#NFRoundup

UPDATED: NF Roundup Blog, March 9 - March 14

By United World Wrestling Press

The Russian National Freestyle Championships are underway in Ulan-Ude and the first three gold medals were claimed on Friday night. Dagestani wrestlers  Zavur UGUEV and Magomed KURBANOV claimed 57kg and 92kg golds, respectively, while Alania's Artur NAIFONOV won gold at 86kg.

Day Two Finals Results

57kg: Zavur UGUEV df. Nachyn MONGUSH, 9-5
86kg: Artur NAIFONOV df. Dauren KURUGLIEV, 1-1  ⠀
92kg: Magomed KURBANOV df. Anzor URISHEV, via forfeit

Day Two Semifinal Results

70kg
GOLD: Israil KASUMOV vs. Evgeny ZHERBAEV 
SEMIFINAL: Israil KASUMOV df. Abdula AKHMEDOV, 10-0
SEMIFINAL: Evgeny ZHERBAEV df. Chermen VALIEV, 13-4

74 kg
GOLD: Zaurbek SIDAKOV vs. Razambek ZHAMALOV
SEMIFINAL: Zaurbek SIDAKOV df. Timur BIZHOEV, 5-3
SEMIFINAL: Razambek ZHAMALOV df. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV, 2-1 

125 kg
GOLD: Atsamaz TEBLOYEV vs. Sergey KOZYEV 
SEMIFINAL: Atsamaz TEBLOYEV  df. Baldan TSYZHIPOV, via injury default
SEMIFINAL: Sergey KOZYEV df. Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV, 5-1 ⠀

Follow all the action from the Russian National Freestyle Championships on www.wrestrus.ru.

Yazdani and Atri Book Tickets to Tokyo Olympic Games

Rio Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) defeated Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) to win Iran's 86kg team trial for Tokyo Olympic Games.

Yazdani earned his first point from an inactivity on behalf of Ghasempour, then ended the first period with a 3-0 lead after a successful takedown.

In the second period, Ghasempour responded with two points of his own. He scored a single-leg takedown but it wasn’t enough for the two-time U23 world champion as Yazdani earned another takedown and won the match, 5-2.

The then-22-year-old achieved gold at the Rio Olympics and will now be looking to become Iran's first-ever two-time Olympic champion.

“We are both from a town (Jouybar) and even train at the same club. We know each other very well and it makes the match even more difficult,” said Yazdani after his win over Ghasempour. The Olympic champ added, “In such a close match, the winner will be the wrestler who has makes fewer mistakes and is more ready. I hope the most deserving wrestler is the one who'll compete at Tokyo Olympic Games.”

“Because of the COVID crisis, we were in full quarantine and weren't allowed to leave the national team's training camp. The situation has tough, but that's what we have to do for out Olympics preparations.”

In the second Olympic trails match, '19 Asian champion Reza ATRI (IRI) met '19 cadet world champion Rahman AMOUZAD KHALILI (IRI) for the 57kg spot.

The 18-years-old Khalili opened the match with a single leg takedown and led 2-0. In the second period, he extended his lead to 4-2, but Atri's experienc showed up in the last :30 seconds as he scored four points -- stealing the match, 6-4. 

Iran has earned six combined Olympic spots in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman. In freestyle, Iran earned three Olympic berths at the '19 World Championships at 57kg, 86kg and 125kg, while the Greco-Roman team has qualified 60kg, 77kg and 130kg for the Olympics.

The focus for Iran turns to the Olympic Qualification events, as they'll look to qualify the remaining six weights. 

#Pankration

Ukraine emerges as showstopper at U17 World Pankration C'ships

By United World Wrestling Press

LOUTRAKI, Greece (November 9) -- Ukraine showed why it is one of the best countries in Pankration as it won both men's and women's U17 team titles at the World Championships.

For the first time, Pankration was held in U15 and U17 age categories while Amateur MMA World Championships was held in U20 age category in Loutraki, Greece.

Ukraine won the U17 men's title with 135 points, Kazakhstan finished second with 73 points while the United States was third with 51 points.

Out of the eight gold medals on offer, Ukraine won four gold medals. Kazakhstan and Poland won one gold each while UWW fighters won the remaining two gold medals.

The gold rush for Ukraine began with Maksym SHEVCHENKO (UKR) who won via submission against compatriot Yehor TARASENKO (UKR) in the 62kg final. Ivan SOFRONII (UKR) then defeated Magomed DZHABRAILOV (UWW) in the 71kg final via unanimous decision to give Ukraine the second gold medal.

At 77kg, Oleksii BOLBOCHAN (UKR) also won his final via unanimous decision over Mukhammadzhon DAVLIATOV (UWW) before Ivan MYSLOVSKYI (UKR) had a close 84kg final against Rowdy HERRMANN (USA), winning it via split decision.

For Kazakhstan, Adilzhan TALGATOV (KAZ) won the 57kg gold medal after he submitted Vadym SHOVKOPLIAS (UKR) in the final with ease. Damian BABA (POL) gave Poland the gold medal at 93kg after he got the split decision of the judges over Sviatoslav ZOLOTOV (UWW) in the final.

At 66kg, Adam OMAROV (UWW) managed to impresses the judges to win his final against Adian NOKHAEV (UWW) via split decision. Daud ITSARAEV (UWW) was more dominant in the 100kg final as he won the via unanimous decision against Gleb KOMAROV (UWW).

In women's, Viktoriia RAZNOSILINA (UWW) won gold at 50kg, Elmira GALLIAMOVA (UWW) at 53kg, Kseniia FEDOSEEVA (UWW) at 62kg, Kira SKRIPNIK (UWW) at 66kg and Valeriia NOIKINA (UWW) at 71kg.

Ukraine's only gold medal came at 57kg Daria ZHENEVSKA (UKR) who defeated Polina ROMASHOVA (UWW) in the final.

RESULTS

U17 Men's Pankration

57kg
GOLD: Adilzhan TALGATOV (KAZ)
SILVER: Vadym SHOVKOPLIAS (UKR)
BRONZE: Mariks KRAUKLIS (LAT)
BRONZE: Aleksandr ANDREEV (UWW)

62kg
GOLD: Maksym SHEVCHENKO (UKR)
SILVER: Yehor TARASENKO (UKR)
BRONZE: Martin KUNZ (CZE)
BRONZE: Ibrokhim NOZIMOV (UWW) 

66kg
GOLD: Adam OMAROV (UWW)
SIVER: Adian NOKHAEV (UWW) 
BRONZE: Andrew DEVITO (USA)
BRONZE: Krystian WOJNIAK (POL)

71kg
GOLD: Ivan SOFRONII (UKR)
SILVER: Magomed DZHABRAILOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Andrea RIZZO (ITA)
BRONZE: Matvei ZOLOTOVERKH (UWW)

77kg
GOLD: Oleksii BOLBOCHAN (UKR)
SILVER: Mukhammadzhon DAVLIATOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Isaac MCLAUGHLIN (NZL)
BRONZE: Denis KOZHIN (UWW)

84kg
GOLD: Ivan MYSLOVSKYI (UKR)
SILVER: Rowdy HERRMANN (USA)
BRONZE: Davide MORENA (ITA)
BRONZE: Ali TALPYNOV (KAZ)

93kg
GOLD: Damian BABA (POL)
SILVER: Sviatoslav ZOLOTOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Nikita VITRENKO (UKR)
BRONZE: Stanislav LEMESHKO (UKR)

100kg
GOLD:  Daud ITSARAEV (UWW)
SILVER: Gleb KOMAROV (UWW)
BRONZE: Tyson KAIVELATA (NZL)

U17 Women's Pankration

50kg
GOLD: Viktoriia RAZNOSILINA (UWW)
SILVER: Uliana SHCHETININA (UWW)
BRONZE: Viktoriia PROKHATSKA (UKR) 
BRONZE: Yuliya KORENEVA (KAZ)

53kg
GOLD: Elmira GALLIAMOVA (UWW)
SILVER: Amina SAFARBEKOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Eleni TOLIA (GRE)
BRONZE: Daria MALCHEVSKA (UKR)

57kg
GOLD: Daria ZHENEVSKA (UKR)
SILVER: Polina ROMASHOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Scarlett SHREVE (USA)
BRONZE: Shyla MULHOLLAND (NZL)

62kg
GOLD: Kseniia FEDOSEEVA (UWW)
SILVER: Daria GRITSAEVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Arina TIKHONOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Lamprini PERGELI (GRE)

66kg
GOLD: Kira SKRIPNIK (UWW)
SILVER: Valeriia PIANNIKOVA (UWW)

71kg
GOLD: Valeriia NOIKINA (UWW)
SILVER: Sofiia MANZHIKOVA (UWW)