Nwachukwu to go for women’s freestyle bronze at Muhamet Malo Ranking Event in Albania

TIRANA, Albania – Adaugo Nwachukwu of the USA will compete for a bronze medal at 62 kg in women’s freestyle at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Event on Friday.

Nwachukwu, a 2024 World Military champion and 2022 U20 World bronze medalist, will face Anne Neurenberger of Germany in a bronze medal match on Friday night. Neurenberger was fifth in the 2024 European Championships.

During Friday morning’s session, Nwachukwu lost in the quarterfinals to 2021 World champion and 2018 World silver medalist Bilyana Dudova of Bulgaria, 6-2. Nwachukwu hit a four-point double leg takedown in the first period to lead 4-2 at the break. Dudova scored two second-period takedowns, the final one with five seconds on the clock, to earn the victory.

When Dudova won her semifinals match, Nwachukwu was drawn into repechage against Nikolett Szabo of Hungary. Szabo was seventh in the 2024 European U23 Championships. Nwachukwu controlled Szabo, 8-1 in the repechage match. She scored two takedowns, a turn and a step out on the way to victory.

Two U.S. women’s freestyle wrestlers were eliminated during the Friday morning session, 2022 World Team member Abigail Nette (59 kg) and 2023 World bronze medalist Jennifer Page (62 kg).

Page won her first match in Group A, a 9-2 decision over two-time Pan American medalist Aleah Nickel of Canada. Page jumped to a 6-0 lead in the first period on a four-point throw, a shot clock point and a step out, then cruised to victory. However, she withdrew with an injury default in her second and third Group matches and did not advance to the semifinals.

Nette was defeated in her first Group B match by 2022 European bronze medalist Bediha Gun of Turkey, 9-6. Gun jumped to an 8-0 lead before Nette rallied with two takedowns and a turn late in the match. In her second match, Nette was defeated by two-time age-group World champion. Sakura Onishi of Japan, 12-1, and did not qualify for the semifinals.

The finals will be held at 6:00 p.m. local time, which is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone (finals at 12:00 noon ET).

There were two Greco-Roman weight classes held on Friday, 77 kg and 87 kg, but the USA has no entries in Greco-Roman in this event.

The Muhamet Malo Ranking Event is being broadcast live on FloWrestling.

Brackets are posted on UWW Arena

MUHAMET MALO RANKING SERIES EVENT

At Tirana, Albania, February 26-March 2

Women’s freestyle finals pairings

59 kg – Anastaslia Sidelnikova (UWW) vs. Sakura Onishi (Japan)

62 kg – Bilyana Dudova (Bulgaria) vs. Lili Lili (China)

65 kg – Irina Ringaci (Moldova) vs. Miwa Morikawa (Japan)

68 kg – Ami Ishii (Japan) vs. Zelu Li (China)

U.S. women’s freestyle performances

59 kg: Abigail Nette, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), eliminated

LOSS Bediha Gun (Turkey), 9-6

LOSS Sakura Onishi (Japan), tech fall 12-1

62 kg: Adaugo Nwachukwu, Fountain, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), in bronze-medal bout

LOSS Bilyana Dudova (Bulgaria), 6-4

WIN Nikolett Szabo (Hungary), 8-1

Bronze-medal bout: Vs. Anne Neurenberger (Germany)

65 kg: Jennifer Page, Bellefonte, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC), eliminated

WIN Aleah Nickel (Canada), 9-2

LOSS Iryna Koliadenko (Ukraine), inj. dft.

LOSS Albina Drazhi (Albania), inj. dft.

Greco-Roman finals pairings

77 kg – Yryskeldi Maksatbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Idris Ibaev (Germany)

87 kg – David Losonczi (Hungary) vs. Alireza Mohammadipiani (Iran)

Remaining Schedule (local time)

Tirana is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time

Friday, February 28

6:00 p.m. – Finals (WFS 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, GR 77 kg, 87 kg)

Saturday, March 1

11:00 a.m. – Preliminaries (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

2:30 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

3:30 p.m. – Repechage (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

Sunday, March 2

11:00 a.m. – Preliminaries (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

2:30 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

3:30 p.m. – Repechage (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)