#WrestleTokyo

Snyder Takes Olympic Loss to Sadulaev in Stride

Saturday, August 7, 2021 - 20:02 By Ken Marantz

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CHIBA, Japan (August 7)---The competitor in Kyle SNYDER (USA) hated the defeat. The wrestler in him loved the battle.

Snyder took his loss to rival Abdurashid SADULAEV (ROC) in the final of the freestyle 97kg class on Saturday night at the Tokyo Olympics in stride, already looking forward to the next chance for the two titans to clash.

"It is still exciting," Snyder said. "I love competition, I love wrestling, and I'm thankful to be able to compete." About facing Sadulaev again, he said, "I'd love it."

In the third meeting between the two since they both won gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics in different weight classes, Sadulaev beat the American for the second time with a 6-3 victory at Makuhari Messe Hall A to add a second Olympic gold to his four world titles.

Sadulaev, who had an activity point and a stepout in the first period, built up a 6-0 lead with a pair of tilts in countering Snyder's single-leg takedown attempts. On the first one, the wrestler known as The Russian Tank at one point lifted a prone Snyder completely off the mat, but not enough for a throw and instead settled for angling him over.

"There are definitely some positions that I have got to get better in," Snyder said. "That is what I'm thinking about. I have got to finish those attacks, so that is what I'm going to do. We had an idea of what it would be like."

Snyder, a two-time world champion, never gave up the fight, and came back to score a takedown and stepout in the final minute before Sadulaev ran out the clock.

"I'm a competitor so I hate to lose," Snyder said. "It's the spirit of Jesus that is strong in me. I'm not that strong as a guy, but Jesus is really strong and his spirit keeps me moving forward."

In the series dubbed "Snyderlaev" that drew worldwide attention, Snyder came out on top in their first clash in the final at the 2017 World Championships in Paris, Sadulaev's first after moving up to 97kg. Sadulaev had won the gold in Rio at 86kg, while Snyder had triumphed at 97kg.

Sadulaev gained his revenge at "Snyderlaev II" at the World Championships the next year in Budapest. He has not tasted defeat on the mat since that loss in Paris.

While it is uncertain what Sadulaev's plans are at the moment, Snyder would welcome a "Snyderlaev IV" at this year's World Championships in Oslo in October. Anyway, he intends to be there.

"Lord willing, I will be at the world championships," he said.

Like all American wrestlers, Snyder needs to constantly earn his spot on the national team to major tournaments. Having set the record as the youngest-ever US champion at both the worlds and Olympics, he knows there are always new faces coming along ready to knock him off.

"Guys are getting better and better," he said of prospects for U.S. wrestling. "Everybody is doing the right stuff. We have great coaches, support staff and training environments.

"I'm really happy for all my teammates who did a great job here, and all the coaches because they work so hard. I think we're going to dominate and keep getting better."

With Snyder's silver, the United States finished the Olympic wrestling tournament with nine medals overall, the most of any nation, including three golds.

#WrestleBucharest

Nine return to defend European titles in Women's Wrestling

Monday, February 5, 2024 - 10:52 By Vinay Siwach

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BUCHAREST, Romania (February 5) -- Nine out of the ten Women's Wrestling European champions will return to the European Championships, hoping to defend their gold medals in Bucharest next week. The one not coming, Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) is yet to recover from an injury which also kept her out of the World Championships.

Two of them, Andreea ANA (ROU) and Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), will be the most keen on repeating as European champions. In Zagreb last year, they gave the double gold to Romania but next week, wrestling at home will give them extra motivation to repeat.

Ana and Anghel will be in the non-Olympic weight classes 55kg and 72kg respectively. Ana is a two-time European champion and will be the favorite in Bucharest. If any, former age-group European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (AIN) can trouble Ana as she returns to competition. Ukraine is sending Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) while Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), Roksana ZASINA (POL) and Tuba DEMIR (TUR) are also in the field.

Anghel, who defeated 68kg world champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) to win the gold medal at 72kg last year, can have a tougher time this year. 68kg European champion Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) is moving to 72kg after losing her place to Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) at 68kg. Kendra DACHER (FRA), age-group world medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), U23 world champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) are also in this weight class.

Yasemin ADAR (TUR)Yasemin ADAR (TUR) is a six-time European champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

2022 world champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) is returning to the mat after one year, having skipped all competitions after the 2023 Euros. She will, despite her time off, be the favorite to win the 76kg gold medal. Adar is chasing her seventh European title after six golds and a silver medal.

Former European champion Epp MAE (EST) will be her biggest threat as she also looks to return after a medalless World Championships. Mae recently trained in Japan with world champion Yuka KAGAMI (JPN). Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR) will also hope to make the final.

Turkiye's world champion in 2023, Tosun will be at 68kg. She had a disastrous start to the year, losing her first-round bout at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in January. Tosun will look to put that behind her and start afresh for the Bucharest tournament.

To avoid any disappointments, Tosun will have to navigate past world bronze medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), 65kg European champion Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) and former European champion Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR). Larroque won the European Championships gold medal in 2021 and will be keen on getting back on the top of the podium.

Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN)Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN) will look to win her first European title since 2020. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Two world silver medalists, Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN) at 53kg and Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) at 59kg, will also be in action in Bucharest.  

Kaladzinskaya last wrestled at the European Championships in 2020 and won the gold medal. She will start as the favorite at 53kg despite the likes of Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) and Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) entered for the tournament.

Kaladzinskaya won the silver medal at the World Championships, dropping the final to Akari FUJINAMI (JPN). It was her first competition since winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Malmgren, the two-time defending champion, will have her task cut out this year. She lost to Kaladzinskaya at the World Championships but that loss can only be a lesson for the former U20 world champion.

Former Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (AIN), Sztalvira ORSUS (HUN), Iulia LEORDA (MDA) and Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) can upset the field in Bucharest and finish on the podium.

Defending champion Nichita is the clear front-runner for the gold at 59kg. After finishing with a silver medal at the World Championships at 57kg, Nichita returned to competition in Zagreb but suffered a loss to Kexin HONG (CHN).

Nichita will be drawn at random into the bracket as she has no ranking at 59kg. The top seed will be Othelie HOIE (NOR), a returning European bronze medalist and world bronze medalist. Age-group world medalists Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) and Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN) can also finish on the podium.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) and Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) put a thriller in the 62kg semifinal last year. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 62kg, world bronze medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR) will have a chance to win her first European gold medal since 2020. She was a silver medalist last after suffering a heartbreaking loss to Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) in the final. She will have a chance to win the gold medal this year. Koliadenko has moved to 65kg for this tournament and is replaced by veteran Yuliia TKACH (UKR) which will also be a big test for Bullen.

Tkach, the silver medalist at 59kg from last year, has moved to 62kg after world bronze medalist Koliadenko moved up to 65kg. Tkach has every trick up her sleeve to keep Bullen at bay. But the Norway wrestler has improved leaps and bounds in recent times and can be called the favorite for this event.

One wrestler who will be waiting keenly to meet Bullen on the mat is Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL). She suffered a 7-6 loss to Bullen in the semifinal last year and finished with a bronze medal. Dudova, a former world champion at 59kg, is still trying to find her feet at 62kg. The two can only meet in the final, thanks to being seeded one and two.

Former U20 world champion Alina KASABIEVA (AIN) will also like to finish on the podium.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) became a nine-time European champion last year. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

At 50kg, Mariya STADNIK (AZE) will look to extend her record streak of 10 European titles [12 as she has two European Games gold as well]. Last year, Oksana LIVACH (UKR) gave Stadnik a scare in the final but the Azerbaijan wrestler controlled the second period to keep her energy and win the gold.

A year older at 35, Stadnik will once again be tested by the young wrestler who will be participating in Bucharest. Livach will look to avenge the loss from last year while Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) and Emilia VUC (ROU) will also have a chance to upset the wrestling legend.

The 57kg weight class will see a new European champion as Hrushyna has not entered for her title defense. Tokyo silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) will be the favorite along with returning silver medalist Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL). Veteran Veronika CHUMIKOVA (AIN) and U20 world champion Aurora RUSSO (ITA) and former world bronze medalist Anhelina LYSAK (POL) are also entered.

World bronze medalist and returning silver medalist Irina RINGACI (MDA) will be at 65kg, hoping to win the gold that she dropped against Hristova last year. Ringaci will be tested by Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), Kriszta INCZE (ROU) and world bronze medalist at 62kg Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR).