#Trnava2018

Riesterer’s Road to Dethrone World Champ Susaki

Thursday, September 20, 2018 - 08:45 By Eric Olanowski

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TRNAVA, Slovakia (September 20) - On Thursday night, Ellen RIESTERER will try to become the first German women to win a junior world gold medal since Anita Schaetzle reached the top of the podium back in 2001. 

To do so, she’ll have to dethrone reigning senior-level world champion, Yui SUSAKI (JPN). Susaki, who is wrestling for the first time on the junior circuit is a three-time cadet world champion and last year's senior-level world champion. The Japanese superstar has never lost to a non-Japanese opponent.

“Yui Susaki is one of the best wrestlers in the world, but she’s only 19-years-old, and I have to remember that,” Riesterer said. “She doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, but maybe she’ll make one or two mistakes that I can use in my favor.” 

Riesterer is trying to get Germany back to their winning ways after dropping four straight gold-medal matches at the junior world championships. For that to happen, Riesterer, the European bronze medalist has to focus on listening to her coaches in the 50kg gold-medal bout.

Ellen RIESTERER (GER) scores a 6-2 semifinals win over Marina ZAKSHEVSKAYA (KAZ). (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

“At the junior European championships, I wrestled with my headgear on, and I couldn’t understand my coaches well, so I was just doing my own thing.” Since then, Riesterer has removed the headgear and placed more of an emphasis on listening to her coaches. 

“I’ve worked so hard on listening better to what the coaches say because I’m such a mental wrestler. I need my coaches. My coaches help calm my nerves, and that helps me mentally.” 

Riesterer will have to check her nerves at the door of the City Sports Hall before the 50kg finals if she has hopes of stopping Susaki from reaching the top of the world podium for the fifth time. 

In a joking manner, Riesterer ended with, "I'm just glad I made the finals because my sister came all the way here to watch me wrestle. I told her that I wanted to get a medal because if I didn’t, she would have traveled all this way to see me cry.” 

The women's wrestling finals begin on Thursday night at 18:00. Riesterer and Susaki will be the second match up on Mat B.  

#WrestleTirana

Sadulaev shuts down Taylor in World Championships showdown

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - 11:59 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 30) -- Two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) would have expected his return to the World Championships to make all the noise in Tirana. After all, it had been two years since he last competed at the World Championships.

Enter Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) and David TAYLOR (USA). The former, who last won the world title in 2021, was not able to compete at the Paris Olympics and was injured during the semifinal of the 2023 World Championships.

Taylor, world champion in 2023, missed the Paris Olympics after losing the trials in the United States, announced his retirement and took a coaching job. He came out of retirement and decided to compete at the World Championships and retire.

Both are not 92kg wrestlers. Sadulaev has been a true 97kg for eight years now. Taylor is competing at this weight for the first time after dominating 86kg for years. But the two were pitted against each other in the opening round of the World Championships in Tirana at 92kg.

The small Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana did not have space to sit. So where one could, they stood to watch the two wrestle. Saudulaev in a singlet not meant for his 92kg body. Taylor, in his customary elbow on the thigh and waiting for his opponent.

No one knew what was going to happen. Sadulaev was reducing weight, and Taylor was gaining. How would the two match up? It was this lack that prompted the fans to cheer for both. But after the first period, the picture became much clearer. Sadulaev shut down Taylor's offense and came out of the pressure bout 7-0.

After the initial collar ties, Taylor went for the offense. He got on Sadulaev's leg and tried the lift but Sadulaev was swift to get out of the hold. Taylor continued his attack. That's the only way he knows wrestling. Taylor took another offensive shot and Sadulaev, with lessons from the previous attack, pressured forward to neutralize the attack and scored a go-behind for two. Sadulaev resorted to heavy snapdowns and Taylor wasn't able to defend the second one. Within two minutes, Sadulaev was up 4-0.

The speed and power was Sadulaev was impressively superior to that of Taylor who decided to change a little in the second period. He went for the far leg of Sadulaev. But Sadulaev was quick and spun behind Taylor and scored a takedown with less than two minutes left.

By this time, Ghasempour had finished his bout on the other mat. He defeated Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 6-0 in a rather slow bout.

Sadulaev now had to defend his 5-0 lead. Taylor continued his aggressive approach and got on Sadulaev's right leg. What he did not expect was the quick counter from Sadulaev who pushed Taylor and scored an exposure for two. It was evident that Taylor could not match Sadulaev.

David TAYLOR (USA)David TAYLOR (USA) in the warm-up hall after his bout against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) at 92kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I did not score on the two times I shot and he did," Taylor said after the bout. "That was the difference. I needed to score on those two occasions."

Taylor and Sadulaev went to the warm-up hall but the former sat for more than 45 minutes in silence. He finally broke his silence and talked to the United States coaches after his leg attacks. After spending 30 more minutes gathering his thoughts, Taylor packed his bags and left.

On the training mats, Ghasempour and Sadulaev jogged before cooling down after their bouts. If both continue to win, they are expected to meet in the semifinals.

The match will be rather important for Taylor as well. He will hope for a Sadulaev win which will give him the chance to wrestle for the bronze medal.

"I expect him to make the finals and come back tomorrow," Taylor said. "I need to wrestle better that is my focus for now."

If he does wrestle Thursday, fans will only be treated to another blockbuster. A Ghasemoour-Taylor bout. The only downside will be that one will go home empty-handed.