#WrestleKonya

Aliyev, Stadnik win gold at Islamic Solidarity Games

By Ali Feizasa

KONYA, Turkey (August 10) -- Azerbaijan captured three gold medals while Iran won two on the first first day of the Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya, Turkey.

The 5th Islamic Solidarity Games, originally scheduled to be held in 2021, were postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. About 4200 athletes from 56 countries have arrived in Konya to compete in 19 different sports and four para-sports.

Wrestling got underway at the Games on Wednesday with five freestyle and two women's weight categories.

In freestyle, Iran and Azerbaijan grabbed two gold medals each on the first day while Uzbekistan succeed to take one gold.

Olympic silver medalist and three-time world champ Haji ALIYEV (AZE) won the 65kg gold medal after beating Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) in the final to repeat his gold medal win from the 2017 Games in Baku.

However, it wasn't an easy run for him as he was in trouble in the quarterfinal against Tokyo Olympian Morteza GHIASI (IRI) but came from behind to win the match.

With less than 30 seconds to the end, Ghiasi led 4-1 but Aliyev hit a double and gut wrenches to earn an 8-4 victory.

Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) defeated Mohammadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (IRI) in the 74kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

In another close Azerbaijan-Iran bout, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) earned the second gold for Azerbaijan by a 2-1 victory over Mohammadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (IRI) in the 74kg final.

The first gold medal for Iran came from 86kg as three-time World Championships medalist Alireza KARIMI (IRI) dominated the final against Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE).

Karimi controlled the bout by several takedowns and had a 9-0 lead when Abakarov signaled for a forfeit citing an injury. Karimi outscored his opponents 29-0 in the three bouts.

Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI)Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) was crowned as the 97kg champion in Konya. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

2021 World bronze medalist Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) doubled Iran's gold medal count with an easy win over local wrestler Mustafa SESSIZ (TUR) in the 97kg final.

Goleij opened the bout with two points when the Turkey wrestler failed to continue further due to an injury.

Tokyo Olympian Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) won the first gold of the night as he downed Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) in the 57kg final bout to put the gold in Uzbekistan's pocket.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) won gold at 50kg in her first competition since the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Stadnik's golden return

The two women’s wrestling weight classes in action on Wednesday were 50kg and 59kg.

10-time Olympic and World medalist Mariya Stadnik (AZE) made a return to competitive wrestling for the first time since Tokyo Olympics and it was golden.

The four-time Olympic medalist defended her gold medal from the 2017 Games with a brilliant performance.

Over the course of her four bouts, she had a 40-0 record and celebrated her title by a 10-0 victory over Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB).

Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) defended her 59kg gold in Konya. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

After winning gold less than a week ago at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) became the third wrestler of the day who defended her title from the 2017 edition of the Games.

Wrestling at 59kg, three-time world medalist Adekuoroye earned 27 points against her four rivals. Since there were five wrestlers in the weight class, it was conducted in a Nordic bracket.

Adekuoroye won the gold medal with Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) winning the silver and Elmas CELIK (TUR) grabbing the bronze.

Wrestling at the Islamic Solidarity Games continues Thursday with 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, 92kg and 125 kg in freestyle and 53kg, 62kg and 72kg in women’s wrestling.

Alireza KARIMI (IRI)Alireza KARIMI (IRI) dominated the 86kg weight class to win gold. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Day 1 Results

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)

BRONZE: Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) df. Asil AL MAKTARI (YEM)
BRONZE: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) df. Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK)

65kg
GOLD: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), via fall

BRONZE: Morteza GHIASI (IRI) df. Umidjon JALALOV (UZB), 4-2
BRONZE: Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) df. Kerim HOJAKOV (TKM),

74kg
GOLD: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Mohammadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 2-1

BRONZE: Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) df. Ikkal ABDELK (ALG)
BRONZE: Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)

86kg
GOLD: Alireza KARIMI (IRI) df. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), 9-0 (victory via injury)

BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Azizbek FAYZULLAEV (UZB), 11-6
BRONZE: Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ) df. Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)

97kg
GOLD: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) df. Mustafa SESSIZ (TUR), 2-0 (victory via injury)

BRONZE: Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) df. Hemel YAYEV (TKM), 2-2
BRONZE: Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ) df. Baisal KUBATOV (KGZ)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB), 10-0

BRONZE: Hamdi SARRA (TUN) df. Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ)

59kg
Round 5: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) df. Guldana BEKESH (KAZ)
Round 5: Elmas CELIK (TUR) df. Dilfuza AIMBETOVA (UZB)

GOLD: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
SILVER: Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
BRONZE: Elmas CELIK (TUR)

#WrestleAmman

U17 Worlds: Another Petriashvili rises; U.S. beats Iran for FS team title

By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 25) -- A new Petriashvili is on the block. The younger brother of the newly crowned Olympic champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), Konstantine, became the U17 world champion on Sunday in Amman.

The younger Petriashvili showed exceptional wrestling, identical to Geno, over two days to win the 92kg weight class and win his first world title.

Last year, he finished with a bronze medal in the 80kg weight class but jumped to 92kg this year. He won the U17 European Championships in Novi Sad in July and now has both the continental and world titles. Petriashvili is set to compete at the U20 World Championships next week in Pontevedra, Spain.

In other finals, the United States won two gold medals, Iran captured one while Kyrgyzstan, which won two golds on Saturday, added another on Sunday.

The United States won the team title with 152 points, 20 more than second-place Iran. Kyrgyzstan finished third with 104 points, its first-ever podium finish at the U17 World Championships.

In the final, Petriashvili was up against Rodion SANAKOEV (AIN) and constantly hit the double-leg attack. He scored no success using that attack and was put on the activity clock in the first period.

As Sanakoev built an attack, Petriashvili defended well and scored exposure for two points. He led 2-0 at the break and defended every attack from Sanakoev to keep the two-point lead. Petriashvili got a takedown in the final 30 seconds after Sanakoev failed to defend using chest wrap. He scored two turns to extend his lead to 8-0 as the clock expired.

Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO)Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) defeated Rodion SANAKOEV (AIN) 8-0 in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I am Konstantine. U17 world champion. Last year I won the bronze medal," a jubilant Petriashvili said after the final. "The final was very difficult. I was tired in the middle."

After winning the final, Konstantine broke out in a celebration similar to Geno's, punching his fist in the air with a roar.

"My brother is the best and king of wrestling," he said. "I have no pressure. I think its good when they tell me I am Geno's brother."

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA)Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) celebrates after winning the 45kg gold medal at the U17 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U.S. wins title

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) had to come from behind and Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) won his second U17 world title to held the United States win the team title over Iran, its second in three years.

Sanchez was down 5-0 against Amirabbas RAMEZANI (IRI) after the first period in the final but came back strongly in the second period. He cut the lead to two points after Ramezani was penalized for a singlet pull and he gave up a takedown.

Ramezani defended most of the period but Sanchez hit a smart go-behind and exposure to make it 7-5. A turn using trap-arm gave him a 9-5 lead which he defended till the clock expired.

Domenic MUNARETTO (USA)Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) defeated Frederick BACHMANN (PUR) in the 51kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Munaretto, who won 45kg gold at the 2022 U17 Worlds, added another by beating Frederick BACHMANN (PUR), 3-1, in the 51kg final.

Bachmann, who was trying to become the first Puerto Rican to win gold at U17 Worlds in 49 years, fell short, a day after his brother Joseph met with the same fate in the 55kg final.

Both wrestlers were put on activity clocks but it was Munaretto who got the advantage as Bachmann was on the clock in the second period. This gave Munaretto a 1-1 criteria lead. Bachmann tried his best to score a point but failed and a desperate attempt in the final second saw him fall on his back, which gave Munaretto another two points.

With a clean record in the final, Munaretto completed an incredible run in the tournament in which he did not given up a takedown for any points.

"I have been wrestling a lot," Munaretto said. "I have control of my ties."

Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) won the gold medal at 71kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran crowned a champion at 71kg after U17 Asian champion Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) defeated returning bronze medalist Manuel WAGIN (GER), 1-1 in the final. Shamsipour denied Germany its first-ever U17 world champion in Freestyle.

The final was decided after Shamsipour was awarded a point for Wagin's passivity, in the second period, giving the Iranian a 1-1 criteria lead. There were no more points in the match and Shamsipour won 1-1.

Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ)Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) gave Kyrgyzstan its third gold of the U17 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kyrgyzstan added a gold and a bronze medal to its two golds from Saturday and finished third in the team race. After Kursantbek ISAKOV (KGZ) at 55kg and Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ) at 65kg won gold medals, Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) won the gold medal at 60kg while Marlen ABDRAIMOV (KGZ) won bronze at 51kg.

Asan  Uluu was up against Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) in the final and at no point he was in any sort of trouble in the match. He scored a takedown and stepout in the first period to lead 3-0. He went for a bear hug throw but Ismayilov slipped out of the grip and Asan Uulu fell out of bounds to give one point to the Azerbaijan wrestler.

A stepout made it 4-1 for Asan Uulu and a point at the end of the bout gave him the 5-1 lead and the gold medal.

df

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) df. Amirabbas RAMEZANI (IRI), 9-5

BRONZE: Dzhamal BAKAEV (AIN) df. Mher HAKOBYAN (ARM), 11-0
BRONZE: Ravan HASANZADE (AZE) df. Bekzat AMANGELDY (KAZ), via fall (4-6)

51kg
GOLD: Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) df. Frederick BACHMANN (PUR), 3-1

BRONZE: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) df. Akhmed ATANGERIEV (AIN), 7-4
BRONZE: Marlen ABDRAIMOV (KGZ) df. Ozodbek ALIJONOV (UZB), 17-6

60kg
GOLD: Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) df. Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Hayk AVANESYAN (ARM) df. Danoush JOWKAR (GBR), 5-2
BRONZE: Itsuki YONASHIRO (JPN) df. Jordyn RANEY (USA), via inj. def.

71kg
GOLD: Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) df. Manuel WAGIN (GER), 1-1

BRONZE: Fatih AYDIN (TUR) df. Mark LAPOSA (HUN), 6-5
BRONZE: Kairi ITO (JPN) df. Melvin MILLER (USA), 7-2

92kg
GOLD: Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Rodion SANAKOEV (AIN), 8-0

BRONZE: Elijah DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) df. Aliaksei KHADUNOU (AIN), 8-3
BRONZE: Amir Reza ALI POUR (IRI) df. Michealjeet Singh GREWAL (CAN), 10-5