Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! February 12, 2019

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing the Freestyle World Cup draws and Kazakhstan's National Championships. Also looking at results from the Zagreb Open and how they changed the Greco-Roman rankings.

1. Wrestling Announces Groups for 2019 Freestyle World Cup

United World Wrestling has announced the draw for the 2019 Freestyle World Cup in Yakutia, Russia. The annual dual-meet event is a highlight of the international wrestling calendar and features the top eight teams from the 2018 World Championships in Budapest. 

The UWW executive board determined this week that all World Cup competitions, including the Greco-Roman and Women’s World Cup, should follow the same competition format for placement of teams in their respective pools, or groups. With the new system, the No. 1 team will be paired with the No.4, No.5, and No.8 teams from the world championships. 

The No.2 team will in a group with the No.3, No.6, and No.7.

The groups for the 2019 Freestyle World Cup:

Group A - RUS (1), CUB (4), JPN (5), TUR (8)
Group B - USA (2), GEO (3), IRI (6), MGL (7)


Kerem KAMAL, two-time junior world champion, led Turkey to the Zagreb Open team title with his 60kg gold-medal performance. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

2. First GR Ranking Series Event, Zagreb Open Concludes in Croatia

The first Greco-Roman Ranking Series event of the year, the Zagreb Open, wrapped up in Croatia, and Turkey captured the team title with their solo champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) and three runner-ups. They finished 31 points ahead of second place Uzbekistan, who had two champions, and one second-place finisher. 

Croatia’s hometown wrestler Bozo STARCEVIC capped off his impressive run to a fifth consecutive Zagreb Open title with a tactical 2-1 victory over Turkey’s Yunus BASAR in the 77kg finals.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s Daniel ALEKSANDROV and Russia’s Ilia BORISOV knocked off reigning world runner-up’s Emrah KUS (TUR) and Kiril MILOV (BUL) respectively to with their first Zagreb Open titles.

Daniel Aleksandrov erased a 7-0 opening-period deficit and scored eight unanswered points in the final period to upend returning world runner-up Emrah KUS (TUR), 8-7, in the 82kg Zagreb Open gold-medal bout.

In the 97kg finals, Ilia Borisov also knocked off a returning Budapest world champion to win his Zagreb Open title. Borisov, the lone Russian finalist, tossed around returning world runner-up Kiril MILOV (BUL) with ease and scored the 9-0 technical superiority victory in the opening period.

Click HERE for a full recap of the Zagreb Open.

Team Scores
GOLD - Turkey (132 points) 
SILVER - Uzbekistan (101 points) 
BRONZE - Croatia (91 points) 
Fourth - Bulgaria (85 points) 
Fifth - Hungary (83 points) 

55kg (Round-Robin) 
GOLD -   Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI) 
SILVER - Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) 
BRONZE - Alexandru Vasile BOTEZ (ROU)

60kg - Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Milad Ali REZANEZHAD (IRI), 9-3
63kg - Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) df. Xavier JOHNSON (USA), 10-2 
67kg - Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU), 4-1 
72kg - Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN)  df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), via injury default
77kg - Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) df. Yunus BASAR (TUR), 2-1 
82kg - Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) df. Emrah KUS (TUR), 8-7
87kg - Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) df. Kristoffer Zakarias BERG (SWE), 3-1 
97kg - Ilia BORISOV (RUS) df.  Kiril Milenov MILOV (BUL), 9-0 
130kg - Oskar MARVIK (NOR) df. Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) , 1-0 

3. Kazakhstan National Championships 

Kazakhstan, the host nation for this year’s 2019 Astana World Championships, wrapped up their National Championships in freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women’s wrestling last weekend. 

In freestyle, six of Kazakhstan’s 2018 world representatives captured a medal at last weekend’s Nationals Championships, but only Daulet NIYAZBEKOV and Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV walked away with gold medals. The other five wrestlers who competed in Budapest all took home bronze medals. 

Also of note, two of Kazakhstan’s most successful wrestlers from last season, Nurislam SANAYEV and Zhandos ISMAILOV sat out of the competition due to injury. 

Sanayev was last year’s world team representative at the Budapest World Championships, where he fell to Russia’s Zaur UGUEV in the 57kg gold-medal bout. Sanayev also had success at the Asian Championships a season ago, capturing the gold medal, though that title-winning performance came at 61kg. 

Kazakhstan’s 57kg Asian Championship bronze medalist Zhandos Ismailov sat this weekend due to injury. 

Both of these guys were expected to compete for the 61kg title. Instead, it was Kazakhstan’s U23 world representative Bauirzhan TOREBEK who grabbed the gold medal. 

Though a win last weekend puts most of the championship wrestlers into the continental championships, it does not guarantee them a spot on the 2019 Astana World Championship team. That decision won't come after several international tournaments.

Freestyle Results 

57kg
GOLD - Meirambek KARTBAY 
SILVER - Akbar KURBANOV 
BRONZE - Rakhat KALZHAN 
BRONZE - Berdakh PIRIMBAYEV 

61kg
GOLD-  Bauirzhan TOREBEK 
SILVER -  Rasul KALIYEV 
BRONZE - Kuat AMIRTAYEV 
BRONZE - Vladidmir KUDRIN 

65kg
GOLD - Daulet NIYAZBEKOV 
SILVER - Sayatbek OKASSOV 
BRONZE -Ilyas ZHUMAY 
BRONZE - Meirzhan ASHIROV 

70 kg
GOLD - Nurgozha KAIPANOV 
SILVER - Azhikul NURDAULET 
BRONZE - Kanat MUSABEKOV 
BRONZE - Amandik BAKEYEV 

74 kg
GOLD - Daniyar KAISANOV 
SILVER - Nurlan BEKZHANOV 
BRONZE - Bolat SAKAYEV 
BRONZE -  Azamat OMIRZHANOV 

79 kg
GOLD - Galymzhan USSERBAYEV 
SILVER - Shamil MURTAZOV 

BRONZE - Zhaksibek KARABALAYEV 
BRONZE - Abilay NURSULTANOV 

86 kg
GOLD - Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV 
SILVER - Azamat DAULETBEKOV 
BRONZE - Zhiger ZAKIROIV 
BRONZE - Elkhan ASADOV 

92 kg
GOLD - Yerali ABDRASHEV 
SILVER - Abdumanap BAIKENZHEYEV 
BRONZE - Abubakr TORGAYEV 
BRONZE - Shamil MAGOMEDOV 

97 kg
GOLD - Alisher YERGALI
SILVER - Bakdaulet ALMENTAY.
BRONZE - Mamed IBRAGIMOV 
BRONZE - Bakhitkhanov SERIK 

125kg
GOLD - Oleg BOLTIN 
SILVER - Yusup BATYRMIRZAYEV 
BRONZE - Duman BOLTIRIKOV 
BRONZE - Daulet SHABANBAY 

*Kazakhstan's 2018 national team members listed in bold. 

Click HERE to review Kazahkstan's Greco-Roman and women's wrestling results. 

4. Vlasov and Staebler Train Together in Sochi

The Russian Federation welcomed teams from Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Switzerland, and Uzbekistan, to attend their first training camp of the 2019 season in Russia’s Olympic host city of Sochi. 

The camp in Sochi brought together two Greco-Roman superstars in two-time Olympic champion Roman VLASOV (RUS) and three-time world champion Frank STAEBLER (GER), who was a part of a German squad that brought ten wrestlers to train with Russia’s No. 1 Greco-Roman National Team. 

Staebler told United World Wrestling that a highlight of the camp was training with Vlasov. “It’s been very hard, but great fun and we both learn from each other and get stronger together. Staebler hopes to one day return to Russia to train, saying, “There’s a great respectful friendship between Germany and Russia, and I hope we can return as soon as possible.” 

Staebler, who trained out of a barn for the finals three months leading up to Budapest after he got kicked out of his previous gym, reflected on how improbable his run to a third world title was. The German said he now realizes “How incredible it is that I’ve achieved what I have with my opportunities in Germany. My options compared to what Russia has are ridiculous. Thus, I learned to be even more proud of my German success.” 


Oskar MARVIK (NOR) won the 125kg title at the Zagreb Open and moved up to No. 4 in the rankings. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan) 

5. New Greco-Roman Rankings Released 

The first set of updated Greco-Roman rankings have been updated after the Zagreb Open and are up on United World Wrestling’s homepage. 

The biggest movers in the first set of Greco-Roman rankings were: 

55kg - Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) takes sole ownership of the No. 3 spot after a runner-up finish at the Zagreb Open. Ozturk now has 37 points after the Zagreb Open and fifth place finish at the world championships. 

67kg - Danijel JANECIC (CRO) leaps Budapest bronze medalists Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) (25 points) and Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) (25 points) with his fifth-place finish at the Zagreb Open. He now has 30 points. 

72kg - Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) was tied with fellow world bronze medalist Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) for the third spot with 25 points, but broke that tie with his bronze-medal finish at the Zagreb Open. MNatsakanian now has 39 points. 

77kg - KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) took possession of the No. 3 ranking with his third-place finish at the Zagreb Open. Kim has 37 points. 

125kg - Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) and Oskar MARVIK (NOR) moved up to the third and fourth spot after being eighth and tenth respectively. Marvik won the gold medal, while Acosta finished in third place. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday -- RUBAEV G. (MDA) -- 2018 Dan Kolov
2. Here are some of our favorite shots of @kadircaliskan ‘s from the #Zagreb2019
3. Two time World Champion Geno Petriashvili training with the national team in the mountains of Bakuriani @petro700
4. Images from the historic wrestling room in Gori, Georgia.
5. Best match of FR Takhti Cup- 79kg final: Bahman Teymouri (IRI) df. Jabrayil Hasanov (AZE), 6-4

#wrestlebishkek

Asian Championships Freestyle Finals Set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 12) -- The Asian Championships enters day two with five more Freestyle weights. World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) will lead the competition at 125kg as Iran looks to build on its three gold medals won on day one.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 REPORT

14:32: Amir ZARE (IRI) is safely into the 125kg final with a 5-0 victory over Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN). Zare combined three stepouts with two activity clock points and was never in danger himself as the reigning world champion earned a chance for gold in his senior Asian Championships debut.

14:27: Two-time Olympian Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) enters the 125kg final after beating Odgerel BATKHISHIG (MGL) 10-0 in the semifinal. This is Lazarev's 10th Asian Championships, first being in 2009, and third final. He won gold in 2015 and was silver medalist in 2021.

14:22: At 74kg, Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) notches perhaps the biggest win of his young career, scoring a takedown in each period to knock off Hossein ABOUZARI (IRI) 4-2 and earn a place in the final in his international senior debut. The 20-year-old Takahashi opens with a textbook double-leg takedown, but gives up a single-leg takedown to trail 2-2 on criteria. In the second period, the Japanese gets the winning takedown, and then fends off all desperate attacks by Abouzari.

14:20: Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) becomes the second wrestler from Tajikistan to enter the finals at the Asian Championships after he defeated Alp BEGENJOV (TKM) 14-4 in the 74kg semifinal. Incidentally, the first finalist -- Yusup ABDULSALAMOV (TJK) -- won at 74kg as well back in 2003.

14:10: Another heartbreak for Kyrgyzstan as Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ) goes down 5-3 against Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) in the 92kg semifinal. Karypbaev could not keep up with the pace of the bout and broke down.

14:08: Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) gets a chance to add to his 2022 gold after bulling to a 10-0 victory over Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) in the 92kg semifinals. Sharipov just couldn't stop the charge of Firouzpour, who had six stepouts, two of which got a caution point tacked on. Firouzpour's lone takedown of the match, off a single leg, ended it at 4:14.

13:57: Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) scored a takedown in the first period and held on that 2-0 lead against Atai IZABEKOV (KGZ). He was cautioned for open fingers on Izabekov's face but that didn't stop Shapiev from winning 2-1 and entering the 86kg final against defending champion Azamat DALUETBEKOV (KAZ). Both wrestled in the 86kg bronze-medal bout at the World Championships which the Kazakh won. But Shapiev won the Asian Games quarterfinal in October.

13:55: Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) will get a shot at a third straight Asian gold at 86kg after putting on an arm drag clinic in an 11-0 victory over Peilong LI (CHN). Dauletbekov used the arm drag to set up five takedowns, the final one coming 27 seconds into the second period to end the match.

13:47: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) pulled off a miracle victory over Reza ATRI (IRI) in the 61kg semifinals, scoring a 4-point back trip in the final second for an 11-7 victory. Atri came back from a 5-point deficit to lead 7-6, mainly with a 4-point counter lift. A fleeing point tied the score, but Atri still led on criteria. Zhumashbek Uulu did little to build up his 5-0 lead in the first period, gaining an activity point, a penalty point for a hand to the face, a takedown while countering a throw, and then a point for an unsuccessful challenge after the Iranians thought the takedown should have been called a missed throw.

13:35: Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) enters the 61kg final after beating Akash DAHIYA (IND) 11-0. A slow start to the semifinal but Aitakyn used a takedown and two turns in the second period to claim the victory.

The semifinals will begin at 13:30 local time

13:20: In the last quarterfinal of the morning session, Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) blanks YASH (IND) 11-0. After a 4-0 lead in the first period, Takahashi scored a stepout in the second period and countered Yash's attack. He scored two exposures to enter the 74kg semifinal. 

13:15: Local star Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) breaks BUHEEERDUN (CHN) in the second period and overcomes a three-point deficit and wins the 125kg quarterfinal 10-6.

13:10: Either Turkmenistan or Tajikistan will be assured of taking home a medal after Alp BEGENJOV (TJM) and Viktor RASSIDIN (TJK) advanced to a semifinal clash against each other at 74kg. Begenjov recorded a fall over Fierre AFAN (PHI), and Rassidin followed with a 9-0 victory over Kanat KERIMBEKOV (KGZ) in their respective quarterfinal matches.

13:02: Hossein ABOUZARI (IRI) stays on track to the final by crushing Yong Nam SO (PRK) 12-1 in the 74kg quarterfinals.

12:57: World champion Amir ZARE (IRI) begins his campaign with a 10-0 victory over Anirudh KUMAR (IND) in the 125kg quarterfinals. Zare took a 6-0 lead into the second period and wasted little time finishing up the technical fall.

12:55: The home crowd seems to spur on 2022 Asian U23 silver medalist Nurtilek KARYBAEV (KGZ) in the second period, when he scores three takedowns to forge a 6-1 victory over Issa AL OBAIDI (IRQ) and advances to the 92kg semifinals.

12:55: Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) manages to keep himself from touching the mat on three points and avoids being taken down. He beats Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ) 7-4 to advance to the semifinals at 92kg.

12:45: Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB), an Asian Games bronze medalist and fifth-place finisher at both the Olympics and World Championships, holds on for a 4-1 victory over Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN) to advance to the 86kg semifinals. Shapiev scored a first-period takedown, and Shirai cut the gap with a stepout a minute into the second period. Shapiev clinches the win with a takedown in the final seconds off a counter from a desperate attack by the Japanese.

12:44: Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) books his place in the 92kg semifinals with an 11-0 rout of Suhe GANG (CHN).

12:34: In one of the featured matches of the midday session, defending champion and two-time world bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) scores an early single-leg takedown against Hadi VAFAEIPOUR (IRI) in their 86kg quarterfinal, but the Iranian responds with a stepout. That is where the scoring ends, although Vafaeipour ended the match in deep on a single that he just couldn't finish off. The Iranians naturally challenged, but it was denied to give Dauletbekov a 3-1 win and the Iranian side its first loss of the day.

12:25: Reza ATRI (IRI) moves a step closer to his third career Asian medal and possibly second gold with a workmanlike 5-0 victory over Dzhamashed SHARIFOV (TJK) in the 61kg quarterfinals. 

12:00: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) with a takedown in the final 10 seconds to claim a 9-9 criteria win over Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) at 74kg.

11:58: Hossein ABOUZARI (IRI) scores his fourth takedown with 13 seconds left to complete a 10-0 win over Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB) at 74kg to become Iran's fifth wrestler out of five in the quarterfinals. Otakhonov was the silver medalist a year ago at 70kg.

11:52: Returning bronze medalist BUHEEERDUN (CHN) moves on at 125kg with a 5-2 win over Koki YAMAMOTO (JPN). Apart from the one time he got stuck in a fall position, Buheeerdun controlled the bout.

11:48: Anirudh KUMAR (IND), a returning bronze medalist at 125kg, has no trouble in posting a safe 3-0 victory over Zaman ANWAR (PAK). He will next face world champion Amir ZARE (IRI).
 
11:38:
Another Iranian is over the first hurdle as 2022 champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) cruises to an 11-0 victory over Satoshi MIURA (JPN) at 92kg.

11:36: Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN), the world U23 silver medalist after winning the gold in 2022, scores four stepouts in muscling to a 5-0 victory over Sandeep MANN (IND) at 86kg.

11:30: Not to be for Mustafa AL OBAIDI (IRI) as Peilong LI (CHN) storms back after trailing 3-3 on criteria. Li pins Al Obaidi to win the 86kg bout.

11:28: Hadi VAFAEIPOUR (IRI), making his debut in a major tournament for Iran, easily gets past VUTHY HENG (CAM) in his opening match at 86kg, scoring a 10-0 win in 2:39. Among Vafaeipour's accolades is a victory last year on the Beach Wrestling circuit. 

11:20: In a thriller at 61kg, Akash DAHIYA (IND) twice scored exposure points in the second period while Dzhamshed SHARIFOV (UZB) was trying to turn him over, the final time to clinch a 10-8 victory.

11:12: Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ), a two-time world U23 bronze medalist, starts the action on Mat B with a 7-0 victory over Ali ABURAMAILA (PLE) at 61kg.

11:10: Kaisei TANABE (JPN), whose father Chikara was a bronze medalist in 55kg at the 2004 Athens Olympics, squanders a 4-0 lead and drops his bout against Reza ATRI (IRI) 4-4.

11:04: In the opening match on Mat A, Kum Chol Ri (PRK), an Asian cadet champion in 2014, marks his return to the international scene with a quick 10-0 win over Ibrahim GUZAN (YEM) at 61kg

11:00: Another Freestyle day at the Asian Championships in Bishkek. Wrestlers in 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg to wrestle for the five gold medals on offer.