#WrestleTirana

Turkiye rejoices with Bakir gold, team title; Gutu ends Worlds gold drought

Sunday, October 29, 2023 - 23:00 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

TIRANA, Albania (October 29) — There certainly could not be one more loss for Turkiye in the finals. After three losses on Saturday, as the law of averages, Turkiye had to win one Greco-Roman gold medal at the U23 World Championships.

But with just over a minute left and returning silver medalist Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) leading 3-3 on criteria, it seemed to be turning out to be another heartbreak for Turkiye.

That’s when Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) turned things around, quite literally.

Turning 130kg+ wrestlers from par terre in the final minute is superhuman stuff. But then, wrestlers are that. Bakir got the par terre advantage, thanks to a third passivity in the final. He would smartly move his grip towards Vyshnyvetskyi’s waist, the limit allowed in Greco-Roman, instead of a grip on his chest. Defending the gut-wrench needs unreal strength, but when the grip is on the waist, it’s close to impossible. A tired Vyshnyvetskyi’s was turned and so was the mood in the Turkish camp.

After Saturday’s gloom, Turkiye finally claimed a gold medal in Greco-Roman, also winning the team title with 121 points, 28 points more than second-placed Azerbaijan. Georgia was third with 78kg, one more than Armenia.

Muhammet BAKIR (TUR)Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) celebrates after winning the 130kg gold medal in Tirana. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The furious Turkish coach, who had to be escorted off mat after Mustafa OLGUN (TUR) lost the 97kg 4-3 Saturday, was in a saner mood as well. Emotions ran high after Mert ILBARS (TUR), Alperen BERBER (TUR) and Olgun lost and he came on the mat to express his displeasure. On Sunday, he would simply clap to celebrate win.

For Vyshnyvetskyi, that is a second straight U23 world finals loss to a Turkish wrestler. Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) had defeated him 9-1 last year. Though he did not suffer a technical fall this year, the Ukrainian will reflect on this loss more critically.

Bakir now has world title at three age groups with the senior level the one left. Wrestling at his first World Championships since the 2021 U20 one, which he won, Bakir was on a roll in Tirana. He opened the tournament with a win over Mikhail LAPTAEV (AIN) 4-0, thrashed Assylbek ZHANIBEKULY (KAZ) 9-0 in quarterfinals and defeated Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) 4-2 in the semifinal.

He was a off to a great start in the final as well, turning Vyshnyvetsjyi from par terre in the first period. But he gave up a takedown in the second period. His passivity added another point to the Ukrainian’s score and gave him a 3-3 lead.

That was until his magical turnaround when awarded the third passivity which only offers par terre advantage and not a point. He defended his 5-3 lead for the 22 seconds left on the clock and claimed the gold.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) celebrates with his coach after winning the 77kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Gutu golden after 5 years

“Nothing is impossible.”

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) was a relieved man. He said after clinching his first gold medal at a World Championships after years. In between, it was increasing looking impossible.

Since winning the U17 World Championships and the Youth Olympic Games in 2018, Gutu has reached the final of the World Championships once — 2022 U23 World Championships.

After putting behind the ghosts of all those losses, Gutu managed to end the drought by winning the 77kg gold medal at the U23 World Championships on Sunday. He defeated Khasay HASANLI (AZE) 3-1 in the gold-medal bout.

“ I’ve been working hard for this medal for so long, not only this year,” Gutu said. “Only last year I could make it to the final, before that it’s been a long time that I couldn’t even qualify for the final.”

In the seven World Championships at different levels since 2018, Gutu has one silver and three bronze medals. He is yet to medal at the senior level with his best finishing being eighth in Belgrade this year.

But Gutu has been taking long strides in the sport. He won the U23 European Championships this year and was fifth at the senior continental event.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) scored a takedown after Khasay HASANLI (AZE) failed to score from this position. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Wrestling Hasanli in the final on Sunday was a rematch of the U23 Euros from March which Gutu won 6-3. The one in Tirana was a little similar as Gutu, after leading 1-1 on criteria, was called passive.

As Hasanli got the par terre advantage on the third passivity, he tried throwing Gutu who landed on his feet and scored a takedown. Hasanli had little chances of coming back from there.

“Last year I couldn’t win the gold medal, because I had a knee injury and I couldn’t wrestle in my full potential,” he said. “This year I’ve had a really good training camp together with my coaches and training partners.

“We wrestled each other in the [U23] European final. We showed a really good match then and here as well. I am thankful to him for this match.”

With that load off his back, Gutu has a new challenge waiting for him next. After failing to earn an Olympic quota for Moldova, he will have to try and earn it at the European Olympic Qualifiers next year.

“I have big plans for this sport,” he said. “I am not gonna stop. My dream is the Olympic gold. I will follow it util I win it. I will first need to win the national championships and then I am ready to train day and night to get the Olympic quota. Nothing is impossible.”

Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO)Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO) completes a throw to win 9-0 against Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ) in the 55kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Returning bronze medalist Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO) earned the gold medal at 55kg in Tirana after beating Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ) 9-0 in the final in just 38 seconds.

Kurbayev was hoping to win a second gold medal for Kazakhstan in two days after Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) became the country’s first-ever U23 world champion on Saturday. But Tokhadze was not allowing any of that.

He got his first four-pointer over Kurbayev 15 seconds into the final. Kazakhstan corner decided to challenge the four but lost, adding one more point to Tokhadze’s score. Using double overhook, Tokhadze threw Kurbayev once again to claim a 9-0 win.

Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN)Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) won the 87kg gold medal over Matej MANDIC (CRO). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 87kg, Matej MANDIC (CRO) became the fifth wrestler from Croatia to reach the Greco-Roman final at U23 World Championships and finishing with a silver medal, prolonging the country’s wait for a world champion.

Mandic seemed to have competed well for the initial period in the final but Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) build a 9-4 lead before a desperate attempt from Mandic saw him fall on his back and Murtazaliev used that opportunity to pin Mandic.

At 63kg, Rakhman TAVMURZAEV (AIN) was crowned as the champion as he defeated Hleb MAKARANKA (AIN), 6-1, in the final.

 

gh

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO) df. Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ), 9-0

BRONZE: Farid SADIKHLI (AZE) df. Denis MIHAI (ROU), 10-0
BRONZE: Adem UZUN (TUR) df. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 10-0

63kg
GOLD: Rakhman TAVMURZAEV (AIN) df. Hleb MAKARANKA (AIN), 6-1

BRONZE: Chiezo MARUYAMA (JPN) df. Yurik HOVEYAN (ARM), 2-1
BRONZE: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. PRAVESH (UWW), 9-0

77kg
GOLD: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Khasay HASANLI (AZE), 3-1

BRONZE: Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Aleksa ILIC (SRB), 8-0
BRONZE: Khvicha ANANIDZE (GEO) df. Attila TOESMAGI (HUN), 3-1

87kg
GOLD: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) df. Matej MANDIC (CRO), via fall (13-4)

BRONZE: Istvan TAKACS (HUN) df. Exauce MUKUBU (NOR), 2-1
BRONZE: Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL) df. Waltteri LATVALA (FIN), 9-0

130kg
GOLD: Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) df. Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), 5-3

BRONZE: Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Apostolos TSIOVOLOS (GRE), 10-0
BRONZE: Mikhail LAPTEV (AIN) df. Razmik KURDYAN (ARM), 7-1

Stadnik retires: Europe's best who rewrote history

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 11:06 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BAKU, Azerbaijan (February 4) -- Four Olympic medals, six World Championships medals, 10 European titles, two European Games golds, many triumphs and heartbreaks later, Mariya STADNIK (AZE) has called it a day.

Stadnik, who debuted 22 years ago in 2003, announced her decision to retire from wrestling in an event organized by Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in Baku on Monday. In an emotional video, Stadnik can be seen removing her shoes on the mat in front of a crowd and then speaking about her career.

"I recorded my name in the history of Women's Wrestling. Thank you to everyone who created this story together with me," Stadnik wrote on Instagram. "Now it's time to close this page of my life and write a new history."

Back in 2003, Stadnik began with a gold medal at the U17 European Championships, won a U20 world title two years later, added senior one as well and had a storied Olympic career which was laden with heartbreaks.

"I always had the motivation and will to win," Stadnik said last year. "I have had this will since early childhood, and this is endless."

READ MORE: Stadnik, 34, remains unbeaten in Europe

Though her will has stretched her career over two decades, Stadnik's decision to retire came after a lot of thought.

"In wrestling, I used all my chances," Stadnik said. "Now I understand that the time has come when I can be useful for wrestling in another role."

The 36-year-old, who was born in Ukraine but competed for Azerbaijan, will be moving into a caretaker role with the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation in Women's Wrestling and will be responsible for churning out new stars.

When Stadnik made her debut in 2003, Japan, China, United States and Canada were top nations. However, Stadnik changed that. She won her first World Championships medal in 2007 and qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in which she won a bronze medal as an 18-year-old.

Soon, she won her first world title in 2009 and emerged as the new force from Europe. She went on to win the European Championships as well. Stadnik brought competition to Women's Wrestling.

"For these countries, the competition with me was always serious," she said. "We always had tense and intriguing fights that were followed by the whole world. Mariya Stadnik from Azerbaijan was always a danger for them."

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Perhaps it was no surprise that she was in the final of 2011 World Championships and 2012 London Games. However, she came up short both times to Hitomi OBARI (JPN).

"I give a lot of respect to Obara because she was stronger than me at that moment and the London gold was hers," she said. "She was my strongest opponent whom I respect very much."

Barring those Japanese hurdles, Stadnik was unstoppable. She added more medals at the continental level and always stood on the podium at the World Championships.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)A dejected Mariya STADNIK (AZE) at the 48kg medal ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Then came the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Stadnik was at the peak of her wrestling her. A Olympic gold would take so much off her back. She was in the final of the 48kg in Rio and the gold medal was within touching distance as she was leading Eri TOSAKA (JPN) 2-1 in the final. But Tosaka crushed those dreams in the final five seconds, beating Stadnik 3-2.

Stadnik till today has no explanation as to what happened in those last five seconds of the final against Tosaka.

"I didn't watch my match from Rio for two years and still can't find an explanation why that competition ended like that," Stadnik said. "I knew and felt that the Rio gold should have been mine."

Stadnik geared up for one more time. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics would have been perfect ending for her. But by then, wrestling had changed with two-day weight ins, a newer generation of wrestlers had come up and Yui SUSAKI (JPN) was on a mission.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) lost her first meeting with Yui SUSAKI (JPN) 2-2 at the Klippan Lady Open in 2018. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Max Rose-Fynn)

The first time Stadnik and Susaki faced each other was in the Klippan Lady Open final in 2018. Stadnik was winning the final but Susaki scored a stepout in the final second to shock Stadnik.

People doubted Stadnik and her mental strength. The 2019 World Championships gave a huge boost of confidence for Stadnik who won her second of the two world titles in Astana, exactly ten years after winning her first.

The Tokyo Olympics were just 10 months away and Stadnik was ready for it. However, with COVID-19 pandemic, it got pushed to 2021 and Susaki went on to win the gold medal with a 41-0 record in four bouts including a 10-0 rout of Stadnik in the semifinals.

Stadnik still managed to win a bronze medal, her fourth of the Olympics, tying her with Kaori ICHO (JPN) and Saori YOSHIDA (JPN). Icho was four golds and Yoshida has three silver and one bronze.

"I know people talk about the gold medal but I am so happy with this bronze. It's satisfying," she said back in 2021.

But Stadnik wasn't satisfied with wrestling. After being away from the mat in 2022, she returned in 2023 and won her ninth European title, the most in Women's Wrestling, extending her unbeaten streak in European Championships to 34 bouts.

Then she made a run for the Paris Olympics and though that meant taking losses to opponents she used to toy with in the past, the mother of two secured her place for Paris in the final qualifiers in Istanbul. Her body was ageing, reducing weight was becoming gruesome and her opponents were becoming quicker.

She returned home without a medal but became the first female wrestler to compete at five Olympics. Soon after Paris, Stadnik reflected on what she has left for wrestling and decided that a role off the mat was more suited now. Letting go off something so big in her life was hard and emotional for her.

"When I watched the video in which I take my shoes off, I had tears," she said. "This is the end of an important part of my life. What I loved so much for many years is ending."