#Yariguin2019

Trio of World Silver Medalists Begin Quest to Turn Budapest Silver into Astana Gold

Wednesday, January 23, 2019 - 16:40 By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 23) - For the first time, the Ivan Yariguin will be a Rankings Series event in women’s wrestling. This year’s winter classic is set to feature a trio of wrestlers that fell short in the world finals who begin their quest to turn their Budapest world silver medals into Astana world golds, while past senior and age-level world champions are looking to stamp their resumes with an Ivan Yariguin title.

The only returning champion, Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA), has aspirations of becoming the first American female to win three straight Yariguin titles. But for her to do so, she’ll have the tall task of defeating a Mongolia's 2018 world runner-up OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa.

While many wrestlers are looking to remain on top and continue their winning streaks from last season, the host nation Russia is looking to bounce back after subpar world championships, where they left Budapest without a medal and only had one Russian female finish in the top-five.

OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL) sticks WANG Juan (CHN) to lock up a spot in the 2018 world finals. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

World Runner-Ups Begin Quest to Turn Silver into Gold

Three 2018 world silver medalists jump-start their journeys to improving their Budapest silver to Astana gold at this week’s Ivan Yariguin. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), and Ochirbat Nasanburmaa all fell short in the world finals but come to Krasnoyarsk with hopes of building on the all-important Ranking Series points they’ve accumulated from their 2018 world finals appearances.

Bullen Returns After Run to U23 World Title

In her last outing, Norway’s Grace Bullen capped off the U23 World Championships with the most emotional win of her career. Bullen used late heroics in the final seconds of the 59kg gold-medal bout to knock off China’s reigning senior-level world champion, RONG Ning Ning.

Bullen now makes the trip to Krasnoyarsk with a target on her back, and world runner-up Bilyana Dudova has her sights down the scope of the Ranking Series rifle.

Dudova will try to flip the script from the last time these two wrestled. They met in the semifinals of the final Ranking Series event of 2018, the Poland Open, where Bullen bulldozed Dudova, 10-0.

An emotional Rio WATARI (JPN) celebrates after she returned to the mat after defeating cancer. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Rio WATARI (JPN) to Make Ranking Series Debut After Beating Cancer

Japan’s 2016 Olympian Rio WATARI (JPN) will make her Ranking Series debut after winning the long and grueling two year battle against cancer.

The Ivan Yariguin marks Watari’s second international tournament since defeating Hodgkin lymphoma. Her first international tournament back was at October’s 2018 World Championships in Budapest, where she finished in 16th place. Watari also wrestled in the All-Japan Invitational Championships and Japan Championships, finishing with gold and silver respectively.

For Watari to win the 68kg bracket, she’ll have to get through a wrecking crew of 2015 world champion SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) and Russia’s four-time age-level world champion Khanum VELIYEVA, who is still junior eligible.

Ochirbat Tasked with Halting Mensah-Stock From Making History

Mongolia's 2018 world runner-up Ochirbat Nasanburmaa (MGL) will try to halt 2018 world bronze medalist Tamyra Mensah-Stock from becoming the first American women’s wrestler to win three straight Ivan Yariguin titles.

Mensah’s unblemished 8-0 Yariguin record includes an 8-4 win over Ochirbat in the gold-medal bout of the 2017 Yariguin finals.

Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) , two-time world bronze medalist is one of the favorites to make the 76kg gold-medal bout. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

Clash of Underrated World Medalists, Minagawa, and Focken

Two of the most underrated and least talked about wrestlers in the world could clash for the 76kg title.

Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) finished with a bronze medal at the world championships for the second year in a row and did so behind four-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA), Turkey’s 2017 world champion Yasim ADAR, yet is still one of least talked about wrestlers in the world.

Germany’s Aline ROTTER FOCKEN is another wrestler who should be a wrestling household name, yet Focken still isn't talked about enough. She’s reached a world finals in 2017 and is coming off a year where she reached the top of the podium at the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament, Yasar Dogu, and the Ion Corneanu & Ladislau Simon Memorial.

If these two 76kg favorites were to clash in the finals, it would be their first career meeting.

What’s at Stake?

The Ivan Yariguin is the first of four Ranking Series events of the year.

The winner of each Ranking Series event will be awarded eight (8) points, with second, third and fifth place grabbing six (6), four (4), and two (2) points respectively.

In addition to the placement points, wrestlers will receive points based on the number of participants in their bracket. For weight categories with 10 or fewer entries, an additional six (6) points will be added. For categories with 11-20 wrestlers entered an additional eight (8) points will be added. Ten (10) points will be added to any weight category with more than 20 entries. The points wrestlers gain this weekend are used as a part of the seeding process for the 2019 Astana World Championships. The number of points competitors accumulate from last year's World Championships, along with the 2019 Continental Championships and the Ranking Series events, will be combined and the wrestlers with the four highest cumulative points will be award the top four seeds.

SCHEDULE (Local time)

January 23 (Wednesday)
08.00 - Arrival of delegations
15.30 - Referees clinic
15.30 - Press conference with the Organizing Committee representatives, main referees body, team leaders and coaches
16.30 - Draw: Women: cat: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: cat: 57,61,70 kg

January 24 (Thursday)
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh-in cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
11.00 - Elimination rounds cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
16.00 - Draw cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
17.00 -1⁄2 finale cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg

January 25 (Friday)
08:15 - Weigh-in cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh-in cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
11.00 - Elimination rounds and 1⁄2 finale cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg - Repechage cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
16.30 - Draw cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
16.00 - Opening ceremony
17.00 - Finals cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg

January 26 (Saturday)
08:15 - Weigh-in cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh-in cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
11.00 - Elimination rounds and 1⁄2 finale cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg - Repechage cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
18.00 - Finals cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg

January 27 (Sunday)
09:00 - Weigh-in cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
11.00 - Repechage cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
13.00 - Finals cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg

#WrestleAlexandria

Mirzazadeh ready for Kayaalp test in Alexandria

Monday, February 20, 2023 - 12:22 By Vinay Siwach

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (February 17) -- Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) has watched his World Championships final against Riza KAYAALP (TUR) numerous times in the last five months to understand what he could have done differently to change the result.

The 1-1 victory for Kayaalp gave the Turkish legend his fifth world title, denying Mirzazadeh his first. But there were moments in the final that Mirzazadeh rues, a few that proved to be detrimental.

"I watched that final again," Mirzazadeh said. "There were some problems. I know that."

But not long after that bout, Mirzazadeh will get a chance to reverse the results albeit not in a World Championships. The two wrestlers head to the historic city of Alexandria, Egypt for the second Ranking Series event from February 23 to 26.

The two are among the 463 wrestlers who will compete at the Ibrahim Moustafa tournament and try to win the 1500 Swiss Francs on offer for the gold medal.

Starting this year, every Ranking Series will offer prize money -- 1500 Swiss Francs for gold, 750 Swiss Francs for silver and 500 Swiss Francs each for the bronze medalists. The tournaments will also allow two-kilogram weight tolerance.

Iran is bringing only four wrestlers but all are among the best in their weight classes. Mirzazadeh will be at 130kg while Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) will wrestle at 97kg. Olympic champion Mohammaedreza GERAEI (IRI) is registered at 72kg while Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) is wrestling at 63kg.

Mirzazadeh, a native of Khozestan, is visibly smaller than Kayaalp which has hampered his quest to beat the latter. But over time, the Iranian believes that he has improved his strength and size which can help him beat Kayaalp in near future.

"The Turkish wrestler is experienced," Mirzazadeh said. "But I will use my power as I am younger."

In Belgrade, late in the final, Mirzazadeh managed to put Kayaapl in a tricky position and could have scored a go behind or a stepout. However, it was the strength of Kayaalp that prevented that from happening.

Another huge shortcoming for Mirzazadeh is his failure to score from par terre against Kayaalp. It is one of the reasons that despite getting the advantage for the third passivity, he asked Kayaalp to resume in standing and not par terre in the Belgrade bout.

"In the previous bouts, I was underweight," he said. "But now I have increased my weight and strength to a great extent, and I will definitely look more powerful in my next match."

The two have met twice before in their careers and a positive, if any, for Mirzazadeh is the improvement in his defense. At the Tokyo Olympics, Kayaalp managed to turn Mirzazadeh from par terre while the same did not happen at the Belgrade World Championships.

With the growing years, it may well be true that Mirzazadeh's physical strength increased while Kayaalp's conditioning takes a hit with age.

Despite all this, Kayaalp, who has been busy with relief work after the February 6 earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria, will still be the favorite to win the gold at 130kg.

The participation in relief work in the Hatay province of Turkiye may affect his preparation for his first tournament of the year, but with tons of experience on his side and the European Championships scheduled in two months, Kayaalp will still be a force to reckon with.

On the other hand, this well may be the best chance for Mirzazadeh to get a win over Kayaalp.

"We have the plans," the 25-year-old said. "We have been working in the off-season with my coach Sina TALEBVAND and now at the national camp in Tehran."

Irrespective of the result of this potential bout on February 23, the two wrestlers will get a dress rehearsal for their respective continental championships.

Kayaalp will have Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO), Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), Jello KRAHMER (GER) and Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) in the field while Mirzazadeh will likely face Lingzhe MENG (CHN), NAVEEN (IND), Anton SAVENKO (KAZ), Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) and Roman KIM (KGZ).

Kayaalp will be looking to extend his record title run at European Championships in April in Croatia as last year he won his 11th continental title.

But Mirzazadeh is waiting for a showdown at the World Championships, incidentally, which will be held in Stark Arena, Belgrade like last year.

"I will do my best to improve in terms of physical and technical preparation," he said. "My goal is to reach my best state and to be able to win the gold medal in the 2023 World Championship and after that in the 2024 Olympics."