Olympic Games preview in women's freestyle at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Young star Haley Augello, shown at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, will be the first U.S. woman to compete at the Rio Olympic Games. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
Date of Competition: Wednesday, August 17
Winning the last three World gold medals has been talented Eri Tosaka of Japan, who will be in her first Olympic Games. The 2012 Olympic champion was also from Japan, longtime star Hitomi Sakamoto who went out on top. Tosaka won a silver at her first World meet in 2012, and has swept the titles during this Olympic cycle.
The most decorated star in this field is 2009 World champion and two-time Olympic medalst Mariya Stadnyk of Azerbaijan. Stadnyk won Olympic silver in 2012 and Olympic bronze in 2008. She boasts six World and Olympic medals, six European Championships golds, a European Games gold and the 2005 Junior World title. Stadnyk was second behind Tosaka at the 2015 Worlds in Las Vegas, and is expected to challenge for the top again.
Among the past World medalists in the expected field are two-time World medalist Jyldyz Eshimova of Kazakhstan, 2015 World bronze medalist Jessica Blaszka of the Netherlands, 2014 World silver medalist Iwona Matkowska of Poland and 2014 World bronze medalist Kim Hyon-Gyong of North Korea.
Eshimova won a World silver medal in 2008 and a World bronze medal in 2011 and qualified by winning the Asian Olympic qualifier. Kim won the title at the first World Olympic Qualifier in Mongolia.
There are five past Olympians in the projected field, including two-time Olympian Stadnyk. Also competing in the 2012 Olympics were Eshimova, Matkowska, plus veterans Patricia Bermudez of Argentina and Carolina Castillo of Colombia. Matkowska boasts two World Military Championships titles.
The entry for World power Russia is unclear at this time. Valentina Islamova qualified the weight by placing fifth at the 2015 World Championships. Young Milana Dadasheva won the 2016 Russian Nationals, with 2009 Junior World champion Valeria Chepsarakova taking second.
North American powers Canada and the United States have unexpected entries, based upon great performances in their respective Olympic Trials. Jasmine Mian, a two-time World Team member, will compete for Canada and 2011 Cadet World champion Haley Augello will wrestle for the USA. Both dropped down to 48 kg for their Olympic run and beat top competition to punch their ticket to Rio.
China’s entry could be Li Hui, who qualified the weight class with a fifth-place finish at the 2015 World Championships. Another potential entry could be 2016 Asian champion Sun Yanan, who was a 2013 World champion and two-time World medalist at 51 kg.
2013 Junior World champion Elitsa Yankova of Bulgaria won the European Olympic Qualifier this year. India’s Vinesh reached the field with a gold medal at the second World Olympic Qualifier in Turkey. The champion of the Africa/Oceania Olympic Qualifier was Miesinnei Genesis of Nigeria.
Others to watch include qualifiers Thi Hang Vu of Vietnam, Rebecca Muambo of Cameroon and Emilia Vuc of Romania. Vu was a 2012 Junior World silver medalist, and wrestled in two Senior World Championships. Muambo boasts four African Championships titles. Vuc’s best Senior finish was fifth at the 2014 World Championships.
Two athletes were added to the field through the Triparthite Commission, which gives a limited number of Olympic berths to developing nations, were Brenda Bailey of Honduras and Sotherara Chov of Cambodia.
PROJECTED OLYMPIC GAMES FIELD
Argentina - Patricia Bermudez (World No. 7)
Azerbaijan - Mariya Stadnyk (World No. 1)
Bulgaria - Elitsa Yankova (World No. 4)
Cambodia – Sotherara Chov
Cameroon - Rebecca Muambo (World No. 20)
Canada – Jasmine Mian (World No. 9)
Colombia - Carolina Castillo (World No. 15)
China - Hui Li or Sun Yanan (World No. 2)
Honduras – Brenda Bailey
India –Vinesh (World No. 13)
Japan - Eri Tosaka (World No. 3)
Kazakhstan - Zhuldyz Eshimova (World No. 5)
Netherlands - Jessica Blaszka (World No. 11)
Nigeria - Miesinnei Genesis
North Korea - Kim Hyon-Gyong (World No. 12)
Poland - Iwona Matkowska (World No. 10)
Romania - Emilia Vuc (World No. 8)
Russia - Milana Dadasheva, Valeria Chepsarakova or Valentina Islamova (World No. 6)
United States - Haley Augello (World No. 16)
Vietnam - Thi Hang Vu (World No. 19)
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2015 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Eri Tosaka (Japan); Silver – Mariya Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Jessica Blaszka (Netherlands); Bronze – Genevieve Morrison (Canada); 5th – Hui Li (China); 5th – Valentina Islamova (Russia); 7th – Nataliya Pulkovska (Ukraine); 8th – Tatayana Bakatyuk (Kazakhstan); 9th – Alyssa Lampe (USA); 10th – Carolina Castillo (Colombia)
2014 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Eri Tosaka (Japan); Silver – Iwona Matkowska (Poland); Bronze – Mariya Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Kim Hyon Gyong (North Korea); 5th – Alyssa Lampe (USA); 5th – Emilia Vuc (Romania); 7th – Iulia Leorda (Moldova); 8th – Patricia Bermudez (Argentina); 9th – Jessica Blaszka (Netherlands); 10th – Mariana Munoz (Mexico)
2013 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Eri Tosaka (Japan); Silver - Mayellis Caripa Castillo (Venezuela); Bronze – Alyssa Lampe (USA); Bronze – Cheng Xu (China); 5th – Anna Lukasiak (Poland); 5th – Melanie LeSaffre (France); 7th – Tatyana Amanzhol (Kazakhstan); 8th – Pak Yong Mi (North Korea); 9th – Elena Vostrikova (Russia); 10th – Yana Stadnik (Great Britain)
2012 Olympic Games
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Hitomi Sakamoto Obara (Japan); Silver – Maria Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Clarissa Chun (USA); Bronze – Carol Huynh (Canada); 5th – Isabelle Sambou (Senegal); 5th – Irini Merleni (Ukraine); 7th – Iwona Matkowska (Poland); 8th – Vannesa Kaladzinskaya (Belarus); 9th – Otgontsetseg Davaasukh (Mongolia); 10th – Mayelis Caripa Castillo (Venezuela)
2012 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Vanessa Kaladzynskaya (Belarus); Silver – Eri Tosaka (Japan); Bronze – Xiaomei Li (China); Bronze – Jaqueline Schellin (Germany); 5th – Tatyana Amanzhol-Bakatyuk (Kazakhstan); 5th – Patimat Bagomedova (Azerbaijan); 7th – Estera Dobre (Romania); 8th – Anna Lukasik (Poland); 9th – Clarissa Chun (USA); 10th – Davaasuren Bayarmagnai (Mongolia)
2011 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold - Hitomi Sakamoto Obara (Japan); Silver - Maria Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Bronze - Shasha Zhao (China); Bronze - Jyldyz Eshimova (Kazakhstan); 5th - Carolina Castillo Hidalgo (Colombia); 5th - Carol Huynh (Canada); 7th - Clarissa Chun (United States) 8th - Tatyana Samkova (Russia); 9th - Mayelis Caripa Castillo (Venezuela); 10th - Isabelle Sambou (Senegal)
2010 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Hitomi Sakamoto (Japan); Silver – Lorissa Oorzhak (Russia); Bronze – Sasha Zhao (China); Bronze – Carol Huyhn (Canada); 5th – Patimat Bagomedova (Azerbaijan); 5th – Iwona Matkowska (Poland); 7th – Yana Stadnik (Great Britain); 8th – Khrystyna Daranutsa (Ukraine); 9th – Enkhjargal Tsogtbazar (Mongolia); 10th – Hyung-Joo Kim (Korea)
2009 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold - Mariya Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Silver - Lorisa Oorzhak (Russia); Bronze - Sim Hyang So (North Korea); Bronze - Lyudmila Balushka (Ukraine); 5th - Thi Lua Nguyen (Vietnam); 5th - Yana Stadnik (Great Britain); 7th - Lindsay Rushton (Canada); 8th - Makiko Sakamoto (Japan); 9th - Clarissa Chun (USA); 10th - Sara Sanchez (Spain)
Date of Competition: Wednesday, August 17
Winning the last three World gold medals has been talented Eri Tosaka of Japan, who will be in her first Olympic Games. The 2012 Olympic champion was also from Japan, longtime star Hitomi Sakamoto who went out on top. Tosaka won a silver at her first World meet in 2012, and has swept the titles during this Olympic cycle.
The most decorated star in this field is 2009 World champion and two-time Olympic medalst Mariya Stadnyk of Azerbaijan. Stadnyk won Olympic silver in 2012 and Olympic bronze in 2008. She boasts six World and Olympic medals, six European Championships golds, a European Games gold and the 2005 Junior World title. Stadnyk was second behind Tosaka at the 2015 Worlds in Las Vegas, and is expected to challenge for the top again.
Among the past World medalists in the expected field are two-time World medalist Jyldyz Eshimova of Kazakhstan, 2015 World bronze medalist Jessica Blaszka of the Netherlands, 2014 World silver medalist Iwona Matkowska of Poland and 2014 World bronze medalist Kim Hyon-Gyong of North Korea.
Eshimova won a World silver medal in 2008 and a World bronze medal in 2011 and qualified by winning the Asian Olympic qualifier. Kim won the title at the first World Olympic Qualifier in Mongolia.
There are five past Olympians in the projected field, including two-time Olympian Stadnyk. Also competing in the 2012 Olympics were Eshimova, Matkowska, plus veterans Patricia Bermudez of Argentina and Carolina Castillo of Colombia. Matkowska boasts two World Military Championships titles.
The entry for World power Russia is unclear at this time. Valentina Islamova qualified the weight by placing fifth at the 2015 World Championships. Young Milana Dadasheva won the 2016 Russian Nationals, with 2009 Junior World champion Valeria Chepsarakova taking second.
North American powers Canada and the United States have unexpected entries, based upon great performances in their respective Olympic Trials. Jasmine Mian, a two-time World Team member, will compete for Canada and 2011 Cadet World champion Haley Augello will wrestle for the USA. Both dropped down to 48 kg for their Olympic run and beat top competition to punch their ticket to Rio.
China’s entry could be Li Hui, who qualified the weight class with a fifth-place finish at the 2015 World Championships. Another potential entry could be 2016 Asian champion Sun Yanan, who was a 2013 World champion and two-time World medalist at 51 kg.
2013 Junior World champion Elitsa Yankova of Bulgaria won the European Olympic Qualifier this year. India’s Vinesh reached the field with a gold medal at the second World Olympic Qualifier in Turkey. The champion of the Africa/Oceania Olympic Qualifier was Miesinnei Genesis of Nigeria.
Others to watch include qualifiers Thi Hang Vu of Vietnam, Rebecca Muambo of Cameroon and Emilia Vuc of Romania. Vu was a 2012 Junior World silver medalist, and wrestled in two Senior World Championships. Muambo boasts four African Championships titles. Vuc’s best Senior finish was fifth at the 2014 World Championships.
Two athletes were added to the field through the Triparthite Commission, which gives a limited number of Olympic berths to developing nations, were Brenda Bailey of Honduras and Sotherara Chov of Cambodia.
PROJECTED OLYMPIC GAMES FIELD
Argentina - Patricia Bermudez (World No. 7)
Azerbaijan - Mariya Stadnyk (World No. 1)
Bulgaria - Elitsa Yankova (World No. 4)
Cambodia – Sotherara Chov
Cameroon - Rebecca Muambo (World No. 20)
Canada – Jasmine Mian (World No. 9)
Colombia - Carolina Castillo (World No. 15)
China - Hui Li or Sun Yanan (World No. 2)
Honduras – Brenda Bailey
India –Vinesh (World No. 13)
Japan - Eri Tosaka (World No. 3)
Kazakhstan - Zhuldyz Eshimova (World No. 5)
Netherlands - Jessica Blaszka (World No. 11)
Nigeria - Miesinnei Genesis
North Korea - Kim Hyon-Gyong (World No. 12)
Poland - Iwona Matkowska (World No. 10)
Romania - Emilia Vuc (World No. 8)
Russia - Milana Dadasheva, Valeria Chepsarakova or Valentina Islamova (World No. 6)
United States - Haley Augello (World No. 16)
Vietnam - Thi Hang Vu (World No. 19)
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2015 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Eri Tosaka (Japan); Silver – Mariya Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Jessica Blaszka (Netherlands); Bronze – Genevieve Morrison (Canada); 5th – Hui Li (China); 5th – Valentina Islamova (Russia); 7th – Nataliya Pulkovska (Ukraine); 8th – Tatayana Bakatyuk (Kazakhstan); 9th – Alyssa Lampe (USA); 10th – Carolina Castillo (Colombia)
2014 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Eri Tosaka (Japan); Silver – Iwona Matkowska (Poland); Bronze – Mariya Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Kim Hyon Gyong (North Korea); 5th – Alyssa Lampe (USA); 5th – Emilia Vuc (Romania); 7th – Iulia Leorda (Moldova); 8th – Patricia Bermudez (Argentina); 9th – Jessica Blaszka (Netherlands); 10th – Mariana Munoz (Mexico)
2013 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Eri Tosaka (Japan); Silver - Mayellis Caripa Castillo (Venezuela); Bronze – Alyssa Lampe (USA); Bronze – Cheng Xu (China); 5th – Anna Lukasiak (Poland); 5th – Melanie LeSaffre (France); 7th – Tatyana Amanzhol (Kazakhstan); 8th – Pak Yong Mi (North Korea); 9th – Elena Vostrikova (Russia); 10th – Yana Stadnik (Great Britain)
2012 Olympic Games
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Hitomi Sakamoto Obara (Japan); Silver – Maria Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Clarissa Chun (USA); Bronze – Carol Huynh (Canada); 5th – Isabelle Sambou (Senegal); 5th – Irini Merleni (Ukraine); 7th – Iwona Matkowska (Poland); 8th – Vannesa Kaladzinskaya (Belarus); 9th – Otgontsetseg Davaasukh (Mongolia); 10th – Mayelis Caripa Castillo (Venezuela)
2012 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Vanessa Kaladzynskaya (Belarus); Silver – Eri Tosaka (Japan); Bronze – Xiaomei Li (China); Bronze – Jaqueline Schellin (Germany); 5th – Tatyana Amanzhol-Bakatyuk (Kazakhstan); 5th – Patimat Bagomedova (Azerbaijan); 7th – Estera Dobre (Romania); 8th – Anna Lukasik (Poland); 9th – Clarissa Chun (USA); 10th – Davaasuren Bayarmagnai (Mongolia)
2011 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold - Hitomi Sakamoto Obara (Japan); Silver - Maria Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Bronze - Shasha Zhao (China); Bronze - Jyldyz Eshimova (Kazakhstan); 5th - Carolina Castillo Hidalgo (Colombia); 5th - Carol Huynh (Canada); 7th - Clarissa Chun (United States) 8th - Tatyana Samkova (Russia); 9th - Mayelis Caripa Castillo (Venezuela); 10th - Isabelle Sambou (Senegal)
2010 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Hitomi Sakamoto (Japan); Silver – Lorissa Oorzhak (Russia); Bronze – Sasha Zhao (China); Bronze – Carol Huyhn (Canada); 5th – Patimat Bagomedova (Azerbaijan); 5th – Iwona Matkowska (Poland); 7th – Yana Stadnik (Great Britain); 8th – Khrystyna Daranutsa (Ukraine); 9th – Enkhjargal Tsogtbazar (Mongolia); 10th – Hyung-Joo Kim (Korea)
2009 World Championships
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold - Mariya Stadnyk (Azerbaijan); Silver - Lorisa Oorzhak (Russia); Bronze - Sim Hyang So (North Korea); Bronze - Lyudmila Balushka (Ukraine); 5th - Thi Lua Nguyen (Vietnam); 5th - Yana Stadnik (Great Britain); 7th - Lindsay Rushton (Canada); 8th - Makiko Sakamoto (Japan); 9th - Clarissa Chun (USA); 10th - Sara Sanchez (Spain)
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