Iryna Oleksiyivna Merleni (Ukrainian: Ірина Олексіївна Мерлені), née Melnyk (Мельник), married name Mykulchyn (Микульчин) (born 8 February 1982) is a Ukrainian wrestler, who competed in the – 48 kg weight class at the 2004 Summer Olympics and claimed the gold medal. In the same event at the 2008 Summer Olympics, she won a bronze medal.[1] She is a three-time world champion, and has also won the European Championships once.

Iryna Merleni
Merleni in 2014
Personal information
Native nameІрина Олексіївна
Мельник / Мерлені / Микульчин
Full nameIryna Oleksiyivna
Melnyk / Merleni / Mykulchyn
Born (1982-02-08) 8 February 1982 (age 42)
Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Medal record
Women's freestyle wrestling
Representing  Ukraine
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens 48 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Beijing 48 kg
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sofia 46 kg
Gold medal – first place 2001 Sofia 46 kg
Gold medal – first place 2003 New York 48 kg
Silver medal – second place 2005 Budapest 48 kg
Silver medal – second place 2007 Baku 48 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2004 Haparanda 48 kg
Gold medal – first place 2005 Varna 51 kg
Silver medal – second place 2001 Budapest 46 kg
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 2005 İzmir 51 kg

Merleni was born in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast. In February 2006, she married Andriy Mykulchyn, with whom she has two sons – Artur and Adam. She was inducted into the Women's Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2023.[2]

Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine she fled to Haparanda, Sweden, where she now works at the local Systembolaget. In her spare time she acts as a wrestling coach for the club Haparanda SKT.

Championships and accomplishments

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References

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  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Iryna Merleni-Mykulchyn". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17.
  2. ^ "FIRST INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED FOR WOMEN'S WRESTLING HALL OF FAME | PWInsider.com". www.pwinsider.com. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  3. ^ Lee, Joseph (November 14, 2022). "First Ever Inductees For Women's Wrestling Hall of Fame Includes Madusa, Luna Vachon, More". 411Mania. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
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