Military C'Ships

Ramonov Wins Gold, Russia Takes Seven Titles at Military C’ships

By Ali Feizasa

Olympic and world champion Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) captured 70kg title at 2018 Freestyle World Military championships as Russia team earned seven gold medals to win team title. While, two gold medals went to Iran and Mongolia took one.

The host team Russia failed to earn gold in light weights as Mehran REZAZADEH (IRI) took 57k gold medal and KHASHERDENE (MGL) succeed to beat Dmitrii AKSENOV (RUS) in the final match to win 61kg top spot.

But Russian started to sweep gold medals from 65kg. Nachyn KUULAR (RUS) defeated Hyeon Sik SONG (KOR) by FALL in 65kg finale and RAMONOV grabbed 70kg title.

RAMONOV (RUS) downed Alexander SEMISOROW (GER), 12-5 in the final match to repeat his last year’s title in World Military Championships.

Zaurbek SIDAKOV gave the host team third gold medal, defeating Iranian Hamed RASHIDI, 11-3 in 74kg final bout.

In 79kg, 2015 world champion Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) beat Bahman TEIMOURI (IRI) by Technical Fall, 12-2 to compensate recent deficit in European championships. TSABOLOV scored 10 points against two points of Iranian rival in first period and added two more points in second period to earn Technical Fall victory.

86kg gold medal went to Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) which downed Kanan ALIYEV (AZE), 6-4.

Iurii BELONOVSKII (RUS) bagged sixth gold for Russian, winning Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ), 8-3 to earn 92kg top spot.

Just a few days after achieving European gold medal, Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) doubled in a month defeating Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI), in 97kg final match.

BAITCAEV scored six points in first period and added two point more in second period to take gold by 8-2 victory against Iranian team member in Paris World Championships.

Yadollah MOHEBI, a 2017 Asian champion, stopped consecutive victories of Russian in the finals and took gold medal in heavy weight by defeating Nurzhan OMIRBEKOV (KAZ). MOHEBI who placed second in Iran team trials just a week ago, downed OMIRBEKOV by technical fall 10-0 victory.

MOHEBI was second gold medal winner of Iran in Freestyle Military World Championships

2018 FR World Military World Championships team standings:

1- Russia 225 pts (7 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze)
2- Iran 163 pts (2 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze)
3- Kazakhstan 117 pts (2 silver, 5 bronze)
4- Azerbaijan 109 pts (1 silver, 3 bronze)
5- Mongolia (1 gold, 1 bronze)

Results:

57kg

GOLD- Mehran REZAZADEH (IRI) df. Un Gwang PAK (PRK), 4-3
BRONZE- Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) df. Afqan KHASHALOV (AZE), 2-1
BRONZE- Sung Gwon KIM (KOR) df. Horst LEHR (GER), 5-0

61kg

GOLD- B. KHASHERDENE (MGL) df. Dmitrii AKSENOV (RUS), 9-4
BRONZE- Mohammad NAMJOOMOTLAGH (IRI) df. Adrian VOCK (SUI), 11-2
BRONZE- Yeldos ABIKENOV (KAZ) df. Zhenguang TIAN (CHN), by FALL

65kg

GOLD- Nachyn KUULAR (RUS) df. Hyeon Sik SONG (KOR), by FALL
BRONZE- Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA) df. MUHAMMAD (PAK) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) df. Peiman BIABANI (IRI), by FALL

70kg

GOLD- Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) df. Alexander SEMISOROW (GER), 12-5
BRONZE- B. BVAMBADORJ (MGL) df. Mazen KADMANI (SYR) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Azamat SHGAPULY (KAZ) df. Yazdan SANAEI (IRI), 7-5

74kg

GOLD- Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Hamed RASHIDI (IRI), 11-3
BRONZE-Baibolsyn KURMANBEKOV (KAZ) df. Johann STEINFORTH (GER) by TF, 12-1
BRONZE- Joshqun AZIMOV (AZE) df. Botond LUKACS (HUN) by TF, 10-0

79kg

GOLD- Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) df. Bahman TEIMOURI (IRI) by TF, 12-2
BRONZE- Galymzhan USERBAYEV (KAZ) df. Orkhan ABASOV (AZE), 5-3
BRONZE- Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) df. Mohamad FEPACASTA (SYR) by TF, 11-0

86kg

GOLD- Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) df. Kanan ALIYEV (AZE), 6-4
BRONZE- Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI) df. Adil IRSHAD (PAK) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Nurdaulet KOKTEUBAEV (KAZ) df. CH. USUKHBAYAR (MGL), 7-3

92kg

GOLD- Iurii BELONOVSKII (RUS) df. Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ), 8-3
BRONZE- Gabor HATOS (HUN) df. Askhab HAMZATOV (AZE), 2-1
BRONZE- Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) df. Arashk MOHEBI (IRI), 9-2

97kg

GOLD- Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) df. Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI), 8-2
BRONZE-Dzianis KHRAMTANKOU (BLR) df. Mohammed FARDJ (AKG) by TF, 12-2
BRONZE- Roman BAKIROV (AZE) df. Saasaa VICTOR JULIAN (COL) by TF, 10-0

125kg

GOLD- Yaduollah MOHEBI (IRI) df. Nurzhan OMIRBEKOV (KAZ) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Raja ALKARAD (SYR) df. Hamza HALOVI (ALG) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Alan KHUGAEV (RUS) df. Zhiwei DENG (CHN), 2-1

#WrestleBratislava

On 14th attempt, Prevolaraki wins historic European gold for Greece

By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 11) -- Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) made her first trip to the European Championships in 2011 when she was 19 years old. She competed in 14 European Championships and returned home with eight medals -- four silvers and four bronzes -- over the last 13 years.

Now 33 and competing at her 14th European Championships, Prevolaraki won her first gold medal with a thrilling win over Andreea ANA (ROU), ending a 24-year wait for Greece to have a champion in Women's Wrestling at the continental event. Former world champion Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE) was the last and only other European champion for Greece in Women's Wrestling.

"I am very happy that I managed to earn the gold medal," Prevolaraki said. "I was waiting so many years to be the European champion and I am 33 years old but I managed to do it."

Over the years, Prevolaraki has lost four finals, all to different opponents. But Friday, she managed to keep her composure in a close bout for the win.

"This time I am more experienced and I did not feel any pressure," she said.  I played freely and good things happen when you have no pressure."

Wrestling in Bratislava in the 53kg weight class, Prevolaraki was hit with passivity first and put on the 30-second clock which expired without Prevolaraki scoring to give Ana 1-0 lead.

Ana extended her lead to 3-0 when Prevolaraki tried to hit a cut-back but was unsuccessful in the move. With more than two minutes remaining, Ana tried defending her 3-0 lead but was put on the activity clock when 1:10 were left.

During the 30-second period, Prevolaraki went for the leg-attack but Ana moved and tried getting behind Prevolaraki which she almost did and tried throwing the Greek with a cradle. But Prevolaraki was alerted and did not land in danger and scored a takedown. The activity clock against Ana expired which added another point for Prevolaraki, making the score 3-3 with the Greece wrestler leading on criteria of last point scored.

Romania decided to challenge, a strategic one. Even a lost challenge would need Ana to score a point to win from 4-3 with Prevolaraki lead and 3-3 with criteria to Prevolaraki.

On review, Romania lost the challenge and Prevolaraki led 4-3. Ana hit a sweep single and tried forcing Prevolaraki out of bounds but the Greece wrestler turned it around to get Ana's head out first and get another point to lead 5-3 which she defended and won the gold medal.

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) at the medal ceremony of the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

"I think I have had a good career," she said. "I am sad that I don't have an Olympic medal but I have many European medals and world Championships medals."

Prevolaraki, a four-time Olympian, a rare feat in wrestling, paid tribute to three-time Olympic champion Buvaisar SAITIEV, by wearing a shirt with his photo and message. Saitiev had passed away in March at the age of 49 years.

"The legend [Saitiev] is for all wrestler all over the world and his legend has no bounds. I wanted to pay a tribute to this legend," she said.