Beach wrestling

Beach Wrestling World Championships titles up for grabs in Zagreb

By United World Wrestling Press

Zagreb, Croatia (September 6) - After three tough and testing competitions in Portugal, Brazil and Ukraine, athletes from 10 nationalities take to the sand to fight for world championships honors in four weight classes for the men and women.

 When the debut Beach Wrestling World Series climaxes this weekend in the heart of Croatia, the 70kg winner of the Odessa leg and 2017 World Champion Semen Radulov from Ukraine as well as Georgia’s Dato Maragashvili, 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, will be amongst the most glamorous fighting for the title of King of the Beach 2019.

 

In the women’s Brazil’s Camila Fama Tristao in the 60kg, Sonia Marina Pereira Brazio from Portugal (70kg) and Greek heavyweight Aikaterini Eirini Pitsiava, who competed in two of the previous three meets, bear the biggest chances to receive the Queen of the Beach trophy.

 While the Ukraine sent the biggest team of eight wrestlers to the World Series final, the leaders in seven of eight weight classes - all 4 men’s, 3 in the women’s - travelled to Zagreb ready to battle it out on Croatian sands, where a rainy weather forecast could add additional spice to the competitions.

 

With 3-times the points from a regular World Series event available, wrestlers from Azerbaijan, Brazil, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine and the US will guarantee a thrilling final showdown of the Beach Wrestling season 2019.

 

Standings Beach Wrestling World Series (after 3 of 4 stops)

MEN

70kg

1. Levan KELEKHSASHVILI, GEO  20000*

2. Semen RADULOV, UKR                                   18000*

3. Panah ILYASLI, AZE                        13000

 

80kg

1. Davit KHUTSISHVILI, GEO          20000*

2. Georgios KOULOUCHIDIS, GRE                  18800*

3. Ibrahim YUSUBOV, AZE                16000

 

90kg

1. Dato MARSAGISHVILI, GEO        20000*

2. Murat OZKAN, TUR                         13000

3. Kanan ALIYEV, AZE                        10900

 

+90kg

1. Oyan NAZARIANI, AZE                                    28000*

2. Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS, GRE       20300*

3. Mamuka KORDZAIA, GEO           15800*

 

WOMEN

50kg

1. Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA, BRA                                     18000

2. Carmen Nireida GOMES TEIXEIRA VIEIRA, POR                                  11500*

3. Stefania Claudia PRICEPUTU, ROU                                            10000

 

60kg

1. Camila FAMA TRISTAO, BRA                       18000*

2. Isabel Cristina RODRIGUES, POR              11600*

3. Georgiana Narcisa FILIP, ROU                    10000

 

70kg

1. Sonia Marina PEREIRA BRAZIO, POR     14500*

2. Adina Elena POPESCU, ROU                       10000

3. Brenda AGUIAR DOS SANTOS, BRA         10000

 

+70kg

1. Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA, GRE               20000*

2. Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA, BRA                10000

3. Halyna KOVALSKA, UKR                                8000

 

*registered for Zagreb

#WrestleAthens

World champions Sanchez, Rashidov set up golden clash at U17 Worlds

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 2) -- It will be world champion clashing with another for the 51kg gold medal on Sunday at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece.

Returning world champion from 45kg Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) and returning 48kg champion Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) both won their semifinals and will have a go at each other on Sunday.

Sanchez took just 44 seconds to see of Danael ABDYKASSYM (KAZ), 10-0, in the semifinals at 51kg. He used his gut-wrench to great effect to win via technical superiority.

Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) had to work harder for his win against Haruku SHIINA (JPN). He set up two takedowns and then scored an exposure by doubl arm-locking Shiina and throwing him on the mat when the Japanese tried to defend using headpinch just before the break. Japan challenged but lost the decision as Rashidov led 7-0 at the break.

He used a takedown and turn to make it 11-0 in three minutes and 57 minutes.

Iran vs U.S. in two finals

Iran and the United States will face off in two finals on Sunday. At 45kg, Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) and Keegan BASSETT (USA) dominated their semifinals to enter the gold-medal bout.

Tahmasbi pinned Mirjalol MUKAMMILOV (UZB) using a cradle and Bassett posted a composed 6-2 win over Ibragim VELIULLOV (UWW), 6-2.

The second Iran-U.S. final will be at 71kg after Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI) and Jayden JAMES (USA) needed comeback wins in their respective semifinals.

Vahabian was trailing 5-3 but scored a takedown to make it 5-5 against Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK), who led on criteria. Bozorzoda added a stepout to take a clear 6-5 lead. However, Vahabian got behind and managed to tilt Bozorzoda more than 90 degrees to score two points in the final five seconds.

Tajikistan challenged the decision but there was no other action as seen in review and the challenge was lost, giving one more point to Vahabian.

In the other semifinal, James was leading 3-3 against Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM) when the Armenian used a front headlock for turn and got two points to lead 5-3. But James quickly blocked Mosesyan and broke his lock and held him on the mat for a fall.

Canada could have had its first finalist of a World Championships in Freestyle since 2018 and first time at U17 Worlds since 1989, but Nathan NASH (CAN) failed to hold on to his 3-3 criteria lead against Rihito HIURA (JPN) in the final 30 seconds and suffered a heartbreaking 5-3 loss at 60kg.

Hiura scored a takedown to take a 5-3 lead and tried a leg-lace as the clock ticked and he managed to keep his score till it expired.

The Japanese will face SITENDER (IND) for the gold medal bout after the Indian defeated Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ), 5-1, in the other semifinal which turned out be a one-big-move match.

Iran had another finalist as Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI) won another one-sided bout. He defeated Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 11-0, in the semifinals. 

David DZEBISOV (UWW) made it to the final from other side after he blanked Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ), 9-0, in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Keegan BASSETT (USA) vs. Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) 

SF 1: Keegan BASSETT (USA) df. Ibragim VELIULLOV (UWW), 6-2
SF 2: Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) df. Mirjalol MUKAMMILOV (UZB), via fall

51kg
GOLD: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) vs. Samuel SANCHEZ (USA)

SF 1: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) df. Haruku SHIINA (JPN), 11-0
Sf 2: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) df. Danael ABDYKASSYM (KAZ), 10-0

60kg
GOLD: SITENDER (IND) vs. Rihito HIURA (JPN)

SF 1: SITENDER (IND) df. Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ), 5-1
SF 2: Rihito HIURA (JPN) df. Nathan NASH (CAN), 5-3

71kg
GOLD: Jayden JAMES (USA) vs. Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI)

SF 1: Jayden JAMES (USA) df. Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM), via fall (5-5)
SF 2: Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI) df. Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK), 8-6

92kg
GOLD: David DZEBISOV (UWW) vs. Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI)

SF 1: David DZEBISOV (UWW) df. Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ), 9-0
SF 2: Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI) df. Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 11-0