#WrestleNoviSad

Russia Increases Overall U23 European Finalist Total to 14

By Eric Olanowski

NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 8) – The Russian Federation went four-for-four in freestyle semifinal matches on Friday night and increased their overall gold-medal bout participant total to 14. Russia inserted five into the Greco-Roman finals, five into the women’s wrestling finals, and had four wrestlers qualify for the Day 6 freestyle finals. 

The four Russian freestyle finalists are Amirkhan GUVAZHOKOV, Razambek ZHAMALOV, Radik VALIEV, and Alievitch MUSAEV.

Russia's first finalist Amirkhan Guvazhokov will take on Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) in Saturday night’s 57kg finals. 

Guvazhkov trailed 4-0 with under a minute left, but scored a pair of takedowns and gained the 4-4 criteria victory over Georgia’s Roberti DINGASHVILI. 

His Ukranian finals opponent Yatsenko survived a 33 point shootout to Turkey’s Saban KIZILTAS, 18-15. 

In the 70kg finals, Razambek Zhamalov will wrestle Poland's Patryk Krzysztof OLENCZYN. 

Zhamalov was up 8-0 in his semifinals bout against Vasile DIACON (MDA), when he halted a Moldovan throw attempt and closed out the match, 10-0.

His Polish finals opponenet, who led 3-0 after the first three minutes of action, started the second period of his semifinals match with a six-point exchange. He scored on a double leg, then transitioned into a pair of gut wrenches and commanded the 9-1 lead before using two slick headlocks to take the match, 15-2.

The third Russian Day 6 finalist was Radik Valiev, who will wrestle Turkey's Ramazan SARI for the 79kg gold medal. 

Valiev locked up a cradle and stuck Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) 35 seconds into their semifinal meeting, while the second 79kg finalist Sari controlled Adlan BATAIEV (UKR) and picked up the 5-0 shutout to lock up his finals spot. 

The last Russian to qualify for the Day 6 finals was Alievitch Musae, who will go toe-to-toe with Turkey’s Ibrahim CIFTCI for the 97kg title. 

Musaev easily handled Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR), 11-0, in their semifinals meeting, while Ciftci upset defending U23 world champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 2-1.

Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO) will wrestle in the Day 6 65kg finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka) 

Meanwhile, The lone finals matchup not featuring a Russian wrestler will happen at 65kg. 

Georgia’s Edemi BOLKVADZE  will take on Armenia’s Vazgen TEVANYAN for the 65kg gold medal. 

Bokvadze scored a pair of takedowns and gut wrenches and carried the 8-0 lead into the closing period of his semifinals match against Fati VEJSELI (MKD). The Georgian quickly stopped the Moldovan wrestlers shot and added two points, closing out the match with a 10-0 technical superiority victory. 

His finals opponent Tevanyan led Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) 1-1 and had the criteria advantage when he grabbed the outright lead with a step out, and ultimately won the bout, 2-1. 

The Day 6 freestyle finals begin on Saturday at 18:00 (local time).

RESULTS
57kg 
GOLD - Amirkhan GUVAZHOKOV (RUS) vs. Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) 
SEMIFINAL - Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) df. Saban KIZILTAS (TUR), 18-15
SEMIFINAL - Amirkhan GUVAZHOKOV (RUS) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 4-4 

65kg 
GOLD - Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO) vs. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
SEMIFINAL - Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 2-1 
SEMIFINAL - Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Fati VEJSELI (MKD), 10-0 

70kg
GOLD - Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) vs. Patryk OLENCZYN (POL)
SEMIFINAL - Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) df. Vasile DIACON (MDA), 10-0 

SEMIFINAL - Patryk Krzysztof OLENCZYN (POL) df. Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK), 15-2

79kg 
GOLD - Radik VALIEV (RUS) vs. Ramazan Ishak SARI (TUR)}
SEMIFINAL - Radik VALIEV (RUS) df. Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO), via fall. 
SEMIFINAL - Ramazan Ishak SARI (TUR) df. Adlan BATAIEV (UKR), 5-0 

97kg
GOLD -  Shamil Alievitch MUSAEV (RUS) vs. Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Shamil Alievitch MUSAEV (RUS) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR), 11-0 
SEMIFINAL - Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR) df. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 2-1 

#Grappling

Brzozozwska makes golden debut at World Grappling Championships

By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 15) -- Daria BRZOZOWSKA (POL) had competed against Ellen OBERBACH (GER) twice before their meeting on Wednesday at the World Grappling Championships.

Despite her 2-0 head-to-head record, Brzozowska was cautious of her approach against Oberbach as both met in the 58kg final in Novi Sad, Serbia. Both those wins came in June at the European Open in Warsaw, Poland.

"This was the third time I was competing against her," Brzozowska said. "I won in Warsaw but she must have studied me know and when I saw that she will be in the final against me here, I was thinking that it will be tough match."

Daria BRZOZOWSKA (POL)Daria BRZOZOWSKA (POL) reacts after winning the 58kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

After three wins via submission, Brzozowska went for a similar move in the final, trying a knee bar against Oberbach in the first minute. However, Oberbach defended that attempt and only gave up one point.

Brzozowska then hit a double leg takedown and controlled Oberbach on the mat for more than three seconds to earn two points. Both remained in that position and seeing that the Polish wrestler was not actively trying to make a move, she was called passive. But that was all Oberbach got and Brzozowska won the final 3-1.

"Just 10 seconds before the bout was about to finish, I thought, 'I did it'," she said. "My coach was shouting that just remain in this position and I may have started crying before the match finished."

This was Brzozowska's debut for Poland outside her country and showed that she belongs to the big stage. Trained by her father Chris, the 20-year-old began in wrestling but slowly tried other combat sports. She now trains at her father's club, ASW Panther, in Bydgoszcz, her hometown.

"My father is my coach," she said. "I have not told him that I won gold medal. What a secret to keep!"

Alsu IANSHINA (UWW)Alsu IANSHINA (UWW) tries to throw Sheliah LINDSEY (USA) in the 64kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the other women's Grappling final at the World Championships final on Wednesday, Alsu IANSHINA (UWW) defeated Sheliah LINDSEY (USA), 17-4, in the 64kg final to win the gold medal.

Ianshina was clearly the better grappler in the final as she hit two hip-toss to plant Lindsey on the mat with control to lead 2-0. She gave up control as she tried to use an arm-bar and Lindsey reversed the position took a side mount control to lead 2-2 on criteria.

However, that was short lived and Ianshina scored two points for side mount and three more for total control to lead 7-2. As she continued to hold Lindsey on the mat and remain active as well, she got four points for third control and led 11-4.

As both wrestlers grappled, Lindsey got on top after a roll and scored two points. However, Ianshina once again managed to mount and score two points and four-point control and win 17-4.

Ruslan RADZHABKHANOV (UWW)Ruslan RADZHABKHANOV (UWW) tries to control Magomedbek TEMEEV (UWW) in the 62kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the three men's Grappling weight classes, Ruslan RADZHABKHANOV (UWW) upgraded his silver medal from last year to gold after beating Magomedbek TEMEEV (UWW), 3-3, on criteria in the 62kg final.

At 66kg, Magomed SHAKHBANOV (UWW) submitted Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR) in quick time to win the final and the gold medal.

Hajimurad PURTIYEV (AZE) gave Azerbaijan its second gold medal of the World Championships when he defeated Davud MAGOMEDOV (UWW), 4-2, in the 84kg final.

RESULTS

Women's Grappling

58kg
GOLD: Daria BRZOZOWSKA (POL) df. Ellen OBERBACH (GER), 3-1

BRONZE: Varvara MASHKINA (UWW) df. Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA), 6-2
BRONZE: Magdalena GIEC (POL) df. Nuraiym MUNAITBAS (KAZ), 12-2

64kg
GOLD: Alsu IANSHINA (UWW) df. Sheliah LINDSEY (USA), 17-4

BRONZE: Mia MONTESINOS PERDOMO (ESP) df. Snezhana MORAR (UKR), 4-2
BRONZE: Adrianna MAZUR (POL) df. Emma ROSINI (ITA), 3-3

Men's Grappling

62kg
GOLD: Ruslan RADZHABKHANOV (UWW) df. Magomedbek TEMEEV (UWW), 3-3

BRONZE: Talgat ZHUMAGALIYEV (KAZ) df. Kiryl AHEIKA (UWW), 2-0
BRONZE: Rafayel KOSTANYAN (ARM) df. Adlan ASUEV (KAZ), via submission (4- 4)

66kg
GOLD: Magomed SHAKHBANOV (UWW) df. Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR), via submission

BRONZE: Khabib ATLUEV (UWW) df. Jesse SOSA (USA), via submission
BRONZE: Anthony DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) df. Giorgi RAZMADZE (GEO), 7-2

84kg
GOLD: Hajimurad PURTIYEV (AZE) df. Davud MAGOMEDOV (UWW), 4-2

BRONZE: Maxat TOLENDI (KAZ) df. Magzhan MARATKHAN (KAZ), 2-0
BRONZE: Christian FRILLICI (ITA) df. Giuseppe LAMANNA (USA), via forfeit