#wrestlebishkek

Asian Olympic 2024 Greco-Roman Qualification Bouts set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 21) -- The final day of the Asian Olympic qualifier with six Greco-Roman Olympic weight classes. 12 Olympic quotas will be on offer in 60kg, 67kg, 77kg, 87kg, 97kg and 130kg.

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The Paris Qualification Bouts are set

60kg
Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) vs. Jui Chi HUANG (TPE)
Se ung RI (PRK) vs. Dahyun KIM (KOR)

67kg
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) vs. HUSIYUETU (CHN)
Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) vs. Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)

77kg
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) vs. Dowon LEE (KOR)
Rui LIU (CHN) vs. Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)

87kg
Haitao QIAN (CHN) vs. Sultan EID (JOR)
Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) vs. Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

97kg
Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) vs. U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ)
Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA) vs. Seungjun KIM (KOR)

130kg
Seungchan LEE (KOR) vs. Sota OKUMURA (JPN)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) Roman KIM (KGZ)

12:25: Asian Games silver medalist Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) keeps Iran's hopes of filling all six Greco weights in Paris alive with a 7-1 win over Ali ALABODA (IRQ) at 77kg to end the morning session. Kaviyaninejad is put on the bottom of par terre first, but escapes, scores a takedown and adds a gut wrench for a 4-1 lead. He scores a gut wrench from par terre in the second period, clinching the win and setting up a clash with Rui LIU (CHN) for the ticket to Paris.

12:16: Saudi Arabia, like Jordan looking for a first-time Olympian, will get a chance tonight from Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA), who defeated  Mirzoamin SAFAROV (TJK) 3-1 at 97kg. After gaining a passivity point, Fallatah scores a takedown when he fights off a whizzer for a 3-0 lead in the first period. In the second, he keeps from getting turned while on the bottom of par terre.

12:11: Dowon LEE (KOR) makes short work of Gadiel MISSO (SGP) at 77kg, chalking up an 8-0 win in 33 seconds. He will face Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) for the Olympic spot.

12:09: Seungjun KIM (KOR) scores all of his points in the first period, then hangs on for a 5-4 win over Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM) at 97kg.

12:06: Haitao QIAN (CHN), a world bronze medalist back in 2019 at 82kg, rallies with a takedown and two rolls in the second period to defeat Sanghyeok PARK (KOR) 8-3 at 87kg and gain a place in tonight's qualifying match.

12:00: Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) with his trademark handlock throw over Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) before finishing the bout 10-0 at 97kg. He moves into the semifinals.

11:56: Tokyo Olympian Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) survives a scare, scoring a takedown with 1:08 left to defeat Sunil KUMAR (IND) 4-2 at 87kg. Kumar earlier had a stepout wiped out on the challenge, then a takedown with 11 seconds left.

11:55: Big win for Jordan as Sultan EID (JOR) gains a 4-point takedown and converts it into a fall in the second period over Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK) at 87kg. A win tonight against the winner of Sanghyeok PARK (KOR)-Haitao QIAN (CHN) will give him Jordan's first-ever berth in wrestling at an Olympics.

11:45: Dahyun KIM (KOR) sticks Baljinnyam TSEVEENRAVDAN (MGL) with a 4-point arm throw, then comes back with a takedown and gut wrench to end their match at 60kg. An unsuccessful challenge makes it officially 9-0.

11:43: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) gave some hope to the local crowd but Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) proved too good for him. Mohmadipiani gets par terre in the second period to make the score 3-2 with Zhanyshov leading. Mohamadipiani lifts and pushes Zhanyshov to the mat to score two points. A takedown later to win 8-3 at 87kg.

11:42: Rising star Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) proves too much for Muhammad ALIANSYAH (INA), as the 2022 world U23 bronze medalist gets a takedown and a gut wrench, then unleashes a 4-point throw to win 8-0 in 1:20 and move one win away from an Olympic place at 67kg.

11:38: Sota OKUMURA (JPN), looking to become the first Japanese to make it to the Olympics in an upper Greco weight class since 2012 and the first heavyweight since 1996, rallies from a 6-1 deficit to defeat a fatigued Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB) 12-6 at 130kg. Okumura ties the match at 6-6 with a 4-point throw off a whizzer, then adds a pair of stepouts that met little resistance.

11:37: HUSIYUETU (CHN) looks like a merry-go-round rolling Faisal ALDOSSARY (KSA) four straight times from par terre in the second period for a 9-0 win to make tonight's qualifying match at 67kg.

11:28: Abror ATABAEV (UZB) and Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) on Mat B. Shermakhanbet gets the par terre position first and he exposes Atabaev twice for a 5-0 lead. Atabaev challenges for a leg foul but loses it to hand one more point to Shermakhanbet. Atabaev gets one turn in par terre in the second period but Shermakhanbet wiggles out of the hold. A 6-3 win for Shermakhanbet and Atabaev leaves disappointed

11:19: Two-time Asian silver medalist Seungjun KIM (KOR)squanders a seven-point lead, but still hangs on to beat Asian Games silver medalist Yiming LI (CHN) 7-7 on criteria at 97kg. Kim gets three gut wrenches from par terre to lead 7-0, before Li comes back with a takedown and stepout. In the second period, Li adds a takedown and a stepout with a fleeing point tacked on to tie it at 7-all, but his late efforts to force Kim out once more fall short and both wrestlers drop to the mat in exhaustion.

11:19: Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) with a reverse lift and destroys Yong Jin RO (PRK) with two slams. Incredible show of strength from Ismailov.

11:17: Roman KIM (KGZ), the host country's three-time Asian medalist, fights off a gutsy Ali AL SHARUEE (IRQ) in a 4-1 win at 130kg.

11:13: Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) scored a takedown to start the 130kg bout against Aybegshazada KURRAYEV (TKM). He got a par terre point and then rolled Kurrayev for a 9-0 win.

11:10: Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) led 2-0 against Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ) at the break and then defended from par terre in the second period to pull off a 2-1 victory at 97kg.

11:08: Sunil KUMAR (IND), the 2019 Asian silver medalist, gets a pair of gut wrenches in his turn in par terre in the second period and defeats Soh SAKABE (JPN) 5-1 at 87kg. He will next face two-time world medalist and Asian Games champion Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB).

11:00: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) gets four gut wrenches from par terre to win 9-0 Yhlas ABDURAZAKOV (TKM). Turkmenistan challenged but lost to give another point to Zhanyshov

10:58: Asian Games bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK), leading  4-0 lead in the second period at 60kg against  SUMIT (IND), has a takedown and gut wrench nullified on challenge due to a leg violation. Sumit gets a takedown to pull within two, but Ri stuffs his roll attempt for a 2-point exposure and a 6-2 win.

10:43: Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) with a dreamy suplex to beat 10-1 over Rovshen ATDAYEV (TKM) as he moves on at 67kg. Beautiful move!

10:42: In a sign of a generational change, up-and-coming Japanese Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) gets four rolls from par terre and ousts 36-year-old two-time Olympian and three-time world medalist Hansu RYU (KOR) 9-0 in just under two minutes at 67kg. The 22-year-old Sogabe, the 2023 Asian silver medalist, made a name for himself by nearly knocking off Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) at last year's World Championships, losing 11-10 in a memorable match that had the crowd on his side.

10:38: Yong Jin RO (PRK), a 2015 Asian junior bronze medalist who returned to the international stage to finish 10th at last October's Asian Games, defeats Karrar ALBIDHAN (IRQ) 12-4 at 67kg to start the action on Mat C. Ro falls behind 2-2 after an early scramble, but reverses and adds a 2-point throw at the edge. A 2-point penalty is tacked on for fleeing, and another point for an unsuccessful challenge. And 2-and-2 makes the score 10-4 before Ro finishes it with a gut wrench.

10:33: 2023 Asian champion Abror ATABAEV (UZB) with a quick 8-0 win over ASHU (IND) at 67kg to advance. The former U17 world champion is looking to win the Paris quota at 67kg.

10:30: Greco-Roman powerhouses out to earn their Paris Olympic quotas. On the final day of the Asian Olympic qualifiers with 12 quotas

#WrestleSamokov

New challenges fail to stop Yakushenko as he defends gold

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 23) -- When Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) reached the final of the World U20 Championships in Samokov, he was aware that he will be facing a new challenge in Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI), the other finalist.

In his career, Yakushenko had never wrestled an Iranian wrestler. With the pedigree of Iran in Greco-Roman especially in age-group competition, Yakushenko knew that Seydi will be a tough opponent.

With his U20 world title on line, Yakushenko planned his final against Seydi to perfection to beat the Iranian 5-2 and capture his second straight gold medal at the World U20 Championships. He became the first Ukrainian wrestler to win two gold medals in Greco-Roman at this age-group Worlds.

Yakushenko had the first par terre position and he lifted Seydi and then completed a correct throw for two points and lead 3-0. Seydi managed to close out the first period with a stepout and cut the lead to 3-1.

Seydi had his chance to score in the second period from par terre but Yakushenko was solid in his defense and did not give up any points. Seydi tried a few attacks in the final second but there was no score. Yakushenko got two more points for a go-behind in the final second to win 5-2.

Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR)Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) celebrates after becoming the world U20 champion for the second time. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

 

While Seydi was a new challenge, Yakushenko faced a familiar foe in Darius KIEFER (GER) in the semifinals on Friday. Kiefer, who had lost three previous bouts to Yakushenko got one back when he defeated the Ukrainian in the final of the U20 European Championships. Yakushenko wasn't keen to letting him get one more win.

"When I saw my bracket, I understood that in the semifinals I would face Kiefer who beat me at the European Championships," Yakushenko said. "I really wanted to beat him. I trained and prepared only for him, focused only on him. Before him, in earlier matches, I just wrestled for six minutes straight, just to warm up. The bracket overall was pretty easy."

Yakushenko still has one more year left in this age-group and he wants to win the third gold medal at the U20 World Championships next year. He also plans to debut in the senior category.

"I still have one more year left in this age-group and next year the third belt will be mine," he said. "Starting next year, I plan to compete at the seniors, qualify for the Senior European Championship, and to be a strong competitor."

However, to be on the Ukraine team, he will have beat a few senior wrestler and may find it slightly difficult than the U20s.

"At the senior level, we have good competition," he said. "But among juniors, not really. For example, before the U20 European Championships there was no one in my category. I had to call an old friend, Vladislav LUB, whom I had trained with. Thanks to him, I managed to push through, and because of him I improved a lot and beat Kiefer."

Among the medalist at 97kg was Ilia KOMAROV (UWW), younger brother of European 87kg champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB). Ilia defeated Andrej RODIN (CRO), 8-0, in the bronze medalist.

Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ)Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) celebrates after beating Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) in the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Another returning champion was not as fortunate and Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) dropped his 67kg final to 2023 World U20 silver medalist Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ), 4-2, and finish with a silver medal.

Zakriev was hurt from the two stepouts Mirzaliev scored on him when was in the dominant position but the Kyrgyz wrestler switched the position and pushed Zakriev out.

The first such incident came in the second minute when Zakriev tried to push Mirzaliev towards the zone the Kyrgyz wrestler spun an arm-throw and managed to force a stepout for a 1-0 lead. Zakriev got one for himself to take make it 1-1 but Mirzaliev had the criteria according to the new Greco rule that when the score is 1-1 in bout, the first scorer will have criteria.

But Zakriev quickly made it 2-1. That's when the second instance of Mirzaliev getting a stepout when Zakriev was aggressive occurred. Zakriev had Mirzaliev in the zone when the latter hit the arm-throw but Zakriev kept his balance. He stepped out and conceded a point to Mirzaliev who now led 2-2 on criteria at the break.

The second period also began in this manger when Zakriev almost made Mirzaliev stepout but the Kyrgyz survived and circled inside. He then pushed Zakriev out and get a 3-2 lead. There no more points scored in the bout but Zakriev challenged at the end asking for passivity from Mirzaliev which was denied and he lost another point to lose 4-2.

The result is in contrast to the 10-0 win Zakriev scored on Mirzaliev just a month ago in Turkiye.

Payam AHMADI (IRI)Payam AHMADI (IRI) scores a takedown against Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) in the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Payam AHMADI (IRI) won the first gold medal for Iran at this World Championships when he defeated former world U17 champion Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE), 5-3, in the 55kg.

In one of most thrilling finals, Ahmadi needed an acrobatic summersault to not give up points to Dashdamirov in the final minute and defend his lead for the win.

Dashdamirov got the par terre position first but Ahmadi escaped with ease and without any trouble. Soon, Ahmadi scored a takedown and turned the Azerbaijani wrestler using a high gut-wrench for a 4-1 lead.

The second period saw Ahmadi on the aggressive and he tried a bodylock but Dashdamirov blocked it with an overarm and flipped Ahmadi for two points. Ahmadi now led 4-3 and Dashdamirov needed two points for a win with 2:40 remaining.

Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE)Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) hits a fireman carry for no points against Payam AHMADI (IRI) during the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Dashdamirov failed to find an opening until the last 15 seconds when he did a fireman carry but Ahmadi landed on his feet. Dashdamirov was awarded two points but Iran challenged and the points were removed as there was no danger position. With 4-3 score, Ahmadi defended for the last 7 seconds remaining and won the gold medal.

After drawing a blank in Ponteverdra, Spain last year, Armenia crowned a world U20 champion in Greco-Roman Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) defeated Ahmad KODIROV (UZB), 1-1, in the 72kg final and win the gold medal.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI (IRI) df. Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE), 5-3

BRONZE: Omur YNTYMAK UULU (KGZ) vs. Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Anil MOR (IND) vs. Daisuke MORISHITA (JPN)

67kg
GOLD: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) df. Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW), 4-2

BRONZE: Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB) df. Gholamreza ABDOVALI (IRI), 5-1
BRONZE: Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) df. Takaku SUZUKI (JPN), 5-4

72kg
GOLD: Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) df. Ahmad KODIROV (UZB), 1-1

BRONZE: Oliver PADA (FIN) df. Arvid STRAAKEVED (SWE), 14-5
BRONZE: Yussuf ASHRAPOV (KAZ) df. Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE), 2-0

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI), 5-2

BRONZE: Darius KIEFER (GER) df. Amirkhon BERDIKULOV (UZB), 8-0
BRONZE: Ilia KOMAROV (UWW) df. Andrej RODIN (CRO), 8-0

Semifinals

63kg
GOLD: Aleks MARGARYAN (ARM) vs. AYTJAN KHALMAKHANOV (UZB)

SF 1: Aleks MARGARYAN (ARM) df. Kristiyan MILENKOV (BUL), 9-0
SF 2: AYTJAN KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Damir IBRASHOV (KAZ), 8-0

77kg
GOLD: Ahoura BOUVEIRI (IRI) vs. Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Ahoura BOUVEIRI (IRI) df. Zaur BESLEKOEV (UWW), 8-0
SF 2: Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO) df. Kiryl VALEUSKI (UWW), 5-4

87kg
GOLD: Luka KOCHALIDZE (GEO) vs. Abdurakhman ABDULKADYROV (UWW)

SF 1: Luka KOCHALIDZE (GEO) df. Elias LYYSKI (FIN), 6-0
SF 2: Abdurakhman ABDULKADYROV (UWW) df. Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Yusuf BAKIR (TUR) vs. Ali ILIASOV (UWW)

SF 1: Yusuf BAKIR (TUR) df. Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR), 8-0
SF 2: Ali ILIASOV (UWW) df. Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI), 5-4 .