#Yariguin2019

Three "Must Watch" Day Three Matches at the Ivan Yariguin

Friday, January 25, 2019 - 19:55 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 25) - The brackets for the third day of freestyle and women's wrestling at the Ivan Yariguin have been released and here are three potential matches that you can't afford to miss. 

1. Kyle SNYDER (USA) vs. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) 

This 97kg semifinals match would be a rematch of last year’s Beat the Streets in New York City where Snyder, the two-time world and Rio Olympic champion, overcame an 8-1 deficit to beat the Cuban 2014 world silver medalist, 9-8. 

Salas Perez scored a takedown, a right-sided gut wrench, and a massive four-point throw to build his 8-1 lead. But, the American superstar was able to close out the inaugural period with a pair of one point exchanges, slimming the differential to five points heading into the final period. 

From there, Snyder’s smothering pace proved to be too much for Perez, as the reigning world and Olympic champion closed the match on an 8-0 run, and ultimately won the bout, 9-8.

Magomed KURBANILIEV (RUS), 2016 world champion, makes his debut at 74kg 

2. Magomed KURBANILIEV (RUS) vs. Yakup GOR (TUR) 

This 74kg quarterfinal sticks a pair of former 70kg hammers against each other for a spot in Saturday's Yariguin semifinals. 

Kurbanaliev, the world and European champion down at 70kg, is making his debut up at 74kg.  This is the Russian’s first weight change since 2016 when he bumped up from 65kg to 70kg. 

On the flip side, Gor, a two-time world medalist down at 70kg, made the leap up to one of the toughest weight classes in the world last season and failed to make Turkey’s world team after five consecutive trips to the world championships. 

This match is only possible if Kurbanaliev wins his all-Russian wrestle-off match against 2018 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Nikita SUCHKOV, and both wrestlers win their qualification matches. 

Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER), 2017 world runner-up, makes her return after falling short of a medal at the 2018 World championships. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

3. Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) vs. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) 

This 76kg semifinal match pits the pair of world finalist from two seasons ago against each other. 

Both Focken and Marzaliuk are looking to bounce back after underperforming at the 2018 world championships. The German wrestler went 2-1 in Budapest and fell 6-4 to eventual bronze medalist Erica WIEBE (CAN), while the Belarusian went 0-1 and lost 8-6 to eventual fifth-place finisher Zsanett NEMETH (HUN). 

The pair were in the same bracket at last year's Poland Open and the World Championships, but this would be their first career meeting. 

#WrestleAlexandria

Egypt Claims 7 Golds to Win Greco Team Title

Friday, May 1, 2026 - 19:25 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (May 1) -- Till the first four weight classes, Algeria thought it was in with a chance to upset Egypt and win the Greco-Roman team title in Alexandria, Egypt. (Also Read: Nigeria Dominates Women's Wrestling With 4 Golds) 

Both countries were tied at 45 points in the team title race at the African Championships on Friday. However, after the initial thrill, Egypt made the race its own, winning five of the remaining six gold medals to claim the team title with 235 points, 40 more than Algeria which finished with 195 points.

Led by world bronze medalist Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), who became a nine-time African champion on Friday, Egypt won seven gold and three silver medals to give the local crowd a festive feeling at the Borg Elarb Sport Hall.

UWW Plus

Mohamed, who won his first African gold in 2016, defeated Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR), 9-0, in Round 2. While four wrestlers were entered in the bracket, only Mohamed and Kouainso wrestled while Issah FUSEINI (GHA) and Maurice ABATAM (CHA) did not show up.

That made the match between Mohamed and Kouainso the only bout at 130kg which the Egyptian won using four turns from par terre.

U23 world champion Mohamed ABDELREHIM (EGY) spent only seven minutes on the mat to win three round-robin bouts at 67kg. In Round 5, he faced Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG) who made him work hard for his 6-0 victory in which no par terre positions was awarded to Benfredj. However, Abdelrehim was up to the task and defended his gold medal.

Mohamed DYAB (EGY)Mohamed DYAB (EGY), red, throws Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) during the 87kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 87kg, six-time African champion Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) was handed a 7-1 loss by Mohamed DYAB (EGY) in the final. Dyab showed early signs of causing the upset when he defeated Sid Azara in the Nelson bracket 8-0.

Though Sid Azara managed to close the gap, he failed to stop Dyab from claiming the gold medal. Dyab got the par terre position in first period and as he was trying to score, Sid Azara committed a defensive leg-foul and was docked two points. As Dyab restarted in par terre, he used two turns to lead 7-0.

Sid Azara got par terre in the second period but he failed to score any points despite using a seatbelt technique. Dyab defended his six-point lead to win the gold medal for Egypt.

Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) throws Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG) during the 72kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Former U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) also defeated Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG) two times to claim the gold medal at 72kg. He defeated Merabet 8-0 in the morning and as the two reached the final, Alameldin once again won via technical superiority, 10-2.

Merabet led 2-2 on criteria but Alameldin dragged him for takedown to lead 4-2, before extending it to 8-2 using a four-pointer. Merabet tried a few moves in the second period to cut the lead but Alameldin held firm and scored the match-winning takedown.

This is the second gold medal of the season for Alameldin as he began the year with a gold medal at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in February.

Mahmoud SAAD (EGY)Mahmoud SAAD (EGY) celebrates after beating Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG), 9-1, at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Egypt's three other gold medals came at 60kg, 77kg, and 82kg. Mahmoud SAAD (EGY) began his day with a fall in Round 1 before beating Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG), 9-1, scoring all his points from par terre in the second period.

Once Fergat was beaten, Saad had no trouble in defeating Latuf MADI (COM), 9-0, in 1:55 and Virinao NGUATJITI (NAM), 8-0, in 4:05 in the next rounds.

At 77kg, Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) turned Chawki DOULACHE (ALG) from par terre while defending his own position to craft a 3-1 victory over the Algerian and claim his fourth-ever African title.

There was little to differentiate between Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY) and Haithem ISSAAD (ALG) at 82kg as both dominated their other two matches. But when the two clashed, Abouelatta scored four more points than Issaad to win the Round 1 bout 7-3.

As Abouelatta won all three of his bouts, he won gold while Issaad finished with a silver medal.

While Egypt ruled, the evening began with Algeria winning gold through Badr MAHDAOUI (ALG) at 55kg. He defeated Ahmed ALY (EGY), 15-6, a technical superiority in the final. The 18-year-old thus became a senior African champion.

Three-time African champion Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG) returned to the tournament after three years and defeated Omar IBRAHIM (EGY), 5-2, in the 63kg final to win gold, his fourth.

The big shock came at 97kg as defending champion and Olympian Mohamed GABR (EGY) failed to defend his title. Former U17 and U20 African champion Fadi ROUABAH (ALG) stopped Gabr in Round 2 with a 2-1 victory.

Photo

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Badr MAHDAOUI (ALG) df. Ahmed ALY (EGY), 15-6

BRONZE: Bofenda KALUWEKO (ANG) df. Dunia SIBOMANA (COD), via forfeit

60kg
GOLD: Mahmoud SAAD (EGY)
SILVER: Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
BRONZE: Latuf MADI (COM)

63kg
GOLD: Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG) df. Omar IBRAHIM (EGY), 5-2

BRONZE: Lazarus HAIMBODI (NAM) df. Solomon ADDICO (GHA), via forfeit

67kg
GOLD: Mohamed ABDELREHIM (EGY) 
SILVER: Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG)
BRONZE: Miguel ANTONIO (ANG)

72kg
GOLD: Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) df. Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG), 10-2

BRONZE: Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN) df. Yamine ATCHIBA (BEN), 8-3

77kg
GOLD: Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) df. Chawki DOULACHE (ALG), 3-1

BRONZE: Sami SLAMA (TUN) df. Yassine CHEKLY (MAR), 8-6

82kg
GOLD: Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY)
SILVER: Haithem ISSAAD (ALG)
BRONZE: Belhasan AZAOUZI (TUN)

87kg
GOLD: Mohamed DYAB (EGY) df. Bachir SID AZARA (ALG), 7-1

BRONZE: Lamjed MAAFI (TUN) df. Persy BAMONA (COD), 8-0

97kg
GOLD: Fadi ROUABAH (ALG)
SILVER: Mohamed GABR (EGY)
BRONZE: Hamza BOUMADIENE (MAR)

130kg
GOLD: Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)
SILVER: Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR)