#WrestleAlexandria

Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series day one finals set

Wednesday, February 22, 2023 - 22:19 By Vinay Siwach

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ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (February 23) -- The second Ranking Series event of the year, the Ibrahim Moustafa, gets underway in the historic city of Alexandria. More than 450 wrestlers are participating in the tournament and Greco-Roman will kick off proceedings.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

The finals for the evening are set

55kg
Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ) vs. Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ)

60kg
Yernar FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) vs. Kerem KAMAL (TUR) 

63kg
Leri ABULADZE (GEO) vs. Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) 

67kg
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) vs. Merey BEKENOV (KAZ) 

87kg
Ali CENGIZ (TUR) vs. Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) 

97kg
Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) vs. Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) 

130kg
 Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) vs. Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) 

15:00: Merey BEKENOV (KAZ) has ended HUSIYUETU (CHN)'s winning streak. Husiyuetu was leading 7-1 but a four-pointer and a full roll from par terre gave Bekenov a 9-7 win. He will face Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) in the final. 

14:40: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) is so good from par terre. He gut wrenches Mukhamedali MAMURBEK (KAZ) for a 9-1 win and enters the 63kg final against Meysam DALKHANI (IRI).

14:15: Tamas LEVAI (HUN), a U23 world champion at 77kg, made his debut at 97kg in Zagreb and reached the final. But here in Alexandria, he runs into Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) who beats him 5-2 in the semifinals.

14:00: Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) into the semifinals at 63kg. Not the easiest of bouts but he wins 2-1 against Madiyar MALTEKBAYEV (KAZ). All technical points in that bout.

13:45: Nicely done by Kerem KAMAL (TUR). He used the head pinch to great effect to win 8-0 against Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ). He was looking for the pin but let the pressure off to allow Abdullaev to spin which gave Kamal two more points for the win.

13:30: Fresh off winning the gold in Zagreb, HUSIYUETU (CHN) has stunned Niklas OEHLEN (SWE) with three power bombs. He got Oehlen in a front lock and executed three throws. 

13:15: That Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) vs Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) bout at 87kg was never-ending. Kessidis was trailing 4-0 but then got the par terre and scored exposure before a four. Tursynov challenged the call and won it. Kessidis, leading 7-4, was put in par terre from which Tursynov scored a throw. No points were awarded so Kazakhstan challenged it again. A point for pushout. But Kessidis wins 7-5.

13:00: The first set of semifinals

60kg
Kerem KAMAL (TUR) vs. Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ)
Yernar FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) vs. Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY)

12:30: A hotly contested bout between Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) at 63kg. Dalkhani got a takedown which Ciobanu thought was only a stepout. He challenged it and lost. Dalkhani then got a point for passivity to lead 4-0 at the break. The second period was an absolute war but no wrestler managed to score. Dalkhani wins 4-0.

12:20: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) and Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ) on Mat A. Tsurtsumia starts with a four but Mukashev with a reversal for takedown and gut to make it 4-4 but Tsurtsumia leads on criteria. He is called for finger-grabbling right before the break. He challenges the call only to lose. Mukashev leads 7-4. After the break, Tsurtsumia managed to get behind Mukashev who hit a four. The referees call a pin. Kazakhstan challenges the call and wins the challenge. It was a leg foul by Tsurtsumia. Mukashev with a takedown to win 13-4

12:15: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) keeps both the passivity points in the bout to win 2-0 against Giorgi MELIA (GEO). Such a smart wrestler Saravi, controls the bout through.

11: 50: Metehan BASAR (TUR) has pulled out injured after a freak injury when he was trying to roll Artur OMAROV (CZE). He pushed his hand under Omarov but his finger got stuck and twisted. Omarov gets the win

11:30: Former world champion Meysam DALKHANI (IRI), who had defeated Abuladze in 2021 final and was injured last season, begins with a technical superiority win 8-0 over Syimyk MAKHMUDOV (KGZ). That gut wrench was strong.

11:20: Two-time world silver medalist and European champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) with a typical Abuladze win. He trailed 2-0 but then makes a comeback in his slow style to win 6-2 against Dastan ZARLYKHANOV (KAZ).

11:05: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) with a solid gut wrench! The former world champion at 60kg has been at 63kg for a while now. He begins with a technical superiority win over Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR).

10:50: Former Asian champion Sunil KUMAR (IND) with a late takedown to beat Noureldin HASSAN (EGY) 7-5 at 87kg. At the same time on Mat A, Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) beats Maimaiti KAISAIER (CHN) 3-1.

10:20: Here's the first big match of the day! Kerem KAMAL (TUR) is up against Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) at 60kg. Kamal gets the first position. He jumps to front par terre, jumps sides frequently and manages to spin Arnaut on the head. But that was clean as Arnaut never was in danger. Kamal leads 1-0. At the start of the second period, Kamal wraps Arnaut's arm around his head and rolls for a two and then a four. A takedown gives him a 9-0 win.

10:00: Welcome to Alexandria! The biggest Ranking Series event in Africa gets underway with Greco-Roman. Seven weight classes in action today are 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 87kg, 97kg, and 130kg. Big day coming up.

#WrestleParis

Valizadeh, Mahdavi named in IOC Refugee Team for 2024 Paris Olympics

Thursday, May 2, 2024 - 16:53 By United World Wrestling Press

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LAUSANNE, Switzerland (May 2) -- Wrestlers Iman MAHDAVI and Jamal VALIZADEH were among the 36 athletes from 11 different countries across 12 sports were named by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach to the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024.

Mahdavi and Valizadeh were selected to the IOC Refugee Olympic Team through the support of the Refugee Athletes Scholarship Programme, funded by the IOC's Olympic Solidarity program. The two wrestlers are supported by the hosting national federations of Italy and France and the United World Wrestling Development Department for Technical Assistance and participation in UWW events.

At the 2024 Paris Games in August, the two will be representing different styles with Valizadeh gearing up for Greco-Roman 60kg and Mahdavi set to compete in Freestyle 74kg.

Mahdavi was born to be a wrestler, following in his father's footsteps. Through his unwavering love for the sport and fierce determination, it was no surprise that success followed the now-29-year-old. He won seven junior national titles and quickly climbed the ranks in his nation.

But in 2020, that was all derailed as Mahdavi fled his country and became a refugee. He moved to Milan, Italy, and applied for asylum. He found a full-time job in Milan and friends that soon became family. Through all the uncertainties, one thing remained – his love for wrestling.

Mahdavi found a practice facility in Milan, one with high-level training partners that helped rekindle his Olympic hopes. He worked out five days a week, and after three years of struggle, Mahdavi returned to the mat under the UWW Refugee team.

Mahdavi's UWW Refugee team debut came at the 2023 European Championships, where he registered a 12th-place finish at 74kg, one of the most competitive brackets of the tournament. After two months of tweaks and improvements, Mahdavi achieved a career-best result – a bronze medal at the City of Sassari Tournament. He continued taking the mat every chance he had, wrestling in the Poland Open and World Championships, where he finished in fifth and 18th, respectively.

This year, Mahdavi's competition calendar will feature three events – two of which will be tune-up competitions. He already participated in the European Championships and will use the World OG Qualifier (May 11-12) as a warm up competition for the Paris Games, where he will compete August 9-10.

It is to be noted that Mahdavi will be in Istanbul on a participating basis and not for qualification. The same is true for Valizadeh who will compete in Istanbul but not to qualify.

Like Mahdavi, Valizadeh shared a similar love for wrestling from a young age. He became one of Iran's brightest talents through his hard work and commitment to wrestling.

Despite having a bright future in the sport, Valizadeh was forced to put wrestling in the rearview and leave Iran in 2014 for a better life. He ended up in Turkiye, where he worked nearly 16 hours a day to make ends meet.

But still, Valizadeh knew there was no way he could reach his ultimate goal – the Olympic Games – living in Turkiye.

After two years, Valizadeh departed Turkiye by boat and arrived in France where he trains with the French Greco-Roman National Team and lives in Metz.

Although he had been away from the sport for many years, Valizadeh regained his passion for wrestling and returned to the mat in 2023 as a UWW Refugee team member. He competed six times last year, including the European and World Championships.

This season, in addition to his appearances at the Henri Deglane and European Championships in GR 60kg, Valizadeh will participate, for experience, in the World OG Qualifier (May 9-10) before wrestling on home soil at the Paris Olympic Games, August 5-6.

For more on the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, visit olympics.com.