India, Searching for First Women's World Champion, Gets Two Chances

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (October 27) -- India, searching for its first-ever world champion in Women's Wrestling, will get two chances to create history on Wednesday after NEELAM (IND) and KAJAL (IND) reached the World Championships finals in Women's Wrestling at 50kg and 76kg, respectively in Astana on Tuesday.

U20 world champion Kajal, 18, defeated returning silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), mounting a comeback after being 7-1 down. Medet Kyzy hit a four-point headlock throw before two for exposure. India challenged the two but lost it to give one more point to the Kyrgyzstan wrestler.

But it was all Kajal in the second period as she scored takedowns against a tiring Medet Kyzy. She eventually beat her 10-7.

She will face European champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) for the gold medal after she blanked Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR), 11-0, in the other 76kg semifinals. After building a 6-0 lead, Alpyeyeva hit a double-leg attack to score four points and finish the bout 10-0. Turkiye challenged the call but four points were confirmed on the review and it lost the challenge, giving one more point to Alpyeyeva.

At 50kg, Neelam controlled her semifinal against Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ), winning 7-3. She got a double-leg attack and brought Bayanova down for two points which India challenged asking for four points. However, the challenge was lost and Bayanova got a point for that. Leading 2-1, Neelam hit a toss for four points to lead 6-1 before a stepout extended her lead to 7-1. Bayanova scored a takedown at the end but that was too little too late.

Neelam became just the second Indian woman to reach the World Championships final, five years after ANSHU (IND) did it in Oslo. Kajal became the third a little later at the Barys Arena.

But she has a huge task ahead of her in the final to win the gold medal. She will face four-time world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in the final as the Japanese returned to the World Championships final after three years.

Susaki defeated Ziqi FENG (CHN), 9-0, in the semifinals in typical Susaki fashion, working on single-leg takedown. She did not give Feng any chance during the bout, notching up her fourth win without giving a point in Astana.

Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) was the second Japanese wrestler to reach the final on Tuesday after beating Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ), 11-0, in a one-sided semifinal. But it was her win in the quarterfinals over defending world champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) that caused a bigger upset.

Nagamoto opened the match by taking the attack to Maroulis and tried to control but the American sneaked out, forcing Nagamoto to land outside the zone. A point was awarded to Maroulis but Japan challenged the call. The lost challenge added one more point to Maroulis' score and she tried holding the 2-0 lead till the end.

Nagamoto kept trying to find an opening and with a minute left in the match, cut the lead to 2-1 with a stepout. She then hit a double-leg attack, Maroulis went over her and tried to flee but Nagamoto got the takedown with 10 seconds left. The United States challenged late asking for a Maroulis point for unknown reasons but the challenge was lost, giving Nagamoto a 4-2 win.

"I am finally able to stand on a big stage like this, and to be able to get the experience of facing an Olympic champion is something I am thankful for and an honor," Nagamoto said. "Whether I won or lost, I thought to just give it everything I had. At the end, I was able to finish off my tackle and I think that was the biggest factor in my win."

Nagamoto will face recent Asian Games champion Kexin HONG (CHN) for the gold medal after the Chinese wrestler used her brutal gut-wrench to beat Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR), 10-0.

"She's a strong competitor. But I will go in without fear and give everything I have to the fight," she said. 

Former world champion and returning bronze medalist Irina RINGACI (MDA) returned to the final at 65kg after a victory via fall over Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL). She got Tuvshinjargal in double arm locks and held her on the mat to get the fall.

She will face returning silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (RUS) for the gold medal after the Russian pulled off a thrilling 8-4 win over Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR). 

RESULTS

50kg
SF 1: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Ziqi FENG (CHN), 9-0
SF 2: NEELAM (IND) df. Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ), 7-3

57kg
SF 1: Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) df. Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ), 11-0
SF 2: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR), 10-0

65kg
SF 1: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL), via fall
SF 2: Alina KASABIEVA (RUS) df. Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR), 8-4

76kg
SF 1: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df. Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR), 11-0
SF 2: KAJAL (IND) df. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), 10-7