title: 1996 World Wrestling Championships
text: # 1996 World Wrestling Championships
  
  The 1996 World Wrestling Championships were held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
  
  ## Medal table
  
  | Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Japan | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
  | 2 | China | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
  | 3 | France | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
  | 4 | United States | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
  | 5 | Russia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
  | 6 | Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
  | 7 | Sweden | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
  | 8 | Austria | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
  | 8 | Bulgaria | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
  | 10 | Chinese Taipei | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
  | 10 | Germany | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
  | 10 | Norway | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
  | Totals (12 entries) | Totals (12 entries) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 |
  
  ## Team ranking
  
  | Rank | Women's freestyle | Women's freestyle |
  | - | - | - |
  | Rank | Team | Points |
  | 1 | Japan | 68 |
  | 2 | Russia | 60 |
  | 3 | United States | 48 |
  | 4 | France | 41 |
  | 5 | Canada | 39 |
  | 6 | China | 32 |
  | 7 | Bulgaria | 29 |
  | 8 | Chinese Taipei | 29 |
  | 9 | Germany | 25 |
  | 10 | Sweden | 23 |
  
  ## Medal summary
  
  ### Women's freestyle
  
  | Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 44 kg | Zhong Xiue China | Almuth Leitgeb Austria | Shoko Yoshimura Japan |
  | 47 kg | Tricia Saunders United States | Angélique Hidalgo France | Miho Adachi Japan |
  | 50 kg | Olga Smirnova Russia | Yoshiko Endo Japan | Ida Hellström Sweden |
  | 53 kg | Anna Gomis France | Jennifer Ryz Canada | Ryoko Sakae Japan |
  | 57 kg | Sara Eriksson Sweden | Jackie Berube United States | Lene Aanes Norway |
  | 61 kg | Mikiko Miyazaki Japan | Natalia Ivanova Russia | Stéphanie Groß Germany |
  | 65 kg | Yayoi Urano Japan | Doris Blind France | Elmira Kurbanova Russia |
  | 70 kg | Christine Nordhagen Canada | Galina Ivanova Bulgaria | Lise Golliot France |
  | 75 kg | Liu Dongfeng China | Kristie Stenglein United States | Sha Ling-li Chinese Taipei |
  
  ## Participating nations
  
  105 competitors from 20 nations participated.
  
  * Australia (3)
  * Austria (3)
  * Azerbaijan (2)
  * Bulgaria (9)
  * Canada (9)
  * China (4)
  * Chinese Taipei (9)
  * Czech Republic (1)
  * Denmark (1)
  * France (7)
  * Germany (4)
  * Greece (2)
  * Italy (4)
  * Japan (9)
  * Norway (5)
  * Poland (6)
  * Russia (9)
  * Sweden (5)
  * Ukraine (5)
  * United States (8)
  