#WrestleAlmaty

LIVE BLOG: Asian Olympic Qualifier, Day Two

By United World Wrestling Press

Big day for Mongolia as they qualify four wrestlers while Kyrgyzstan, China and India get two each. Japan and Kazakhstan have one each for Tokyo

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

1930 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) has done it! She will be going to her third Olympics. 

1910 hrs: Feng ZHOU (CHN) completes the day with a 8-0 win over Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ). She takes home the gold

1900 hrs: Bronze medal for NISHA (IND) after she pins  Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR). Excellent stuff from the Indian

1850 hrs: Another walkover! The 62kg gold medal will go to Jia LONG (CHN) after SONAM (IND) pulls out injured

1850 hrs: Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) with the bronze medal win! She beats Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ) 4-2

1840 hrs: Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL) pulls off a close final against Anshu ANSHU (IND). Trailing 0-4, Anshu did mount a comeback and was able to make it 4-4. The Mongolian led on criteria before coming out on top after a series of scramble. She wins 7-4

1830 hrs: Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) is the bronze medalist at 57kg as she wins via fall against Jieun UM (KOR)

1820 hrs: Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE) will win the bronze medal at 53kg as Hyungjoo KIM (KOR) pulls out injured. The fate of the final will also be the same as Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) wins the gold after Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ) pulls out injured

 1815 hrs: There was no other way she was winning! A technical superiority 10-0 win for Yui SUSAKI (JPN) against Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) to clinch the gold medal.

1810 hrs: Seema clinches the bronze medal with 13-2 rout of CHEON (KOR). Now for the 50kg gold medal bout between Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL)

1800 hrs: We are back for the medal bouts in women's wrestling. All the action will take place on Mat B. First up in the bronze medal bout, SEEMA (IND) is wrestling Miran CHEON (KOR)

1415 hrs: We have 10 wrestlers going to the Olympics

50kg: Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) and Yui SUSAKI (JPN)
53kg: Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ) and Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL)
57kg: ANSHU (IND) and Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL)
62kg: Jia LONG (CHN) and SONAM (IND)
68kg: Feng ZHOU (CHN) and Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
 

For 76kg, we will have to wait for the Round 5 bouts in the evening session.

1300 hrs: YUI SUSAKI (JPN) is going to the Tokyo Olympics! The Japan wrestlers wins against SEEMA (IND) to qualify for the home Games 

1240 hrs: Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ) pulls off a stunner! She drops a four in the final three seconds to beat Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) 4-4

1227 hrs: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) steps closer to the Olympic dream. She gets another 10-0 win at 50kg

1220 hrs: Asian champion Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ) rallies back to beat Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) 10-9 to claim victory at 53kg

Day 2 of the Olympic Asian Qualifiers is underway! #wrestlealmaty2021 #uww #womenswrestling pic.twitter.com/mh2nztQSlL

— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) April 10, 2021

1200 hrs: Feng ZHOU (CHN) is up against Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), the Asian champion at 72kg. ANSHU (IND) is also looking for her second win of the mat on Mat B

1150 hrs: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) gets her day underway with a 51-second technical superiority 10-0 win over Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB)

1130 hrs: Clutch from Feng ZHOU (CHN)! Trailing 5-1 with 30 seconds left, the Chinese wrestler gets two stepouts and two front headlocks to win 7-5. 

1110 hrs: Tsogt Ochir, Ochirbat and Yakhshimuratova begin their day with easy wins.

1100 hrs: Whistles on all three mats! We are underway on day two here in Almaty. On Mat A, Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) is wrestling SEEMA (IND) at 50kg Round 1. Mat B has Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) wrestling POOJA (IND) at 76kg and on Mat C Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB) is up against Miran CHEON (KOR)

Here is the match order for the morning session of women's wrestling at the #WrestleAlmaty Asian Olympic Qualifier.

EVENT PAGE: https://t.co/7DMR849G5e pic.twitter.com/irdJisiKqn

— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) April 10, 2021

#WrestleTirana

Three nations aim to get first Greco U23 world champs

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 21) -- Kyrgyzstan, the United States and Uzbekistan will stand a chance to crown their first-ever U23 world champion in Greco-Roman.

It was after the countries had one finalist each on day one of the U23 World Championships that kicked off in Tirana, Albania on Monday.

The United States and Uzbekistan have already had a historical day, confirming their first-ever U23 World Championships medals in Greco-Roman. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) reached the 82kg final while Alisher GANIEV (UZB) made it to the 55kg final. Both countries had fifth as their best finishes before Monday in the history of the U23 Worlds, which came into existence only in 2017.

Kyrgyzstan will be banking on Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) to win the first Greco-Roman gold medal at U23 Worlds after he reached the 67kg final. Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) is the only other Greco wrestler to reach the final in 2019 but lost.

Georgia and Armenia were the only countries with two finalists on day one of the tournament. Surprisingly, Iran managed only one finalists out of the five weight classes that were in action.

Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) tries to complete at throw. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) and Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) were the two finalists for Georgia at 67kg and 72kg respectively. Both had finished with silver medals at the U20 World Championships in 2021 but will look to win the gold together on Tuesday.

Chkhikvadze defeated Daniial AGAEV (AIN), 4-4, in the semifinal with a correct throw in the last minute to take two points and a criteria lead. He will now take on Beishekeev who defeated Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL) 10-0 to win the other semifinal.

Giorgi was in much more control of his 7-0 win over Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ) in the semifinal and will now take on Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM). The two had met in the semifinals of the U20 World Championships in 2021 and Giorgi won that meeting.

Khachatryan took no time to see off Georgios BARBANOS (SWE) 9-0 in the semifinal, his fourth technical superiority in the tournament, including a fall over Danial SOHRABI (IRI).

The second Armenian to reach the final was Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) at 97kg after he held off senior European silver medalist Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) 3-3 in the semifinal. Both exchanged par terre and one turn in gut-wrench but Khloyan performed it in the second period, keeping the criteria to him.

He will face Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) in the final. Khaslakhanau won his semifinal Richard KARELSON (EST), 2-1.

Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) confirmed the U.S. first ever Greco medal at U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. has already achieved its best result ever in U23 Worlds in Greco but Melelashvili would look to make it golden on Tuesday. He will face Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) in the final.

Melelashvili wrestled Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) in the semifinal and fell behind 3-0 at the break. But he returned the favor to Aliyev in the second period. Initially not scored, Melelashvili got the two points for a gut wrench after a challenge. Naghousi defeated former U20 world champion Deni NIKAEV (GER), 6-1, in the semifinal.

Ganiev has already won Uzbekistan's first-ever U23 World Championships medal but will look to win one more bout and get his name in history books in golden. He humbled Nihad GULUZADE (AZE) 9-0 in the semifinals and will now face Dinislam BAMMAPTOV (AIN).

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) vs. Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN)

SF 1: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Nihad GULUZADE (AZE), 9-0
SF 2: Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) df. Pridon ABULADZE (GEO), 4-1

67kg
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) vs. Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL), 10-0
SF 2: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Daniial AGAEV (AIN), 4-4

72kg
GOLD: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) vs. Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) df. Georgios BARBANOS (SWE), 9-0
SF 2: Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ), 7-0

82kg
GOLD: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) vs. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)

SF 1: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Deni NAKAEV (GER), 6-1
SF 2: Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) df. Elmin ALIYEV (AZE), 3-3

97kg
GOLD: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) vs. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)

SF 1: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) df. Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN), 3-3
SF 2: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 2-1