Asian Championships Freestyle Preview

Thursday, March 30, 2023 - 15:05 By Mark Pickering

ASTANA, Kazakhstan ( March 30) -- The 2023 Asian Championships will mark the launch of this year's continental chanmpionsips season in Astana from April 9 to April 14 in the Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace. Kazakhstan's capital city, which hosted the 2019 World Championships, will welcome Asia's best wrestlers for the 36th edition of the six-day event.

As always, the last two days of the tournament are reserved for freestyle wrestling with 10 gold medals on offer. Undoubtedly the biggest star of the tournament is the World champion Ramham AMOUZAD (IRI) who will enter Astana as the defending champion in 65kg.

Amouzad earned his first continental title last year after beating Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and would like to repeat the same in a field that includes world bronze medalist TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), who has been in terrific form this year, winning the Zagreb Open, Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN), Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) and Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB).

Both Amouzad and Tumur Ochir are aware of the threat their opponents possess. Jalolov won the U20 World Championships and also has a win over Tumur Ochir from last year. He will be Uzbekistan's biggest bet going into the Paris Olympics.

Zholdoshbekov is once again jumping to 65kg after doing so at last year's Bolat Turlykhanov Cup. He has enjoyed a lot of success at 61kg but with the Olympics coming up, making a place for himself at 65kg would be the right move.

Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) finished second Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) at the Emperor's Cup but will be at the Asian Championships after the latter decided to sit out. Anraku won a bronze medal at U23 World Championships last year.

At 57kg, returning silver medalist Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ), 25, won bronze at the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series event in February to start his season. He suffered a loss to Ravi KUMAR (IND) in the final last year but the three-time Asian champion is not registered this year due to a leg injury.

Kalzhan will back himself to make the run to the final again this year. However, 2021 world silver medalist Alireza SARLAK (IRI), world bronze medalist Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL), Asian bronze Rikuto ARAI (JPN) and U23 world champion AMAN (IND) have the capabilities to be in the final.

Zandanbud graced the Asian showcase’s podium in 2017. The 27-year-old, who has won medals at his continental championships at the U17, U20 and senior levels, finished second at the event six years ago. His title aspirations this year have been boosted by his victory at the Mongolian National Championships in March.

Arai will be a significant medal threat in the men’s lightest weight category. Nippon Sport Science University graduate Arai, who turned 25 in January, finished 11th at the season-opening Zagreb Open but has a continental pedigree.

Aman has shown his ability to make comeback in the second period and can upset any wrestler on a given day as we saw at the U23 World Championships in which he won gold at 57kg.

After his two outings at 57kg, Tokyo Olympian Minghu LIU (CHN) returns to the 61kg in which he has enjoyed his sole continental championships podium appearance in 2019. The 25-year-old has work to do to return to form after stuttering displays at the Zagreb Open and Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series events this year.

Ibrahim Moustafa gold medallist Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) and All Japan Championships winner Kodai OGAWA (JPN) could also come to the fore in the 61kg category in Kazakhstan.

Zhumashbek Uulu won the U23 World Championships over Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) last year and is also a U23 Asian champion.

The 70kg weight class is the one with the most entries and also the most open category in Astana. Tokyo Olympian at 65kg Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IRI) can be favored over other wrestlers but is not an outright favorite. U20 world bronze medalist Mulaym YADAV (IND) is known for his surprising runs at tournaments and can cause an upset.

U23 Asian champion Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) will fancy his chances as well along with U20 world bronze medalist in 65kg Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN). If Kazakhstan decides to put Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) as the first choice, he will be the favorite to win the weigh class.

At 74kg, Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) undoubtedly has the best chance to win gold after reaching the final in the previous two editions. He won the gold in 2021 but was second in 2022. Kazakhstan is yet to send him or Darkhan YESSENGALI (KAZ)w who has the experience of the senior level and will be riding on home support in Astana to claim his first Asian Championships medal.

He won the Asian Championships at 79kg in 2021 but Byungmin GONG (KOR) is still waiting for the big break at 74kg. That edition in '21 was the only competition in his career that Gong wrestled at 79kg and has been a regular at 74kg. However, he has only an Asian Games bronze medal to show for it. But with many top wrestlers not entered at 74kg, this could be his chance to get his first breakthrough at 74kg.

YASH (IND) and Hossein ABOUZARIPASHKOLAEI (IRI) can be his biggest challenges as both will come into the tournament with hopes of their own. Yash, a U20 world bronze medalist from 2021, finished ninth in the last year's edition.

Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) will be wrestling at 79kg at the Asian Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) is chasing a third Asian Championships gold medal. The 33-year-old ruled his continent in 2015 and 2017 either side of winning Asian Games titles in 2014 and 2018. But he will be at 79kg in Astana instead of 74kg. He tried dabbling with the idea of moving to 86kg but after suffering losses, he has moved down to 79kg.

Abdurakhmonov will make the short trip from Uzbekistan to neighboring Kazakhstan with an appetite for hardware in the 79kg field, just as he achieved in Egypt in February with a bronze medal at the Ibrahim Moustafa tournament.

Former U20 Asian Championships gold medalist Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) has made a bright start to his year by clinching silver at the Ibrahim Moustafa in Egypt. The 24-year-old could make a strong impression in Astana.

Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL), a former U23 world bronze medalist, saw his medal tilt fall away at the Asian Championships in the bronze medal bout in 2022 as the 27-year-old narrowly lost out to Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) to match his 2018 fifth-place finish at 74kg. He finished with a silver medal at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in June at 74kg but it is yet to be seen how he will fair at 79kg.

Reigning Asian Championships winner Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) will be the man to watch in the 86kg category. The 29-year-old struck world bronze in 2022 and could prove to be unstoppable in front of a partisan crowd. Three-time world medalist Alireza KARIMI (IRI) will be aiming to spoil the host nation’s 86kg gold medal plans.

The 29-year-old is a big-event performer and has won three Asian Championships titles -- 2015, 2017 and 2019 -- in addition to Asian Games glory in Indonesia in 2018. The two wrestled at the World Cup tie between the All-World team and Iran in Round 3 and the Iran wrestler walked away with a 4-0 win.

The category also has Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN), a former U20 world champion, looking for his first Asian Championships medal. If his Zagreb Open performance is any indication, Ishiguro should end the medal drought in Astana.

Veteran Gwanuk KIM (KOR) will be looking for his second Asian medal after winning a bronze in 2021. He has finished fifth on three different occasions.

Four-time Asian Championships medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) will be crucial to his country’s fortunes in Kazakhstan as part of a new-look team. Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Punia, 22, missed the World Championships last year with a hand injury. Wrestling is in the DNA of the Indian hotshot, who followed his father into the sport, and he could top the Asian Championships podium (92kg) for the first time at the senior level.

The category will also house Arashk MOHEBI (IRI) who won the Dan Kolov tournament in March and will have his spirits high. U23 Asian champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) will also present a strong challenge to the field.

Not to forget Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) and Ajiniyaz SAPARNIYAZOV (UZB) who possess the ability to defeat any wrestler on a given day.

World medalist and former Asian champion Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) will be the favorite to win his second continental title. The former U23 world champion faces little to no competition at 97kg. Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) and Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) are the only two wrestlers who can force Goleij onto the backfoot.

World silver medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) is looking for his first Asian title at 125kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

World silver medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) is returning to the mat after four months, a forced break due to an injury. He will be in an interesting battle with the young star and U20 world champion Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI). While Munkhtur has the experience, Masoumi will use his conditioning to put Munkhtur under pressure.

Tokyo Olympian Zhiwei DENG (CHN), 35, is also in the mix as he returns to the continental championships after four years. In 2019, he lost the 125kg final to Yadollah MOHEBI (IRI) in Xian, China. An elusive gold medal at a major event would be the crowning achievement of his long and fruitful career.

Former Asian Championships winner Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) finished 12th at the Tokyo Olympics but has an equal chance to finish on the top of the podium like others. The 27-year-old began this season with a bronze medal at the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series event.

To follow the Asian Championships action, download the UWW app -- The Home of Wrestling.

#WrestleAstana

Teen Aman steps up, keeps Asian 57kg title in Indian hands

Thursday, April 13, 2023 - 14:56 By Ken Marantz

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (April 13) -- Stepping in for the injured three-time reigning champion, teenager AMAN (IND) ended up stepping right up to the top of the podium.

Aman capped an amazing run at the Asian Championships by keeping the 57kg gold in Indian hands, and Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) retained his 65kg crown as freestyle got underway with competition in five weight classes on Thursday in Astana.

Aman, who made Indian history last year by becoming the country's first-ever world U23 champion, went on a takedown spree to defeat Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) 9-4 in the final and follow in the footsteps of star Ravi KUMAR (IND), who last year won a third straight 57kg gold.

"Before coming here, I just wanted to win gold," Aman said.

Host Kazakhstan gave the packed crowd at the Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace plenty to cheer by capturing two of the five golds at stake, with Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) edging veteran Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) for the 79kg title and unheralded Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) triumphing at 70kg.

Eight different countries were represented in the gold-medal matches, and the one least expected to produce a champion did just that when Russian-born Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) won the 97kg gold to become just the second Asian gold medalist in Bahrain history.

Aman, who will turn 20 in July, belied his youth with a masterful performance of confidence, power and speed that establishes him as a future force for India.

In the final, Aman received an activity point before Smanbekov went behind a counter for 2. Aman responded with a leg scoop for a takedown and a 3-2 lead going into the second period.

The two traded takedowns before Aman pulled away with two more well-executed takedowns.

"I made two mistakes in the final," Aman said. "I did watch his bouts before the final and he only has counters. But I thought that I should [be able to] score. I thought that I will not get tired, so keep trying to score. So I got countered twice. I then put my head down and focused."

Aman's route to the final was paved with tough wins over 2022 bronze medalist Rikuto ARAI (JPN) and Ranking Series Bucharest champion Wanhao ZOU (CHN). He beat Arai 7-1 and Zou 7-4.

"I thought the Chinese was a good wrestler," Aman said. "I always think that if they cannot put me in danger in par terre, I will win. They score from par terre and the lead is too much, I won't be able to cover up. I am sure to win from standing. I am a little concerned about getting caught in a lace.

"The Japanese wrestler gets tired a lot. I had watched his bouts and I told myself to not get caught in any locks or lace and for a minute or a minute and a half, I have to defend and then he will be tired."

Aman came into Astana riding a third-place finish at the Ranking Series Zagreb Open in January, where he was dealt a 15-5 loss in the semifinals by Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN). He said he learned from that experience.

"I lost in the Ranking Series to a Japanese wrestler," he said. "Here it was a different wrestler. I worked a lot on the mistakes I made in Croatia."

Aman still has a way to go to catch up to Kumar, to whom he lost 10-0 at the 2022 world trials. But as he showed in Astana, he has the drive and desire to succeed, and India is taking notice.

"If you told him to do 30 repetitions of an exercise, he would do 60," his coach Lalit KUMAR was quoted as telling the website Sportstar. "If a training session was 60 minutes, he would be training by himself for two hours."

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) defeated Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) 3-1 in the 65kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Amoudzad was surprisingly the only Iranian to make the finals, and he had his hands full in forging out a 3-1 victory at 65kg over a defiant Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL).

An activity point for Tumur Ochir was the lone score of a staid first period in which the Mongolian consistently fended off Amoudzad's attacks. In the second period, Tumur Ochir attempted an arm spin, but Amoudzad kept his feet and scrambled behind for a takedown. He then received an activity point to complete the scoring.

"I try with my heart and my soul to train hard to make the Iranian people happy," said Amoudzad, who had preceded his 2022 world title by winning the world junior gold the previous year. "I hope to repeat this medal at the next World Championships and the Olympic Games."

All three of Amoudzad's matches went the distance, which the Iranian says shows the high level of the weight class -- and makes it fun for him.

"[The] 65kg [division] is the toughest weight category in the world, and I am happy about that and I enjoy it," he said. "The Japan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia wrestlers were good and I succeeded to win gold to make my family and Iranian people happy."

At 79kg, Sakayev denied 33-year-old Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Abdurakhmonov a third career Asian gold and first since 2017 when he held on for a 7-4 victory in his first continental competition on any level.

In the first period, the 30-year-old Sakayev had just given up an activity point when he scrambled behind for a takedown, which he topped off with a lace lock for a 4-1 lead. In the second period, Abdurakhmonov had a chance to cut the gap when he got Sakayev's leg in the air, but the Kazakh managed to slip out of the hold.

As the match was winding down, Abdurakhmonov tried a desperation throw that Sakayev stopped for 2. The last seconds saw a flurry in which Sakayev scored a stepout and Abdurakhmonov got a stepout and takedown.

Doszhanov, who failed to make it out of the qualification round at 65kg last year in Mongolia, picked up his first major medal of any color with a 2-0 victory over Asian U20 bronze medalist Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB) in the 70kg final.

Doszhanov scored a stepout just moments after receiving an activity point in the first period and made that lead hold up through a scoreless second period, much to the appreciation of the partisan crowd.

In the final match of the night, the 20-year-old Tazhudinov proved too much for Awusayiman HABILA (CHN), twice executing rolls after a takedown and cruising to an 11-0 technical fall to capture the 97kg gold.

"I was very well prepared," Tashudinov said. "I had a very good training camp in the mountains back in my Motherland. It was quite a tough championship, the opponents were very good. But this time I was the strongest."

Tazhudinov had defeated Habila two months ago at the Ranking Series Ibrahim Moustafa in Egypt, where he ended up placing seventh.

"With the Chinese opponent from the final, we wrestled each other recently at the Ranking Series, that match was really tough, I won 8-5, but this time it was much easier to win," he said.

Tazhudinov's hardest test came in the semifinals when he rallied to a 13-6 victory over 2021 world bronze medalist Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI).

"The semifinal match was really hard, I did my best, it was very tough," he said. "With the Iranian wrestler by the end of the match I had no energy left, but there was a big difference on the scoreboard, so I could win."

With his victory Thursday, Tazhudinov joined fellow Russian-born Adam BATIROV (BRN) as Asian champions from Bahrain. Batirov won the 70kg gold in Bangkok in 2016.

Tazhudinov said he plans to next enter the Asian U20 Championships in June, "and after that, we will start getting ready for the Worlds." He is currently training at the sports school run by two-time Olympic champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF).

"He is training me, we have nice matches together. So, I think I'll get the experience from him," Tazhudinov said.

Zholdoshbekov bags bronze in move up to 65kg

Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) might not yet have fully adjusted to the extra weight from his move up to 65kg, but he did enough to come away from Astana with his fourth career Asian bronze medal and fifth medal overall.

Zholdoshbekov, the 2020 Asian champion at 61kg, scored a stepout with :35 left to edge Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) 2-2 on last-point criteria. He previously won bronzes at 61kg in 2016, 2018 and last year.

Meanwhile, Japan went 3-for-4 in bronze-medal matches, with Arai capturing his second straight bronze at 57kg and world U23 bronze medalist Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) and world U20 bronze medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) also making the podium at 65kg and 70kg, respectively.

Anraku, making his senior national team debut, scored a 4-point driving takedown in the first period, then added three spin-behind takedowns in the second for a 10-0 technical fall over Sanzhar MUKHTAR (KAZ).

Arai cobbled together a solid 6-1 victory at 57kg over Zou. After the Chinese scored a stepout while on the activity clock, Arai quickly struck back with a low-single takedown to go up 2-1. In the second period, a speedy tackle and a grapevine roll padded the lead.

At 70kg, Aoyagi joined the Japanese bronze parade with an entertaining 12-2 technical fall over lanky teenage Orts ISAKOV (JOR), who became a crowd favorite with his unorthodox style and flashy throws.

Aoyagi had trouble getting past the long arms of Isakova and had to settle for four stepouts in building a 6-2 lead in the first period. He added a takedown early in the second, then ended the match with a 4-point counter hip throw after Isakov got in deep with a duck under.

Isakov, who was looking to become Jordan's first-ever Asian medalist in freestyle, thrilled the crowd with a 5-point back suplex in the quarterfinals that capped a wild 20-7 victory over Agudamu AGUDAMU (CHN).

Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ), the silver medalist a year ago at 57kg, assured he wouldn't leave empty-handed by posting a dramatic 6-4 victory over Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) that brought the crowd to its feet.

Trailing 4-1, Kalzhan could hardly have cut it closer when he sent Zandanbud tumbling backward with an inner leg trip with five seconds left, a decisive 4-point move that would be confirmed on the challenge. The win avenged a 4-2 loss to Zandanbud in the first round of last year's Yasar Dogu tournament.

Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), the Asian U23 champion, gave Kyrgyzstan a second bronze by winning a battle of unmovable forces at 70kg. He edged 2021 bronze medalist Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IRI) 2-1, with all of the points scored on the activity clock. Both of Toktomambetov's points came in the second period.

Iran found success in the two remaining weight classes, as Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) outmuscled Yajuro YAMASAKI (JPN) with five stepouts in a 6-0 victory at 79kg, and Goleij rolled over Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ) for an 11-0 technical fall.

It was Kavousi's second Asian bronze, having won one at 74kg in 2019, while Goleij completed the Asian medal set by adding to the gold he captured in 2020 and silver from 2018.

DEEPAK (IND) added the senior bronze to his Asian U20 bronze from last year by storming to a 12-1 technical fall over Shuhrat BOZOROV (TJK) at 79kg.

Compatriot Deepak NEHRA (IND) did not fare as well at 97kg, losing a freewheeling 12-9 decision to Makhsud VEYSALOV (UZB), who had jumped out to a 10-3 lead in the first period with a takedown, two gut wrenches and a 4-point hip throw counter.

Day 5 Results

Freestyle

57kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Aman AMAN (IND) df. Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ), 9-4

BRONZE: Rikuto ARAI (JPN) df. Wanhao ZOU (CHN), 6-1
BRONZE: Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) df. Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL), 6-4

Semifinal: AMAN (IND) df. Wanhao ZOU (CHN), 7-4
Semifinal: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) df. Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL), 8-6

65kg (14 entries)
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 3-1

BRONZE: Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) df. Sanzhar MUKHTAR (KAZ) by TF, 10-0 (5:36)
BRONZE: Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB), 2-2

Semifinal: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN), 2-1
Semifinal: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB), 5-2

70kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) df. Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB), 2-0

BRONZE: Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) df. Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IRI), 2-1
BRONZE: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Orts ISAKOV (JOR) by TF, 12-2, 4:04

Semifinal: Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) df. Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IRI), 4-1
Semifinal: Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB) df. Orts ISAKOV (JOR) by TF, 10-0, :53

79kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) df. Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB), 7-4

BRONZE: Deepak DEEPAK (IND) df. Shuhrat BOZOROV (TJK) by TF, 12-1, 5:13
BRONZE: Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) df. Yajuro YAMASAKI (JPN), 6-0

Semifinal: Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) df. Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) by Fall, 5:46 (8-5)
Semifinal: Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) df. Deepak DEEPAK (IND) by TF, 10-0, 3:31

97kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) df. Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) by TF, 11-0, 3:32

BRONZE: Makhsud VEYSALOV (UZB) df. Deepak NEHRA (IND), 12-9
BRONZE: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) df. Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ) by TF, 11-0, 4:10

Semifinal: Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) df. Makhsud VEYSALOV (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 3:52
Semifinal: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) df. Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI), 13-8

Asian Championships Freestyle Preview

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Teen Aman steps up, keeps Asian 57kg title in Indian hands