#WrestlePontevedra

Russia and Azerbaijan to Meet Twice in Saturday's Freestyle Finals

By Eric Olanowski

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (June 7) – Russia’s Greco-Roman squad won 14 of 15 matches on their opening day of competition and inserted four wrestlers into the finals. Their freestyle team matched their Greco-Roman countrymen, placing four wrestlers into the finals, but did so by winning 12 out of 13 matches. 

Russia’s four Day 6 finalists are Nachyn MONGUSH, Muslim SAIDULAEV, Magomed ABDULKADYROV, and Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV. The quartet will wrestle for gold medals at 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, and 79kg, respectively. 

Russia will take on Azerbaijan in two of their four gold medal bouts on Saturday night

The first Russian and Azerbaijan finals meeting will be at 65kg where Muslim Saidulaev will wrestle defending cadet world and European champion Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE); and the second meeting between Russia and Azerbaijan will happen at 79kg, where Amkhad Tashukhadzhiev will meet 2016 cadet world champion Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)

Returning junior world bronze medalist Vasile DIACON (MDA) is one of two Moldovan wrestlers competing in Saturday night's freestyle finals. He'll wrestle in the 70kg gold-medal bout. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Similar to Azerbaijan, Moldova and Turkey will also have two representatives in Saturday night’s finals. 

Junior world bronze medalist Vasile DIACON (MDA) and 2015 cadet European bronze medalist Radu LEFTER (MDA) will wrestle for Moldova in the 70kg and 97kg finals, respectively; and Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) and Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR), the 2015 cadet European champion, will compete in the 57kg and 97kg gold-medal matches, respectively.

The Day 6 freestyle finals will start at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 

57kg 
GOLD -Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) vs. Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS)
SEMIFINALS - Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) df. Kamil KERYMOV (UKR), 8-5
SEMIFINALS - Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS) df. Ioannis MARTIDIS (GRE), 11-0 

65kg 
GOLD -Muslim SAIDULAEV (RUS) vs. Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
SEMIFINALS - Muslim SAIDULAEV (RUS) df. Dzianis SALAVEI (BLR), 10-0 
SEMIFINALS - Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA), 3-1 

70kg 
GOLD -Vasile DIACON (MDA) vs. Magomed ABDULKADYROV (RUS)
SEMIFINALS - Vasile DIACON (MDA) df. Omer CAYIR (TUR), 2-2 
SEMIFINALS - Magomed ABDULKADYROV (RUS) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 2-2 

79kg 
GOLD -Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS) vs. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
SEMIFINALS - Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS) df. Arman AVAGYAN (ARM), 9-8 
SEMIFINALS - Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df. Erik REINBOK (EST), 10-0 

97kg
GOLD -Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) vs. Radu LEFTER (MDA)
SEMIFINALS - Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df. Artur VEGH (HUN), 13-0  
SEMIFINALS - Radu LEFTER (MDA) df. Aleh MATORNY (BLR), 10-0 

#UnitedWorldWrestling

Lalovic awarded 'Dustlik' Order by Uzbekistan

By United World Wrestling Press

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (October 14) -- United World Wrestling President Nenad LALOVIC was awarded the Dustlik Order by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV on Monday in the Uzbekistan capital.

Lalovic was on an official visit to Uzbekistan and was awarded the order for significant contribution to the development of mass sports and support for martial arts in Uzbekistan.

During the meeting, Lalovic and Mirziyoyev also discussed increasing co-operation between UWW and Uzbekistan, providing expert support and promoting sports in the country, mainly wrestling, Kurash, and Mixed Martial Arts.

Uzbekistan, a country with rich history of wrestling, has seen exceptional results recently with its Greco-Roman team finishing inside top three in the world at various World Championships. It also won the Freestyle 74kg gold medal at the Paris Olympics through Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) who ended the 20-year drought for gold. 

The recent success was also a point of discussion during the meeting in Tashkent with Mirziyoyev briefing Lalovic about Uzbekistan's success.

According to Uzbekistan media, the discussions were also around hosting major continental and world championships in Uzbekistan, establishing a Regional Wrestling Academy under UWW and partnership opportunities in sports medicine, nutrition, psychology, and other priority areas.