#WrestleWarsaw

Live BLOG: European C'ships, Day One

By Eric Olanowski

WARSAW, Poland (April 19) -- We're live from Warsaw, Poland for the opening day of wrestling at the European Championships.

Monday’s Freestyle Schedule:
11:30 - Qualification rounds
17:15 - Opening ceremony 
18:00 - Semifinals

19:19: It'll be Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Israil KASUMOV (RUS) wrestling for gold at 70kg. Masumov making the finals at 70kg means Russia is three-for-three in semifinal matches. 

18:30: Russia puts their second wrestler into the finals. Zagir SHAKHIEV (RUS) outscored Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 8-1 to close out the match and moved into the 65kg finals. 

18:23:  Atli will see Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS) for 57kg gold. The Russian picked up a pair of inactivity points and moved into the finals with the 2-0 shutout win over Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE). 

18:04: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) and Mikyay NAIM (BUL) traded inactivity points, but a first-period takedown from the Turkish two-time world medalist was the difference in punching his ticket to a second consecutive European final.

 

 

14:22: That'll do it for the morning session. We'll see you back here at 17:15 for the opening ceremony, which will be followed by the freestyle semifinals at 18:00.

Semifinals Matchups (As they come in)

57kg
SEMIFINAL - Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS) vs. Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Mikyay NAIM (BUL)vs. Suleyman ATLI (TUR)

65kg
SEMIFINAL - Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) vs. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
SEMIFINAL - Zagir SHAKHIEV (RUS) vs. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE)

70kg
SEMIFINAL - Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) vs. Israil KASUMOV (RUS)

SEMIFINAL - Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR) vs. Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)

79kg
SEMIFINAL - Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA) vs. Rashad YUSIFLI (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) vs. Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO)

97kg
SEMIFINAL - Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR) vs. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Radoslaw BARAN (POL) vs. Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS)

13:27: Odikadze narrowly escapes an upset. He scored a takedown, but gave up two one-point moves and hung on to defeat Aliaksandr Hushtyn, 2-2, on criteria.

13:20: Atli looked in mid-season form in his quarterfinals match against Kerymonv. He only need four minutes to pick up the 11-0 win over the Ukrainian wrestler. Atli will take on the winner of Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL) and Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) in the 57kg semifinals.

13:01: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) medaled at the '18 and '19 World Championships. Last year's European silver medalist will make his '21 debut on Mat B next against Kamil KERYMOV (UKR). 

12:50: World bronze medalist Elizbar ODIKADZE ?? has a few European medals. He's coming up in three matches on Mat A.

Odikadze's European Resume:
'15 Euro Games ?
'16 Euro C'ships ?
'17 Euro C'ships ?
'18 Euro C'ships ?
'19 Euro C'ships ?
'20 Euro C'ships ?

12:45: The lone returning champion that'll be in action today is Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR). He's coming up next on Mat A against Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE).

12:37: Kentchadze eases his way into the quarterfinals with a 10-5 win over Babii. 

12:33: Russian national champion and two-time European bronze medalist Israil KASUMOV (RUS) will wrestle Mihail SAVA (MDA) next on Mat A. 

12:12: U23 world champion Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) is coming up next on Mat B. He'll wrestle Valentyn BABII (UKR).

11:57: Tsiutryn lost a challenge after giving up a four-point chest wrap and fell to Mongush, 7-6.

11:53: We have ourselves a battle going on over on Mat B. Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS) and Aryan TSIUTRYN (BLR) and tied, 6-6, with 90 seconds left to go!  

11:46: Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) starts his day off with a 5-0 upset over Italy's '18 world bronze medalist Abraham CONYEDO (ITA).

11:38: HERE. WE. GO! We're hearing whistles, which means the first day of wrestling is officially underway.

#WrestleAthens

World champions Sanchez, Rashidov set up golden clash at U17 Worlds

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 2) -- It will be world champion clashing with another for the 51kg gold medal on Sunday at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece.

Returning world champion from 45kg Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) and returning 48kg champion Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) both won their semifinals and will have a go at each other on Sunday.

Sanchez took just 44 seconds to see of Danael ABDYKASSYM (KAZ), 10-0, in the semifinals at 51kg. He used his gut-wrench to great effect to win via technical superiority.

Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) had to work harder for his win against Haruku SHIINA (JPN). He set up two takedowns and then scored an exposure by doubl arm-locking Shiina and throwing him on the mat when the Japanese tried to defend using headpinch just before the break. Japan challenged but lost the decision as Rashidov led 7-0 at the break.

He used a takedown and turn to make it 11-0 in three minutes and 57 minutes.

Iran vs U.S. in two finals

Iran and the United States will face off in two finals on Sunday. At 45kg, Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) and Keegan BASSETT (USA) dominated their semifinals to enter the gold-medal bout.

Tahmasbi pinned Mirjalol MUKAMMILOV (UZB) using a cradle and Bassett posted a composed 6-2 win over Ibragim VELIULLOV (UWW), 6-2.

The second Iran-U.S. final will be at 71kg after Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI) and Jayden JAMES (USA) needed comeback wins in their respective semifinals.

Vahabian was trailing 5-3 but scored a takedown to make it 5-5 against Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK), who led on criteria. Bozorzoda added a stepout to take a clear 6-5 lead. However, Vahabian got behind and managed to tilt Bozorzoda more than 90 degrees to score two points in the final five seconds.

Tajikistan challenged the decision but there was no other action as seen in review and the challenge was lost, giving one more point to Vahabian.

In the other semifinal, James was leading 3-3 against Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM) when the Armenian used a front headlock for turn and got two points to lead 5-3. But James quickly blocked Mosesyan and broke his lock and held him on the mat for a fall.

Canada could have had its first finalist of a World Championships in Freestyle since 2018 and first time at U17 Worlds since 1989, but Nathan NASH (CAN) failed to hold on to his 3-3 criteria lead against Rihito HIURA (JPN) in the final 30 seconds and suffered a heartbreaking 5-3 loss at 60kg.

Hiura scored a takedown to take a 5-3 lead and tried a leg-lace as the clock ticked and he managed to keep his score till it expired.

The Japanese will face SITENDER (IND) for the gold medal bout after the Indian defeated Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ), 5-1, in the other semifinal which turned out be a one-big-move match.

Iran had another finalist as Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI) won another one-sided bout. He defeated Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 11-0, in the semifinals. 

David DZEBISOV (UWW) made it to the final from other side after he blanked Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ), 9-0, in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Keegan BASSETT (USA) vs. Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) 

SF 1: Keegan BASSETT (USA) df. Ibragim VELIULLOV (UWW), 6-2
SF 2: Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) df. Mirjalol MUKAMMILOV (UZB), via fall

51kg
GOLD: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) vs. Samuel SANCHEZ (USA)

SF 1: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) df. Haruku SHIINA (JPN), 11-0
Sf 2: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) df. Danael ABDYKASSYM (KAZ), 10-0

60kg
GOLD: SITENDER (IND) vs. Rihito HIURA (JPN)

SF 1: SITENDER (IND) df. Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ), 5-1
SF 2: Rihito HIURA (JPN) df. Nathan NASH (CAN), 5-3

71kg
GOLD: Jayden JAMES (USA) vs. Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI)

SF 1: Jayden JAMES (USA) df. Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM), via fall (5-5)
SF 2: Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI) df. Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK), 8-6

92kg
GOLD: David DZEBISOV (UWW) vs. Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI)

SF 1: David DZEBISOV (UWW) df. Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ), 9-0
SF 2: Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI) df. Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 11-0