#WrestleTallinn

Susaki Shines As Japan Puts Three into Thursday Night’s Finals

Wednesday, August 14, 2019 - 18:31 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

Tallinn, ESTONIA (August 14) – Japan, led by reigning two-time senior-level world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN), went 12-2 and inserted three wrestlers into Thursday night’s women’s wrestling finals. Susaki will be joined by teammates Sae NANJO (JPN) and Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), who’ll wrestle for gold at 59kg and 68kg, respectively. 

Last year, Susaki outscored her four junior world opponents 40-0 en route to her first junior world title and outscored her senior-level opponents 37-0 at the Budapest World Championships. Even with her fall in the opening round on Wednesday, she’s still managed to outscore her four opponents 36-0 and remains on pace to shutout her 2019 junior world opponents, 46-0. 

In the opening round, Susaki was up 4-0 before she picked up a fall against 2018 U23 world bronze medalist Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU), then grabbed technical superiority victories over Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) and Neelam NEELAM (IND) – which setup a semifinals match with Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU). 

In their semifinals match, Susaki was relentless in picking up her third consecutive opening period technical superiority win of the day. She inserted herself into the 50kg finals with another 10-0 victory,  where she’ll take on Daria KHVOSTOVA (RUS), who edged Natallia VARAKINA (BLR), 1-1 in the other semifinals match. 

Sae Nanjo was the second Japanese wrestler to lock up a spot in the finals. She nabbed a fall over Morena DE VITA (ITA) in the 59kg semifinals and arranged a rematch of last year’s junior world finals with Anastasia NICHITA (MDA). The Moldovan wrestler, who won the junior world title last year, took down Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) via fall in her semifinals match. 

The final Japanese wrestler who’ll wrestle for gold on Thursday night is Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN). She mauled Ewelina CIUNEK (POL), 13-2 in the semifinals and will wrestle Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) in the 68kg gold-medal match. Zhumanazarova thumped Jayden Leigh LAURENT (USA), 11-1 to make the finals, but that wasn’t her most impressive win of the day. In the second round, Zhumanazarova defeated four-time age-group world champion Khanum VELIEVA (RUS), 1-1.

Meanwhile, Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) avenged her 2018 junior world loss against Saki IGARASHI (JPN) by scoring a 4-3 win in then 55kg semifinals. In the finals, Verbina, who’ll be wrestling in her first world title match, will take on Patrycja GIL (POL). The Polish wrestler defeated Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER), 8-4 to make the finals.

The remaining gold medal bout will take place at 76kg between Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE) and Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB). Chang became Chinese Taipei's first-ever junior world finalist with her fall over Bernadett NAGY (HUN) in the semifinals, while Marin Portille has a shot at becoming Cuba's first-ever women's wrestling junior world champion with a win on Thursday night.

The day four women’s wrestling finals begin at 18:00 local time and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS
50kg 
GOLD - Yui SUSAKI (JPN) vs. Daria KHVOSTOVA (RUS)
Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU), 10-0
Daria KHVOSTOVA (RUS) df. Natallia VARAKINA (BLR), 1-1

55kg
GOLD - Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) vs. Patrycja GIL (POL)
Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) df. Saki IGARASHI (JPN), 4-3 
Patrycja GIL (POL) df. Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER), 8

59kg
GOLD - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) vs. Sae NANJO (JPN)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)  df. Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR), via fall 
Sae NANJO (JPN) df. Morena DE VITA (ITA), via fall 

68kg
GOLD - Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) vs. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Jayden Leigh LAURENT (USA), 11-1 
Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN) df. Ewelina Weronika CIUNEK (POL), 14-3 

76kg
GOLD - Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) vs. Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE)
Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) df. Qian JIANG (CHN), 4-0
Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE) df. Bernadett NAGY (HUN), via fall 

#WrestleTirana

Mohmadi shuts Novikov down to avenge Paris Olympic loss

Friday, February 28, 2025 - 19:23 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

TIRANA, Albania (February 28) -- Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) and Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) flexed their achievements in their own ways. Both acknowledged each other but a sense of supremacy also followed.

In a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympic Greco-Roman 87kg final, Novikov and Mohmadi met in the quarterfinal of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series to add another chapter to the exciting rivalry. While the stage wasn't as grand as Paris, Mohmadi avenged his loss from the final, blanking Olympic champion Novikov 5-0 and dominating the proceedings in the match.

Mohmadi went on to win the gold medal at 87kg after David LOSONCZI (HUN) pulled out of the final injured but the purpose of getting a match against Novikov and winning was served.

"This match was very important to me," Mohmadi said. "Wrestling against Novikov, who I wrestled in the Olympics, I expected myself to wrestle better than I did in the Olympics. I was able to win and wrestle without mistakes. I hope I can maintain this winning streak against Novikov in the World Championships as well."

Novikov won 7-0 in Paris in a very one-sided final and Mohmadi, perhaps learning from that experience from Paris where he wasn't awarded the forced par terre, began on an aggressive note. He got the par terre but failed to score and led only 1-0 at the break. However, the second period was also saw Mohmadi dominate proceedings as he scored a stepout and takedown to make it 4-0.

The world silver medalist was awarded the par terre in the second period as well which extended his lead to 5-0 but he once again failed to score. He shut Novikov down for the remaining time to win the bout.

He blew a kiss like an archer release the arrow whereas Novikov flexed his biceps, perhaps reminding Mohmadi that he is still the Olympic champion.

"I expected this match to be intense because the wrestler is both an Olympic champion and a world medalist, and a very good wrestler," he said. "But fortunately, I was able to use my opportunities well and get my points in this match."

Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) defeated Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) 5-0 at 87kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Mohmadi seems to have became the mainstay for Iran at 87kg for the foreseeable future but given the international depth at the weight class, Mohmadi knows he cannot let his guard down. 

"The 87 kg weight class has many contenders, even in these competitions," he said. "With the help coaches, I work on each of them individually and plan for each of them. They will do the same because this weight class has many contenders and has always been a busy weight class."

Novikov wasn't the only big win for Mohmadi on Friday. He began with a 8-0 sweep of Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and defeated European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) 5-1 in the semifinal.

A mouthwatering final against Losonczi was set but the Hungarian injured his elbow in the semifinal against Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and decided to skip the gold medal match.

"I hurt my right shoulder in the semifinals," Losonczi said. "It is a little swollen. I don’t think it’s too serious and I will be fine for the Europeans, but this is why I made this decision to sit out of the finals, just to make sure it does not get worse."

In the other Greco-Roman weight class that was in action on Friday, Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) defeated Idris IBAEV (GER), 3-2, to win the gold medal at 77kg.

Ibaev raced to a 5-0 lead after getting the first par terre position but Kyrgyzstan challenged the call for a leg-foul that was confirmed on review and Ibaev's lead was cut to 1-0. Maksatbek Uulu scored a takedown just before the break to claim a 2-1 lead.

Maksatbek Uulu got the par terre in second period but did not score any point. He, however, led 3-1 before Ibaev managed to get a stepout to make it 3-2.  However, that was not enough as Maksetbek Uulu defended his one point lead till the end of time to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

77kg
GOLD: Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Idris IBAEV (GER), 3-2

BRONZE: Per Albin OLOFSSON (SWE) df. Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO), 3-3
BRONZE: Kodai SAKURABA (JPN) df. Aleksa ILIC (SRB), 7-4

87kg
GOLD: Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df. Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), 3-1
BRONZE: Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) df. Nursultan TURSYNOV (TUR), 3-1