Ranking Series: Bolat Turlykhanov Cup entries

Wednesday, May 25, 2022 - 14:45 By Eric Olanowski

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (May 25) -- The former Kazakh capital Almaty will host the second of four Ranking Series events, the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup from June 2 to 5.

Over 275 wrestlers from 15 nations spanning Africa, Asia, Europe and Pan-America will make the trek to the southern mountainous region of Kazakhstan for the point-earning Ranking Series event.

On the freestyle side of the competition, the biggest storyline is the insanely stacked squad that Iran is bringing. Leading the charge will be reigning world champions Hassan YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) and Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) and Amir ZARE (IRI). Asian and junior world champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) is moving up from 92kg to 97kg for the event.

Yazdani, the Rio Olympic gold medalist and Tokyo Olympic runner-up, will return to the mat for the first time since his ultra-emotional win over his arch-rival David TAYLOR (USA), which led to him winning his third world title. “The Greatest” enters the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup ranked second at 86kg – 1600 points behind first-ranked Taylor – but will grab the world’s top spot barring a catastrophic meltdown.

Top-ranked Ghasempour has a stronghold on the 92kg field, but top-20 foes No. 11 Orgilokh DAGVADORJ (MGL), No. 15 Viky CHAHAR (IND) and No. 16 Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ) will be looking to halt his hopes of expanding his 7,500-point lead.

Despite social media rumors that Zare has pulled out of the competition due to an injury, he’s still registered for the competition on Wednesday (May 25).

Another Asian freestyle powerhouse bringing a loaded lineup is India. Their team will feature Olympic medalists Ravi KUMAR (IND) and Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and the 2019 world silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND).

The world’s top Greco-Roman wrestler Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) headlines the GR entries. “The Iceman” enters the competition riding a five-tournament win streak and hasn’t lost since 2019. Geraei won Olympic, senior world, U23, and Asian gold medals during that impressive run.

Geraei will be wrestling at 72kg, which is five kilos up from his Olympic-winning weight of 67kg. Another Iranian reigning world champion that’ll also be moving up is Meysam DALKHANI (IRI). He won world gold at 63kg but will replace Geraei at 67kg for this tournament.

Other massive Greco-Roman storylines to follow are the potential matchups at 63kg and 130kg.

Continental champions Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Kerem KAMAL (TUR) are bumping up a weight class and could go toe-to-toe at 63kg.

At 130kg, Olympic silver medalist and top-ranked Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) is the front-runner, but reigning world champion No. 5 Aliakbar YOUSOFIA (IRI) is tailing close behind.

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI), Iran’s Tokyo Olympic Games rep, will look to regain his starting spot from Yousofia, who stepped into Iran’s lineup at the 2021 World Championships after Mirzazadeh tested positive for COVID-19 in the leadup to the Oslo.

Before Oslo, Mirzazadeh grabbed the Tokyo spot from Yousofia with a win in the Poland Open finals.

Other wrestlers to pay attention to at 130kg are reigning Asian champion Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) and Yasar Dogu Ranking Series champion Osman YILDIRIM (TUR).

In women’s wrestling, Olympic bronze medalist and top-ranked Bolortuya BATOCHIR (MGL) will look to grow her narrow 1,200-point lead on Akari FUJINAMI (JPN). She’ll compete at 53kg.

At 76kg, a colossal top-three clash between No. 2 Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and No. 3 Samar HAMZA (EGY) could happen. Medet Kyzy won gold at the Yasar Dogu and Asian Championships this season, while Hamza is fresh off winning gold at the African Championships.

Wrestling begins next Thursday (June 2-5) and can be watched live on uww.org.

Olympic silver medalist Ravi KUMAR (IND) will look to win his third gold medal of the year. He'll compete up at 61kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

57kg
Aman SEHRAWAT (IND)
Zhakhongir AKHMAJANOV (KAZ)
Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ)
Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)
Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ)
Munkh BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Dashtseren PURVEE (MGL)
Nasanbuyan NARMANDAKH (MGL)

61kg
Ravi KUMAR (IND)
Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ)
Zhassulan TASKUL (KAZ)
Yeldos MOMBEKOV (KAZ)
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
Chinzorig TSERMAA (MGL)
Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL)
Baljinnyam DAMJIN (MGL)
Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Shamsiddin IBODOV (TJK)

65kg
Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
Iassaui MUKHTARULY (KAZ)
Rifat SAIBOTALOV (KAZ)
Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL)
Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL)
Tugsjargal ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Komron KHOLOV (TJK)
Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

70kg
Vishal KALIRAMANA (IND)
Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)
Amandyk BAKEYEV (KAZ)
Rodion ANCHUGIN (KAZ)
Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Khanburged GANKHUYAG (MGL)
Begzjav GANSUKH (MGL)
Temuulen ENKHTUYA (MGL)
Muboraksho QURBONBEKOV (TJK)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB)

74kg
Amr Reda RAMADAN (EGY)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ)
Kanat MUSSABEKOV (KAZ)
Byambadorj BAT-ERDENE (MGL)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR)
Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB)
Asomiddin HASANOV (UZB)

79kg
Gourav BALIYAN (IND)
Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ)
Daulet YERGESH (KAZ)
Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ)
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ)
Dulguun ALTANZUL (MGL)
Batzul DAMJIN (MGL)
Byambadorj ENKHBAYAR (MGL)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Jakub SYKORA (SVK)

86kg
Deepak PUNIA (IND)
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Nurzhan ISSAGALIYEV (KAZ)
Abylaikhan NURSULTANOV (KAZ)
Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Temuujin MENDBILEG (MGL)
Tsogtgerel MUNKHBAATAR (MGL)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)
Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB)

92kg
Viky CHAHAR (IND)
Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI)
Islyambek ILYASSOV (KAZ)
Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ)
Abdimanap BAIGENZHEYEV (KAZ)
Orgilokh DAGVADORJ (MGL)

97kg
Deepak NEHRA (IND)
Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI)
Yunus GAFUROV (KAZ)
Akezhan AITBEKOV (KAZ)
Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ)
Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Faizi FAIZZODA (TJK)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Mukhammadrasul RAKHIMOV (UZB)
Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB)

125kg
Mohit GREWAL (IND)
Amir ZARE (IRI)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ)
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)
Batmagnai ENKHTUVSHIN (MGL)
Salim ERCAN (TUR)
Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB)

Reigning world and Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) headlines the Greco-Roman entries. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO)
Arjun HALAKURKI (IND)
Poya DAD MARZ (IRI)
Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ)
Alpamys DASTANBEK (KAZ)
Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ)
Davaabandi MUNKH-ERDENE (MGL)
Aslamdzhon AZIZOV (TJK)
Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB)

60kg
Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
Gyanender DAHIYA (IND)
Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI)
Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI)
Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ)
Yernar FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ)
Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ)
Kuttubek ABDYKERIM UULU (KGZ)
Firuz MIRZORAJABOV (TJK)
Mukhammadkodir YUSUPOV (UZB)
Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB)

63kg
Kerim MACHALIKASHVILI (GEO)
Beka GURULI (GEO)
NEERAJ (IND)
Galym KABDUNASSAROV (KAZ)
Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)
Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ)
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
Dastan KADYROV (KGZ)
Ahmet UYAR (TUR)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)

67kg
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND)
Meysam DALKHANI (IRI)
Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ)
Daniyar KALENOV (KAZ)
Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Khalmurat IBRAGIMOV (KGZ)
Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ)
Abror ATABAEV (UZB)

72kg
VIKAS (IND)
Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI)
Alikhan KOKENOV (KAZ)
Azat SADYKOV (KAZ)
Abylaikhan AMZEYEV (KAZ)
Sheroz OCHILOV (TJK)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)
Jamol JUMABAEV (UZB)

77kg
Khvicha ANANIDZE (GEO)
Sajan BHANWALA (IND)
Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI)
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ)
Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ)
Renat ILIAZ UULU (KGZ)
Habibjon ZUHUROV (TJK)
Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR)
Dilshod OMONGELDIYEV (UZB)

82kg
Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO)
Singh HARPREET (IND)
Pejman POSHTAM (IRI)
Miras BARSHYLYKOV (KAZ)
Rakhmet SAPIYEV (KAZ)
Kalidin ASYKEEV (KGZ)
Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB)

87kg
Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO)
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
Ramin TAHERISARTANG (IRI)
Ali Abdolreza SHARIFI (IRI)
Baurzhan MUSSIN (KAZ)
Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ)
Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ)
Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

97kg
Aleksi LODIA (GEO)
DEEPANSHU (IND)
Mahdi FALLAHHAMIDABADI (IRI)
Yersaiyn SAIFULLA (KAZ)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Sanzhar SERIKKAN (KAZ)
Beksultan MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB)

130kg
Sulkhan BUIDZE (GEO)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
SATISH (IND)
Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI)
Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)
Mansur SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
Anton SAVENKO (KAZ)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Murat RAMONOV (KGZ)
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR)

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) is the biggest star of women's wrestling who'll be in Kazakhstan. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Turkan NASIROVA (AZE)
Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE)
NEELAM (IND)
Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ)
Aigul NURALIM (KAZ)
Namuuntsetseg TSOGT-OCHIR (MGL)
Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL)
Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)

53kg
Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE)
Leyla GURBANOVA (AZE)
Pooja GEHLOT (IND)
Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ)
Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ)
Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL)
Buman ENKHBOLD (MGL)
Bolortuya BAT-OCHIR (MGL)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)
Dilshoda MATNAZAROVA (UZB)

55kg
Sushma SHOKEEN (IND)
Assylzat SAGYMBAY (KAZ)
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Ainur ASHIMOVA (KAZ)
Khishigsuren BATBOLD (MGL)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)

57kg
Mansi AHLAWAT (IND)
Emma TISSINA (KAZ)
Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ)
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL)
Othelie HOEIE (NOR)
Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB)

59kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Sarita MOR (IND)
Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL)
Tsogzolmaa DORJSUREN (MGL)
Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Dilfuza AIMBETOVA (UZB)

62kg
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)
Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE)
Sakshi MALIK (IND)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL)
Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL)
Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL)
Rushana ABDIRASULOVA (UZB)

65kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
MANISHA (IND)
Gaukhar MUKATAY (KAZ)
Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ)
Purevsuren ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL)
Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB)
Dinora RUSTAMOVA (UZB)

68kg
Divya KAKRAN (IND)
Albina KAIRGELDINOVA (KAZ)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL)

72kg
BIPASHA (IND)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB)

76kg
Samar HAMZA (EGY)
Pooja SIHAG (IND)
Inkara ZHANATAYEVA (KAZ)
Ainagul ABIROVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL)
Zagardulam NAIGALSUREN (MGL)
Urtnasan GAN-OCHIR (MGL)

#WrestleAlmaty

Olympic Veteran Orchirbat Nabs Mongolia Ticket to Tokyo in Day’s Final Match

Saturday, April 10, 2021 - 15:47 By Ken Marantz

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (April 10) --- Unlike everyone else who secured an Olympic berth in the women's competition at the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament, ageless Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) had to wait until the evening session to clinch hers. And in the final bout of the day no less.

The veteran -- who appeared at the inaugural Olympic women's wrestling competition at Athens 2004 and will turn 39 in May -- gave Mongolia a fourth Olympic berth from the tournament in Almaty when she finished second at 76kg.

Needing a victory to clinch the silver medal in the five-woman round-robin group, Ochirbat came through with a flurry of second-period points to build up a 10-1 lead before securing a fall at 5:27 over Shakhribonu ELLIEVA (UZB).

"This will be my third Olympics," said Ochirbat, who placed 10th in Athens and eighth at the 2012 London Games. "I am 39. This is very good and I am happy going back to Mongolia."

Ochirbat finished second with a 3-1 record behind 2020 Asian silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), who completed all four of her matches in the afternoon and had already clinched the gold by going undefeated.

The pressure was on Ochirbat when Pooja POOJA (IND) scored a victory by fall over Seoyeon JEONG (KOR) in the preceding match to finish 2-2. Had Ochirbat lost to Ellieva and also finished 2-2, Pooja would have finished second because of her head-to-head victory over Ochirbat.

Ochirbat took nearly four years off after missing out on the Rio 2016 Olympics and had a baby, before returning to competition in April 2019. The three-time world medalist showed she still has it by finishing second at the 2020 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix.

"I missed the Rio Olympics and even before that, I had stopped wrestling," she said. "I didn't know what to do but wrestle, so after a four-year break, I decided to come back, and now I qualified.

"I had a baby and after that, I was at home for a long time. But then I thought I should try for the Tokyo Olympics. Very recently I started training again."

It was a good day overall for the Mongolians, who now have five places at the Tokyo Olympics. The nation had previously secured a spot at 68kg at the 2019 World Championships in Nursultan.

Susaki adds to gold collection
Meanwhile, two-time world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN), having achieved her primary goal of securing a place at the Olympics in her home country, added a bonus with another gold medal for her sprawling collection when she captured the 50kg title.

That weight class also had five entries and was conducted as a single round-robin group. In a showdown of wrestlers who had gone unbeaten in the afternoon session -- which had clinched Olympic spots for both -- Susaki had little trouble in dominating Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL).

Susaki rolled to a 10-0 technical fall in 1:49, giving her a combined time of 7:59 on the mat in four matches -- all technical falls, and without surrendering a point. While she finished off the final win with her trademark lace lock, she also scored with something a bit different for her, a front headlock roll.

"I was absolutely determined to seize this chance to qualify on my own," Susaki said of her performance. "I had the courage to be aggressive and go on the attack first, and the matches went as I wanted."

As for tossing all shutouts, Susaki said, "No matter what match it is, it was part of going for the Olympics and I stayed focused, so that was good."

For the 21-year-old from Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo where the wrestling venue for the Tokyo Olympics is located, the victory caps a long, delayed road to achieving of dream of qualifying for the chance of an Olympic gold.

"I'm really happy that I can now get down to the business of preparing for the Tokyo Olympics," she said. "Heading toward August, I will train even harder so I can win the gold medal."

In other finals, 2018 world bronze medalist Feng ZHOU (CHN) put together the kind of match that was missing in the afternoon to dominate 2019 world junior silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) with an 8-0 victory for the 68kg gold.

Zhou, who will head to Tokyo looking to vastly improve on a 12th-place finish at the Rio 2016 Olympics, had had to come from behind to eke out a 7-5 win over Zhumanazarova in the preliminary group match.

But in the rematch, the tall Chinese came out far more aggressively and scored early with a front headlock roll to take a 2-0 lead into the second period. She padded the lead with a spin-behind takedown and gut wrench, then added an 2-point exposure off a counter.

In the 57kg final, Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL) held on for a 7-4 win over Anshu ANSHU (IND) that went down to the wire.

Boldsaikhan, who scored a takedown and roll for a 4-1 lead early in the second period, had the advantage on criteria when Anshu tied the score at 4-all. In the final seconds, the Mongolian scored a takedown that was unsuccessfully challenged to clinch the victory.

The two other finals went uncontested due to injury defaults. Jia LONG (CHN) took the 62kg gold over rising star Sonam SONAM (IND), while Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) was awarded the 53kg gold over Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ).

Both Sonam and Akhmetova Amanzhol suffered knee injuries in their semifinal matches, and noticably limped onto the mat to concede in the finals.

Women's wrestling results

50kg
GOLD - Yui SUSAKI (JPN) 4-0
SILVER - Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) 3-1
BRONZE - Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB) 2-2
Key Match: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) by TF, 10-0, 1:49, in Round 5

53kg
GOLD - Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) df. Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ) by Default
BRONZE - Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE) df. Hyungjoo KIM (KOR) by Default

57kg
GOLD - Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL) df. Anshu ANSHU (IND), 7-4
BRONZE - Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) df. Jieun UM (KOR) by Fall, 1:28 (4-0)

62kg
GOLD - Jia LONG (CHN) df. Sonam SONAM (IND) by Default
BRONZE - Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ), 4-2

68kg
GOLD - Feng ZHOU (CHN) df. Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), 8-0
BRONZE - Nisha NISHA (IND) df. Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR) by Fall, :44 (8-0)

76kg
GOLD - Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) 4-0
SILVER - Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) 3-1
BRONZE - Pooja POOJA (IND) 2-2|
Key match: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) by TF, 10-0, 1:41, in Round 4

Ranking Series: Bolat Turlykhanov Cup entries

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Olympic Veteran Orchirbat Nabs Mongolia Ticket to Tokyo in Day’s Final Match