#WrestleBaku, #WrestleParis

Aliyev leads as Azerbaijan wins six Paris 2024 quota at European qualifier

Sunday, April 7, 2024 - 22:29 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 7) -- Haji ALIYEV (AZE) on the mat in front of a packed stadium in Baku for an Olympic spot. The fans cheered every time he scored. It only got louder as he inched towards victory. As the final whistle blew, Aliyev stretched his arms and fell on the mat even as the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku was defeaning.

Two-time Olympic medalist Aliyev, 32, qualified Azerbaijan for the Paris Olympics at 65kg with an entertaining 6-4 victory over European champion Islan DUDAEV (ALB). Aliyev was back.

Since winning the silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics, Aliyev has not dominated the 65kg weight class. He finished fifth at the 2022 World Championships and eighth at the 2023 edition.

Azerbaijan was losing confidence in its star as the Paris Olympics came closer with it still to earning a qualification. Aliyev was under pressure and his conditioning was being questioned. And a few youngsters were knocking on the door.

Yet, Aliyev entered the European OG Qualifier in Baku as the favorite. In front of the home crowd and as the captain of the Azerbaijan Freestyle team, Aliyev had to deliver.

After seeing off Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) and Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN), Aliyev faced Dudaev for Paris qualification. Dudaev won the European Championships in Bucharest in February after defeating Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (AIN).

He threatened to beat Aliyev, leading 3-0 at the break. But Aliyev managed to get on a single leg and score a takedown to close the gap to 3-2. He again hit the same shot and got a takedown before using the lace to make it 6-3. Dudaev tried hard but Aliyev was too good with his defense and only gave up a stepout for one up.

Azerbaijan will most likely give Aliyev the spot in Paris 2024, his third in his career. Aliyev will be looking to win his third Olympic medal after a bronze medal in Rio 2016 and a silver in Tokyo 2020.

The second Paris 2024 quota at 65kg was won by Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) who defeated Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 2-1, in the other semifinal. The two wrestlers exchanged passivity but Sacultan was put on the activity clock in the second period, giving Dzebisashvili the criteria win. 

Aliyev's win was one of the five that Azerbaijan had to become the first country to win all six Freestyle Olympic quotas. Apart from Aliyev, Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE), Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) earned quotas.

Rzazade seemed in a hurry to be off the mat as he opened the scoring against former European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MKD). He kicked off the bout with a stunning ankle pick for a takedown in the first five seconds of the bout and tried to soak in the Baku pressure by pacing around the mat as Egorov took time to return to the center.

In the second period, Rzazade scored a stepout when Egorov was on the activity clock, giving Rzazade a 4-0 lead. Egorov scored a takedown and was given one more point for Rzazade's fleeing at the end but the Azerbaijan wrestler won 4-3 to win the quota at 57kg.

Former world bronze medalist Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN) defeated Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 7-3, in a one-sided semifinal to earn the second quota at 57kg.

At 86kg, Nurmagomedov showed his skills to beat Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 4-1, to earn a qualification. He also defeated Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) in the quarterfinals.

Wrestling internationally for the first time since 2021, Olympic and world bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) confirmed his Paris 2024 spot after a gritty 4-0 win over Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO). In the quarterfinal, Naifonov held off European champion Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) 2-1.

Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) confirmed the qualification at 125kg after he defeated Alen KHUBULOV (BUL), 7-0. The other qualification went to Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) who defeated Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 9-2.

A last-minute replacement for Abdulrashid SADULAEV (IND), Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (AIN) still got the job done of qualifying after he defeated Illia ARCHAIA (UKR), 11-0 to earn the Paris 2024 quota.

The second spot at 97kg was won by Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN) after his opponent Radoslaw BARAN (POL) pulled out due to an injury he suffered in the quarterfinal.

At 74kg, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) did let the ghost of past affect him as he held on to a 8-8 win over Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) in a thrilling bout.

Chamizo trailed 8-6 but got awarded two caution points and almost scored a takedown which was reverted on challenge and Bayramov got a criteria win and an Olympic quota.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (AIN) held on to a 3-2 win over European champion Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) to win the quota. All five points were technical points.

 

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RESULTS

57kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) df. Vladimir EGOROV (MKD), 4-3
SF 2: Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN) df. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 7-3

65kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) df. Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 2-1
SF 2: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Islam DUDAEV (ALB), 6-4

74kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), 8-8
SF 2: Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 3-2

86kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 4-0
SF 2: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 4-1 

97kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (AIN) df. Illia ARCHAIA (UKR), 11-0
SF 2: Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN) df. Radoslaw BARAN (POL), via inj. def.

125kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 9-2
SF 2: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Alen KHUBULOV (BUL), 7-0 

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships Day 6 Greco-Roman Highlights

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 06:56 By Vinay Siwach

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U20 World Championships Live: The sixth day of the U20 World Championships will see only Greco-Roman action in the morning session. The weight classes in action are 55kg, 67kg, 72kg and 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

14:20: Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI) wins a thrilling 6-4 win over Ivan SOLOMIN (UWW) in the 55kg quarterfinals. Solomin was leading 4-4 on criteria but Ahmadi Balootaki get his head under Solomin's arm and gets the takedown in the final 10 seconds to win.

14:15: Mate VEGH (HUN) had a decent 5-2 lead over Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) but falls 6-5 in the 72kg quarterfinals. Kolitsopoulos with a bodylock and throw for four. Hungary challenge for the points but clear four-pointer. Kolitsopoulos with the sword celebrations.  

14:05: Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) with two big four pointers from par terre in each period to beat Nazarii BABINSKYI (UKR) 10-0 and advance to the 55kg semifinals.

13:50: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) with a fall over Sebastian WARCHOL (POL) at 97kg after building a 9-0 lead. Yakushenko now faces Darius KIEFER (GER) in the semifinals. Yakushenko has a 2-1 head-to-head lead against Kiefer but lost their latest bout in the European U20 final

13:30: Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) is on a mission. He beats Mingun JEONG (KOR) via technical superiority and enters the 67kg final, chasing a second straight world U20 title.

13:12: 2024 world U17 champion Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) hangs on for a 9-9 criteria victory over Anil MOR (IND) in a wild 55kg bout. Dashdamirov scored a big four and then got two points for Mor's leg foul. Mor scored three takedowns and a turn to make it 9-8 and then got a par terre position to make it 9-9. But he can't break the criteria despite more than a minute remaining. Dashdamirov wins 9-9.

13:05: Ilia KOMAROV (UWW) has not trouble in turning Gor AYVAZYAN (ARM) three times from par terre and win his 97kg bout 8-0. Ayvazyan is injured and had to be carried off the mat.

12:55: Darius KIEFER (GER) with a four-pointer in his 10-0 win against Nurassyl AMANALY (KAZ) and enter the quarterfinal at 97kg.

12:30: Joel ADAMS (USA) can't repeat his heroics from his first match and drops his 1/8 final against Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GER), 4-1, at 72kg. Kolitsopoulos is looking to add a U20 world title to his U17 one.

12:25: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) drops his 67kg 1/8 final against Gholamreza ABDOVALI (IRI) after a challenge costs him point. Khozrevanidze got the first par terre and Abdovali got the second. According to the new rule in Greco, Khozrevanidze had the criteria. However, Georgia challenged and lost and lost the criteria as well. Abdovali defended his 2-1 lead to win.

12:15: Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) with a headlock throw for four and then takedowns in the second period as he beats Takaku SUZUKI (JPN), 10-2, and advance to the quarterfinal at 67kg.

11:45: Anil MOR (IND), gold medal from the Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series, starts with an 8-0 win over Yordan TOPALOV (BUL). After a 4-0 lead, Mor hit a bodylock throw for four points to win at 55kg.

11:30: Defending 97kg champion at Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) has no problem is seeing off Pavel SAVITSKI (UWW), 8-0, with three turns. He can face Darius KIEFER (GER) in the semifinals

11:15: Returning silver medalist and European U20 champion Darius KIEFER (GER) starts his 97kg campaign with 9-0 technical superiority victory over Salakhidin AKNAZAROV (KGZ). Kiefer lost to Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) in the final last year.

11:10: Joel ADAMS (USA), a 2022 world U17 champion, mounts a comeback in the second period and beats Rabil ASKEROV (UWW), 12-4, and book a bout against 2023 world U17 champion at 71kg Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) after the Greece wrestler beats Ahmadreza MOHAMADIAN (IRI), 3-1.

10:55: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ), Asian U20 champion at 67kg, smashes Ihar ZVARYKIN (UWW), 9-0, and reaches the 1/8 final.

10:45: European U23 champion Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) hits a suplex from par terre and then a takedown in the second period to win 8-0 against Martin CICHY (CZE) and advance at 67kg.

10:35: World U20 champion at 63kg Erzu ZARIEV (UWW) starts his campaign at 67kg with a technical superiority win over Pavel ALEXE (ROU).

10:30: Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) breaks down Narek GRIGORIAN (AZE) and scores a takedown in the second period to win 3-1 at 67kg.

10:20: Takaku SUZUKI (JPN) did not get any  par terre position as Otto BLACK (USA) was awarded both. However, Suzuki, down 4-0, blocked a turn attempt from Black and then scored three trap-arm guts to win 8-4 at 67kg.