Women's World Cup in Tokyo
By Gary Abbott, teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling
The world’s eight best wrestling nations in women’s freestyle wrestling will come together to battle in the Women’s World Cup in Tokyo, Japan, March 15-16.
China is the defending champion, with Mongolia second and Japan third at the 2013 Women’s World Cup, held in Ulan Battar, Mongolia. All three of these nations return to compete this year.
Also competing at the 2014 Women’s World Cup are the United States, Canada, Russia, Ukraine and Hungary.
The teams were selected based upon the team standings at the 2013 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, where Japan won the team title, with Mongolia in second and the United States in third.
Special thanks goes to Ikuo Higuchi of Japan, who provided the preliminary rosters for the eight nations. A review shows that there are numerous World and Olympic medalists in the field.
Returning World Cup champion China is led by 2013 World champions Sun Yanan (48 kg) and Zhang Fengliu (75 kg).
2013 World Cup runner-up Mongolia will be led by past World medalists Erdenechimeg Sumiya (53 kg), Battsetseg Soronzonbold (63 kg), Nasanburmaa Ochirbat (63 kg) and Burmaa Ochirbat (75 kg).
Host Japan brings a loaded lineup to the World Cup, led by a pair of three-time Olympic champions, Saori Yoshida (53 kg) and Kaori Icho (58 kg). Yoshida has also won 11 World titles, and Icho is an eight-time World champion. Other Japanese stars include five-time World champion Kyoko Hamaguchi (72 kg) and 2013 World champion Eri Tosaka.
The United States will feature 2012 World champions Elena Pirozhkova (63 kg) and Adeline Gray (75 kg), plus 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Randi Miller (69 or 75 kg). Past World medalists on the team are Alyssa Lampe (48 kg) and Helen Maroulis (53 kg).
Russia’s preliminary roster features 2012 Olympic champion Natalia Vorobieva at 69 kg, and 2013 World bronze medalist Valeria Chepsarakova at 48 kg and 2011 World silver medalist Ekaterina Bukina at 75 kg.
Canada’s stars include 2012 World champion Jessica MacDonald (48 kg), 2012 World silver medalist Dorothy Yates (69 kg) and World bronze medalist Justine Bouchard (63 kg).
Ukraine has a young lineup led by 2013 Junior World silver medalist Larisa Skoblyuk at 53 kg and World University Games silver medalist Iryna Husyak at 55 kg, plus Tatyana Lavrenchuk at 60 kg who was fifth at the World Championships two times.
Hungary boasts 2013 World champion Marianna Sastin (58 kg) and 2013 World bronze medalist Emese Barka (55 kg).
The field will be split into two pools, and the winners of each pool will compete for the team title. Each of these teams will get four high-quality dual meets.
The event is being held the exact same days at the Men’s Freestyle World Cup in Los Angeles, Calif. By the end of Sunday, FILA will have two new World dual meet champion teams – one in women’s freestyle determined in Tokyo and one in men’s freestyle set in LA.
Preliminary Team rosters
(bio info from Ikuo Higuchi/Japan Wrestling Federation)
China
48kg Sun Yanan =1992-09-15 / 2013 World Championships champion at 51kg
53kg Zhong Xuechun =1994-01-18 / Competed in 2013 World Championships at 55kg
55kg Guan Yajing =1993-01-06 / Third in 2013 Dave Schultz Memorial International at 55kg
58kg Zhou Zhangtingi =1990-02-11 / 5th in 2013 World Championships at 67kg
60kg Han Yingyan =1988-5-10 /
63kg Xiluo Zhuoma =1989-01-01 / 2013 Asian Championships champion
69kg Zhou Feng =1993-09-12 / 2012 World junior Championships champion at 72kg
75kg Zhang Fengliu =1989-01-01 / 2013 World Championships champion at 72kg
Mongolia
48kg Erdenesukh Narangerel =1990-11-25 / 5th in 2012 Asian Championships at 48kg
53kg Erdenechimeg Sumiya =1990-02-28 / Second in 2013 World Championships at 51kg
55kg Byambatseren Sundev =1990-03-24 / Competed in 2012 Londo Olympics at 55kg
58kg Sukhee Tserenchimegd =1995-02-24 / 2013 World junior Championships champion at 59kg
60kg Munkhtuya Tungalag =1988-08-29 / Third in 2013 World Championships at 59kg
63kg Nasanburmaa Ochirbat =1989-04-14 / Third in 2013 World Championships at 67kg
69kg Badrakh Odonchimeg =1981-10-12 / Third in 2013 Asian Championships at 72kg
75kg Burmaa Ochirbat =1982-05-28 / Third in 2013 World Championships at 72kg
USA
48kg Alyssa Lampe =1988-10-03 / Third in 2013 World Championships at 48kg
48kg Victoria Anthony =1991-06-24 / 5th in 2013 World Championships at 51kg
53kg Helen Maroulis =1991-09-19 / 7th in 2013 World Championships at 55kg
55kg Kelsey Campbell = 1985-06-05/ 5th in 2010 World Championships at 59 kg
58kg Alli Ragan =1992-06-16 / 9th in 2013 World Championships at 59kg
60kg Jennifer Page =1993-03-14 / Third in 2013 World junior Championships at 63kg
63kg Elena Pirozhkova =1986-10-13 / Third in 2013 World Championships at 63kg
69kg Veronica Carlson =1990-10-12 / Competed in 2013 World Championships at 67kg
75kg Adeline Gray =1991-01-15 / Third in 2013 World Championships at 72kg
69kg or 75kg Randi Miller =1983-11-03 / 2014 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion at 69kg
Canada
48kg Jessica Macdonald =1984-12-07 / 2012 World Championships at 51kg champion
48kg Natasha Kramble =1990-03-27 / Competed in 2013 World Championships at 48kg
53kg Vanessa Brown =1986-08-08 / 2013 New York Athletic Club International champion at 51kg
55kg Jillian Gallays =1986-10-20 / 5th in 2014 Klippan Lady Open at 55kg
58kg Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos =1995-06-23 / Third in 2014 Klippan Lady Open at 58kg
60kg Michelle Fazzari =1987or1988(?) / Second in 2014 Klippan Lady Open at 60kg
63kg Danielle Lappage =1990-09-24 / 2010 World junior Championships champion at 63kg
69kg Dorothy Yeats =1993-07-29 / Second in 2012 World Championships at 67kg
75kg Erica Wiebe =1989-06-13 / 2014 Klippan Lady Open champion at 75kg
Russia
48kg Valeria Chepsarakova =1989-01-31 / Third in 2013 World University Games at 48kg
48kg Elena Vostrikova =1989-12-02 / 10th in 2013 World Championships at 48kg
48kg Nadeshda Fedorova =1992-02-21 / Second in 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix at 48kg
53kg Maria Gurova =1989-04-16 / 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion at 53kg
53kg Natalya Malysheva =1994-01-02 / Third in 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix at 53kg
55kg Irina Ologonova =1990-01-21 / Third in 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix at 55kg
58kg Zhargalma Tsyrenova =1989-06-09 / Second in 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix at 60kg
60kg Svetlana Lipatova =1993-02-19 / 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion at 60kg
63kg Inna Trazhukova =1990-09-11 / Third in 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix at 63kg
69kg Natalya Vorobieva =1991-05-27 / 2012 London Olympics champion at 72kg
75kg Ekaterina Bukina =1987-05-05 / 2013 World University Games champion at 72kg
75kg Alena Starodubtseva =1985-03-14 / Third in 2012 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix at 72kg
Ukraine
48kg Ilona Semkiv =1994-09-21 / 2013 European junior Championships champion at 48kg
53kg Larisa Skoblyuk =1993-03-02 / Second in 2013 World junior Championships at 55kg
55kg Iryna Husyak =1990-04-30 / Second in 2013 World University Games at 55kg
55kg Tetiana Kit =1994-09-01 / 5th in 2012 World junior Championships at 55kg
58kg Tetiana Omelchenko =1994-04-23 / 2014 Paris Grand Prix champion at 60kg
60kg Tetyana Lavrenchuk =1993-03-03 / 5th in 2013 World Championships at 59kg
63kg Karyna Stankova =1994-03-19 / 8th in 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix at 63kg8位
69kg Oksana Vashchuk =1989-03-11 / 9th in 2012 World Championships at 72kg
75kg Kateryna Sassa =1990-10-19 /8th in 2013 Ukriine International at 72kg
Hungary
48kg Mercedesz Denes =1994-03-14 / Third in 2013 World junior Championships at 48kg
53kg Zsanett Egyed =1996(?) 8th in 2014 Paris Grand Prix53kg
55kg Emese Barka =1989-11-04 / Third in 2013 World Championships at 55kg
58kg Marianna Sastin =1983-07-10 / 2013 World Championships champion at 59kg
60kg Ramona Galambos =2013 World Cadet Championships champion at 60kg
63kg Gabriella Sleisz =1990-08-01 / 8th in 2013 World University Games at 63kg
69kg Vivien Szaraz =1996(?) 5th in 2013 World Cadet Championships at 70kg
75kg Zsanett Nemeth =1994-01-21 / Competed in 2013 World Championships at 72kg
Japan
48kg Eri Tosaka =1993-08-30 2013 / World Championships champion at 48kg
48kg Yuki Irie =1992-09-17 / 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion at 48kg
53kg Saori Yoshida =1982-10-05 / 2013 World Championships champion at 55kg (Three times Olympic champion)
53kg Nanami Irie =1995-01-08 / 2012 World Cadet Championships champion at 49kg
55kg Chiho Hamada =1992-11-17 / 2012 World Junior Championships champion at 59kg
55kg Kanako Murata =1993-08-10 / 2013 Golden Grand Prix champion at 55kg
58kg Kaori Icho =1984-06-13 / 2013 World Championships champion at 63kg (Three times Olympic champion)
58kg Risako Kawai =1994-11-21 / 2012 World Junior Championships champion at 55kg
60kg Katsuki Sakagami =1992-11-07 / Third in 2013 Golden Grand Prix champion at 59kg
60kg Haruka Sato =1992-05-02 / 2012 Hari Ram Grand Prix champion at 63kg
63kg Rio Watari =1991-09-19 / Third in 2013 Golden Grand Prix at 63kg
63kg Yurika Ito =1991-03-25 / 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion at 63kg
69kg Sara Dosho =1994-10-17 / Third in 2013 World Championships at 67kg
69kg Kayoko Kudo =1988-01-14 / Fifth in 2012 World Championships at 63kg
72kg Kyoko Hamaguchi =1978-01-11 / Competed in 2012 London Olympics at 72kg (Five times world champion)
72kg Mami Shinkai =1985-06-07 / Third in 2012 Asian Championships at 72kg