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Destribats Se Convierte en el Primer Luchador Olímpico de Argentina Desde 1996

Sunday, March 15, 2020 - 22:56 By Taylor GREGORIO

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Photo of Augustin DESTRIBATS (ARG). By Tony Rotundo. 

Articulo en espanol abajo

OTTAWA, Canada – For the first time since 1996, Argentina will send a male wrestler to the Olympics as Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) qualified the 65 kg weight class for his nation on Sunday in Ottawa, Canada.

Destribats began his day with a decisive 7-2 quarterfinals win over Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM). To qualify the weight, he faced 2012 Cadet World champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA) in the semifinals.

Entering as the underdog, Destribats was taken down early and capitalized while down in par terre, putting himself in position to get Retherford on his back for the pin in 1:01.  

Cuba and the United States each qualified three weights for the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.

The United States now has five men’s freestyle weights qualified for the Games after qualifying the 74 kg and 97 kg weights at the 2019 World Championships.

Earning spots on Sunday for the USA was Thomas GILMAN (57 kg), David TAYLOR (86 kg) and Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (125 kg).

Many eyes were the 86 kg bracket as 2018 World champion Taylor wrestled his first since match last May. Taylor opened his tournament with a pin over Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN), who was fifth at the 2016 Olympics, before defeating 2020 Pan Am champion Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB), 8-0, to qualify the weight for USA.

Gilman, a 2018 World silver medalist, knocked off two-time U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) in the quarterfinals, 4-3, to put himself in position to land a spot in the finals.

Qualifying for Cuba was Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (65 kg), Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (74 kg) and Reineris SALAS PEREZ (97 kg).

All three Cubans own multiple World medals. Valdes is a two-time World bronze medalist, Garzon has a 2007 World silver and three bronzes and Salas is a two-time silver medalist with a 2010 bronze.

Canada had multiple qualifiers as well, advancing Jordan STEEN (97 kg) and 2014 Junior World champion Amarveer DHESI (125 kg) to their respective finals.

Other wrestlers qualifying their nations for Tokyo included Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL) at 57 kg,  Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) at 74 kg and Pool AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER) at 86 kg.

Photo of David TAYLOR (USA). By Tony Rotundo. 

En Espanol

OTTAWA, Canada – Por primera vez desde 1996, Argentina enviará un luchador masculino a los Juegos Olímpicos, ya que Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) calificó la clase de peso de 65 kg para su nación el domingo en Ottawa, Canadá.

Destribats comenzó su día con una decisiva victoria de 7-2 sobre Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM). Para calificar el peso, se enfrentó al 2012 campeón mundial cadete Zain RETHERFORD (USA) en las semifinales.

Entrando como el desvalido, Destribats estaba perdiendo temprano pero gano por puestaespalda de Retherford en solo 1:01.  

Cuba y Estados Unidos calificaron tres pesos para los Juegos Olímpicos de Tokio el domingo.

Estados Unidos ahora tiene cinco pesos de estilo libre clasificados para los Juegos después de calificar los pesos de 74 kg y 97 kg en el Campeonato Mundial de 2019.

Thomas GILMAN (57 kg), David TAYLOR (86 kg) y Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (125 kg) ganaron puestos el domingo para Estados Unidos.

Muchos estaban viendo la categoria de 86 kg cuando Taylor, el campeón mundial de 2018, luchó por primera vez desde el mayo pasado. Taylor gano contra Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN), quien fue quinto en los Juegos Olímpicos de 2016, en su primer combate antes de derrotar al campeón panamericano de 2020 Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB), 8-0, para calificar el peso para EE.UU.

Gilman, medallista de plata mundial de 2018, gano contra al dos veces campeón del mundo U23 Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) en el quartofinal, 4-3, para avanzar a los semifinales.

Los clasificados para Cuba fueron Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (65 kg), Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (74 kg) y Reineris SALAS PEREZ (97 kg).

Los tres cubanos tienen múltiples medallas mundiales. Valdés es dos veces medallista de bronce mundial, Garzón tiene una plata mundial de 2007 y tres bronces y Salas es dos veces medallista de plata con un bronce de 2010.

Canadá también tuvo múltiples clasificatorios, avanzado a Jordan STEEN (97 kg) y al campeón mundial juvenile de 2014 Amarveer DHESI (125 kg) a sus finales.

Otros luchadores que clasificaron sus naciones para Tokio incluyeron Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL) con 57 kg, Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) con 74 kg y Pool AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER) con 86 kg.

Men’s freestyle finals results

57 kg
GOLD - Thomas Patrick GILMAN (USA) df. Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL), injury default
BRONZE - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) df. Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM), fall
BRONZE - Pedro Jesus MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN) df. Bryan Lucas DE OLIVEIRA PEREIRA (BRA), 10-0

65 kg
GOLD - Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) df. Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG), injury default
BRONZE – Zain RETHERFORD (USA) df. Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM), fall
BRONZE - Dillon WILLIAMS (CAN) df. Brandon Disair DIAZ RAMIREZ (MEX), 9-2

74 kg
GOLD - Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB) df. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR), injury default
BRONZE – Jorge LLANO (ARG) df. Anthony MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN), 3-2
BRONZE - Jasmit PHULKA (CAN) df. Nestor TAFUR BARRIOS (COL), 5-3

86 kg
GOLD – David TAYLOR (USA) df. Pool AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER), injury default
BRONZE – Gino AVILA DILBERT (HON) df. Angus ARTHUR (JAM), injury default
BRONZE - Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) df. Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN), 2-1

97 kg
GOLD – Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) df. Jordan STEEN (CAN), injury default
BRONZE – Luis PEREZ SOSA (DOM) df. Evan RAMOS (PUR), 12-1

125 kg
GOLD – Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) df. Amaveer DHESI (CAN), injury default
BRONZE – Charles MERRILL (PUR) df. Luis VIVENES URBANEJA (VEN), 13-2

Men’s freestyle semifinals results

57 kg
Thomas GILMAN (USA) df. Juan RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM), 10-0
Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL) df. Bryan DE OLIVEIRA PEREIRA (BRA), fall

65 kg
Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) df. Dillon WILLIAMS (CAN), 10-0
Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) df. Zain RETHERFORD (USA), fall

74 kg
Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) df. Nestor TAFUR BARRIOS (COL), 9-4
Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB) df. Anthony MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN), 12-4

86 kg
David TAYLOR (USA) df. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB), 8-0
Pool AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER) df. Angus ARTHUR (JAM), injury default

97 kg
Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) df. Evan RAMOS (PUR), 12-1
Jordan STEEN (CAN) df. Luis PEREZ SOSA (DOM), 13-2

125 kg
Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) df. Luis VIVENES URBANEJA (VEN), 10-0
Amarveer DHESI (CAN) df. Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR), fall

#WrestleTirana

Sadulaev shuts down Taylor in World Championships showdown

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - 11:59 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 30) -- Two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) would have expected his return to the World Championships to make all the noise in Tirana. After all, it had been two years since he last competed at the World Championships.

Enter Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) and David TAYLOR (USA). The former, who last won the world title in 2021, was not able to compete at the Paris Olympics and was injured during the semifinal of the 2023 World Championships.

Taylor, world champion in 2023, missed the Paris Olympics after losing the trials in the United States, announced his retirement and took a coaching job. He came out of retirement and decided to compete at the World Championships and retire.

Both are not 92kg wrestlers. Sadulaev has been a true 97kg for eight years now. Taylor is competing at this weight for the first time after dominating 86kg for years. But the two were pitted against each other in the opening round of the World Championships in Tirana at 92kg.

The small Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana did not have space to sit. So where one could, they stood to watch the two wrestle. Saudulaev in a singlet not meant for his 92kg body. Taylor, in his customary elbow on the thigh and waiting for his opponent.

No one knew what was going to happen. Sadulaev was reducing weight, and Taylor was gaining. How would the two match up? It was this lack that prompted the fans to cheer for both. But after the first period, the picture became much clearer. Sadulaev shut down Taylor's offense and came out of the pressure bout 7-0.

After the initial collar ties, Taylor went for the offense. He got on Sadulaev's leg and tried the lift but Sadulaev was swift to get out of the hold. Taylor continued his attack. That's the only way he knows wrestling. Taylor took another offensive shot and Sadulaev, with lessons from the previous attack, pressured forward to neutralize the attack and scored a go-behind for two. Sadulaev resorted to heavy snapdowns and Taylor wasn't able to defend the second one. Within two minutes, Sadulaev was up 4-0.

The speed and power was Sadulaev was impressively superior to that of Taylor who decided to change a little in the second period. He went for the far leg of Sadulaev. But Sadulaev was quick and spun behind Taylor and scored a takedown with less than two minutes left.

By this time, Ghasempour had finished his bout on the other mat. He defeated Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 6-0 in a rather slow bout.

Sadulaev now had to defend his 5-0 lead. Taylor continued his aggressive approach and got on Sadulaev's right leg. What he did not expect was the quick counter from Sadulaev who pushed Taylor and scored an exposure for two. It was evident that Taylor could not match Sadulaev.

David TAYLOR (USA)David TAYLOR (USA) in the warm-up hall after his bout against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) at 92kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I did not score on the two times I shot and he did," Taylor said after the bout. "That was the difference. I needed to score on those two occasions."

Taylor and Sadulaev went to the warm-up hall but the former sat for more than 45 minutes in silence. He finally broke his silence and talked to the United States coaches after his leg attacks. After spending 30 more minutes gathering his thoughts, Taylor packed his bags and left.

On the training mats, Ghasempour and Sadulaev jogged before cooling down after their bouts. If both continue to win, they are expected to meet in the semifinals.

The match will be rather important for Taylor as well. He will hope for a Sadulaev win which will give him the chance to wrestle for the bronze medal.

"I expect him to make the finals and come back tomorrow," Taylor said. "I need to wrestle better that is my focus for now."

If he does wrestle Thursday, fans will only be treated to another blockbuster. A Ghasemoour-Taylor bout. The only downside will be that one will go home empty-handed.