Kazakh wrestler Gyuzel Manyurova won gold at the Asian Wrestling Championships held in Astana from April 23-27. The victory is her fourth top finish in five years.
Competing in the 75 kilogramme weight category, Manyurova, who is also the head coach of the women’s wrestling team, defeated Gulmira Ismatova of Uzbekistan and the Dalit wrestler Jyoti from India to reach the final round. In a closely fought final match, Manyurova beat Zhou Feng of China, 7-6.
This is Manyurova’s fourth gold medal in the Asian Championships; she also won in 2010, 2011 and 2012. She won the bronze medal for Kazakhstan in the 72 kilogramme weight class at the London Olympics in 2012 and took silver at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, then competing for Russia.
The Kazakh women’s team of eight wrestlers won two gold and three bronze medals at this year’s Asian Wrestling Championships. Tatyana Amanzhol took home gold on the first day in the 48 kilogramme category, and Yekaterina Larionova (63 kilogramme), Aiym Abdildina (55 kilogramme) and Elmira Syzdykova (69 kilogramme) won bronze on the second day of competition.
The Japanese women’s team was the overall winner of the competition, with three gold medals and 66 points. China and Kazakhstan followed with two gold medals each. Kazakhstan’s women came in fourth in points, with 54 overall.
The combined men’s and women’s teams won a total of 14 medals at the championships, more than any other team.
The men’s Asian Wrestling Championships have been held since 1979; women have participated since 1996. Athletes from 19 countries across the Asian continent participated in this year’s event.
