Emami denies Yazdani spot on Iran team for World Championships

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - 13:40 By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 31) -- Clashing in an all-Iranian final at 74kg at the Ulaanbaatar Open with the spot on the Iranian team for World Championships on the line, Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) and Yones EMAMI (IRI) made it to the final after some tough bouts.

Head coach Pejman DOROSTKAR did not sit in any corner and the second coaches did not shout instruction, the case in most bouts which involves qualification for a national team.

While Emami was the favorite, Yazdani was the challenger. Emami has been here before. Yazdani wanted to prove he belongs at 74kg.

And he had planned it perfectly -- don't let the score get out of hands and then go all-out in the final minute against Emami. It all worked well until the final minute.

Emami brought his top-notch defense to the mat to deny Yazdani an opening and then tactically did not engage with Yazdani in last 30 seconds to win the final, the spot on Iran team and deny Yazdani a bid to make the World Championships in Zagreb.

The final was not spectacular as it did not have big moves or crafty scrambles. It began with both wrestlers being called passive by the referee in the first minute.

But Yazdani was given the second warning before Emami in the first period and the latter took a 1-0 lead at the break. As the bout resumed, Yazdani scored a stepout early in the second period to take a 1-1 criteria lead. Emami answered with a stepout and took a clear 2-1 lead.

Yazdani was unfazed despite falling behind as it was still under control as he has planned. Then came the burst of attacks to score a takedown. He got a single-leg attack and almost put Emami down. But as he back peddled, Yazdani went out of bounds and then fell on his knees before he could get Emami out. Emami was awarded a point which made it 3-1 but Yazdani challenged the call.

The initial call of one point for Emami was upheld and Yazdani lost the challenge, adding another point to Emami's score which was now 4-1.

With 36 seconds remaining, Yazdani still went for the kill and as Emami was evading, Yazdani was giving two points on different occasions but that was all Yazdani got as he dropped the final and a chance to be in the Iran team for Zagreb.

While Emami did not celebrate the win, Yazdani failed to hold his tears back on the podium as he was awarded the silver medal.

"Amirmohammad is my friend and brother," Emami said. "We train together a lot, so we’re pretty familiar with each other’s wrestling style. That’s why this match was a bit tough."

One of the biggest differences in the bout Emami's defense which made Yazdani, who had recently switched from 70kg to 74kg, work harder for any points.

"I had thought about it [defense] during practice and even throughout the day trying to fix my weaknesses," he said. "I used to give away points too easily, but I had improved a bit here, and I hope I can keep getting better from this point on."

Emami now has a bigger challenge -- to win a medal for Iran at the World Championships at 74kg.

"The World Championships are definitely at a higher and tougher level," he said. "We take part in training camps and practice under the supervision of the coaching staff."

There was a third Iranian -- Noorali ABOUZARI (IRI) -- in the fray to make the team but he lost to JAIDEEP (IND), who won bronze medal at 74kg.

The other bronze medal at 74kg went to Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), who almost defeated Yazdani in the semifinal. Toktomambetov led 6-4 with 10 seconds remaining when Yazdani got behind and scored a turn to finish the bout 6-6 and win on criteria.

Two other Freestyle weight classes were also in action on Saturday and Askhab SAADULAEV (UWW) at 92kg and Osman GOCEN (TUR) at 86kg won gold medals.

At 86kg, Osman GOCEN (TUR) won gold medal after he defeated Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) 7-0 while Saadulaev won gold medal Asian silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) injury defaulted in Round 5 back at 92kg.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Yones EMAMI (IRI) df. Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE: Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) df. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), via inj. def.
BRONZE: JAIDEEP (IND) df. Tugsjargal ERDENEBAT (MGL), via fall

86kg
GOLD: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL), 7-0

BRONZE: Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL) df. Dayanbileg GAN OCHIR (MGL), 10-0

92kg
GOLD: Askhab SAADULAEV (UWW)
SILVER: Deepak PUNIA (IND)
BRONZE: Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN

#WrestleZagreb

Onishi encounters rough waters before sailing to 59kg gold

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 22:50 By Ken Marantz

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- Looking over at her coach was enough to inspire rising teenage star Sakura ONISHI (JPN) after she suffered a rare lapse early in the match. Having a four-time Olympic champion in your corner will have that effect.

Onishi bounced back from an early deficit to pile on points before notching a late victory by fall over Maria VYNNYK (URK) in the 59kg final at the World Championships in Zagreb on Tuesday, when the first two golds were awarded in women's wrestling.

"I'm really happy," said Onishi, who fell behind 6-1 before building up a 17-8 lead and ending the match with :09 left, giving her the gold in her senior world debut a month after winning a second straight world U20 title.

In a battle between continental champions for the other gold up for grabs, Asian titlist Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) needed less than a period to rout European winner Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) 10-0 and become the second women's world champion in her country's history.

Also Read: Amouzad avenges Paris loss to Kiyooka

The 19-year-old Onishi currently attends powerhouse Nippon Sport Science University, where among her teammates is Paris Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN). And one of her coaches is four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN), who is also among the Japanese team staff in Zagreb and was in Onishi's corner on Tuesday.

When Vynnyk, a three-time European U23 bronze medalist, scored an arm-drag takedown and added two gut wrenches to take a 6-1 lead, Onishi looked for the best source of inspiration she could find.

"I panicked a little, 'What should I do?'" Onishi said. "But I was determined to get the points back. Even if I give up a lot of points, it was still within what I had imagined might happen. There was still time and I thought it was alright.

"I looked at Kaori's face and thought, 'OK, just do it.'"

Kaori ICHO (JPN), left, congratulates Sakura ONISHI (JPN) after the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

From that point, Onishi went on a rampage, scoring a double-leg takedown and gut wrench combination, an ankle-pick takedown, then a snapdown takedown to finish the first period with a 9-6 lead.

She opened the second period with another takedown, but then gave up points -- awarded on challenge -- when Vynnyk hit a counter lift. That made her wary and more precise with her attacks after that.

"I thought that that was what she was aiming for," Onishi said. "I had practiced stopping it. I knew if I used my hand fighting and feints well, I could definitely get the points. Up to the end, as I was dealing with that, I thought to keep penetrating."

After adding another takedown, Onishi thwarted a reverse counter lift to score 4 points and land Vynnyk on her back, where the Japanese met little resistance in securing the fall.

While Onishi relished reaching the pinnacle on the senior level, she has set her sites even higher -- the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"It was really a fun tournament," Onishi said. "I had always been longed to be here. But this has not been my dream, it is the Olympics. Aiming for that, I have been told this is just a stage along the way. I am glad I could clear this stage.

"I will keep on working to get to Los Angeles. There will be various things that come up, but I will stay focused so that I can stand on the highest step of the podium in Los Angeles."

Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) added a world title to her Asian title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Unlike Onishi, Oh encountered little difficulty in blowing away Verbina and adding the world gold to the Asian one she won in March in Amman.

"When I won the Asian and World Championships, I felt that all the tough training and hard work had finally paid off," Oh said.

Oh, also the Asian silver medalist in 2024, opened with a single-leg takedown, then reeled off three trap-arm rolls for a quick 8-0 lead. Another takedown attempt resulted in both wrestlers in a switch position, and Oh eventually gained control to end the match at 2:50.

"I wanted to show all the skills I’ve been training for in the best way possible," she said. "I thought that if I became a champion, I could make my father proud and bring a smile to his face. He was overjoyed and celebrated our victory in the international competitions, which made us recognized everywhere."

Oh joined Yong-Mi PAK (PRK), who won the 53kg gold in Nur-Sultan in 2019, as the lone women to win golds for DPR Korea. Her victory came a day after Chongsong HAN (PRK) won the freestyle 65kg gold, the country's first in that style since 2014.

The two bronze medalists at 55kg -- Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), left, and Andreea ANA (ROU). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Ana claims elusive bronze at 55kg

Andreea ANA (ROU), a three-time European champion making her seventh trip to a World Championships or Olympics, finally made it onto the medal podium.

The 24-year-old Ana secured an elusive bronze medal at 55kg, clinching a 6-3 victory over Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) in a late scramble that had to be sorted out after the final buzzer.

Leading 2-1, with all of the points scored on the activity clock, Ana and Sanz Verdecia both gained 2-point exposures in a flurry that ended with the Cuban on top. But Ana reached back and flung Sanz Verdecia to the mat just as time expired for a final 2 that was confirmed on challenge.

Japan picked up the other 55kg bronze when Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), winner of the world U20 title at 57kg last year, finished up a 10-0 victory over Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) with 33 seconds left.

Uchida opened the scoring with a 4-point counter to a throw attempt in the first period, then methodically scored three takedowns to secure the bronze in her senior world debut.

At 59kg, Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) rallied to an 8-4 victory over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), while Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) won the other bronze with a second-period fall of Othelie HOEIE (NOR).

Togtokh, second at the Mongolia Ranking Series event in May, had given up a go-ahead takedown with :43 left when she quickly reversed, then gut wrenched Sidelnikova over for a 6-4 lead. She added a takedown just before the buzzer.

Beauregard was trailing 2-0 in the second period when she scored a takedown, then turned Hoeie over and secured the fall in 4:30.

Day 4 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg
SEMIFINAL: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), 3-2
SEMIFINAL: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) by Fall, 4:22 (9-0)

55kg (18 entries)
GOLD: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) by TF, 10-0, 2:50

BRONZE: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) by TF, 10-0, 5:26
BRONZE: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB), 6-3

57kg
SEMIFINAL: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) by Fall, 3:11 (5-0)
SEMIFINAL: Il Sim SON (PRK) df. Kexin HONG (CHN) by TF, 12-2, 3:55

59kg (22 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Maria VYNNYK (URK) by Fall, 5:51 (17-5)

BRONZE: Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), 8-4
BRONZE: Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) df. Othelie HOEIE (NOR) by Fall, 4:30 (4-2)

65kg
SEMIFINAL: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 4:27
SEMIFINAL: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) by TF, 13-3, 3:32

76kg
SEMIFINAL: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 10-5
SEMIFINAL: Genesis REASCO (ECU) df. Milaimy MARIN (CUB), 5-3

Emami denies Yazdani spot on Iran team for World Championships

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Onishi encounters rough waters before sailing to 59kg gold