#WrestleBelgrade

Maskevich Stuns Chakvetadze, Russia Bags 3 Gold Medals

By Andrew Hipps

Links:
Day 2 Photos
Interview with Davor STEFANEK (SRB)

BELGRADE, Serbia (December 13) -- Russia made a strong statement Sunday at the Individual World Cup, winning three of the first five gold medals, but it was a young star from Belarus who stole the show in the final match of the night in Belgrade, Serbia.

After Russia started the night 3-for-3 in Sunday's Greco-Roman finals, Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR), a decided underdog, stepped on the mat to face Russian Olympic champion Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS).

The 22-year-old Belarusian was poised and confident, scoring the match's first point off a passivity. He extended his lead to 3-0 when Chakvetadze did not get set in the par terre position. Maskevich then lifted Chakvetadze from par terre and executed a five-point suplay before turning him for good measure to claim a 10-0 technical superiority in the first period.

Winning gold medals for Russia on Sunday were Roman VLASOV (77kg), Emin SEFERSHAEV (55kg) and Nazir ABDULLAEV (67kg).

Roman VLASOV (RUS) after winning gold at 77kg (Photo: Kadir Caliskan, UWW)

Vlasov, a two-time Olympic champion, hit a big throw on his way to a 6-1 victory over Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) in the 77kg finals. Vlasov scored first off a passivity and then executed a five-point throw to take a commanding 6-0 lead in the first period. Levai would get one the scoreboard in the second period off a passivity but was never able to threaten Vlasov.

Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) became the first champ at Individual World Cup, winning gold at 55kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Sefershaev, a U23 world silver medalist, claimed the gold at 55kg with an 8-0 technical superiority over Serif KILIC (TUR), a past junior world champion. The first period saw one only one point scored as Sefershaev earned a passivity point. The Russian turned it up in the second period. He scored another point off a passivity and then used a two-point throw to go up 6-0. Sefershaev scored two takedowns in the final 25 seconds to earn the technical superiority.


Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS) raises his arms after winning gold at 67kg (Photo/Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Abdullaev, a 2020 European silver medalist, needed a late score to edge 2014 Youth Olympic champion Islambek DADOV (AZE) 2-1 in the gold-medal match at 67kg. The two wrestlers traded passivity points, with Dadov scoring the second one in the final period to take a criteria lead. Abdullaev kept the pressure on and earned a step-out point with 23 seconds remaining, which proved to be the difference.

Champion Balint KORPASI (HUN) and the other 72kg medalists on the award stand (Photo/Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Balint KORPASI (HUN), a 2016 world champion and  four-time world medalist, captured the gold at 72kg with a won a hard-fought 1-1 criteria win over world No.10 Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM). Amoyan scored the first point of the match off a passivity and led 1-0 at the break. In the second period, Korpasi scored a point off passivity to take the lead and held on for the victory.

Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) won the bronze medals at 55kg. Azizli shut out Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) 3-0, while Fergat topped Artiom DELEANU (MDA) 6-4.

Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) won by fall over Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) to claim a bronze medal at 67kg. Roman PACURKOWSKI (POL) defeated Khalmurat IBRAGIMOV (KGZ) 6-3 to earn the other bronze at 67kg.

Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR) and Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ) won the bronze medals at 72kg.

Host nation Serbia earned two bronze medals on Sunday, with Viktor NEMES taking bronze at 77kg and Zurabi DATUNASHVILI winning bronze at 87kg. 

Also claiming bronze medals on Sunday were Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) at 77kg and Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) at 87kg.

Greco-Roman Medal Match Results

55kg
GOLD: Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) df. Serif KILIC (TUR) by VSU, 8-0
BRONZE: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df. Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) by VPO, 3-0
BRONZE: Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) df. Artiom DELEANU (MDA) by VPO1, 6-4

67kg
GOLD: Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS) df. Islambek DADOV (AZE) by VPO1, 2-1
BRONZE: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) df. Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) by VFA, 4-4
BRONZE: Roman PACURKOWSKI (POL) df. Khalmurat IBRAGIMOV (KGZ) by VPO1, 6-3

72kg
GOLD: Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) by VPO1, 1-1
BRONZE: Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR) df. Valentin PETIC (MDA) by VPO1, 5-1
BRONZE: Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ) df. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) by VPO1, 3-1

77kg
GOLD: Roman VLASOV (RUS) df. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) by VPO1, 6-1
BRONZE: Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) by VPO1, 4-1
BRONZE: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Yasaf ZEINALOV (UKR) by VPO1, 6-4

87kg
GOLD: Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) df. Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS) by VSU, 10-0
BRONZE: Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) df. Hossein Ahmad NOURI (IRI) by VSU1, 12-4
BRONZE: Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) df. Fabio PARISI (ITA) by VPO1, 3-1
 

#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships WW 50kg, 57kg, 65kg, 76kg semis set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 19) -- The World Championships will see the first women's wrestling Olympic weight classes in action with 50kg, 57kg and 76kg. A non-Olympic weight is also in action -- 65kg. Yui SUSAKI (JPN), Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), Helen MAROULIS (USA), Adeline GRAY (USA), Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) are some names in action.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | SADULAEV UPDATE

14:54: Literally seconds apart, Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) and Helen MAROULIS (USA) set up a rematch of last year's final at 57kg, this time in the semifinals. Sakurai, aiming for her third straight world title and second in a row at 57kg, disposed of 2022 bronze medalist Anhelina LYSAK (POL), scoring three takedowns in a 7-0 victory. On the adjacent mat, Maroulis had one blip against European silver medalist Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE), getting stuffed on a gut-wrench attempt to give up 2, but otherwise was in control in an 8-3 victory. Sakurai beat Maroulis 3-0 in last year's final.

14:50: A 1-1 criteria victory for Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) over Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) in the 57kg. Kamaloglu held on to her passivity lead if her life depended on it.

14:45: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) gets Odunayo ADEKUROYE (NGR) in an arm trap and turns her until the referee blows the whistle. Nichita, who pinned Adekuroye in the Tokyo Olympics after being 8-0 down, has looked extremely dominant so far.

14:40: Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL), the losing finalist last year to Susaki, manhandles two-time European bronze medalist Kseniya STANKEVICH (AIN) 12-1 to advance to the 50kg semifinals. She will face Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), a wrestler the Mongolian beat in the semis a year ago. The American has since avenged that loss with a technical superiority win in the Budapest Ranking Series.

14:40: Marquee match-up on Mat D. Four-time Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) is wrestling Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA). The two exchange takedowns with Hildebrandt leading 4-3. But Stadnik feels the heat and gives up easy takedowns and Hildebrandt builds a 12-3 lead before a lace to finish 12-3.

14:33: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) a fall over Emilia VUC (ROU) and she moves to the 50kg semifinals. On a different level.

14:30: Another one of the sport's titans has fallen! Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) scores a takedown in each period and never gives six-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) an opening to win 4-1 for the biggest victory of her young career. Gray's lone point comes on the activity clock.

14:27: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) was looking for a fall over Milaimys MARIN (CUB) but the Cuban survives but Alpeyeyeva holds a 2-2 lead. But Marin with a buzzer-beater to win and book a spot in the 76kg semifinal 

14:23: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) with a high lift and feet to back to get the fall over Samar HAMZA (EGY). Egypt challenged the call for a stepout but it was continuous action and Renteria won.

14:14: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), deprived of a chance to defend her 62kg title when she lost out at the Japan trials, moved closer to the consolation prize of a 65kg gold by moving into the semifinals with a one-sided 9-0 victory over Kadriye AKSOY (TUR). Ozaki showed she could handle the extra weight of three powerful takedowns in the first period. She scores a stepout the second, then spends the rest of the period locked up with Aksoy, who gets underhooks and futilely attempts back trips. Ozaki thwarts a desperation lateral drop at the end for her final 2 points.

14:00: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) holds on to a 6-4 lead over SARITA (IND) in the 57kg 1/8 final and moves to the quarterfinals in which she will face Anastasia NICHITA (MDA).

13:34: Helen MAROULIS (USA) remains laser-focused in her mission to regain the 57kg title, making short work of Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP) in a 10-0 victory in 2:13 to advance to the quarterfinals, where European silver medalist Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) awaits.

13:30: NEELAM (UWW) stops Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in the 50kg 1/8 finals with a 4-2 win. She will however have Ziqi FENG (CHN) in the quarterfinal

13:06: A dream match has been set up in the 50kg quarterfinals, where ageless Mariya STADNIK (AZE) and Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) will square off after victories by technical superiority. Stadnik finds various ways to score in beating Polinia LUKINA (AIN) 12-1, and Hildebrandt follows with a takedown-lace lock 10-0 win over Miseon KWON (KOR).

12:57: Returning 76kg bronze medalist Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) scores a takedown while on the activity clock, then adds two more in a 6-0 win over Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN). Her reward? A shot at Adeline GRAY (USA) in the quarterfinals.

12:50: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) gave up a point but then punished Alisson CARDOZO (COL) with a lace and won her first bout at 50kg 12-1.

12:35: Adeline GRAY (USA) with an 11-0 technical superiority over returning bronze medalist Epp MAE (EST). Gray is returning to international competition after two years and looking to become a seven-time world champion which will make her the most successful wrestler from the United States

12:19: Helen MAROULIS (USA) gets her bid for a fourth world title at 57kg off to a rousing start, scoring 4 with nifty fireman's carry against Nes RODRIGUEZ (PUR). She builds up a 10-point lead as she stacks up her opponent and ends the match with a fall.

12:14: Olympic silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) snatches a victory from the jaws of defeat at 57kg in an ill-tempered clash between neutral athletes. She had just given up a takedown to fall behind 4-0 against Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN) when she went to a cradle off a takedown and secured a fall at 4:10.

12:05: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), who became Moldova's first-ever female world champion when she won the 59kg gold last year, got off to a good start at the Olympic weight of 57kg by whipping Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL). Nichita charged to an 8-0 lead, then threw Nikolova to her back for a fall in just over two minutes.

11:52: In a freestyle 97kg repechage match, three-time champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) bounces back from his stunning quarterfinal loss to Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) by defeating Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) 10-6 to advance to the bronze-medal match later today. Snyder gave up a 4-point counter lift, but had a 4-point cradle of his own to put away the two-time Asian champion.

11:34: Anna LUKASIAK (POL), a bronze medalist a year ago at 50kg, gives up a pair of stepouts and that proves the difference in a 2-1 loss to European silver medalist Oksana LIVICH (UKR)

11:25: Returning bronze medalist Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) starts with a pin over Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) at 76kg. She lost to Yasemin ADAR (TUR) last year but Adar is not wrestling this year.

11:07: Two years away from the world stage to get married and have twins, and six-time champion Adeline GRAY (USA) spends just 31 seconds in her opening match at women's 76kg. A takedown to lace lock, four spins and that's it for Jimin BAEK (KOR). The unseeded Gray will next face longtime foe Epp MAE (EST) in a rematch of the 2021 world final.

11:05: A takedown to a lace lock and 2021 world bronze medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) finishes off an 11-0 rout of Catalina AXENTE (ROU) at women's 76kg.

11:00: Macey KILTY (USA) channels the Greco wrestlers when she hits a 4-point back suplex to cap a 10-0 win over Valeriia DONDUPOVA SUVOROVA (AIN) in the qualification round at women's 65kg

10:30: Welcome to day four of the World Championships. A big breaking news to start the day as Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) has forfeited his repechage bout which means that Japan will remain without an Olympic quota here.