#wrestlebishkek

Five Kyrgyz wrestlers highlight Sunday's RS finals

By Eric Olanowski

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (June 4) --- The final day of wrestling at the Bishkek Ranking Series event will be a full slate of freestyle wrestling. The eight classes in action today will be 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 74kg, 79kg, 85kg and 92kg.

Everything you need to know:
📍Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬
🗓️: June 1-4
🥇🥈🥉= 18:00
#️⃣#WrestleBishkek
🖥️: http://uww.org 
📱: UWW App

Sunday's finals: 
57kg:  Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) vs. Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) 
61kg: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) vs. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) 
65kg: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) vs. Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ) 
70kg: Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)vs.  Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)
74kg: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) vs.  Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) 
79kg: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) vs. Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) ​​​​​​​
86kg: Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) vs. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) ​​​​​​​
92kg: Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) vs. Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) 

15:41: World bronze medal winners Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) and Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) are tango'ing over on Mat A. They are even at two-a-piece after the first three minutes, with Dauletbekov holding the criteria advantage after scoring a takedown to close out the period.

15:27: As mentioned early, this match on Mat C between Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) is going to be one of the deciding factors for Azerbaijan's 74kg World Championships spot.

15:24: What a match! Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) and Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) just put up 17 points, with the Kazakh reaching the finals, 11-6. Talgat will wrestle  Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) v

15:17: Kyrgyzstan is three-for-three in the semifinals, with world silver medalist Akmataliev looking to make it four-for-four as he's up 1-0 on Mat B.

15:15: Asian champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) shutout Pankaj PANKAJ (IND), 7-0, in the 61kg semifinals, but hobbled off the mat. Before getting his hand raised Zhumashbek Uulu bent down a grabbed his right ankle. 

15:13: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) picks up a 4-2 win over Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) and give the host nation their first freestyle Ranking Series finalist.

15:03: The Bishkek Arena is deafening right now. There are Kyrgyz wrestlers on every mat and they are all winning. 

14:47: Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) just pinned Osman GOCEN (TUR) after training 9-5 with :50 seconds left in the second period. He'll wrestle fellow world bronze medalist Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) in the 86kg semifinals.

14:25: We'll finish the final pair of quarterfinal matches on all matches and roll right into the semifinals. From the looks of things, it seems that we'll finish the morning session around 16:15, then start the finals at 18:00.

14:16: U23 world champion Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) is making his tournament debut on Mat B against Myrza ZHYRGALBEK UULU (KGZ)

14:05: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) currently holds a 8-4 lead over world and Olympic bronze medalist Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) on Mat C. When Bayramov is on the attack, he has the potential to be once of the best guys in the world, but often finds himself shutting it down and managing matches rather than wrestling matches. 

13:58: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) puts a stamp on his 11-0 win over Yerkebulan SHYNYKUL (KAZ) with a match-ending four-point throw. He'll move into the 70kg semifinals India's Mulaym YADAV (IND), who just defeated Davit PATSINASHVILI (GEO), 6-1.

13:43: Pankaj dominated Aman, scoring an easy 7-1 win to move into the 61kg semifinals against reigning Asian champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ).

Aman was clearly too small for Pankaj. He was in on several shots, but had no penetration on his attacks, getting stopped after the first level of his attack.

13:34: Indian phenom Aman AMAN (IND) is up on Mat B against teammate Pankaj PANKAJ (IND). Aman, the 17-year-old, is up at 61kg, one weight above his Asian title-winning weight of 57kg.

13:15: One of the least talked about guys in Pan-American (outside of American athletes), in my opinion, is Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG). He's a guy that's constantly traveling the world to find quality partners and hone his craft. His technique has massively improved over the last three year and is a solid sized 65kg guy.

Destribats just dropped Nuerlaxi BIEKEZHATI (CHN) on his head in the first round, moving onto the quarterfinals with a 10-0 win. He'll wrestle Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) next.

13:03: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) gave world bronze medalist Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) a tough match on Mat B. Tumur Ochir won 4-0 but it was closer than the score indicated.

12:56: Dauletbekov gets a pair of takedowns in the second period and defeats Jezierzanski, 5-1. He'll wrestle Gocen for a spot in the 86jg semifinals. 

12:55: We're two matches away from starting the quarterfinals. The last three days, we've finished the first round around 14:00. With the 25 matches left on each match, I'm not sure if we'll be done with the quarterfinals by that time today.

12:50: World bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) has a narrow 1-0 lead over Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) after the first period. The winner of this match gets Osman GOCEN (TUR) in the 86kg quarterfinals.

12:23: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) just saved his Belgrade hopes with a match-deciding takedown against Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN). Gadzhiev was behind 4-3 but scored a takedown with :03 left, winning the match, 5-4. He'll wrestle the winner of the match that's currently up on Mat B between Adam Skene THOMSON (CAN) and Otari BAGAURI (GEO).

12:15: After winning his first-round match, Ilias BEKBULATOV (UZB) has dropped out of the competition. "I have a hernia and it's caused awful pain in my right arm. The pain is so bad that I can not move my arm," said Bekbulatov. "I have had two injections already, and I wanted to wrestle, but I can not continue." 

11:47: World and Olympic bronze medalist Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) will make his tournament debut against Kubat AZIZBAEV (KGZ), next on Mat A.

11:43: Akmataliev brought the crowd to their feel with a 6-2 win over Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB), punching his ticket to the quarterfinals against Yerkebulan SHYNYKUL (KAZ).

11:30: It's official, Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) receives the injury default win over Kumar RAVI (IND) in 61kg qualification round. He'll meet the winner of  Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) and Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) in the quarterfinals.

11:19: This place is going to erupt in about five minutes. Kyrgyzstan's world silver medalists Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) is in the call room, waiting to be called to Mat C, where he'll wrestle Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB) in the opening round at 70kg.

11:07: One of the most important storylines we'll be following today is the three-way competition for the Azerbaijan's 74kg starting spot between Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE)Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) and Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE). "This event is the one of the selection stages. The second stage will be the Poland Open. After those events, we'll review the results and select the starter [for Belgrade]," said Azerbaijan's head freestyle coach, Khetag GAZUMOV.

10:45: This just in: Kumar RAVI (IND) has pulled out of the Ranking Series event. According to the Indian coaching staff, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist injured his knee while warming up and won't compete in Bishkek.

10:40: Good morning, wrestling fans. Today is the final day of wrestling at the Ranking Series event. During the first few days of the competition, we had around 25 matches per mat in the morning session. Today, we have 40 matches per mat which means there will be either a small break or no break at all.

#WrestleTirana

U23 Worlds: Ganiev, Beishekeev end title droughts for Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 22) -- Alisher GANIEV (UZB) was a little harsh on himself when he failed to win gold at the U20 Asian Championships in July. He even called it a 'painful defeat'. Little did he know that three months later, he would be creating history for Uzbekistan.

The 19-year-old Ganiev became the first U23 world champion for Uzbekistan in any style. The country did not have a medalist at the U23 World Championships in Greco-Roman until Ganiev changed that with a gold medal.

"Last year, I finished third at the U20 World Championships," Ganiev said. "That loss gave me a lot of motivation. This is my first Worlds gold. I lost at the U20 Asian championships this year. That was a painful defeat. I guess those losses hugely influenced the way I prepared for this World championships."

Ganiev won all his bouts on Monday via technical superiority and on Tuesday, he defeated Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) 8-4 in the 60kg final to clinch the first-ever gold medal for his country.

"The final was the most difficult one," he said. "But the right plan and technique made my dream come true."

Ganiev was off to a flyer and finished the final in the first period when he tossed Bammatov for four points and the referees called a foul on Bammatov to give a 9-0 lead for Ganiev. However, on challenge, Bammatov received a lifeline as he had not committed a foul and the scored was reversed to 7-0.

But the gap was too big got Bammatov to make a comeback in the second period. He managed to score four points over Ganiev but he failed to change the outcome of the final. 

"It might have looked so easy but it was definitely tough," he said. "We have been preparing the tactics for every single opponent. That’s why it worked out."

Kyrgyzstan too crowned its first U23 world champion in Greco-Roman as Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) clinched the 67kg with a 6-1 victory over European bronze medalist Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) in the final. Beishekeev got the early advantage as he used an arm-throw to get four points and since, Chkhikvadze was only playing catch-up.

In the last few years, Kyrgyzstan has got its first senior world champion, a U23 world champion and more recently a U20 world champion. The last time it won a U17 world title was won by Kyrgyzstan wrestler, was in 2018. Incidentally, Beishekeev was the last U17 world champion.

Another wrestler chasing a first for his country fell short as Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) defeated Beka MELELASHVILI (USA), 4-3, in the 82kg final. 

Melelashvili was the first Greco-Roman wrestler from the United States to secure a medal at the U23 World Championships and had the chance to become the first champion. However, Naghousi kept his cool and managed to eke out a 4-3 win.

At 97kg, Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM), who has never placed on a podium before, won the gold medal by beating Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 11-6, in the final.

Prior to the World Championships, Khloyan had finished 14th and fifth. But none of that mattered on Tuesday as he built a 7-0 lead over Khaslakhanau. Khloyan got the first par terre advantage and to everyone's surprise, managed to turn Khaslakhanau three times to lead Iran. Khaslakhanau got his opportunity in the second period but he failed to get even a single turn.

Georgia was also crowned a champion at 72kg after Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) defeated Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 3-1, in the gold medal bout.

Chkhikvadze was leading 1-1 on criteria but the referees awarded a third passivity to Khachatryan who went for a par terre position. As he tried to turn Chkhikvadze, Khachatryan was blocked during the turn and Chkhikvadze scored two points for exposure.

This was Chkhikvadze's first world title as he had finished with a silver at the U20 World Championships in 2021. He had defeated Khachatryan in the semifinals of that tournament. However, Khachatryan leveled the head-to-head score by beating Chkhikvadze in the opening round of the U23 World Championships.

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN), 8-4

BRONZE: Pridon ABULADZE (GEO) df. SURAJ (IND), 9-1
BRONZE: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df. Nihad GULUZADE (AZE), 

67kg
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), 6-1

BRONZE: Daniial AGAEV (AIN) df. Yanis GUENDEZ NIFRI (FRA), 2-1
BRONZE: Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL) df. Farid KHALILOV (AZE), 8-4

72kg
GOLD: Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 3-1

BRONZE: Imran ALIEV (AIN) df. Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ), 11-1
BRONZE: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) df. Georgios BARBANOS (SWE), 9-0

82kg
GOLD: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA), 4-3

BRONZE: Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO) df. Elmin ALIYEV (AZE)
BRONZE: Deni NAKAEV (GER) df. Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY), 5-1

97kg
GOLD: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) df. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 11-6

BRONZE: Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 8-5
BRONZE: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) df. Anton VIEWEG (GER), 11-0

Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) vs. Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE)

SF 1: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Vishvajit MORE (IND), 14-5
SF 2: Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Kohei YAMAGIWA (JPN), 12-2

63kg
GOLD: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) vs. Komei SAWADA (JPN)

SF 1: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Arman VARDANYAN (ARM), 14-5
SF 2: Komei SAWADA (JPN) df. Bekir ATES (TUR), 7-0

77kg
GOLD: Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER) vs. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)

SF 1: Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER) df. Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 2-1
SF 2: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 6-1

87kg
GOLD: Aues GONIBOV (AIN) vs. Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)

SF 1: Aues GONIBOV (AIN) df. Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ), 2-1
SF 2: Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) df. Yasin YAZDI (IRI), 5-1

130kg
GOLD: Dmitrii BABORYKO (AIN) vs. Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)

SF 1: Dmitrii BABORYKO (AIN) df. Albert VARDANYAN (ARM), via fall
SF 2: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Koppany LASZLO (HUN), 8-0