Asian Games

Geraei Grabs Greco Gold Among Stacked Field, Cho Pulls Stunner

Wednesday, August 22, 2018 - 17:44 By United World Wrestling Press

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The winner of the big showdown between three current Asian champions all entered in the Greco-Roman 77kg class at the Asian Games on Wednesday was...none of the above. 

Instead, it was Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) who emerged from the pack to land on the top of the podium.

Geraei, one of two Iranian champions on the fourth and final day of the wrestling competition, scored an impressive 7-3 victory in the final over Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), who had thrilled the home crowd when he won the 72kg title at the Asian Championships in Bishkek in February-March.

Hossain NOURI (IRI) followed with a victory at 87kg, giving Iran three of the six Greco-Roman golds at stake in the tournament using only the Olympic weight classes. Iran, however, missed chances for medals at 97kg and 130kg when both of its wrestlers lost bronze-medal matches.

Geraei, a bronze medalist at the 2017 World Championships in Paris at 71kg, had started the day by avenging a loss  to YANG Bin (CHN) in the 77kg final in Bishkek, putting the Chinese away with an 8-0 technical fall in 2:17 that he capped with a 5-point throw. 

The other Bishkek gold medalist in the field, 82kg winner Ashkat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ), never made it past the quarterfinals, where was dealt a 3-3 defeat on last point by Shohei YABIKU (JPN). 

In the final, Geraei gained the first point for passivity, but on his spectacular lift-and-throw from the par terre position, he failed to expose Makhumodov's back to the mat and only gained 2 points. 

Geraei padded his lead with two more 2-point moves, but on a third attempt, Makhmudov stopped him in mid-throw for a 2-point counter, making it 7-2 after the first period.

Neither wrestler could put together an attack in the second period. Makhmudov got one last chance in the final minute when Geraei was called for passivity, making it 7-3. But Geraei firmly resisted the Kyrgyz teen's gut wrench attempts to secure the victory.

Yang came away with a bronze medal with a close 4-3 victory over Yabiku. The other bronze went to KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR), who chalked up an 8-0 technical fall over Bishkek 2018 bronze medalist Shermet PERMANOV (TKM).


In the 87kg final, Nouri continued his reign over the continent by taking full advantage of a clearly fatigued Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB), scoring five unanswered and largely uncontested points in the second period for a 6-1 victory. 

Nouri, a Paris 2017 bronze medalist, added the Asian Games gold to the Asian titles he won in 2017 and 2018. Assakalov, who won the 2014 Asian Games title in Incheon, took the silver at Bishkek 2018 at 97kg.

Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ) captured one of the bronze medals, with some inadvertent help from opponent Harpreet SINGH (IND). Trailing 5-0 in the second period, Singh scored a takedown, then forced a passivity penalty to cut the lead to 5-3. 

But Indian failed to properly take the par terre position, giving his opponent a penalty point and depriving himself of a chance to tie the score. Kustubayev then defended his 6-3 lead to the end. 

Shyhazberdi OVELEKOV (TKM) gave Turkmenistan its lone wrestling medal, needing just 39 seconds to put away Mohammed ALQUHALI (YEM) with an 8-0 technical fall.

Prior to the tournament, the 97kg class was deemed to be the most open and unpredictable, but even that couldn't detract from the surprise of CHO Hyochul (KOR)---10 days short of his 33rd birthday and 6 1/2 years after his last major tournament---walking away with the gold.


The stocky Cho ripped off a lightening-quick headlock throw for 4 points early in the second period, giving him a 5-4 lead that he made stick to defeat XIAO Di (CHN) in the final. 

Cho prepped for Jakarta by posting ninth-places finishes in Tbilisi and Sofia this year, marking his return to international mat after a six-year absence. It was 10 years ago that he won a bronze medal at 84kg at the Asian Championships, before adding a silver in 2011. 

Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ), the 2014 Asian Games champion ahead of Xiao, captured a bronze medal with a somewhat bizarre victory over Ali Akbar HEIDARI (IRI). 

Iskakov needed a long timeout to bandage a bleeding eyebrow, but still built up a 7-0 lead. In the second period, Heidari himself had to receive treatment and a bandage for a cut, before the bout suddenly ended when the Iranian was assessed a 2-point penalty for a head butt. An unsuccessful challenge made it officially a 10-0 technical fall at 4:25.

Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) scored a first-period takedown, and that was enought to beat Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB), 2-0, for the second bronze. 

Bishkek 2018 silver medalist Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) capped the competition with an 8-0 technical fall in the 130kg final over defending Asian Games champion Nurmakhan TINALIYEV (KAZ).


Abdullaev built up a 7-0 lead in the first period with a passivity point, a 4-point throw and a 2-point roll. He ended the bout by forcing Tinaliyev out for his eighth point at 4:16. 

In the bronze-medal matches, Arata SONODA (JPN) denied the host country an improbable medal with a fall in 52 seconds over Papang RAMADHANI (INA), while KIM Minseok (KOR) eked out a 1-1 victory over two-time Asian champion and favorite Behnam MAHDIZADEH (IRI), by virtue of his passivity point coming in the second period.

In the end, eight countries came away with medals in the six Greco weight classes, with Iran and South Korea each winning two golds. Kazahstan had the most medalists with five, although none were gold. 

Greco-Roman

77kg (16 entries)

Gold - Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) df. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), 7-3
Bronze - KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) df. Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) by TF, 9-0, 1:48
Bronze - YANG Bin (CHN) df. Shohei YABIKU (JPN), 4-3

SF - Geraei df. Yabiku, 8-1
SF - Makhmudov df. Permanov by TF, 8-0, 1:32

87kg (12 entries)

Gold - Hossein NOURI (IRI) df. Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB), 6-1
Bronze - Shyhazberdi OVELEKOV (TKM) df. Mohammed ALQUHALI (YEM) by TF, 8-0, :39
Bronze - Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ) df.  Harpreet SINGH (IND), 6-3

SF - Assakalov df. Singh by TF, 10-0, :38
SF - Nouri df. Alquhali by TF, 8-0, 1:07

97kg (9 entries)

Gold - CHO Hyochul (KOR) df. XIAO Di (CHN), 5-4
Bronze - Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ) df. Ali Akbar HEIDARI (IRI) by TF, 10-0, 4:25
Bronze - Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) df. Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB), 2-0

SF - Xiao df. Dzhuzupbekov by Fall, 1:27 (8-1)
SF - Cho df. Heidari, 4-3

130kg (11 entries)

Gold - Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Nurmakhan TINALIYEV (KAZ) by TF, 8-0, 4:16 
Bronze - Arata SONODA (JPN) df. Papang RAMADHANI (INA) by Fall, :52 (2-0)
Bronze - KIM Minseok (KOR) df. Behnam MAHDIZADEH (IRI), 1-1

SF - Abdullaev df. Mahdizadeh, 2-2
SF - Tinaliyev df. Sonoda, 6-0


 

#WrestleZagreb

World C'ships Day 5 WW 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg Highlights

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 - 08:11 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 17) -- Women's Wrestling will continue at the World Championships in 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg in Zagreb.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

62kg semifinals
SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)
SF 2: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW)

13:40: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) worked on five different takedowns before securing the fall over Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) and reach the 62kg semifinals. Motoki, the Paris Olympic champion, is cashing her first world title.

13:45: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), a world champion in 2017, with two big headlocks in her 5-1 victory over Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA). She returns to the World Championships semifinals to face Olympic champion Motoki.

13:42: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) not only advances to the 62kg semifinals, she avenges her loss in the final of this year's Asian Championships MANISHA (IND) with a solid 8-0 victory. Kim accumulates all of her points in the first period, topping each of her two takedowns with a 2-point roll or exposure.

13:37: The activity clock is just about to run out on Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) when she not only gets a score, her 4-point arm throw sends Ana GODINEZ (CAN) sailing onto her back in their 62kg quarterfinal. Tandelova doesn't let the opportunity get away and she secures the fall at 2:02.

53kg semifinals
SF 1: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) vs. ANTIM (IND)
SF 2: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) vs. Hyongyong CHOE (PRK)

13:32: In a battle of young stars, Jin ZHANG (CHN) and ANTIM (IND) square off in the 53kg quarterfinals. Antim gets on board with a go-behind before powering her way to another takedown for a 4-0 lead. A similar takedown for Antim and she races to a 6-0 lead. Zhang fires one back and catch Antim off guard to score two points and cut the lead to 6-2 at the break. Zhang with high pressure and gets the reward with a takedown and two lace turns for an 8-6 lead. Antim gets a reversal for an 8-7 score but she has only 18 seconds to score two points for a win. She remains calm and scores the takedown to win 9-8 for a place in the semifinals at 53kg.

13:30: Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) gets the first takedown against Emma MALMGREN (SWE) and then turns her for a 4-0 lead. Malmgren tries hard in the second period but she can only score a takedown to make it 4-2 as Yepez wins 4-2.

14:29: Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) wrestles tentatively to start against a defensive opponent, Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), gaining just an activity point without taking a shot in the first period of their 53kg quarterfinal. But the three-time world champion finds an opening in the second, scoring with a single leg. She then gets behind twice as Yetgil starts to show fatigue and the Japanese advances with a 7-0 victory.

14:28: Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) continues her impressive run, storming to an 11-0 victory over Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) in their 53kg quarterfinal. Choe goes ahead in the first period with a takedown and two lace-lock rolls -- albeit the referee gave her more than ample time to execute them -- then added a takedown and exposure in the second.

68kg semifinals
SF 1: Buse TOSUN (TUR) vs. Ami ISHII (JPN)
SF 2: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) vs. Jia LONG (CHN)

13:20: Buse TOSUN (TUR) gets the first passivity call against Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) and the Czechia wrestler leads 1-0 at the break. Tosun on board in the second period with a point before a takedown helps her take a 3-1 lead with a minute remaining. Hanzlickova gets stepout but it's too little too late as Tosun wins 3-2 for a place in the 68kg semifinal.

13:18: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) scores two takedowns in the last two minutes of the second period, giving her a come-from-behind 8-4 victory over Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) and a place in the 68kg semifinals. Yaneva opened the scoring with a takedown and gut wrench, only to fall behind on criteria when Zelenkykh scored a takedown on each side of the break.

13:18: Ami ISHII (JPN) and Kennedy BLADES (USA) in a big quarterfinals at 68kg. Ishii blasts with a takedown and then exposure for two more to lead 4-0 against Kennedy BLADES (USA). She uses the arm-dram to score another takedown and lace for an 8-0 lead inside the first two minutes. Blades gets on board with a stepout to make it 8-1. Both scramble but Ishii scores a takedown for a 10-1 lead at the break. Ishii takes some time but manages to power her way to the match winning takedown. A 12-1 victory for Ishii as she reaches the semifinal.

13:17: In an high-profile all-Asian clash in the 68kg quarterfinals with little action, Jia LONG (CHN) scores a takedown in the final seconds to finish off a 4-1 victory over two-time Olympic medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ).

72kg semifinals
SF 1: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) vs. Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Zelu LI (CHN)

13:05: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) with four takedowns against Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) to secure a place in the 72kg semifinals with an 8-4 win.

13:03: After Nesrin BAS (TUR) receives an activity point, Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) goes on the attack as the first-period clock in winding down. Can she finish it off in time? Instead, Bas whizzers her over onto her back and completes the fall with one second to go to earn the spot in the 72kg semifinals.

13:01: Zelu LI (CHN), the Asian champion at 68kg, barges into the 72kg semifinals with a 10-0 victory over Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL). Li takes Zorigt directly to her back and, although she can't complete the fall, she adds a gut wrench. Another takedown and two more turns and she's the winner in 1:45.

13:00: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) steps over and catches Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) flat on the mat to secure the fall at 72kg and advance to the semifinal.

12:55: In the last match before the quarterfinals, Asian champion MANISHA (IND) keeps Astrid MONTERO (VEN) at bay at 62kg. Manisha got two points for two passivity calls against Montero who scored one point for the same. But Manisha hangs on for a 2-1 victory. This also means that European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) will return empty-handed.

12:45: Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) had just made a leg attack when Nikolett SZABO (HUN) called out injured. She seemed in a lot of pain having injured her knee. She had to carried off the mat on a stretcher. Motoki advances to quarterfinals at 62kg.

12:37: Veteran Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), eight years removed from her lone world championship, stays on track at 62kg with a comprehensive 10-0 victory over three-time European bronze medalist Veranika IVANOVA (UWW).

12:31: European champion Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) makes short work of Kseniya STANKEVICH (UWW) to advance to the 53kg quarterfinals, taking her straight to her back and recording a fall at 1:26.
 
12:28: Jin ZHANG (CHN), last year's world silver medalist at 55kg, looks impressive in posting her second straight one-sided win at 53kg when she takes out Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) with a 10-1 victory. Only an activity point early on kept her from keeping a perfect sheet, but she quickly followed it with a takedown as she took a 6-1 lead at the break.

12:27: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) scored one takedown to lead 2-1 against Roksana ZASINA (POL) and then held her fort with that lead. Zasina tried desperately for an attack but failed to score and gave up a takedown. Malmgren wins 5-1 at 53kg.

12:25: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) cannot find a way to break the defenses of Ok Ju KIM (PRK) who scores four different takedowns in their 62kg bout to win 8-0

12:18: Jia LONG (CHN), the 2024 world champion at 65kg, gives up the big points to Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in their 68kg match, but she piles up more than enough for a 12-6 victory.

12:17: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) gives up a 4-point takedown early in her 62kg clash with Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), then erupts for 13 points in the second period, including a pair of 4-pointers of her own, for a 13-6 victory. 

12:05: Ami ISHII (JPN), gunning for a second straight world title after winning last year at 72kg, continues her quest at 68kg by rolling to a 10-0 victory over Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) to advance to the quarterfinals. Ishii scores a single-leg takedown just as she receives an activity point to go up 3-0. After a second similar takedown, she goes to laces and finishes off the win ni 2:42.

12:04: Defending 68kg champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) gets the fall over Grabriela DA ROCHA (BRA) when she put her back on the mat in the second period and held on till the fall was called.

12:03: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) takes a 3-0 lead at the break in her 53kg bout against Annika WENDLE (GER). In the second period, she works a takedown and roll to make it 7-9. Another takedown on the edge puts her at 9-0 before she finishes the bout 11-0.

11:57: An upset on Mat C, as Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), aiming for her fifth world medal but first gold at 72kg, will have to settle for bronze at best after falling 3-3 on criteria to Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ). Nurtaeva trails 2-1 after giving up a second activity point, but scores a single-leg takedown with :51 left. Bakbergenova gains a stepout to tie, but trails on criteria, and Nurtaeva fends off a final attack to clinch the win.

11:56: Asian champion Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) goes to the lace lock after a second takedown, and three rolls later she advances at 53kg with a 10-0 victory over Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) in 2:20.

11:55: Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) comes from 4-1 down to get a fall over Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB) and advance at 53kg. Yepez is looking to add to her bronze medal from 2023. 

11:51: A takedown and four quick lace-lock rolls and two-time Asian bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) advances at 53kg with a 10-0 win over Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP).

11:49: Sol Gum PAK (PRK) tries to score the one point she needs to beat Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) at 68kg but Yaneva defends everything that is thrown at her to win 7-6 and advance.

11:49: Two-time Olympic medalist and 2021 world champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) opens her campaign with a 10-0 win over Aniseta ACOSTA (ASA) at 68kg. Zhumanazarova had a pair of 4-point moves, the second coming with a hip throw that made it a 10-point difference. The match ended when Acosta fought off her back.

11:45: Kennedy BLADES (USA), the Paris Olympic silver medalist at 76kg who has dropped down to 68kg, gets off to rousing start, overwhelming RADHIKA (IND) for an 11-0 victory in 1:38. Blades gets a 4-point takedown thwarting a Radhika counter to take a 7-0 lead within the first minute. She then bulls her opponent over for a takedown, then caps the proceedings with a classic gut wrench.

11:40: Six-time Asian medalist Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) is trailing 2-1 against Jyoti BERWAL (IND) in the second period of their 72kg bout when she does what Mongolian's do best -- hit her opponent with a headlock throw, giving her a victory by fall.

11:39: In a case of anything you can do, I can do better, LILI (CHN), a 2023 world bronze medalist at 65kg, scores three exposure tilts after a takedown to give her a 9-7 win over Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) at 62kg. Lili's sequence came after Soltanova had gone ahead with three consecutive 2-point lifts to counter a single-leg attempt by Lili.

11:35: After a longish defense from Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) secures the fall as Park runs out of steam.

11:28: Three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN), looking to fill the 53kg spot following the move up to 57kg by compatriot and Paris Olympic gold medalist Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), opens with an 11-0 victory over Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB). Murayama leads 3-0 in the second period when she scores with a snapdown takedown, then reels off four gut wrenches.

11:32: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) with a fall over Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA) in her opening bout at 62kg. Kim just too strong for Campagna

11:30: Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) opened the scoring against Masako FURUICHI (JPN) with a stepout before getting a point for inactivity of Furuichi. The Japanese bounces back with a takedown but gives up a reversal as Glaude leads 3-2. She hangs on to that lead to upset Furuichi

11:16: World 55kg silver Jin ZHANG (CHN) works on five different takedowns to beat Felicity TAYLOR (USA), 10-0, at 53kg with 31 seconds left on the clock.

11:11: In a battle of former European champions at 68kg, 2021 world silver medalist Khanum VELIEVA (UWW) gets a stepout just moments after giving up an activity point to Yuliana YANEVA (BUL). But Yaneva dominates the second period, scoring a takedown-gut wrench combination, then putting Velieva onto her back and securing a fall at 4:31.

11:09: Nice win for South America as Astrid MONTERO (VEN) scores two takedowns in the second period to knock off European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) 6-4 at 62kg. Montero gets behind for an early takedown, only to see Bondar come back with a takedown and quick exposure to lead 4-2 at the break.

10:50: Two-time Asian silver medalist RADHIKA (IND) gives up a 4-point takedown to the back to Laura GODINO (ITA) at the start of their 68kg qualification bout. That appears to wake up the Indian, who comes back with a takedown and stepout to cut the gap at the break. Another takedown puts Radhika ahead 5-4, then she ends the match by muscling Godino down and over for a fall with just over a minute left.

10:45: World 72kg champion Ami ISHII (JPN), back down at 68kg, starts her bid to win her second world title with a 10-0 victory over Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) in a minute and 31 seconds.