#WrestleAstana

Asian Championships, Greco-Roman Day 2 finals set

Monday, April 10, 2023 - 04:58 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan (April 10) -- Iran annihilated the field on day one of the Asian Championships, winning four out of the five gold medals. The only one it failed, went to world champion Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) after Amin KAVININEJAD (IRI) forfeited due to injury. Can they add more gold medals today, day two of the continental championships?

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

The finals for the second day are set.

60kg - Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
67kg - Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) vs. Abror ATABAEV (UZB)
72kg - Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) Sajjad IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI)
82kg - Dias KALEN (KAZ) vs. Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ)
97kg - U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI

14:33:  Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) will get a shot at defending his 97kg title and add to the Iranian gold haul after posting a 7-1 semifinal victory over Yiming LI (CHN). Balihamzehdeh jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first period with a pair of gut wrenches from par terre.

14:31: U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) is into the final at 97kg! He gets a big win over Narinder CHEEMA (IND). A par terre position and then a takedown outside the zone. A second passivity against Cheema and Dzhuzupbekov throw Cheema for four! He wins 9-0

14:20: Dias KALEN (KAZ) puts another home wrestler in the final. He never looked in any trouble to see off Yuya MAETA (JPN) 7-1 in the 82kg semifinal.

14:18: And another Iranian bites the dust. Asian U23 champion Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ) jumps out to a 6-0 lead with a takedown and big throw against Alireza MOHMADIPIANI in their 82kg semifinal. Talantbekov then gets a takedown that Iran challenges for a head outside the ring, but it is turned down for a 9-0 win. Taletbekov celebrates the triumph with a victory backflip. 

14:05: How do you finish a semifinal? Sajjad IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI) just reversed threw Jian TAN (CHN) for a five to win 9-0 at 72kg. Monster throw that.

14:01: Asian U23 champion Abror ATABAEV (UZ) booked his place in the 67kg final with a 10-2 technical fall over veteran Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ). Trailing 5-2, Kebispayev attempted a front headlock from standing, but Atabaev stopped it with a bear hug that put Kebispayev straight onto his back for 4. Kazakhstan challenged the call, but lost, giving Atabaev his 10th point and ending the match. 

13:53: Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) with two rolls from par terre against Reza ABBASI (IRI) in the second period. He led 5-1 and though Abbasi tried coming back, there was no way as Sogabe makes it to the final at 67kg.

13:45: World champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) will get a shot at a second straight Asian title after defeating Zagreb Open bronze medalist Maito KAWANA (JPN) 4-0 in the semifinals at 60kg. Sharshenbekov got a passivity point in each period and also scored with a stepout and a penalty point for fleeing. 

13:45: Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) gets a big throw from par terre and leads Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) 5-2 at the break. But Chung goes big in the second period and scores a four! He leads 6-5 with Fidakhmetov trying hard to get to Chung. Nothing works for him and Chung is into the final at 60kg. This also means that Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) will be returning without a medal.

13:10: The semifinals for the day are set. A short break before we head straight into semis

60kg
Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) vs Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Maito KAWANA (JPN)

67kg
Abror ATABAEV (UZB) vs. Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ)
Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) vs. Reza Mahdi ABBASI (IRI)

72kg
Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) vs. Ali AL ABBOODAH (IRQ)
Sajjad IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI) vs. Jian TAN (CHN)

82kg
Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI)
Dias KALEN (KAZ) vs. Yuya MAETA (JPN)

97kg
Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) vs. Yiming LI (CHN)
U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Narinder CHEEMA (IND)

13:10: After winning a third Asian bronze last year, Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) kept up his bid for a higher place on the podium when he scraped out a 3-1 victory over Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ) to advance to the 97kg semifinals.

13:01: Defending champion Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) fell behind against unheralded Yuta NARA (JPN), but a takedown and gut wrench put him on the path to a 7-5 victory and into the semifinals at 97kg. Nara got a gut wrench from par terre in the first period and nearly put the Iranian onto his back. It was a gutsy performance from Nara, who had never finished higher than seventh in three previous trips to the Asian Championships.

12:40: The Iranian juggernaut finally hits a bump, as Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) rallies for a 4-3 victory over Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) in the quarterfinals at 60kg. Mohsen Nejad appeared to go ahead late in the match, but a challenge for using his leg wiped out his points. Fidakhmetov was a bronze medalist a year ago in Mongolia, while Mohsen Nejad won the silver. 

12:31: Sajjad IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI) begins his bid to join the Iranian gold rush, getting the big throw in a 6-1 win over VIKAS (IND) in the quarterfinals at 72kg. 

12:25: Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) gets a 4-point throw in the first period and advances to the 67kg semifinals with a 5-0 victory over HUSIYEUETU (CHN), the winner of the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in February.

12:16: Top-seed Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), the silver medalist in 2020, is into the semifinals at 72kg with a 5-1 win over 2022 bronze medalist Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ).

12:05: Abror ABTAEV (UZB) unleashes his powers. He sends Firuz MIRZORADZHABOV (TJK) twice and wins 10-1 at 67kg. Top-class throws from the former U17 world champion

12:04: Veteran Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ), a two-time former champion and six-time medalist dating back to 2009, survives a qualification round scare from Hong Yu CHEN (TPE), holding on for a 7-5 victory.

12:00: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) gets to a beautiful throw twice against Aslamdzhon AZIZOV (TJK) but both times Azizov placed one of his legs on the mat before the throw. The throws were scored two points once and four points the second time. A gut wrench gives Chung a 9-0 win but Azizov challenges. No change in the decision and Chung wins 10-0.

11:52: World U23 bronze medalist Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) starts his campaign at 67kg with a victory by fall over Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ). Kogabe got a takedown and gut wrench for a four-point, then took Beishekeev down directly to his back.

11:32: Welcome again from Astana and the second day of the Asian Championships. Today, we will finish up the competition in Greco-Roman with the remaining five weight classes, 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg. Among those taking the mat are defending champions Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) at 60kg and Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) at 97kg.

#WrestleTirana

World Championships: Azizli wins record fourth title, leads Azerbaijan's golden run

Tuesday, October 29, 2024 - 22:17 By Ken Marantz

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TIRANA, Albania (October 29) -- In leading a golden night for Azerbaijan, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) became the country's most successful wrestler on the world stage.

Azizli won his fourth consecutive world title at Greco 55kg, one of three golds won by Azerbaijan on the first night of finals at the Non-Olympic Weight Categories World Championships on Tuesday in Tirana.

Azerbaijan also got golds from Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) at 63kg and Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) at 72kg, while Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) took the other Greco title at stake at 82kg to claim an elusive world gold after having previously settled for three bronzes.

In the 55kg final, Azizli defeated 2023 bronze medalist Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) for the fourth time in four career meetings, but this one was the closest as he won 1-1 on last-point criteria after each received a passivity point.

"I have met the Iran wrestler before and we know each other well," Azizli said. "That is why it was close. I have beaten him four times and but this time it was closer."

It was an ironic defeat for Dad Marz, who had been on the winning end of the same scoreline in his two previous matches. In their most recent encounter at the Budapest Ranking Series in June, Azizli had bested the Iranian 6-1.

By winning his fourth world title, the 32-year-old Azizli eclipsed the national record of three held by freestyle great Haji ALIYEV (AZE), who won golds in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Aliyev also has two Olympic medals, a prize that Azizli is unable to attain on the current Olympic program.

Looking ahead, Azizli said he would like to win his fifth world Greco gold, a milestone reached by 16 wrestlers, topped by the 12 of Russian legend Aleksandr KARELIN (RUS).

"I don't know what the future holds, but I would like to win five world gold medals," he said. "I will not be at the Europeans [next year], but I will try to win a fifth world title and finish my career."

In a battle of reigning continental champions, Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) took advantage of some impatience on the part of Yerzhet ZHARLYKASSYN (KAZ), scoring twice by stopping throw attempts for a 6-1 victory in the 63kg final.

After keeping Asian champion Zharlykassyn from scoring from par terre in the first period, Mammadli, the European 60kg champion, went ahead by stuffing a back suplex attempt, adding a roll to go ahead 4-1.

When Zharlykassyn tried a front headlock throw at the edge, Mammadli pressed forward and sent him tumbling back for another 2 to put the match out of reach.

At 72kg, Ganizade kept the Azeri juggernaut going and improved on his silver medal from 2022 by dethroning defending champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) 3-2.

Ganizade had won a 7-7 nail-biter over Ghanem in the final at the 2023 European Championships, and Tuesday's clash was just as tense. Ganizade was put on the bottom of par terre in the first period, but grabbed Ghanem's head and stopped a roll attempt for a 2-point exposure.

Ghanem received a second passivity point in the second period to make it 2-2, but remained behind on criteria. Perhaps learning a lesson from the first period, he chose to remain standing instead of taking another shot at par terre.

In the end, he could not break down the defenses of Ganizade, who gained a third point when Ghanem unsuccessfully challenged for what he claimed was a grabbed singlet.

In the 82kg final, Geraei was not to be denied in his first chance at world gold, as he stormed to a 9-0 victory over a shell-shocked Erik SZILVASSY (HUN).

"After eight years, I finally got to experience the world finals," Geraei said. "I’m truly happy from the bottom of my heart because I could make my fans and family happy, especially my dear wife 
who stood by me in tough times and understood me, as well as my parents and all my fans.

"I'm grateful to them; they have always been there for me and supported me, and I dedicate this medal to them."

Geraei, normally a 77kg wrestler who was competing at the heaviest weight of his career, encountered no problems handling the extra bulk against Szilvassy, a winner of international tournaments this year in Zagreb and Budapest.

After a quick stepout, Geraei stopped an attempted throw by Szilvassy for a takedown, then transitioned immediately to a gut wrench. An unsuccessful challenge by the Hungary side padded Geraei's lead to 6-0 just a minute into the match.

Geraei, who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics but missed the Paris Games due to a suspension, then completed a snap-down, go-behind takedown to finish the match in 1:35 and add the world gold to the bronzes he won at 71kg in 2017 and at 77kg in 2019 and 2021.

"I thought this competition would be really tough, but thank God it ended up being easy," Geraei said. "These past two or three years have been difficult for me, and due to certain circumstances, I couldn't participate in the Olympics and missed out on it. But I hope with this medal I won, I can pave my way to the [next] Olympics and achieve the best medal and my dream."

Serbia's Arsalan takes bronze in 30-point thriller

In the bronze-medal matches, Iranian-born Ali ARSALAN (SRB) picked up his third straight world medal, and he certainly earned it when he rallied to a wild 16-14 win over Hayk MELIKYAN (ARM) at 72kg.

In a thriller filled with big throws and slick counters, Arsalan fell behind 10-5 in the first period. But the 2021 world champion came back in the second with a pair of 4-pointers, the second with 12 seconds to go that was enough for the victory even after Melikyan reversed him for 2.

The other 72kg match was not as high-scoring but was just as entertaining, as Otar ABULADZE (GEO) connected on a pair of 4-point headlock hip throws to defeat Asian bronze medalist Ji LENG (CHN) 9-5 for his first major medal since winning a world cadet bronze in 2017.

Two-time European bronze medalist Denis MIHAI (ROU) added a world bronze by holding on to defeat Haifeng ZHANG (CHN) 8-5 at 55kg. Mihai scored two stepouts and two rolls from par terre for a 7-0 lead, then survived a second-period surge from the Chinese.

Emin SEFERSHAEV (AIN), a silver medalist in 2021, picked up the other 55kg bronze after scoring six points in the first period and holding on for a 7-5 victory over European bronze medalist Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM).

At 63kg, Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) sent Abu AMAEV (BUL) flying all over the mat before he knew what hit him, throwing him four times with a front headlock for an 8-0 victory in 30 seconds. A challenge negated one throw but revised two others to 4-pointers to produce the same result.

Aslanyan, who defeated reigning champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) and newly crowned world U23 champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) before losing to Mammadli in the semifinals, had seen little international action since placing ninth at 67kg at the Tokyo Olympics. But now he has a world bronze to go with three European ones he won from 2018 to 2020.

Sadyk LALAEV (AIN), a European bronze medalist at 60kg, took home the other 63kg bronze without a fight as Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) was forced to default due to injury.

At 82kg, Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) prevented Azerbaijan from medaling in every weight class, denying two-time European U23 champion Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) a senior world bronze with a solid 8-1 victory.

Yilmaz, who normally competes at 77kg, started off with three stepouts before clinching the deal with a classic 4-point throw from par terre for his first major medal on any level.

European bronze medalist Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) gave Japanese teenager and senior Asian champion Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) a lesson on the big stage, rolling to a 10-2 victory for the other 82kg bronze.

Yoshida, the 2023 world U17 champion, got an opening takedown, but could offer little resistance when Bolkvadze got behind for a takedown and added a gut wrench. The Georgian then used an arm drag for another takedown, and two gut wrenches ended the match at 2:40.

Greco-Roman Results

55kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df. Poya DAD MARZ (IRI), 1-1

BRONZE: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df. Haifeng ZHANG (CHN), 8-5
BRONZE: Emin SEFERSHAEV (AIN) df. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 7-5

63kg (21 entries)
GOLD: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. Yerzhet ZHARLYKASSYN (KAZ), 6-1

BRONZE: Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Abu AMAEV (BUL) by TF, 8-0, :30
BRONZE: Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) df. Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) by Inj. Def.

72kg (28 entries)
GOLD: Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) df. Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), 3-2

BRONZE: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df. Hayk MELIKYAN (ARM), 16-14
BRONZE: Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Ji LENG (CHN), 9-5

82kg (28 entries)
GOLD: Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) df. Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) by TF, 8-0, 1:35

BRONZE: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Gurban GURBANOV (AZE), 8-1
BRONZE: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) by TF, 10-2, 2:40