Rio Medalist Saritov Keeps Olympic Hopes Alive While Demirtas' Bid Ends

Thursday, May 6, 2021 - 15:37 By Ken Marantz

SOFIA, Bulgaria (May 6) -- Rio Olympic bronze medalist Albert SARITOV (ROU) moved one win away from qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, while Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) saw his dream of another Olympic medal end when he failed to survive in the cut-throat 74kg division.

Saritov had one close call but managed to advance to the semifinals at 97kg as the freestyle competition opened the final world Olympic qualifying tournament with a marathon morning session on Thursday in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The winners of the semifinals in the night session at the spectator-less Arena Armeec Sport Hall earn tickets to Tokyo for their countries, and in most cases, themselves.

Russia and the United States both kept their bids alive to field a complete lineups at the Tokyo Games. Sergei KOZYREV (RUS) secured a place in the final four at 125kg, the only freestyle weight class the European powerhouse had not yet filled, while Jordan OLIVER (USA) did likewise at 65kg.

Kazakhstan, however, will have to be content with entrants in five of the six weight classes in Tokyo after Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) suffered a heartbreaking 2-2 loss to Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) at 86kg in a clash between former world U23 silver medalists.

Slovenia moved closer to having its first-ever Olympic wrestler when 2017 European bronze medalist David HABAT (SLO) stormed into the 65kg semifinals with a 10-0 technical fall over Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA). He will face Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) for the Tokyo ticket.

"I am happy about my wrestling," Habat said. "Usually I would give a good interview but I am really focused on the next match right now. The past matches were good because I got here [semifinal]. So that's why I can say that I am happy about how I wrestled. It's good to reflect back and say that I am doing the right thing."

Asked about his dominant victory in the quarterfinals, he replied, "I can improve here and there. I am taking a lot of shots and I want to convert all of them. I am good in those positions but against world class-level guys, it's hard to takedown."

The Russian-born Saritov posted a workmanlike 4-0 victory over Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) to advance to the 97kg semifinals, where he will face Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR), who placed fifth at the Rio Olympics. Andriitsev barreled into the last four with a 10-0 technical fall over Timofei XENIDIS (GRE) that took less than a minute.

Saritov survived a scare in the second round, when he was losing 6-5 to Radoslaw BARAN (POL) before catching him with a back trip for 4 points wtih 28 seconds left for a 9-6 win.

In the other smeifinal at 97kg, ex-Russian Ahmed BATAEV (BUL), who placed third at last year's Individual World Cup, will face Abraham CONYEDO RUANO (ITA).

Olympic host Japan could add two more to its lineup as 2017 world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) at 57kg and Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) at 86kg both advanced to the semifinals.

Yuki TAKAHASHI World Olympic Qualifier

Takahashi, who was dispatched to Sofia after Rio 2016 silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) failed to make weight at last month's Asian Olympic qualifier in Almaty, was hardly challenged as he chalked up a pair of technical falls, including an 11-0 rout of Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) in the quarterfinals.

"I went at my pace from beginning to end [in my two matches]," Takahashi said. "If I win in the
semifinal, it will clinch an Olympic place, so I will go all out."

Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) will face Reineri ANDREU (CUB) with the Olympic ticket on the line, a rematch of the bronze-medal match at the 2018 World Championships won by Takahashi.

If Takahashi wins, he will have to face Higuchi in a playoff later this monty for the Tokyo berth.

In the other 57kg semifinal, three-time European champion Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) will face 2018 Asian Games champion Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) Takatani also won by technical fall in the round-of-8, overwhelming Istvan VEREB (HUN) 12-0, but that came after a nailbiting win in the previous round. Against Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP), he gave up a 4-point takedown at the edge that was awarded on challenge to fall behind on criteria, but scored a stepout with :05 left to win 5-4.

Blocking his path to a third career Olympic appearance is Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), who defeated Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM) by 12-2 technical fall in the quarterfinals.

Abakarov will take on Boris MAKOEV (SVK), who scored a takedown in the final :10 to eke out a 4-2 win over Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB).

"I needed to reassess my wrestling for this tournament as this is a big one," Abakarov said. "All the bouts were so tough apart from the second one."

At 74kg, Rio 2016 bronze medalist Demirtas met his match in Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (BLR), the 2020 European champion at 79kg who advanced to the semifinals with an 8-4 victory.

"My wrestling is better than ever and now I just want to win the gold medal here," Kadimagomedov said. "Soner is a very nice guy and a good wrestler, his record talks for itself."

Just to set up that match, Demirtas first had to get past Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) in the second round, coming back from a 3-0 deficit against the native Russian by scoring three takedowns and a roll in the second period to win 8-3.

Kadimagomedov will hardly have it any easier in the semifinals, where he will face red-hot Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), another Russian transplant who is coming off an impressive run to the gold at the European Championships.

Salkazanov, a 2019 world bronze medalist at 79kg, survived a scare in the quarterfinals against Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL). He was still trailing on criteria when he knotted the score at 4-4 late in the second period, then scored a takedown with :25 left for a 6-4 win.

"In the beginning of the quarterfinal, I was not good as I conceded four points but as I continued wrestling, I was able to defeat him," Salkazanov said. "I have wrestled him before and he is very tough. I lost to him in the European qualifiers but this time I defeated him.

"There is no secret to my wins or my good wrestling. I just focus on winning and I fight continuously to defeat my opponent."

For Umarpashaev, it was deja vu all over. At the European Olympic qualifier, he lost after leading 6-0 in the semifinals against 2018 world silver medalist Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO).

American-born Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR), a European bronze medalist who wrestled at Duke University in the U.S., put together three solid matches to earn a clash with Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) in the other semifinal at 74kg.

In the 65kg quarterfinals, Oliver snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when he scored a takedown with :35 left, then held on to edge Gor OGANNESYAN (UKR) 3-3.

Jordan Oliver World Olympic Qualifier

"The Ukrainian is a tough competitor, very good with his hands and hard to penetrate [his defense]," said Oliver, the silver medalist at the 2020 Matteo Pellicone tournament. "If I am being honest with myself I need more attacks, more attempts, put myself in more scoring positions.

"The push was there the whole match, I took it when I needed it. There were a couple of more times I could have put myself in scoring positions."

Oliver said it was particularly difficult to come back on such an opponent.

"These are situations that we go through when we train," he said. "I knew it was coming, I had to make contact. The shot was there to take and I took it. His was very feisty defensively to hold the guy like that in the last 24 seconds. I knew he was bringing everything he had."

Oliver still has a tough hill to get over in semifinal opponent Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), another former Russian and a two-time former world medalist. Gadzhiev had to get past a formidable foe himself to set up the clash, beating three-time European silver medalist Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) 2-1, with all of the points coming on the activity clock.

"The quarterfinal was definitely a tough fight, but the semifinal is tougher," Gadzhiev said. "So I am going to focus on that."

At 125kg, the young Kozyrev, coming off a silver medal finish at the European Championships, set up a clash in the semifinals with Daniel LIGETI (HUN). Kozyrev topped Robert BARAN (POL) 7-1 in the quarterfinals, while Ligeti made short work of Dilmukhammed NURMUKHAMEDOV (UZB), notching a 10-0 technical fall.

The other semifinal pits Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) and Sumit MALIK (IND). Diaz Robertti hanged on for a 3-3 win over Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE), while Malik ousted fellow Asian Rustam ISKANDARI (TJK) 10-5.

With this the last chance for Olympic qualifying, it is understandable that tensions are high, and it caused one wrestler to snap.

In a qualification round bout at 97kg, Minwon SEO (KOR) took exception to being slammed into the matside advertising boards by Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL) as they went out of bounds. Seo kicked out at his opponent, for which he was disqualified.

Freestyle Results

57kg
Semifinals
Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) vs Reineri ANDREU (CUB)
Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) vs Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL)

Quarterfinals
Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) by TF, 11-0
Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) df. Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA), 3-2
Reineri ANDREU (CUB) df. Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ), 7-5
Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) df. Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK), 11-4

65kg
Semifinals
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) vs David HABAT (SLO)
Jordan OLIVER (USA) vs Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)

Quarterfinals
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) df. Juan GONZALEZ (ESP) TF, 10-0
Jordan OLIVER (USA) df. Gor OGANNESYAN (UKR), 3-3
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO), 2-1
David HABAT (SLO) df. Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA) by TF, 10-0

74kg
Semifinals
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) vs Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) vs Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (BLR)

Quarterfinals
Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL), 6-4
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) df. Aimar ANDRUSE (EST) by TF, 11-0
Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (BLR) df. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), 8-4
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR) df. Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), 9-2

86kg
Semifinals
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) vs Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) vs Boris MAKOEV (SVK)

Quarterfinals
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), 2-2
Boris MAKOEV (SVK) df. Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB), 4-2
Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) df. Istvan VEREB (HUN) by TF, 12-0
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) df. Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM) by TF, 12-2

97kg
Semifinals
Abraham CONYEDO RUANO (ITA) vs Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR) vs Albert SARITOV (ROU)

Quarterfinals
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL) df. Satywart KADIAN (IND), 5-5
Albert SARITOV (ROU) df. Samuel SCHERRER (SUI), 4-0
Abraham CONYEDO RUANO (ITA) df. Ulrich MANOUAN (CIV) by TF, 10-0
Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR) df. Timofei XENIDIS (GRE) by TF, 10-0

125kg
Semifinals
Sergei KOZYREV (RUS) vs Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) vs Sumit MALIK (IND)

Quarterfinals
Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) df. Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE) 3-3
Sumit MALIK (IND) df. Rustam ISKANDARI (TJK), 10-5
Daniel LIGETI (HUN) df. Dilmukhammed NURMUKHAMEDOV (UZB) by TF, 10-0
Sergei KOZYREV (RUS) df. Robert BARAN (POL), 7-1

#WrestleZagreb

Onishi encounters rough waters before sailing to 59kg gold

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 22:50 By Ken Marantz

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- Looking over at her coach was enough to inspire rising teenage star Sakura ONISHI (JPN) after she suffered a rare lapse early in the match. Having a four-time Olympic champion in your corner will have that effect.

Onishi bounced back from an early deficit to pile on points before notching a late victory by fall over Maria VYNNYK (URK) in the 59kg final at the World Championships in Zagreb on Tuesday, when the first two golds were awarded in women's wrestling.

"I'm really happy," said Onishi, who fell behind 6-1 before building up a 17-8 lead and ending the match with :09 left, giving her the gold in her senior world debut a month after winning a second straight world U20 title.

In a battle between continental champions for the other gold up for grabs, Asian titlist Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) needed less than a period to rout European winner Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) 10-0 and become the second women's world champion in her country's history.

Also Read: Amouzad avenges Paris loss to Kiyooka

The 19-year-old Onishi currently attends powerhouse Nippon Sport Science University, where among her teammates is Paris Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN). And one of her coaches is four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN), who is also among the Japanese team staff in Zagreb and was in Onishi's corner on Tuesday.

When Vynnyk, a three-time European U23 bronze medalist, scored an arm-drag takedown and added two gut wrenches to take a 6-1 lead, Onishi looked for the best source of inspiration she could find.

"I panicked a little, 'What should I do?'" Onishi said. "But I was determined to get the points back. Even if I give up a lot of points, it was still within what I had imagined might happen. There was still time and I thought it was alright.

"I looked at Kaori's face and thought, 'OK, just do it.'"

Kaori ICHO (JPN), left, congratulates Sakura ONISHI (JPN) after the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

From that point, Onishi went on a rampage, scoring a double-leg takedown and gut wrench combination, an ankle-pick takedown, then a snapdown takedown to finish the first period with a 9-6 lead.

She opened the second period with another takedown, but then gave up points -- awarded on challenge -- when Vynnyk hit a counter lift. That made her wary and more precise with her attacks after that.

"I thought that that was what she was aiming for," Onishi said. "I had practiced stopping it. I knew if I used my hand fighting and feints well, I could definitely get the points. Up to the end, as I was dealing with that, I thought to keep penetrating."

After adding another takedown, Onishi thwarted a reverse counter lift to score 4 points and land Vynnyk on her back, where the Japanese met little resistance in securing the fall.

While Onishi relished reaching the pinnacle on the senior level, she has set her sites even higher -- the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"It was really a fun tournament," Onishi said. "I had always been longed to be here. But this has not been my dream, it is the Olympics. Aiming for that, I have been told this is just a stage along the way. I am glad I could clear this stage.

"I will keep on working to get to Los Angeles. There will be various things that come up, but I will stay focused so that I can stand on the highest step of the podium in Los Angeles."

Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) added a world title to her Asian title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Unlike Onishi, Oh encountered little difficulty in blowing away Verbina and adding the world gold to the Asian one she won in March in Amman.

"When I won the Asian and World Championships, I felt that all the tough training and hard work had finally paid off," Oh said.

Oh, also the Asian silver medalist in 2024, opened with a single-leg takedown, then reeled off three trap-arm rolls for a quick 8-0 lead. Another takedown attempt resulted in both wrestlers in a switch position, and Oh eventually gained control to end the match at 2:50.

"I wanted to show all the skills I’ve been training for in the best way possible," she said. "I thought that if I became a champion, I could make my father proud and bring a smile to his face. He was overjoyed and celebrated our victory in the international competitions, which made us recognized everywhere."

Oh joined Yong-Mi PAK (PRK), who won the 53kg gold in Nur-Sultan in 2019, as the lone women to win golds for DPR Korea. Her victory came a day after Chongsong HAN (PRK) won the freestyle 65kg gold, the country's first in that style since 2014.

The two bronze medalists at 55kg -- Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), left, and Andreea ANA (ROU). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Ana claims elusive bronze at 55kg

Andreea ANA (ROU), a three-time European champion making her seventh trip to a World Championships or Olympics, finally made it onto the medal podium.

The 24-year-old Ana secured an elusive bronze medal at 55kg, clinching a 6-3 victory over Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) in a late scramble that had to be sorted out after the final buzzer.

Leading 2-1, with all of the points scored on the activity clock, Ana and Sanz Verdecia both gained 2-point exposures in a flurry that ended with the Cuban on top. But Ana reached back and flung Sanz Verdecia to the mat just as time expired for a final 2 that was confirmed on challenge.

Japan picked up the other 55kg bronze when Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), winner of the world U20 title at 57kg last year, finished up a 10-0 victory over Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) with 33 seconds left.

Uchida opened the scoring with a 4-point counter to a throw attempt in the first period, then methodically scored three takedowns to secure the bronze in her senior world debut.

At 59kg, Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) rallied to an 8-4 victory over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), while Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) won the other bronze with a second-period fall of Othelie HOEIE (NOR).

Togtokh, second at the Mongolia Ranking Series event in May, had given up a go-ahead takedown with :43 left when she quickly reversed, then gut wrenched Sidelnikova over for a 6-4 lead. She added a takedown just before the buzzer.

Beauregard was trailing 2-0 in the second period when she scored a takedown, then turned Hoeie over and secured the fall in 4:30.

Day 4 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg
SEMIFINAL: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), 3-2
SEMIFINAL: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) by Fall, 4:22 (9-0)

55kg (18 entries)
GOLD: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) by TF, 10-0, 2:50

BRONZE: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) by TF, 10-0, 5:26
BRONZE: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB), 6-3

57kg
SEMIFINAL: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) by Fall, 3:11 (5-0)
SEMIFINAL: Il Sim SON (PRK) df. Kexin HONG (CHN) by TF, 12-2, 3:55

59kg (22 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Maria VYNNYK (URK) by Fall, 5:51 (17-5)

BRONZE: Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), 8-4
BRONZE: Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) df. Othelie HOEIE (NOR) by Fall, 4:30 (4-2)

65kg
SEMIFINAL: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 4:27
SEMIFINAL: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) by TF, 13-3, 3:32

76kg
SEMIFINAL: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 10-5
SEMIFINAL: Genesis REASCO (ECU) df. Milaimy MARIN (CUB), 5-3

Rio Medalist Saritov Keeps Olympic Hopes Alive While Demirtas' Bid Ends

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Onishi encounters rough waters before sailing to 59kg gold