Ivan Yarygin

Russia Bags Sixth Gold; Mensah Repeats

By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 27) – Russia once again swept that finals of the 2018 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix, winning all three weights on the second day of competition. Through the first six weight classes Russian wrestlers have captured 11 of the 12 finals berths.

Ilyas BEKBULATOV kicked off Russia’s gold rush at 65kg besting countrymen and 2017 world bronze medalist Akmed CHAKAEV via criteria, 3-3. Bekbulatov also defeated 2016 world champion, Logan Stieber in the quarterfinals.
Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) took the 79kg title with a commanding victory over Kyle DAKE (USA), 8-2. Dake was the only non-Russian to make the finals in the first day of competition.

At 125kg Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS) took out Anzor Ruslanovitch KHIZRIEV (RUS) in a 1-1 grind match.

China, Japan and Mongolia each entered day two of women’s wrestling finals with a pair of wrestlers vying for gold.

Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) picked up two takedowns in the second period of the 53kg final terase Stalvira ORSHUSH’s (RUS) 4-0 lead and earn her first Yarygin title via criteria, 4-4.

After the medal ceremony Miyahara said, “My goal coming into the tournament was to come in and show my strength, show that I’ve trained a lot, and show that I have the power to wrestle with the best.”

Qi ZHANG (CHN) entered the 57kg finals looking to give China’s their third gold of the weekend and put a stamp on one of their most impressive team performances in years. Zhang faced a 4-0 deficit against ENKHBAT Gantuya (MGL) who had outscored her opponents 18-2 in her first three matches. Zhang trailed early, but used a late surge from a takedown and two gut wrenches to take the 6-4 victory.

Defending world champions PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) rolled over Kiwa SAKAE (JPN) in the 62kg category, 10-0. Purevdorj’s victory prevented Japan from winning their fourth gold medal of the weekend.

At 68kg Tamyra MENSAH’s (USA) bested Yue HAN (CHN), 3-3 earning her the distinction as the first American to win back-to-back Yarygin titles.

When asked about becoming the first ever American to win two Yarygin titles, Stock “This wasn’t just given to me. I earned every single point that I got out there, so it’s pretty darn sweet.”

FINAL RESULTS
65kg

GOLD - Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) df. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), 3-3

BRONZE - Nachyn Sergeevitch KUULAR (RUS) df. Batmagnai BATCHULUUN (MGL), 12-2
BRONZE - Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) df. Tsogtbaatar DAMDINBAZAR (MGL), 8-1

79kg
GOLD - Akhmed Shiabdinovitch GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Kyle DAKE (USA), 8-2

BRONZE - Radik VALIEV (RUS) df. Muhammet KUTANOGLU (TUR), 10-0
BRONZE - Alan ZASEEV (RUS) df. Rashid KURBANOV (UZB), 9-0

125kg
GOLD - Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS) df. Anzor Ruslanovitch KHIZRIEV (RUS)

BRONZE - Zolboo NATSAGSUREN (MGL) df. Zachery William REY (USA)
BRONZE - Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) df. Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)

Women’s wrestling
53kg

GOLD - Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) df. Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS), 4-4

BRONZE -  Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) df. Yujiao LIU (CHN), 4-4
BRONZE -  Natalia MALYSHEVA (RUS) df. Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL), 7-3

57kg
GOLD - Qi ZHANG (CHN) df. Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL), 6-4

BRONZE -  Lianna de la caridad MONTERO HERRERA (CUB) df. Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL), 8-4
BRONZE - Alexandra ANDREEVA (RUS) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS), 6-6

62kg
GOLD - Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) df. Kiwa SAKAE (JPN), 10-0
BRONZE - Yaquelin ESTORNELL ELIZASTIGUE (CUB) df. Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ), 7-3
BRONZE -  J Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) df. Juan KANG (CHN), 10-0

68kg
GOLD -  Tamyra mariama MENSAH (USA) df. Yue HAN (CHN), 3-3

BRONZE - Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB) df. Iuliia MAKSIMOVA BARTNOVSKAIA (RUS), 3-0
BRONZE -  Rui XU (CHN) df. Galina BULATOVA (RUS)
 

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series Greco-Roman Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 20) -- The Budapest Ranking Series final day will see Greco-Roman action in seven weight classes -- 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 77kg, 82kg, 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

16:30: The end of the semifinals in Budapest. Giorgi MELIA (GEO) makes it to the 97kg final after a 5-1 victory over Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE). He will take on  Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) who sneaks through with a 5-4 win over Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN).

16:12: Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) gets the benefit of Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) defensive fouls and win 4-3 at 82kg semifinals. He will face Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW) for the gold who defeated Rafael IUNUSOV (UWW), 5-1.

16:00: Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN) launches Sergei STEPANOV (UWW) for a huge four-pointer in the last minute and wins the 77kg semifinal 6-3 to set up a final against Sergei KUTUZOV (UWW) after he defeated Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) 8-6. Suleymanov was going well with a 6-0 lead but when Kutuzov got the par terre, he reverse lifted Suleymanov for a four and another for two points to lead 7-6. A lost challenge made it 8-6 for the win.

15:40: European bronze medalist Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) rolls to a 8-0 technical superiority win over Daniial AGAEV (UWW) in the 67kg final. But there will be no all-Georgian final as Leri ABULADZE (GEO) drops his semifinal to Valentic PETIC (MDA) 5-3.

15:25: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) takes out European silver medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) 5-3 to enter the final at 63kg. Surprising win for Eriomenco but he will face Sergey EMELIN (UWW) for the gold medal. Emelin had a injury walkover in the other semifinal.

15:05: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) showing why he is the best in the world at 60kg as he beats Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) in a rematch of the European final. He defends most of Tibilov's attacks to win 3-2. He will face SUMIT (IND) in the 60kg final after the Indian pinned Galym KABDUNASSAROV (KAZ).

14:45: Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) needs all the luck he can as he beats Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), 5-5, on criteria in the 55kg semifinal. He will take on Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ) for the gold medal after he defeated Alpamys DASTANBEK (KAZ), 8-0, in just a minute and 20 seconds.

Semifinals

14:15: Sergei KUTUZOV (UWW) scores turns from par terre and beats Asian champion Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) 9-0 to book a place in the semifinal against Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) at 77kg.

14:00: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) keeps and simple and gets both par terre advantages in the against Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) and beats him 4-0 at 60kg. This avenges his loss to Bakhramov at the Zagreb Open earlier this year.

13:55: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) takes out Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO) 5-5 in the 60kg quarterfinals via criteria. Tibilov will face Mammadli in the semifinal, a rematch of the European final which Mammadli won

13:40: SUMIT (IND) breaks Dahyun KIM (KOR) down with his pace and secures the fall after an early scare in the 60kg bout. He moves into the semifinals of the Ranking Series.

13:35: European champion Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) comes strong in defense, blocking Anil MOR (IND) when the Indian was trying to turn Sefershaev from par terre. He also pushed him out for a point. Sefershaev win 4-1 at 55kg. 

13:25: Alex SZOKE (HUN) sends the local crowd into frenzy after beating Artur SARGASIAN (UWW) 6-6 on criteria at 97kg. Szoke had three two point techniques while Sargasian managed only two and the Hungarian kept the criteria.

13:15: European silver medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) puts another clinical show and beats Ellis COLEMAN (USA) 6-1 at 63kg. He enters the semifinals.

12:45: World and European champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) takes a little injury timeout before par terre but gets to work and finishes the bout against Seunghak KIM (KOR), 9-0, at 60kg.

12:20: Two huge losses as Sadyk LALAEV (UWW) drops his match 9-3 to SUMIT (IND) and on Mat D, Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (UWW) loses 9-0 to Dahyun KIM (KOR) at 60kg. Both were looking to be on the team to Zagreb but what unexpected losses.

12:00: Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) manages to blank Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) in the opening round at 77kg. A takedown to open the scoring for Suleymanov before he scores a turn from par terre. Gutu challenges for the hand-below-waist but it's lost. A takedown in the second period and Suleymanov wins 8-0.

11:50: European champion Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) gives no chance to Artium DELEANU (MDA) and wins an easy 7-1 opening round.

11:45: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) and Dinislam BAMMATOV (UWW) are involved in a battle but it's the Moldovan who comes out on top 5-5 on criteria.

11:35: European silver medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) bosses his opening round bout at 63kg and beats Yerkebulan ARDAKOV (KAZ), 9-0 to advance. In the next match on Mat D, 

11:20: World U23 champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB), one of the most explosive wrestler in the world, wins his first bout at 63kg via disqualification of Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ). Ganiev was already leading 7-0 by then.

11:05: Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) opens with a 10-0 victory over Seungjun KIM (KOR) at 97kg. Savolainen has not enjoyed similar success like he did before the Paris Olympic cycle.  

10:55: Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) needs a challenge to overturn a defeated to victory against Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB). Vardanyan got a exposure at the end but was not scored. However, he won the challenge and Nakibov is devasted.

10:40: Former world champion Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) wins his first bout at 77kg with a 1-1 score against Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) as he was the first to get the par terre points.

10:30: Welcome to the final day of the Budapest Ranking Series. It will be Greco-Roman action the whole day in seven weight classes