#Budapest2018

Andreu Ortega and Goleij Claim Second U23 World Titles at #WrestleBudapest

Tuesday, October 29, 2019 - 22:04 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) by Kadir Caliskan.

BUDAPEST, Hungary – 2017 U23 World champions Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) and Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) picked up their second U23 World gold medals with impressive performances in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday.

Andreu Ortega topped the podium once again after taking seventh in 2018.

Wrestling at 57 kg, Andreu Ortega rolled past 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist and 2019 Junior World bronze winner Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) in the gold match, thanks to a takedown and multiple leg laces for a quick 10-0 technical fall.

Goleij, who did not compete at the 2018 U23 World Championships, put up seven points in the second period of the 97 kg title match against 2017 Junior World champion Shamil MUSAEV (RUS) for an 8-2 victory and the gold medal.

Photo of Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) by Kadir Caliskan. 

Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) earned his second-career World title with a comeback win in the 65 kg gold-medal match.

Trailing the majority of the bout to Takuma TANIYAMA (JPN), Bayramov scored two points on a chest lock in the last minute of the bout to lead 2-2 on criteria. A failed challenge from Taniyama’s corner resulted in another point for Bayramov and a 3-2 win.

With the win, Bayramov adds to an impressive resumes, which includes a 2018 Cadet World gold, 2018 Youth Olympic Games gold, 2017 Cadet World silver and 2019 Junior World bronze.

Also storming back to win a gold medal on Tuesday night was U23 World bronze medalist Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO), who trailed most of the match to Cherman VALIEV (RUS) at 70 kg. Skhulukhia scored a late takedown for 7-5 lead, and moments later, the Georgian secured a pin at 5:58.

Photo Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) by Kadir Caliskan. 

 

The gold-medal bout at 79 kg lasted only one minute as 2016 Junior World bronze medalist Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) pinned Cadet World champion and two-time Junior World medalist Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE).

Abakarov scored quickly on a takedown and gut wrench to go up 4-0. As Abakarov attempted another turn, Gaphrindashvili stepped over, putting the Azeri to his back for a fall.

It was the second gold medal of the night for Georgia.

Competition continues Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. local time live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals matchups
57 kg
GOLD - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) df. Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ), 10-0
BRONZE - Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) df. Ramiz GAMZATOV (RUS), 5-2
BRONZE - Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI) df. Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL), 7-4

65 kg
GOLD - Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Takuma TANIYAMA (JPN), 3-2
BRONZE - Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) df. Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA), 7-3
BRONZE - Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR) df. Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), 8-8

70 kg
GOLD - Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) df. Cherman VALIEV (RUS), fall
BRONZE - Haruki SENO (JPN) df. Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 3-0
BRONZE - Daud IBRAGIMOV (AZE) df. Amirhossein Ali HOSSEINI (IRI), fall

79 kg
GOLD - Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) df. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), fall
BRONZE - Ramazan Ishak SARI (TUR) df. Muhamed Mustafa MCBRYDE (USA), 8-3
BRONZE - Radik VALIEV (RUS) df. Veer Dev GULIA (IND), 5-4

97 kg
GOLD - Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) df. Shamil MUSAEV (RUS), 8-2
BRONZE - Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) df. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 8-5
BRONZE - Danylo STASIUK (UKR) df. Serik BAKYTKHANOV (KAZ), 4-1

#WrestleParis

Olympic champion Focken carries Olympic torch for Paris 2024

Thursday, June 27, 2024 - 09:38 By Vinay Siwach

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ALSACE, France (June 27) -- Tokyo Olympic champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) was part of the Olympic Torch Relay on Wednesday in Alsace, stage 41 of the relay for the 2024 Paris Games.

"It was magical," Focken said. "It was a short run for only a few minutes but I enjoyed it. I felt the Olympic spirit and pride to run with the torch. We were briefed a lot, about the significance of the torch and it's for peace and I felt it all the time. It was special."

The relay began from the European Parliament and then passed in front of the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. It also lit up the city’s covered bridges, the Grande île district, the Alsatian Museum and the Notre Dame gothic cathedral before finishing at Place Kléber, in the city’s heart, where the celebration venue was located.

 

The Olympic Torch Relay continued its voyage through eastern France with a distinctly European tone. In addition to putting the spotlight on the gems of Alsace, the Olympic Torch Relay also highlighted fraternity between people, such as Franco-German links, which were celebrated during an exceptional collective relay on the Three Countries Bridge in Huningue. Another collective relay took place in Strasbourg, dedicated, as each day, to a specific sport.

Focken carried the torch at the start of the three country bridge for 250 metres. The starting point of Focken's run was in Germany while her finish was in France. She then handed over the Olympic Torch to Frenchman Eric Kueny, representative of the host country in Huningue.

Aline FOCKEN (GER)Aline FOCKEN (GER) with the Olympic torch on Wednesday. (Photo: Lewis Joly)

Focken, who won the gold medal in 76kg weight class in Tokyo, became the first woman from Germany to win gold at the Olympics in wrestling. She said her feeling was similar to Olympic Games but she was nervous before the run.

"I was nervous," she said. "It's different and all the TV is around you. I was relaxed but nervous. It was a really special moment and I thought that this may be the last Olympic moment for you so just enjoy it. I took my family with me to the relay."