Norwegian king Mukubu reigns supreme at U23 Worlds

Wednesday, October 19, 2022 - 23:56 By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 19) – When Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) first burst onto the wrestling scene in Norway, he was noticed as a refugee. But as he grew as a wrestler over the years, Mukubu has proved himself as a force to reckon with in wrestling.

Mukubu became the first male wrestler from Norway to win the U23 World Championships when he won the Greco-Roman 82kg gold medal in Pontevedra, Spain on Wednesday.

The U20 world silver medalist last year, Mukubu made sure he goes home with the title this year, giving no chance to Karlo KODRIC (CRO) in the final gold medal bout which he won 10-1, extending Croatia's wait for a world champion.

And then came out the celebration in which he placed a crown on his head symbolizing him as the king of the [wrestling] world, at least for now.

Exacue MUKUBU (NOR) Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) throws Karlo KODRIC (CRO) for four points. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Mukubu was eight years old when he fled the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo with his mother and four siblings for Norway. For four years, the family was unaware of the whereabouts of Exauce's father who had been taken to the USA by the United Nations peacekeeping forces.

“In 2013, we received a phone call and my mother was screaming,” Mukubu said. “It had been four years since any news of my father. We did not even know where he was.”

Last year, Mukubu and his family flew to the United States to meet his father after 12 years and first since moving to Norway.

“So many people don't know this history about me,” he said. “It was awesome to see him after 12 years and know my history.”

While his father still cannot stay with the Mukubus in Norway, he remains in constant touch and is interested in his son's wrestling.

Mukubu first trained in the sport when he was 10 years old. One day, his mother lost her patience seeing the siblings fight around the house. Hence, she went up to their neighbor Sheikhrullah, a former wrestler, to take the kids to train.

“He took us to wrestle and I fell in love,” Mukubu recalled.

While the three other siblings moved on to other sports; Gabriel is part of Norway's U18 ice hockey team, Mukubu stayed. It took some time for him to make his mark but in his first championships, he won a bronze medal at the U17 Euros in 2018. The biggest breakthrough came when he reached the final of the U20 Worlds last year.

“I was 8-0 in the final in Ufa but to make it 10-1 here, it feels awesome to finally take the gold medal,” he said.

Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) with his gold medal in Pontevedra. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

In Pontevedra, Mukubu looked a notch above the field as he outscored his opponents 29-1 with a burst of big throws including two in the final Kodric.

“In this tournament, I went in with the belief that I can do it,” he said. “All the work I have put in has paid off with a gold medal.”

In the last year, Mukubu has been training in the Netherlands with the Sterkenburg twins and in Denmark with European champion and world silver medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN). The four first met at the U23 European Championships in Skopje, North Macedonia four years ago.

“We have been in together since,” he said. “We want to build a team and qualify for the Paris Games.”

That's the complex part. Bisultanov and Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) are at 87kg and will try to qualify for that weight. Mukubu is tempted to 77kg but the coaches want him to go for 87kg.

“Coaches want me to go 87kg but I am not big yet so I want to go 77kg,” he said. “Maybe I will try to have some bouts at 87kg. But I will go with the flow. This year I wrestled against wrestlers who have been to the Olympics and World Championships and I think 77kg is better.”

It is yet to be seen if he will be able to qualify for the 2024 Olympics, both Norway and his family are pinning hopes on Mukubu for a brighter future.

Norway failed to qualify a single wrestler for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and it does not want the same to happen this year. The wrestling team is also the subject of an NRK TV documentary 'Hodet i klemme', translation to 'headlock', which shows the wrestling team's journey.

On the other hand, Mukubu's family hopes to get a job through wrestling. He is currently building an app that lets a person reserve car parking in advance, Mukubu has pushed that project for later and set his sights on the Olympic qualification.

“Ultimately, I have to take care of my family,” he said. “It's a different culture. They are happy for me but I have responsibilities. But I don't get money for wrestling. For now, it's all about the Olympics, but one day, I have to return.”

Kerem KAMAL (TUR) ended a four-year wait for a world title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Kamal wins gold

In other gold medal bouts, European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) ended a three-year wait for a world title. He won the U20 gold in 2019 but has since been able to repeat the same at the senior level.

Wrestling another young star Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) in the final, Kamal never looked in trouble and scored an 8-0 win.

After getting points for stepout and passivity, Kamal got a huge four to lead 6-0 before a caution for two points against Mammadli gave him the gold medal.

Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) won the long gold medal for Azerbaijan in Pontevedra. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

But Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) made sure Azerbaijan finished with a gold medal as he denied another Croatian wrestler the opportunity to create history. He defeated Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO) in the 72kg final as Croatia's wait for the Greco-Roman world champion was extended by another year.

Puklavec scored two points over Gurbanov but never looked in control of the final as the Azerbaijan wrestler scored eight points.

Alex SZOKE (HUN) claimed the 97kg gold with a 3-2 win over Markus RAGGINGER (AUT). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliksan)

At 97kg, senior world silver medalist Alex SZOKE (HUN) used his experience to win 3-2 against returning bronze medalist Markus RAGGINGER (AUT).

Szoke, who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics, was awarded the par terre position and he turned Ragginger to lead 3-2.

When Szoke was put in forced par terre, he fled the hold. After an Austrian challenge, he was cautioned and the bout restarted in par terre with Szoke leading 3-2. But Ragginger failed to score and the bout ended with the same scoreline.

U20 world champion Danial SOHRABI (IRI) defeated Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA) 17-7 to win the 67kg gold. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran won the team title with 138 points, 37 points more than second-placed Georgia. Turkey jumped over Azerbaijan to finish third with 93 points.

For Iran, Danial SOHRABI (IRI) won the third gold medal of the tournament by winning the 67kg weight class.

With a sense of calm about him, Sohrabi overcame a 7-0 deficit to win the gold medal 17-7 against Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA).

He was surprised early by a Snjoyan takedown. Sohrabi was put in par terre from which Snjoyan scored a four to lead 7-0. But Sohrabi got a headlock for four, a call which France challenged and lost to make it 7-5.

Sohrabi began the second period with another big four to lead 9-7 and with Snjoyan struggling to match his pace, the U20 world champion used the underhook to perfection to score stepouts.

Once the lead swelled to 13-7, Sohrabi was happy to play out the clock but Snjoyan attempted a big throw which resulted in him giving up another four points and the win to the Iran wrestler.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) reached the final at 50kg without giving up a point. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's wrestling also began Wednesday in Pontevedra and as expected, world and Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) wasted no time stamping her authority.

In her three bouts, Susaki won without being scored and finished all her bouts inside the first period. She is one win away from completing a grand slam of winning all the world titles along with the Olympic gold, for which she will face Anksuh PANGHAL (IND) in the final Thursday.

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) and Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN) also made it to the gold medal bouts at 55kg, 59kg and 68kg.

Matsuyuki will face Nesrin BAS (TUR) in the final who defeated senior world bronze medalist Irina RINGACI (MDA) 11-6 in a battle.

At 76kg, Dymond GUILFORD (USA) will face returning silver medalist Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) for the gold medal bout.

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), 8-0

BRONZE: Olzhas SULTAN (KAZ) vs. Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ), 8-0
BRONZE: Melkamu FETENE (ISR) df. Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO), via injury (11-7)

67kg
GOLD: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) df. Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA), 17-7

BRONZE: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Julian HORTA (COL), 3-1
BRONZE: Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) df. Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM), 3-1

72kg
GOLD: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO), 8-2

BRONZE: VIKAS (IND) df. Daigo KOBAYASHI (JPN), 6-0
BRONZE: Amir ABDI (IRI) df. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 3-1

82kg
GOLD: Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 10-1

BRONZE: Lukas AHLGREN (SWE) df. Ranet KALJOLA (EST), 7-1
BRONZE: Beka GURULI (GEO) df. Ali HUNC (TUR), 9-0

97kg
GOLD: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Markus RAGGINGER (AUT), 3-2

BRONZE: Ali ABEDI (IRI) df. Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO), 1-1
BRONZE: NITESH (IND) df. Igor ALVES (BRA), 10-0

Women's wrestling semifinals

50kg
GOLD: Ankush PANGHAL (IND) vs. Yui SUSAKI (JPN)

SF 1: Ankush PANGHAL (IND) df. Nada MOHAMED (EGY), via fall
SF 2: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA), 10-0

53kg
GOLD: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) vs. Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)

SF 1: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df. Alisha HOWK (USA), 9-8
SF 2: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Virginie KAZE GASCON (CAN), 10-0

59kg
GOLD: Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) vs. Magdalena GLODEK (POL)

SF 1: Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) df. Lexie BASHAM (USA), 9-0
SF 2: Magdalena GLODEK (POL) df. Ramina MAMEDOVA (LAT), 8-2

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN)

SF 1: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Sienna RAMIREZ (USA), 9-4
SF 2: Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN) df. Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 6-5

76kg
GOLD: Dymond GUILFORD (USA) vs. Tatiana RENTERIA (COL)

SF 1: Dymond GUILFORD (USA) df. Inkara ZHANATAYEVA (KAZ), 11-0
SF 2: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 4-1

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW announces 2024 Hall of Fame inductees

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 - 10:07 By United World Wrestling Press

PARIS (July 31) -- In his earlier life, Steeve GUENOT (FRA) was a railwayman. He juggled his day job with his passion, wrestling, which led him to the Olympics.

There, on the biggest stage of all in Beijing 16 years ago, the Frenchman scripted history—winning a gold medal to end his country's 80-plus-year drought of producing an Olympic champion wrestler. That moment changed his life, and Guenot went on to inspire a generation of wrestlers.

For his path-breaking achievements on the mat and his restoration of belief in an entire nation, the French hero was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame days before the Paris Olympics were declared open.

The Beijing Games gold medallist, who also won a bronze at London 2012 and a bronze medal in the 2007 World Championship, was among the three wrestlers included in this year's list. The other two were freestyle legend Mavlet BATIROV (RUS) and Canadian trailblazer Tonya VERBEEK (CAN).

Additionally, referee Vassilis PAGONIS (GRE) and legendary Armenian coach Levon JULFALAKYAN (ARM), too, were accorded the prestigious honor this year.

The Hall of Famers are permanently recognized on UWW's website, at the organization's headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland, and in the international wing of the USA Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Mavlet BATIROV (RUS) is a two-time Olympic champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

A 66kg category Greco-Roman champion, Guenot was born to a family of wrestlers in 1985. Both his parents were involved in the sport, and his siblings were, too. Like him, Guenot’s brother Christophe is an Olympic medallist. But no one scaled the heights that Guenot did.

France hadn't won an Olympic gold medal in wrestling since the 1936 Games when Emile Poilve finished on top of the podium.

Guenot broke that hoodoo and went on to win a lot more. After a highly successful playing career, he moved to coaching and was involved in grooming young wrestlers at his club in Dijon, something he has done to date.

Joining him on the list of honors is a Russian legend whose name is synonymous with excellence. One of the true greats of the sport, Batirov won admirers all over the world with his gritty wrestling style. He was one of the most dominant wrestlers in the noughts, particularly in the 55kg men's freestyle category, before he moved to 60 kg due to weight class adjustment.

Born in 1983, Batirov’s first big moment came in 2004, when he won the gold medal in the 55 kg category at the Athens Olympics. He went on to win his second Olympic gold medal four years later while competing in the 60 kg category and during that four-year cycle, he won the world title as well as a world championship bronze at 60kg.

These results, combined with multiple European championship medals, sealed his status as one of the finest wrestlers to ever step on the mat. After he retired from the sport, Batirov gave back to it by mentoring and coaching young wrestlers and sharing his deep insights into the game with them.

Tonya VERBEEK (CAN) was the head coach of the Canadian national team. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Like Guenot and Batirov, Verbeek too has had an outsized influence on the sport, especially in her country.

After the Ontario native picked the sport as a schoolgirl at age 11, Verbeek reportedly remained undefeated throughout her career as a school-level wrestler. She nearly mirrored that level of success as a senior in international wrestling.

Despite the total dominance of Japanese wrestlers, Verbeek carved out a niche for herself with her fearless style of play. She was the first Canadian woman to win a wrestling medal at the Athens Games, a silver, went on to add a bronze to her collection four years later in Beijing and completed the hattrick of medals by clinching the silver medal at the London Olympics. Apart from these, she has multiple worlds, Pan-Am and Commonwealth Games medals.

After retiring, Veerbek would break more barriers, becoming the head coach of both the men's and women's Canada teams. She currently coaches the women's program at the University of Iowa.

Armenia coach Levon JULFALAKYAN (ARM) inducted into UWW Hall of Fame. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

While all these wrestlers across the three events are legends in their own right, few actually come close to doing what Julfalakyan did.

As a wrestler, he has won it all -- Olympic gold, World Championship gold, and European Championship gold. His Olympic title in 1988 was a great exhibition of his art, as he won all his bouts in a one-sided manner to romp through the field and win the gold.

After he hung his boots, Julfalakyan turned to coaching. The academy where he coached turned into a conveyor belt of talented wrestlers. He has produced an Olympic champion, and multiple Olympic silver bronze medallists, as well as seven world and 14 European champions.

His elder son, Arsen, went on to win a silver medal at the London Olympics. In 2011, Julfalakyan was also feted at home after the country's government released postage stamps in his honor.

Vassolos PAGONIS, referee. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Last but not least, referee Pagonis has also been included in the Hall of Fame. The Greek referee has officiated in five Olympics, 20 World Championships, and 25 European Championships. At the 1996 Olympics, Pagonis was feted with a Golden Whistle award.

Norwegian king Mukubu reigns supreme at U23 Worlds

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UWW announces 2024 Hall of Fame inductees