#GC2018

Nigerians Nab Two Golds On Second Day of Commonwealth Games

Friday, April 13, 2018 - 13:38 By Eric Olanowski

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GOLD COAST, Australia (April 13) - World finalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and two-time Olympian Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) captured 2018 Commonwealth Games gold for Nigeria on the second day of competition at the Carrara Sports Arena 1. 

Adekuoroye, the 2018 African champion sang and danced her way to the tune of a second consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. 

After an unnecessary hands to the face call to start the bout, Adekuoroye trailed 1-0 in the opening period. The long and lengthy defending champion used her hand pressure to set up her offense and pick up six consecutive points. The three-time medalist took a 6-1 lead over Pooja DHANDA (IND) into the final period. 

Dhanda, the Youth Olympic Judo silver medalist struggled noticeably to close the distance and get through the hand defense of the Nigerian. With under a minute to go, Pooja desperately looked for an opening and found a feet to back takedown for four points off a double leg which closed the gap in the score to 6-5.  Adekuoroye came out in the top position and secured the final point of the match, ultimately winning her second crown in as many tries, 7-5. 

At 68kg, Blessing Oborududu, the 29-year-old eight-time African champion won the battle of Olympians, as she defeated Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN), 4-3 to win her first Commonwealth Games championship. 

After a very limited first period, Oborududu escaped trailing 1-0 as she failed to score on the activity clock.

Trailing 3-0 after a second period Lappage takedown, the Nigerian remained patient and scored her first points of the bout off a failed Canadian offensive attack. With 13 seconds remaining, Lappage looked to close out the match with a final takedown, but the hips of Oborududu proved to be too heavy, as she spun around for the match-winning defensive takedown. 

Overcome with raw emotion after the final whistle, the first time champion barrel rolled from the center of the mat to the coaches corner where she had to be carried back to have her hand raised. 

In the 97kg freestyle finals, Martin ERASMUS (RSA), the 22-year-old African champion nullified Mausam KHATRI’s (IND) two inside trip attempts with two four-point throws and took the commanding 8-0 lead. Erasmus tacked on another takedown to secure South Africa's first Commonwealth Games wrestling gold medal since 1958.

Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), the silver medalist from the 2014 Games showed his transition wrestling skills in the 65kg finals by picking up a takedown and immediately jumping to a left side gut wrench. 

Bajrang would repeat the sequence before capping off his gold medal performance with a duck under at the 2:20 mark to take the technical superiority victory over Kane CHARIG (WAL), 10-0.

Also of note, Kane Charig, the 26-year-old silver medalist made Commonwealth Games history, becoming Wales’ highest finisher ever! 

RESULTS
65kg
GOLD - Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) df. Kane Daniel CHARIG (WAL) , 10-0. 

BRONZE  - Amas DANIEL (NGR) df. Vincent DE MARINIS (CAN), 4-4. 
BRONZE - Charlie James BOWLING (ENG) df. Jean Guyliane Joris BANDOU (MRI),10-0. 

97kg
GOLD - Martin ERASMUS (RSA) df. Mausam KHATRI (IND), 12-2

BRONZE - Jordan STEEN (CAN) df. Samuel Stephen BELKIN (NZL), 10-0. 
BRONZE - Alexios KAOUSLIDIS (CYP) df. Soso TAMARAU (NGR), 2-1.

57kg 
GOLD -  Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)  df. Pooja DHANDA (IND), 7-5. 

BRONZE - Emily Suzanne SCHAEFER (CAN) df. Joseph Emilienne ESSOMBE TIAKO (CMR),13-3.

68kg 
GOLD - Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) df. Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN), 4-3. 

BRONZE -  Divya KAKRAN (IND) df. Sherin SULTANA (BAN), via fall. 

#WrestleZagreb

Valiev outsmarts Sidakov again to reach Worlds final

Sunday, September 14, 2025 - 16:24 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 14) -- For five minutes and 50 seconds in both the 74kg semifinals, there was little indication that the results will change. But 10 seconds were enough for Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) to change the outcome.

Valiev was down 4-2 against Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) but managed to elevate the latter's leg from an attack before tripping him on the edge for a two-point takedown, taking a 4-4 criteria lead with three seconds remaining.

Sidakov tried a desperate attack but gave up another takedown even in that short time as Valiev reached his first-ever World Championships final on debut in Zagreb, Croatia.

Takahashi was down 4-1 against Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) but the Japanese scored a takedown and turned Salkazanov through a gut-wrench to lead 5-4. He still had 6 seconds to defend and he managed to do it with ease. Slovakia challenged for fleeing from Takahashi but that was lost which added an additional point to make it 6-4.

Valiev and Takahashi, both with clutch wins, will now clash in the 74kg final for the world title on Monday.

Three other weight classes were also in action on Sunday and the United States was the only country to put two wrestlers in the finals -- Levi HAINES (USA) at 79kg and Trent HIDLAY (USA) at 92kg.

Haines, who stunned world champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) in the quarterfinals, scored a controlled 4-1 victory over Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) in the semifinals. Olonbayar got the first point via passivity of Haines but the U.S. wrestler scored a counter exposure for two points and take a 2-1 lead.

He scored a ankle pick for another two-point takedown and defended his 4-1 lead for the win and reach the final, a surprise in a tough 79kg bracket.

On Monday, he will try to stop Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) from becoming Greece's first-ever wrestling world champion in history. The European champion from Greece showed some of the most high-paced wrestling in the semifinal against world silver medalist Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) to win 8-3.

Nokhodi, was often stood squared-up, had no answered to Kougioumtsidis' constant attacks as the Greece wrestlers led 6-3 at the break. He scored a single-leg takedown in the second period and won 8-3.

Hidlay, who has switched levels in his career this year, reached the final at 92kg after destroying world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 15-4, in the semifinals.

Nurmagomedov was in the match when the score was 5-4 with 2:23 left but Hidlay switch gears since, scoring a go-behind, a feet-to-back four-pointer and a takedown to finish with a technical superiority win.

He will face Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) for the gold medal after Gadzhimagomedov managed to hold off Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) for an 11-6. Firouzpour, who had multiple age-group world titles, kept shooting for Gadzhimagomedov's legs but the UWW wrestler kept countering those attack with lift exposures.

Gadzhimagomedov then sealed the win with stepout, handing him a 9-6 lead and a takedown finishing the match 11-6.

Harutyunyan pinned after Lee heroics

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) undoubtedly had the most impressive win of the morning session when he defeated Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) 14-3 in the quarterfinals.

The win put Harutyunyan as the favorite to advance to the final at 57kg. However, Asian champion Chongsong HAN (PRK) had different ideas. He hit a lateral drop on Harutyunyan in the semifinals and secured a fall to enter the final. Han is the first Freestyle wrestler from the DPR Korea to enter the final in 11 years.

Han will now try to become a world champion when he takes on Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) in the 57kg final after the Kyrgyz wrestler took it to Paris Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), winning 8-0.

Abdullaev seemed to have burnt out from the earlier matches and had little fight left in him as Almaz Uulu scored points at his will in the semifinals including four stepouts.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Chongsong HAN (PRK) vs. Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)

SF 1: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), via fall
SF 2: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 8-0

74kg
GOLD: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) vs. Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN)

SF 1: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), 6-4
SF 2: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 6-4

79kg
GOLD: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) vs. Levi HAINES (USA)

SF 1: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), 8-3
SF 2: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), 4-1

92kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA) vs. Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW)

SF 1: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 15-4
SF 2:  Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 9-6