#BeachWrestlingWorldSeries

Beach Wrestlers Inam, Marsigashvilli on Golden Collision Course

Friday, May 10, 2019 - 21:23 By Tim Foley

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RIO DE JANEIRO (May 10) – With 6000 miles of travel logged in the past 48 hours, Muhammed INAM (PAK) should have limped onto the Rio sand and groggy and bleary eyed. But on Friday afternoon, the two-time defending Beach Wrestling World Champion showed no signs of fatigue, winning his opening two matches.

Inam, who cruised 3-0 in the opening round, ran up against experienced wrestler Kanan ALIYEV (AZE) in the second round. The match started slow, but Inam exploded with a flurry of action at the edge of the circle to earn a one-point step out on a three-point takedown attempt that was deemed out of bounds. Inam would control the center for the remainder of the

“I’m feeling very good in my matches,” said Inam. “Tonight, I will watch videos and prepare strategies for tomorrow’s opponents, especially the Georgian. I will prepare techniques to try and beat him … because he is amazing.”

On the other side of the 90kg bracket “The Georgian” Dato MARSIGASHVILLI – who won the BWWS stop in Chaves -- had a tough first-round battle ceding two points to Grigorios KRIARIDIS (GRE) before scoring back-back-back takedowns to win 3-2. In the second round, Marsigashvilli quickly disposed of Brazil’s Andre Luiz RAMOS PINTO (BRA).

With one pool match to complete in the morning Inam and Marsigashvilli are headed for a gold medal showdown in the evening finals.

In women’s beach wrestling, Aline De SILVA FERREIRA proved to be golden winning her first beach wrestling series event. She Brazilian, who won a world silver medal on the mats in 2014 was all smiles after learning she was taking home 1000 CHF for her efforts.

“For me beach wrestling is good because I like to shoot high crotches,” said Silva. “The girls here are a little slower than me and I can use my strength.”

Silva also gushed about the new wrestling style and her hopes for its future in Brazil. “I like the way beach wrestling is organized – and it’s beautiful. I brought friends and they like its short time and rules are simple. It’s a great part for people in Brazil to learn wrestling. We have a lot of beaches.”

Wrestling continues tomorrow morning at 10am local time, following by the finals of the Beach Wrestling World Series are set to start at 2pm local.  

Full results from day one can be found, here: https://unitedworldwrestling.org/event/rio-de-janeiro-beach-wrestling-world-series?tab=results

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Romania and Georgia Dominate First Stop of Beach Wrestling World Series

Saturday, March 30, 2019 - 18:19 By Tim Foley

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CHAVES, Portugal (March 30) – Georgia and Romania asserted themselves as the world’s premier beach wrestling nations Saturday in Chaves as they combined to win 6 of 8 gold medals in men’s and women’s wrestling.

The Georgian squad was led by 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Dato MARSAGISHVILI who dominated the -90kg competition over the course of the two-day competition to take gold. Marsagishvili was also awarded “Best Move of the Tournament” after back-arching his quarterfinal opponent for what fans thought was the most spectacular technique of the weekend.

“I’m very happy to be involved in beach wrestling,” said Marsagishvili. “This is my first time and I was really excited to win. Beach wrestling is amazing it’s like a celebration atmosphere, which had me smiling.”

Levan KELEKHSASHVILI (60kg) and Davit KHUTSISHVILI (80kg) also took home gold medals for their efforts, each winning 3-0 in their finals bouts.

Team Georgia would have won all four medals, were it not for Iannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE) who used a front head pinch to twist an undersized Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO) for a match-ending three-point move in the semifinals to earn a spot in the afternoon's finals.

Kargiotakis’ upset run finally ended in the finals when Azeri big man Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE) used a series of underhooks and snap downs for three one-point moves and the +90kg title.

On the women’s side the Romanians -- who won four gold medals at the 2018 World Championships in Dalyan -- were once again tops in their division, winning three of the event’s four women’s categories.

The small European nation was led by Georgiana FILIP (60kg) who used two takedowns and a three-point throw in the finals to win her title, 5-0.

“We are used to mat wrestling, but we also practice a lot for the beach events,” said Filip. “We are focused on qualification for the World Beach Games and hope to be in Rio for the next World Beach Series event.”

The Romanian squad, who is also competing next week at the 2019 European Championships in the Olympic style of women’s wrestling, were boosted by a workwoman-like performance of 50kg megastar Stefania PRICEPUTU. Though shorter than most her opponents, Priceputu used a combination of intensity, heavy hand pressure and snap downs to earn the gold and 1000 CHF.

Greece earned the +70kg title with a comeback performance by Aikaterini PITSIAVA, who trailed 2-0 late in her match with Diana VLASCEANU, but bullied her way to a 3-2 gold medal.

The next stop on the Beach Wrestling World Series will be May 10-11 in Rio de Janerio. The points from the Chaves and Rio stops will determing which wrestlers and nations qualify for the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games in October.

The Beach Wrestling World Series can viewed live on FloWrestling.org. Fans and athletes can also follow the Beach Wrestling World Series on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter

Men’s Beach Wrestling

70kg

GOLD: Levan KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO) df. Panah ILYASLI (AZE), 2-2
BRONZE: Niko AROUZMANIDIS (GRE) df. Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU), 1-1

80kg
GOLD: Davit KHUTSISHVILI (GEO) df. Ibrahim YUSUBOV (AZE), 3-0
BRONZE: Georgios KOULOUCHIDIS (GRE) df. Vasile Madalin MINZALA (ROU), Inj Def.

-90kg
GOLD: Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) df. Murat OZKAN (TUR), 3-0
BRONZE: Pedro Jacinto GARCIA PEREZ (ESP) df. Christos SAMARTSIDIS (GRE), 3 - 1

+90kg
GOLD: Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE) df. Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE), 3-0
BRONZE: Baki SAHIN (TUR) df. Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO), 3 - 2

Women’s Beach Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Stefania Claudia PRICEPUTU (ROU)
SILVER: Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA)
BRONZE: Carmen Nireida GOMES TEIXEIRA VIEIRA (POR)

60kg
GOLD: Georgiana Narcisa FILIP (ROU)
SILVER: Camila FAMA TRISTAO (BRA)
BRONZE: Jeannie Agnes KESSLER (AUT)

70kg
GOLD: Adina Elena POPESCU (ROU)
SILVER: Sonia Marina PEREIRA BRAZIO (POR)
BRONZE: Sinem Cisem DOGDU (TUR)

+70kg
GOLD: Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE)
SILVER: Diana Elena VLASCEANU (ROU)