#WrestleAlmaty

11 Reigning Champs Looking to Reclaim Asian Supremacy

Monday, April 12, 2021 - 14:52 By Eric Olanowski

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ALMATY, Kazakhstan (April 12) – Eleven gold medalists from last year’s Asian Championships return to the mat this week in Almaty with hopes of defending their New Delhi continental crowns from a year ago. Greco-Roman welcomes six returning champions, while a trio of women’s wrestlers and a pair of freestyle champs are searching for back-to-back podium-topping finishes.

Iran’s loaded Greco-Roman squad is highlighted by ’20 Asian champions Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI), Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) and Mahdi Asgar EBRAHIMI (IRI). They’ll wrestle at 55kg, 72kg and 82kg, respectively.

The other three returning Greco-Roman champs making the trip to Kazakhstan are Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB), Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ) and Kumar SUNIL (IND). Tasmuradov, a Rio Olympic bronze medalist, is not only looking to defend his '20 title, but he’s looking for a sixth overall Asian gold medal. He’ll wrestle at 63kg. Last year’s 77kg and 130kg champs, respectively, Shadukayev and Sunil, will compete at their title-winning weights from ’20.

Japan’s women’s team claimed five of the ten golds last year, but after contract tracing removed the defending team champions from the competition, women’s wrestling welcomes the trio of reigning champions Pinki PINKI (IND), Sarita SARITA (IND) and Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ).

Pinki is entered at 55kg. Her biggest threat to repeating is her ’20 finals opponent Dulguun MUNKHBOLD BOLORMAA (MGL). Sarita and Bakbergenova are the lone returning medalists at 59kg and 72kg, respectively.

In freestyle, lightweight stars Kumar RAVI (IND) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) are looking to claim a second consecutive continental crown. 

Returning champ Ravi is entered at 57kg – the same weight where he claimed his ’19 world bronze. 

Otoguro will share the 65kg bracket with his ’20 Asian finals opponent Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) and ’19 world silver medalist Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ).

Wrestling begins on Tuesday (April 13-18) at 11:00 (local time) with Greco-Roman action. Women's wrestling takes center stage on Thursday while freestyle action closes out the tournament beginning on Friday.

Returning Champs by Style:
Freestyle
57kg - Kumar RAVI (IND)
65kg - Takuto OTOGURO (JPN)

Greco-Roman
50kg - Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI)
63kg - Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB)
72kg - Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)
77kg - Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
82kg - Mahdi Asgar EBRAHIMI (IRI)
87kg - Kumar SUNIL (IND)

Women’s Wrestling
55kg - Pinki PINKI (IND)
59kg - Sarita SARITA (IND)
72kg - Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)

#WrestleAlmaty

LIVE BLOG: Asian Olympic Qualifiers, Day Three

Sunday, April 11, 2021 - 04:30 By United World Wrestling Press

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We have our 12 qualifiers in men's freestyle from Almaty. Uzbekistan was the top team with four qualifiers while Iran captured three spots for the Tokyo Olympics. China managed two for itself as Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Kazakhstan go home with one each. 

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

1945 hrs: Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) is the champion of 125kg as he beats Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) 4-2 in the final

1930 hrs: Gold medal for Mohammadhossein Askari MOHAMMADIAN (IRI)! Uzbekistan veteran Magomed Idrisovitch IBRAGIMOV (UZB) will give an injury default victory to the Iran wrestler

1915 hrs: Zushen LIN (CHN) gave Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) a tough fight but he will go down 3-7 in the 86kg final.

1900 hrs: We have injury forfeit at the 74kg final and Yones Aliakbar EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) will take home the gold medal. Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) finishes with a silver

1835 hrs: What a match! - Amirmohammad Babak YAZDANICHERATI (IRI) was leading 12-8 after a too and fro five minutes but Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) comes back to get two exposures and make it 12-12 and claim the gold medal at 65kg. Iran is challenging. But Akmataliev will win the gold medal after a revised score of 15-12

1815 hrs: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) is your gold medalist in Almaty at 57kg after he wins 10-0 win over Minghu LIU (CHN)

1800 hrs: Welcome back! We are ready for our medal bouts. First up will be the 57kg bronze medal bouts

1415 hrs: We have our 12 quota winners!

57kg: Minghu LIU (CHN) and Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)
65kg: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) and Amirmohammad  YAZDANICHERATI (IRI)
74kg: Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI and Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV
86kg: Zushen LIN (CHN) and Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB)
97kg: Mohammadhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) and Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB)
125kg: Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) and Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)

1310 hrs: Liu with a pair of takedowns and he is up 4-1 but Ikromov counters with his own. Liu gets an exposure and he will win 6-3. Abdullaev will qualify Uzbekistan for Tokyo as he beats Uulu 8-4

1300 hrs: 57kg semifinals are underway. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) is leading Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ) 6-0 at the break while Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK) is up 1-0 against M LIU (CHN)

1215 hrs: There will be a 45 minute break before we start the semifinals! 12 wrestlers will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics

1200 hrs: At 57kg, Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ) will take on Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) while Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK) will wrestle M LIU (CHN) for a ticket to Tokyo

1150 hrs: Kazakhstan are having a field day! Azamat DAULETBEKOV and Yusup BATIRMURZAEV have reached the semifinals at 97kg and 125kg respectively

1130 hrs: We have some our semifinalists set already! Haji ALI (BRN) will wrestle Amirmohammad Babak YAZDANICHERATI (IRI) for a spot in the final of 65kg1120 hrs: Amirmohammad Babak YAZDANICHERATI (IRI) does it in style. He advances to the semifinal with 10-0 win

1110 hrs: Haji ALI (BRN) is tied 1-1 against Junsik YUN (KOR) in their 65kg quarter-final. On Mat B after this bout we will have the Amirmohammad Babak YAZDANICHERATI (IRI)

1055 hrs: Mohammadhossein Askari MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) begins with a 11-0 win against Naoya AKAGUMA (JPN). He looks poised to get that quota for Iran

1040 hrs: A first period technical superiority for Ilyas BEKABULATOV (UZB) at 65kg. In the next bout, Yones Aliakbar EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) also wins by technical superiority against Alymuhammet OVEZMYRADOV (TKM)

1030 hrs: Off we go! Freestyle wrestling here in Almaty and we have some superstars to watch Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB), Mohammadhossein Askari MOHAMMADIAN (IRI), Haji ALI (BHN)