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Wrestling Championships: Another gold for China

Source: CCTV.com
10-02-2006 09:35

The 27th World Wrestling Championships have wrapped up in Guangzhou, capital city of China's Guangdong province. In the last day of competitions, China won a gold and a silver.

In the women's 67-kilogram category, China's Jing Ruixue defeated Canadian Martine Dugrenier. Dugrenier scored one point first, however Jing Ruixue fought back to seal the victory, taking the country's gold medal's tally to two. China's Xu Haiyan was facing Japanese Kaori Icho in the women's 63 kilogram category, the Icho scored one point in each of the two periods to win the match. Meanwhile, Zlateva Stanka of Belarus thrashed Japan's Kyoko Hamaguchi to win the women's 73 kilogram category event.

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Canadian Women's Wrestling Team place 3rd at 2006 World Championships

Dugrenier and Belisle win silver medals

by: - Josip Mrkoci - Commonwealth wrestling News 10/2/06

The 2006 Senior World Wrestling Championships concluded in Guangzhou, China on Sunday, October 1, 2006 with Canada winning two silver medals and showing with three 5th placed finishes. Overall, CANADA placed 3rd as a team among 47 nations that took part at 2006 Women's World Wrestling Championships.

The Canadian women’s team had experience with three World Medallists from 2005 leading the team to China. Tonya Verbeek (55kg) lost a close match to Ida-Theres Karlsson of Sweden and was eliminated when Karlsson lost to the eventual gold medallist, Yoshida of Japan. Carol Huynh (48kg) lost a bronze medal match to Francine de Paola of Italy and Ohenewa Akuffo (72kg) was bettered in her bronze medal match by Kristie Marano of the USA.

Martine Dugrenier (67kg) of Montreal equalled her silver medal performance of last year with wins over Voleriya Zlatova of the Ukraine, Eri Sakamoto of Japan and Diana Mudrag of Romania before losing the gold medal match to Rue Xui Jing of China.

Lyndsay Belisle (51kg) had her best World Championship performance getting to the gold medal match with wins over Tho-Kaew Sriprada of Thailand, A. Adashinskaya of Russia, Yeon Jin Park of Korea and Brigitte Wagner of Germany. She lost the gold medal match to Hitomi Sakamoto of Japan and had to settle for silver.

In 2005 Canada placed three women on the medal podium - 48 kg - Carol Huynh ( Bronze), 55 kg - Tonya Verbeek ( Bronze) and 67kg -Martine Dugrenier (Silver). The team placing was fourth overall.

Japan won the 2006 Women’s competition with six medallists in seven weight classes. The Canadian women’s team was third behind Japan and China. Lyndsay Belisle (51kg)

Canadian national women's coach Leigh Vierling of Calgary was pleased with his team's performance and the team placing. The team moved from 4th place in 2005 to 3rd place this year.

The fourth place went to Russia, fifth to Belarussia, sixth to Germany and 7th place to USA. India a Commonwealth nation placed 12th overall. Alka Tomar of India won a Bronze medal at 59kg weight class and is the first Indian woman wrestler to win medal at Senior World Champioships. At 55kg weight class India's Greeta placed 7th ahead of Canada's Tonya Verbeek ( 2004 Olympic Silver medalist ) who placed 11th.

Other Commonwealth nations that participated at the 2006 Women's World Wrestling Championships were, Great Britain, South Africa, Nigeria and New Zealand.