#Yariguin2019

Russia Crowns Quartet of Freestyle Champions on Day Four, Sweeps Ivan Yariguin

Sunday, January 27, 2019 - 16:58 By Eric Olanowski

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KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 27) – Russia closed out the final day of wrestling at the Ivan Yariguin with four gold medals and swept the freestyle competition, winning all ten gold medals. 

Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS), Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS), Magomed KURBANOV (RUS), and Shamil MUSAEV (RUS) were the quartet of Russian Day Four champions.

Zaurbek Sidakov, the reigning world champion, clinched a late 5-4 come-from-behind victory, edging Yakup GOR (TUR), the two-time world medalist, and kept Russia’s hopes of sweeping the freestyle competition alive. 

The Russian hit a slide by and led 2-0 before surrendering four points to trail 4-2. 

In the exchange that put the four-time Yariguin finalist behind, Sidakov shucked the Turkish wrestler by and nearly scored his second takedown of the match, but couldn’t get Gor’s knee to touch the match, therefore the takedown was never awarded. 

Sidakov worked to get Gor’s knee down to the mat but slipped off the right side of his Turkish opponent and handed him the 2-2 criteria lead. 

Gor held onto the bottom leg of Sidakov and turned him to his back, nearly picking up the fall and extended his lead to 4-2. 

But Sidakov, being the world-class wrestler that he is,  remained composed and fought back, forcing a step out to close Gor’s lead to 4-3. With under a minute remaining in the final period, Sidkov capitalized on a high crotch and gained the 5-4 advantage,  ultimately winning his second Yariguin title and first since 2016. 

The 86kg gold-medal bout was cut short and Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) was awarded the 12-1 technical superiority victory over the obviously hurt Fatih ERDIN (TUR). 

Kurugliev transition from a Russian tie to an unconventional left-handed high crotch led 2-0 in the first period. The Russian took a second shot and hurt the right knee of the Turkish returning Yariguin and world finalist. 

Before the takedown was awarded, Erdin attempted to notify the ref that he was hurt with an apparent right knee injury. But the ref didn’t stop the match, and with Erdin laying limp on the mat, Kurugliev scored the takedown and put together four gut wrenches to seal the match, 12-1. 

Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) went 4-0 on the weekend and won the 92kg round-robin tournament, but it was Shamil MUSAEV’s (RUS) back-and-forth 11-9 victory over Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) in the 97kg finals that provided Russia with their tenth freestyle gold medal of the tournament.

Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) and Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) claimed the final pair of women’s wrestling gold medals on the fourth and final day of competition in Krasnoyarsk. 

Mensah-stock scored a first-period fall over Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) in the 72kg gold-medal bout and became the first American wrestler in any style to win three Yariguin titles. 

Mensah grabbed an early takedown, then dumped Kagami to her back for the 6-0 lead, then picked up the fall at 2:34 of the opening period to reach the top of the podium at the Ivan Yariguin for the third consecutive year.

Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) won the battle of world medalists against Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) and handed Japan their third gold medal of the competition. 

Minagawa Suzuki, the two-time world bronze medalist, trailed 1-0 after giving up an inactivity point in the opening three minutes of the 76kg finals but outscored Marzaliuk, the 2017 world runner-up, 3-0 in the closing period to win her first Yariguin title. 

RESULTS 

Freestyle

Team Scores

GOLD - Russia (250 points)
SILVER - Mongolia (118 points) 
BRONZE - Turkey (83 points) 
FOURTH - United States (64 points) 
FIFTH - China (53 points) 

74kg 
GOLD - Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Yakup GOR (TUR), 5-4 

BRONZE - Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) df. Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB), 4-3 
BRONZE - Azamat NURYKAU (BLR) df. Timur BIZHOEV (RUS), 7-3

86kg 
GOLD - Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) df. Fatih ERDIN (TUR), 12-1 

BRONZE - Vladislav VALIEV (RUS) df. Shota SHIRAI (JPN), via inj. def. 
BRONZE - Uitumen ORGODOL (MGL) df. Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB), via fall 

97kg  
GOLD - Shamil MUSAEV (RUS) df. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR), 11-9 

BRONZE - Igor OVSIANNIKOV (RUS) df. Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL), 4-1 
BRONZE - Baki SAHIN (TUR) df. Namkhai BATDORJ (MGL), via fall 

Women’s Wrestling

Team Scores

GOLD - Russia (191 points)
SILVER - Mongolia (153 points) 
BRONZE - Japan (145 points) 
FOURTH - United States (79 points) 
FIFTH - Uzbekistan (57 points) 

72kg  
GOLD - Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA) df. Yuka KAGAMI (JPN), via fall (3:16) 

BRONZE - OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) df. Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), via fall
BRONZE - Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) df. Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA MOROZOVA (RUS), 8-4

76kg 
GOLD - Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) df. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 3-1

BRONZE - Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) df. Mabelkis CAPOTE PEREZ (CUB), via fall 
BRONZE - Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Shakhribonu ELLIEVA (UZB), 12-2 

Stadnik retires: Europe's best who rewrote history

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 11:06 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (February 4) -- Four Olympic medals, six World Championships medals, 10 European titles, two European Games golds, many triumphs and heartbreaks later, Mariya STADNIK (AZE) has called it a day.

Stadnik, who debuted 22 years ago in 2003, announced her decision to retire from wrestling in an event organized by Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in Baku on Monday. In an emotional video, Stadnik can be seen removing her shoes on the mat in front of a crowd and then speaking about her career.

"I recorded my name in the history of Women's Wrestling. Thank you to everyone who created this story together with me," Stadnik wrote on Instagram. "Now it's time to close this page of my life and write a new history."

Back in 2003, Stadnik began with a gold medal at the U17 European Championships, won a U20 world title two years later, added senior one as well and had a storied Olympic career which was laden with heartbreaks.

"I always had the motivation and will to win," Stadnik said last year. "I have had this will since early childhood, and this is endless."

READ MORE: Stadnik, 34, remains unbeaten in Europe

Though her will has stretched her career over two decades, Stadnik's decision to retire came after a lot of thought.

"In wrestling, I used all my chances," Stadnik said. "Now I understand that the time has come when I can be useful for wrestling in another role."

The 36-year-old, who was born in Ukraine but competed for Azerbaijan, will be moving into a caretaker role with the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in Women's Wrestling and will be responsible for churning out new stars.

When Stadnik made her debut in 2003, Japan, China, United States and Canada were top nations. However, Stadnik changed that. She won her first World Championships medal in 2007 and qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in which she won a bronze medal as an 18-year-old.

Soon, she won her first world title in 2009 and emerged as the new force from Europe. She went on to win the European Championships as well. Stadnik brought competition to Women's Wrestling.

"For these countries, the competition with me was always serious," she said. "We always had tense and intriguing fights that were followed by the whole world. Mariya Stadnik from Azerbaijan was always a danger for them."

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Perhaps it was no surprise that she was in the final of 2011 World Championships and 2012 London Games. However, she came up short both times to Hitomi OBARI (JPN).

"I give a lot of respect to Obara because she was stronger than me at that moment and the London gold was hers," she said. "She was my strongest opponent whom I respect very much."

Barring those Japanese hurdles, Stadnik was unstoppable. She added more medals at the continental level and always stood on the podium at the World Championships.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)A dejected Mariya STADNIK (AZE) at the 48kg medal ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Then came the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Stadnik was at the peak of her wrestling her. A Olympic gold would take so much off her back. She was in the final of the 48kg in Rio and the gold medal was within touching distance as she was leading Eri TOSAKA (JPN) 2-1 in the final. But Tosaka crushed those dreams in the final five seconds, beating Stadnik 3-2.

Stadnik till today has no explanation as to what happened in those last five seconds of the final against Tosaka.

"I didn't watch my match from Rio for two years and still can't find an explanation why that competition ended like that," Stadnik said. "I knew and felt that the Rio gold should have been mine."

Stadnik geared up for one more time. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics would have been perfect ending for her. But by then, wrestling had changed with two-day weight ins, a newer generation of wrestlers had come up and Yui SUSAKI (JPN) was on a mission.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) lost her first meeting with Yui SUSAKI (JPN) 2-2 at the Klippan Lady Open in 2018. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Max Rose-Fynn)

The first time Stadnik and Susaki faced each other was in the Klippan Lady Open final in 2018. Stadnik was winning the final but Susaki scored a stepout in the final second to shock Stadnik.

People doubted Stadnik and her mental strength. The 2019 World Championships gave a huge boost of confidence for Stadnik who won her second of the two world titles in Astana, exactly ten years after winning her first.

The Tokyo Olympics were just 10 months away and Stadnik was ready for it. However, with COVID-19 pandemic, it got pushed to 2021 and Susaki went on to win the gold medal with a 41-0 record in four bouts including a 10-0 rout of Stadnik in the semifinals.

Stadnik still managed to win a bronze medal, her fourth of the Olympics, tying her with Kaori ICHO (JPN) and Saori YOSHIDA (JPN). Icho was four golds and Yoshida has three silver and one bronze.

"I know people talk about the gold medal but I am so happy with this bronze. It's satisfying," she said back in 2021.

But Stadnik wasn't satisfied with wrestling. After being away from the mat in 2022, she returned in 2023 and won her ninth European title, the most in Women's Wrestling, extending her unbeaten streak in European Championships to 34 bouts.

Then she made a run for the Paris Olympics and though that meant taking losses to opponents she used to toy with in the past, the mother of two secured her place for Paris in the final qualifiers in Istanbul. Her body was ageing, reducing weight was becoming gruesome and her opponents were becoming quicker.

She returned home without a medal but became the first female wrestler to compete at five Olympics. Soon after Paris, Stadnik reflected on what she has left for wrestling and decided that a role off the mat was more suited now. Letting go off something so big in her life was hard and emotional for her.

"When I watched the video in which I take my shoes off, I had tears," she said. "This is the end of an important part of my life. What I loved so much for many years is ending."