CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (June 21) - Three new names top the rankings at their respective weights in FILA's latest, expanded world rankings for women's freestyle wrestling.

Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS) tops the ranks at 48kg, Tatyana AMANZHOL-BAKATYUK (KAZ) at 51kg and former world champion Yulia RATKEVICH claims the top spot at 59kg.

Meanwhile, three London 2012 gold medalists -- Saori YOSHIDA (JPN), Kaori ICHO (JPN) and Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) -- remain unchallenged, thus far, at 55kg, 63kg and 72kg.

The other wrestler to hold onto her No.1 position is Asia champion Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL), who won the Mongolian Open at 67kg.

VOSTRIKOVA defeated previously top-ranked Valeria CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS) in the final of the Grand Prix of Germany for the No.1 position at 48kg.

AMANZHOL-BAKATYUK (KAZ) gained the top spot at 51kg with a win at the Golden Grand Prix event in Italy after former No.1 Jessica MacDONALD (CAN) lost Germany two weeks earlier.

At 59kg, two of the top wrestlers at this weight -- Olympic bronze medalist RATKEVICH (AZE) and 2011 world silver medalist Marianna SASTIN (HUN) -- took over the top two spots with wins in Austria and Italy.

Former No.1 ZHANG Lan (CHN), who has not competed since winning the world title last September, slipped to No.4.

The wrestlers are listed by name, country code, result and last month's ranking. "NR" means "not ranked". 

48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS) defeated European champion Valeria CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS) 2-1 (0-1, 1-0, 4-0) to claim the Grand Prix of Germany crown and leapfrog over CHEPSARAKOVA and Alyssa LAMPE (USA) for the top spot.

Former junior world champ Victoria ANTHONY (USA) broke into the rankings with a win at the Austrian Ladies Open while Anna IWAMURE (JPN) added the Mongolian Open title to her victory at last September's Golden Grand Prix Final in Baku to take the No.12 spot.

1. Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS) - German GP No.1 (Previous No.3)
2. Valeria CHEPSARAKOVA (RUS) - Europe No.1 (2)
3. Alyssa LAMPE (USA) - International Ukrainian No.1 (2) 
4. Yana STADNIK (GBR) - Italian GGP No.1 (4)
5. PAK Yong-Mi (PRK) - Asia No.1 (5)
6. SUN Yanan (CHN) - World Cup No.1 (not ranked)
7. VU Thi Hang (VIE) - Asia No.2 (6)
8. Patimat BAGOMEDOVA (AZE) - Europe No. 3 (7)
9. Mikhniso NURMATOVA (KGZ) - Asia No. 3 (8)
10. Victoria ANTHONY (USA) - Austrian Open No.1 (nr)
11. Jacquelin SCHELLIN (GER) - German GP No.3 (nr)
12. Anna IWAMURE (JPN) - Mongolian Open No.1 (nr)
13. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) - 2012 World No.1 (10)
14. Enkhjargal TSOGTBAZAR (MGL) - Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
15. Narangerel ERDENESUKH (MGL) - Mongolian Open No.2 (nr)

51 kg/112.15 lbs. - Kristina YALOVENKO (KAZ), only 11th in last fall's junior world championships, upset top-ranked Jessica MacDONALD (CAN) 2-0 (5-1, 5-4) in the final of the German Grand Prix for her second tournament  triumph in Europe this spring.

YALOVENKO's win in Dormagen helped Kazakh teammate and Asia champion Tatyana AMANZHOL-BAKATYUK (KAZ) take over the No.1 spot with a win at the Golden Grand Prix event in Sassari, Italy.

1. Tatyana AMANZHOL-BAKATYUK (KAZ) - Italian GGP No.1 (2)
2. Jessica MacDONALD (CAN) - German GP No.2 (1)
3. Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) - Klippan No. 1 (3)
4. Kristina YALOVENKO (KAZ) - German GP No.1 (nr)
5. Ekaterina KRASNOVA (RUS) - Europe No.3 (4)
6. Roksana ZASINA (POL) - Europe No.1 (5)
7. LIU Haiping (CHN) - Asia No.2 (6)
8. SO Sim-Hyang (PRK) - Asia No.3 (7)
9. Estera DOBRE (ROU) - Europe No.2 (8)
10. Yulia BLAHINYA (UKR) - Europe No.3 (9)
11. Whitney CONDER (USA) - Austrian Open No. 1 (NR)
12. Burcu KEBIC (TUR) - German GP No.3 (nr)
13. Isabelle SAMBOU (SEN) - Africa No.1 (10)
14. Angela DOROGAN (UKR) - Alexander Medved Prizes No.1 (nr)
15. Davaanchimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) - Mongolian Open No.2 (nr)

55 kg/121 lbs. - Pan American champion Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) won the Austrian Ladies Open and European bronze medalist Emese BARKA (HUN) took the Golden Grand Prix title in Sassari to move into the rankings at No.7 and No.8, respectively.

European bronze medalist Irina HUSYAK (UKR) got a boost from her win by fall over German Grand Prix winner Jillian GALLAYS (CAN) at Niagra Falls to earn the No. 10 spot in the expanded rankings.

1. Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) - OG 3x No.1, World 10x No.1 (1)
2. Helen MAROULIS (USA) - Int'l Ukrainian No.1 (2)
3. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) - Europe No.1 (3)
4. YANG Senlian (CHN) -Asia No.1 (4)
5. Kanako MURATA (JPN) - Asia No.2 (5)
6. Nadesda TRETYAKOVA (RUS) - Yarygin GP No.1 (6)
7. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) - Austrian Open No.1 (nr)
8. Emese BARKA (HUN) - Italian GGP No.1 (nr)
9. Byambatseren SUNDEV (MGL) - Yarygin GP No.2 (7)
10. Irina HUSYAK (UKR) - Medved Prizes No.1 (nr)
11. Tatyana OMELCHENKO (UKR) - Int'l Ukrainian No.2 (8)
12. HAN Kum-Ok (PRK) - Asia No.3 (9)
13. Marie PREVOLARAKI (GRE) - Europe No. 2 (10)
14. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) - Mongolian Open No.1 (nr)
15. Marwa AMRI (TUN) - Africa No.1 (nr)

59 kg/130 lbs. - London 2012 bronze medalist Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) took the Austrian Ladies Open and two-time former world silver medalist Marianna SASTIN (HUN) won the Golden Grand Prix in Italy to vault to the top of the rankings.

RATKEVICH and SASTIN are both wrestlers who are best at the non-Olympic weight category of 59kg, but RATKEVICH qualified for London at 55kg while SASTIN moved up to 63kg where she finished 11th.

European champion Anastassia HUCHOK (BLR), who won the continental crown at 59kg and who was third in last month's rankings, appears to be competing at 63kg now and is ranked sixth at the heavier weight.

1. Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) - Austrian Open No.1 (nr)
2. Marianna SASTIN (HUN) - Italian GGP No.1 (nr)
3. Zhargalma TSYRENOVA (RUS) - Europe No. 2 (2)
4. ZHANG Lan (CHN) - 2012 World No.1 (1)
5. Anna POLOVNEVA (RUS) - Int'l Ukrainian No.1 (4)
6. Tungalag MUNKHTUYA (MGL) - Mongolian Open No.1 (5) 
7. Chihiro KUMABE (JPN) - Asia No.1 (6)
8. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN) - Austrian Open No.2 (8)
9. Irina NETREBA (AZE) - Austrian Open No.3 (nr)
10. Petra OLLI (FIN) - Klippan Ladies No.1 (nr)
11. Tatyana LAVRENCHUK (UKR) - Europe No.3 (nr)
12. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) - Asia No.3 (7)
13. Joice SOUZA DE SILVA (BRA) - Pan America No.2 (nr)
14. Hela RIABI (TUN) - Africa No.1 (9)
10. Yaqueline ESTORNELL ELSTIQUE (CUB) - Pan America No.1 (10)

63 kg/138.75 lbs. - The top five at 63kg remain unchanged while Anastassia HUCHOK (BLR) moves up a weight category from 59kg and is ranked sixth after finishing second in the Grand Prix of Germany.

Hanna BELYAEVA (AZE) won her first international title since 2010 at the Austrian Open to grab No.8 while London Olympians ElifJale YESILIRMAK (TUR) and Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) join the expanded ranks after wins in Dormagan and Sassari.

1. Kaori ICHO (JPN) - OG 3x No.1, World 7x No.1 (1)
2. Elena PIROZHKOVA (USA) - 2012 World No.1 (2)
3. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) - Europe No.1 (3)
4. XILUO Zhuoma (CHN) - Asia No.1 (4) 
5. Battsetseg SORONZOBOLD (MGL) - Mongolian Open No.1 (5)
6. Anastassia HUCHOK (BLR) - German GP No.2 (3/59)
7. Justine BOUCHARD (CAN) - German GP No.3 (6)
8. Hanna BELYAEVA (AZE) - Austrian Open No.1 (nr)
9. Monika MICHALIK (POL) - Europe No.2 (7)
10. Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) - Klippan No.1 (nr)
11. ElifJale YESILIRMAK (TUR) - German GP No.1 (nr)
12. Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) - Italian GGP No.1 (nr)
13. Katherine VIDIAUX LOPEZ (CUB) - Pan America No.2 (8)
14. Jackeline RENTARIA CASTILLO (COL) - Italian GGP No.2 (9)
15. Yurika ITO (JPN) - Asia No.2 (10)

67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Asia champion Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) won the Mongolian Open to tighten her grip on the top spot at 67kg while Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) won the Golden Grand Prix in Sassari to edge ahead of European champion Alina STADNIK-MAKHINYA (UKR) at No.2.

Medved Prizes winner Natalya PALAMARCHUK (AZE) added the Austrian Open crown to her list of accomplishments to climb into sixth place in the rankings, setting aside her 10th place finish in the European championships.

1. Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) - Mongolian Open No.1 (1)
2. Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) - Italian GGP No.1 (3)
3. Alina STADNIK-MAKHINYA (UKR) - Europe No.1 (2)
4. Yulia BARTNOVSKAYA (RUS) - German GP No.3 (4)
5. Svetlana BABUSHKINA (RUS) - German GP No.2 (5)
6. Natalya PALAMARCHUK (AZE) - Austrian Open No.1 (nr)
7. Stacie ANAKA (CAN) - German GP No.1 (10)
8. Julia SALATA (USA) - Austrian Open No.2 (nr)
9. Martina KUENZ (AUT) - Austrian Open No.3 (nr)
10. Dorothy YEATS (CAN) - 2012 World No.2 (6)
11. Yoshiko INOUE (JPN) - Yarygin GP No.2 (7)
12. Veronica CARLSON (USA) - Int'l Ukrainian No.3 (8)
13. Aline FOCKEN (GER) - Europe No.3 (9)
14. JING Ruixue (CHN) - Asia No.3 (nr)
15. Daria OSOCKA (POL) - Int'l Ukrainian No.2 (nr)

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - World bronze medalist Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) ended a run of five straight events at No.3 with a win at the Grand Prix of Germany to move into second place in the rankings behind Olympic Games gold medalist Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS).

Reigning world champion Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) won her fourth straight event since finishing ninth in London and bounded from No. 9 to third place in the rankings.

1. Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) - Europe No.1 (1)
2. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) - German GP No.1 (3)
3. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) - Italian GGP No.1 (9)
4. Maider UNDA (ESP) - Europe No.2 (2)
5. Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) - Asia No. 1 (4)
6. Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL), Mongolian Open No.1 (6)
7. Katerina BURMISTROVA (UKR) - Int'l Ukrainian No.1 (5)
8. Marina GASTL (AUT) - Austrian Open No.1 (nr)
9. Agnieszka WIESZCZEK-KORDUS (POL) - Int'l Ukrainian No.2 (nr)
10. ZHANG Fengliu (CHN) - Dave Schultz No.1 (7)
11. Adeline GRAY (USA) - Dave Schultz No.2 (8)
12. Svetlana SAENKO (MDA) - German GP No.2 (nr)
13. Lisset HECHEVARRIA MEDINA (CUB) - Pan America No.1 (10)
14. Leah CALLAHAN (CAN) - German GP No.3 (nr)
15. Odonchimeg BADRAKH (MGL) - Mongolian Open No.2 (nr)

William May has been active in wrestling across three continents for more than 40 years as a competitor, coach, referee and journalist., William worked as the "Sports Information Specialist" for wrestling at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games.  He can be reached on his Facebook page or by email, wmay52@hotmail.com.

About FILA
FILA, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, is the global governing body of the sport of wrestling. It works to promote the sport and facilitate the activities of its 177 national federations from around the world. It is based in Vevey, Switzerland. 

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