#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 

#Pankration

World Combat Games: Ukraine dominates Pankration with six golds

By United World Wrestling Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (October 25) -- Five months ago, they led Ukraine’s march at the Pankration World Championships. On Wednesday, they continued the European powerhouse’s fine run at the World Combat Games in Riyadh as Ukraine grabbed six out of the 10 possible gold medals across men's and women's categories.

Ukrainian athletes reigned supreme in four out of the five categories in the men’s event, with Oleksandr HULIAIEV (71kg), Kyrylo HOROBETS (84kg), Roman KIZIUK (92kg), Bohdan HNIDKO (100kg) winning gold medals.

Ali GULIYEV (AZE)Ali GULIYEV (AZE) was the only non-Ukrainian to win a gold medal on Wednesday. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

World champion Ihor ZHOVNIR (UKR) suffered a shock defeat in the semifinals to eventual silver medallist Sabit ZHUSSIP (KAZ), which dented Ukraine’s hopes of winning all six gold medals in the men’s section. Ali GULIYEV (AZE) won the gold medal in the 66kg weight class by beating Zhussip.

In the women’s event, Anna BEZHENAR (53kg) and Daria CHIBISOVA (65kg) finished on top of the podium on a memorable day for the country’s athletes at the World Combat Games.

Huliaiev hardly broke a sweat during his three bouts in which he did not concede a single point. He began with a submission win over Ali SHARIFOV (AZE) in the quarterfinals and followed it up with a 5-0 verdict against Zhassulan AKIMZHAN (KAZ) in the semifinals. In the final, Huliaiev defeated Marvin BELECCIU (ROU) via submission after a 10-1 lead to win the gold medal.

Kyrylo HOROBETS (UKR)Kyrylo HOROBETS (UKR) won the 80kg final 4-2 against Khasan NAFULLAEV (UZB). (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

It wasn’t as easy for Horobets, who began with a 14-5 win over Turkman MAMMADLI (AZE) before conjuring a 10-3 win against Samat SHAGYRAYEV (KAZ) – whom he had beaten in the World Championship final – in the last four. In the final, Horobets beat Khasan NAFULLAEV (UZB) 4-2.

Kiziuk, too, was dominant on his way to the top of the podium as he won all his bouts via superiority. He began by overcoming Daniel GOREA (MDA) 13-1 in the quarterfinals before beating Islom BALTAEV (UZB) 15-1 in the semis. In the final, Kiziuk defeated Duman BALMUKHANOV (KAZ) 13-1.

In another rematch of the World Championship title bout, Hnidko beat Diyar NURGOZHAY (KAZ) 13-1 technical superiority to complete a double over his opponent and win another gold medal.

Anna BEZHENAR (UKR)Anna BEZHENAR (UKR) won the 53kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Meanwhile, in the women’s bouts, Bezhenar was quick off the blocks as she downed Dimitra PAFRA (GRE) via submission in her opening match before defeating Danielle LENTINI (CAN) 11-2 in the semifinals. In the title round, the Ukrainian defeated world championship bronze medallist Mukhlisa NABIJONOVA (UZB) 10-3.

Ukraine’s final gold medal of the day came from Chibisova in the 65kg category. Chibisova defeated Alessia AMENDOLA (ITA) and Esmira MAMMADOVA (AZE) in the early rounds before beating Meruyert IBRAYEVA 9-3 to win the gold.

Khilola SOBIROVA (UZB)Khilola SOBIROVA (UZB) earned the 57kg gold medal at the World Combat Games. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Uzbekistan, the United States and Germany were other countries that won gold medals in the women’s events.

Khilola SOBIROVA (UZB) defeated Viktoriia SYNIAVINA (UKR) 6-3 to give Uzbekistan a memorable title in the 57kg category while Lorena CUBERO (GER) gave Germany their first gold medal, beating Vincenza AMENDOLA (ITA) 5-1 in the 70kg final.

Madeline SCHELLMAN (USA)The four medalists at 80kg with Madeline SCHELLMAN (USA) with the gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari) 

The long gold medal for the U.S. was won by Madeline SCHELLMAN (USA) as her opponent Mereke ZHUNUSSOVA (KAZ) was called unfit to continue and injured after Schellman had built a 10-1 lead in the final. Schellman won the gold in the 80kg category.

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