#WrestleSofia

Russia Completes Olympic Freestyle Lineup as Kozyrev Qualifies at 125kg; US falls short

Thursday, May 6, 2021 - 20:11 By Ken Marantz

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Sergei KOZYREV (RUS) assured that Russia would join Iran in sending a full freestyle team to the Tokyo Olympics, while Jordan OLIVER (USA) came up just short of adding the United States to that list.

Kozyrev hung on to an early lead to defeat Daniel LIGETI (HUN) 3-2 in the 97kg semifinals at the final world Olympic qualifying tournament on Thursday night in Sofia, Bulgaria.

"I had no pressure of qualifying Russia because I am mentally very strong," said Kozyrev, who was coming off a silver medal performance at the European Championships.

With the two finalists in each weight class earning Olympic berths for their countries, Kozyrev's victory gave Russia an entry in all six freestyle weight classes. Iran had completed the set at last month's Asian Olympic qualifier in Almaty.

Olympic host Japan doubled its number of freestyle berths when both Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) at 57kg and Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) at 86kg won their semifinal matches. Japan had previously qualified at 65kg and 74kg at the 2019 World Championships in Nursultan, then failed to add to the total at the Asian qualifier.

Japan was only country with multiple semifinal winners, as 10 others picked up one Olympic berth each.

For Slovenia, however, the wait for a first-ever Olympic wrestler goes on after American-based David HABAT (SLO) came up just short at 65kg, losing 9-7 to Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) after falling far behind early.

Pilidis Greece World Olympic Qualifier
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) after qualifying his country for the Tokyo Olympic Games. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Habat rebounded after spotting Pilidis a seven-point lead to go into the second period trailing 7-4. But Pilidis scored 2 points off a counter to a tackle, and that would prove the difference when Habat scored a stepout and a takedown later on. The match ended with Pilidis desperately clinging onto Habat's leg.

"Everything was good because I was preparing very hard for this," Pilidis said. "I had a lot of injuries and this is only my second time wrestling at 65kg. It's a new weight category for me."

Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Albert SARITOV (ROU) earned a chance to earn another medal when he rallied to a 3-2 victory over Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR) in the 97kg semifinals.

Andriitsev gained an activity point and a stepout to lead 2-0 after the first period, and Saritov did not get on the scoreboard until receiving an activity point with 1:03 left in the match. But he managed to get behind the Ukrainian and pull him backwards to the mat for a 2-point takedown with :20 to go.

Whether it was the pressure or just the closeness of the competition, none of the semifinal matches were decided by a fall or technical fall; in fact, only one wrestler scored in double-figures, and eight of the 12 matches were decided by two points or less.

Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (BLR) was the high-scorer of the round when he emerged from the stacked 74kg division with an Olympic ticket by outclassing newly crowned European champion Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) 12-4 in a clash of former Russians.

Kadimagomedov, the 2020 European gold medalist at 79kg, padded a 4-1 lead with a 4-point counter lift in the second period, then added two takedowns off counters to cool off Salkazanov.

"Today is the biggest win of my career no doubt because it's my dream to compete at the Olympics," said Kadimagomedov, a 79kg bronze medalist at last December's Individual World Cup.

The other Tokyo ticket at 74kg was won by Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), who scored a pair of second-period takedowns to defeat European bronze medalist Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR) 4-2.

"It was a difficult bout because it was hard to control my weight as I am cutting 8 kgs," Mykhailov said. "In the end I was able to do it and reach my goal of qualifying."

Japan's Takahashi, the 2017 world champion, started the session with a 2-0 victory at 57kg over Reineri ANDREU (CUB), marking his third career win over the Cuban, none of which have been by more than two points.

Yuki Takahashi Japan World Olympic Qualifier
Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) won the Olympic quota for Japan at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Caliskan)

On the activity clock in the first period, Takahashi scored a single-leg takedown to take a lead that he neither added to nor lost. Andreu found few openings in Takahashi's defenses, but the one time he got through in the second period, the Japanese wriggled out of the predicament to clinch the win.

The victory caps a remarkable journey for Takahashi, a two-time world medalist who failed to earn an Olympic place when he finished 10th in Nursultan. After that, he lost out to Rio 2016 Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) for the chance to go to the Asian qualifier.

But when Higuchi failed to make weight in Almaty, the Japan federation called on Takahashi to make the trip to Sofia, and he responded with a solid performance. Next he will have to face Higuchi in a playoff for the Olympic spot on a date to be determined.

"At the 2019 World Championships, I wasn't able to secure an Olympic berth," Takahashi said. "And then, I lost in the final at the All-Japan Championships, so I was not the No. 1 representative. Here in Bulgaria among many people I was able to make the final, so I'm very happy. It was very difficult to win."

The other 57kg place also went to Asia when 2018 Asian Games champion Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) scored two takedowns in the second period to defeat three-time former European champion Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) 6-2.

"I had no perfect plan for this and I had only winning in my mind," Erdenebat said. "When it was COVID, I was just training all the time. I lost at the Mongolian Open and failed to win the chance to wrestle in Almaty."

At 65kg, two-time world medalist Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) denied the United States a full team in Tokyo when he outlasted Oliver 3-2.

Gadzhiev Poland World Olympic Qualifier
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) won the 65kg Olympic quota for Poland in Sofia. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Gadzhiev, the 2020 European champion at 70kg, scored all of his points in the first period with two stepouts and an activity point. Oliver scored a takedown with a powerful double-leg tackle with :45 left, but it would prove too little too late.

"This is a very difficult weight and I can’t like one bout as all of them were tough," said Gadzhiev, yet another of the successful transplanted Russians. "This was only the second time I am wrestling at this weight and I cut a lot of weight to prepare for the Olympics."

At 86kg, Japan's Takatani made sure not to allow a lapse that cost him at the Asian qualifier in grinding out a 7-2 victory over Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL). Takatani scored three takedowns with his single-leg attack and was never in danger.

"The Olympics will be held in my country, so I want to use this honor to flourish in Tokyo," said Takatani, the 2014 world silver medalist at 74kg who will be making his third Olympic appearance.

"At the Asian qualifying tournament, my movement was off and I couldn't do my strongpoint of tackling and string together points. In the match against the Chinese, I thought the referee misjudged the situation. But a friend told me, in wrestling there are aspects not written in the rulebook. You can't put your fate into the referee's hands. In this tournament, I was determined to win with my weapons."

In the other 86kg semifinal, Russian-born Boris MAKOEV (SVK) scored all of his points in the second period to notch a razor-thin 4-4 decision over Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE).

Abakarov, the 2019 world U23 silver medalist at 79kg, sandwiched a pair of stepouts around a takedown for a 4-0 first period lead. But Makoev came back with a 2-point exposure off a tackle attempt, then added a 2-point gut wrench to go ahead on criteria.

The match ended with Makoev escaping after Abakarov latched onto a single leg, and then avoiding a stepout in the final seconds.

"It was a long and hard way but thank God I am qualified," Makoev said. "I prepared so hard for this and to qualify for the Olympics. In the beginning, my wrestling was not good but as the day progressed, I got better and I was able to defeat my opponents."

Italy picked up its second ticket to Tokyo when 2018 world bronze medalist Cuban-born Abraham CONYEDO RUANO (ITA) eked out a 3-2 win over Russian-born Ahmed BATAEV (BUL) at 97kg.

Italy World Olympic Qualifier
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA) qualified Italy at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

"All of the bouts today were so difficult for me but I have to thank my coaches who prepared me," Conyedo Ruano said. "This is my first Olympic qualification at senior level and I can’t believe it. It’s the most beautiful moment of my sporting career."

Conyedo Ruano led 3-0 on an activity point and two stepouts before Bataev came to life and scored a takedown with :40 left, but the Italian was able to finish him off.

"My wrestling is based on tactic and aggression and that is what gave me victory here in the semifinal," Conyedo Ruano said.

In the final bout of the session, 2019 Asian bronze medalist Sumit MALIK (IND) scored two takedowns off counters in the second period to clinch a 5-0 victory over Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) at 125kg.

"I am very happy with this win and all my four bouts were so difficult," said Malik, who finished third at the Asian qualifier. "The semifinal was my best
"I would have qualified in Almaty as well, but I had an injury because of which I could not perform to my potential."

The semifinalists will be back Friday night for the medal round matches, where they will be wrestling for pride.

Meanwhile, the women will be in action with the final two Olympic berths up for grabs in the six weight classes.

Freestyle Results

57kg (23 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Reineri ANDREU (CUB), 2-0
SEMIFINAL - Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) df. Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE), 6-2

65kg (28 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) df. David HABAT (SLO), 9-7
SEMIFINAL - Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df. Jordan OLIVER (USA), 3-2

74kg (29 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) df. Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR), 4-2
SEMIFINAL - Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (BLR) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 12-4

86kg (30 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN) df. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), 7-2
SEMIFINAL - Boris MAKOEV (SVK) df. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), 4-4

97kg (19 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Abraham CONYEDO RUANO (ITA) df. Ahmed BATAEV (BUL), 3-2
SEMIFINAL - Albert SARITOV (ROU) df. Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR), 3-2

125kg (20 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Sergei KOZYREV (RUS) df. Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 3-2
SEMIFINAL - Sumit MALIK (IND) df. Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN), 5-0

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024 Day 5 Wrestling Preview: FS 74kg and 125kg; WW 62kg

Friday, July 26, 2024 - 14:32 By Vinay Siwach

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PARIS (July 26) -- Kyrgyzstan is waiting for its first Olympic champion, in any sport. Two came close to ending that drought in Tokyo when Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) reached the final in Greco-Roman 77kg and women's wrestling 62kg. Both fell short.

Come Paris, Kyrgyzstan is banking on its wrestlers again. Three world champions are heading to Paris as the favorites in their weight classes to win the gold medal. One of them is Tynybekova, the legend who took wrestling to the pinnacle in the country.

PARIS 2024 SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024 NEWS

Makhmudov and Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) wrestle before Tynybekova at the Olympics. But if they don't win the gold, Tynybekova will have the chance to win the historic gold and be the first Olympic champion from Kyrgyzstan. It would only be apt.

Kyle DAKE (USA)Kyle DAKE (USA) lost to Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) at the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Apart from Tynybekova, two more Tokyo silver medalists will look to win gold on August 9 when WW 62kg and Freestyle 74kg and 125kg weight classes take place at the Champ de Mars Arena in Paris.

Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) at 74kg and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) at 125kg won't have it easy. Both fell in the finals at Tokyo, Petriashvili's loss being the more dramatic of the two.

Kadzimahamedau stunned the world when he tossed around Kyle DAKE (USA) in Tokyo and Petriashvili was left stunned when Gable STEVESON (USA) scored a last-second takedown to beat him in the 125kg final.

But to lay claim to gold in Paris, all three weight classes will be full of drama.

FS 74kg: Dake out to avenge Tokyo loss

Kyle DAKE (USA) was the favorite to win the 74kg gold medal in Paris. Then Uzbekistan announced Razambek JHAMALOV (UZB) as its entry, Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) got in after approval and suddenly, there is no clear favorite to win this weight class.

Kadzimahamedau's run in Tokyo saw him beat Dake and reach the final. Dake hasn't faced him after but is looking forward to that bout if it happens in Paris.

"I have been itching to get those matches back," Dake told FloWrestling. "Those are fun matches. You want to go out and compete against the best guys. All I know is there will be 16 guys trying to win an Olympic gold medal and perform at their best. My goal is just being better than them on that day."

Reflecting on his campaign in Tokyo and then in the 2023 World Championships, Dake said he was satisfied and has a different outlook towards results.

"I don't know if I would change anything," Dake said. "Given the circumstances, I competed the best I could. I went out and wrestled and did my best. My girls, last year [after the World Championships], asked me 'daddy you didn't win, what happened?' I tried my best and it didn't fall my way. That's okay. A lot of what I am focusing on is competing with gratitude, scoring points, be Kyle Dake the best way I can."

If the best Dake shows up in Paris, he will be unstoppable. But a few opponents have pushed him to the edge in the past. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), Yones EMAMI (IRI), Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) are a few he has wrestled. Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), Chermen VALIEV (ALB), Razambek JAMALOV (UZB), Viktor RASSADIN (TJK), Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) are a few others he has not wrestled and will be in Paris. Thanks to his top seed, Dake will avoid Kougioumtsidis, Salkazanov and Bayramov till the final.

Kadzimahamedau will be unseeded and can be drawn anywhere in the bracket. After Tokyo, his performance has seen him win a European Championships silver medal at 79kg in what was a rare appearance on the mat.

But Kougioumtsidis defeated him at the World Championships in a thrilling opening-round bout. The Greek wrestler was looking good to make the final but hit Dake in the semifinal, dropping the bout 4-1, a much closer semifinal than the scoreline indicates.

Takatani was another wrestler who troubled Dake in the quarterfinals. Though Dake won 6-4, Takatani seemed to have figured out Dake's style and controlled the bout. Dake, however, was just too good.

The entries of Valiev and Jamalov has spiced up things. Valiev was entered in the World Olympic Qualifier after he completed his transfer from Albania. His style of frustrating his opponents by having a sitting position with no aim to score will be on test in Paris.

 

Jamalov is replacing Bekzod ABDURAKHAMANOV (UZB) in the line-up and the former U23 world champion can upset any wrestler in Paris. Jamalov's defense is among one of the many exceptional skills he possesses and once he thwarts the attacks of his opponents, they crumble due to disappointment.

Making his debut for Uzbekistan, Jamalov won the Budapest Ranking Series and won gold, announcing himself just before the Games and it should not surprise the wrestling world if he goes all the way in Paris.

Wait, maybe Geandry GARZON (CUB) will get his prized Olympic medal in Paris? The 41-year-old finished fifth in the 2008 Beijing Games and returned to the Olympics in Tokyo. Now he is going for his third Olympics in Paris.

WW 62kg: Tynybekova and history

Yukako KAWAI (JPN) denied Tynybekova the gold in Tokyo. A for Tynybekova would have grown her legend in Kyrgyzstan. The fans still love and adore her. They cheer for her in every country she wrestles. All they want is for her to become the country's first Olympic champion. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) threatened her to disallow that for significant time before she moved categories after losing domestically.

Going into Paris, one thing Tynybekova can take confidence in is her record against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), the Japan entry for the Olympics. The two met in the World Championships final which Tynybekova survived and won. Then at the Zagreb Open and again at the Asian Championships. Tynybekova used her counter lifts to win both times.

But Tynybekova knows that it's not just the Japanese opponent at the Olympics she has to be prepared for. The 62kg weight has seen the rise of Grace BULLEN (NOR), Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) and Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), return of Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL). Tokyo bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) is also looking for her second Olympic medal.

"I would like to say that there are no easy or tough opponents," Tynybekova said after the Asian Championships. "It all depends on my physical condition on that exact day. That’s why me and my coaches will prepare to wrestle every single wrestler in my weight class."

Motoki may well be at the top of that list. Motoki isn't one with the natural gift of wrestling. She believes in going back to the drawing board after every loss and aiming for perfection through repetitions.

"I don't have confidence and think negatively. That's why I can practice and research. Those are my weapons," she told Yomiuri recently.

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) will be one of the contenders for gold at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

One of her lethal attacks is the single-leg, which she has perfected to hit deep and score most of the time. If she fails to finish it, Motoki throws herself back to defend. The Ikuei University student says she has 30 variations to hit it.

"It's like a mathematical formula. If you know it, you can apply it," she said.

Those weapons have worked well against most but Tynybekova. She ran close in Zagreb but could not finish. At the Asian Championships, she got countered by Tynybekova so often that the bout was never in balance. A sobbing Motoki failed to make sense of the loss and said she believed she could win. She cried, thought about it, and realized a win was close.

It's like her junior high school all over again. At one point, she could not get past a wrestler and lost "about seven times." Then she finally beat her after years in a different division. 

"There was a sense of accomplishment and joy that people who keep winning don't get," she said. "No other athlete has ever experienced such setbacks. That's my strength. I want to win the gold medal and get revenge."

Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK)Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) is an Asian Games champion at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Gyong-Mun will be another wrestler who can surprise a few in Paris. She won the Asian Games after beating Ozaki in the final and with little known about her, wrestlers can find it tricky to face the DPR Korea wrestler.

Bullen will be at her first Olympics having transformed her style after getting a new team and moving to Georgia for training. She won bronze at the World Championships and will be a threat in Paris.

FS 125kg: Zare set to enter new territory

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) has grown leaps and bounds after his bronze-medal finish at the Tokyo Olympics. He won the World Championships gold medal in Oslo, beating Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO). He suffered a loss to Akgul in 2022 but bounced back to win the gold in 2023. Going into Paris 2024, Zare is undoubtedly a heavy favorite.

Zare has not only grown in experience but has worked on his conditioning to a great extent. At the 2023 World Championships, his opponents found it difficult to score on him and he gave up only six points in five bouts.

Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) during the Asian Olympic Qualifier. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL), who won a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships, wrestled Zare at the Asian Games final in October 2023 but fell behind quickly.

"His conditioning is very high," Munkhtur said after the final. "The strength part is normal but it's his conditioning which keeps him going for six minutes."

Munkhtur had a disastrous World Championships, bowing out in the first round. But he came back to qualify for the Olympics from the Asian qualifiers.

Zare's biggest competitors will be Petriashvili, Akgul and Mason PARRIS (USA) who won the trials in the absence of Tokyo Olympic champion Gable STEVESON (USA).

Petriashvili was close to winning his first Olympic gold after bronze in Rio but in the final second of the final, Steveson scored a takedown to beat Petriashvili. The Georgian has not been able to win a gold at any championships since.

"I was very close to the gold medal," Petriashvili told UWW. "It was one of the hardest matches in my life. Steveson was very fast and strong. Every day I try to forget that moment. I am not saying I have forgotten it. It's very hard to do so.

"I don't know what happened there. Maybe I thought 'I have won, really!' I was talking to myself. My eyes went black because of happiness. I was counting - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 seconds and I lost. What happened? Every day I ask myself what happened and don't have an answer. It's wrestling. It's very hard for your emotions but you have to be quiet and have this feeling."

Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) after losing the 125kg final at the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

But Petriashvili will have to forget it and be ready for another spell of matches. He knows that well and is ready for Paris. 

"It will be hard and there will be good matches," he said. "I hope I will be ready. For 12 years, I have been standing on the mat at the senior level. I feel good here. Akgul and Zare are world-class wrestlers. Parris is also good. I am a good wrestler as well (laughs). Everyone wants to take a gold medal home. No one gives you the medal."

Akgul won the gold medal in Rio and bronze in Tokyo. But for a third Olympic medal, he will have to work hard. He is on the same side as Zare which makes it difficult to be in the final. Both will not collide before the semifinals.

Mason PARRIS (USA)Mason PARRIS (USA), red, will be the U.S. representative at 125kg in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Parris is on the other side, making him a potential opponent of Petriashvili in the semifinal. The Georgian defeated Parris in the semifinal of the World Championships. Parris, however, won the gold medal at the Budapest Ranking Series.

"Getting a world bronze medal last year was awesome for my confidence," Parris said. "I think I am being underestimated by a lot of people. I think I have one of the best chances to be an Olympic champion. My plan is to bring it home for the U.S."