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Live Blog: Bolat Turlykhanov Cup day two

By Vinay Siwach

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (June 3) -- The second day of the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup Ranking Series event will see three Greco-Roman and four women's wrestling weight classes in action.

World and Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) will be in action for the day.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

13:45: A rematch that Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) wanted. He wins his semifinal to get a chance to avenge his loss against Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ). The two will clash in the 72kg final. Shermakhanbet won the earlier bout 7-3

13:30: As expected, the final at 76kg for women's is set between two World bronze medalists Samar HAMZA (EGY) and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)

13:22: They clashed in the group stage and now Emma TISSINA (KAZ) and Mansi AHLAWAT (IND) will clash for the gold medal at 57kg. Ahlawat had defeated Tissina 6-0 in the group stage.

13:15: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) beats Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO) 4-1 while Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) defeats Shamil BATYROV (KAZ) 10-1 as the two set up  the 82kg final

13:00: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) with a strong win over Asian champion Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI). Zhadrayev was trailing 2-0 at the break but got the activity points and then a turn in par terre. Mokhtari was was penalized for defending before the whitsle. A 5-2 win for Zhadrayev

12:35: No successful comeback this time for Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI). Asian champion Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) scored seven points in the first period while Geraei managed only 3 in the second

12:00: Samar HAMZA (EGY) wins her first bout over Pooja SIHAG (IND). She gets the takedown and then turns Sihag twice using the leg-turk. Hamza finishes it with a 10-0 win. 

11:35: Divya KAKRAN (IND) has been in and out of the national team but she marks her return to 68kg with two quick falls in two bouts. Another win will secure her the gold medal

11:10: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) has handed Yunus BASAR (TUR) an early loss at 77kg. After exchanging passivity points, Zhadrayev managed to score an out-of-bounds against Basar to win 2-1

11:00: 'The Iceman' Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) trailed Azat SADYKOV (KAZ) for four minutes but then goes for a body lock and secures the pin at 72kg. Effortless from the Olympia champion

10:50: Tokyo silver medalist Azkhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) led 4-3 at the break against Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) before adding a point in the second period to extend his lead to 5-3. Akbudak scored a stepout with two seconds remaining and got another point as Makhmudov was warned for fleeing. But Makhmudov holds on for 5-5 criteria win over the world silver medalist

10:30: Welcome to the second day of the second Ranking Series event of the year. A big day is coming up and the first high octane bout at 82kg as Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) clash.

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Maroulis, Blades make U.S. team for World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

NEWARK, United States (June 14) -- The United States Women's Wrestling team for the World Championships is fixed. The final selection of the team was held Saturday in Newark, New Jersey with three-time Olympic medalist Helen MAROULIS (USA) and Olympic silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA) among those making the cut.

The 'Final X', a tournament to select the team's final 10 wrestlers, saw five experienced stars and five young athletes who earned their spot on the World Championships team.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by FloWrestling (@flowrestling)

Maroulis, the 2016 Olympic and three-time world champion, continued her amazing run of excellence by pinning Amanda MARTINEZ, winning the best-of-three series 2-0 at 57kg. In the first bout, Maroulis scored a first-period pin in 1:51, then was able to put away Martinez in 4:43 in bout two.

This will Maroulis' 12th world team selection to go along with her three Olympic appearances. Apart from three world gold medals, Maroulis has four other medals at the World Championships.

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Blades, who won silver medal at the 2024 Olympics, finished off a two-match sweep over Brooklyn HAYS at 68kg. Surprisingly, this will be Blades' first appearance at the World Championships. Blades won the first match over Hays, 10-4, and the second 5-2.

Macey KILTY and Kylie WELKER, Blades' teammates at Iowa University, also made the team with convincing victories. Both Kilty and Welker are past world medalists.

Kilty downed Aine DRURY with a pair of 10-0 technical falls, with both matches ending in the first period. Welker, a 2024 world bronze medalist, defeated Dymond GUILFORD in two straight bouts. Welker opened her offense in the second match, she broke open a 1-1 tie with eight second-period points for a 9-1 win. Her first match was a razor-thin 2-1 victory.

Read More: Duke stuns Diakomihalis, Valencia downs Dake

2019 world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER needed all three matches to defeat Abigail NETTE at 59kg. Nette scored a pair of second-period takedowns to beat Winchester, 6-4, in the first bout. In the second match, Nette took a 6-1 lead but a four-point Winchester takedown made it 6-5 before she scored two more takedowns for a 9-7 win. In the deciding third bout, it was all Winchester, who secured a 10-0 technical fall.

The other five wrestlers will be competing in their first senior World Championships, scheduled for September 13 to 21 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Adaugo NWACHUKWU needed three matches to defeat two-time world silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE at 62kg. Nwachukwu had a strong second period to win the first match 14-8. In the second bout, Miracle scored a late step out point to tie it at 3-3 and got another point on a failed challenge for a 4-3 victory. In the deciding third match, after trailing 2-0, Nwachukwu scored eight straight points and went on to win 8-4.

At 50kg, world age-group medalist Audrey JIMENEZ swept her series over veteran Erin GOLSTON. Jimenez began with a 10-2 win over Golston before closing out with a 12-2 technical superiority win in the second bout.

Felicity TAYLOR had a two-match sweep over Brianna GONZALEZ. After winning the first bout 2-1, Taylor scored a takedown and two tilts for a 6-4 victory in the second.

Cristelle RODRIGUEZ, a 2024 world U20 champion, swept her series over high school star Everest LEYDECKER. While the first bout was a close 12-8 win for Rodriguez, she rallied to a 5-1 win in the second.

Alexandria GLAUDE got the 72kg spot after 2024 Olympic champion and two-time world champion Amit ELOR did not compete for personal reasons.

RESULTS (Best of three)

50kg
Audrey JIMENEZ df. Erin GOLSTON, 2-0

Bout 1: Jimenez df. Golston, 10-2
Bout 2: Jimenez df. Golston, 12-2

53kg
Felicity TAYLOR df. Brianna GONZALEZ, 2-0

Bout 1: Taylor df. Gonzalez, 2-1
Bout 2: Taylor df. Gonzalez, 6-4

55kg
Cristelle RODRIGUEZ df. Everest LEYDECKER, 2-0

Bout 1: Rodriguez df. Leydecker, 12-8
Bout 2: Rodriguez df. Leydecker, 8-5

57kg
Helen MAROULIS df. Amanda MARTINEZ, 2-0

Bout 1: Maroulis df. Martinez, via fall
Bout 2: Maroulis df. Martinez, via fall

59kg
Jacarra WINCHESTER df. Abigail NETTE, 2-1

Bout 1: Nette df. Winchester, 6-4
Bout 2: Winchester df. Nette, 9-7
Bout 2: Winchester df. Nette, 11-0

62kg
Adaugo NWACHUKWU df. Kayla MIRACLE, 2-1

Bout 1: Nwachukwu df. Miracle, 14-8
Bout 2: Miracle df. Nwachukwu, 4-3
Bout 3: Nwachukwu df. Miracle, 8-4

65kg
Macey KILTY df. Aine DRURY, 2-0

Bout 1: Kilty df. Drury, 10-0
Bout 2: Kilty df. Drury, 10-0

68kg
Kennedy BLADES df. Brooklyn HAYS, 2-0

Bout 1: Blades df. Hays, 10-4
Bout 2: Blades df. Hays, 5-2

72kg
Alexandria GLAUDE df. Amit ELOR, via forfeit

76kg
Kylie WELKER df. Dymond GUILFORD

Bout 1: Welker df. Guilford, 2-1
Bout 2: Welker df. Guilford, 9-1