#DanKolov2019

Dan Kolov Freestyle Preview

Tuesday, February 26, 2019 - 20:56 By Eric Olanowski

RUSE, Bulgaria (February 26) – Four Olympic gold medalists and reigning world champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) will take the mat at the Monbat Sports Park Arena in Ruse, Bulgaria, to compete in the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament, United World Wrestling’s second freestyle and women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the 2019 season.

The four Olympic champions entered into this week’s four-day tournament are Taha AKGUL (TUR), Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), Kyle SNYDER (USA), and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI).

Two-time world champion Geno Petriashivili, along with fellow returning Dan Kolov champions Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) and Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) will try to defend their titles from a year ago.

For Petriashvili and Chamizo to repeat as Dan Kolov gold medalists, they’ll each have to go through an Olympic champion and multiple world medalists.

Chamizo vs. Burroughs Round 4?
The road for Italy's two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Frank Chamizo to defend his 74kg Dan Kolov title could head through his biggest rival, Jordan Burroughs.

The pair of worldwide superstars are no strangers to each other and have sparked one of the most intriguing rivalries in recent memory since Chamizo bumped up to 74kg last year.

If they were to meet this weekend, it would be their fourth meeting in the last twelve months.

Burroughs, the four-time world and Olympic champion, scored the come-from-behind win in their first meeting at last May's Beat the Streets in New York City. Then, Chamizo returned the favor, knotting up the rivalry at one match a piece when he grabbed the 10-10 victory over Burroughs at the Yasar Dogu. Most recently, Burroughs gained the 2-1 match advantage when he came out on top in the Budapest World Championships bronze-medal bout, 4-4.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 2 Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
No. 3 Jordan Ernest BURROUGHS (USA)
No. 4 Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)
No. 5 Azamat NURYKAU (BLR)
No. 6 Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
No. 7 Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
No. 11 Yakup GOR (TUR)

Can Petriashvili Navigate 125kg Gauntlet?
Two-time world champion Geno Petriashvili will be looking to defend his 125kg Dan Kolov title from a season ago, too. For the Georgian big-man to repeat as a Dan Kolov champion, he’ll have to potentially defeat his biggest rival, Olympic champion Taha Akgul, and each of the three other 125kg Budapest world medalists.

China’s DENG Zhiwei (CHN) was last year’s runner-up, while Parviz HADI (IRI) and Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) finished with the pair of bronze medals.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 1 Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
No. 2 DENG Zhiwei (CHN)
No. 4 Taha AKGUL (TUR)
No. 5 Parviz HADI (IRI)
No. 6 Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)
No. 11 Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (RUS)
No. 12 Said GAMIDOV (RUS)

Yazdani to Make Ranking Series Debut
Hassan Yazdani, Iran's world and Olympic champion, will make his Ranking Series debut this weekend at the Dan Kolov, where he’ll wrestle at 86kg.

The Iranian superstar is coming off winning his fourth straight medal at the world championships or Olympic games.

Yazdani fell short in the 2015 world finals but rebounded to reach the top of the podium at the Rio Olympics and Paris World Championships. He dropped his opening-round bout of the 2018 world championships to eventual champion David TAYLOR (USA) (Taylor will not be wrestling this weekend) but bounced back to win a Budapest bronze.

To win his first Ranking Series event, Yazdani “The Greatest” will have to upend Rio runner-up Selim YASAR (TUR) and 2017 world finalist Boris MAKOEV (SVK).

Yazdani has already defeated both guys at least once. The Iranian beat Yasar in the finals of the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games and pummelled Makeov 10-0 in the gold-medal of the 2017 world championships to win his first world title.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 5 Hassan Aliazam YAZDANI (IRI)
No. 6 KIM Gwanuk (KOR)
No. 7 Ville HEINO (FIN)
No. 8 Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
No. 12 ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL)

Can Snyder Rebound After Back-to-Back Losses?
Two-time world and Rio Olympic champion Kyle Snyder returns to action after suffering back-to-back losses in the world finals and the opening round of the Ivan Yariguin, United World Wrestling’s first Ranking Series event.

Snyder, who’s the second-ranked wrestler at 97kg, went to Krasnoyarsk’s Ivan Yariguin with hopes of erasing the memory of the 2018 world finals where he was stuck by Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) in the opening period but instead lost his second straight match when he was stunned in the first round by Russia's Rasul MAGOMEDOV.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 2 Kyle SNYDER (USA)
No. 3 ULZIISAIKHAN Batzul (MGL)
No. 4 Abraham CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
No. 5 Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO)
No. 14 Baki SAHIN (TUR)

Atli’s Comeback After World Bronze
Suleyman ATLI (TUR) will take the mat for the first time since October’s Budapest World Championships where he defeated Thomas GILMAN (USA), 5-4, in the bronze-medal bout.

The 24-year-old brings 25 Ranking Series points into the Dan Kolov and is ranked fourth in the world at 57kg. He’s the lone returning world medalist but isn’t the highest ranked wrestler competing at 57kg. The above mentioned Gilman finished with a bronze medal at the Ivan Yariguin and jumped Atli in the world rankings, where he currently sits in the third spot with 32 Ranking Series points.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 3 Thomas GILMAN (USA)
No. 4 Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
No. 12 Sandeep TOMAR (IND)
No. 14 ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL)
No. 15 Wanhao ZOU (CHN)

Rahimi Returns, Will Wrestle Up At 61kg
Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) will wrestle outside of Iran for the first time since winning the 57kg bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Rahimi underwent knee surgery and took nearly two years off before wrestling at 61kg for Team Bimeh Razi Babol at the 2018 World Clubs Cup. “I had knee surgery after the Rio Olympic Games, and I missed out on wrestling for about two years. I am very happy to be competing again. I love wrestling, and it is like blood in my vessel,” Rahimi said after one of his two World Clubs Cup wins.

Rahimi usually competes at 57kg but plans on staying up to 61kg, at least until the 2019 World Championships. “It was my first appearance at 61kg, and I am satisfied with my performance. I have aimed to compete at 61kg in the next World Championships, but I should think forward to the Olympic Games. I should choose between 57kg and 65kg, but it depends on the future situation.”

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 3 Joe COLON (USA)
No. 11 Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)

Punia Looking to Keep Hot Streak Alive
Bajrang PUNIA (IND) is looking to keep his 2018 hot streak rolling and comes into the Dan Kolov as the 65kg front runner. He’s currently ranked third in the world at 65kg and holds 40 Ranking Series points (40rsp).

Punia, one of the sport’s biggest rising stars, is hoping to continue the success he achieved last year where he captured a medal in all six competitions he entered – including capping off the year with a runner-up finish at the 2019 world championships.

Last season, the Indian wrestler won the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games, the Yasar Dogu, and G. Kartozia & V. Balavadze Price, and also finished in third place at the Asian Championships.

To win his first Dan Kolov title, he’ll have to stop Bulgaria's two-time world medalist Vladimir DUBOV from defending his title from a year ago.

(SIDE NOTE: Punia is coming off a win over Azerbaijan's three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV at the 2019 Indian Pro League.)

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 3 Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
No. 4 TUMUR OCHIR Tulga (MGL)
No. 7 George BUCUR (ROU)
No. 9 Niurhun SKRABIN (BLR)
No. 11 Dimitar Lyubomirov IVANOV (BUL)

Four Deep at 70kg
World champion from 2017 Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) leads a pack of four top-ten wrestlers into Ruse.

The fourth through seventh-ranked wrestlers at 70kg competing this weekend are Iakobishvili, BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL), Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR), and Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB).

Outside of world title holder Iakobishvili, the only other ranked wrestler at this weight who has claimed a world or Olympic medal is seventh-ranked Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB). Navruzov won the 65kg bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

James GREEN, the United States' two-time world medalist will also wrestle at 70kg. Green won a bronze medal in 2015 and a silver medal in 2017, but only won one match at the 2018 world champion before falling to Bat Erdene in the second round, 4-2.

Ranked Wrestlers
No. 4 Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)
No. 5 BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL)
No. 6 Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR)
No. 7 Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB)

Two Ranked Wrestlers Entered at 79kg and 92kg
PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) and Alexander DIERINGER (USA) are the two wrestlers who reside in the top-15 of the 79kg world rankings. Purevjav is ranked fourth in the world, and Dieringer, who collected 10 Ranking Series point after a third-place finish at the Ivan Yariguin, sits in the No. 12 spot.

At 92kg, LUVSANDORJ Turtogtokh (MGL) and Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) are ranked top-10 in the world entering the Dan Kolov.

Luvsandorj lost in the 2018 world bronze-medal bout and left Budapest with a fifth-place finish. The Mongolian wrestler owns 20 Ranking Series points and is ranked sixth in the world at 92kg.

Magomed Kurbanov holds 14 Ranking Series point and is the tenth-ranked wrestler in the world at 92kg. Kurbanov won the prestigious Ivan Yariguin after he swept the competition, going 4-0 in the round-robin tournament.

Ranking Series Point Structure (Placement Points + Entry Points = Total Points)

Placement Points
GOLD - 8 points
SILVER - 6 points
BRONZE - 4 points
BRONZE - 4 points
Fifth - 2 points
Fifth - 2 points

Entry Points
10 or less entries - 6 points
11-20 entries - 8 points
20 or more entries - 10 points

SCHEDULE

February 27 (Wednesday)
16:30 - Draw - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

February 28 (Thursday)
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR (+2 kg) - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
10:00 - Elimination rounds - FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
16:00 - Draw - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR-87 ,97, 130; WW - 62 ,68 ,76kg
16:30 - Opening ceremony
17:00 - Semifinals FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

March 1 (Friday)
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR (+ 2 kg) - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
8: 30 - Weigh-in 2 FS - 61,70,79, 92 kg; GR (+ 2 kg) - 55,63,72,82 kg; WW - 55,59,65, 72 kg Referee meeting
10: 00 - Elimination rounds FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76 kg
10: 00 - Repechages FS - 61, 70, 79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg
16: 30 - Draw - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
17: 00 - Semi-finals FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
18:00 - Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 61,70,79, 92kg; GR - 55, 63, 72, 82kg; WW - 55, 59, 65, 72kg

March 2 (Satuday)
8:00 - Medical examination and weigh-in 1 - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
8:30: - Weigh-in 2 - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR (+ 2 kg) - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
10: 00 - Elimination rounds - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
10:00 - Repechages - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg
17:00 - Semifinals - FS 86, 97, 125kg;GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
18: 00 - Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 57, 65, 74; GR - 87, 97, 130; WW - 62, 68, 76kg

March 3 (Sunday)
8:00 - Weigh-in 2 - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
Repechages - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR (+ 2 kg) - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg
Final matches and awarding ceremony - FS - 86, 97, 125; GR - 60, 67, 77 kg; WW - 50, 53, 57kg

#WrestleTirana

Rising star Bondar strikes third U23 European gold

Thursday, March 13, 2025 - 05:19 By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (March 12) -- In five of the last six tournaments she’d competed before landing in Tirana, Iryna BONDAR (UKR) was unstoppable. She returned with a gold medal each time, and with every passing tournament, a halo blazed around her.

On Thursday, that nearly came down crashing. In an extraordinary final in the 62kg category at the U23 European Championships, Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) gave Bondar a mighty scare. The Ukrainian ultimately asserted her class but not before she endured anxious moments.

It all looked under control until Tandelova, who was down 1-0 for passivity, scored a arm-throw for a four-point takedown to go 4-1 up and stun the arena. Bondar fired back with a reversal and gut-wrench to make it 4-4 but heading into the break, Tandelova was in the lead because of her bigger throw.

The breather gave Bondar a chance to regroup and return stronger. She didn’t put a foot wrong defensively in the second period. Her hands close, like a boxer taking her guard, she planted her left leg almost a foot behind the right, making it tough for Tandelova to go for the single-leg takedown.

Tanelova, however, looked content only defending, but it was a strategy fraught with risk. And Bondar, who didn’t lose patience, was rewarded for her perseverance. With only 45 seconds remaining, Bondar went around the outside for a single-leg takedown to which her opponent had no answer. In the nick of time, Bondar snuck ahead and then did well to defend her lead to win a thrilling bout 6-4.

Not too long ago, another Ukrainian was in the fray for the gold medal but it wasn’t to be.

Twice in her 57kg final, former U20 world champion Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW) was in deep adversity despite an early 4-2 lead. First, when she was put on activity clock with a little more than a minute left in the 57kg gold medal bout. With seconds running out, Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) grew confident that she’d reduce the 4-2 deficit by 1.

Filipovych, the senior European Championship silver medalist at 59kg, went for a single-leg attack but Martynava was on high alert and escaped to score a go-behind takedown during the activity clock for a 6-2 lead.

Then, with 22 seconds remaining, Filipovych went for a double-leg takedown. However, Martynava blocked it by double-underhook and counter-attacked to pocket two more points and win 8-2.

Since winning the U20 European Championship gold three years ago, Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) has come agonisingly close to a top-of-the-podium finish thrice: bronze medals at the U23 European and World Championships in 2023, and a silver last year at the continental U23 competition.

As she stepped on to the mat for one last time in this age-group, Mammadova looked determined to change the color of her medal. Six minutes later, she did. The 23-year-old from Azerbaijan defeated Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (UWW) 3-0 to be crowned champion in the 53 kg category.

Mammadova earned a passivity point around the minute-mark and then executed an almost-perfect headlock throw to go 3-0 up at the break. In the second period, Karpushkina threw the kitchen sink at her opponent and tried combinations of leg holds. But a wily Mammadova kept evading her grasp and successfully defended her lead to win the gold medal.

In the 65kg final, Kseniya TSIARENIA (UWW) needed only 1 minute and 22 seconds to beat Eniko ELEKES (HUN) by fall and win the gold medal.

The former U20 world and European champion from Hungary Elekes took the lead inside the first minute with a two-point takedown but her joy did not last long as Tsiarenia returned with a vengeance as she stopped a head-outside leg-attack from Elekes with a whizzer and kept the Hungarian's back on the mat to secure the fall.

Tsiarenia, thus, claimed her first-ever international gold medal and also avenged her 11-0 loss to Elekes from the 2023 World Championships in which Elekes won gold and Tsiarenia claimed bronze.

Like her, Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW), too, won her first-ever title by overturning a two-point deficit to beat Daniela TKACHUK (POL) 4-3 at 72kg.

Tkachuk led 2-0 and had Bratchikova in a double-leg hold but failed to finish. Bratchikova forced Tkachuk to let go of her legs and as the Polish wrestler spun to score a takedown, two points were awarded to Bratchikova for exposure.

Bratchikova made it 4-2 when she defended a double-arm lock from Tkachuk and stepped over to score two points. Tkachuk managed to escape the fall while Bratchikova was penalized for a foul. As the bout resumed in par terre with 29 seconds left, Tkachuk tried to roll but Bratchikova held her ground to emerge victorious.

Baidusov eyes gold on return

Former world U20 champion Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW) will be favorite to win his first U23 European Championship title when he takes on Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER) in the 77kg final Thursday, the penultimate day of the competition.

Baidusov, returning to international competition for the first time since winning the U20 world gold in 2021, dropped just one point in his three bouts. In the semifinals, he shocked Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) with a stunning underhook throw. He added a roll and in another sequence, he scored via front chestwrap for two to beat Gutu 9-0.

Another world U20 champion Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM) did not have the same luck as he fell in the quarterfinals against Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) who made it to the 87kg final and will take on Alperen BERBER (TUR), senior European champion, who finally has a U23 European medal after two previous failed attempts.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (UWW), 3-0

BRONZE: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) df. Maria FERONE (ITA), 5-4
BRONZE: Viktoryia VOLK (UWW) df. Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR), via fall (5-1)

57kg
GOLD: Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW) df. Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR), 8-2

BRONZE: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Inna ALIMOVA (LTU), 10-0
BRONZE: Georgiana LIRCA (ROU) df. Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE), 9-2

62kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW), 8-4

BRONZE: Alicja NOWOSAD (POL) df. Alesia HETMANAVA (UWW), 7-6
BRONZE: Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 5-3

65kg
GOLD: Kseniya TSIARENIA (UWW) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), via fall (4-2)

BRONZE: Luisa SCHEEL (GER) df. Viorica ADAM (ROU), 4-0
BRONZE: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 8-2

72kg
GOLD: Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), 4-3

BRONZE: Haticenur SARI (TUR) df. Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN), 6-6
BRONZE: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Paula ROTARU (ROU), 13-2

Greco-Roman Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO) vs. Alibek AMIROV (UWW)

SF 1: Alibek AMIROV (UWW) df. Elmir ALIYEV (AZE), 2-2
SF 2: Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO) df. Mehmet SARP (TUR), 9-0

63kg
GOLD: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) vs. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA)

SF 1: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Romeo BERIDZE (GEO), 6-3
SF 2: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) df. Miroslav EMILOV (BUL), 8-0

77kg
GOLD: Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW) vs. Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER)

SF 1: Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER) df. Michal ZELENKA (CZE), 5-5
SF 2: Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), 9-0

87kg
GOLD: Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) vs. Alperen BERBER (TUR)

SF 1: Alperen BERBER (TUR) df. Ivan CHMYR (UKR), 4-1
SF 2: Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) df. Hamza SERTCANLI (SWE), via injury (3-1)

97kg
GOLD: Magomed ALICHUEV (UWW) vs. Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)

SF 1: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Saba CHILASHVILI (GEO), via injury (1-1)
SF 2: Magomed ALICHUEV (UWW) df. Yusuf BAKIR (TUR), 3-1

Dan Kolov Freestyle Preview

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Rising star Bondar strikes third U23 European gold