#WrestleBelgrade

Aitmukhan: From a volunteer at World Championships to Kazakhstan's first world champ

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 - 15:31 By Vinay Siwach

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BELGRADE, Serbia (September 19) -- Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) was hoping to become Kazakhstan's first-ever Freestyle world champion when he reached the 65kg final at the World Championships in 2019. He failed after losing to Gazdhimurad RASHIDOV.

In that final, Rashidov took a bleeding timeout. A volunteer, Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), ran out to clean the blood dropped on the mat. Little did Niyazbekov or Kazakhstan know that the tall volunteer would go on to achieve what Niyazbekov failed to.

Born in Kyzyltu, a village with only 600 people in the northern region of Kazakhstan, Aitmukhan became the central Asian country's first-ever world champion in Freestyle on Monday as he defeated Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) in the 92kg final in Belgrade, Serbia.

In a thrilling final, Aitmukhan made a comeback after being down 2-0. He scored a stepout and caution with 30 seconds left. His criteria lead was threatened by Nurmagomedov in the final second when he almost scored a pushout. But Aitmukhan pushed the Azerbaijan wrestler out of bounds and won 6-2.

"The final match was very intense and tough," Aitmukhan said. "I noticed that he was getting tired. I used that moment and snatched the victory. We work hard, but all the success comes from God."

This victory was after five other wrestlers from Kazakhstan had tried to win the elusive Freestyle gold in the country's wrestling history to check out another box. With a Freestyle world champion, Kazakhstan is now without a world champion only in Women's Wrestling.

Aitmukhan's gold medal was also the first for Kazakhstan at the World Championships since Mkhitar MANUKYAN's (KAZ) won the last one in 1999 in Greco-Roman.

"This victory is the biggest in my life," Aitmukhan said. "I’ve been working for it for so many years. I would like to dedicate this win to my country and to my grandmother, she would have been 81 years old today [Monday]. But she passed away 3 years ago. This victory means a lot to me."

Back in 2019, Aitmukhan was the fourth-placer at the World School Combat Games and later won bronze at the U15 Asian Championships. He competed at the U23 Asian Championships as a 17-year-old and won gold at 92kg. Four months later, he was at the U23 World Championships but lost to Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) in the first round and to Feyzulla AKTURK (TUR) in the bronze medal bout. Akturk also defeated him in the bronze medal bout at the 2023 Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series.

But as fate would have it, he would return to Astana in April this year, for the Asian Championships and enter the final. The 19-year-old finished with a silver medal against another teenager Arash YOSHIDA (JPN). He stepped on the top of the podium at the U23 Asian Championships before adding bronze at the Budapest Ranking Series. In an agonizing close U20 World Championships final in Amman in August, he finished with a silver medal.

The run in Belgrade saw him beat European champion Akturk 11-0 in the quarterfinals and returning bronze medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) 8-1 in the semifinals.

For a wrestler who began only in 2014, the success meant that he was on the path to achieving something historic. Ironically, he had no liking for the sport as well.

"My dad made me wrestle by force nine years ago," he said. "I didn’t want to train at all, by the he made me do that. And then I liked it. And now, 9 years later I am a world champion, the first one in Kazakh history. I think it’s not a bad result for a 19-year-old."

The losses at the Asian and U20 World Championships fueled Aitmukhan's effort to win the gold in Belgrade.

"In the Asian championships final and in U20 Worlds, there was that moment when I had to push myself. But that wasn’t enough," he said. "This time I felt the same during the match. I realized that if I didn’t do it now, I might not ever get this chance again. So, I tried my hardest and I did it."

Now that one goal is achieved, Rizabek will move to the Olympic weight class of 97kg. 

"We’ve decided that it’s the last world championships in this weight class, next year I’ll move up to the Olympic weight 97kg," he said. "I’ll wrestle for an Olympic spot. I will try to become an Olympic champion."

#WrestleIstanbul

Bas cuts down, wins Paris quota; Stadnik suffers setback at World Qualifier

Saturday, May 11, 2024 - 00:41 By Vinay Siwach

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ISTANBUL, Turkiye (May 10) --  The last time Nesrin BAS (TUR) competed in 62kg or less was in 2018 at the U17 level. Since then, as Bas continued wrestling, she moved up to 65kg, then to 68kg and even to 72kg.

But as the Paris Olympics approached, Bas had to leave the 68kg weight category for world and European champion Bose TOSUN (TUR) who qualified for the weight by winning the gold medal at the World Championships. Former world champion and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Yasemin ADAR (TUR) won the spot at 76kg from the European Qualifier. That left Bas with only one option -- to return to 62kg.

Bas, who was not sure if going to 62kg was a good idea, got rewarded for her sacrifices as she qualified 62kg weight class for the Paris Olympics with a thrilling performance in front of her home crowd.

"I cut a lot of weight," Bas said. "First I wasn't that positive that I could endure cutting weight but my coach helped me and believed me to get it done."

In a very first-period dominated bout against Astrid MONTERO (VEN), Bas managed to hang on for a 10-6 win and earn herself a ticket to Paris Olympics. Montero scored the first takedown and got on a single-leg but Bas tossed her to get two points. She used the lace to add three turns to be up 8-2. Montero got on a few attacks but was unable to finish them. The two exchanged exposure points late in the bout but that did not prevent Bas from winning the bout.

Nesrin BAS (TUR)Nesrin BAS (TUR) scores two points over Astrid MONTERO (VEN) in the 68kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

However, the U23 world champion later revealed that she doubted herself to win the match after Montero scored the first takedown.

"My opponent was really strong," she said. "During the match when I lost points first, I became hesitant if I could win. But I overcome on that feeling. 

"I'm very happy. I trained a lot. I had to cut my weight. I'm happy I got the results I wanted. I'm blessed that the coaches believed in me. My goal now is the Olympic medal."

Bas was also pushed by the loud local fans who flocked to the stadium from the morning session. Bas made it a point to acknowledge them after every win. She blanked Ameline DOUARRE (FRA) 6-0 to start her day before scampering through 6-4 against Natalia KUBATY (POL). Bas survived a scare in the quarterfinal against Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) as she eked out a 4-4 criteria win.

She later celebrated her win by making a scowl-like gesture using her hands.

"My gesture of hands is a sign between me and my friends in the same club. I had promised them if I win I show that sign."

Kriszta INCZE (ROU) joined Bas as the other wrestler to win the Paris 2024 quota at 68kg after she defeated Veranika IVANOVA (AIN) 6-1 in the semifinals. Ivanova scored the first stepout which was her only scoring point in the match as Incze defended her shots.

This was Romania's second quota for Paris 2024 in women's wrestling as Andreea ANA (ROU) qualified 53kg from the European Qualifiers in Baku.

Son Hyang KIM (PRK)Son Hyang KIM (PRK) defeated Mariya STADNIK (AZE) in the 50kg Paris qualification bout in Istanbul. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Stadnik suffers setback

Mariya STADNIK (AZE) suffered yet another setback in her journey to qualify for her fifth Olympics after losing the Paris Olympic qualifying bout to Son Hyang KIM (PRK) 10-3 despite leading for the majority of the bout. Stadnik led 3-0 at the break but was put on the activity clock twice in the second period. Kim got a takedown just before the second activity clock expired to put herself in a 4-3 lead. Stadnik, who was struggling with her conditioning, got turned by Kim three times to trail 10-3 with 19 seconds remaining.

Kim kept that lead and earned the Paris 2024 quota which she missed after suffering a painful loss at the Asian Olympic Qualifier as she lost her bout in the final seconds.

Stadnik still has a chance to qualify for her fifth Olympics if she can win the bronze-medal bout tomorrow and follow it up with another win in the playoff bout between the two bronze-medal winners.

The other 50kg quota was secured by Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) as she defeated Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR) 6-1 to give Germany its third Paris quota in women's wrestling. Blayvas countered Genesis' attacks with ease and turned them into takedowns for herself.

Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) and Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL)Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) and Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) earned the Paris 2024 spots for Moldova and Mongolia respectively. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 53kg, Moldova and Hungary earned a Paris spot each with Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) and Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) respectively. Dragutan was dominant in her semifinal against Sztalvira ORSOS (HUN), scoring 11 points before securing the fall with five seconds remaining.

Batkhuyag, a world silver medalist, was much quicker in her fall over Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) in the other semifinal, finishing the bout in just a minute and 43 seconds. She did give up the initial takedown but Batkhuyag rocked back with takedowns and ultimately getting the fall.

Yetgil and Orsos will return tomorrow in a bid to qualify for the Olympics through the bronze-medal playoffs.

Two-time European champion Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) will also have to go through that path after she lost her Paris qualifying bout to Tokyo Olympian Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN) on criteria. The Ukrainian led 5-3 with 30 seconds on the clock but Khoroshavtseva scored a takedown to earn a spot to Paris. 

Giullia PENALBER (BRA) denied Uzbekistan its second women's wrestling quota by beating Asian Games bronze medalist Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) 7-5 in the other bout. This was the first Paris 2024 quota for Brazil in women's wrestling.

NISHA (IND)NISHA (IND) celebrates after winning the 68kg Paris qualification bout against Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 68kg, India and China added their fifth women's wrestling spot as NISHA (IND) and veteran Feng ZHOU (CHN) won their respective qualification bouts. Nisha defeated Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) 8-4 while Zhou won 13-2 over Mimi HRITSOVA (BUL).

Zhou was surprised by an early attack from Hritsova but she composed her to score a takedown before using the trademark high chest wrap to score six turns over Hritsova and win 12-2. Bulgaria challenged that number of turns but lost, giving a point more to Zhou.

Jia LONG (CHN) will have an opportunity to make it six out of six for China for Paris at 62kg. She lost to Incze but with Incze winning the semifinal, Long is pulled back in repechage. She will have to win a bronze medal and then beat the other bronze medalist in the playoff to earn the spot.

Nisha got on the charge against Anghel with a takedown in the first 30 seconds before adding another and a gut wrench to lead 6-0. Soon she made it 8-0 as Anghel rolled over as Nisha was trying to lock a cradle. Anghel gave herself a chance in the second period when she threw Nisha with a head lock for two before adding two more to cut Nisha's lead to 8-4. But Nisha survived the 1:50 left on the clock to win India's fifth spot.

India will now be sending five women wrestlers to the Olympics, its highest-ever qualifications in women's wrestling. MANSI (IND) lost to Ivanova at 62kg and will not be able to qualify India for all six wrestlers.

"It feels great to win five quotas," Nisha said. "I thought we would get six quotas but Mansi's luck has been bad. But feels great that we will travel with a big team."

Nisha was the Asian qualifier in a round-robin in which she won two bouts and lost one. Two other wrestlers had the same number of wins but more classification points, denying Nisha a spot in the semifinal. 

"At the Asian Qualifier, we had a cross semifinal and I thought I would reach semis but I failed on [classification] points," she said. "I knew that I would qualify, if not in Asia then at the World Qualifier. I never doubted myself. The day I lost in Bishkek, I started writing the names of wrestlers who would be coming to Istanbul. I never felt sad and continued training as I was confident of qualifying."

Nisha was close to qualifying India for the Tokyo Olympics but fell one win short. She later contracted COVID-19 and missed out on going to the Olympics.

"During the Tokyo cycle, I lost the Olympic qualification bout [62kg] and later got COVID-19," she said. "I lost trials in India and when I lost the trials for the Asian Games, I wanted to leave wrestling because I got another injury. But when I got better, I told myself that I could also step away after winning a medal."

Romania and Bulgaria did get the Paris 2024 quota but at 76kg, Catalina AXENTE (ROU) defeated Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN) 6-3 while Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) stopped Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) 4-1.

 

df

RESULTS

50kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) df. Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR), 6-1
Son Hyang KIM (PRK) df. Mariya STADNIK (AZE), 10-3

53kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) df. Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), via fall (8-3)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) df. Sztalvira ORSOS (HUN), via fall (11-2)

57kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Giullia PENELBAR (BRA) df. Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB), 7-5
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN) df. Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR), 5-5

62kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Astrid MONTERO (VEN), 10-6
Kriszta INCZE (ROU) df. Veranika IVANOVA (AIN), 6-1

68kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Feng ZHOU (CHN) df. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL), 13-2
NISHA (IND) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 8-4

76kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL), 4-1
Catalina AXENTE (ROU) df. Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN), 6-3