#WrestleZagreb

Susaki slips up in win; USA, Iran dominate freestyle

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 2) -- After 1174 days, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) gave up a point in an international bout.

The world and Olympic champion had not been scored upon since 2019 but on Thursday, Jiang ZHU (CHN) pushed Susaki out to score on point in the 50kg final of the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event.

Incidentally, the last opponent who scored on Susaki was also Chinese. Yanan SUN (CHN) scored two points on Susaki at the World Cup in Narita in 2019. Since then, Susaki did not give up any points to her opponents until Zou managed to score late in the final.

The stepout was a small lapse in Susaki's divine concentration but she still managed to outscore her opponents 30-1 in Zagreb, winning her second Ranking Series gold medal and first since the 2018 Klippan Lady Open in Sweden.

"It was my first time wrestling against a rough player, so it was a good experience," Susaki said. "All the countries are working hard for the Paris Olympics so I think the number of new wrestlers coming will increase. I also practice more to become stronger so I can be an absolute champion."

Looking as good as ever, Susaki arm-barred Meng FAN (CHN) for a fall in her first bout before going 10-0 against Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB) in the quarterfinal. The much anticipated semifinal against four-time Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) did not happen as Stadnik pulled out injured.

"It was my first bout against Stadnik since the Olympics so I was looking forward to it," she said. "But it was disappointing that she had to withdraw. I talked to her and she said let's meet at the World Championships."

In the final Susaki was leading 8-0 after a few takedowns when Zhu pushed her out. But two takedowns later, Susaki won the gold.

"My motivation now is to participate in the Paris Olympics, to win the Olympics for the second time in a row and see what I have not seen before," she said. "I want to do my best so that no one can beat Susaki anymore. As for myself, there are many seniors like Saori YOSHIDA and Kaori ICHO. So I want to do my best to catch up."

Zagreb Open also marked the return of Stadnik to the international United World Wrestling competition since the Tokyo Olympics. She won her first bout against Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) 10-0 but struggled against World Championships silver medalist Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL).

She scored two takedowns against Dolgorjav but struggled in the second period, showing signs of tiredness. Dolgorjav got a point for passivity and scored a stepout. In the dying second, it seemed like she completed a takedown over Stadnik but on a challenge, it was clear that time had run out.

Stadnik, who has lost to Susaki in all their previous meetings, decided to default in the semifinal citing injury.

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) won the gold medal at 55kg in Zagreb. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) added the second gold medal for Japan on Thursday as she won the 55kg gold medal after four wins in the Nelson bracket. In Round 5, she defeated Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) 12-2. The U23 and U20 world champion was untouchable throughout the day and it was Dragutan who managed to score the two points on her.

Kyle SNYDER (USA)Kyle SNYDER (USA) won the 97kg gold medal over Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

USA, Iran win two golds each

World champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) warmed up for an important year with the gold medal at 97kg in Zagreb while Kollin MOORE (USA) won the gold medal at 92kg.

Snyder wrestled U23 world champion Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) in the final and won 3-0 after an intense battle. He got a point for Azarpira's passivity in the first period to lead 1-0. He was put on the activity clock in the second period but managed to pushout Azarpira just before the clock expired to lead 2-0.

While Azapira defended well to give up no takedowns, Snyder scored his third point via a stepout to lock the gold medal.

"It was a good [day]," Snyder said. "I wrestled four matches in one day and I like wrestling all matches in one day. I had some quality opponents."

One of them was in Snyder's first bout -- Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) who tested Snyder in the morning session. The Azerbaijan wrestler opened up a 4-1 lead but with Snyder constantly pressuring for a takedown, Magomedov broke down and gave up six points as Snyder won 7-4.

"He is a good opponent," he said. "I get better as I go through the tournament but I needed to get a better warm-up."

He went on to beat Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 12-1 in the quarterfinal and Radoslaw BARAN (POL) 10-0 in the semifinal.

Kollin MOORE (USA) defeated Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) in the 92kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Moore also had a tough path to the final as he wrestled World Championships bronze medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) in the first bout and then had a tough semifinal against compatriot Jonathan AIELLO (USA) before pulling a thrilling 4-3 win over another World Championships bronze medalist, Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), in the final.

After opening with an 8-3 win over Nurmagamedov, Moore dug deep to beat Aiello 6-6. In the final, he scored a takedown before the break to lead 2-1 and opened the second period with a takedown to make it 4-1. Maisuradze did score two stepouts but that was not enough for a win.

Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI), blue, won the 79kg gold medal over Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)

At 79kg, Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) held on to a 2-1 win over Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) in the final.

Savadkouhi, who became the first wrestler from Iran to beat Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), had a good day in office with wins over Peilong LI (CHN), Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA) and Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) before the final.

"My rival in the final match was a World Championships medal winner," Savadkouhi said. "[But] I was in good physical condition and I won the match."

All three points in the final were technical points as Savadkouhi got a passivity point before a stepout while he gave up a similar point in the second period. But his strong defense in the final minute kept Kentchadze at bay.

On his future plans, Savadkouhi made it clear that he will wrestle at 79kg at the World Championships in September.

"I will remain in 79kg until the 2023 World Championships and after that, I will prepare to compete in an Olympic weight category."

At 125kg, Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) won the gold medal after his opponent in the final, Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), injury defaulted.

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RESULTS

Freestyle

79kg
GOLD: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) df. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 2-1

BRONZE: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA), 13-2
BRONZE: Chandler MARSTELLER (USA) df. Csaba VIDA (HUN), via inj. def.

92kg
GOLD: Kollin MOORE (USA) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 4-3

BRONZE: Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) df. Pruthviraj PATIL (IND), 9-1 
BRONZE: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Jonathan Leonard AIELLO (USA), 13-2

97kg
GOLD: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI), 3-0

BRONZE: Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) df. Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN), 12-4
BRONZE: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Radoslaw BARAN (POL), 11-4

125kg
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Robert BARAN (POL) df. Georgi IVANOV (BUL), via fall
BRONZE: Daniel LIGETI (HUN) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 8-1

Women's wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Jiang ZHU (CHN), 12-1

BRONZE: Ziqi FENG (CHN) df. Erin GOLSTON (USA), 12-1
BRONZE: Meng FAN (CHN) df. Mariya STADNIK (AZE), via inj. def.

55kg
Round 5: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 12-2
Round 5: Erika BOGNAR (HUN) df. Lauren MASON (USA), 4-1

GOLD: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)
SILVER: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
BRONZE: Erika BOGNAR (HUN)

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds: U.S. wins 3 golds to shock Iran for FS team title

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 3) -- Three gold medals for the United States and Iran's incredible choke on Sunday saw the U.S. defend its Freestyle team title at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece.

Going into the final day, Iran needed to win one bout out of four it had wrestlers in to claim the title irrespective of U.S. results. On the other hand, U.S. needed to win all its four bouts, including two head-to-head finals, and hope that Iran loses all its other matches as well.

That is exactly what transpired on the mat as U.S. put on an inspired show and won three gold and one bronze medal to reach 154 points. Iran finished with 150 points after its three loses in the finals and one in a bronze-medal bout.

Kazakhstan managed to pip Azerbaijan by one point and finish third with 91 points. Azerbaijan finished fourth 90 points and Japan got 79 points and finished fifth.

On Saturday, Ariah MILLS (USA) had won one gold as well apart from Japan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and one UWW wrestler winning gold medals.

It began with Keegan BASSETT (USA), who gave hope to U.S. by claiming the gold medal at 45kg, as he pinned Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) in the final inside the first period.

The first scramble saw the two wrestlers called back to center as neither wrestler was able to break the arm-lock. Bassett got the first takedown to lead 2-0 and then a turn made it 4-0. The American wrestler got another takedown and kept Tahmasbi's back on the mat.

The referees took their time but eventually called the fall, giving Bassett the gold medal at 45kg. Incidentally, its the same weight class his brother Bowen won the world U17 gold medal in 2021.

"Ever since I started wrestling, this was one of my goals to be a world champ," Bassett said. "It feels unbelievable to find a way to do it."

Over the two days he wrestled, Bassett showed how technically sound and physically strong he is at the weight class.

"I wrestled pretty good overall. First match was a little rough; nerves, and it was my first match in about three months," he said. "But I think I got better overall as the weekend went on and that's what I needed."

Four years ago, he was in Budapest watching Bowen win the gold medal in similar fashion as he pinned his opponent in the final. Keegan recalled that day.

"I definitely had that in mind going into this," he said. "Four years, that's unreal. I was there for him when he won in Budapest. I cried then, I cried now. It's just means so much. We work so hard and it's just truly such a surreal moment."

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA)Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) scores the gold winning takedown against Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) in the 51kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA), a returning world champion facing another returning world champion Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB), consolidated U.S. position by winning a thrilling 51kg final.

Rashidov was put on the passivity clock in the first period which gave Sanchez a 1-0 lead. He tried to score a go-behind and was awarded two points in the sequence. The U.S. challenged the decision and on review, it was clear that Rashidov never passed behind Sanchez and the two points were removed.

Sanchez came out attacking in the second period and got on a single-leg attack. Rashidov got his best defense of the match and defended that attack. Soon, Sanchez was put on the clock but he got the takedown on the edge with another leg attack to lead 3-0 and also got the activity time removed .

While Rashidov did get a front headlock turn in the final five seconds, Sanchez did not let him another and planted Rashidov's back on the mat for two more points as the time expired.

"I knew he was going to be a tough opponent," Sanchez said. "I got a little tired in the match, but I  kept going, kept digging deep and going through it. I got a couple shots but wasn't able to finish. But my last shot, I was able to take him out of bounce and get the two-point takedown."

Sanchez now has two gold medals at the World U17 Championships, having won at 45kg last year.

"This year I was definitely better than I was last year at controlling my opponent and moving him around," he said. "Not letting them on my legs as much. Last year, I was down like 5-0 in the finals. This year, didn't take me down."

Jayden JAMES (USA)Jayden JAMES (USA) defeated Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI), 9-2, in the 71kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Jayden JAMES (USA) put the U.S. closer to the title as he humbled Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI), 9-2, in the 71kg.

Vahabian was looking for his leg attacks but they never came as James showed some of the best defense of the night. He countered and scored a takedown. That remained the theme of the match as James kept going and did not even return to his corner during the break.

Soon, James had Vahabian broken and he ended the bout as Vahabian tried to pull of a headpinch. The win made U.S. go to 139 points while Iran was on 130 points.

In the 92kg bronze medal bout, Tanner HODGINS (USA) rallied to beat Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 10-0, and took the final tally of U.S. to 154 points.

David DZEBISOV (UWW)David DZEBISOV's (UWW) win over Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI) in the 92kg final indirectly helped the U.S. win the team title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

It was now on Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI), who needed to win his 92kg final, a win which would have propelled Iran to 155 points and the team title.

But David DZEBISOV (UWW) ruined that party. Dzebisov defeated Alizadeh 6-2 in the 92kg final to deny Iran and earn a world title for himself.

Dzebisov scored the first takedown to lead 2-0 but Alizadeh fired one back on the second period to make it 2-2 and lead on criteria. He went into defense mode after that.

He, however, got caught in a tangle with Dzebisov who managed to finish on top and score two points and a lead of 4-2. There was only desperation from Alizadeh after that as he gave up two more points to drop the final 6-2.

In the only final in which neither Iran nor the U.S. featured, SITENDER (IND) won India's first Freestyle gold medal by beating Rihito HIURA (JPN) in the 60kg final.

A takedown masterclass saw Sitender break Hiura to the core and he was not able to finish his attacks nor defend the ones from Sitender.

The gold was first in Freestyle for India at U17 Worlds since 2022 and only the second time ever that the country had gold medals in all three styles.

USAThe 10 United States Freestyle wrestlers with the champion's team trophy. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Keegan BASSETT (USA) df. Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI), via fall (6-0)

BRONZE: Mirjalol MUKAMMILOV (UZB) df. Arnur NURSAIDOV (KGZ), 4-4
BRONZE: Ibragim VELIULLOV (UWW) df. Bakdaulet AGABEK (KAZ), 9-2

51kg
GOLD: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) df. Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB), 5-2

BRONZE: Danael ABDYKASSYM (KAZ) df. Temuri TUTARASHVILI (GEO), 9-4
BRONZE: Dzhamal BAKAEV (UWW) df. Haruku SHIINA (JPN), 12-5

60kg
GOLD: SITENDER (IND) df. Rihito HIURA (JPN), 9-4

BRONZE: Hasan HASANOV (AZE) df. Nathan NASH (CAN), 5-4
BRONZE: Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ) df. Arian MEHRALIZADEH (IRI), 9-0

71kg
GOLD: Jayden JAMES (USA) df. Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI), 9-2

BRONZE: Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK) df. Jason KEIL (GER), 6-0
BRONZE: Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM) df. Farrukhbek JUMANAZAROV (UZB), 7-6

92kg
GOLD: David DZEBISOV (UWW) df. Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI), 6-2

BRONZE: Tanner HODGINS (USA) df. Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Said PASHAYEV (AZE) df. Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ), 5-3