World Championships preview in women’s freestyle wrestling at 60 kg/132 lbs.
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
VIDEO: Leigh Jaynes-Provisor (USA) dec. Jennifer Page (USA), 2015 World Team Trials finals
Date of competition: Friday, September 11
As a non-Olympic division, there are many questions about how this weight class will shake out in Las Vegas. It is very close to both 58 kg and 63 kg, so many athletes with Olympic aspirations will change to those weights this year. The UWW rankings are helpful here, yet many of those ranked have made a weight switch. We will depend on the preliminary rosters to give us some insight into who may step forward and become the 60 kg World Champion.
Last year’s World champion was Mongolia’s Tserenchimed Sukhee, who is listed as one of Mongolia’s two choices at the weight class. Since last year, Sukhee won a World Military title and was third at the Asian Games, but also did not medal in a few other meets. The other option is Munkhtuya Tungalag, who was fourth in the Asian Championships this year and won the Mongolian Open. Tungalag was a 2012 and 2013 World bronze medalist at 59 kg. Either one will be a top medal contender.
Holding the No. 1 UWW ranking going in is Taybe Yusein of Bulgaria, who was a World bronze medalist last year at this weight. Yusein is moving up to 63 kg according to the team roster, with Dzhanan Manolova, a 2013 Junior World silver medalist in this weight. Manolova was a 2014 European bronze medalist, meaning she can compete at a high level.
The No. 2 ranked wrestler by UWW is coming to Vegas at this weight, Svetlana Lipatova of Russia. A 2013 Junior World champion, Lipatova has been strong at 60 kg this year, winning silver medals at the European Games, the European U23 Championships and the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia. For nations serious about winning the team race, this weight is very important and Lipatova will be expected to do her part.
Japan is the defending team champion, and also expects to get big team points at 60 kg. Kiwa Sakae and Katsuko Sakagami are both listed on the roster here. Sakagami was ninth in the World last year at this weight and has won international medals in Russia and Azerbaijan. Sakae was a 2014 Junior World bronze medalist, and has just one Senior international event in her resume.
Emese Barka of Hungary, the 2015 European Games champion who competed at the World Championships at 58 kg last year, has won five international medals this season. She was a 2014 World University champion, and has a wealth of international experience.
Johanna Mattsson of Sweden is one of the veterans in the weight class who could reach the finals. She was fifth in the World last year at 60 kg, and has been going back and forth between 58 kg and 60 kg all season. A 2012 World bronze medalist, Mattsson also boasts a past European title.
Oksana Herhel of Ukraine was seventh at the World Championships at this weight last year, and took fifth at the European Games this season. A silver medal in the tune-up event, the Poland Open, shows she is ready to contend at this division in Las Vegas.
European Games bronze medalist Veronika Ivanova of Belarus was fifth in the European Junior Championships the last two years. She will be a dangerous draw.
Watch for Irina Netreba of Azerbaijan, 10th in last year’s World meet at 58 kg and fifth in the European Games this season. She won bronze at the Poland Open this year at 60 kg.
The host United States has veteran Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, who is competing in her third World Championships, her most recent back in 2012. Jaynes-Provisor won a gold at the Dave Schultz Memorial this year, and battled through the U.S. Trials process to get another chance at the World level. Her unorthodox style includes putting lots of points on the scoreboard, and she is fearless when wrestling highly regarded opponents.
Canada is counting on veteran Breanne Graham at this weight class, who last competed at a Senior World Championships back in 2006. Graham is a three-time World University medalist who also has a Pan American Championships silver medal on her resume.
India is bringing a young star, Sarita, to the Worlds. She wrestled in the Senior Worlds last year at 58 kg, and also boasts a silver medal at this year’s President’s Cup of Kazakhstan on the Senior level. Most of her other experience is at the Cadet or Junior levels.
China, which is also aiming for a high team finish, brings unheralded Yazhen Sun to Las Vegas, who’s only recent achievement is a bronze at the Grand Prix of Spain.
This weight class is a great opportunity for those entered to get a World medal and help their nations in the team race. There is a mix of veterans and young talents that should make the action exciting and unpredictable.
UWW WORLD RANKINGS
1. Taybe Yusein (Bulgaria)
2. Svetlana Lipatova (Russia)
3. Oksana Herhel (Ukraine)
4. Sukhee Tserenchimed (Mongolia)
5. Petra Olli (Finland)
6. Luo Xiaojuan (China)
7. Yulia Ratkevich (Azerbaijan)
8. Johanna Mattsson (Sweden)
9. Michelle Fazzari (Canada)
10. Natalya Golts (Russia)
11. Victoria Bobeva (Bulgaria)
12. Jennifer Page (USA)
13. Natalya Fedoseeva (Russia)
14. Veronika Ivanova (Belarus)
15. Kanako Murata (Japan)
16. Therese Persson (Sweden)
17. Hafize Sahin (Turkey)
18. Giedre Blekaityte (Lithuania)
19. Rim Ayari (Tunisia)
20. Kriszta Incze (Romania)
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2014 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold – Tserenchimed Sukhee (Mongolia); Silver – Yuliya Ratkevich (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Natalia Golts (Russia); Bronze – Taybe Yusein (Bulgaria); 5th – Petra Olli (Finland); 5th – Malin Johanna Mattsson (Sweden); 7th – Oksana Herhel (Ukraine); 8th – Sakshi Malik (India); 9th – Katsuki Sakagami (Japan); 10th – Michelle Fazzari (Canada)
Date of competition: Friday, September 11
As a non-Olympic division, there are many questions about how this weight class will shake out in Las Vegas. It is very close to both 58 kg and 63 kg, so many athletes with Olympic aspirations will change to those weights this year. The UWW rankings are helpful here, yet many of those ranked have made a weight switch. We will depend on the preliminary rosters to give us some insight into who may step forward and become the 60 kg World Champion.
Last year’s World champion was Mongolia’s Tserenchimed Sukhee, who is listed as one of Mongolia’s two choices at the weight class. Since last year, Sukhee won a World Military title and was third at the Asian Games, but also did not medal in a few other meets. The other option is Munkhtuya Tungalag, who was fourth in the Asian Championships this year and won the Mongolian Open. Tungalag was a 2012 and 2013 World bronze medalist at 59 kg. Either one will be a top medal contender.
Holding the No. 1 UWW ranking going in is Taybe Yusein of Bulgaria, who was a World bronze medalist last year at this weight. Yusein is moving up to 63 kg according to the team roster, with Dzhanan Manolova, a 2013 Junior World silver medalist in this weight. Manolova was a 2014 European bronze medalist, meaning she can compete at a high level.
The No. 2 ranked wrestler by UWW is coming to Vegas at this weight, Svetlana Lipatova of Russia. A 2013 Junior World champion, Lipatova has been strong at 60 kg this year, winning silver medals at the European Games, the European U23 Championships and the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia. For nations serious about winning the team race, this weight is very important and Lipatova will be expected to do her part.
Japan is the defending team champion, and also expects to get big team points at 60 kg. Kiwa Sakae and Katsuko Sakagami are both listed on the roster here. Sakagami was ninth in the World last year at this weight and has won international medals in Russia and Azerbaijan. Sakae was a 2014 Junior World bronze medalist, and has just one Senior international event in her resume.
Emese Barka of Hungary, the 2015 European Games champion who competed at the World Championships at 58 kg last year, has won five international medals this season. She was a 2014 World University champion, and has a wealth of international experience.
Johanna Mattsson of Sweden is one of the veterans in the weight class who could reach the finals. She was fifth in the World last year at 60 kg, and has been going back and forth between 58 kg and 60 kg all season. A 2012 World bronze medalist, Mattsson also boasts a past European title.
Oksana Herhel of Ukraine was seventh at the World Championships at this weight last year, and took fifth at the European Games this season. A silver medal in the tune-up event, the Poland Open, shows she is ready to contend at this division in Las Vegas.
European Games bronze medalist Veronika Ivanova of Belarus was fifth in the European Junior Championships the last two years. She will be a dangerous draw.
Watch for Irina Netreba of Azerbaijan, 10th in last year’s World meet at 58 kg and fifth in the European Games this season. She won bronze at the Poland Open this year at 60 kg.
The host United States has veteran Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, who is competing in her third World Championships, her most recent back in 2012. Jaynes-Provisor won a gold at the Dave Schultz Memorial this year, and battled through the U.S. Trials process to get another chance at the World level. Her unorthodox style includes putting lots of points on the scoreboard, and she is fearless when wrestling highly regarded opponents.
Canada is counting on veteran Breanne Graham at this weight class, who last competed at a Senior World Championships back in 2006. Graham is a three-time World University medalist who also has a Pan American Championships silver medal on her resume.
India is bringing a young star, Sarita, to the Worlds. She wrestled in the Senior Worlds last year at 58 kg, and also boasts a silver medal at this year’s President’s Cup of Kazakhstan on the Senior level. Most of her other experience is at the Cadet or Junior levels.
China, which is also aiming for a high team finish, brings unheralded Yazhen Sun to Las Vegas, who’s only recent achievement is a bronze at the Grand Prix of Spain.
This weight class is a great opportunity for those entered to get a World medal and help their nations in the team race. There is a mix of veterans and young talents that should make the action exciting and unpredictable.
UWW WORLD RANKINGS
1. Taybe Yusein (Bulgaria)
2. Svetlana Lipatova (Russia)
3. Oksana Herhel (Ukraine)
4. Sukhee Tserenchimed (Mongolia)
5. Petra Olli (Finland)
6. Luo Xiaojuan (China)
7. Yulia Ratkevich (Azerbaijan)
8. Johanna Mattsson (Sweden)
9. Michelle Fazzari (Canada)
10. Natalya Golts (Russia)
11. Victoria Bobeva (Bulgaria)
12. Jennifer Page (USA)
13. Natalya Fedoseeva (Russia)
14. Veronika Ivanova (Belarus)
15. Kanako Murata (Japan)
16. Therese Persson (Sweden)
17. Hafize Sahin (Turkey)
18. Giedre Blekaityte (Lithuania)
19. Rim Ayari (Tunisia)
20. Kriszta Incze (Romania)
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2014 World Championships
60 kg/132 lbs. - Gold – Tserenchimed Sukhee (Mongolia); Silver – Yuliya Ratkevich (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Natalia Golts (Russia); Bronze – Taybe Yusein (Bulgaria); 5th – Petra Olli (Finland); 5th – Malin Johanna Mattsson (Sweden); 7th – Oksana Herhel (Ukraine); 8th – Sakshi Malik (India); 9th – Katsuki Sakagami (Japan); 10th – Michelle Fazzari (Canada)
