You\u2019d have to go all the way back to 2012 to get to a World Championships where Japan didn\u2019t walk away with the team title in Women’s Wrestling and<\/p>\n\n\n\n
it will be looking to maintain that streak into 2026. Japan fly into Astana this weekend with a strong collection of gold-medal contenders, with Yui Susaki, Moe Kiyooka, Nonoka Ozaki and Ami Ishii all bidding to stand on the top of their respective podiums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The quartet gives Japan a formidable spine which will be needed given that the remainder of their squad is relatively inexperienced on the senior world stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Japan\u2019s top challenge will likely come in the form of the United States. 35-year-old Helen Maroulis, already a four-time world champion, remains one of the most experienced wrestlers in the field and will be looking to add another title to her collection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maroulis will be the lynchpin of a relatively young squad that includes Everest Leydecker, Morgan Turner, Cristelle Rodriguez and Kennedy Blades who in turn will be expected to form the core of American squads in the years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Point to Prove for Susaki<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Susaki will be one of the biggest attractions in Astana. A four-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic gold medallist, Brand Susaki is still rebuilding the bit of aura that was lost after the disappointment of Paris where she fell to a bronze-medal finish. Her return to international competition at the Asian Championships in April was emphatic: she won gold without conceding a point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Susaki won gold at the Asian Games with a similarly blemish free campaign. The challenge for the field in Astana would be to make Susaki work harder. Although neither the DPR Korea’s reigning world champion Won Myong-gyong of North Korea nor compatriot \u2013 Asian Games silver medallist — Kim Son-hyang are entered, Susaki will face a field that includes Oksana Livach of Ukraine, a two time European champion, and Paris bronze medalist Feng Ziqi of China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kiyooka in Competitive 53kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Recently crowned Asian Games champion Kiyooka heads into the World Championships as one of the top contenders. But 53kg could end up being be one of the more competitive categories. Zhang Jin who beat Kiyooka at the Asian Championships earlier this year will be bidding do a repeat and make up for her bronze finish at the Asian Games. Last year\u2019s silver medallist Lucia Yepez of Equador and European champion Mariia Yefremova of Ukraine also could make a deep run.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jonna Malmgren of Sweden, a two-time fifth-placer, will be hoping to win her long evasive World Championships medal for Sweden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh Leading 55kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh Kyong Ryong ,one of two North Korean wrestlers in the women\u2019s category, is unbeaten this season and will be looking to retain the title she won in Zagreb last year. Ekaterina Verbina of Russia, who lost to Kyong Ryong in last year’s final is the current world number 1 and will be looking to make amends after a disappointing 7th place finish at the European Championships this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n After exploits at the age-group World Championships, 19-year-old America Leydecker, will be looking to make a name for herself. Leydecker had an impressive year, winning the Zagreb Open, Pan American championships, U20 World Championships before taking bronze at the U23 World Championships a week ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maroulis vs Challengers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Maroulis remains the standout name at 57kg. The 35-year-old won her fourth world title in 2025, defeating Son Il Sim of North Korea in the final. Her longevity at the top of the sport is remarkable but she will be tested by a younger field headed by Hong Kexin of China. The 23-year-old is in red hot form, coming into the World Championships unbeaten across three separate tournaments including the Asian Championships and Asian Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sena Nagamoto of Japan will be eager to make her mark for Japan at her first World Championships, while Oleksandra Khomenets of Ukraine has the capacity to trouble the leading contenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n New Face at 59kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sakura Onishi of Japan isn\u2019t there to defend her title from 2025, which means Astana won\u2019t see any clear favourites in the weight category. Xie Mengyu of China is the reigning Asian champion at the weight but hasn\u2019t had the same success in her two other competitions this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Onishi\u2019s absence Japanese hopes will be carried by Natsuki Yamguchi of Japan who is coming off a bronze at the U23 World Championships. Amongst the contenders for the podium will be Mariia Vynnyk of Ukraine who added European gold to the world silver she had won at this weight last year. Manisha of India too will back her chances coming off two Ranking series wins this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ozaki vs Bullen Headlines 62kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nonoka Ozaki of Japan is among Japan\u2019s strongest medal prospects in Astana. She\u2019s won gold at the Asian Games, Asian Championships and Zagreb Open this year, dropping all of four points across all those tournaments. While Ozaki is the player to beat, looking to make things hard for her will be Grace Bullen of Norway and Amina Tandelova of Russia– gold and silver medalists at this year’s European Championships respectively. India’s Neha will also be looking to make her mark in a category with considerable depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stacked 65kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Contenders from Japan, the DPR Korea and the United States will all believe they have a chance to stand on the top of the podium in the 65kg class. Alina Kasabieva of Russia, ranked world number 1 will be looking to upgrade from the silver medal she won at Zagreb last year but will have to get through a tough field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nana Ikehata of Japan is coming off a silver at this year’s Asian Championships just as Mun Hyon Gyong of North Korea albeit at a lighter weight. Irina Ringaci of Moldova, bronze medal winner from 2025 and Solomiia Vynnyk of Ukraine, gold medallist at the Muhamet Malo ranking series will also be pushing for the podium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ishii Favourite at 68kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n World champion Ami Ishii of Japan arrives as one of the most compelling contenders in the women\u2019s competition. She won the 68kg title at the Asian Games, beating Pak Sol Gum of North Korea, 7-2, in the final, after a series of impressive performances against leading opposition. She also defeated Jia Long of China in the semifinals, pinning her after building a lead. Long will be among the wrestlers hoping to reverse that result in Astana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Blades, the returning bronze medalist from Zagreb, will be looking to improve on a relatively average season this year. Double Olympic medallist Meerim Zhumanazarova of Kyrgyzstan and Nesrin Bas of Turkey, silver medallist in the 72kg category at Zagreb last year, are other serious contenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hometown Hopes at 72kg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The hosts of the home nation of Kazakhstan will be carried by Zhamila Bakbergenova of Kazakhstan. But although the 30-year-old is a four time world medallist at this weight, her recent form has been less than encouraging. She took gold at the Muhamet Malo Ranking series at the start of the year but failed to medal at the Asian Championships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nadiia Sikilovska of Ukraine, gold medallist at this years European championships and Wiktoria Choluj of Poland, who took silver in the same competition are expected to push for a podium finish as is Li Zelu of China, bronze medalist from last year. Buse Tosun of Turkiye, a 2023 world champion at 68kg, can be a threat at 72kg as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Medet Kyzy Eyes Upgrade<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan will be one of the main attractions at 76kg. A world silver medallist and one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the category, she will be aiming to win the world title after losing to Genesis Reasco of Ecuador in the 2025 final.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reasco is not returning to defend her title, so the anticipated rematch will have to wait. Medet Kyzy will face competition from Milaimy Marin of Cuba, bronze winner at this weight both at last year’s World Championships as well as the Paris Olympics, European champion Anastasiya Alpyeyeva of Ukraine and Dymond Guilford of the USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recently crowned U20 world champion Kajal of India will be amongst India\u2019s best medal prospects in women\u2019s wrestling at Astana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You\u2019d have to go all the way back to 2012 to get to a World Championships where Japan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16896,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[91],"class_list":["post-16895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","tag-wrestling"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t