Ivan Yarygin

Sadulaev and Snyder Seek Second Yarygin Crowns

By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 27) -- Russia, Turkey and the United States each have representatives competing in the final championship session at the 2018 Ivan Yarygin. Russia leads the way with five finalists, followed by the United States with two and Turkey with one.  

The finals will feature a pair of Olympic champions in Abdulrashid Sadulaev (RUS) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) who are looking to win their second Yarygin titles. Sadulaev’s last Yarygin title came in 2014 and Synder’s came last season. If Synder wins tonight, he’d become the second American to ever win back-to-back Yarygin titles. 

Also included in tonight’s finals will be 2017 world silver medalist, Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) and 2017 Grand Prix of Paris champion, David TAYLOR III (USA).

Heading into the final two women’s wrestling weight categories, China and Japan are tied with three gold medals apiece. The Chinese have an opportunity to take the gold medal lead as they have two wrestlers competing in tonight's finals. The remaining two representatives in the final championships session hail from Japan and Russia.

FINAL MATCH-UPS
74kg
GOLD - Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) vs. Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS)
BRONZE – Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM) vs. Mandakhnaran GANZORIG (MGL)
BRONZE - Muhammet DEMIR (TUR) vs. Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS)

86kg
GOLD - David TAYLOR III (USA) vs. Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
BRONZE – Zaur BERADZE (GEO) vs. Vladislav VALIEV (RUS)
BRONZE - Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) vs. Artur NAIFONOV (RUS)

92kg
GOLD - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) vs. Anzor URISHEV (RUS)
BRONZE – Serda BOKE (TUR) vs. Yury BELONOVSKIY (RUS)
BRONZE - Turtogtokh LUVSANDORJ (MGL) vs. Nicholas HEFLIN (USA)

97kg
GOLD - Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS) vs. Kyle SNYDER (USA)
BRONZE – Yunus DEDE (TUR) vs. Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS)
BRONZE - Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) vs. Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL)

Women’s wrestling

72kg

GOLD - Juan WANG (CHN) vs. Masako FURUICHI (JPN)
BRONZE – Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA MOROZOVA (RUS) vs. Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL)
BRONZE - Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) vs. Alena PEREPELKINA (RUS)

76kg
GOLD - Qian ZHOU (CHN) vs. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)
BRONZE – Viktoriia FROLOVA (RUS) vs. Paliha PALIHA (CHN)
BRONZE - Epp MAE (EST) vs. Anzhela KATAEVA (RUS)

THIS IS THE START OF THE DAY THREE LIVE NOTEBOOK

The final day of wrestling at the 2018 Ivan Yarygin kicks off at 11:00am. Here is where you can WATCH the four men's freestyle and two women's wrestling categories that are in action today. 

Here is everything that you may have missed from DAY TWO of the #Yarygin2018.

LIVE UPDATES 

10:59 AM - ONE MINUTE UNTIL GO TIME! 

11:09 AM - The final day of wrestling is offically underway at the 2018 Ivan Yarygin. 

11:29 AM  - Qualification matches are being wrestled on Mats A and B. 

11:49 AM - WW 72kg QUARTERFINAL -  Alena PEREPELKINA (RUS) picks up a fall over Nomin Erdene PURVEE (MGL) after being down 12-4! 

12:02 AM -WW 72kg QUARTERFINAL -  Masako FURUICHI (JPN) df. Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA MOROZOVA (RUS), 6-0 to make the Yarygin semifinals. 

12:15 AM - The crowd erupts as PUREVJAV Unurbandat (MGL) throws T. STEFANIK (USA) and picks up the fall in the FS 86kg QUALIFICATION round. 

12:48 PM - K. SNYDER (USA) is wrestling on Mat C. 

12:54 PM - Olympic champions finish back-to-back matches with 10-0 victories. 

1:26 PM - V. VALIEV (RUS), 2017 world bronze medalist is up on Mat A. 

1:44 PM - D. TAYLOR (USA) uses two takedowns to defeat Olympic silver medalist, S. YASAR (TUR), 4-0. 

1:50 PM:  A. NAIFONOV (RUS) hangs on and defeats D. KURUGLIEV (RUS), 3-2 to make the 86kg semifinals. 

1:51 PM:  Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS), 2017 world silver medalist picks up the 13-2 victory.

1:55 PM: Kyle Snyder is wrestling over on Mat 6 where he has a 3-0 lead.

2:15 PM:  A. Sadulaev  (RUS) just picked up the 10-0 technical superiority victory over Nicholas HEFLIN (USA). 

2:18 PM - FS 97kg SEMIFINALS are starting over on Mat C. 

2:22 PM - R. MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. B. ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL), 12-1 to make the finals at 97kg. 

2:35 PM: FS 97kg FINAL:  R. MAGOMEDOV (RUS) v. K. SNYDER (USA).

#GrecoRoman

'Thank you, wrestling': Tokyo Olympic medalist Elsayed, 27, retires

By Vinay Siwach

EGYPT (July 14) -- Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) has announced his retirement from wrestling, concluding a distinguished career that included two Olympic appearances and two world U23 gold medals.

Elsayed posted on Instagram about his struggles with injuries and shared that the decision to retire was the "most difficult" for the 27-year-old wrestler.

"After many years of hard work, challenges, and victories [and] after I honored my country and raised its flag in internationally, and was able to achieve my dream and win an Olympic medal in Greco-Roman wrestling, I have reached the most difficult decision in my sports career.  I have decided to officially announce my retirement," Elsayed wrote in an emotional post.

Having won five gold medals at the African Championships, Elsayed was a trailblazer in Greco-Roman and was Egypt's new-found hope for the Olympics. He did not disappoint in Tokyo, where he had a surprising run to the semifinal, which he lost to Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), 7-6.

He bounced back in the bronze-medal bout and defeated Artem SURKOV (ROC), 1-1 to capture bronze, Egypt's first medal since 2012 London Olympics and only the third since 1960.

"Wrestling has always been more than just a sport to me," he wrote. "It was my life, my passion, and my support in the most difficult times. I thank God for every moment I lived on the mat and every moment of pride, and every encouragement I heard from my family, fans, and country."

One of the biggest achievements of Elsayed, apart from the Olympic medal, was winning successive world U23 gold medals in 2018 and 2019 at 67kg.

Elsayed expressed gratitude to various individuals who supported him throughout the journey including coaches and trainers. He also thanked wrestling.

"I thank every coach who helped me, every colleague who stood by me, and everyone who supported me with a kind word or a prayer from the heart. Thank you to everyone who was part of the journey.

"Thank you to wrestling, which taught me to be a man before being a champion."