#WrestleTallinn

Russia Wins Three Golds on Saturday Night, Leads Iran By Seven Points

Saturday, August 17, 2019 - 19:22 By Eric Olanowski

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TALLINN, Estonia (August 17) – The Russian Federation (97 points) won a trio of Day 6 junior world titles and have a seven-point lead over second-place Iran (90 points), who had two wrestlers reach the top of the podium on Saturday. 

Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) ascended to the top of the podium with a fall over Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) after erasing a 4-0 deficit in the 55kg finals. “I feel very good. Everything came out perfect and that’s what I wanted to do,” said Allakhiarov after winning his first world title. 

In the opening period, Allakhiarov gave up a four-point throw, but scored a reversal -- cutting the Azeri’s lead to three points with a quick reversal. A pair of back-to-back gut wrenches flipped the match in favor of Allakhiarov, as he took the 5-4 lead into the break. 

In the second period, the Russian back-peddled as the Aliyev heavily pressed the pace. While toeing the out of bounds line, Allakhiarov circled to his left and tried to get back to the center of the mat to avoid giving up the step-out point. His Azeri opponent also started to circle back towards the center of the mat, but while doing so, relaxed for one second. Allakhairov capitalized on that one-second opening and threw a massive headlock and planted Aliyev flat on his back for the fall to claim his first world title. 

“I feel very happy to be the first Russian in Greco-Roman to win the world title” Allakhairov said. He added, “We put a lot of work into the preparation process so we’re very happy with everyone in the finals.”

Abu AMAEV (RUS) defeated Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 5-3 in the 63kg finals -- handing Russia their second gold medal of the night. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Russia’s second champion came at 63kg where Abu AMAEV (RUS) scored the tactical 5-3 win over Leri ABULADZE (GEO) in the gold-medal match. “The hardest part of the competition was the finals. The opponent I wrestled in the finals was second in Europe, so I’m very happy to be the world champion.” 

After the match, Amaev took a deep breath and let out a noticeable psy of relief. When asked why he let out such a deep breath, Amaev said, “I felt the happiest when my hand was raised, and I knew I was world champion.” 

The newly minted world champion, who said he has hopes of making an Olympic team one day, will head back to Chechnya, Russia, and take a week off before getting back to training. “I don’t know what’s next. I think I will take a week off…I’m going to train and see what the future brings.” 

Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) was the third Russian to win a gold medal on Day 6. He snuck past Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO), 2-0 in the 87kg finals (Photo: Gabor Martin)

A bloody and battered Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) scored a point in each period against Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) in the 87kg finals and became the third Russian wrestler to circle the mat with his nation’s flag over his head. “All of my matches were very hard, but the hardest one was definitely the finals,” said Ermolenko after winning his gold medal. He continued, saying, “I’m very happy to be a world champion. I’ve worked very hard to get to this point and I would like to thank everyone who has supported me.” 

Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI took down 2018 cadet world champion Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA), 2-1 in the 130kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Meanwhile, Iran’s Mohammad NAGHOUSI and Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI snuck past their gold-medal final opponents, 2-1, and helped their country head into the final day of wrestling at the 2019 Junior World Championships only trailing Russia by seven points. 

In the 77kg finals, Mohammad Naghousi nabbed the one-point win over Damir RAKHIMOV (RUS), while Aliakbar Yousofiahmadchali stole the 130kg gold medal from 2017 cadet world champion Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA). 

The final day of wrestling begins tomorrow at 16:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 

Team Scores (After Day 6) 
GOLD - Russia (97 points)
SILVER - Iran (90 points)
BRONZE - Georgia (56 points)
Fourth - Turkey (42 points)
Fifth - United States (41 points)

55kg
GOLD - Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) df.  Zaur ALIYEV (AZE), 9-4
BRONZE - Ken MATSUI (JPN) df. Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ), 13-12 
BRONZE - Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI) df. Tigran MINASYAN (ARM), 2-0 

63kg
GOLD - Abu AMAEV (RUS) df. Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 5-3 
BRONZE - Shahin Eidi BADAGHI MOFRAD (IRI) df. Nikalas Petrov SULEV (BUL), 3-2 
BRONZE - Alston Jon NUTTER (USA) df. Kamil CZARNECKI (POL), via fall 

77kg
GOLD - Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Damir RAKHIMOV (RUS), 2-1
BRONZE - Dmytro VASETSKYI (UKR) df. Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) , 3-2 
BRONZE - Sajan SAJAN (IND) df. Abdurrahman KALKAN (TUR), 11-1 

87kg
GOLD - Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) df. Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO), 2-0 
BRONZE - Bedirhan TAN (TUR) df. Jacob Edward LOGAARD (SWE), 3-0
BRONZE - Ihar YARASHEVICH (BLR) df. Hasan FOROUZANDEH GHOJEHBEIGLOU (IRI), 4-4 

130kg
GOLD - Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI) df. Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA), 2-1 
BRONZE - Dariusz VITEK (HUN) df. Lu ZHANG (CHN), 3-2 
BRONZE - Muhammet Hamza BAKIR (TUR) df. Robinzon ESADZE (GEO), 5-1 

#WrestleIstanbul

Stars to follow in Women's Wrestling at World Qualifier

Monday, May 6, 2024 - 08:14 By Vinay Siwach

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ISTANBUL, Türkiye (May 6) -- Mariya STADNIK (AZE) has endured quite a few heartbreaks in her 16-year-long career. The most recent was her fall against Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in the final five seconds of the match. A win would have confirmed a fifth trip to the Olympics for her.

The four-time Olympic medalist will now be in Istanbul for the World OG Qualifier -- the last chance -- in a bid to earn a Paris 2024 quota. It will also put her one step closer to winning an unprecedented fifth Olympic medal, a feat no one has achieved in wrestling.

But Stadnik isn't the only one with so much to fight for in Istanbul.

Two-time European champion Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) was also seconds away from earning a spot for Paris when Tokyo silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) scored a takedown to beat her. Hrushyna missed the Tokyo flight after suffering an injury two months before the Games.

Now, she will be in Istanbul along with Tokyo bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) who is not yet qualified at 57kg. Both will compete for the three spots available along with other top wrestlers like Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), Giullia PENALBER (BRA), Aurora RUSSO (ITA), Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL), Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU), Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN) and Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR).

In each Olympic weight class, the winner of the semifinals will earn a berth for the Paris Games for their respective countries. The third spot will be earned by the winner of the playoff between the two bronze medalists of the weight class.

This provides an extra opportunity to the wrestler who lost to the two best wrestlers of their respective weight classes. The repechage, bronze-medal bouts and the playoff will be held the next day.

China, which managed three quotas at the Asian OG Qualifier, will be hoping to claim all six spots for Paris as Jia LONG (CHN) and Feng ZHOU (CHN) compete in the 62kg and 68kg respectively.

Ziqi FENG (CHN), Qianyu PANG (CHN), Kexin HONG (CHN) and Juan WANG (CHN) clinched the 50kg, 53kg, 57kg and 76kg spots with the last three coming at the Asian OG Qualifier in Bishkek last month.

For Long, who was in Tokyo, the field at 62kg will be strong. Veranika IVANOVA (AIN), Lais NUNES (BRA), MANSI (IND), Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA), Kriszta INCZE (ROU) and Nesrin BAS (TUR) are a few wrestlers who can trouble Long.

Bas is an interesting choice by Turkiye as she regularly competes in the 72kg weight class. She was a U23 world champion in the same. But with the 68kg qualification by world champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) and 76kg by European champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR), Bas decided to move down.

At 68kg, Feng will have to raise her game if she wants to represent China in Paris. The weight has 23 wrestlers including the likes of Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL), Linda MORAIS (CAN), Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), NISHA (IND) and Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU).

Hristova would be doubly motivated to win a quota in Istanbul after she missed it in Baku. Leading 8-0 against Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) in the quarterfinal, she got put on the mat by Skobelska and the Ukrainian secured a fall, leaving Hristova heartbroken.

A few European stars have not managed to earn a Paris spot at 53kg. Two-time Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) will be a strong contender to claim one of the three spots at 53kg.

Annika WENDLE (GER), Sztalvira ORSOS (HUN), Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) and Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) will be fighting it out for the quotas as well.

Karla GODINEZ (CAN), the favorite at the Pan-Am OG Qualifier, suffered a loss and failed to qualify Canada. But she will be in Istanbul to earn that spot and join her sister Ana who qualified at 62kg. Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) will be a strong contender as well.

Among the big names at 76kg, Martina KUENZ (AUT), Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN), Yuliana YANEVA (BUL), Samar HAMZA (EGY), Epp MAE (EST), Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) and Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR) are taking the trip to Istanbul.

Despite all the stars assembling in Istanbul, Stadnik will be the center of attraction. How does a 36-year-old bounce back from her first-ever loss in Europe? Is she still good enough to compete against some of the best in the world? Is she a medal threat for Paris 2024?

A win in Istanbul will answer those questions.