2016 Cadet Worlds Foreign Women’s Preview
Let's go over the best international competition.
38kg
Not surprisingly, 38kg is a very fickle weight. The girl who had the most dominant regular season in Maria Rassadina did not place at Russian nationals and therefore is not their entry, though the girl they have pre-registered was silver there. Either way, Viktoriia Aleksandrova will be the lightweight on what is a very tough Russian team which could challenge Japan for the team title. Like Russia, India is sending the girl who lost in the continental finals to her teammate. Simran won Asians over Manisha, but the latter gets the call for Cadet worlds.
There are only two continental champs in this field. Luisa Renata Ortega Martinez (MEX) won Pan Ams and Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla Mohamed (EGY) won each of the past two African championships. Representing Turkey is Zehra Demirhan, winner of the Mahmut Atalay, runner-up in Germany and bronze at this year’s Euros. Anastasiia Padoshyk (UKR) was the other Euro bronze. Japan does not have anyone registered at this weight.
40kg
The favorite here should be Maria Alexandra Cioclea (ROU), a very tough hand figther. She was bronze last year at this weight and looked very impressive in winning Euros in July. Cioclea has a physicality that many at this low weight have a difficult time handling, and after she beats you up will try to go reverse arm spin.
Neither the Pan Am nor the Asian champion will be in Tbilisi. Mansi (IND) was the silver medalist in Taichung. Jekaterina Jermalonoka (LAT) was 38kg Euro bronze a year ago and bronze this year. Not much can be taken from the continental championships or regular season tourneys at this weight.
43kg
The hammer entering Thursday is Daria Khvostova (RUS). She won the two toughest tourneys this year in the Klippan Open and Grand Prix of Germany, as well as Euros in Stockholm.
There are three returning world level medalists. Ankush (IND) was the silver at 38kg, Natassia Kurysht (BLR) was bronze at 40kg and Stefania Claudia Priceputu (ROU) won bronze at 43kg last year. Khvostova took out Priceputu at Euros and Ankush was fifth at Asians this year.
46kg
This weight was fascinating to follow through the season. Ekaterina Mikhailova (RUS) was a world champ last year at 40kg and is one of the top contenders. But she took a loss to Euro champ Jonna Malmgren (SWE) in the finals of the Grand Prix of Germany. Before that, both of them lost at the Klippan to athletes who are not registered, and Mikhailova came out on top in the bronze match.
The Japanese girl at this weight, Suzuna Yoshimura, was Asian champ last year down at 43kg. Lisa Ersel (GER) is another name to keep an eye on, she is a third year cadet with a lot of success already. She has been fifth at 43kg and bronze at 46kg at worlds, to go along with a fifth, a silver and a gold at Euros the past three years.
49kg
Mike Mal and I did a quick behind the dirt on Yui Susaki of Japan. She is the unquestioned star of these Cadet world championships, having two world golds to her name already. The unquestioned leader of a Japanese team looking to continue their run of dominance over women's wrestling.
52kg
We shouldn't be surprised that Susaki's workout partner is probably pretty good. Haruna Okuno has been at this weight for three years, winning a world bronze and continental gold, as well as a Klippan title this year.
56kg
This is a classic example of there being a great deal of mystery surrounding the power countries. Anastasia Sizenko (RUS) has only been to Germany, which she won. Japan is not sending either the girl who won the Asian championships or the one who won Klippan. Ukraine is not sending their athlete that won Euros. It is very difficult to predict who could show up and have the tournament of her life.
60kg
Rin Kondo should give Japan another titleist here. Her Klippan win over Maria Lachugina of Russia makes her the favorite in Tbilisi.
65kg
Velieva Khanum (RUS) is way ahead of the pack in this field. She was silver last year to Koumba Larroque, who just moved up to Juniors and won a world title. Khanum took the Klippan and German titles, so no one in the bracket should sneak up on her.
Miwa Morikawa (JPN) won Asians last year and is getting her first crack at worlds. Emese Elekes (HUN) scored points last year at 60kg and won the Flatz Open up at 70kg, before settling in to 65kg and winning Euros two months ago. Elekes lost to Khanum in Germany, while Morikawa lost to Khanum at the Klippan.
Elena Esposito (ITA) had a couple rough tournaments, including one down at 60kg in Germany, but rebounded to make the Euro finals at this weight. Tina (IND) wrestled up at 70kg last year for worlds and was an Asian bronze medalist this year.
70kg
The bookend weight brings back the 2015 world champ in Denise Stroem of Sweden. Stroem appears to be the strongest wrestler in the field, having also won Euros last year as well as the Grand Prix of Germany in May. She took a win over the eventual Euro champ Anastasiya Zimiankova (BLR) in Germany, and also beat her first round last year at words, so draw placement is expected to be a factor.
But she has traded matches this year with Evgeniia Zakharchenko of Russia, though it seems Svetlana Petrova will end up being the Russian representative. Petrova won Russian Nationals, but took a loss to Stroem in Germany. Petrova was also bronze at the Klippan Open, losing to the eventual champ from Japan. Yasuha Matsuyuki won a bronze medal at last year’s Asian championships.
Raquel Rama (ESP) was in last year’s Euro finals. Ewelina Weronika Ciunek (POL) has made the Euro finals each of the past two years at 65kg and 70kg.