Ukraine's double European champion Tkach brought an end to the women's competition as she captured her first world crown just months after returning from maternity leave.

She scored a single-leg take down in the first period and then had to fight off her back in the final minute to preserve a 4-2 win over American Elena Pirozhkova, who was seeking a second gold medal to go with the one she claimed in 2012.

Tkach had returned to international competition with a bronze at the European Championships in April, with her previous best World Championship result a seventh in 2007.

"My baby helped me win," said the 63 kilogram category athlete.

"Not only do I try to win for my family, but after her birth [one year ago] I can sense more power and energy when I wrestle.

"I'm very happy also that my first medal at the World Championships was gold."

The final women's bronze medals were earned by Russian Valeria Lazinskaya and Latvian European champion Anastasija Grigorjeva.

In the team standing, Japan won the title with four champions, one runner-up and 55 points.

Russia was second with three runners-up, two bronze medal winners and 48 points, followed by the United States with 41 points.

Mélonin Noumonvi returned to form after five years of difficulties to secure gold in the 85kg Greco-Roman competition of the World Championships ©Getty Images



It was fifth year luckily for Armenian Julfalakyan in the Championship's opening Greco-Roman contest as he finally secured gold with victory over Croatia's Neven Žugaj in the men's 75kg contest.

Julfalakyan had won silver in 2010, and bronze in 2011 and 2013, as well as silver at the London 2012 Olympics, but went all the way in Uzbekistan to seal a 4-0 win over Žugaj.

In the bronze medal bouts, American Andrew Bisek and Azerbaijan's Elvin Mursaliyev secured the medals as they defeated Japan's Hiroyuki Shimizu and Georgia's Zurabi Datunashvili respectively.

Following five years of struggles, France's Noumonvi found the sort of form that won him silver at the 2009 World Championships in Herning, Denmark, to secure gold in Tashkent.

The 85kg competitor struck gold with a 3-0 victory against Azerbaijan's Saman Tahmasebi.

Bronze went to Ukraine's European champion Zhan Beleniuk and Hungary's Viktor Lőrincz, who had also picked up bronze one year ago in Budapest.

Action continues in Tashkent tomorrow with the Greco-Roman 66kg, 80kg, and 130kg competitions.

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