Beach wrestling

Brackets Released For 2018 Beach Wrestling World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

SARIGERME, Turkey (October 5) – Brackets for the 2018 Beach Wrestling World Championships were released on Friday night, with defending champions Turkey set to their defend their title in the coastal city of Sarigerme. 

In all five individual champions will be returning to Turkey to defend their titles. To do so they'll need to navigate a field of seasoned veterans, and first-time beach wrestlers with international experience in other styles.

Defending senior men’s 70kg division champion Semen RADULOV (UKR) will need to work his way past a loaded field of 20 competitors should he want to take the Group A title. Meanwhile, United States' Michael PETERS loooks to improve on his medal performance from a year ago and upgrade to gold. Greco-Roman European medalist Konstantine KHABALASHVILI (GEO) has entered Group C and could be a standout performer. Frank ANDERSEN (NOR) comes back to Turkey looking to capture a podium finish in Group E.

At 90kg Muhammed INAM (PAK) will be starting his day in Group A. He took home gold last year, but to make the medal rounds he will first need to get past the tough Norwegian Bo BERGEN (NOR). Anton CHUIEV (UKR) fell short in last year's quarterfinal last year, but comes into Group D with a lot to prove. Christos SAMARTSIDIS (GRE), who took off last year's championships having medaled in year's previous, will start in the tough Group C.

Francesca INDELICATO (ITA) is the defending champion in the Women’s 60kg division, but will need to get past Rikke BUGGE (NOR) and  Mihaela Denisa BARBULESCU (ROU). Bugge is part of the large Norwegian team that is in the hunt for the team title in the women’s division. Another Norwegian to watch is Charlotte SKAUEN (NOR) at 70kg. If she makes it out of Group A, she is likely to face teammate, Cesilie Hoeivik MAGNUSSEN (NOR) who is a favorite in Group B. Both will need to beat tough opponents from Turkey and Romania.

Click here: https://bit.ly/2OH12Cr for the full brackets.

Watch the matches live on United World Wrestling. The actions begins at 7am (GMT).

#BeachWrestling

Beach Wrestling: Ukraine, U.S. best at U17 World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

KATERINI, Greece (September 21) -- Ukraine and the United States emerged as the best teams at the Beach Wrestling World Championships at the U17 level in the men's and women's categories respectively.

The U17 and U20 World Championships was held in Katerini over eight weight classes in men's and women's categories. Ukraine won the men's part while the U.S. claimed the team title in women's despite not winning a gold medal in four weight classes.

Romania won two gold medals in the men's U17 with Lucian SOMANDRU (ROU) beating Christos XENAKIS (GRE), 3-0, in the 50kg final and Magor LORINCZ (ROU), who had finished ninth last year, dominated Yurii PYHULSKYI (UKR) in the 80kg, winning the gold medal 5-0.

The two other gold medals were won by Mirzakhan GASHYMOV (UKR) and Anri GOGUADZE (GEO) at 60kg and 70kg respectively.

Gashymov was the gold medalist as Ukraine swept the podium, winning the silver and bronze medals as well. He defeated Nazar VELINSKYI (UKR), 4-1, in the final.

Goguadze also faced compatriot Koba GOGUADZE (GEO) in the 70kg final and won the final via superiority.

Ukraine finished with 72 points to finish first with Romania second with 56 points. Georgia was third with 49 points.

The team title race was closer in women's as the U.S. finished first with 60 points with three silver medals. France, with two gold medals, managed to finish with 50 points and at the second spot. Ukraine was third with 39 points.

The 40kg weight class saw only two participants with Alexandra COVACI (ROU) beating Alina MACI (ROU), 3-1, in the final. Romania only got 25 team ranking points for the gold medal.

France won the gold medals at 60kg and 70kg. Thea ROUSSEL (FRA) defeated Kennedie SNOW (USA), 4-0, in the 60kg final to deny the U.S. a gold medal. A few minutes later, Lise LANDOUZY (FRA) defeated Piper ZATECHKA (USA), 3-0, in the 70kg final to give France a second gold.

The U.S. also had a finalist at 50kg but Reisa KOJIMA (JPN) dominated the final to beat Jayden KELLER (USA), 4-1, to win a gold medal for Japan as well.

RESULTS

U17 Men's BW

50kg
GOLD: Lucian SOMANDRU (ROU) df. Christos XENAKIS (GRE), 3-0

BRONZE: Stanislav DIACONU (MDA) df. Oleksandr KARA (UKR), 3-1

60kg
GOLD: Mirzakhan GASHYMOV (UKR) df. Nazar VELINSKYI (UKR), 4-1

BRONZE: Stepan MINCHEV (UKR) df. Benjamin GRAHAM (USA), via fall

70kg
GOLD: Anri GOGUADZE (GEO) df. Koba GOGUADZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Dmytro KURSENKO (UKR) df. Dmytro YEMETS (UKR), 3-2

80kg
GOLD: Magor LORINCZ (ROU) df. Yurii PYHULSKYI (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Charilaos CHAITIDIS (GRE) df. Andrii PAVLIUK (UKR), 4-2

U17 Women's BW

40kg
GOLD: Alexandra COVACI (ROU) df. Alina MACI (ROU), 3-1

50kg
GOLD: Reisa KOJIMA (JPN) df. Jayden KELLER (USA), 4-1

BRONZE: Oleksandra KARBOVSKA (UKR) df. Sarina GUNN (USA), 3-0

60kg
GOLD: Thea ROUSSEL (FRA) df. Kennedie SNOW (USA), 4-0

BRONZE: Georgia CHASAMPALIOTI (GRE) df. Alina SVIRKO (UKR), 4-2

70kg
GOLD: Lise LANDOUZY (FRA) df. Piper ZATECHKA (USA), 3-0

BRONZE: Sadie EVANS (USA) df. Anna NITSEVYCH (UKR), 4-0