#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Live Blog: Asian Championships day three

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (April 21) -- Women's wrestling begins at the Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia with five weight classes.

The wrestlers from 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg will be in action on day three of the championships which saw Greco-Roman on the first two days.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

13:45: That's all from the morning session. Japan has clinched two gold already while two more are in the final. Kyrgyzstan's two superstars Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) are also in the final.

13:43: Namuuntsetseg TSOGTOCHIR (MGL) uses a big four-point move and then secures a fall over MANISHA (IND) at 50kg and she moves into the semifinal against Yoshimoto.

13:37: The 76kg final will be a rematch from the group stage as both Medet Kyzy and Kagami prevailed in their semifinals with one-sided wins. Medet Kyzy notched a 10-0 technical fall in 2:31 over Ganbat, while Kagami finished off an 11-0 win over Yerkebayeva in 4:58. 

13:32: Zhumanazarova starts off with a 4-point tackle to the back and makes her first Asian final with a 7-2 win in the other 68kg semifinal over Enkhsaikhan. 

13:30: Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) is giving nothing away. She moves into the 50kg final with another leg lace to a 10-0 win over Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)

13:28: A stunner in the 68kg semifinal, as Bakbergenova scores a takedown off a counter with 28 seconds left to beat Matsuyuki 3-3 on last-point criteria. 

13:14: Kagami concluded the group stage at 76kg with an 11-0 technical fall over Sushma SHOKEEN (IND) to finish second in Group A. She will face Yerkebayeva for a place in the final, while the other semifinal will be a clash between Medet Kyzy and Ganbat. 

13:10: Sarita MOR (IND) gets her second win of the day and is now back in the medal reckoning. She defeats Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ) 5-2 at 59kg

12:57: The semifinals at 68kg are set: It will be Zhumanazarova against Enkhsaikhan, and Matsuyuki vs Bakberganova. In the final match of Group B, Matsuyuki scores a takedown early in the second period against Enkhsaikhan and that holds up for a 2-1 victory. 

12:50: Sara NATAMI (JPN) has all but secured the gold medal at 59kg as she wins 4-2 against Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL). All she has to do is win her Round 4 bout against Dilfuza AIMBETOVA (UZB)

12:35: Medet Kyzy wastes no time clinching the top spot in 76kg Group A, gaining a takedown and four consecutive lace locks for a 10-0 technical fall over Sudesh KUMARI (IND) in 56 seconds. A few minutes later, Yerkebayeva wins Group B with an 11-0 technical fall over Valentina TORENIYAZOVA (UZB)

12:25: Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) and Matsuyuki both won their second matches in 68kg Group B by technical falls to assure their spots in the semifinals. They will clash in the third match from now on Mat C to see who wins the group.

12:19: Zhumanazarova clinches the top spot in Group A at 68kg and a place in the semifinals with a 10-0 technical fall over Sujin PARK (KOR)

12:18: Umi IMAI (JPN) with another top-class win. It was not as easy as the first but she manages to beat Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) 12-3 and inch closer to the gold.

12:10: Sara NATAMI (JPN) works her way to a 6-0 lead before pushing Sarita MOR (IND) towards and sticking her to her back for four. She wins 10-0. Not the best start for defending champion Mor.

12:08: In one of the featured matches of the morning session, world bronze medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) scored a takedown and gut wrench in the final 20 seconds to defeat 2019 world junior champion Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) 7-3 in Group A at 76kg. 

12:00: Namuuntsetseg TSOGTOCHIR (MGL) thrills the local crowd with a 10-0 win over Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB) at 50kg

11:55: Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) fought out of a 0-3 hole to defeat Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL) in their Group B match at 76kg.  Yerkebayeva is looking to make the final after winning bronze medals in 2015, 2016 and 2017. 

11:53: World champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) breezes past Miran CHEON (KOR) at 50kg. She uses a leg lace to win 10-0 in 56 seconds.

11:50: World champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) launched her campaign for a first Asian title after previously winning two bronzes with a 5-0 victory at 68kg over Madina BAKBERGERNOVA (KAZ), a two-time Asian bronze medalist herself. The two are in Group A of the weight class. 

11:45: Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), a silver medalist in 2020 and a 2019 world junior champion had her hands full in notching a 3-1 win over Sonika HOODA (IND) in Group B at 68kg. With 7 entries, the weight class is divided into two groups.

11:42: Sarita MOR (IND) and Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) battle out a close one at 59kg. Mor got a point for passivity before Baatarjav scored one for stepout. Mor was passive and that gave the Mongolian a 2-1 lead and the win in the first round

11:40: Two contrasting first-round bouts at 55kg. Umi IMAI (JPN) comes out all guns blazing and leg laces her way to a 10-0 win over Sushma SHOKEEN (IND). On Mat B, Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) takes longer but ultimately beats Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) 11-1 using the same move.  

11:35: Good morning, another crisp, chilly day in Ulaanbaatar for Day 3 of the Asian Championships. Today the women take the mat with competition in three weight classes, 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg, and 76kg

#WrestleSamokov

Stanich proves doubters wrong, wins U20 world title

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 18) -- Luke STANICH (USA) is aware that many did not back him to make the U.S. team, forget about winning a medal in international tournament.

"I love it," Stanich said. "If you have to prove everyone wrong, I feel great. I've always been doubted at tournaments. Even after I won the tournament, the U.S. Open, people still didn't have me making the team. I've been dealing with this forever, but just motivation, just to prove people wrong."

Stanich proved many doubters wrong by winning the gold medal at 65kg at the U20 World Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria on Tuesday. In the final, Stanich kept an inspired Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) under control and won 4-3 to claim the world title.

Uchida brought the Japanese style of wrestling with constant leg attacks but Stanich had all the answered and scored two takedowns to remain in control of the final

"I knew it was my match to wrestle," he said. "He was strong and quick, but I knew what kind of attacks he was looking for. I had confidence in my offense and my defense."

Perhaps it was his confidence that helped him recover from an 8-0 deficit in his first bout against Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) and make a run to win the gold medal. Toprak scored a takedown and gut-wrenched Stanich three times to lead 8-0 and put all his effort into a fourth turn. However, Stanich defend that and rallied to beat a tired Toprak 18-8.

In his next match, Stanich managed to hold off 2024 world U17 champion  Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ), 9-3, and then had a close 3-3 win over Alessandro NINI (ITA) in the quarterfinals. He had European U20 and U23 champion Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) in the semifinals but a solid defense helped him win 3-1 and enter the final.

"I said that right after the first match ended," he said. "I was like, 'wow! Once I go on this run and win this tournament, it can be pretty crazy story to tell that I was down 8-0 in the very first match, the tournament. I came back to win it.

"Super proud of my effort and able to storm back like that and get on the top podium."

Stanich said that standing on top of the podium was one of the most memorable moments of his career and called his run as 'gritty'.

"Gritty, being tough and breaking people."

Another U.S. wrestler in the final, William HENCKEL (USA), was not able to complete his campaign with a gold medal after dropping the final 8-6 against returning bronze medalist and senior Asian champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI).

Henckel was leading the final bout but Yousefi scored a stepout to make a 4-3 lead. Yousefi scored two stepouts and a takedown while Henckel scored three stepouts and a caution against Yousefi who  defended his lead in the last 30 seconds.

This was the first gold medal for Iran in this World Championships.

At 57kg, Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) survived a strong Sumit MALIK (IND) and won the gold medal 8-5. Ozdamirov needed a few medical timeouts to regain his breath against Malik, who could not finish even one of his attempted takedowns.

Uzbekistan won gold medal at the World U20 Championships after three years as Asian U20 champion Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) scored a takedown during his activity time to beat returning bronze medalist Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ), 3-2, in the 92kg final.

Incidentally, the last time an Uzbekistan wrestler won gold at World U20s was also in Bulgaria when Umidon JALOLOV (UZB) won 65kg gold medal in 2022.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) df. Sumit MALIK (IND), 8-5

BRONZE: Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) df. Ion BULGARU (MDA), 8-2
BRONZE: Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) df. Baiaman KERIMBEKOV (KGZ), 11-0

65kg
GOLD: Luke STANICH (USA) df. Reiji UCHIDA (JPN), 4-3

BRONZE: Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM) df. Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 4-0
BRONZE: Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) df. Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW), 14-10

79kg
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. William HENCKEL (USA), 8-6

BRONZE: Said SAIDULOV (UWW) df. Ion MARCU (MDA), 11-0
BRONZE: Davit TCHETCHELASHVILI (GEO) df. AMIT (IND), 9-6

92kg
GOLD: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) df. Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ), 3-2

BRONZE: Connor MIRASOLA (USA) df. Anar JAFARLI (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE: Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW) df. Sorato KANAZAWA (JPN), 15-5