#YasarDogu

Superstars Burroughs and Chamizo to Clash on Sunday for Yasar Dogu Gold

By Eric Olanowski

ISTANBUL, Turkey (July 13) --- Jordan Ernest BURROUGHS (USA) and Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) will meet on Sunday night for the Yasar Dogu gold medal at 74kg. It’ll be the second consecutive year the two have met in the 74kg gold-medal bout at the Yasar Dogu. 

Their Sunday night meeting will be their fifth time squaring off against each other since Chamizo, the two-time world champion, made the jump up to the Olympic weight of 74kg last season. The American holds the 3-1 match advantage after winning their Beat the Street’s matchup, the bronze-medal bout of last year’s World Championships, and their second-round match-up at the Dan Kolov earlier this year. 

Chamizo’s lone win came at last year’s Yasar Dogu, where he outlasted the four-time world and Olympic champion in a 20-point shootout, winning 10-10 on criteria. 

Chamizo’s Sunday night finals appearance seals up his No. 1 ranking for the World Championships because the Rio bronze medalist only needed four points to dethrone the current world No. 1, Russia’s reigning world champion Zaubek SIDAKOV. 

With Chamizo grabbing the No. 1 seed from Sidakov, the Italian will be pitted against Budapest world runner-up and fourth-ranked Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) in the top-side semifinal in Nur-Sultan, and Sidakov and Burroughs in the bottom side semifinal. That is, of course, if the seeds hold true in Kazakhstan. 

Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN) defeated two top-three opponents on her way to the 76kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan) 

Meanwhile, Erica WIEBE (CAN) has been wrestling on another level over the past two months and continued to do so on Saturday by knocking off a third world or Olympic champion in the last two eight weeks. 

Wiebe, the Rio Olympic champion, won the Sassari City Tournament in late May with a fall over Olympic champion Natalie VOROBEIVA (RUS), then added a win over reigning world champion Justina DI STASIO (CAN) to win the Canada Cup title two weeks ago. 

On Saturday, she successfully navigated the bottom side of the bracket that included 2017 world champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and Aline FOCKEN (GER), who are ranked second and third, respectively, at 76kg. 

Wiebe opened her day up with a 10-0 routing of Kiran KIRAN (IND). Then, she dominated her way to a 6-2 win over second-ranked Yasemin Adar -- setting up a semifinals match against third-ranked Aline Focken. 

In her semifinals against Focken, Wiebe scored an inactivity point and used a peak out to pick up a 3-0 victory in the semifinals -- inserting herself in the finals, where she’ll take on Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA) for the gold medal. 

The Day 4 finals begin 12:30 (local time) and will be broadcasted live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 

74kg 
GOLD - Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA) vs. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)
SEMIFINAL - Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA) df. Enes USLU (TUR), via injury default 
SEMIFINAL - Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Yakup GOR (TUR), 12-2

86kg 
GOLD - Aleksandr GOSTIYEV (AZE) vs. Deepak PUNIA (IND)
SEMIFINAL - Deepak PUNIA (IND) df. Osman GOCEN (TUR), 7-4 
SEMIFINAL - Aleksandr GOSTIYEV (AZE) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 2-0 

92kg
GOLD - J'Den COX (USA)
SEMIFINAL - J'Den COX (USA) df. Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE), 11-0 
SEMIFINAL - Viky VIKY (IND) df. Bendeguz TOTH (HUN), 4-0 

97kg
GOLD - Ali SHABANIBENGAR (IRI) vs. Kyle SNYDER (USA)
SEMIFINAL - Ali SHABANIBENGAR (IRI) df. Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Pavlo OLIINYK (HUN), 10-0 

Women’s Wrestling
72kg
GOLD - Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) vs. Buse TOSUN (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) df. Nilufar GADAEVA (UZB), 12-2 
SEMIFINAL - Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS), 15-4 

76kg
GOLD – Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN) vs. Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA)
SEMIFINAL - Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN)  df. Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER), 3-0 
SEMIFINAL - Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA) df. Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR), 2-0 

#WrestleSamokov

Yakushenko, Zakriev one win away from second U20 World gold

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 22) -- Defending champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) returned to the final at 97kg as he once again managed to beat silver medalist Darius KIEFER (GER).

Unlike finals last year, both met in the semifinals this year but the result was no different as Yakusheno was clearly the better wrestler on Friday. After getting the first par terre position, Yakushenko turned Kiefer for two points and then lifted the German for a correct throw for two points for a 5-1 lead.

Kiefer got par terre in the second period and tried to get the turn but managed only a point for stepout from Yakushenko, making the score 5-2. That was all the action in the match as Yakushenko let out a loud cry after victory and so did Kiefer after his loss.

Yakushenko now leads the head-to-head 3-1 with the one loss coming in the European U20 Championships final this year in Carole, Italy.

He will face a new challenge in Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) in the final after the Iranian managed to over come Ilia KOMAROV (UWW) in the second semifinal, which was also a match decided from par terre.

Seydi Avendi led 5-0 at the break and was put in par terre in the second period and Komarov needed two turns for a 5-5 criteria lead. However, he managed to turn Seydi Avendi only once for two points to cut the lead to 5-3.

Iran had a second finalist in 55kg as 2023 world U17 champion Payam AHMADI (IRI) scored a 3-0 victory over Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) in the semifinals. He will face another 2023 world U17 champion in Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) who defeated Daisuke MORISHITA (JPN), 10-2.

Dashdamirov had a difficult opening bout against Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series gold medalist Anil MOR (IND) but managed to hold on to a 9-9 criteria win.

At 72kg, Asian U20 champion Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) and European U20 silver medalist Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) reached the final after impressive wins.

Kodirov face Oliver PADA (FIN) in the semifinal but managed to hold on to an 11-3 technical superiority win as Pada failed to finish his attempted bodylock throws.

Terteryan faced former world U17 champion at 71kg Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) but shut him down with defense to win 5-1.

Zakriev chases second title

Returning world 63kg champion Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) moved up to 67kg for this year's World U20 Championships but followed a similar path to the finals. Zakriev had a troublesome semifinal last year and there was difference this year as he almost got pinned in the semifinals again.

Facing European U20 bronze medalist Fariam MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), Zakriev tried to do a suplex but landed on his back with Mustafayev on top. The Azerbaijan wrestler was awarded two points and he almost sat on Zakriev for the fall but the time ran out in the first period.

He then managed to return with takedown despite Mustafayev's pressure who scored two stepouts. But as Mustafayev tried a big throw, Zakriev landed on top and got four points and won 14-7.

For his second straight gold medal, Zakriev will face Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ), the Asian U20 champion, who had a controlled 5-1 win over Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB).

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI) vs. Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE)

SF 1: Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI) df. Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ), 3-0
SF 2: Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) df. Daisuke MORISHITA (JPN), 10-2

67kg
GOLD: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) vs. Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW)

SF 1: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) df. Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB), 5-1
SF 2: Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) df. Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), 14-7

72kg
GOLD: Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) vs. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) df. Oliver PADA (FIN), 11-3
SF 2: Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) df. Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE), 5-1

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) vs. Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI)

SF 1: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Darius KIEFER (GER), 5-2
SF 2: Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) df. Ilia KOMAROV (UWW), 5-3