#WrestleBucharest

Cengiz vs Losonczi on cards, Kayaalp eyes European record

Wednesday, February 7, 2024 - 10:47 By Vinay Siwach

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BUCHAREST, Romania (February 7) -- World champions Ali CENGIZ (TUR) and David LOSONCZI (HUN) may have shared the 87kg world title from Belgrade but the two are on course to meet and settle the scores at the European Championships in Bucharest next week.

Cengiz won the gold medal in Belgrade but a United World Wrestling review ruled that a referee error cost Losonczi the title. The Hungary wrestler was later awarded a shared world title.

But we are likely to find who is the clear winner in Bucharest as Greco-Roman will kick off the tournament on February 12. The European Championships will be live on UWW+ which can be watched on uww.org or the UWW App.

Losonczi and Cengiz can only meet in the final as they are seeded one and two respectively. And to reach the gold medal bout, both have to navigate a tough bracket.

The biggest threat will be Alan OSTAEV (AIN) who won a bronze medal at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in January. He stunned a packed house in Zagreb by beating Losonczi 9-0 in the first round. Ostaev had two big throws which helped him win the contest in the first period itself.

The second bronze medalist from Zagreb, Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) will also be in action in Bucharest hoping to win his first medal at a championship for Serbia.

Tokyo Olympic champion and world bronze medalist Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) will also make a comeback to the European Championships. He last wrestled at the tournament in 2021, winning a bronze medal. He won the gold medal in the 2019 edition of the championships.

Young stars in the weight class include U20 world champion Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO), former U20 world champion Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and former U23 world champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR).

At 130kg, Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is going for a record-breaking 13th European Championships title. A gold medal will take him past the 12th title Aleksandr KARELIN holds in Greco-Roman.

Kayaalp suffered a loss in the final at the World Championships but will hope that his reign in Europe doesn't meet the same fate. Sergei SEMENOV (AIN), veteran Heiki NABI (EST), home favorite Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) and young star Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) are the few other names in the bracket.

Another packed weight class in 77kg as Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) looks to defend his title from Zagreb. But challenging him are world silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 72kg world champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), Robert FRITSCH (HUN), U23 world champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), former world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) and former European champion Yunus BASAR (TUR).

Amoyan's run last year included a semifinal victory over Basar who later won a bronze medal. Gutu was injured in the repechage round and pulled out.

Suleymanov lost his first-round bout but he reached the final of the World Championships and won the Zagreb Open last month. He will also be seeded number one for the European Championships, making a clash with Amoyan possible in the gold-medal bout.

Ghanem won the world title at 72kg but he suffered an early loss at the Zagreb Open. Arsalan won a bronze medal at that event.

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)Defending champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) (blue) and silver medalist Kiril MILOV (BUL) are entered at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) will also be wrestling for the first since the World Championships in which suffered a shocking loss in the final to win a silver medal at 97kg. The defending champion will be seeded third and looking for his seventh gold medal at the competition.

The field includes top seed world bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE), Zagreb Open winner and second seed Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), former world bronze medalist Artur SARGSIAN (AIN), 2022 European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL), Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Felix BALDAUF (NOR).

Milov is making a comeback since his silver medal at the 2023 European Championships as he suffered a career-threatening injury that also forced him to skip the World Championships.

Last year, Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Kerem KAMAL (TUR) offered an action-packed bout and the two are expected to clash again. Since Kamal is unseeded, he can meet Ciobanu in any round of the bracket. 

Ciobanu, the returning silver medalist, reached the final of the Zagreb Open but pulled out, handing the victory to Sadyk LALAEV (AIN). Lalaev is entered to compete in Bucharest and Ciobanu will be keen to have a go this time.

Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) and Pridon ABULADZE (GEO) will be part of the bracket but with defending champion Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) moving to 63kg, the 60kg weight class will have a new European champion.

Nazaryan's task to win the 63kg weight class won't be a walk in the park as he has to face world and defending champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO). Zhambolat LOKYAEV (AIN) and Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) will also look to win the gold medal.

Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is the defending champion at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) has had a tough time since winning the gold medal at 67kg at the last European Championships as he lost the final of the World Championships and then got pinned at the Zagreb Open. But he will look to return to gold-winning ways in Bucharest.

Jafarov will be the favorite to win the gold medal despite the likes of Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA), Morten THORESEN (NOR), Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Murat FIRAT (TUR) in the weight class.

82kg world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) will be eyeing another European title after skipping the last edition. Huseynov won the world title in 2021 but failed to repeat in 2022. He moved back to 82kg for the 2023 edition and won the gold medal.

He will have a young field to navigate as former U20 world champion Islam ALIEV (AIN) is joined by multiple-time age-group world medalist Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) and U20 world champion Alperen BERBER (TUR).

Azerbaijan has another chance at winning the gold medal at 72kg defending champion Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) returns to defend his title. He will face the likes of Krisztian VANCZA (HUN), Mate NEMES (SRB), Selcuk CAN (TUR) and Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) among others.

At 55kg, Adem UZUN (TUR) had a dream run last year, winning the gold medal. He will look to repeat as the champion even though Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), who suffered a 13-3 semifinal loss to Uzun, hopes to finally win the European title. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) has decided to skip the tournament.

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024 Wrestling Day 4: Yazdani, Lee, makes semis; Sakurai vs Maroulis set

Thursday, August 8, 2024 - 08:30 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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PARIS (August 9) -- Freestyle action kicks off in Paris with 57kg and 86kg as Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) look to change their silver medals from past Olympics to gold. In 57kg, Helen MAROULIS (USA) is trying to do the same but world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) is in her way.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | PARIS 2024 DAY 3

13:31: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is back in the Olympic semifinals! He got thrown for a huge four from Dauren KURGULIEV (GRE) but he comes back to break Kurguliev and win 9-4 and book a spot against Myles AMINE (SMR)

13:20: A bout for the ages as returning bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) beats Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) 16-14 to book his spot in the semifinal! Nurmagomedov took the lead using a leg lace but Amine hit the same and reclaimed the lead. At 16-12, Amine was happy to keep his distance from Nurmagomedov even if that meant giving up a takedown.

13:08: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) pins Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) in the second period. What a win for Ramazanov and he moves into the semifinal at 86kg. He will face Aaron BROOKS (USA) for a spot in the final

13:06: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) with a first-period fall of Giullia PENALBER (BRA) to book her spot in the women's 57kg semifinals. The former 59kg world champion will face Hong.

13:04: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) gets a 4-point counter and three takedowns in a 12-5 victory over Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and he's into the freestyle 57kg semifinal and a date with Lee.

13:00: Kexin HONG (CHN) wins a thriller in the women's 57kg quarterfinals over Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), finishing off the Nigerian with a cradle for a fall with :44 left after she had just surrendered the lead. Adekuoroye strikes first with a pair of takedowns, but Hong responds with a takedown and three lace-lock rolls to go up 8-4. In the second period, Adekuoroye goes ahead on criteria with a takedown and lace lock, but Hong strikes back by getting her into a cradle and securing the fall.

12:55: Aaron BROOKS (USA) is on mission today! He takes out Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) 11-1 at 86kg. The pace of that bout was unreal and completely broke Ishiguro

12:51: Helen MAROULIS (USA) scores three takedowns and she's into the women's 57kg with a 7-4 victory over Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR). She will face Sakurai in a rematch of the semifinals at last year's worlds in Belgrade, which Sakurai won 6-0.

12:49: Spencer LEE (USA) gives up an early takedown to Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) in their freestyle 57kg quarterfinal, but then he gets to work. He twice gets a takedown-exposure combo, then finishes off a 12-2 win with a 4-point takedown with 58 seconds left in the first period.

12:45: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) has been spotted. He begins with a 10-0 win over Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS) who has scored two points over Yazdani at the World Championships.

12:41: AMAN (IND) earns a clash with Higuchi in the freestyle 57kg semis after using the lace lock to chalk up a 12-0 victory over Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB).

12:39: Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) is at her dominating best, piling up the points with both offensive and defensive takedowns and a pair of stepouts against Luisa VALVERDE (ECU). When it hits 11-0, she is in the middle of applying an arm bar that puts Valverde onto her back for a fall at 4:35.

12:28: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) is coming in hot! He moves into the quarterfinals with an 11-0 win over Ethan RAMOS (PUR). His likely quarterfinal opponent -- Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)

12:33: Rio Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) takes the mat for the first time in the freestyle 57kg quarterfinals after his first-round opponent, Alireza SARLAK (IRI), failed to make weight. Higuchi dominates Darian CRUZ (PUR), scoring with some creative exposures to finish off a 12-2 victory early in the second period.

12:30: World silver medalist Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) easily gets past Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) 9-0 to secure a place in the women's 57kg quarterfinals.

12:26: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) makes his Olympic debut with a win over Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) at 86kg. A top 12-2 win to advance to the quarterfinals.

12:22: Three-time world bronze medalist Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) grabs the final place in the freestyle 57kg quarterfinals with a 13-3 win over Roman BRAVO (MEX).

12:19: Giullia PENALBER (BRA) makes short work of Rckaela AQUINO (GUM), slamming to her back for a 4-point takedown and securing the fall in 1:02 to advance at women's 57kg.

12:16: Returning bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) shows why he is a threat. Top defense as he beats Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) 7-4 to move into the quarterfinals at 86kg.

12:15: Kexin HONG (CHN), a winner this year in Budapest and Zagreb, wins a lively clash with Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL), advancing at women's 57kg with a 16-12 victory. Hong takes an 8-0 lead, but Boldsaikhan cuts the lead to 2 in the second period. Hong puts up 6 with a takedown-lace lock combination, only for Boldsaikhan to get 4 with a counter lift. But Hong gets a final 2-point exposure to notch the win.

12:11: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) gets a 4-point throw in the first period, then gets a pair of exposures countering a front headlock roll in the second in an 11-4 win over Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) at freestyle 57kg.

12:04: World bronze medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), looking for her first Olympic medal in a thrid appearance, advances at women's 57kg by injury default when Chaimaa AOUISSI (ALG) suffers a head gash and is unable to continue.

12:02: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) pulls out his 'A' game to beat Alexander MOORE (CAN) 12-2 in the opening round. He will face Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) who defeated Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) 5-2 in the other bout.

12:00: Spencer LEE (USA), competing on a top world stage for the first time since winning back-to-back world junior titles in 2015-16, scores a takedown and activity point in the first period, and holds on for a 3-2 win over Wanhao ZOU (CHN) at freestyle 57kg. Zou gets a pair of stepouts late in the second period but just ran out of time.

11:59: In a wild clash of 2022 world bronze medalists, Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) rallies out of an eight-point hold to defeat Anhelina LYSAK (POL) 16-13 at women's 57kg. Lysak had three 4-point moves and led 13-5 when Hrushyna Akobiia hit a 4-pointer of her own. In the final 30 seconds, she picked up a takedown and a stepout to go ahead, then added a late takedown. Whew!

11:47: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) scores a second-period takedown with Asian bronze medalist Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) on the activity clock to take a 3-1 lead, then adds a stepout for a 4-1 victory at freestyle 57kg.

11:45: Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) has no trouble disposing of Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) via technical superiority and sets up a 86kg quarterfinal with Aaron BROOKS (USA).

11:41: Helen MAROULIS (USA), looking for her second Olympic gold and third medal overall, repeats her victory from the 2021 world final over ANSHU (IND) to advance to the women's 57kg quarterfinals 7-2. Maroulis uses an effective single-leg attack to score three takedowns

11:38: Aaron BROOKS (USA), who defeated David TAYLOR (USA) in the U.S. trials, gave up an early stepout but bounced back with two takedowns and beat top seed Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) 4-1 in the opening round at 86kg. 

11:36: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS), only the third wrestler in Guinea-Bissau history to appear in the Olympics, looks like a seasoned pro in taking a 6-0 lead against world bronze medalist Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) at freestyle 57kg. But the match is six minutes, and Abakarov comes back with two takedowns, adding a lace lock after the second. An unsuccessful challenge adds a point as Abakarov advances 7-6.

11:33: An impressive start for Luisa VALVERDE (ECU), who opens with a 4-point takedown against Aurora RUSSO (ITA) at women's 57kg, then scores a takedown to the back and secures the fall at 2:34.  

11:27: Two-time reigning world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) opens her Olympic debut at women's 57kg with an activity point, then a slick ankle pick for a takedown against Hannah TAYLOR (CAN), but gets reversed going for a lace lock. She adds a stepout and another takedown in the second period for a hard-fought 6-1 win.

11:26: 2023 Asian champion AMAN (IND) uses a shrug-by to get behind Russian-born 2021 European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) for the clinching takedown in a 10-0 win at freestyle 57kg.

11:17: Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) spots Dominique PARRISH (USA) a four-point lead in their women's 53k repechage, then storms back to go ahead 10-4 with a back trip before latching onto a cradle for a fall.

11:14: Darian CRUZ (PUR) picks up a big win for the Caribbean nation, locking up Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) in a cradle and securing the fall in their freestyle 57kg opener.

11:09: Luis ORTA (CUB), denied in his bid for a second straight Olympic gold, will get a chance for a bronze after storming to a 9-0 victory over Ishak GHAIOU (ALG) in the 67kg repechage.

11:08: Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) stays on track to give the DPR Korea its first-ever women's Olympic medal with an 11-0 repechage victory over European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) at 53kg. Choe will take on Annika WENDLE (GER).

11:04: In the opening match on Mat A, Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) uses an arm throw for a quick 4-pointer, then lifts and throws Mate NEMES (SRB) for 4 more and an 8-0 win in their Greco 67kg repechage. He will face Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) in a bid for Kyrgyzstan's third bronze medal in Greco later tonight.

10:45: We are beginning with Freestyle at Paris 2024 in two weight classes and women's wrestling will continue with 57kg.