MIlitary

China, North Korea Shine at CISM Military World Games in Women's Wrestling

By Ali Feizasa

WUHAN, China (October 23) -- Led by two-time world medalist Feng ZHOU, host nation China captured three gold medals in women's wrestling at the 7th CISM Military World Games in Wuhan, China. 

China's other gold medalists were Yuyan LI (50kg) and Hui LI (57kg).

Zhou picked up her gold medal at 68kg with a 6-2 victory in the over Agnieszka WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL).

Yuyan LI edged Whitney CONDER (USA), 6-5, in the finals at 50kg. Hui LI won gold with a 6-3 victory over Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL).

Jo Hwa Yon (PRK) celebrates after winning gold at 53kg (Photo: Xinhua News Agency)

North Korea crowned a pair of champions in Jo Hwa YON (53kg) and Mun Hyon GYONG (62kg). Both wrestlers were dominant in the finals. Yon earned a fall over Seicariu SUZANA GEORGIANA (ROU) in the 53kg finals. Gyong rolled to a technical superiority (11-1) over Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) at 62kg.

Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS), a 2012 Olympic champion and two-time world champion, won gold at 76kg with a fall over Juan WANG (CHN).

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg 
GOLD: Yuyan LI (CHN) df. Whitney CONDER (USA), 6-5
BRONZE: kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR) Pinned Nada ASHOUR (EGY)
BRONZE: Kim Su JONG (PRK) df. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL), 5-2

Semifinals
Yuyan LI (CHN) df. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL), 4-4
Whitney CONDER (USA) TF Nada  ASHOUR (EGY), 11-0

53kg
GOLD:  Jo Hwa YON (PRK) Pinned Seicariu SUZANA GEORGIANA (ROU)
BRONZE: Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) df. Bolorerdene BATORSHIKH (MGL), 12-6
BRONZE: Nina HEMMER (GER) TF Ellada MAKHYADDINOVA (KAZ), 10-0

Semifinals
Seicariu SUZANA GEORGIANA (ROU) df. Bolorerdene BATORSHIKH (MGL), 8-6
Jo Hwa YON (PRK) TF Nina HEMMER (GER), 14-4

57kg
GOLD: Hui LI (CHN) df. Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), 6-3 
BRONZE: Jong Myong SUK (PRK) df. Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA), 8-1
BRONZE: Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) TF Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR), 10-0

Semifinals
Hui LI (CHN) TF Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA), 10-0
Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) Pinned Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR)

62kg
GOLD: Mun Hyon GYONG (PRK) TF Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS), 11-1
BRONZE: Lais OLIVEIRA (BRA) df. Olena KREMZER (UKR), 7-0
BRONZE: Anastasiya HUCHOK (BLR) df.  Sushila CHAND (NEP) by forfeit

Semifinals
Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) Pinned Anastasiya HUCHOK (BLR), 
Mun Hyon GYONG (PRK) Pinned Lais OLIVEIRA (BRA)

68kg
GOLD: Feng ZHOU (CHN) df.  Agnieszka WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL), 6-2
BRONZE: Davaanasan ENKHAMAR (MGL) df. Dailane REIS (BRA), 9-5
BRONZE: Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) by forfeit

Semifinals
 Agnieszka WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL) df. Davaanasan ENKHAMAR (MGL), 11-6
Feng ZHOU (CHN) TF Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) Pinned Juan WANG (CHN)
BRONZE: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL), 6-2
BRONZE: Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) TF Greta CEPONYTE (LTU), 10-0

Semifinals
Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) df. Alla BELINSKA (UKR), 8-6
Juan WANG (CHN) df. Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ), 5-2

#WrestleTirana

Four Defending Champs Return to European Greco Finals on Day 2

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 21) -- Out of the five defending Greco-Roman champion on Tuesday at the European Championships, four will defend their gold medals after reaching the final. The one missing out was Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) at 60kg.

At 67kg, Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) was on the verge of bowling out, down 2-0 against Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) but was awarded the par terre in the second period. Jafarov scored a correct throw on Chkhikvadze, scoring two points to lead 3-2. Georgia challenged but on review, the correct throw call was upheld, giving Jafarov a 4-2 lead that he defended to enter the final.

He will wrestle Murat FIRAT (TUR) on Wednesday with an aim of winning a second straight European Championships title. Firat had one-sided final against Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR), beating the Ukrainian 4-0. He scored a turn from first par terre to lead 3-0 and then got the second par terre as well which gave him one more point.

In perhaps the biggest match of the session, defending champion at 97kg Kiril MILOV (BUL) denied world silver medalist Artur SARGSIAN (UWW) at 97kg with a 7-1 victory. Milov led 1-1 on criteria after par terre positions were exchanged but Sargsian wrapped his arm around Milov and tried scoring a takedown. Milov defended and both wrestlers went out of bounds.

Milov was awarded the point as Sargsian stepped out first. Sargsian challenged but on review, and the difference being a fraction of a second, Sargsian's knee touched outside before Milov's hand. Milov kept his point and got another point for lost challenge, giving him a 3-1 lead.

Sargsian tried a flying squirrel but Milov controlled him before slamming him on the mat for four points and extending his lead to 7-1.

He will defend his title against Alex SZOKE (HUN) who blanked Vladen KOZLIUK (UKR), 3-0, in the other semifinals. He got the two points for the par terre and one for the lost challenge.

The third defending champion to enter the final was Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) after he defeated Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 2-1 at 82kg. He will face Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW) in the final after he defeated world bronze medalist Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-3.

At 72kg, Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) will look to win his second straight gold medal, reaching the final with a 6-1 victory over Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM). Ghanem opened the scoring with a stepout before losing a challenge to make it 1-1 but held criteria. He was awarded the par terre position from which he turned Terteryan to lead 4-1. Just before the break, he managed a takedown and extend his lead to 6-1, the winning score.

Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) will look to challenge Ghanem after he defeated Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR), 3-2, in the other 72kg semifinal

The one defending champion who did not reach the final, Mammadli, was stunned by former U20 world champion Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) in the 60kg semifinal, pinning the Azerbaijan wrestler after building a 7-1 lead.

Aghajanyan got the par terre in the first period and used a front headlock for a four-point throw and lead 5-0. In the second period, the Armenian got the par terre again to the surprise of Mammadli, who managed to score a reversal to cut the lead to 6-1. However, as he tried to gut-wrench Aghajanyan, he was blocked by the Armenian who kept Mammadli on the mat and got the pin.

Returning silver medalist Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) had no issues reaching his second straight final as he defeated Corneliu RUSU (MDA), 7-1 in the semifinal. Tibilov led 1-1 on criteria but got a third passivity, one without any points, and scored a four-point throw.

Towards the end of the bout, Rusu used an aggressive move on Tibilov which forced the referees to give two caution points to Tibilov, making his score 7-1.

RESULTS

60kg
SF 1: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Corneliu RUSU (MDA), 7-1
SF 2: Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) df. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), via fall (8-1)

67kg
SF 1: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), 4-2
SF 2: Murat FIRAT (TUR) df. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR), 4-0

72kg
SF 1: Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) df. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM), 6-1
SF 2: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR), 3-2

82kg
SF 1: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 2-1
SF 2: Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-3

97kg
SF 1: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df. Artur SARGSIAN (UWW), 7-1
SF 2: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Vladen KOZLIUK (UKR), 3-0