Sidakov Completes Dream Run to 2nd Straight 74kg Title; Petriashvili 3-peats at 125kg

Saturday, September 21, 2019 - 19:16 By Ken Marantz

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (Sept. 21) --- There will be no need for Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) to pinch himself. This world title is as a real as last year’s, even with its haunting similarities.

Sidakov successfully defended his world title in the freestyle 74kg class by defeating Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) 5-2 in the final, one of two titles won by Russia on Day 8 of the World Championships in Nur-Sultan.

“I can't say it's the same because last year was my first title,” Sidakov said. “After I became a world champion [last year in Budapest], I went to sleep and suddenly woke up at 4 a.m. Is it true that I became a world champion? I started looking for the belt.”

When a Russian journalist suggested now he will need to look for two belts, Sidakov laughed and replied, “Yes, but I have already forgot about this result because I have to prepare for the next competition.”

It will be hard to forget how Sidakov defeated both Chamizo and Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), who between them have accumulated six world titles and two Olympic medals, en route to the gold medal for the second straight year.

“Yesterday, my thoughts were there's only one match left, I have to be ready for it,” Sidakov said, referring to his last-second win over Burroughs in Friday’s semifinals at Barys Arena. “[Chamizo] is a very strong athlete and I respect him. The score [between us] is now 3-1.”

In the final, the 23-year-old Sidakov gained a point with Chamizo on the activity clock for the only score of the first period. Early in the second, Chamizo went ahead with a single-leg takedown.

“I never worried at any time during this match,” Sidakov said. “I just kept working.”

Sidakov scored with a single-leg takedown of his own to go ahead, then added a second in the final seconds to put the match away.

“I didn't have a strategy for this final,” Sidakov said. “Actually, I don't prepare a plan for any match. I just go in and do what I can do. I don't pay attention to my breathing. I just switch on my brain and try to win.”

Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) won his third consecutive world title with a 6-6 win over rival Taha AKGAL (TUR). (Photo: Gabor Martin)

In the latest clash of the titans at 125kg, Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) completed a three-peat of world titles when he scored a single-leg takedown with :08 left to edge nemesis Taha AKGAL (TUR) 6-6 on last-point criteria.

Akgal, who won every world and Olympic titles from 2014 to 2016, scored the only points in the first period with a takedown, then doubled the lead with a takedown early in the second.

Midway through the period, Petriashvili got on the scoreboard with a takedown. The two then found themselves with mutual leg holds, then levered each other over in succession, Petriashvili momentarily holding the lead before quickly surrendering it with :39 left.

With the clock ticking down, the Georgian gave it one last shot and came up golden with the winning takedown.

“I didn’t plan anything,” said Petriashvili, who avenged a 7-0 loss to Akgal from the final at the European Championships in April. “The only thing I know is I have to wrestle until the last second.”

J’den COX (USA) defeated Alireza KARAMIMACHIANI (IRI), 4-0, and won his second consecutive world title. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

J’den COX (USA) repeated as 92kg champion when he scored two takedowns in the first period, then put up a wall of defense that Alireza KARAMIMACHIANI (IRI) had no means of penetrating for a 4-0 victory.

“I don’t know why, but it feels better,” Cox said of winning a second gold. “It’s a rare thing when people get to go back-to-back. I knew that coming into this, so to be able to do it, I knew the hard work I put in, the sacrifices I made.

“I wanted to do it better. I came here and didn’t get scored on. Great.”

Cox indicated that he would have liked Karamimachiani, this year’s Asian champion who won a world bronze last year, to have been more aggressive and put up more of a challenge.

“No disrespect to Karami, but the whole match, he didn’t want to come get it,” said Cox, a Rio 2016 bronze medalist at 86kg. “He wanted to keep it close and wanted to play the game.

“I think that’s a testament to both my offense and my defense, and a testament of my abilities that some of the best in the world aren’t willing to try to do their best out on the mat against me, as far as their techniques and stuff. I’m excited and I’m ready to move forward.”

David BAEV (RUS) blew through Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 13-2 in the 70kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

At 70kg, David BAEV (RUS), two years removed from winning a world junior gold, picked up a senior gold in dominating fashion, overwhelming Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) by 14-2 technical fall in 3:46.

Baev was also a world cadet champion in 2014. Only a loss in the 2018 world U23 final to Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) has prevented him from completing the Grand Slam of age-group titles. At 21, he is still eligible to add that gold to his collection.

In the bronze-medal matches, Burroughs assured he would end a World Championships on a winning note for the seventh time when he outclassed unheralded Mao OKUI (JPN) by 10-0 technical fall at 3:30.

The victory gave Burroughs, the London 2012 gold medalist, his third career bronze to go with his four golds in seven appearances at the worlds.

Host Kazakhstan had two chances for medals but was denied in close matches for both. Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ) fell to Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) 4-3 in the other third-place match at 74kg, while Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) beat Nurgali NURGAIPULY (KAZ) 2-1 at 92kg.

Two wrestlers born elsewhere came up short in their bids to give their new homelands---Britain and Syria---their first-ever world medals.

Romanian-born Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR) lost by fall to Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) at 70kg, and Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) was a 5-1 winner over Russian-born Badzha KHUTABA (SYR) at 125kg.

Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) edged Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) at 70kg in a reversal of the 65kg final in Paris in 2017.

The other bronze medalists were Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) at 92kg and Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB), who denied 2018 silver medalist DENG Zhiwei (CHN) a second straight medal.

Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) won the battle of Olympic champions -- taking down Kyle SNYDER (USA), 5-3, in the semifinals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Sharifov spoils Sadulaev-Snyder party, beats American in 97kg semis
In the semifinals in four weight classes that started earlier in the day, Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) played the role of spoiler at 97kg, knocking off former world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) to prevent a highly anticipated rematch between the American and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS).

Sharifov, a two-time Olympic medalist in his own right who moved up from 92kg to the Olympic weight, scored with a single-leg takedown and a counter exposure in the second period to forge out a 5-2 victory.

In the final, he will face champion Sadulaev, who, like Snyder, was a gold medalist at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The Russian advanced to the final with an 8-1 win over Alisher YERGALI (KAZ).

Snyder had won the world and Olympic golds at 97kg from 2015 to 2017 before yielding the world crown to Sadulaev in last year’s final in Budapest. Sadulaev had previously won the 2015 world and 2o16 Olympic golds at 86kg.

“Of course, they are the leaders in the weight category,” Sharifov said of the hype of a Sadulaev-Snyder clash leading up to the tournament. “The last years they have kept the top spot. I prepared myself to meet either of them.”

Sharifov said he studied Snyder’s matches to devise a winning plan. “My strategy was to protect myself against his leg attack and against his counter-attacks. I stuck to this plan.”

Ironically, Sharifov said he had planned to stay at 92kg, “but at the last training camp, the wrestler at 97kg got injured, so the coach said I will wrestle at 97kg.”

Sadulaev and Sharifov have met twice recently in major competitions, with the Russian winning both---8-1 in the semifinals at the Rio 2016 Olympics and 2-1 in the 92kg final at the 2018 European Championships.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will look to win his second world title when he wrestles Deepak PUNIA (IND) on Sunday night. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

At 86kg, Rio 2016 champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), looking to regain the world title he last won in 2017, won within the distance for the fourth straight match, putting away Myles AMINE (SMR) by technical fall in 1:55.

Yazdani will face Deepak PUNIA (IND), an 8-2 winner in the other semifinal over Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI), who still has a chance to become Switzerland’s first-ever freestyle medalist.

A month after winning the world junior title, Punia headed off any hope of a comeback from Reichmuth by scoring a takedown and tilt in the last minute.

Punia got a taste of the strength of Iran at the Asian Championships in April, when he lost by technical fall in the semifinals to eventual champion Kamran GHASENPOUR (IRI) as Yazdani sat out the tournament.

In the non-Olympic weight of 79kg, Kyle DAKE (USA) and Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) set up a rematch of their final in Budapest, which was won by Dake. Dake scored all of his points in the first period and rolled to a 6-1 win over Rashid KURBANOV (UZB), while Hasanov edged Salkazanov 4-3.

Russia will get a chance to add another gold to its bulging tally in the 61kg final, a clash between Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) and 2016 silver medalist Beka LOMTADZE (GEO).

The tournament will conclude Sunday with the repechage and medal matches at 61kg, 79kg, 86kg and 97kg.

Day 8 Results

Freestyle

61kg (25 entries)
Semifinal – Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) df. Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI), 2-2
Semifinal – Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) df. Rahul AWARE (IND), 10-6

70kg (30 entries)
Gold – David BAEV (RUS) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) by TF, 14-2, 3;46
Bronze – Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), 3-2
Bronze – Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) df. Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR) by Fall, 1:12 (8-0)

74kg (39 entries)
Gold – Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), 5-2
Bronze – Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) df. Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ), 4-3
Bronze – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Mao OKUI (JPN) by TF, 10-0, 3:30

79kg (23 entries)
Semifinal – Kyle DAKE (USA) df. Rashid KURBANOV (UZB), 6-1
Semifinal – Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 4-3

86kg (43 entries)
Semifinal – Deepak PUNIA (IND) df. Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI), 8-2
Semifinal – Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. Myles AMINE (SMR) by TF, 11-0, 1:55

92kg (18 entries)
Gold – J’den COX (USA) df. Alireza KARAMIMACHIANI (IRI), 4-0
Bronze – Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) df. Nurgali NURGAIPULY (KAZ), 2-1
Bronze – Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) df. Georgii RUBAEV (MDA), 3-2

97kg (26 entries)
Semifinal – Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) df. Kyle SNYDER (USA), 5-2
Semifinal – Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Alisher YERGALI (KAZ), 8-1

125kg (28 entries)
Gold – Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Taha AKGAL (TUR), 6-6
Bronze – Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) df. Badzha KHUTABA (SYR), 5-1
Bronze – Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) df. DENG Zhiwei (CHN), 6-1

#WrestleTirana

World Championships: Kinjo wins fourth world gold as Japan wins three

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - 23:55 By Ken Marantz

TIRANA, Albania (October 30) -- For two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO (JPN), it wasn't just winning a fourth world title and first in five years that made her latest triumph so special. It was because of where she is at in her life at the moment.

"This is my fourth world title, but the first since I became a mother," Kinjo said after winning the women's 59kg gold at the Non-Olympic Weight Categories World Championships on Wednesday in Tirana. "So it makes me happier than at any other tournament."

Kinjo was one of three Japanese to take one of the four women's golds up for grabs, as Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) became the sixth wrestler in history to win world titles on all four age-group levels when she triumphed at 55kg, and Ami ISHII (JPN) claimed the 72kg title to add to the world U23 gold at 68kg she won a week ago in the same venue.

Jia LONG (CHN) captured the other title at stake with a victory by fall in the 65kg final to improve on her silver medal from 2022.

Kinjo, who got married and gave birth to her first child after winning the gold at the Tokyo Olympics under her maiden name of KAWAI, missed out on qualifying for the Paris Games, but decided against retiring and was content to seek further success in the non-Olympic weight.

It hasn't been an easy journey, as her time away from the mat left her quite rusty. Just to get to Tirana, she had to score a last-second victory in the domestic qualifier over teenager Sakura ONISHI (JPN).

Now 30 and having to juggle training with the responsibilities of motherhood, Kinjo tries to get the most out of her body in the most efficient way. There are no wasted motions, and that came out during her 4-2 victory in the final against Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL).

"I get help from my family and make the best use of my time," Kinjo said. "Every day, I put together a schedule that allows me to sufficiently train."

Kinjo fell behind when Sukhee scored a stepout off Kinjo's takedown attempt in the first period. An activity point for Kinjo put her ahead on criteria in the second period, and then she scored a stepout countering a rare attack by Sukhee.

Kinjo remained patient and forced Sukhee to take the initiative. And when she did, Kinjo was ready with a quick counter to spin behind for a takedown. Sukhee added a late stepout that was too little, too late. Her points were the only ones scored on Kinjo in three matches.

Asked to assess her performance, Kinjo replied, "I've done everything I could do and I'm at my strongest right now, so I'm satisfied."

Kinjo and Sukhee had met once before, with Kinjo winning 10-0 in their first-round match at the 2019 World Championships, where she won the last of three consecutive golds. She also has a world silver from 2015.

While Japan did not sweep the women's golds here nor at the Paris Olympics (where the country won four of six), Kinjo sees that as a good thing. "The fact that we don't monopolize all of the golds, I think that shows that the level of women's wrestling is getting better, and I think that's great."

Kiyooka came into Tirana with a slight chip on her shoulder. The 21-year-old had watched with mixed emotions as her older brother Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) and her Ikuei University teammates Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) took home gold medals from the Paris Olympics.

"I really supported my brother and was happy when he won, but half of me was thinking that I too am an athlete who is aiming for the Olympics, so it was tough to take," Kiyooka said. "I want to quickly catch up to my brother, and he gives me good motivation. I practice with the feeling that the next time will be my time."

In the final, Kiyooka never took her foot off the gas as she stormed to a 10-0 technical fall over world U20 champion Jin ZHANG (CHN).

Kiyooka took an 8-0 lead in the first period, scoring three takedowns and adding a 2-point roll after the first. In the second period, she spun behind for a fourth and decisive takedown to end the match at 4:22 and complete a run of outscoring four opponents 32-0.

With her first senior championship, Kiyooka joined the elite group that has achieved the "Grand Slam" of world titles, having won the cadet (U17) gold in 2019 and adding both the U20 and U23
crowns in 2022. She was preceded by Haruna OKUNO (JPN), Masako FURUICHI (JPN), Yui SUSAKI (JPN), Amit ELOR (USA) and Nonoka OZAKI (JPN).

"From U17, I went up one level at a time and now I was able to win as a senior," Kiyooka said. "I feel that all I have left [to accomplish] is the Olympics."

Ishii, also a teammate of Kiyooka's at Ikuei University, earned her first senior world title when she rallied to an 8-6 victory over three-time world medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) in the 72kg final.

Ishii, who finished second at 68kg in 2022, scored an opening takedown in the first period, but got sloppy on an attempt in the second period and Bakbergenova scored 4 with a counter lift.

Ishii spun behind for a takedown, but then allowed the Kazakh to score again off her attack with a counter, this time for 2 to fall behind 6-4.

Ishii, who missed out on the Paris Olympics when she lost in the last second of a playoff at 68kg to Ozaki, was not about to give up the fight and scored a takedown and a go-ahead 2-point exposure with 50 seconds left to seal the victory.

In the 65kg final, Long took down European silver medalist Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) with a double-leg lift to her back and secured a fall in 1:19.

It was the same outcome as in their only previous meeting, but could not have been more different. The two put on quite a show in the final of the 2022 Women's World Cup, when Zelenykh was competing for Ukraine. In that match, Zelenkyh led 8-2 at one point when Long launched an amazing comeback, tying the score at 12-all (but trailing on criteria) when she secured a fall with :02 left.

American pair add senior bronzes to U23 medals
In the bronze-medal matches, Macey KILTY (USA) and Kylie WELKER (USA) added senior medals to the ones they won at the last week's World U23.

Kilty, who won the world U23 silver at 65kg, picked up a bronze in that weight class when she stormed back from a five-point deficit to defeat Valeriia DONDUPOVA (AIN) 16-5.

Welker, the world U23 champion at 72kg, stayed at that weight and scored a takedown in each period to defeat 2023 world bronze medalist Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) 5-2.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), the world 65kg champion in 2022, picked up her fourth world medal by taking the other bronze in that weight class with an 8-2 victory over MANISHA (IND).

Morikawa took a 4-0 lead into the second period and, after Manisha cut the gap with two stepouts, came back with a stepout and takedown to clinch the victory as she rebounded from a loss in the semifinals to Long that avenged a defeat in the 2022 final.

The other bronze at 72kg went to Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), who scored a victory by fall over Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL). Hanzlickova shot in on a takedown and, as Zorigt defended, the Czech locked her arms and twisted her over onto her back.

At 55kg, Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) secured her third career bronze medal and first since 2019 by defeating Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) 5-3. Kurachkina scored two takedowns in the first period and held on for the win.

The other 55kg bronze was won by 2023 European bronze medalist Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA), who picked up her first world medal at age 33 when she scored the second of two second-period takedowns with 25 seconds left for a 4-3 victory over Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA).

At 59kg, 2022 world U23 bronze medalist MANSI (IND) became the eighth Indian woman in history to win a senior world medal when she scored a takedown in each period in a 5-0 victory over Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN).

Elena BRUGGER (GER) won a battle between two-time European bronze medalists when she got two lace-lock rolls off a takedown in the second period to down Svetlana LIPATOVA (AIN) 6-3 for the other bronze at 59kg.

Women's Results

55kg (18 entries)
GOLD: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Jin ZHANG (CHN) by TF, 10-0, 4:22

BRONZE: Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) df. Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA), 4-3
BRONZE: Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) df. Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN), 5-3

59kg (22 entries)
GOLD: Risako KINJO (JPN) df. Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), 4-2

BRONZE: MANSI (IND) df. Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN), 5-0
BRONZE: Elena BRUGGER (GER) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (AIN), 6-3

65kg (19 entries)
GOLD: Jia LONG (CHN) df. Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) by Fall, 1:19 (2-1)

BRONZE: Macey KILTY (USA) df. Valeriia DONDUPOVA (AIN) by TF, 16-5, 3:53
BRONZE: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. MANISHA (IND), 8-2

72kg (18 entries)
GOLD: Ami ISHII (JPN) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), 8-6

BRONZE: Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) df. Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) by Fall, 1:56 (2-0)
BRONZE: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 5-2

Sidakov Completes Dream Run to 2nd Straight 74kg Title; Petriashvili 3-peats at 125kg

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World Championships: Kinjo wins fourth world gold as Japan wins three