Ivan Yarygin

Russia Bags Sixth Gold; Mensah Repeats

Saturday, January 27, 2018 - 13:48 By Eric Olanowski

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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)
 

#UWWAwards

UWW Breakout Wrestlers of 2025: Hidlay, Farokhi, Onishi

Monday, December 15, 2025 - 12:24 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 14) -- The 2025 Breakout Wrestlers of the Year were not the ones anyone circled heading into the season. They weren’t the favorites, or the ones analysts picked to walk away from the season as world medalists.

They were the outsiders, largely unproven and underestimated. But that all changed in a single season when they smashed expectations, catapulting themselves into world-wide stardom with world-title runs that nobody saw coming.

Freestyle Breakout Performer of the Year: Trent HIDLAY (USA)

Before 2025, Hidlay had never climbed to the top of a podium at an international event. His  2025 season even began with more doubt than promise, dropping his second match of the year to rising Azeri phenom Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) at the Zagreb Open. But that loss lit a fuse. From that moment on, the 26-year-old didn’t just improve -- he transformed.

Hidlay unleashed a stunning 13-match win streak and collected gold medals at the Pan-American Championships, the Budapest Ranking Series and the World Championships. Along the way, he knocked off giants -- Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), and Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), just to name a few.

Then came the finale: a world finals comeback for the ages. Down and all but finished, Hidlay stormed back to defeat Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW). In one year, Hidlay didn’t just win -- he arrived.

Greco-Roman Breakout Performer of the Year: Gholemreza FAROKHI (IRI)

When opportunity knocked, Farokhi wasn’t just there to answer it, he was there to kick the door off its hinges. The 23-year-old stepped into Iran’s senior lineup for the first time in his career and tore through anyone in front of him -- whether it was at 82kg or 87kg.

Farokhi bulldozed his way to gold medals at the two World Championships he participated in. He racked up a perfect 17-0 record, including 11 technical superiority wins and six decisions, sweeping gold at the World Championships, U23 World Championships, the Islamic Solidarity Games, and the Zagreb Open Ranking Series.

Women’s Wrestling Breakout Performer of the Year: Sakura ONISHI (JPN)

At 19 years old, Onishi entered the senior circuit with massive goals but had zero experience and zero fear. In mere months, she became a problem no one had an answer for.

Onishi tore through the season with a flawless 15-0 record, capturing titles at the Senior and U20 World Championships, the Asian Championships, and the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. Her dominance wasn’t subtle -- it was exactly what you’d expect from a Japanese women’s wrestler -- 11 tech falls, three pins, and a decision, outscoring opponents 158-17.