Granma y Cerro Pelado

Lugo Cabrera Tops Pino Hinds In Colossal Clash At Granma Cup

By

HAVANA, Cuba – The behemoth battle at 130kg between top-flight Cubans Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) and Yasmany LUGO CABRERA (CUB) was a fight to the finish, and a fitting conclusion to the Granma Cup Greco-Roman competition.

Returning world bronze medalist Pino Hinds appeared comfortable after building a strong 2-0 lead heading into the second period. However, two subsequent caution points against Pino Hands was all it took for 2016 Olympic silver medalist Lugo Cabrera to come away with the criteria win.

Both heavyweight finalists earned gold at the Pan American Championships the past two years. Lugo Cabrera, specifically, has collected seven Pan American titles dating back to 2009.

Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB)

Rio Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) won decisively over rival countryman Miquel MARTINEZ (CUB) for the 67kg gold medal. Borrero Molina built his lead early with a collection of trapped arm gut-wrenches and remained strong in the 8-4 win. This was a rematch from yesterday’s preliminary bout between the two, also won by Borrero, 3-2.

Host nation Cuba grabbed two additional gold medals from top talents Luis ORTA (CUB) at 60kg and Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) at 97kg. Orta held off Javier DUMENIGO (CUB) for a 2-2, criteria win in the finals. Rosillo fared slightly better, cruising to a comfortable 5-2 decision over Luigi PEREZ (VEN) for gold.

Balint KORPASI (HUN)

Greco-Roman power Hungary capped off a nice performance with three tournament champions on Sunday.

Two-time world bronze medalist and reigning European champion Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) upended U23 world champion Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) in the 87kg final, 1-1. Each man earned one caution point, Szilvassy in the first period and Lorincz in the second frame, giving Lorincz the criteria advantage.

Today marks the second time in the past month Lorincz and Szilvassy have squared off in the gold-medal match of a major international competition. The two battled it out two weeks ago in the Grand Prix of Zagreb finals with Lorincz once again holding the upper hand.

Peter BACSI (HUN)

2016 world champion Balint KORPASI (HUN) won with apparent ease in the 72kg final over two-time defending Granma Cup champion Yosvani PENA (CUB). He was never in danger throughout the much-anticipated showdown, running to a 6-0 victory.

Peter BACSI (HUN), another past world champion from Hungary to take the mat in Cuba, stood atop the 82kg podium without wrestling a match on Sunday. Bacsi finished his tournament 2-1 in the four-man round-robin bracket yesterday and was pushed to the gold due to Antonio DURAN (CUB) upsetting Lazlo SZABO (HUN), 5-1, in today’s session.

Kamal BEY (USA)

The most dominant performance of the Granma Cup came from reigning junior world champion Kamal BEY (USA). In the 77kg finals, Bey proved too much for rising Cuban Ariel FIZ (CUB). He capped off another superb tournament with a 9-1 finals win.  

The action continues in Cuba with the first day of women’s freestyle competition at the Cerro Pelado International. The tournament is expected to begin at 10 a.m. (ET).

Complete results and a live stream of the event can be found at unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS: http://uww.io/NQ6AU

MEDAL MATCHES

60kg

Gold – Luis ORTA (CUB) df. Javier DUMENIGO (CUB) by VPO1, 2-2

Bronze – Dalton ROBERTS (USA) df. Andrej GINC (GER) by VPO1, 6-1

67kg

Gold – Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) df. Miquel MARTINEZ (CUB) by VPO1, 8-4

Bronze – Wilexys RIVAS (VEN) dec. Alejandro SANCHO (USA) by VPO1, 9-3

72kg

Gold – Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Yosvani PENA (CUB) by VPO, 6-0

Bronze – Anthony SANDER (GER) df. Logan KASS (USA) by VFA

77kg

Gold – Kamal BEY (USA) df. Ariel FIZ (CUB) by VSU1, 9-1

Bronze – Luis AVENDANO (VEN) df. Juan ESCOBAR (MEX) by VPO1, 5-1

87kg

Gold – Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) df. Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) by VPO1, 1-1

Bronze – Geovanis CARRERAS (CUB) df. Friedrich FOUDA (GER) by VFA

Bronze – Kevin RADFORD (USA) df. Daniel GREGORYCH (CUB) by VIN

97kg

Gold – Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) df. Luigi PEREZ (VEN) by VPO1, 5-2

Bronze – Monteaqudo REINIER (CUB) df. Hayden ZILLMER (USA) by VPO, 3-0

Bronze – Kevin MEJIA (HON) df. Pablo REINIER (CUB) by VIN

130kg

Gold – Yasmany LUGO CABRERA (CUB) df. Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) by VPO1 2-2

Bronze – Balint LAM (HUN) df. Diego ALMENDRA (CHI) by VPO, 8-0

Bronze – Franz RICHTER (GER) df. Eduardo MORRELL (PUR) by VIN

#WrestleSamokov

Yakushenko, Zakriev one win away from second U20 World gold

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 22) -- Defending champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) returned to the final at 97kg as he once again managed to beat silver medalist Darius KIEFER (GER).

Unlike finals last year, both met in the semifinals this year but the result was no different as Yakusheno was clearly the better wrestler on Friday. After getting the first par terre position, Yakushenko turned Kiefer for two points and then lifted the German for a correct throw for two points for a 5-1 lead.

Kiefer got par terre in the second period and tried to get the turn but managed only a point for stepout from Yakushenko, making the score 5-2. That was all the action in the match as Yakushenko let out a loud cry after victory and so did Kiefer after his loss.

Yakushenko now leads the head-to-head 3-1 with the one loss coming in the European U20 Championships final this year in Carole, Italy.

He will face a new challenge in Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) in the final after the Iranian managed to over come Ilia KOMAROV (UWW) in the second semifinal, which was also a match decided from par terre.

Seydi Avendi led 5-0 at the break and was put in par terre in the second period and Komarov needed two turns for a 5-5 criteria lead. However, he managed to turn Seydi Avendi only once for two points to cut the lead to 5-3.

Iran had a second finalist in 55kg as 2023 world U17 champion Payam AHMADI (IRI) scored a 3-0 victory over Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) in the semifinals. He will face another 2023 world U17 champion in Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) who defeated Daisuke MORISHITA (JPN), 10-2.

Dashdamirov had a difficult opening bout against Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series gold medalist Anil MOR (IND) but managed to hold on to a 9-9 criteria win.

At 72kg, Asian U20 champion Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) and European U20 silver medalist Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) reached the final after impressive wins.

Kodirov face Oliver PADA (FIN) in the semifinal but managed to hold on to an 11-3 technical superiority win as Pada failed to finish his attempted bodylock throws.

Terteryan faced former world U17 champion at 71kg Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) but shut him down with defense to win 5-1.

Zakriev chases second title

Returning world 63kg champion Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) moved up to 67kg for this year's World U20 Championships but followed a similar path to the finals. Zakriev had a troublesome semifinal last year and there was difference this year as he almost got pinned in the semifinals again.

Facing European U20 bronze medalist Fariam MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), Zakriev tried to do a suplex but landed on his back with Mustafayev on top. The Azerbaijan wrestler was awarded two points and he almost sat on Zakriev for the fall but the time ran out in the first period.

He then managed to return with takedown despite Mustafayev's pressure who scored two stepouts. But as Mustafayev tried a big throw, Zakriev landed on top and got four points and won 14-7.

For his second straight gold medal, Zakriev will face Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ), the Asian U20 champion, who had a controlled 5-1 win over Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB).

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI) vs. Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE)

SF 1: Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI) df. Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ), 3-0
SF 2: Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) df. Daisuke MORISHITA (JPN), 10-2

67kg
GOLD: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) vs. Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW)

SF 1: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) df. Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB), 5-1
SF 2: Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) df. Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), 14-7

72kg
GOLD: Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) vs. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) df. Oliver PADA (FIN), 11-3
SF 2: Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) df. Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE), 5-1

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) vs. Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI)

SF 1: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Darius KIEFER (GER), 5-2
SF 2: Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) df. Ilia KOMAROV (UWW), 5-3