Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! February 12, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing the African Championships and Taha in Ohio. Also reviewing this weeks ranking series events, and much more. 

1. Diatta and Obroududu Crowned For Eighth Time 
Adama DIATTA (SEN) and Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) made the trek to Port Harcourt, Nigeria with hopes of returning home with their eighth African gold medals.

Diatta outscored his opponents 34-4 and picked up his eighth African gold by defeating Firstman VICTOR (NGR), 7-1 in the semifinals and Chedli METHLOUTHI (TUN), 5-2 in the finals.

In the finals, Oborududu trailed 2017 African third-place finisher Anta SAMBOU (SEN) 3-0 halfway through the first period. She flipped the offensive switch and finished the match on a 14-0 run, winning her eighth African crown

FINAL RESULTS
Freestyle
Results:
  http://uww.io/l82RM
Medal Summary: http://uww.io/4Su8r

Women's Wrestling 
Results: http://uww.io/2D8B6
Medal Summary: http://uww.io/cCGUX

2. Boudjemline Shocks Africa 
Zied AIT OUAGRAM (MAR), the nine-time African champion was the most heavily favored wrestlers competing in the African Championships. Before last weekend, it had been over a decade since AIT OUAGRAM had faced defeat at an African championship.

In the 77kg Greco-Roman finals, Akrem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) was leading 1-0 when Ait Ouagram was forced to go down in par terre. Boudjemline extended his lead to 5-0 after picking up a huge four-point throw before the end of the first period. 

Ait Ouagram would fight back and tie the score at five, but Boudjemline's four-point move was the differentiating factor in the match, giving Boudjemline his second African gold medal. 

Greco-Roman 
Results: 
http://uww.io/rhunL
Medal Summary: http://uww.io/Tti9V

3. Taha Takes Ohio
Last week, Kyle SNYDER (USA), the two-time world and Olympic champion announced on his  Instagram that Taha AKGUL (TUR), another two-time world and Olympic champ will be headed to the Ohio RTC to train for the month of February. 

This week, Snyder posted updates of the world championship duo training, even tagging Akgul in a photo with the caption "This guy is a monster." 

4. Iran Wins Four Golds At Tahkti Cup
The Freestyle Tahkti Cup wrapped up this weekend in TABRIZ, Iran.

The host nation, Iran closed out the 2018 Freestyle Tahkti Cup by winning four of the final five weight classes.

Iran’s gold medal run started at 79kg when Omid HASSANTABAR (IRI) knocked off Mihály NAGY (HUN), 8-0. Prior to the 2017 Tahkti Cup, Hassantabar's highest Tahkti Cup finished was fifteenth place.

In his first senior-level event, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) claimed the 86kg title by defeating Ahmet BILICI (TUR), 5-4

At 97kg, Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI) beat Riza YILDIRIM (TUR), 6-1 giving him his second title in as many years. In the gold medal bout at 125kg, Parviz HADI (IRI) outscored Jafar SHAMS NATERI (IRI), 3-0 to win his fourth title.

Mongolia and Turkey each won a pair of gold medals as two-time world bronze medalist ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL), TUMUR-OCHIR Tulga (MGL), 2016 junior world champion Enes USLU (TUR) and 2016 Olympian Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) were all successful in their final bouts. 

In the most shocking finals match, Ali-Pasha UMARPASHAEV defeated 2016 world silver medalist, Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ), 10-0 to take the 74kg title. 

The Remaining gold medals went to Niurhun SKRABIN (BLR) and Ali-Pasha UMARPASHAEV (BUL).

5. Klippan and Cerro Pelado
The wait is almost over the first women's wrestling ranking event of the year. We're a little under a week away from the start of The Klippan Lady Open, which begins February 16 in Klippan, Sweden.

The second ranking event that's taking place this week is the Granma y Cerro Pelado, which begins on February 15 in Havana, Cuba.

Here are the current Greco-Roman rankings that were released on February 1. 

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#wrestlebishkek

Asian Olympic 2024 Greco-Roman Qualification Bouts set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 21) -- The final day of the Asian Olympic qualifier with six Greco-Roman Olympic weight classes. 12 Olympic quotas will be on offer in 60kg, 67kg, 77kg, 87kg, 97kg and 130kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

The Paris Qualification Bouts are set

60kg
Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) vs. Jui Chi HUANG (TPE)
Se ung RI (PRK) vs. Dahyun KIM (KOR)

67kg
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) vs. HUSIYUETU (CHN)
Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) vs. Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)

77kg
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) vs. Dowon LEE (KOR)
Rui LIU (CHN) vs. Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)

87kg
Haitao QIAN (CHN) vs. Sultan EID (JOR)
Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) vs. Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

97kg
Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) vs. U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ)
Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA) vs. Seungjun KIM (KOR)

130kg
Seungchan LEE (KOR) vs. Sota OKUMURA (JPN)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) Roman KIM (KGZ)

12:25: Asian Games silver medalist Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) keeps Iran's hopes of filling all six Greco weights in Paris alive with a 7-1 win over Ali ALABODA (IRQ) at 77kg to end the morning session. Kaviyaninejad is put on the bottom of par terre first, but escapes, scores a takedown and adds a gut wrench for a 4-1 lead. He scores a gut wrench from par terre in the second period, clinching the win and setting up a clash with Rui LIU (CHN) for the ticket to Paris.

12:16: Saudi Arabia, like Jordan looking for a first-time Olympian, will get a chance tonight from Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA), who defeated  Mirzoamin SAFAROV (TJK) 3-1 at 97kg. After gaining a passivity point, Fallatah scores a takedown when he fights off a whizzer for a 3-0 lead in the first period. In the second, he keeps from getting turned while on the bottom of par terre.

12:11: Dowon LEE (KOR) makes short work of Gadiel MISSO (SGP) at 77kg, chalking up an 8-0 win in 33 seconds. He will face Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) for the Olympic spot.

12:09: Seungjun KIM (KOR) scores all of his points in the first period, then hangs on for a 5-4 win over Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM) at 97kg.

12:06: Haitao QIAN (CHN), a world bronze medalist back in 2019 at 82kg, rallies with a takedown and two rolls in the second period to defeat Sanghyeok PARK (KOR) 8-3 at 87kg and gain a place in tonight's qualifying match.

12:00: Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) with his trademark handlock throw over Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) before finishing the bout 10-0 at 97kg. He moves into the semifinals.

11:56: Tokyo Olympian Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) survives a scare, scoring a takedown with 1:08 left to defeat Sunil KUMAR (IND) 4-2 at 87kg. Kumar earlier had a stepout wiped out on the challenge, then a takedown with 11 seconds left.

11:55: Big win for Jordan as Sultan EID (JOR) gains a 4-point takedown and converts it into a fall in the second period over Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK) at 87kg. A win tonight against the winner of Sanghyeok PARK (KOR)-Haitao QIAN (CHN) will give him Jordan's first-ever berth in wrestling at an Olympics.

11:45: Dahyun KIM (KOR) sticks Baljinnyam TSEVEENRAVDAN (MGL) with a 4-point arm throw, then comes back with a takedown and gut wrench to end their match at 60kg. An unsuccessful challenge makes it officially 9-0.

11:43: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) gave some hope to the local crowd but Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) proved too good for him. Mohmadipiani gets par terre in the second period to make the score 3-2 with Zhanyshov leading. Mohamadipiani lifts and pushes Zhanyshov to the mat to score two points. A takedown later to win 8-3 at 87kg.

11:42: Rising star Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) proves too much for Muhammad ALIANSYAH (INA), as the 2022 world U23 bronze medalist gets a takedown and a gut wrench, then unleashes a 4-point throw to win 8-0 in 1:20 and move one win away from an Olympic place at 67kg.

11:38: Sota OKUMURA (JPN), looking to become the first Japanese to make it to the Olympics in an upper Greco weight class since 2012 and the first heavyweight since 1996, rallies from a 6-1 deficit to defeat a fatigued Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB) 12-6 at 130kg. Okumura ties the match at 6-6 with a 4-point throw off a whizzer, then adds a pair of stepouts that met little resistance.

11:37: HUSIYUETU (CHN) looks like a merry-go-round rolling Faisal ALDOSSARY (KSA) four straight times from par terre in the second period for a 9-0 win to make tonight's qualifying match at 67kg.

11:28: Abror ATABAEV (UZB) and Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) on Mat B. Shermakhanbet gets the par terre position first and he exposes Atabaev twice for a 5-0 lead. Atabaev challenges for a leg foul but loses it to hand one more point to Shermakhanbet. Atabaev gets one turn in par terre in the second period but Shermakhanbet wiggles out of the hold. A 6-3 win for Shermakhanbet and Atabaev leaves disappointed

11:19: Two-time Asian silver medalist Seungjun KIM (KOR)squanders a seven-point lead, but still hangs on to beat Asian Games silver medalist Yiming LI (CHN) 7-7 on criteria at 97kg. Kim gets three gut wrenches from par terre to lead 7-0, before Li comes back with a takedown and stepout. In the second period, Li adds a takedown and a stepout with a fleeing point tacked on to tie it at 7-all, but his late efforts to force Kim out once more fall short and both wrestlers drop to the mat in exhaustion.

11:19: Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) with a reverse lift and destroys Yong Jin RO (PRK) with two slams. Incredible show of strength from Ismailov.

11:17: Roman KIM (KGZ), the host country's three-time Asian medalist, fights off a gutsy Ali AL SHARUEE (IRQ) in a 4-1 win at 130kg.

11:13: Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) scored a takedown to start the 130kg bout against Aybegshazada KURRAYEV (TKM). He got a par terre point and then rolled Kurrayev for a 9-0 win.

11:10: Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) led 2-0 against Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ) at the break and then defended from par terre in the second period to pull off a 2-1 victory at 97kg.

11:08: Sunil KUMAR (IND), the 2019 Asian silver medalist, gets a pair of gut wrenches in his turn in par terre in the second period and defeats Soh SAKABE (JPN) 5-1 at 87kg. He will next face two-time world medalist and Asian Games champion Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB).

11:00: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) gets four gut wrenches from par terre to win 9-0 Yhlas ABDURAZAKOV (TKM). Turkmenistan challenged but lost to give another point to Zhanyshov

10:58: Asian Games bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK), leading  4-0 lead in the second period at 60kg against  SUMIT (IND), has a takedown and gut wrench nullified on challenge due to a leg violation. Sumit gets a takedown to pull within two, but Ri stuffs his roll attempt for a 2-point exposure and a 6-2 win.

10:43: Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) with a dreamy suplex to beat 10-1 over Rovshen ATDAYEV (TKM) as he moves on at 67kg. Beautiful move!

10:42: In a sign of a generational change, up-and-coming Japanese Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) gets four rolls from par terre and ousts 36-year-old two-time Olympian and three-time world medalist Hansu RYU (KOR) 9-0 in just under two minutes at 67kg. The 22-year-old Sogabe, the 2023 Asian silver medalist, made a name for himself by nearly knocking off Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) at last year's World Championships, losing 11-10 in a memorable match that had the crowd on his side.

10:38: Yong Jin RO (PRK), a 2015 Asian junior bronze medalist who returned to the international stage to finish 10th at last October's Asian Games, defeats Karrar ALBIDHAN (IRQ) 12-4 at 67kg to start the action on Mat C. Ro falls behind 2-2 after an early scramble, but reverses and adds a 2-point throw at the edge. A 2-point penalty is tacked on for fleeing, and another point for an unsuccessful challenge. And 2-and-2 makes the score 10-4 before Ro finishes it with a gut wrench.

10:33: 2023 Asian champion Abror ATABAEV (UZB) with a quick 8-0 win over ASHU (IND) at 67kg to advance. The former U17 world champion is looking to win the Paris quota at 67kg.

10:30: Greco-Roman powerhouses out to earn their Paris Olympic quotas. On the final day of the Asian Olympic qualifiers with 12 quotas