USA Deaf Women's Wrestling Make History at the 2023 World Deaf Wrestling Championships

Mary Rose Weber (front, left) and Fatou 'Francis' Sankanu pose with USADW Coaches at the 2023 World Deaf Wrestling Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Photo courtesy USADW).

BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN — At the 2023 World Deaf Wrestling Championships, Mary Rose Weber and Fatou ‘Francis’ Sankanu became the first women to participate in an ICSD-sanctioned wrestling event.

This year was supposed to be the first time that Deaf women competed at the World Deaf Wrestling Championships. Unfortunately, the women’s tournament was canceled shortly before the event. Determined to attend the event and represent women wrestlers everywhere, Weber and Sankanu took an important stand for gender equality.

Weber was named flag bearer of the United States delegation and the athletes were able to officially weigh in, step on a mat with a UWW official and have their attendance recognized as the first women to participate in an ICSD-sanctioned wrestling event.

It is anticipated that the 2025 Summer Deaflympics in Tokyo will feature a Women’s Wrestling tournament.