Las Vegas U23 Women’s Worlds: Historic Golds, Comebacks and Last-Second Drama
2026 U23 World Championships | Las Vegas, USA | October 14–16, 2026
Ukraine finished on top of the women's wrestling team standings at the 2026 U23 World Championships in Las Vegas, but the story of the three-day competition went well beyond the final rankings.
Iryna Bondar returned from a serious knee injury to claim another world title. Kylie Welker extended her remarkable U23 record with a third consecutive gold. Hungary celebrated its first women's U23 world champion, while a last-second takedown decided one of the tournament's closest finals.
There were dominant victories, narrow escapes, historic breakthroughs and several wrestlers who came within one match of a medal.
Ukraine collected three gold medals and finished with 143 team points, ahead of the United States (117) and Japan (108).
Here is how all ten weight classes unfolded.
50kg — Morikawa Wins Again, This Time at a New Weight
Japan's Haruna Morikawa arrived in Las Vegas as the defending U23 world champion at 53kg. Moving down to 50kg did not prevent her from claiming another title.
Morikawa defeated Ukraine's Aida Kerymova 3–0 in the final, keeping her opponent off the scoreboard throughout the six-minute contest. Kerymova had earned her place in the final after a competitive 10–6 semifinal victory over American Morgan Turner. Morikawa, however, proved difficult to break down in the championship match.
The result gave Japan its gold medal of the women's competition and extended Morikawa's success across two different weight categories. Turner returned from her semifinal defeat to claim bronze for the United States, defeating Romania's Ana Rotaru.
Gold: Haruna Morikawa (JPN) defeated Aida Kerymova (UKR), 3–0.
Bronze medals:
Morgan Turner (USA) defeated Ana Rotaru (ROU), 6–2.
Xinyu Liu (CHN) defeated Milena Davitadze (RUS), 4–0.
53kg — Rodriguez-Dobler Needs Less Than a Minute
The 53kg final was over almost as quickly as it began.
American Cristelle Rodriguez-Dobler, the 2024 U20 world champion, needed just 55 seconds to defeat Türkiye's Sevval Cayir.
Rodriguez-Dobler established a strong underhook, used it to execute a four-point throw and immediately controlled the position for the fall. The victory added a U23 world title to her growing international résumé, just days before her scheduled appearance at the senior World Championships.
Earlier, Rodriguez-Dobler had reached the final with a narrow semifinal victory over Ukraine's Anastasiia Polska. Cayir advanced after pinning Spain's Carla Jaume Soler.
The bronze-medal matches also included Canada's Serena Di Benedetto, who had fought her way through repechage but was pinned by Jaume Soler.
Gold: Cristelle Rodriguez-Dobler (USA) defeated Sevval Cayir (TUR) by fall.
Bronze medals:
Anastasiia Polska (UKR) defeated Sweety (IND), 11–0.
Carla Jaume Soler (ESP) defeated Serena Di Benedetto (CAN) by fall.
55kg — Gerda Terek Makes History for Hungary
Photo: United World Wrestling (UWW) / via Hungarian Wrestling Federation.
Hungary's Gerda Terek produced one of the most memorable performances of the entire competition.
In a field featuring several established age-group medalists, Terek won three of her four matches by fall, including the gold-medal final against Japan's Yuna Sawatani. The final did not begin in Terek's favour. She was placed on the activity clock in the opening period, allowing Sawatani to carry a 1–0 lead into the break. But the match changed when Sawatani attacked with a sweep single in the second period. Terek caught the attack, locked up a cradle and eventually secured the fall after an extended struggle for control.
Her semifinal had been equally significant. Terek pinned American Everest Leydecker, the reigning U20 world champion, handing Leydecker her first international defeat. Terek had previously reached the U17 world final and collected U20 world bronze medals, but Las Vegas finally brought her a world title. She became Hungary's first U23 women's wrestling world champion.
Leydecker recovered to take bronze, while Kazakhstan's Shugyla Omirbek survived an 11–10 battle for the other bronze medal.
Gold: Gerda Terek (HUN) defeated Yuna Sawatani (JPN) by fall.
Bronze medals:
Shugyla Omirbek (KAZ) defeated Snizhana Onufriieva (UKR), 11–10.
Everest Leydecker (USA) defeated Ulmeken Esenbaeva (UZB), 11–0.
57kg — Dzemchanka Martynava Keeps Control
Belarusian Aryna Dzemchanka Martynava captured the 57kg world title with a 6–0 victory over Sweden's Tindra Dalmyr.
Dzemchanka Martynava had already demonstrated her strength in the semifinals, where she defeated Japan's Ichika Arai 7–0. Dalmyr earned her place in the final through a closely contested 3–1 semifinal victory over Mexico's Bertha Rojas. But in the championship match, Dzemchanka Martynava controlled the scoring and prevented Dalmyr from putting points on the board. Japan's Arai recovered from her semifinal loss with an 8–0 victory over Norway's Felicitas Domajeva, while Rojas secured bronze for Mexico after pinning Germany's Amory Andrich.
Gold: Aryna Dzemchanka Martynava (BLR) defeated Tindra Dalmyr (SWE), 6–0.
Bronze medals:
Ichika Arai (JPN) defeated Felicitas Domajeva (NOR), 8–0.
Bertha Rojas (MEX) defeated Amory Andrich (GER) by fall.
59kg — Filipovych Finds Two Points in the Final Seconds
Ukraine's Alina Filipovych delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the championships.
Facing Azerbaijan's Hiunai Hurbanova, Filipovych was involved in a close final that appeared to be slipping away in the closing seconds. Filipovych had led 2–1 before Hurbanova completed a takedown to move ahead. Ukraine challenged the scoring decision, but the review was unsuccessful, extending the Azerbaijani wrestler's advantage to 4–2. With only seconds remaining, Filipovych needed a two-point action.
She found it. A late leg attack produced the takedown that tied the match at 4–4. With the decisive scoring criteria now in her favour, Filipovych claimed the world title.
It was a difficult ending for Hurbanova, who had come within seconds of gold, and an important victory for a Ukrainian team that would eventually finish first overall.
Gold: Alina Filipovych (UKR) defeated Hiunai Hurbanova (AZE), 4–4 on criteria.
Bronze medals:
Natsuki Yamaguchi (JPN) defeated Camila Amarilla (ARG), 10–2.
Komal (IND) defeated Viktoriia Khusainova (KAZ), 7–2.
62kg — Bondar's Return Ends With Another World Title
A year away from international competition. Knee surgery. Rehabilitation. Then a return to the same championship where she had last competed.
For Ukraine's Iryna Bondar, Las Vegas marked a particularly meaningful comeback. Following her silver-medal finish against Olympic champion Sakura Motoki at the 2025 U23 World Championships, Bondar underwent surgery for an ACL injury and spent the following year recovering. Her return could hardly have been more emphatic.
In the 62kg final, Bondar defeated American Adaugo Nwachukwu 10–0 in just 45 seconds. After securing the opening takedown, Bondar immediately transitioned into par terre and completed four gut-wrench turns to finish the match by technical superiority. The victory gave her a third U23 world title, alongside two silver medals. With five medals in the competition's history, Bondar also became the first wrestler to reach that milestone at the U23 World Championships.
Nwachukwu, who had reached the final after three technical-superiority victories and a narrow semifinal win, took silver. Canada's Annika Fines also reached the bronze-medal round through repechage but lost to Hungary's Eniko Elekes.
Gold: Iryna Bondar (UKR) defeated Adaugo Nwachukwu (USA), 10–0.
Bronze medals:
Melanie Jimenez (MEX) defeated Yana Tretsiak (BLR), 3–0.
Eniko Elekes (HUN) defeated Annika Fines (CAN), 11–0.
65kg — Koshkina Survives a Late Scoring Challenge
Russia's Ekaterina Koshkina claimed the 65kg world title after one of the closest finals of the tournament.
Her opponent, China's Yuqi Rao, had reached the final with an impressive 11–0 semifinal victory over American Reese Larramendy. Koshkina had advanced after pinning Mongolia's Narkhajid Nyamsuren.
The final brought a much tougher test. Koshkina held a 6–3 advantage late in the second period when Rao launched a scoring attack that changed the match. The initial exchange left Koshkina ahead 8–5, but China challenged the scoring. Following the review, Rao received four points for the action, reducing Koshkina's lead to 8–7 with approximately 30 seconds remaining.
Rao now needed another point to turn the result in her favour. Koshkina managed the remaining time and protected her narrow advantage to secure the gold medal. The victory gave Russia its second women's wrestling title in Las Vegas.
Gold: Ekaterina Koshkina (RUS) defeated Yuqi Rao (CHN), 8–7.
Bronze medals:
Narkhajid Nyamsuren (MGL) defeated Haruka Kobaru (JPN), 5–1.
Reese Larramendy (USA) defeated Ayse Erkan (TUR), 10–4.
68kg — Shevchenko Delivers a Dominant Final
Russia's Alina Shevchenko left little room for doubt in the 68kg championship match. Facing Belarusian Kseniya Tsiarenia, Shevchenko won 11–0 by technical superiority to claim the world title.
In contrast to several finals that were decided by a single point or late exchange, the 68kg contest ended with a decisive scoring margin. The result added another gold medal to Russia's overall performance in women's wrestling.
Italy's Laura Godino defeated Hungary's Karolina Pok 6–1 for bronze, while Japan's Ray Hoshino pinned Venezuela's Gilbery Garcia in the other third-place match.
Gold: Alina Shevchenko (RUS) defeated Kseniya Tsiarenia (BLR), 11–0.
Bronze medals:
Laura Godino (ITA) defeated Karolina Pok (HUN), 6–1.
Ray Hoshino (JPN) defeated Gilbery Garcia (VEN) by fall.
72kg — Zablotska Seals Ukraine's Team Victory
Ukraine's Iryna Zablotska entered the 72kg final knowing that a gold medal would complete an excellent tournament for her country. Her opponent was India's Amruta Pujari, who had earned her place in the final by pinning China's Wenjin Qiu after a high-scoring semifinal.
Zablotska, meanwhile, had defeated Canada's Cassie Corbett 11–4 in the other semifinal. The Ukrainian carried that momentum into the championship match, pinning Pujari in 2:13 to win the world title. It was Ukraine's third gold medal of the women's competition and confirmed its place at the top of the team rankings.
The bronze-medal round brought another difficult result for Canada. Corbett lost 12–2 to Mongolia's Odgerel Erdene Ochir, while China's Qiu secured the second bronze after pinning Kazakhstan's Zhibekzhan Sabyrzhanova.
Gold: Iryna Zablotska (UKR) defeated Amruta Pujari (IND) by fall.
Bronze medals:
Wenjin Qiu (CHN) defeated Zhibekzhan Sabyrzhanova (KAZ) by fall.
Odgerel Erdene Ochir (MGL) defeated Cassie Corbett (CAN), 12–2.
76kg — Three Straight for Kylie Welker
American Kylie Welker has turned the U23 World Championships into familiar territory.
Arriving in Las Vegas as the two-time defending champion, Welker added a third consecutive title with a commanding performance at 76kg.
Her final against Serbia's Evelin Ujhelji lasted less than a minute.
Welker scored an early takedown, transitioned directly into a leg lace and completed four turns to secure a 10–0 technical-superiority victory.
It was a fitting conclusion to a tournament in which the American did not concede a single technical point.
Across four matches, Welker outscored her opponents 38–0, winning three bouts by technical superiority and one by fall.
She became the first American wrestler to win three U23 world titles and the first women's freestyle wrestler to claim three consecutive titles at this level.
Türkiye's Elmira Yasin and Ukraine's Nadiia Sokolovska completed the podium with bronze-medal victories.
Gold: Kylie Welker (USA) defeated Evelin Ujhelji (SRB), 10–0.
Bronze medals:
Elmira Yasin (TUR) defeated Mariia Silina (RUS), 5–1.
Nadiia Sokolovska (UKR) defeated Diksha Malik (IND) by fall.
Final Team Standings — Ukraine Takes the Title
RankCountryPoints1Ukraine1432United States1173Japan1084Russia785China726Türkiye677India638Belarus599Hungary5410Kazakhstan51
Ukraine finished with three gold medals through Alina Filipovych (59kg), Iryna Bondar (62kg) and Iryna Zablotska (72kg). The team also collected silver at 50kg and bronze medals at 53kg and 76kg.
The United States finished second with six medals, including gold for Cristelle Rodriguez-Dobler (53kg) and Kylie Welker (76kg).
Japan placed third, led by Haruna Morikawa's title at 50kg and a series of silver- and bronze-medal finishes.
Canada — Three Chances at Bronze
Canada did not leave the women's competition with a medal, but three wrestlers finished fifth after reaching bronze-medal matches.
At 53kg, Serena Di Benedetto made the most of her second chance through repechage.
In a difficult match against Mexico's Sofia Ocegueda Gonzalez, Di Benedetto continued wrestling despite repeated bleeding from her eyebrow, eventually securing a 6–3 victory.
Her run ended in the bronze-medal match against Spain's Carla Jaume Soler, who won by fall.
At 62kg, Annika Fines also advanced through repechage before facing Hungary's Eniko Elekes for bronze. Elekes won 11–0.
At 72kg, Cassie Corbett reached the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Iryna Zablotska. Corbett then fell 12–2 to Mongolia's Odgerel Erdene Ochir in her bronze-medal match.
The three fifth-place finishes reflected a Canadian team that repeatedly came within one victory of the podium.
Beyond the Results — What Stood Out in Las Vegas
The women's competition produced ten champions, but several of the most memorable performances carried significance beyond the gold medals themselves.
Bondar's return was a story of recovery as much as victory. After surgery and a year away from competition, she needed only 45 seconds in the final to reclaim the world title.
Welker offered a different form of excellence. Her third consecutive U23 gold was not decided by a close contest but by a sustained level of dominance throughout the tournament.
Terek's victory showed how quickly a defensive reaction can change a championship match. What began as Sawatani's attacking opportunity ended with the Hungarian controlling a cradle for the fall.
Filipovych demonstrated the importance of wrestling until the final seconds, turning an almost certain defeat into a world title.
And Koshkina's narrow victory at 65kg offered a reminder that a challenge can dramatically change a match even when the wrestlers themselves have already returned to the centre.
Together, these moments gave the women's competition in Las Vegas its identity.
Ukraine won the team championship, but the stories came from across the world — from familiar champions extending their records to new names making history.
Ten titles. Ten different paths to the podium.
The results tell us who won. The matches explain how they got there.