#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

#WrestleAthens

China wins two golds; India defends women's team title

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- India managed to win its second straight women's team title at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece on Friday. India finished with 151 points, thanks to its two gold, three silver and one bronze medal in 10 weight class.

The United States, which did not finish on the podium last year, bounced back in style and finished second, just nine points behind India with 142 points. Japan was third with 113 points. The U.S. and Japan both had two champions as well.

China had three champions in Athens and a silver medalist. However, it only had nine wrestlers and three of them did not contribute any points to the team total. It finished fourth with 107 points. Third-placer in 2024 Kazakhstan managed to earn itself a top-five finish with 69 points.

After the 73kg gold medal on Thursday, China added two more on Friday through Min ZHAO (CHN) at 69kg and Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) at 53kg after the two won their respective finals in contrasting fashion.

Zhao, wrestling at her first international tournament, did not have much trouble seeing off European 17 champion Ayla SAHIN (GER), 13-2, in the 69kg final.

The 15-year-old managed to open the scoring by a ankle pick of the far foot of Sahin and then turned her for two more points. Sahin scored two points when she tried to cradle Zhao but that was the only dominating move of the match for her.

Sahin tried a leg attack but Zhao countered hit with a headpinch and got four points. She hit another one for two points to lead 10-2. A deep single gave her another takedown for a 12-2 technical superiority win. Germany challenged but there was nothing to be reviewed. A lost challenge awarded Zhao another point to make her score 13-2.

Jiaqing JIANG (CHN)Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) defeated Epenesa ELISON (USA) in the 53kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The second gold medal for China came from Jiang who had to defend with all might to beat Epenesa ELISON (USA) in the 53kg final and win the world title.

Jiang got a 6-0 lead against Elison but the U.S. wrestler mounted a comeback in the second period. She scored a takedown to cut the score to 6-2. Another takedown helped her make it 6-4. Jiang got one point for reversal and extended her lead to 7-4. Elison got Jiang for a big throw but the referees called it a foot-stomp, a second earlier, and did not score any points.

There was one more sequence where it seemed that Jiang had her three points touch on the mat but neither referees score nor the U.S. corner challenged. She eventually won 7-4.

Fernandez repeats

The U.S. did get one gold medalist on Friday. After Morgan TURNER (USA) became a two-time world champion on Thursday for the U.S., Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) also achieved the feat as she defended her 61kg title against YASHITA (IND) in the final.

Fernandez was never slow to start and Yashita was on the backfoot straightaway. Yashita was put on the activity clock and Fernandez did not wait for it to end and got the takedown. She led 3-0 before another takedown made it 5-0. She turned Yashita using a leg-lace and made it 9-0.

There is no waiting game for Fernandez as she performed one more leg attacked for a takedown and finished the bout 11-0.

"A little pressure [as I] went into it," Fernandez said. "I just want that really bad. It just come together. I was just keep on wrestling. I could just keep on wrestling and test myself and just see what things I need to get better to be the best of myself. I just love to wrestle so. Every opportunity again, I want to think it."

Fernandez, who is still 16 and eligible for the U17 competitions next year as well, can became the first U.S. wrestler to win three gold medals at the World U17 Championships.

"All you can say is that next year, that's my goal," she said.

Hanano OYA (JPN)Hanano OYA (JPN) won the 46kg gold medal in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan also claimed a gold medal Thursday to win its first gold medal of the tournament.

Hanano OYA (JPN) put on a defensive masterclass in the 46kg final against Janka SILLEI (HUN) and won the gold medal with a 3-0 score line. Oya got her first point when Sillei was put on activity clock but the Hungarian failed to score in the 30 seconds.

In the second period, a hard-fought takedown gave Oya two more points and then she locked Sillei and held her position in the final seconds to avoid any upset.

"I can't believe I actually won, but when I stood on the podium and sang the national anthem at the end, I was so happy," Oya said. "I'm really grateful to my teachers and everyone who supported me."

Talking about the final, Oya said that while she was not able to score many points, she was content that she did not let her opponents score on her as well, especially in semifinal and final.

"The opponent in the final [Sillei] was very strong, and there were no opportunities to score. It turned into a very close match," she said. "I don't know how to describe it. The same was true for the [bout against] United States in the semifinals. The Hungarian wrestler in the final were also very strong, so I realized that I need to practice even harder and aim for higher goals."

History for Uzbekistan

No woman from Uzbekistan has ever been a world champion in wrestling but Friday will be registered as a historic day in Uzbekistan's history.

Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB), the Asian U17 champion, became the first-ever women's world champion in wrestling from Uzbekistan. She defeated An NAKANISHI (JPN), 11-0, in the 40kg final and created history for her country.

Before Shonazarova, three other Uzbekistan wrestler had reached the final of Women's Wrestling at different World Championships but no one was able to win gold until Shonazarova changed that.

RESULTS

40kg
GOLD: Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB) df. An NAKANISHI (JPN), 11-0

BRONZE: Asema ASANGARYEVA (KGZ) df. Valia HARSAN (ROU), 2-0
BRONZE: Maisie ELLIOTT (USA) df. Finja STRAUCH (GER), 6-0

46kg
GOLD: Hanano OYA (JPN) df. Janka SILLEI (HUN), 3-0

BRONZE: Jaclyn BOUZAKIS (USA) df. Irina TSYDEEVA (UWW), 12-2
BRONZE: Maria GKIKA (GRE) df. Kamila KUCHMA (UKR), 4-3

53kg
GOLD: Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) df. Epenesa ELISON (USA), 7-4

BRONZE: Rion OGAWA (JPN) df. Margarita IARYGINA (UWW), 8-0
BRONZE: Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN) df. Farida ABDRAKHMANOVA (KAZ), via fall (10-0)

61kg
GOLD: Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) df. YASHITA (IND), 11-0

BRONZE: Barbara BAGER (HUN) df. Varvara ALISEYENKA (UWW), 3-0
BRONZE: Zalina TOTROVA (UWW) df. Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO), 8-0

69kg
GOLD: Min ZHAO (CHN) df. Ayla SAHIN (GER), 13-2

BRONZE: Solomiia PETRIV (UKR) df. MANISHA (IND), 5-2
BRONZE: Shakhizada DAULETZHAN (KAZ) df. Linda MARTINEZ (MEX), 4-1