Otoguro repeats as 65kg champ without a fight as Punia injury aborts anticipated clash

Saturday, April 17, 2021 - 16:45 By United World Wrestling Press

The highly anticipated third clash of the Asian 65kg titans never made it to the mat, and after receiving an injury default from rival Bajrang PUNIA (IND), Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) said he would love for the match to happen this summer in Tokyo.

Former world champion Otoguro repeated as 65kg champion at the Asian Championships when Punia pulled out of the final due to an elbow injury suffered during his semifinal match earlier Saturday in Almaty.

"It feels weird to not wrestle," said Punia, for whom the silver becomes the sixth Asian medal of his career. "This is the first time ever I have said no to a bout internationally against a person from another country. It feels bad."

Ravi KUMAR (IND) also retained his Asian crown when he defeated Alireza SARLAK (IRI) 9-4 in the 57kg final, as the five golds up for grabs went to wrestlers from five different nations on Day 5 of the six-day tournament in the empty Baluan Sholak Palace of Culture and Sports.

Otoguro, who was competing for the first time since his victory over Punia in the final at last year's Asian Championships in New Delhi, was disappointed that the match with the Indian star was aborted, but accepted that injuries are part and parcel to the sport.

"A final with Bajrang is always an interesting match, and I was really looking forward to it," Otoguro said. "He also wrestles hard and has his share of injuries. It can't be helped.

"I look forward to having a match at the Tokyo Olympics."

The two had first met in the final at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, where a then-19-year-old Otoguro came out on top in a wild 16-9 victory that made him the youngest freestyle world champion in Japan history.

Otoguro, who graduated from Yamanashi Gakuin University in March, said he was able to continue training for the most part, as Yamanashi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, was not hard-hit by the coronavirus. "At the very least, I could run in the mountains," he said.

He participated in sporadically scheduled national team training camps, and then prepared for Almaty as a new member of the sports division of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, into which he was inducted in March. His older brother Keisuke, who will compete tomorrow at 74kg, is also a member.

Asked about being in what is regarded as the most competitive weight class, Otoguro responded, "I'm happy that I can fight in the weight class with the highest level. I welcome the challenge of beating them."

In the 57kg final, Kumar outlasted Sarlak for a victory that left the Iranian in tears after they kept trading scoring moves, but Kumar's were for bigger points.

"The feeling to be a champion again is unexplainable," Kumar said. "It has been long. I lost one tournament last year so it’s great to be back on top position," he said, referring to a loss by fall at the World Cup in Serbia.

In the first period, Kumar interspersed a takedown and 2-point barrel roll with three stepouts by Sarlak for a 4-3 lead. The two exchanged stepouts to start the second period, before the 2019 world bronze medalist pulled away with two takedowns in the last 1:15.

"The Iran wrestler was really good, but this was my first bout with him so I was keeping it normal," he said. "I wasn’t trying to do too much."

The surprise of the finals came at 79kg, where Byungmin GONG (KOR) edged 2020 bronze medalist Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) 5-3, scoring a takedown with 11 seconds left for his third straight close win of the competition.

"Korean freestyle wrestling has not been so good in the past couple of years and I am happy to change that to a certain extent with this gold medal," said Gong, a 2018 Asian Games bronze medalist at 74kg. "I am happy to be part of this tradition."

In the final, Savadkouhi was going behind when Gong clamped down on his arm and turned him over for 2, after which the Iranian finished off his move for a 1-point reversal.

In the second period, Savadkouhi looked to have clinched the victory when he came out of a flurry in control for 2 with :16 left, only to be caught in a double-leg tackle that allowed Gong to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

"Regardless of who the opponent is, I always go into the bout to beat them," said Gong, whose combined margin of victory in his three matches was three points (he won his semifinal 5-5).

"[My coaches and I] developed a strategy that whatever happens, keep calm," he said. "Play it safe but don't back down. Play cool, calm and collective."

Gong already has his next challenge lined up -- dropping to 74kg to enter the final Olympic qualifying tournament in Sofia next month.

"I am not going to lie, it is going to be hard in 74kg at Sofia. But I just want to wrestle hard and adapt to the situation whenever it arises. I think that is the best I can do."

For Savadkouhi, the 2019 Asian U-23 champion, all that is left is to reflect on what might have been. "I can't believe the mistakes I made in the final," he said. "I was not able to win the gold and it pains me."

In contrast to Gong's tight path to gold, Ali SHABANIBENGAR (IRI) was totally dominant at 97kg, steamrolling 2020 bronze medalist Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) 12-2 in the final for his third technical fall in three matches.

Shabanigengar got a stepout late in the first period to take a 3-2 lead into the second, but opened the floodgates with a 4-point ankle pick that he followed with a 2-point gut wrench.

An unsuccessful challenge added a point, which provided the necessary margin of difference when he dumped Yergali during a single-leg takedown to end the match at 3:44.

"Thank God that I got a gold medal at the Asian Championships, and I thank God that I could defeat my opponent so dominantly," said Shabanibengar, a 2018 world U-23 bronze medalist.

The host nation earned the other gold of the night, when two-time world junior medalist Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) scored four points in the second period of an 6-2 victory over Sirojiddin KHASANOV (UZB) in an at-times tempestuous 70kg final.

Khasanov had a 2-2 lead on criteria after the first period, but got a takedown and two stepouts -- after the second one, Khasanov gave him a little shove to the head -- to add the Asian senior title to the junior one he won in 2019.

"I am really happy to win the competition since we are hosting at home," Talgat said. "I felt the responsibility to win at home.

"All of my opponents were prepared and were tough, so to win gold against them was a good thing. Most of my opponents had already competed at the senior level, but for me it was the first time."

In the bronze-medal matches, Narsingh YADAV (IND) picked up his first major medal since returning last year from a four-year doping ban, defeating Ahmed AL GBURI (IRQ) 8-2 at 79kg.

Yadav last brought home hardware in 2015, when he won world and Asian bronze medals at 74kg. Yadav, who placed 13th at the London 2012 Olympics, won the Asian title back in 2010.

Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ) returned to the medal podium for the first time since 2016, again to receive a bronze, when he rolled to a 10-0 technical fall over Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ) in the other third-place match at 79kg.

Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN) extended Japan's run of bronze medalists at 57kg to four straight years, posting a solid 7-0 victory over Muhammad BILAL (PAK). Takeshita followed in the footsteps of 2017 world and Asian champion Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN), who had back-to-back third-place finishes in 2019 and 2020, and Tomohiro HASEGAWA (JPN), a bronze medalist in 2018.

Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IRI), one of the group of up-and-coming wrestlers dispatched by Iran for international seasoning, added a bronze medal to the Middle East powerhouse's tally with victory by fall over Nodir RAKHIMOV (UZB).

Ghiasi Cheka had levered Rakhimov to his back to go up 7-0 when the Uzbek called it a day with 10 seconds left.

Satywart KADIAN (IND), a silver medalist at 97kg a year ago, captured his third career Asian bronze, and he couldn't have cut any closer. He scored the winning takedown at the buzzer, and with an unsuccessful challenge point added, came away with a 5-2 win over Minwon SEO (KOR).

The other bronzes went to: Nodirjon SAFAROV (UZB) at 57kg, Yongseok JEONG (KOR) at 65kg, Islambek OROZBEKOV (KGZ) and Karan MOR (IND) at 70kg, and Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) at 97kg.

The tournament wraps up Sunday with competition in the other five weight classes in freestyle, 61g, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg.

Featured is the return of world and Olympic champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) to the Asian Championships at 86kg for the first time since 2018, when he won the gold in his lone appearance.

Yazdani, the 2019 world champion, has lost only once since 2016, a first-round loss to David TAYLOR (USA) at the 2018 worlds, where he went on to win a bronze medal.

Day 5 Results Freestyle

Finals

57kg (12 entries)
GOLD - Ravi KUMAR (IND) df. Alireza SARLAK (IRI), 9-4
BRONZE - Nodirjon SAFAROV (UZB) df. Ali ABURUMAILA (PLE) by TF, 12-2, 3:55
BRONZE - Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN) df. Muhammad BILAL (PAK), 7-0

65kg (11 entries)
GOLD - Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) df. Bajrang PUNIA (IND) by Default
BRONZE - Yongseok JEONG (KOR) df. Bilguun SARMANDAKH (MGL), 4-4
BRONZE - Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IRI) df Nodir RAKHIMOV (UZB) by Fall, 5:50 (7-0)

70kg (10 entries)
GOLD - Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) df. Sirojiddin KHASANOV (UZB), 6-2
BRONZE - Islambek OROZBEKOV (KGZ) df. Perman HOMMADOV (TKM), 6-1
BRONZE - Karan MOR (IND) df. Seungbong LEE (KOR), 3-1

79kg (11 entries)
GOLD - Byungmin GONG (KOR) d. Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI), 5-3
BRONZE - Narsingh YADAV (IND) df. Ahmed AL GBURI (IRQ), 8-2
BRONZE - Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ) df. Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 6:00

97kg (11 entries)
GOLD - Ali SHABANIBENGAR (IRI) df. Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) by TF, 12-2, 3:44
BRONZE - Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) df. Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL), 1-1
BRONZE - Satywart KADIAN (IND) df. Minwon SEO (KOR), 5-2

#WrestleBratislava

Bullen bullies her way to 65kg gold; Ukraine wins team title

Saturday, April 12, 2025 - 12:13 By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 11) -- Grace BULLEN (NOR) had three European title before Friday, all in different weight classes.

She added a fourth European title, in a new weight class by defeating world and two-time European champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) 11-8 in the 65kg final, the heaviest she has competed in. Bullen won her first European title in 2017, winning gold at 58kg. In 2021, she won at 57kg, last year at 62kg and now at 65kg.

"I feel I've come to like jumping over challenges that I think are difficult but I am fully capable of [overcoming]," Bullen said of switching weight classes for Europeans. "Just getting that out there and proving to myself because I feel that every match, I have to prove something to myself. I did that today, even though it was hard coming here."

In what turned out to be the match of tournament in Women's Wrestling, Bullen and Rigaci went toe-to-toe in the 65kg final. Bullen got on board first with a suplex from standing for four but Ringaci immediately answered with a double-leg takedown and gut wrench to make it 4-4 with Bullen leading on criteria for her bigger move. A stepout gave Bullen a 5-4 lead before she defended a leg-attack from Ringaci to maintain the lead at the break.

"I've seen her throws," she said. "I see how she's able to come out of every position like a wizard. She's a hard opponent to have because she knows how to get out of difficult positions. I have more touch and go and she's likes to scramble, and I'm trying to stay out of it and give her as less as points to her."

Ringaci opened the second period with a takedown on the edge for two points and take the lead 6-5. As Ringaci tried her underhooks, Bullen would block with double-leg attacks. Ringaci would try the whizzer only to give taken down by Bullen. In one such attack, Bullen scored a takedown to reclaim the lead before a sequence gave two points each to both wrestler with Bullen lead 9-8.

Bullen went for the armbar and kept Ringaci in danger for the final minute and won her fourth European title.

Grace BULLEN (NOR) celebrates after winning the 65kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

"I'm trying not to [think about the points given]," she said. "I came into the match with some task and it's to wrestle with my style and I'm trying to do it as best as possible, keeping the distance and keeping my attacks as strong and fast. I know that I went up a weight class mainly because I wanted to meet new opponents. It's a new opponents and I get to challenge my wrestling into it and that's why I bumped up a weight class."

The Paris bronze medalist at 62kg said that after the performance in Paris, where she became the first Norway wrestler to win an Olympic medal in 94 years, it was difficult to restart with an aim of reaching the top level again.

"When you've done a great performance and you have to do it all over again," she said. "But it's like it's a new task. She's not an easy opponent to stand in front of as she's challenging and has a lot of experience on the mat. I have huge respect for all my opponents. I want to do great, even though I know it's difficult. So I'm proud of myself that I was able to do that today"

Bullen, who burst on the scene a decade ago with her big moves, won the U17 world and European titles, gold at the Youth Olympic Games in 2014, the world U23 title. As she grew as a wrestler, hopes with Bullen also grew. However, after failing to qualify for the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, Bullen needed a new lease of life for her wrestling.

Shifting base to Georgia and switching her training accordingly did wonders. She moved up to 62kg, won bronze medal at the World Championships and the Paris Olympic Games. That inspired many as a wrestler with South Sudanese heritage stood on the podium at the Olympics in Women's Wrestling.

Despite all the changes, Bullen wants to keep her style.

"I also don't want to lose Grace Bullen as a wrestler," she said. "Many people know me as a person that does a great lift. I want to be remembered as someone who finds a way that I can win matches and still take with me the great aspect of the wrestler that I always have been. I want to be remembered as someone making some great moments and big moves because I like the wow people get through out of it."

Iryna BONDAR (UKR) drops Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) for the fall at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ukraine wins team title

Ukraine won two more gold medals on Friday, adding to the two won day before and claimed the team title with 180 points. It was in a battle with Turkiye but the latter ended up with 158 points to be at the second place. Romania finished third with 79 points.

Rising start Iryna BONDAR (UKR) claimed the 62kg gold medal on her senior European Championships debut to add another medal to her resume. She capped her dominant run outscoring her opponents 31-5 including a fall in the final.

"This medal is the best one in my career so far," Bondar said. "It’s the senior level. Out of all the medals I’ve ever won, this is the best — the senior European Championships."

Wrestling Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) in the final, Bondar got on board with a point for Lindborg's inactivity before she swung the Swede using underhook and pinned her on the mat. Lindborg had 30-seconds to survive the pin attempt as the first period would have ended but Bondar controlled her and secured the fall with seven seconds remaining in the first period.

The gold medal is another one for the 21-year-old Bondar who has already won all the age-group continental golds.

"I’ve been working toward this," she said. "I progressed step by step — first in the U20 category. Last year was my final year there, then I moved on to U23. And now, for the first time, I’m competing at the senior level. This is a whole different level of wrestling — senior wrestling is tough and intense.

Among her four wins in Bratislava, Bondar defeated former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) 8-1 in the quarterfinals and handed Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) an 8-4 drubbing in the semifinals.

"[At the senior level], your opponents don’t forgive mistakes — if you do something wrong, even by accident, they immediately punish you," she said. "I’m really happy that I was able to defeat such strong opponents, some of whom have already competed at the Olympics. I’m very happy that I managed to win in my weight class."

Bondar, who is in the same weight class as Paris 62kg silver medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), said that she feels best at 62kg. Koliadenko wrestled at 65kg in Bratislava and won a bronze medal. Bondar, with her gold medal, confirmed her spot on the Ukrainian team for the World Championships, like all other gold or silver medalists from the country.

"I’m not planning to compete in 65kg," Bondar said. "I don’t feel like myself there. This year, I’ve already secured my spot and will go to the World Championship in the 62kg category."

The World Championships will be another big test for Bondar who is hoping to get the better of her Asian rivals who wrestle with more speed and attacks than the European wrestlers.

"Are there tougher opponents? Yes, absolutely. The toughest competitors are from Japan — they are the strongest in the world. You gain technique and experience. You wrestle with opponents you haven’t faced before, more experienced ones. You grow by competing against such athletes. I’m gradually building up speed now, over the summer, and we’ll be preparing for the World Championship."

Alla BLENSKA (UKR) celebrates after pinning Nesrin BAS (TUR) for the 72kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ukraine's second gold medal came at 72kg after Alla BELINSKA (UKR) defeated retuning champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) in the final, also via fall.

Bas was called for passivity in the first period and Belinska came out with a perfect headlock throw in the second period to put Bas on the mat and held her for the fall.

Ukraine's wins in the head-to-head bouts against Turkiye helped it claim the team title.

At 57kg, two-time European champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) added a third as she defeated Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 6-4, in the final.

Khoroshavtseva used an outside trip which wasn't successful but she got Kamaloglu in a takedown for two points. Kamaloglu answered with a single-leg takedown and then a turn to lead 4-2.

A snap from Khoroshavtseva helped her get the criteria 4-4 lead and Kamaloglu played catch up for the final two minutes of the bout. Khoroshavtseva used a wrong-direction go-behind for another two points to win her the gold medal, her first since the gold she won in 2021.

"It’s been a long journey and a huge amount of hard work to achieve this kind of result," she said. "I don’t really feel anything at all. The realization will probably come later. For now, it just feels like emptiness — because you gave it your all, and there’s nothing left to feel."

About her final, Khoroshavtseva said that she did not prepare too much and just wanted to wrestle.

"The final match was kind of chaotic, to be honest," she said. "I was more focused on the first day, and by the time the final came, I wasn’t really mentally or physically prepared — I just went out there to wrestle and do whatever I could."

The fifth gold of the night went to Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) who won her first gold medal in her 14th try at the European Championships. She defeated Andreea ANA (ROU) 5-4 in the final.

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Andreea ANA (ROU), 5-3

BRONZE: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) df. Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df. Viyaleta REBIKAVA CHYRYK (UWW), 2-1

57kg
GOLD: Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 6-4

BRONZE: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Jenna HEMIAE (FIN), 10-3
BRONZE: Solomiia VYNNYK (UWW) df. Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW), 4-3

62kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), via fall (5-0)

BRONZE: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 4-3
BRONZE: Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df. Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR), via fall (7-0)

65kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), 11-8

BRONZE: Dinara KUDAEVA (UWW) df. Olha PADOSHYK (POL), 5-0
BRONZE: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), via fall (6-4)

72kg
GOLD: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), via fall

BRONZE: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), 8-3
BRONZE: Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) df. Kseniia BURAKOVA (UWW), 3-2

Otoguro repeats as 65kg champ without a fight as Punia injury aborts anticipated clash

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Bullen bullies her way to 65kg gold; Ukraine wins team title