, 1st-67 kg)
Canada
48 kg - Carol Huynh (05 worlds, 3rd)
51 kg - Belinda Chou
55 kg - Tonya Verbeek (04 Olympics, silver)
59 kg - Breanne Graham (05 Universiade, 3rd)
63 kg - Megan Dolan
67 kg - Megan Buydens
72 kg - Ohenewa Akuffo (05 Universiade, 1st)
Russia
48 kg - Liliya Kaskarakova (06 Europe, 2nd)
Lorisa Oorzhak
51 kg - Natalia Smirnova (06 Europe, 3rd)
Inga Karamchakova (02 worlds, 2nd)
55 kg - Natalia Golts (05 worlds, 3rd)
59 kg - Liubov Volosova (06 Europe, 1st)
63 kg - Alena Kartashova (06 Europe, 1st)
67 kg - Elena Perepelkina (06 Europe, 1st)
Natalia Kuksina
72 kg - Darya Nazarova
Alena Starodubtseva
China
48 kg - Liao Rong
51 kg - Ren Xueceng (05 worlds, 1st-48 kg)
55 kg - Su Lihui (05 worlds, 2nd)
59 kg - Wang Ying
63 kg - Xu Haiyan (02 Asian Games, 1st)
67 kg - Jing Ruixue (05 worlds, 2nd-63 kg)
72 kg - Xiao Li
Ukraine
48 kg - Irini Merleni (04 Olympics, 1st)
Mariya Stadnyk (06 Europe, 1st)
51 kg - Aleksandra Kohut (06 Europe, 3rd)
Viktoriya Yemelyanova
55 kg - Tatiana Lazareva (04 Europe, 2nd)
Mariyana Bavdyk
59 kg - Elena Komarova
Nataliya Synyshyn (05 Euro jr., 1st)
63 kg - Olga Butkevich
Anna Vasylenko (05 Euro jr., 1st)
Lyudmila Golovchenko
67 kg - Valeriya Zlatova
Maryana Kvyatkovska (05 Euro jr., 1st)
72 kg - Svitlana Saienko (05 worlds, 3rd)
Nadiya Sementsova
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YGU WRESTLING CLUB SETS UP PANKRATION TEAM
ISAWA, Yamanashi Prefecture (April 12) -
The wrestling club at Yamanashi Gakuin University announced the launch of a pankration team in ceremonies that included a demonstration of the ancient combination of wrestling and boxing.
The YGU wrestlers selected for the squad will reportedly practice pankration along with their regular freestyle and greco-roman techniques. The Japan Wrestling Federation indicated in March that it plans to propose to FILA that wrestling's international governing body adopt pankration as a fourth style -- along with freestyle, greco-roman and women's freestyle.
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SCHEDULE CHANGES IN MEIJI NYUGYO INVITATIONAL
TOKYO (April 6) -
Organizers of the Meiji Nyugyo Cup men's national invitational wrestling tournament announced changes in the June 3-4 meet. Organizers originally planned to feature greco-roman on June 3 and freestyle on June 4.
The new schedule will see greco-roman competition at 66, 74, 96 and 120 kg along with freestyle matches at 84, 96 and 120 kg. The remaining weight categories in freestyle and greco-roman will be contested on June 4.
Competition in all of the men's categories will also include special wrestle-offs for national team berths, if required. The final wrestle-off for the women's national team at 59 kg between Ayako Shoda and Seiko Yamamoto is scheduled for June 4.