2017 World Championships preview at 53 kg/116.5 lbs. in women’s freestyle

Haley Augello, shown battling Whitney Conder at the 2017 World Team Trials, has made her second straight U.S. Senior Team, after competing at the 2016 Olympic Games. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.

Date of competition: Thursday, August 24

The 2016 Olympic finalists, while still appearing in the World rankings in the top two spots, will not be competing in Paris at this weight class. Olympic champion Helen Maroulis of the United States, who is also a three-time World medalist, will be in Paris, but up at 58 kg, her new weight division. Saori Yoshida of Japan, the three-time Olympic champion, 13-time World champion and 2016 Olympic silver medalist, will not be on Japan’s team for the 2017 World Championships.

Japan will drop down Mayu Mukaida, the 2016 World champion at the non-Olympic 55 kg weight class, who is currently ranked No. 1 at 55 kg in the UWW rankings. Mukaida won Cadet World titles in 2012 and 2013, a 2014 Youth Olympic Games gold, a 2015 Junior World title and a 2016 Senior World title. She added a more few golds at 53 kg this year at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia and at the Asian Championships. Unlike Yoshida, Mukaida has as good a resume as anybody in women’s wrestling, and immediately becomes a major contender for this World title. That said, she is not unbeatable, as she has lost matches in Sweden in 2016, in Azerbaijan in 2015 and in Russia in 2016.

The United States will be represented by 2016 Olympian Haley Augello, who dropped to 48 kg last year and placed ninth in the Rio Games. Augello has since gone back to 53 kg, where she was for a number of years, and made her first Senior World team there. She was a 2011 Cadet World champion and competed on two Junior World teams. Augello boasts three WCWA women’s college national titles for King University.

The 2016 Olympic bronze medalists in Rio were Sofia Mattson of Sweden and Natalya Sinishin of Azerbaijan.

Mattsson’s only competition since Rio was an appearance in the India Pro Wrestling League. She finally won an Olympic medal with her Rio bronze, after falling short at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Going into the 2016 Games, Mattsson boasted a 2009 World title and a total of six World medals. She brings vast experience and talent to Paris if she in Sweden’s entry. Without Mattsson, Sweden does not have a viable alternative here.

Sinishin has wrestled three times since claiming her Olympic gold, placing fifth in the 2017 European Championships, claiming a silver medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games and bronze medal at the Dan Kolov International in Bulgaria, all up at 58 kg. Don’t be surprised to see her at 55 kg or 58 kg in Paris. That said, Ukraine could bring Irinya Husyak, who was fifth at the 2013 Senior Worlds and won a World University Games silver medal in 2013.

The top ranked wrestler in the UWW World rankings who for sure will be in Paris is No. 4, Vanesa Kaladezinzkaya of Belarus, who was a 2012 World Champion at 48 kg and competed in the 2012 Olympics as well. She did not qualify for the 2016 Olympics at 48 kg, and has since moved up and has been dominant, winning medals in five straight international events, including golds at the European Championships and the Dan Kolov in Bulgaria.

Jyldyz Eshimova of Kazakhstan, a multiple World medalist at 48 kg, has been strong at 53 kg this year, but still may drop to 48 kg for the World Championships. Kazakhstan could enter Aigul Nuralim, who has competed in six international events at 53 kg this year, including a bronze medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games.

Canada will bring 2012 World champion and two-time World bronze medalist Jessica MacDonald to Paris. MacDonald lost to Jillian Gallays in the Canadian Olympic Trials process, but has been on a tear this season, winning five medals including golds at the Pan American Championships and events in Spain and Germany.

Russia should be competitive here, with Natalia Malysheva the expected entry. Malysheva won a silver medal at the 2017 European Championships and three other international medals this season. A Junior World champion in 2014, Malysheva would be on her third Senior World team, and is seeking her first Senior medal. She lost in the Russian Nationals finals to Stalvira Orshuch, who also has three international medals this season including a silver medal at the recent Poland Open.

Placing fifth at the 2016 Olympic Games were Betzabeth Arguello of Venezuela and Xuechun Zhong of China. Arguello’s only competition since Rio was in the India Pro Wrestling League. Zhong has not wrestled at all since Rio. China has entered Rong Liao and Pang Qianyu at 53 kg in recent international events, and Luo Lannuan is another option for China at 53 kg.

Two-time World bronze medalist Jong Myong-Suk of North Korea was seventh in the 2016 Olympics and third in the 2017 Asian Championships. Another North Korea option at 53 kg is Yong Mi Pak, fifth at the 2016 Asian Championships and a 2015 Asian silver medalist.

2012 World bronze medalist Maria Prevolaraki of Greece has been strong this season, winning a bronze at the European Championships and claiming gold at Yasar Dogu in Turkey. She is a two-time Olympian. The other European bronze medalist this year is Nina Hemmer of Germany, a 2011 Junior World bronze medalist and a 2013 World University Games bronze medalist.

2015 European Games champion Anzhela Dorogan of Azerbaijan has a ton of international experience, including a fifth place at the 2015 World Championships. Veteran Carolina Castillo of Colombia moved up from 48 kg to 53 kg this year, and won a silver medal at the Pan American Championships there.

2014 World Military champion Katarzyna Krawczyk of Poland competed in the 2016 Olympics, but Poland could choose to bring 2017 Poland Open champion Roksana Zasina, who has wrestled in eight Senior World Championships, with her best finish a fifth place in 2010.

Kim Hyung-joo of Korea, who was third at the 2017 Asian Championships, competed in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and five Senior Worlds for Korea. Also watch for 2016 World University bronze medalist Madina Nadirova.

2015 World bronze medalist Odunayo Adekuoroye of Nigeria has moved up to 55 kg this year. The 2017 African champion at this weight is Maroi Mezien of Tunisia, a four-time African champion who also competed in the 2012 Olympic Games.

This weight could be wide open for a new champion, which could be 55 kg World champion Mayu Mukaida of Japan moving down, but could easily also be somebody brand new.

UWW JULY WORLD RANKINGS AT 53 KG
1. Helen MAROULIS (USA)
2. Saori YOSHIDA (JPN)
3. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE)
4. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR)
5. Jyldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ)
6. Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS)
7. Jessica MacDONALD (CAN)
8. Haruna OKUNO (JPN)
9. Nina HEMMER (GER)
10. Samantha STEWART (CAN)
11. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
12. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
13. Liliya HORISHNA (UKR)
14. JONG Myong-Suk (PRK)
15. ZHONG Xuechun (CHN)
16. Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN)
17. Katerina PICHKOVSKAYA (BLR)
18. ERDENECHIMEG Sumiya (MGL)
19. Irina HUSYAK (UKR)
20. Ksenia NEZGOVOROVA (RUS) 

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2016 Olympic Games

53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Gold – Helen Maroulis (United States); Silver – Saori Yoshida (Japan); Bronze – Natalya Sinishin (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Sofia Mattsson (Sweden); 5th – Betzabeth Arguello (Venezuela); 5th – Xuechun Zhong (China); 7th – Jong Myong Suk (DPR Korea); 8th – Isabelle Sambou (Senegal); 9th- Kararzyna Krawczyk (Poland); 10th – Maria Prevolaraki (Greece)

2015 World Championships

53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Gold – Saori Yoshida (Japan); Silver – Sofia Mattsson (Sweden); Bronze – Myong Jong Suk (North Korea); Bronze – Odunayo Adekuoroye (Nigeria); 5th – Anzhela Dorogan (Azerbaijan); 5th – Xuechun Zhong (China); 7th – Kumari Bubita (India); 8th – Nina Hemmer (Germany); 9th – Thi Lua Nguyen (Vietnam); 10th – Otgontsetseg Davaasukh (Mongolia)

2014 World Championships

53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Gold – Saori Yoshida (Japan); Silver – Sofia Mattsson (Sweden); Bronze – Jillian Gallays (Canada); Bronze – Jong Myong Suk (North Korea); 5th – Natalia Malysheva (Russia); 5th – Natalia Budu (Moldova); 7th – Alma Jane Valencia (Mexico); 8th – Yuliya Blahinya (Ukraine); 9th – Whitney Conder (USA); 10th – Sumiya Erdenchimeg (Mongolia)

2013 World Championships

51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Gold – Yanan Sun (China); Silver – Erdennechimeg Sumiya (Mongolia); Bronze – Sim Hyang So (North Korea); Bronze – Jessica MacDonald (Canada); 5th – Victoria Anthony (USA); 5th – Yuliya Blahinya (Ukraine); 7th – Iriyna Kurachkina (Belarus); 8th – Isabelle Sambou (Senegal); 9th – Yu Miyahara (Japan); 10th - Vinesh (India)

2012 World Championships

51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Gold – Jessica MacDonald (Canada); Silver – Yanan Sun (China); Bronze – Alyssa Lampe (USA); Bronze – Kumari Babita (India); 5th - Zamira Rakhmanova (Russia); 5th - Abdutalipova Abdutalipova (Kazakhstan); 7th - Risako Kawai (Japan); 8th - Roksana Zasina (Poland); 9th - Otgontsetseg Davaasukh (Mongolia); 10th - Alina Ryzhova (Belarus)

2011 World Championships

51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Gold - Zamira Rakhmanova (Russia) ; Silver - Otgontsetseg Davaasukh (Mongolia); Bronze - Patimat Bagomedova (Azerbaijan); Bronze - Jessica MacDonald (Canada); 5th - Rathi Neha (India); 5th - Mareka Shidochi (Japan); 7th - Kum Ok Han (North Korea); 8th - Yanan Sun (China); 9th - Alexandra Engelhardt (Germany); 10th - Maryia Ivanova Yahorava (Belarus)

2010 World Championships

51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Gold –Oleksandra Kohut (Ukraine); Silver – Yu Horiuchi (Japan); Bronze – Sofia Mattsson (Sweden); Bronze – Zamira Rakhmanova (Russia); 5th – Roksina Zasina (Poland); 5th – Tatiana Bakatyuk (Kazakhstan); 7th – Estera Dobre (Romania); 8th – Isabelle Sambou (Senegal); 9th - Jessica Medina (USA); 10th – Anzhela Dorogan (Azerbaijan)

2009 World Championships

51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Gold - Sofia Mattsson (Sweden); Silver - Kum Ok Han (North Korea); Bronze - Oleksandra Kohut (Ukraine); Bronze - Yuri Kai (Japan); 5th - Natalia Budu (Moldova); 5th - Di Hong (China); 7th - Alexandra Englehardt (Germany); 8th - Babita Kumari (India); 9th - Tatyana Bakatyuk (Kazakhstan); 10th - Emese Szabo (Hungary)