#WrestleBelgrade

Greco-Roman seeds released for Belgrade World Championships

Friday, August 26, 2022 - 09:30 By Vinay Siwach

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (August 26) -- Greco-Roman wrapped up the World Championships in Oslo last year. But in Belgrade, Greco-Roman will kick off the competition on September 10. With just two weeks remaining for the first whistles at the '22 World Championships, United World Wrestling released the tentative top eight Greco-Roman seeds.

The point-based seeds were determined by a wrestler's participation and placement at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, 2021 World Championships, 2022 Continental Championships, 2022 Ranking Series events, and selected Regional Games.

While the seeds may or may not hold in the 10 weight classes, here's how the bracket will look leading up to the gold-medal match according to the top-eight seeded system:

Quarterfinals: 
No. 1 vs. No. 8 (top side)
No. 4 vs. No. 5 (top side)
No. 2 vs. No. 7 (bottom side)
No. 3 vs. No. 6 (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 vs. No. 4 (top side)
No. 2 vs. No. 3 (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 vs. No. 2 

*National Federations were required to submit their world entries by last week but can still update them until 24 hours before the draws. This means these seeds and entries are subject to change.

 

55kg
No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
No. 2 Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
No. 3 Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
No. 4 Max NOWRY (USA)
No. 5 Fabian SCHMITT (GER)
No. 6 Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ)
No. 7 Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB)
No. 8 Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR)

If seeds hold at 55kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. No. 8 Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR) (top side)
No. 4 Max NOWRY (USA) vs. No. 5 Fabian SCHMITT (GER) (top side)
No. 3 Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) vs. No. 6 Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) (bottom side)
No. 2 Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. No. 7 Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. No. 4 Max NOWRY (USA) (top side)
No. 2 Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. No. 3 Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. No. 2 Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)

Azizli, Tsutsumia best
2021 World Championships bronze medalists Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) are the top two seeds at 55kg. Azizli went on to win the European Championships in Budapest while Tsurtsumia was second to him.

Three other seeded wrestlers on Azizli's side of the bracket are Koriun Fabian SCHMITT (GER), Max NOWRY (USA) and Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR). The first clash of the seeded wrestlers will be a quarterfinal between Azizli and Sahradian. The other quarterfinal will be Schmitt taking on Nowry.

Azizli will then proceed to a semifinal against Nowry with a win taking him to the gold medal bout.

The lower side has Tsurtsumia along with Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) and Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB). Tsurtsumia will face Asian bronze medalist Ortikboev in the quarterfinals and will face the winner of Ozturk and Bekbolatov in the semifinals.

A rematch of the European final between Azizli and Tsurtsumia is on the cards in Belgrade as well.

 

60kg
No. 1 Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
No. 2 Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
No. 3 Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)
No. 4 Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
No. 5 GYANENDER (IND)
No. 6 Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
No. 7 Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY)
No. 8 Helary MAEGISALU (EST)

If the seeds hold at 60kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs. No. 8 Helary MAEGISALU (EST) (top side)
No. 4 Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) vs. No. 5 GYANENDER (IND) (top side)
No. 3 Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) vs. No. 6 Kerem KAMAL (TUR) (bottom side)
No. 2 Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. No. 7 Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs. No. 4 Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) (top side)
No. 2 Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. No. 3 Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs. No. 2 Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)

Sharshenbekov poised to reach third Worlds final
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) has reached the gold medal bout at World Championships twice but finished with silver on both occasions. He has a chance to change that record as he is seeded number one in the 60kg bracket. To reach another world final, he will have to go through Helary MAEGISALU (EST) in the quarterfinal and one of Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) and GYANENDER (IND) in the semifinal as these are the seeded wrestlers on the top side of the bracket.

The Asian champion finished seventh at the Olympics before winning the silver in Oslo. He won the gold at Asian Championships in Mongolia.

On the bottom side, Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) is seeded number two and will face Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) in the quarterfinal. Barring upsets, the other quarterfinal will be a clash of Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) and European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) as they are seeded number three and six respectively. The winner will then get Mammadov in the semifinal.

 

63kg 
No. 1 Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
No. 2 Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
No. 3 Erik TORBA (HUN)
No. 4 Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
No. 5 Ahmet UYAR (TUR)
No. 6 Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
No. 7 NEERAJ (IND)
No. 8 Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)

If the seeds hold at 63kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Leri ABULADZE (GEO) vs. No. 8 Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) (top side)
No. 4 Victor CIOBANU (MDA) vs. No. 5 Ahmet UYAR (TUR) (top side)
No. 3 Erik TORBA (HUN) vs. No. 6 Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) (bottom side)
No. 2 Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. No. 7 NEERAJ (IND) (bottom side)

Semifinals: 
No. 1 Leri ABULADZE (GEO) vs. No. 4 Victor CIOBANU (MDA) (top side)
No. 2 Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. No. 3 Erik TORBA (HUN) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Leri ABULADZE (GEO) vs. No. 2 Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)

Abuladze locks up top seed
He fell agonizingly short of the gold in Oslo but Leri ABULADZE (GEO) will hope to win the gold this time at 63kg. He locked up the top seed with his silver in Oslo and a gold medal at the European Championships. Abuladze's quarterfinal will be against Asian champion Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) who is seeded number eight.

The other quarterfinal on the top side will feature 60kg world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Ahmet UYAR (TUR), who are seeded number four and five respectively.

Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE), who was fifth at the World Championships, is seeded number two and will feature on the bottom side of the bracket with a potential quarterfinal against NEERAJ (IND). His semifinal will be against one of Erik TORBA (HUN) or Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM).

An Abuladze-Mammadov final will be a repeat of the European Championships final which the Georgian won.

 

67kg 
No. 1 Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI)
No. 2 Murat FIRAT (TUR)
No. 3 Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
No. 4 Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
No. 5 Morten THORESEN (NOR)
No. 6 Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
No. 7 Hansu RYU (KOR)
No. 8 Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER)

If the seeds hold at 67kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) vs. No. 8 Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER) (top side)
No. 4 Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) vs. No. 5 Morten THORESEN (NOR) (top side)
No. 3 Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) vs. No. 6 Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) (bottom side)
No. 2 Murat FIRAT (TUR) vs. No. 7 Hansu RYU (KOR) (bottom side)

Semifinals: 
No. 1 Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) vs. No. 4 Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) (top side)
No. 2 Murat FIRAT (TUR) vs. No. 3 Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) vs. No. 2 Murat FIRAT (TUR)

Geraei primed for gold
To reach back-to-back World finals, Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) will need to go through an Olympic bronze medalist in the final. Olympic champion Geraei will face Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER) in the quarterfinals before facing Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) in the semifinal if the Egypt wrestler can beat Morten THORESEN (NOR) in the other quarterfinal in the top half.

The bottom half of the bracket has number two seed Murat FIRAT (TUR) facing former world champion Hansu RYU (KOR) in the quarterfinals. Firat finished fifth in Oslo before winning the European Championships and the Mediterranean Games to clinch the second seed.

If he wins against Ryu, U23 world champion and fellow fifth at Worlds Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) awaits Firat. Jafarov has to beat Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) in the quarterfinals to set up a match against Firat.

Geraei will have the winner of the Firat-Jafarov semifinal if he manages to get past Elsayed as both have a similar style.

 

72kg 
No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
No. 2 Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
No. 3 Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
No. 4 Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI)
No. 5 Valentin PETIC (MDA)
No. 6 Selcuk CAN (TUR)
No. 7 Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL)
No. 8 Robert FRITSCH (HUN)

If the seeds hold at 72kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) vs. No. 8 Robert FRITSCH (HUN) (top side)
No. 4 Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) vs. No. 5 Valentin PETIC (MDA) (top side)
No. 3 Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) vs. No. 6 Selcuk CAN (TUR) (bottom side)
No. 2 Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) vs. No. 7 Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) vs. No. 4 Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) (top side)
No. 2 Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) vs. No. 3 Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) vs. No. 2 Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)

Sleiva eyes history
With both the finalists from Oslo not registered, top seed Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) will hope to improve on his bronze medal from Oslo. Lithuania has never won the gold medal at World Championships but can pin hopes on Sleiva who locked the top seed with bronze in Oslo, fifth place at European Championships, gold at Matteo Pellicone and silver in Istanbul at the start of the season.

But a big quarterfinal against European champion Robert FRITSCH (HUN) will test Sleiva. If he manages to win that, he will have Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) in the semifinal. Sleiva defeated Mokhtari for the bronze in Oslo.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) is seeded second and will be in the bottom half with third seed Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL), number six Selcuk CAN (TUR) and number seven Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL). Ganizade finished eighth in Oslo but won bronze at Euros and silver at Matteo Pellicone. He also has a 10th-place finish in Istanbul.

He will face Dimitrov in the quarterfinals before getting one of Sahakyan or Can in the semifinal. A final against Sleiva will be a rematch from the European bronze medal bout in which Ganizade won. But Sleiva won the gold in Rome over Ganizade.

 

77kg 
No. 1 Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
No. 2 Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI)
No. 3 Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
No. 4 Viktor NEMES (SRB)
No. 5 Shohei YABIKU (JPN)
No. 6 Yunus BASAR (TUR)
No. 7 Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB)
No. 8 Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)

If the seeds hold at 77kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) vs. No. 8 Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) (top side)
No. 4 Viktor NEMES (SRB) vs. No. 5 Shohei YABIKU (JPN) (top side)
No. 3 Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) vs. No. 6 Yunus BASAR (TUR) (bottom side)
No. 2 Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) vs. No. 7 Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) vs. No. 4 Viktor NEMES (SRB) (top side)
No. 2 Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) vs. No. 3 Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) vs. No. 2 Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI)

Suleymanov top at 77kg
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) will that the top seeding helps him end the misery of missing out on the gold last year. The silver medalist from Oslo finished with a bronze at European Championships and silver in Istanbul to lock up the top seed.

Given the seeds hold, Suleymanov will face Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) in the quarterfinal before moving to the semifinals against Viktor NEMES (SRB) who is seeded fourth. But Nemes will have to beat Olympic bronze medalist Shohei YABIKU (JPN) in the quarterfinals.

The stacked bottoms side has World bronze and Olympic fifth Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) as second seed along with Olympic silver Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) as third, European champion Yunus BASAR (TUR) as sixth and Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) as the seventh seed.

Geraei will face Flores in the quarterfinal while Makhmudov will take on Basar. According to the seeds, Geraei and Makhmudov will advance to the semifinal, a mouth-watering match-up. The winner will face Suleymanov in the final.

 

82kg
No. 1 Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
No. 2 Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
No. 3 Pejman POSHTAM (IRI)
No. 4 Mihail BRADU (MDA)
No. 5 Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
No. 6 Harpreet SINGH (IND)
No. 7 Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
No. 8 Dias KALEN (KAZ)

If the seeds hold at 82kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs. No. 8 Dias KALEN (KAZ) (top side)
No. 4 Mihail BRADU (MDA) vs. No. 5 Ranet KALJOLA (EST) (top side)
No. 3 Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) vs. No. 6 Harpreet SINGH (IND) (bottom side)
No. 2 Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) vs. No. 7 Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs. No. 4 Mihail BRADU (MDA) (top side)
No. 2 Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) vs. No. 3 Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs. No. 2 Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)

Huseynov, Akbudak rematch on cards
For long, Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) have held the top two seeds at 82kg. Heading into the World Championships, the two will remain one and two respectively.

Huseynov won the gold in Oslo and Budapest to add to his bronze in Tokyo and Istanbul to claim the top seed. He faces Dias KALEN (KAZ) in the quarterfinals. A win will take Huseynov to the semifinals against Mihail BRADU (MDA) who is seeded number four. Bradu will have to beat Ranet KALJOLA (EST) in the quarterfinal to wrestle Huseynov.

On the bottom side, Akbudak faces European silver medalist Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) in the quarterfinals. World bronze medalist Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) has Harpreet SINGH (IND) in the other quarterfinal.

Akbudak and Poshtam will clash in the semifinals if they win according to the seeds before a rematch from 2021 Worlds between Huseynov and Akbudak occurs.

 

87kg
No. 1 Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
No. 2 Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)
No. 3 Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
No. 4 Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
No. 5 Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
No. 6 Mohamed METWALLY (EGY)
No. 7 Sunil KUMAR (IND)
No. 8 Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)

If the seeds hold at 87kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) vs. No. 8 Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) (top side)
No. 4 Islam ABBASOV (AZE) vs. No. 5 Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) (top side)
No. 3 Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) vs. No. 6 Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) (bottom side)
No. 2 Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. No. 7 Sunil KUMAR (IND) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) vs. No. 4 Islam ABBASOV (AZE) (top side)
No. 2 Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. No. 3 Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) vs. No. 2 Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)

Datunashvili top-seeded at home
Serbia will have its own top seed as Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) hopes to defend his title at 87kg. Olympic bronze and gold in Oslo helped him to be in the top three before silver in Istanbul and eight-place at European Championships pushed him to the top.

To win gold in front of his home crowd, Datunashvili will have to navigate through eighth seed Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) in the quarterfinal, fourth seed Islam ABBASOV (AZE) in the semifinals and second seed Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) in the final. Abassov in the semifinals is a massive match-up as he has defeated Datunashvili in the previous two meetings.

European champion Bisultanov, who finished fifth in Oslo, is on the bottom side and faces Sunil KUMAR (IND) in the quarterfinals before Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) in the semifinals.

 

97kg 
No. 1 Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)
No. 2 Alex SZOKE (HUN)
No. 3 Kiril MILOV (BUL)
No. 4 Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
No. 5 Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
No. 6 Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
No. 7 Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
No. 8 Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)

If the seeds hold at 97kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) vs. No. 8 Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) (top side)
No. 4 Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. No. 5 Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) (top side)
No. 3 Kiril MILOV (BUL) vs. No. 6 Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) (bottom side)
No. 2 Alex SZOKE (HUN) vs. No. 7 Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) vs. No. 4 Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) (top side)
No. 2 Alex SZOKE (HUN) vs. No. 3 Kiril MILOV (BUL) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) vs. No. 2 Alex SZOKE (HUN)

Saravi, Szoke rematch at 97kg
Another World Championships final rematch can happen in Belgrade if Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) and Alex SZOKE (HUN) can hold their seeds.

Olympic bronze and world champion Saravi locked up the top seed with those two medals and will face Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) in the quarterfinals. Second seed Szoke, a silver medalist from Oslo, has Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) in his quarterfinal on the bottom side.

The other quarterfinal on the top side will see two Olympic medalists from the Tokyo clash. Silver medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) will return to the competition and will have bronze medalist Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) in the quarterfinals. The bottom side will see Oslo fifth Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA), seeded sixth, face European champion and fifth seed Kiril MILOV (BUL) in the quarterfinals.

Saravi will get a chance to avenge his loss from Olympics as he faces Aleksanyan in the semifinal. In the other semifinal, Olympic fifth Szoke will have Milov.

Szoke lost the final in Oslo 3-1 against Saravi but if the two meet again for the gold, he will hope to turn the result in his favor. 

 

130kg
No. 1 Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
No. 2 Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
No. 3 Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI)
No. 4 Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
No. 5 Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
No. 6 Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)
No. 7 Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
No. 8 Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)

If the seeds hold at 130kg:

Quarterfinals:
No. 1 Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) vs. No. 8 Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) (top side)
No. 4 Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) vs. No. 5 Oskar MARVIK (NOR) (top side)
No. 3 Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) vs. No. 6 Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) (bottom side)
No. 2 Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs. No. 7 Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) (bottom side)

Semifinals:
No. 1 Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) vs. No. 4 Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) (top side)
No. 2 Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs. No. 3 Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) (bottom side)

Finals:
No. 1 Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) vs. No. 2 Riza KAYAALP (TUR)

Kajaia locks top seed at 130kg
Olympic silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) will be seeded number one for the World Championships he won a bronze in Oslo and has ranking points from European Championships and Bolat Turlykhanov Cup.

The top seed puts him on the opposite side of Riza KAYAALP (TUR) who is looking for his fifth world title and first since 2019.

Kajaia will face U23 world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) in the quarterfinals as he is seeded eighth. Kayaalp on the bottom side will have seventh seed Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU).

The two other quarterfinals will have Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) wrestling Oskar MARVIK (NOR) on the top side and third seed Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) wrestling Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) on the bottom side.

The semifinals will feature Kajaia and Knystautas from the top side and Kayaalp and Acosta from the bottom with both Kajaia and Kayaalp primed to win according to their seeds.

Kajaia will try to Kayaalp from winning the title one more team and instead win his first.

#WrestleBelgrade

World C'ships: Tynybekova fends off latest Japanese challenge; Fujinami regains world crown

Thursday, September 21, 2023 - 23:54 By Ken Marantz

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BELGRADE, Serbia (September 21) -- Wily Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) found a way to beat the latest hot-shot wrestler that Japan threw at her and end a recent series of losses at the hands of the premier powerhouse in women's wrestling.

Tynybekova claimed her third world title and a ticket to her fourth Olympics by masterfully beating back the attack of Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) for a 4-1 victory in the 62kg final as women's wrestling at the World Championships wrapped up on Thursday night.

"The Japanese wrestlers are very strong," Tynybekova said. "We were preparing specifically for them. The coaches knew who I would have to wrestle at this World Championships, so they prepared a strategy for me.

"I just had to go up on the mat and follow all the instructions they had given me. I think I have met their expectations."

Superteen Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) regained the world title at 53kg to give Japan its sixth women's gold of the tournament, while Buse TOSUN (TUR) became the second Turkish women's champion in history with a dramatic victory at 68kg.

In the lone remaining non-Olympic weight, teen titan Amit ELOR (USA) successfully defended her 72kg title, giving the U.S. its lone gold in the women's competition.

The tournament is also serving as the first qualifying tournament for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with five berths available in each of the Olympic weight classes. Japan was the lone country to secure spots in all six divisions of women's wrestling.

Not surprisingly, with six champions Japan also captured its ninth straight team title, compiling 195 points to finish well ahead of the second-place United States with 135. Mongolia, with three silver medalists, finished third with 80.

Tynybekova, who became a national hero in Kyrgyzstan when she became its first-ever women's world champion and Olympic medalist, has had her share of victories and defeats against Japanese opponents.

In recent years, she lost to Yukako KAWAI (JPN) in the final of the Tokyo Olympics, and fell to Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) at last year's World Championships in Belgrade (she would avenge the latter loss at this year's Asian Championships).

"Some people were texting me that I would never be able to become the world champion again, Asian champion, world champion," Tynybekova said. "I just kept silent. I needed just a little time to prove that we are the best."

Facing her this time on the other side of the mat was Motoki, a bronze medalist at 59kg last year who had moved up to the Olympic weight and beat both Kawai and Ozaki to make the team to Belgrade.

Motoki was the aggressor from the get-go, launching her low single attacks. But each time, Tynybekova calmly sat back on Motoki's shoulder and forced a stalemate. It seemed little concern to Tynybekova when she gave up an activity point for the only point of the first period.

In the second period, Tynybekova suddenly and without warning took her first shot, and hit the target, scoring a takedown with a low single to take the lead.

Motoki increased the pressure, but that only played into Tynybekova's hands, as she scored 2 off a counter lift to pad the lead and put Motoki into a bigger hole. Tynybekova never let her get out of it.

"In order to win this gold, I had to work hard for two years, I had to have patience, overcome all the obstacles," Tynybekova said. "Together with the team, coaches, federation, all together we won this gold."

Amid the sting of the defeat, Motoki can be content with having achieved her objective of securing a ticket to the Paris Olympics. The Japan federation has ruled that any wrestler who wins a medal at the World Championships in an Olympic weight would automatically fill the spot without any further playoffs.

For Motoki, that holds even more significance. Her father, Yasutoshi, wrestled at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in Greco-Roman, and it has been her dream since childhood to join him as an Olympian.

Still, the stinging defeat offered a dose of reality, which she will surely use to motivate her in the years ahead.

"I came into the tournament confident that my wrestling could be competitive on the world level," a sobbing Motoki said. "But I'm still a long way away."

Making it to Paris was also the prime motivation for the 19-year-old Fujinami, who regained the 53kg title that she won in 2021 but was unable to defend when a foot injury kept her out of last year's World Championships.

"Last year an injury kept me from competing and it is a bitter memory," Fujinami said. "I thought, 'Next year, I will definitely win the title at the World Championships and later win the gold at the Paris Olympics.' I achieved one of them, the world title, so I'm really happy."

Facing two-time former champion Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN) in the final, Fujinami was at her devastating best, scoring all of her points on takedowns off her lethal single-leg attack en route to a 10-0 technical fall in 4:43.

The victory, combined with her four wins in the preliminary round Wednesday, extended her current winning streak to 127 matches. She has not lost since the national junior high school championships in June 2017.

Although she secured her ticket to Paris when she won her semifinal on Wednesday, Fujinami kept her focus on the championship match.

"I clinched the spot in Paris, but I've been working the past year to become the world champion," she said. "I was happy yesterday, and I felt relieved. But I still had today to go, so I couldn't be too happy."

Like Tynybekova, Kaladzinskaya has an interesting history in relation to Japanese wrestlers. Both of the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist's world titles came at the expense of Japanese who ironically would go on to win Olympic titles.

The 30-year-old defeated Eri TOSAKA (JPN) in the 48kg final in 2012 and scored a last-second victory over Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) at 53kg in 2017.

"I got advice from various people and I was able to do my wrestling," Fujinami said of facing Kaladzinskaya. "She's powerful, not a type you find in Japan."

While Fujinami again stamped herself as one of the most dominant wrestlers on the planet, she also showed a hint of vulnerability in her quarterfinal match on Wednesday against Lucia YEPEZ (ECU). But it only makes her more determined to improve.

Yepez opened the match by taking a 5-0 lead and finished with seven points overall, the most-ever scored on Fujinami by a non-Japanese opponent. Fujinami, who ended up winning the match by fall, regarded having to face adversity as a good experience.

"I think I'm still weak, but I want to be the one who stands out, so I have to get stronger and train harder," she said.

"Honestly speaking for this tournament I kept telling myself, 'Just have fun, just have fun.' In reality, it's not that it wasn't enjoyable, but I wasn't able to do much that was fun. I felt the pressure and I couldn't get my legs to move. It's the first time I experienced that, but I feel it's a sign I have also grown."

After her victory, Fujinami celebrated on the mat with her coach, who also happens to be her father Toshikazu and has been coaching her since she started wrestling as a toddler. After playfully tackling him, the two set out together on a victory lap around the mat carrying the Japanese flag.

At 68kg, Tosun made it to the top of the medal podium after twice winning bronze medals at 72kg with a spectacular victory by fall over Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) that left the Turk as stunned as her opponent.

Tosun took a 1-0 lead in the first period after scoring a stepout while on the activity clock. Mongolians are well known for their big throws, and in the opening moments of the second period, Enkhsaikhan hit a beauty for a 4-point move.

The only problem was that Tosun never stopped the momentum and rolled through, putting Enkhsaikhan onto her back before clamping down for the fall in 3:15.

With the triumph, Tosun joined Yasmin ADAR (TUR) as the lone woman to win world titles for Turkiye. Adar won 75/76kg golds in 2017 and 2022. She did not return this year to Belgrade to defend her title.

In the non-Olympic weight on the program, Elor kept a firm grip on the 72kg title by holding off the attacks of Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL), using her tremendous strength to power to an 8-2 victory.

"That was my game plan, I wanted to keep pressure on, I wanted to have close contact, and it looks like that's what she wanted also," Elor said. "So it was interesting, I think it's a really good match for me to look back on and learn from.

"I have a lot to work on, a lot to get better and improve at. But at the end of the day, I'm a world champion, which is amazing. I'm so happy."

Elor took a 3-0 lead in the first period with two stepouts sandwiched around an activity point. In the second period, the American scored a snap-down takedown before Enkh Amar finally broke through the armor and scored a takedown of her own, only to see Elor quickly gain a reversal. Elor then added her final points when she stopped a late throw attempt.

"I'm very confident with my hips," Elor said. "I love to rethrow, I like to score off of someone else's throw. But I need to work on my positioning. I shouldn't get in those positions. But it was a great match and I really enjoyed the fight."

The question now for the two-time world champion is what her plans are regarding the Paris Olympics.

"I don't know for sure yet, but most likely I'll go down [to 68kg]," she said. "We'll see because ever since a young age, I've never cut weight. And so if I do go down, it has to be in a healthy way. It has to be what feels best for me and my body."

Yepez gives Ecuador first medal

Another country joined the list of medal winners when Yepez gave Ecuador its first-ever world medal in any style by sweeping to a 10-3 victory over Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) in a bronze-medal match at 53kg.

In avenging a 14-4 loss to Prevolaraki in the bronze-medal match last year in the same venue, the lightning-quick Yepez blasted out to a 6-0 lead with three takedowns, then held off a late push to secure the historic bronze.

Another up-and-coming wrestler, world U20 champion ANTIM (UWW), took home the other 53kg bronze by beating Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) in arguably the most entertaining match of the night session, a freewheeling 16-6 technical fall completed as time expired.

The 19-year-old Antim, who had a 4-point barrel roll in the first period to lead 6-6 on criteria, went on a 10-point scoring spree in the second to put the match away and win a medal in her senior world debut.

The most dramatic match came at 68kg, where Irina RINGACI (MDA) squandered a 6-1 lead against 2022 silver medalist Ami ISHII (JPN) and fell behind with 45 seconds left, only to score the winning 2 with a counter-lift with 10 seconds for her second straight bronze.

Ishii, needing to win the match to clinch an Olympic berth for herself, gave up a 4-point counterthrow in the first period that would factor into criteria situations, so she worked to take the outright lead. She managed to do it with three takedowns in the second period.

But as she tried to hold off a late throw from Ringaci, the Moldovan reached over the top and lifted her up and over for 2 and a miracle finish. It was Ringaci's third world medal, having also won the gold at 65kg in 2021.

Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) gave the Olympic host country its first women's quota when she overwhelmed Emma BRUNTIL (USA) by a 10-0 technical fall for the other 68kg bronze and her fourth career world medal.

Larroque, a bronze medalist last year at 65kg, struck early with a 4-point arm throw in the first period, then reeled off three takedowns in the second to end the match in 5:13.

Grace BULLEN (NOR) earned a rare Olympic spot for Norway, scoring a takedown in the first period and a stepout in the second for a 3-0 victory over Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) at 62kg.

It was Bullen's second world medal, adding to the 59kg silver she won last year. Dudova was the gold medalist a year ago at 59kg.

The other 62kg bronze went to Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) with a 10-0 technical fall of Luisa NIEMESCH (GER), a repeat of her quarterfinal victory en route to the gold at the European Championships -- right down to the score.

Koliadenko got her first four points one at a time, with three stepouts and an activity point. Then she got a takedown and reeled off two gut wrenches to end the match at 4:29.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), the 2022 world 65kg champion who was wrestling at 72kg for the first time in her life after failing to make Japan's team at 68kg, will return with a bronze medal after beating Kendra DACHER (FRA) 4-2.

Morikawa went ahead with an activity point and stepout in the first period, then added a stepout with a fleeing point to go up 4-0. Dacher managed a consolation takedown with five seconds left.

For what it's worth, Morikawa completed the collection of world medals, having also won a silver in 2021 at 65kg. But what will be of more concern for her was that Ishii's loss reopened the door for her to the Paris Olympics.

Three-time Asian champion Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), the world silver medalist the past two years, will take home the other 72kg bronze after notching a 4-1 win over Natalia STRZALKA (POL).

Bakbergenova seemed to get the spark she needed after giving up an activity point to fall behind 1-1 on criteria, immediately scoring a stepout and then adding a takedown.

Ishii rebounds

Ishii managed to come back from her heartbreaking defeat and secure the only quota in Paris that Japan had not yet clinched -- although to make it hers, she's going to have to go through the same domestic fight that she went through to get to Belgrade.

Ishii, who could barely move off the mat after her exhausting loss to Ringaci, scored a takedown on a low single in the first period and made that stand in a 2-0 victory over Bruntil in the fifth-place playoff at 68kg.

Sweden and Germany gained the other Olympic spots at stake, with Malmgren beating Prevolaraki by fall at 53kg and Niemesch gaining a second-period takedown to edge Dudova 3-2 at 62kg.

Day 6 Results

Women's Wrestling

53kg (31 entries)
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN) by TF, 10-0, 4:43

BRONZE: Luisa YEPEZ (ECU) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), 10-3
BRONZE: ANTIM (UWW) df. Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) by TF, 16-6, 6:00

5th-Place Playoff: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) by Fall, 2:09 (2-0)

62kg (34 entries)
GOLD: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), 4-1

BRONZE: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), 3-0
BRONZE: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) by TF, 10-0 4:29

5th-Place Playoff: Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), 3-2

68kg (33 entries)
GOLD: Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) by Fall, 3:14 (3-4)

BRONZE: Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) df. Emma BRUNTIL (USA) by TF, 10-0, 5:13
BRONZE: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Ami ISHII (JPN), 8-8

5th-Place Playoff: Ami ISHII (JPN) df. Emma BRUNTIL (USA), 2-0

72kg (18 entries)
GOLD: Amit ELOR (USA) df. Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL), 8-2

BRONZE: Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Natalia STRZALKA (POL), 4-1
BRONZE: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Kendra DACHER (FRA), 4-2

Greco-Roman

55kg (20 entries)
GOLD: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. Poya DAD MARZ (IRI)

Semifinal: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df. Poya DAD MARZ (IRI), 3-2
Semifinal: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) df. Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB), 7-4

77kg (45 entries)
GOLD: Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) vs. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)

Semifinal: Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) df. Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM), 5-0
Semifinal: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Nao KUSAKA (JPN), 7-5

82kg (24 entries)
GOLD: Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs. Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI)

Semifinal: Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df. Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), 5-5
Semifinal: Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) df. Mihail BRADU (MDA), 5-1

130kg (30 entries)
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs. Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)

Semifinal: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Lingzhe MENG (CHN), 3-1
Semifinal: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), 1-1