Granma y Cerro Pelado

United States, Cuba Trade Blows In Freestyle At Granma y Cerro Pelado

Thursday, February 22, 2018 - 00:05 By

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HAVANA, Cuba – Pan American rivals Cuba and the United States traded punches throughout the opening day of freestyle wrestling at the Granma y Cerro Pelado.

The two nations combined to have 13 wrestlers qualify for the finals, the United States with 7 and Cuba with 6. Four of tomorrow’s gold-medal matches will pit individuals from the United States and Cuba opposite one another.

Two-time bronze medalist at the World Championships Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) dazzled with a barrage of high-amplitude moves on his way to the 61 KG finals.

He opened with impressive wins over American foes Anthony RAMOS (USA) and Darius LITTLE (USA) before silencing last year’s Pan American champion Dabian Quintana (CUB), 7-4. Bonne Rodriguez will meet 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International bronze medalist Cody BREWER (USA) for the title.

Alejandro VALDEZ TOBIER (CUB), bronze medal winner from last year’s World Championships in Paris, won both of his bouts by 10-0 scores to qualify for the 65 KG finals. Standing opposite the experience Cuban is international newcomer Robbie MATHERS (USA), who himself looked sharp with two technical superiority wins.

A pair of past Pan American champions will face off in the 70 KG gold-medal match. 2015 Pan American champion Jason CHAMBERLAIN (USA) and two-time Pan American champion Franklin MAREN (CUB) are the last two standing at this weight class.

The remaining United States versus Cuba final comes at 57 KG with 2014 Pan American champion Zach SANDERS (USA) taking on returning Cerro Pelado bronze medalist Alexei ALVARES (CUB).

Rio Olympics champion and two-time world champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) posted decisive shutout victories over Sean MOLLE (CAN) and Ceron FRANCISCO (USA) to sail to the 125 KG finals. Ben DURBIN (USA) earned the right to face Akgul tomorrow after upending returning Cerro Pelado champion Yudenny ALPAJON (CUB) in the semifinals, 4-2.

At 74 KG, London Olympic bronze medalist Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) looks to defend his Cerro Pelado title against 2017 Grand Prix of Paris bronze medalist Kubilay CAKICI (GER). Lopez Azcuy, who is a three-time medalist at the World Championships, won both of his bouts today by technical superiority.

The final Cuban in the gold-medal mix is two-time Pan American champion Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) at 86 KG. Torreblanca escaped an 8-0 deficit in his opening contest by pinning Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN). 2012 junior world champion Achmed DUDAROV (GER) is the final hurdle for Torreblanca.

U23 world bronze medalist Ty WALZ (USA) rode the momentum of a 12-2 victory over three-time world medalist Reineris SALAS (CUB) to the 97 KG finals. He will face fellow American Hayden ZILLMER (USA) in the finals. Zillmer won four international medals in 2017, but they all came in the Greco-Roman style.  

2017 Ion Corneau champion Gabriel STARK (GER) will battle Husseyin GUNDUZ (TUR) in the final round of the 92 KG round-robin bracket with the winner earning gold.

The Granma y Cerro Pelado tournament will conclude tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. local time with the freestyle wrestling finals. Complete results and a live stream of the event can be found at unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS: http://uww.io/4gTea

MEDAL MATCHES

57 KG

Gold: Zach SANDERS (USA) vs. Alexei ALVARES (CUB)

Bronze: Aso PALANI (CAN) vs. Eddie KLIMARA (USA)

Bronze: Pedro MEJIAS (VEN) vs. Joey DANCE (USA)

61 KG

Gold: Cody BREWER (USA) vs. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB)

Bronze: Anthony RAMOS (USA) vs. Dabian QUINTANA (CUB)

Bronze: Johnni DIJULIUS (USA) vs. Shelton MACK (USA)

65 KG

Gold: Alejandro VALDEZ TOBIER (CUB) vs. Robbie MATHERS (USA)

Bronze: Brandon DIAZ (MEX) vs. Lazaro CARBONEL (CUB)

Bronze: Dillon WILLIAMS (CAN) vs. Anthony ABIDIN (USA)

70 KG

Gold: Jason CHAMBERLAIN (USA) vs. Franklin MAREN (USA)

Bronze: Mario MASON (USA) vs. Hunter STIEBER (USA)

Bronze: Kevin HENKEL (GER) vs. Luis ROCHEZ (HON)

74 KG

Gold: Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) vs. Kubilay CAKICI (GER)

Bronze: Jean PERALTA (CHI) vs. Yoan SULEUETA (CUB)

Bronze: Nestor TAFUR (COL) vs. Jevon BALFOUR (CAN)

86 KG

Gold: Achmed DUDAROV (GER) vs. Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB)

Bronze: Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) vs. Martin OBST (GER)

92 KG

Gold: Gabriel STARK (GER) vs. Husseyin GUNDUZ (TUR)

97 KG

Gold: Hayden ZILLMER (USA) vs. Ty WALZ (USA)

Bronze: Erik THIELE (GER) vs. Nathan BURAK (USA)

125 KG

Gold: Taha AKGUL (TUR) vs. Ben DURBIN (USA)

Bronze: Luis VIVEWEZ (VEN) vs. Yudenny ALPAJON (CUB)

Bronze: Sean MOLLE (CAN) vs. Ceron FRANCISCO (USA)

#WrestleNoviSad

Fujinami wins U23 world gold with perfect debut at 57kg

Saturday, October 25, 2025 - 00:37 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 24) -- Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) said she was 'a little nervous' before coming to Novi Sad for her first international tournament at 57kg.

On the mat, however, the Paris Olympic champion showed no signs of nerves.

Fujinami won her first U23 world title, extended her win streak to 145 matches dating back to 2017 and made a golden debut at the new weight class. Even more remarkable was the manner in which she won her all bouts, via technical superiority.

"It was my first match in a long time," Fujinami said. "I think it was a tournament where I was able to show my skills I had practiced, feeling relieved and have fun playing in the competition."

In the 57kg final, it took Fujinami only five second to hit that outside single against Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) and score the first takedown. Another similar attack and she was up 4-0. A go-behind made it 6-0 and a transitioned double-leg attack gave her four points as she won 10-0.

"I could feel the power of my opponents in the new weight class," Fujinami said. "I still had to reduce weight but I feel that I moved very well on the mat.

"As for the final, when it comes to handling when (my) head is outside, foreign players are strong [in dealing with that], so I have honed my skills a lot. It's a move that doesn't let the opponent get together, or to tackle."

Fujinami, who won the Japan's Queens Cup in April to qualify for the U23 World Championships, decided to skip the Meiji Cup and in turn the World Championships in Zagreb, as she would not be ready physically for the challenge.

The U23 Worlds, however, laid a perfect platform for her to test herself as she gears up for the all-important Emperor's Cup in December. In Novi Sad, she spent a total of 8:22 on the mat in four bouts with little trouble.

"I wasn't aware of it at all," she said about winning every bout via technical superiority. "I thought I was just doing what I had been doing. This time, I was practicing not only tackles but also snaps. It's a move like Masanosuke ONO, who dropped his opponent down. I want to practice more and more and make it a technique that can score."

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) won the gold medal at 57kg at the U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The competition at Emperor's Cup, which Fujinami wants to win in order to compete at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in 2026, will be much tougher. Apart from the regulars at 57kg including Sara NATAMI (JPN), Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) and Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), a possible return of fellow Paris Olympic champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), may spice up the competition.

Fujinami also has eyes on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and in particular wrestling one wrestler -- Helen MAROULIS (USA).

"I respect Helen Maroulis a lot," she said. "But now I am at 57kg and I must beat her."

In other women's wrestling finals on Friday, Kazakhstan got its first-ever U23 world champion in women's wrestling after Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) held on to a thrilling win against Tuba DEMIR (TUR) at 55kg.

Omirbek got a takedown to start the final as Demir was put on the activity clock. She then turned Demir three times using an underhook from behind and stretching the other arm of Demir for exposure. As the sequence finished, Omirbek was up 9-0.

Demir made a match out of it when she hit a slick ankle pick and landed Omirbek in danger for four points which she got after a challenge. A double-leg attack gave her two more points to make it 9-6.

The dramatic part of the final began now as Demir added another takedown to cut the lead to one point, 9-8, before exposing Omirbek for danger but the referees scored it as neutral as the Kazakhstan wrestler may not been have in danger position.

Not disheartened by the decision, Demir launched another attacked and almost got the stepout with 15 seconds left. However, the referees called it par terre position for both wrestlers and no points were given. Turkiye decided to challenge this time only to lose it and give a 10-8 lead to Omirbek.

After Demir missed her desperate shot, Omirbek circled and got behind to get two more points before bursting into a celebration with her coaches.

Turkiye's gloomy mood changed a little when Nesrin BAS (TUR) won her third U23 world title at 68kg in a dominant fashion. Bas now has three golds and one silver U23 Worlds.

The European and world silver medalist was facing Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the final and at no point she seemed in any danger of losing her title. She began with a single leg for takedown before a fireman's carry added two more point to her score.

It was way to simple from there on as Bas used a low single, go-behind and elevated leg takedown to finish the match 10-0. She joins Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Alenxadrin GUTU (MDA) as three-time U23 world champions.

At 65kg, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) pinned Yuqi RAO (CHN) in the final using a fireman's carry and finishing the bout in just a minute and four seconds to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 12-8

BRONZE: NISHU (IND) df. Albina RILLIA (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Amory ANDRICH (GER) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-5

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Neha SHARMA (IND) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE: Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) df. Emine CAKMAK (TUR), 6-4

65kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. Yuqi RAO (CHN), via fall (4-0)

BRONZE: PULKIT (IND) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), 8-4 
BRONZE: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) df. Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB), 10-0

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Gerda BARTH (GER), 4-2
BRONZE: SRISHTI (IND) df. Karolina POK (HUN), 6-1

Women's Wrestling Semifinal

53kg
GOLD: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Hansika LAMBA (IND)

SF 1: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR), 5-2
SF 2: Hansika LAMBA (IND) df. Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), 11-0

59kg
GOLD: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) vs. SARIKA (IND)

SF 1: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: SARIKA (IND) df. Olha PADOSHYK (POL), 12-6

62kg
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Immacolata DANISE (ITA), via fall
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Astrid MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN), 8-5

Freestyle Semifinal

74kg
GOLD: Halit OZMUS (TUR) vs. Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA)

SF 1: Halit OZMUS (TUR) df. Magomed KHANIEV (AZE), 7-3
SF 2: Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), 7-4

92kg
GOLD: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) vs. Mobin AZIMI (IRI)

SF 1: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) df. Ion DEMIAN (MDA), 12-1
SF 2: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Ivan CHORNOHUZ (UKR), 12-1