Iryna Merleni

Iryna Merleni (2014)

Iryna Oleksijiwna Merleni-Mikultschin , born as Iryna Melnik , ( Ukrainian Ірина Олексіївна Мерлені ; born February 8, 1982 in Kamjanez-Podilskyj ) is a Ukrainian wrestler . The only 1.50 m tall athlete was the first female wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal.

Merleni was already the best wrestler in her age group as a teenager, at the age of 18 she won her first world champion title in the adult class. In 2001 she lost in the final of the European Championship against Inga Karamtschakowa and was only fifth at the Junior World Championship. After that, until 2005 she won every major tournament she competed in. After three world titles and one European title, the final of the 2004 Olympic Games was the highlight of her career. She won against the Japanese Chiharu Icho after a referee decision.

successes

1998

• 1st World Cadet Championship in Manchester (-46 kg)

1999

• 2nd European Junior Women Championships in Budapest (-46 kg)
• 1st World Championships Juniors in Bucharest (-46 kg)

2000

• 1st European Junior Women Championships in Sofia (-46 kg)
• 3rd World Championships Juniors in Nantes (-46 kg)
• 1st World Championship in Sofia (-46 kg)

2001

• 2nd European Championship in Budapest (-46 kg)
• 1st World Championship in Patras (-46 kg)

2003

• 1st World Championship in New York City (-48 kg)

2004

• 1st European Championship in Haparanda (-48 kg)
• 1st Olympic Games in Athens (-48 kg)

2005

• 1st European Championship in Varna (-51 kg)
• 1. Universiade in Izmir (-51 kg)
• 2nd World Championship in Budapest (-48 kg)

2007

• 2nd World Championship in Baku (-48 kg)

Web links

Commons : Iryna Merleni  - collection of images

• Profile of Iryna Merleni at the Institute for Applied Training Science
• Iryna Merleni in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )