Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! February 05, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing the first set of Freestyle and Greco rankings. Also taking a look at results from the Flatz Open and The Grand Prix of Zagreb.

1. Worldwide Freestyle and Greco-Roman Rankings Released February 1
United World Wrestling debuted the first set of world rankings for Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. The rankings were the first of their kind that were compiled using the new point system

The first women's rankings will be published on March 1 after the  the Klippan Lady Open which is the first women's ranking event of the season.

Freestyle Rankings
57kg: Zavur UGUEV (RUS) // 18 Points
61kg: Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) // 18 Points
65kg: Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) // 18 Points
70kg: Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) // 17 Points
74kg: Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) // 16 Points
79kg: Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) // 15 Points
86kg: David TAYLOR III (USA) // 20 Points
92kg: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) // 15 Points
97kg: Kyle SNYDER (USA) // 17 Points
125kg: Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS) // 18 Points

FULL RANKINGS

Greco-Roman Rankings 
55kg: Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) // 14 Points
60kg: K. ZHOLCHUBEKOV (KGZ) // 17 Points
63kg: K. SULAYMANOV (KGZ) // 15 Points
67kg: Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) // 18 Points
72kg: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) // 16 Points
77kg: Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) // 16 Points
82kg: Emrah KUS (TUR) // 17 Points
87kg: Saman AZIZI (IRI) // 15 Points
97kg: Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE) // 17 Points
130kg: Behnam ARPATAPEH (IRI) // 12 Points

FULL RANKING

2. Three Different Nations Win Multiple Golds In Zagreb
The Grand Prix of Zagreb took place last weekend in Zagreb, Croatia. Turkey, Romania, Belarus and Hungary walked away with a pair of champions. The remaining two gold medals were captured by France and Croatia.

Individuals who claimed gold included 2014 world finalist Yunus OEZEL (TUR), junior world champion Kazbek KILOV (BLR), Olympian Bozo STAREVIC (CRO) and multiple-time world medalist Viktor LOERINCZ (HUN).

*This was not a ranking series event.

RESULTS: Grand Prix of Zagreb 

3. Three-Time World Champ Gray Claims Flatz Open Gold
The United States finished the day at the Flatz Open by claiming five out of a possible ten gold medals. Austria and Czech Republic collected two golds each, with Hungary snagging the remaining gold medal.

Among the champions for the United States was three-time world champion, Adeline GRAY (USA). This is the fourth time Gray's competed after taking nearly a year off. She's also competed at the Dave Schultz Memorial International, Beat the Streets and the World Cup. 

Gray, along with the rest of Team USA are expected to make the trip to Klippan, Sweden next week to compete in the Klippan Lady Open. 

*This was not a ranking series event.

RESULTS: Flatz Open

4. Klippan Kicks Off Next Week 
We're a little over a week away from the start of the first women's ranking event of the season, The Klippan Lady Open. The tournament begins February 16 in Klippan, Sweden. 

The remaining three women's wrestling events are the Mongolia Open (MGL) and China Open (CHN) in June, and the Poland Open (POL) in September.     

5. Second Greco-Roman Ranking Series Event Heads To Cuba  
Cuba will be hosting the Cerro Pelado on February 15, but don't expect Mijain LOPEZ (CUB). The three-time Olympic champion is slated to compete at the Central and Caribbean Games (March 20-25) and the 2018 world championships in Budapest. Getting a little bit older has meant the giant Cuban will limit his competitions until Tokyo in 2020.

The final two Greco-Roman ranking series events will be the Hungarian GP (HUN) in June and the Vehbi Emre (TUR) in July.              

Weekly FIVE! in Social Media
Kyle SNYDER (USA), two-time world and Olympic champion announced via Instagram that Taha AKGUL (TUR), two-time world and Olympic champion will be headed to the Ohio RTC to train for the month of February. 

With the addition of 2016 world champion Logan STIEBER (USA), the OHIO RTC now has a combined five world titles and two Olympic golds training under one roof. 

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Young Indian team hauls four WW golds at Ulaanbaatar Open

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 30) -- A young Indian team captured four out of five gold medals on offer in Women's Wrestling at the Ulaanbaatar Open on Friday.

Three teenagers -- NEHA (IND), MUSKAN (IND) and HARSHITA (IND) -- defeated opponents much experienced than them to win gold at 57kg, 59kg and 72kg.

Paris Olympian and Asian bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) captured the gold medal at 53kg after beating Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW), 10-0, in the final. 

The fifth Indian in action on Friday, NEELAM (IND), won bronze medal at 50kg after she lost her semifinal but returned to beat Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) in the bronze-medal bout.

Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) defeated Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 7-6, in a thrilling 50kg final to clinch gold medal.

Neha, a former world U17 champion and world U20 bronze medalist, was the most impressive wrestler of the lot, winning gold in her debut senior international tournament.

In a Nelson bracket format, Neha got European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) in the first bout and showed nerves, taking a 7-0 lead. Kamaloglu hit a four-pointer in the second period but Neha managed to keep herself calm and clinched the victory. She pinned Munkhchimeg URJIN (MGL) in her next bout before beating Ana PEREIRA (BRA), 11-0, in the semifinal. In the final, Neha wrestled Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) and kept it simple with a 4-0 victory.

"I was little hesitant because this is my first-ever senior tournament," Neha said. "But the competition was very similar to a U20 level competition."

Neha has lost only to Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) in her international career, once at World U17 Championships and then at the World U20 Championships. However, this year she wants to win the champion belt at the World U20 Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

"I want beat her and win the belt," she said.

MUSKAN (IND)MUSKAN (IND), blue, won gold medal at 59kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Muskan, 17, won bronze medal at the Asian Championships this year in Amman and has now added gold medal at the Ranking Series in the 59kg weight class, winning four bouts.

The weight had five wrestlers which meant all wrestlers had to wrestle each other. Muskan began with a fall over Anudari BATKHUYAG (MGL) before a tough 5-4 win over European silver medalist Bediha GUN (TUR) in Round 2.

Both wrestler were put on activity clocks and both failed to score. Gun led 1-1 on criteria in the second period when Muskan tried a takedown but Gun used the momentum and threw Muskan on her back for two points. Muskan recovered and got two points of her won to lead 3-3 on criteria.

Soon after, Muskan scored a takedown to make it 5-3 with a minute left in match. In the final second, Gun got a step out but Muskan hung on for the win.

In her next two bouts, Muskan posted controlled wins over Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL), 8-2, and Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL), 9-0, to win the gold medal.

HARSHITA (IND)HARSHITA (IND) posted four wins to capture gold medal at 72kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Another former world U17 champion and Asian silver medalist, HARSHITA (IND), won gold medal at 72kg after winning four one-sided bouts.

After receiving a walkover in her first bout, Harshita blanked Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) 11-0 in the second bout and pinned Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) in the next one after building a 13-0 lead.

In the evening session, Harshita got taken down and turned by Tsogzolmaa DORJSUREN (MGL) but she was already leading 6-0 by then. Ultimately, she defeated Dorjsuren 14-4 to win the gold medal.

ANTIM (IND)ANTIM (IND) outscored her opponents 37-0 in four bouts to win gold at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Antim, world and Asian bronze medalist, was at her best on Friday, winning four bouts without giving up a point. She pinned Namuuntsetseg TSOGTOCHIR (MGL) in the first bout before leg-lacing Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) for an 11-0 win.

In the semifinal, she managed a 10-0 win over Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) before she got Malysheva in the final again as the weight class had only seven wrestlers divided in two group. Top two wrestlers from each group enter the semifinal where they clash in cross, making it possible for wrestlers from same group to reach the final.

The final against Malysheva was no different than the group stage bout as Antim used the leg-lace again and won the gold medal after another 10-0 win.

Natalia PUDOVA (UWW)Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) defeated Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) to win gold medal at 50kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 50kg, Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) held on for a 7-6 victory over Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) to claim the gold medal.

Pudova got on board first in the final after Demirhan was called for passivity. Demirhan took the lead in the second period by tripping Pudova with a knee-pinch for four points.

As Pudova tried to pressure for an attack, Demirhan was docked a caution point for singlet-grabbing, making the score 4-2. The Turkish wrestler tried an arm throw but was blocked by Pudova who managed to get a takedown to make it 4-4. A reversal for Demirhan kept the lead for her 5-4.

The next attempt for a headlock throw from Demirhan was awarded two points for Pudova which the Türkiye corner challenged but on review, it was seen that Pudova was attacking and Demirhan made only a defense attempt to throw which was not awarded a slip throw.

Pudova now led 7-5 and was given the par terre advantage but she failed to score any points from that position. A stepout got Demirhan closer but she still dropped the bout 7-6.

Photo

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 7-6

BRONZE: NEELAM (IND) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL), 9-1

53kg
GOLD: ANTIM (IND) df. Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL) df. Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL), 5-2

57kg
GOLD: NEHA (IND) df. Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL), 4-0

BRONZE: Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) df. Ana PEREIRA FRANCA (BRA), via fall

59kg
GOLD: MUSKAN (IND)
SILVER: Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL)
BRONZE: Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL)

72kg
GOLD: HARSHITA (IND)
SILVER: Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL)
BRONZE: Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW)