Gadzhiev Stops Russia from Putting 5 Out of 5 in Finals at #WrestleSkopje

Monday, May 17, 2021 - 15:41 By Vinay Siwach

Russia had entered five wrestlers in the semifinals of the five weight classes that were in action on Monday in Skopje. But the hopes of sending all five of them in Tuesday's finals were dashed as Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) defeated Inalbek SHERIEV (RUS) in the semifinal at the 70kg weight class.

Such was their dominance on the first day of the U23 European Championships in Skopje, North Macedonia the four others which reached the final defeated their opponents either via technical superiority or via fall at the Jane Sandanski Arena.

A former cadet world champion in 2019, Gadzhiev pulled all tricks out of the bag as he hung on for 7-6 win despite being cautioned twice in the bout.

In contrast to Sheriev's showing, Russia's quartet of Akhmed IDRISOV, Abdulmazhid KUDIEV, Khalid IAKHIEV and Aslanbek SOTIEV reached the final at 57kg, 65kg, 79kg and 97kg respectively in dominant fashion.

The finals line-up for Tuesday was completed by Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) at 57kg, Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) at 65kg, Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) at 70kg, Ramazan SARI (TUR) at 79kg and Radu LEFTER (MDA) at 97kg.

In a bout that saw two cadet world medalists collide, Sheriev opened the scoring with a step out and Gadzhiev leveled it 1-1 after getting a step out of his own. But the big move came when Gadzhiev completed a takedown and continued the action for two turns to lead 7-2.

Then the waiting game began. Sheriev pulled off a slip from Gadzhiev's locks and scored a takedown to make it 7-4 before a warning to the Azerbaijan wrestler gave another point to him.

As Gadzhiev waited for the clock to expire, he was again warned for a singlet pull which reduced his lead to merely a point but he did well to hang on to it for 7-6 win.

Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) was Gadzhiev's first victim as he lost the 1/8 final 4-2 before the latter humbled Tobias PORTMANN (SUI) 9-2 in the quarterfinal.

Russia's field day

But the top performances came in the 57kg weight category as Idrisov ran through the 57kg field. He did not show any mercy to former junior world silver medalist Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO) in a 13-2 victory. The semifinal against senior European Championships bronze medalist Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) was as similar story as he won 10-0 to set up a final against Rzazade, who was equally dominant.

After getting a victory by default in the qualification round, he scored a 12-2 win over Hafiz Can HASDEMIR (TUR) and scored three four-point throws against Simone PIRODDU (ITA) in semifinal to win 14-1 in the first period.

The 65kg final will see former junior world champ at 70kg Arushanian take on Kudiev. While Kudiev was sitting in the quarterfinal and had an easier passage to the final, Arushanian was tested by junior European champion Hrachya MARGARYAN (ARM).

Kudiev u23 euros

With less than 10 seconds left in the quarterfinal, Arushanian was trailing 4-4 on criteria but got a leg lace and a 6-4 win. Marwane YEZZA (FRA), who seemed to have hurt himself in the semifinal, surrendered against the Ukrainian.

At 79kg, Iakhiev had a to and fro bout against Valentyn BABII (UKR) but managed to get a cradle to pin the Ukrainian. The bout began with Iakhiev exposing Babii on his back to lead 2-0. But Babii got a front headlock for four before Iakhiev's reversal and roll. Babii still led 5-5. He had the Russian on his back but failed to get the pin, going into the break with 7-5 lead.

Iakhiev seemed much aggressive in the second period and began with a takedown before an exposure gave him a 9-7 lead. He managed to get a cradle over Babii and froze him in that position to get the fall with two minutes and six seconds remaining.

He will take on Ramazan SARI (TUR) in the final as he defeated Goga MAMIAURI (GEO) 3-0. No points were scored by action as Sari got a step out before Mamiauri was warned twice.

Joining his Russian teammates in the final is Sotiev. The 97kg wrestler showed extreme composure to win 14-4 against Luka KHUTCHUA (GEO) despite trailing 0-4 at the break. With Khutchua struggling with his cardio in the second period, Sotiev scored a takedown and an exposure in first action.

Seconds later, he managed a perfect leg-lace to finish the bout and set up a final against Lefter who defeated Aliaksei PARKHOMENKA (BLR) 14-7.

Grahmez was the other Moldovian to reach the final as he defeated Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) 4-3 in the 70kg semifinal. All but one points were scored as a result of step outs.

Freestyle action will continue on Tuesday with 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg wrestler in action in Skopje.

Results: Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) vs Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)

SF 1: Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) df Kamil KERYMOV (UKR), 10-0
SF 2: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) df Simone PIRODDU (ITA), 14-1

65kg
GOLD: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (RUS) vs Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)

SF 1: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (RUS) df Uladzislau KOIKA (BLR), 13-0
SF 2: Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) df Marwane YEZZA (FRA), via fall

70kg
GOLD: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) vs Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)

SF 1: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) df Inalbek SHERIEV (RUS), 7-6
SF 2: Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) df Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 4-3

79kg
GOLD: Ramazan SARI (TUR) vs Khalid IAKHIEV (RUS)

SF 1: Ramazan SARI (TUR) df Goga MAMIAURI (GEO), 3-0
SF 2: Khalid IAKHIEV (RUS) df Valentyn BABII (UKR), via fall (11-7)

97kg
GOLD: Radu LEFTER (MDA) vs Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS)

SF 1: Radu LEFTER (MDA) df Aliaksei PARKHOMENKA (BLR), 14-7
SF 2: Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) df Luka KHUTCHUA (GEO), 14-4

#WrestleBudapest

Which wrestlers can move in rankings before Paris Olympics?

Monday, June 3, 2024 - 11:39 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 3) -- The final Ranking Series before the 2024 Paris Olympics will begin this week in Budapest. With Paris 2024 qualified countries entering their wrestlers, the tournament will see a change in ranking and eventually in the seeds for the Games in August.

Freestyle, Women's Wrestling and Greco-Roman have six Olympic weight classes with ranking points awarded to wrestlers competing in these weights in Budapest. Since it's a Level C event, gold medalists will get 8000 points, silver medalists will get 6400 points and bronze medalists will be awarded 5200 points. If it's a Nordic system with only one bronze medalist, the fourth-placed wrestler will receive 4640 points. For details of how the Ranking Series points system works, click here.

Ranking points will also awarded based on the number of participants in a weight class. If a weight category has between two and five participants, the points will be reduced in half and only the first three wrestlers will be awarded. If a weight class has six to 12 participants, no additional point will be given.

Furthermore, if a weight class has 13 to 16 participants, 3000 additional points will be given to all wrestlers except those who were not ranked previously. If a weight class has more than 16 wrestlers, 5000 additional points will be given to all wrestlers barring the ones who did not have ranking points previously.

Here's a breakdown of which wrestlers can improve their ranking in Budapest.

Freestyle

57kg (9 entries)

World Championships silver medalist and currently ranked third in rankings Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) will have a chance to move to the second spot by winning the gold medal in Budapest. He currently has 37000 points and will be tied with number one ranked and world champion Stevan MICIC (SRB) at 45000 points. However, Micic's gold will keep him at the top spot.

Another big mover can be AMAN (IND) who is currently eighth with 20000 points. A bronze medal will push him to sixth spot pushing Zavur UGUEV (AIN) down. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), currently ninth with 18200 points, can also jump to sixth by winning gold. Any lower position will only take him to the seventh spot.

65kg (7 entries)

Only world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), and Haji ALIYEV (AZE) have a chance to move up the ladder. Muszukajev, ranked fourth with 45000 points, can jump all the way to the top with a gold medal. A silver, bronze or fourth-place finish in Budapest will make him second-ranked. Any other result for Muszukajev will take him to the third spot.

Aliyev will only move from 10th place to ninth, irrespective of where he finishes in the tournament.

74kg (11 entries)

With certainty that he will win gold, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) will remain at his current third rank even if he does win. His 36500 points will become 44500 if he wins gold, still 500 less than second-ranked Zaurbek SIDAKOV (AIN).

A top-eight finish from Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), currently ranked 13th with 20200 points, will disrupt the other ranked wrestlers and eventually the seeds at the Olympics.

86kg (12 entries)

Top-ranked Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) can be relieved that he will go into the Olympics as the number one-ranked wrestler. With 52500 points, no other wrestler can replace him even by winning gold medal in Budapest.

Third-ranked Myles AMINE (SMR) is the closest with 44000 points but a gold medal in Budapest will only take him to 52000 points. But he will move to second spot with a 10th place or better finish. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will remain fourth even if he wins the gold medal in Budapest.

No other wrestler entered at 86kg will affect the seedings.

97kg (10 entries)

Third-ranked Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) is all set to become the top-ranked wrestler at 97kg heading into the Olympics. He will achieve that rank by finishing on the podium irrespective of the color of his medal.

Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR), currently ranked fifth with 44700, can move to third spot with a gold medal in Budapest. However, he is set to be fourth irrespective of his result in Budapest.

Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) will also move up in the rankings. Currently ranked 11th, Yergali can move to eighth with a bronze medal or better finish. Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) can also break into the top 10 with a medal but is unlikely to change the seeds for the Olympics.

125kg (12 entries)

With world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) locking up the top spot with 68000 points, the battle will be between Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Mason PARRIS (USA) for the second spot. Petriashvili is currently second with 57000 points while Parris is third with 54200 points.

To be second, Parris will have to win gold and hope that Petriasvili finishes outside the podium. If Parris wins gold and Petriasvili wins bronze, both wrestlers will be tied at 52200 points but Petriashvili will remain second due to his silver medal at the World Championships to Parris' bronze.

Nao KUSAKA (JPN) has a chance to become the top ranked wrestler at 77kg in Budapest. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

60kg (11 entries)

Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) currently sits fourth with 37000 points but is expected to be third with a medal of any color in Budapest. He, however, cannot overtake the top two -- Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Ligua CAO (CHN).

Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) may not be going to Paris 2024 but he will certainly change the current rankings. With 29025 points, he is seventh but any medal will put him at fifth. Ninth-ranked Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) will also improve his ranking but cannot move above seventh even if he wins the gold medal.

67kg (12 entries)

Not much will change at 67kg as Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) has locked up the top spot. He is entered for the Budapest tournament at 72kg. That means world champion and second-ranked Luis ORTA (CUB) will have a chance to close the gap but cannot overtake Jafarov whose lead is 17200 points.

Fourth-placed Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) will jump to third spot with a fifth-place finish or better as he is currently fourth with 31000 points.

Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) and Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA) will move up as well if they finish on the podium which eventually with affect the Olympic seeds.

77kg (18 entries)

World champion silver medalist and top-ranked Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) and Asian champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN), currently ranked third, will be battling for the top rank at 77kg. Suleymanov has 58100 points while Kusaka has 54200 points. For Kusaka to overtake Suleymanov, he will have to win the gold medal and hope that the Azerbaijan wrestler does not finish on the podium or finish three places better than Suleymanov.

Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) is set to improve his rank from sixth to fifth unless Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) wins a medal and Lomadze loses in the first round. Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) will also move up from seventh if he can finish better than Lomadze.

Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) can also be a top-five ranked wrestler if he can finish on the podium. It will depend on where Zhadrayev, Levai and Robert FRITSCH (HUN) finish in the tournament.

87kg (18 entries)

The shared world champions Ali CENGIZ (TUR) and David LOSONCZI (HUN) are set to consolidate the top two spots in the rankings. Cengiz has 58000 points and Losonczi has 45000 points with no chance of the latter overtaking the former.

Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) and Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) are currently ranked sixth and seventh with 33000 points and 31000 points. Both will certainly take the fourth and fifth spots at the end of the tournament but can be third as well. Tursynov will have to win a medal to be third while Novikov will have to win the gold medal and hope that Tursynov doesn't reach the final.

Bachir SID AZARA (ALG), currently 13th with 15800 points will finish in top ten by the end of this tournament and depending on his finish, can reach as high as the eighth spot.

97kg (11 entries)

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) is ranked fourth with 41000 points and can only improve to third with a bronze medal or better finish. But he will have to also hope that Artur OMAROV (CZE), ranked fifth with 39520 points, doesn't finish better than him.

130kg (14 entries)

Second-ranked Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is set to overtake Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) and move to the top spot. Kayaalp has 50000 points and needs to finish 10th or better to get more than Mirzazadeh's 55000 points. A medal for Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) will move him from fifth place to third.

Sixth-placed Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) will keep his spot unless eighth-ranked Heiki NABI (EST), 10th-ranked Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) or Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) win gold medal.

Grace BULLEN (NOR) and Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) will look to improve their rankings at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Women's Wrestling

50kg (16 entries)

Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) is ranked second with 55200 points but Ziqi FENG (CHN), third ranked with 53400 points, will hope to overtake her. Feng will have to finish better than Dolgorjav especially if both win medals. Feng has to finish on the podium if she hopes to overtake Dolgorjav.

Fourth-ranked Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) has 45000 points but is unlikely to move up just like Alisson CARDOZO (COL) who is fifth with 27000 points.

53kg (11 entries)

Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) will have her eyes on the top spot as she tries to jump from the second spot. Yepez, who has 46100 points, will have to finish fifth or better to overtake Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN).

Jonna MALMGREN (SWE), who has 46013 points at the fourth spot, can be third if she wins a bronze medal or a better finish. She can also be second by winning gold and Yepez finishes ninth or lower.

ANTIM (IND), ranked seventh with 31000 points, can jump to fifth if she wins the gold or silver medal.

57kg (10 entries)

Third-ranked with 47200 points, Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) will be eyeing the top spot. All she has to do is reach the final of the Budapest tournament. This will help her overtake Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), the top-ranked wrestler with 53000 points.

Anhelina LYSAK (POL), ranked fourth with 42700 points, is unlikely to improve but Helen MAROULIS (USA), with 41000 points, is all set to overtake Lysak.

62kg (13 entries)

In the most closely contested weight class, Grace BULLEN (NOR) will have a chance to change her rank. She is ranked third with 44000 points but a gold medal can help her get 11000 points and move past Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) who is ranked second with 54000 points.

Fourth-ranked Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), fifth-ranked Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) and sixth-ranked Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) will have a chance to move around in rankings. Dudova, at 36575 points, leads Niemesch by only 575 points while Koliadenko has 39520 points.

Kayla MIRACLE (USA) is seventh with 28000 points but will have to be careful as Ana GODINEZ (CAN) with 24400 points, Lais NUNES (BRA) with 23500 points and Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) with 23400 points can overtake her.

68kg (11 entries)

Buse TOSUN (TUR), who is ranked number one with 68200 points, will consolidate her position as will Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) who is second with 52500 points.

There will not be a change of position for third-ranked Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) but she can gain more points. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) can move from sixth spot to fourth by reaching the final and to fifth by winning a bronze medal.

76kg (7 entries)

Three Pan-American wrestlers will be looking to improve their rankings. Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) can gain the most as the fourth-ranked wrestler has 39000 points and can be third by winning gold or silver. Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) can also improve on her sixth spot. She can move to fifth by reaching the medal matches.

Justina DI STASIO (CAN), ranked 11th with 22075 points, can move as high as seventh by reaching the final.

Gadzhiev Stops Russia from Putting 5 Out of 5 in Finals at #WrestleSkopje

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Which wrestlers can move in rankings before Paris Olympics?