Military C'Ships

Russia Dominates Greco-Roman, Aliyev Tops Labazanov

Monday, May 21, 2018 - 12:37 By Ali Feizasa

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MOSCOW (May 21) -- Just as in men’s Freestyle, Russia finished 2018 Greco-Roman world military championships with the top spot.

Complete with world and European medal winners, Russians sent a strong team to the event and collected six gold medals. The host country collected 209 points (6 gold,2 silver, 1 bronze) to win team title, Iran was runner up with 132 points(1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze) and Azerbaijan came third with 119 points (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze).

55kg was the lone weight that the host country failed to win medal and Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM) grabbed gold by 7-6 victory over Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ).

2016 European bronze medal winner Gambolat LOKIAEV scored two points against Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) in 60kg finale to repeat his title in 2016 world military championships.

Mohamad NOURBAKHSH who placed second in recent Iran team trials, beat Russian Sanal SEMENOV  4-3 in 63kg final match.

In 67kg, Alexey KIYANKIN (RUS) achieved his third medal in world military championships, downing Aslan POGHOSYAN (ARM) by tech fall, 9-0 in 67 kg finales.

Two weeks after winning European title, Adam KURAK (RUS) repeated title in world military championships.

KURAK earned 3-0 victory over Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) in 72kg final bout to repeat his last year’s gold medal in the event.

77kg final match was the battle of former world champions as 2011 world champion Hasan ALIYEV (AZE) downed 2014 world champion Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS), 6-2.

The fourth title of the host country was achieved by Imil SHARAFETDINOV as the Russian wrestler beat 2018 Asian champion Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ), 7-3 in 82kgfinale.

Sosruko KODZOKOV (RUS) collected fifth gold for Russia with a technical fall 13-4 victory over Iranian Arman ALIZADEH ABDVALI in 87kg.

In 97kg, 23 years old Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) continued his progress and defeated Damian VONEUW (SUI) by 10-0 technical fall victory.

KUOSMANEN, a 2018 European bronze medal winner, spoiled Nikita MELNIKOV’s title defending in world military championships and the Finnish wrestler downed Russian 2013 world champion, 4-1 in semi final.

Vitalii SHCHUR (RUS) closed out the Greco-Roman competition with a 7-2 shutout over Balint LAM (HUN), 7-2 in hevy weight final match

2018 Greco-Roman World Military Wrestling

Team standings:

1- Russia 209 pts (6 gold,2 silver, 1 bronze)
2- Iran 132 pts (1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze)
3- Azerbaijan 119 pts (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)
4- Armenia 119 pts (1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze)
5- Kazakhstan 98 pts (2 silver, 2 bronze)

Results:

55kg
GOLD- Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM) df. Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ), 7-6
BRONZE- Un Nam KWON (PRK) df. Moslem NADERI KHADEM (IRI) by FALL
BRONZE- A. NERGYIBATOR (MGL) df. JHON F. TIGREROS URBANO (COL) by forfeit

60kg
GOLD- Gambolat LOKIAEV (RUS) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), 2-0
BRONZE- Ararat MANUCHARYAN (ARM) df. Bence KOVACS (HUN) by TF, 8-0
BRONZE- Shirzad BEHESHTI TALA (IRI) df. Abdennour LAOUNI (ALG), 3-1

63kg
GOLD- Mohamad NOURBAKHSH (IRI) df. Sanal SEMENOV (RUS), 4-3
BRONZE- Erik TORBA (HUN) df. Ammar ALNAJE (SYR) by TF, 8-0
BRONZE- Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ) df. Ismail ALIYEU (BLR) by TF, 9-0

67kg
GOLD- Alexey KIYANKIN (RUS) df. Aslan POGHOSYAN (ARM) by TF, 9-0
BRONZE- Yahor VLADYKA (BLR) df. Mate KRASZNAI (HIN) by TF, 9-0
BRONZE- Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA) df. Amin SURI (IRI), 5-5

72kg
GOLD- Adam JURAK (RUS) df. Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE), 3-0
BRONZE-Petros MANOUILIDIS (GRE) df. Siarhei BARADZIULIA (BLR), 11-5
BRONZE- Armen HAKOBYAN (ARM) df. Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), 5-5

77kg
GOLD- Hasan ALIYEV (AZE) df. Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS), 6-2
BRONZE- Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ) df. Tsimur BERDYIEU (BLR), 6-3
BRONZE- Tero HALMESMAKT (FIN) df. Shayan AFIFI (IRI), 2-0

82kg
GOLD- Imil SHARAFETDINOV (RUS) df. Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ), 7-3
BRONZE- Eduard SARGSYAN (ARM) df. Mehdi MOHAMADZADEH (IRI) by TF, 11-0
BRONZE- Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df. Roland SCHWARZ (GER), 5-2

87kg
GOLD- Sosruko KODZOKOV (RUS) df. Arman ALIZADEH ABDVALI (IRI) by TF, 13-4
BRONZE- Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) df, Ihar YARASHEVICH (BLR), 7-3
BRONZE- Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Maximilian REMENSPERGER (GER), 8-1

97kg
GOLD- Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) df. Damian VONEUW (SUI) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE- Ali Akbar HEIDARI (IRI) df. Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ), 4-0
BRONZE- Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS) df. Turman EYUBOV (AZE) by TF, 8-0

130kg
GOLD- Vitalii SHCHUR (RUS) df. Balint LAM (HUN), 7-2
BRONZE- Toannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE) df. Nurdaulet OMIRBEKOV (KAZ) by forfeit
BRONZE-Behnam MEHDIZADEH (IRI) df. Eduard POPP (GER) by FALL

#WrestleAthens

Olympic legend Icho returns to Athens to lead Japan’s next generation

Sunday, August 3, 2025 - 09:59 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 2) -- In Athens, home of the Olympics, Kaori ICHO (JPN) is already one of the pantheon of greats.

Having once made history as an athlete here -- winning the first of four Olympic gold medals at the 2004 Olympics -- Icho now sets out to carve a new legacy, this time as coach to the next generation of Japanese talent.

In Athens, she is making her international debut as coach of the Japanese women's team at the World U17 Championships as she returns to the Ano Liossia Olympic Sports Hall, the same venue she won the Olympic gold.

"I have returned to this arena for the first time in 21 years," Icho told United World Wrestling. "I won an [Olympic] gold medal in this arena for the first time."

Icho, who ended her wrestling career in 2019, started coaching after the Tokyo Olympics. She has coached Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) domestically as both Morikawa and Icho are recruited with ALSOK.

Japan managed to win only one gold medal in Women's Wrestling at the World Championships and finished third in the team race. While Japan is not used to finishing at that position in Women's Wrestling, the third-place highlighted that even Japan's second-tier team poses a significant challenge to the world.

The presence of Icho definitely helped the wrestlers, who were not only helped by her experience but the presence of the four-time Olympic champion motivated them.

Japan's world champion in Athens, Hanano OYA (JPN), said that watching Icho win her record fourth gold medal in Rio 2016 inspired her to take up wrestling.

"The reason I started wrestling was because of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics," Oya said. "It was when Kaori achieved her fourth consecutive victory, and I saw it on TV. I started wrestling myself, so I was very happy when she accompanied me and acted as my second coach, and I felt that I had to live up to her expectations."

Kaori ICHO (JPN)Kaori ICHO (JPN) coaches one of the members of the Japanese team. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

For Icho, not being on the mat and coaching from the corner was a different experience.

"I feel really strange being able to come back here as a coach," she said. "This tournament is the World Championships for those under 17 years old. I also became an Olympic gold medalist at this venue when I was 20 and I hope that the young athletes will work hard towards their Olympic dreams."

Back in 2004, the first Olympics when Women's Wrestling became part of it, Icho remembered the nervous and the excitement. The enjoyment, however, came only after she had won the gold.

"It was my first Olympics," she said. "I was very nervous and excited. I was here for about two weeks, from the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony. After winning, I went swimming in the Aegean Sea. It was a very enjoyable Olympics."

Kaori ICHO (JPN)Kaori ICHO (JPN) during a warm-up session of the Japanese team in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

When she landed at the airport in Athens on Monday, memories from the past came rushing back.

"I don't particularly feel it at the airport, but I wondered if it was this hot," she said. "I wondered what the venue will be like. I was reminiscing about 21 years ago."

Once at the venue, Icho was requested for photos from wrestlers and coaches which she obliged. With her first tournament as coach behind her, Icho is determined to work even harder as she prepares the senior Japan team for the World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, this September.

"Coaches and players asked me to take pictures with them," she said. "I felt stronger coming here. I want to work harder as a coach."