#wrestlebishkek

Saturday's Bishkek Ranking Series finals set

By Eric Olanowski

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (June 2) --- The third day of wrestling at the Bishkek Ranking Series event will welcome in 97kg and 125kg in freestyle and the final six women's wrestling weights--50kg, 53kg, 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg. 

Everything you need to know:
📍Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬
🗓️: June 1-4
🕙: Qualification = 10:30
🥇🥈🥉= 18:00
#️⃣#WrestleBishkek
🖥️: http://uww.org 
📱: UWW App

Saturday's final matches:

Freestyle 
97kgAwusayiman HABILA (CHN) vs. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) 
125kg: Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB) vs. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) 

Women's Wrestling
50kg: Meng FAN (CHN) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) 
53kg: Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) vs. Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) 
55kg:  Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) vs. Karla Lorena GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) 
59kg: Yuliia TKACH (UKR) vs.  Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
65kg: Nordic-style bracket
72kg: Nordic-style bracket

1:42: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) just punched her ticket to the finals with a four-point throw with 5 seconds left. She trailed Ziqi FENG (CHN), 4-1, winning the match 5-4 after the late throw.

1:27: Petriashvili puts in a gutsy performance in the semifinals and fishes off Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB), 10-0, before the mid-match break. He'll wrestle tonight for gold against the winner of Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB) and Buheeerdun BUHEEERDUN (CHN)

1:07: The first semifinal is about to be called to Mat A. We have nine matches left--including repechage--on each mat before the end of the morning session. 

12:42: Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) is in a tight race over on Mat A against Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR). They put up 14 points in the first period with the Mongolian leading the Ukrainian, 8-6.

12:40: We're going to roll right into the women's wrestling quarterfinals across all mats now.

12:38: Geno won, but something went wrong with his right knee. It clearly bothered him throughout the entire second period as he continued to favor it. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the last match that we see today from the three-time world champ.

12:28: Three-time world champion Petriashvili making his way to Mat B where he'll wrestle Georgian teammate Manashvili. 

12:11: This is my first time seeing Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), the 20-year-old Asian champion from Bahrain, in person. His length and athleticism is impressive for a 97kg guy. With time, I could see him giving the top guys at 97kg trouble in a few years. 

12:05: Feng picked up a point for a Demirhan hair pull and moved into the 50kg quarterfinals, 8-4, where she'll meet Chinese teammate Chun LEI (CHN).

11:59: European bronze medalist Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) is in trouble over on Mat A. She's down 7-4  Ziqi FENG (CHN) has a 7-4 lead with :43 second in the second period.

11:49: Yepez breaks the Pan-Am champ losing streak in Bishkek, scoring the 11-0 win over Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) in the first round at 53kg. Her 53kg quarterfinals match will be against Min ZHANG (CHN).

11:34: Petriashvili and Deng lived up to the hype, with the Georgian big man edging his Nur-Sultan world finals opponent, 4-3. 'Petro' will face fellow Georgian Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) next.

11:30: After a slight wifi issue, we're back. While we were down, reigning Asian champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) picked up a 10-0 win over Serik BAKYTKHANOV (KAZ). He'll  meet Nursultan AZOV (KAZ), who scored a late four-point to narrowly move past Mostafa Aly Elsayed Gabr ELDERS (EGY).

11:00: The headliner of the competition, Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) is coming up in two matches on Mat B. The three-time world champ opens up his day in Bishkek against his 2019 world finals opponent, DENG Zhiwei (CHN).

10:56: Let's see if  Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) can turn around the luck for the Pan-American champions. Yesterday, Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) and Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) fell in their opening round matches. 

Yepez will wrestle in four matches on Mat A against Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB).

10:49: In the opening round 55kg Nordic bracket, Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) just handled European bronze medalist Othelie HOEIE (NOR), 12-1. She'll have Round 2 off, then will meet fellow Ukrainian and former world champion Yuliia TKACH (UKR).

10:40: Godinez holds off Vynnyk and wins the opening round bout in the 55kg Nordic bracket. 

10:36: Karla Lorena GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) and Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) are in a close battle over on Mat A. The Canadian leads 4-2.

Godinez has been the aggressor, taking the only shots of the bout, but there's only 30 seconds left so expect Vynnyk to get the motor running. 

10:16: We're 15 minutes away from the first whistle here at the Bishkek Arena. The hockey arena turned wrestling hot bed is freezing this morning, so the goal for the next 15 minutes is to stay as warm as possible.

#WrestleSamokov

U20 Worlds: Japan gets 2 more finalists, Kajal stuns Robinson

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- Two-time World U20 silver medalist Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) earned herself a chance to finally win the gold medal as she reached the final for the third time at 50kg in Samokov on Thursday.

The U.S. wrestler scored three technical superiority wins in three bouts to reach the final in which she will take on 2023 world U17 champion Rinka OGAWA (JPN) also looks in good form.

In the semifinals, Jimenez used her leg-lace to good effect and humbled Diana RYSOVA (UKR), 14-3. Ogawa also used the leg-lace to beat SHRUTI  (IND), 10-0.

Jimenez had reached the final in 2022 but lost to Umi ITO (JPN) and then in 2023, she lost to Yanrong LI (CHN) to finish with a silver medal. She also has a silver medal from World U23 Championships after dropping the final against Ito again.

Japan got its second finalist on Thursday when Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) pinned Abigale COOPER (USA) after building a 9-0 lead. She will now wrestle for gold against European U20 champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) who leg-laced SAARIKA (IND) for a 10-0 win.

At 72kg, Asian U20 champion and world U17 silver medalist this year KAJAL (IND) stunned defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) in a wild semifinal. Robinson got the first takedown and exposure for a 4-0 lead. But Kajal scored a takedown and turned Robinson in the same sequence. The U.S. challenged the second turn but it was given two points as Kajal took a 5-4 lead.

There was no turning back for the Indian from that as she scored two four-point throws and two takedowns in her 13-6 win over Robinson.

Kajal now chance the challenge of returning silver medalist Yuqi LIU (CHN) who dominated her semifinal against Haticenur SARI (TUR) and won 13-2. Liu will look to her upgrade silver from last year to gold.

Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM)Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) reached the 60kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Greco-Roman action also began at the World U20 Championships Samokov on Thursday with two weight classes -- 60kg and 82kg.

Two 18-year-olds reached the 60kg final in Greco-Roman as European U20 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) and Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) won their respective semifinals in dominant fashion.

Javadov was wrestling senior European bronze medalist Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) and scored a headlock for four and kept Lolua on the mat for a fall. This was Javadov's third win over Lolua in four encounters.

The 2024 world U17 champion will now face Mkhitaryan who gut-wrenched SURAJ (IND) after a headlock throw for four and win 8-0. India challenged the decision but lost it to add one more point to his score.

At 82kg, a potential rematch from 2023 World U17 Championships final was denied after Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) lost his semifinal at 82kg to Asian U20 champion Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ).

Yoshida, a returning bronze medalist, was put in par terre in the first period and Seitkaliyev hit suplex for four before turning Yoshida twice to win 9-0.

In the other semifinal, European U20 champion Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) blanked Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 9-0. Shkarin had lost to Yoshida in Istanbul and finished with a silver medal.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) vs. Rinka OGAWA (JPN)

SF 1: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) df. Diana RYSOVA (UKR), 14-3
SF 2: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) df. SHRUTI (IND), 10-0

53kg
GOLD: Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) vs. Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

SF 1: Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) df. SAARIKA (IND), 10-0
SF 2: Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) df. Abigale COOPER (USA), via fall

72kg
GOLD: Yuqi LIU (CHN) vs. KAJAL (IND)

SF 1: Yuqi LIU (CHN) df. Haticenur SARI (TUR), 13-2
SF 2: KAJAL (IND) df. Jasmine ROBINSON (USA), 13-6

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) vs. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) df. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), via fall
SF 2: Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) df. SURAJ (IND), 9-0

82kg
GOLD: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) vs. Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-0
SF 2: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) df. Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 9-0