Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! February 4, 2019

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing results from the Indian Pro League, the Hentri Deglane, and Swedish Nationals. Also looking at this season's first set of rankings and Saturday's Ranking Series event, the Zagreb Open. 

1. Haryana Hammers Nail Down 6-3  Win Against Punjab Royals in Indian Pro League Finals
The fourth edition of the Indian Pro League came to a close and the Haryana Hammers nailed down the 6-3 victory against the Punjab Royals in the finals. The Haryana Hammers won their second PWL title and made their fourth consecutive finals appearance.

The Haryana Hammers were defeated by the Punjab Royals in last years finals, 6-3, but returned their favor by flipping the script, winning six of the nine bouts at the Greater Noida Arena. 

The Haryana Hammers jumped out to a 5-0 lead and sealed up the Season 4 team title after the first five matches. The NCR Punjab Royals tallied off three straight wins, cutting the Hammers lead to 5-3 before Tayana OMELCHENKO closed out the finals, dismantling Anita ANITA, 13-0.  Omelchenko's win gave the Hammers their sixth win of the dual and their second team title in the last four years. 

Finals Results
FS 125kg - Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (Haryana Hammers) df. Korey JARVIS (NCR Punjab Royals), 3-0 
FS 86kg – Ali SHABANOV (Haryana Hammers) df. Dato MARSAGISHVILI (NCR Punjab Royals), 8-4 
WW 76kg – Kiran KIRAN (Haryana Hammers) df. Cynthia VESCAN (NCR Punjab Royals), 3-2 
FS 57kg - Ravi KUMAR (Haryana Hammers)  df. NITIN RATHI (NCR Punjab Royals), 14-0 
WW 57kg – Anastasia NICHITA (Haryana Hammers)  df. Mimi HRISTOVA (NCR Punjab Royals), 8-4
FS 65kg – Bajrang PUNIA (NCR Punjab Royals) df. Rajneesh RAJNEESH (Haryana Hammers), 15-0 
FS 74kg – Amit DHANKAR (NCR Punjab Royals) df. Parveen RANA (Haryana Hammers), 7-2 
WW 53kg – Anju ANJU (NCR Punjab Royals) df. Seema SEEMA (Haryana Hammers), 20-9 
WW 62kg – Tayana OMELCHENKO (Haryana Hammers) df. Anita ANITA (NCR Punjab Royals), 13-0  

Indian Pro League Champions 
Season 4 - Haryana Hammers
Season 3 - NCR Punjab Royals
Season 2 - Haryana Hammers
Season 1 - Revanta Mumbai Garuda  

2. United World Wrestling Releases January Rankings 
United World Wrestling released January's rankings after the conclusion of the first Ranking Series event for freestyle and women’s wrestling, the Ivan Yariguin. 

Most Notable Changes in Freestyle: 
57kg - Thomas GILMAN (USA) (32 points) jumped 2018 world bronze medalists, Suleyman ATLI (TUR) (25 points) and Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) (25 points), after his bronze-medal performance in Krasnoyarsk. 

65kg - Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) (41 points) took the No. 2 spot from 2018 world runner-up Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) (40 points) after winning the Yariguin gold medal. 

86kg - Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) (36 points) commands the No. 3 spot after winning the 2019 Ivan Yariguin. Kurugliev jumped 2018 world bronze medalists Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP) (25 points) and Hassan YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) (25 points).

97kg - Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL) (26 points) moves behind Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) (60 points) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) (40 points) and takes over the third spot in the rankings after a fifth-place finish in Siberia. 

125kg - Anzor  KHIZRIEV (RUS) and Taha AKGUL (TUR) took over the third and fourth ranking after finishing first and second respectively at the Ivan Yariguin.

Most Notable Changes in Women’s Wrestling:
57kgGrace BULLEN (NOR) (30 points) leaped 2018 world bronze medalists, Emese BARKA (HUN) (25 points)  and Pooja DHANDA (IND) (25 points), after her bronze medal finish at the Yariguin.

59kg - Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) (32 points) takes over the third-ranking with her runner-up finish at the first Ranking Series event. 

65kg - Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) (26 points) moves up six spots to No. 4 after winning the Yariguin title at 65kg.

68kg - SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) (32 points) moves from seventh to No. 3 in the rankings after her gold-medal performance at the Yariguin. 

76kg - Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) (41 points) overtook the No. 2 spot from 2017 world champion and 2018 world runner-up Yasemin ADAR (TUR) (40 points) with her title-winner performance in Krasnoyarsk. 

Click here for January's rankings

3. Hentri Deglane Concludes in France 
The 45th Annual Hentri Deglane wrapped up in Nice, France and more than 300 wrestlers from 30 different nations competed in freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women’s wrestling. 

In freestyle, six different nations claimed a gold medal, but Georgian wrestlers led the way, winning four of the ten gold medals. Six different nations also claimed a Greco-Roman gold medal, but Armenia, led by 2012 Olympic runner-up Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM), won four gold medals. In women’s wrestling, there were only six gold medals up for grabs. Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan won a pair of golds, while Argentina and Romania won the remaining two titles. 

RESULTS 
Freestyle 
57kg - Otar GOGAVA (GEO)
61kg - Beka LOMTADZE (GEO)
65kg - Bekkhan GOIGEREEV (RUS) 
70kg - Zurab IAKOBISHIVLI (GEO) 
74kg - Thomas GANTT (USA) 
79kg - Davit KHUTSISHVILI (GEO) 
86kg - Samuel BROOKS (USA) 
92kg - Istvan VEREB (HUN) 
97kg - Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR) 
125kg - Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) 

Greco-Roman 
55kg - Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM) 
60kg - CHUNG Han Jae (KOR) 
67kg – Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) 
72kg - HRANT KALACHYAN (ARM) 
77kg – Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) 
82kg - Hakim TRABELSI (TUN) 
87kg - Alan OSTAEV (RUS) 
97kg - Mélonin NOUMONVI (FRA) 
130kg -  Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) 

Women’s Wrestling Gold Medalists 
50kg - Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) 
53kg - Andrea Beatrice ANA (ROU) 
57kg - Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) 
62kg - Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
65kg - Iryna NETREBA (AZE) 
76kg - Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) 

Click here for full results

4. Swedish Nationals Wrap Up in Sundsvall  
The Swedish Greco-Roman and Women’s Wrestling National Championships wrapped up in Sundsvall, Sweden last weekend, and the duo of Olympic bronze medalist Sofia MATTSON and Jenny FRANSSON claimed titles at 55kg and 72kg respectively. 

For most nations, a national title means you've locked in your spot for the continental and world championships, but that's not the case for Sweden. According to Fransson, the results from this past weekend are essential, but the results from the Klippan Lady Open and the second women's wrestling Ranking Series event, the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov, will hold weight when it comes to the selection process for the 2019 European and World Championships. 

In Greco-Roman, Sweden will use the Zagreb Open, the Hungarian Grand Prix and the Thor Masters as qualification tournaments for the 2019 European and World Championships.  

RESULTS

Greco-Roman Champions
55kg - Abulfazeil HASHIMY 
60kg - Niklas ÖHLEN 
63kg - Ardit FAZLJIJA 
67kg - Danielo DI FEOLA 

72kg - Simon ERLANDSSON 
77kg - Alex KESSIDIS 
82kg - Bogdan KOURINOI 
87kg - Zakarias BERG 
97kg - Leon KESSIDIS 
130kg - Albin SODERSTJERNA 

Women’s Wrestling Champions
53kg - Fredrika PETTERSSON 
55kg - Sofia MATTSON 
57kg - Johanna LINDBORG 
59kg - Emma JOHANSSON 
62kg - Moa NYGREN
65kg - Elin FORSBERG 
68kg - Henna JOHANSSON 
72kg - Jenny FRANSSON 
76kg - Denise MAKOTA STROM 

Click HERE for full results.

5. Zagreb Open Begins Saturday 
The first Greco-Roman Ranking Series event of the year, the Zagreb Open, kicks off this Saturday (February 9) in Zagreb, Croatia. 

Right now, according to the unofficial pre-registration list, there are nearly 40 past age-level and senior-level world medalists that will be in action. Most notably, London Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR), two-time Olympic medalist and three-time world champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR), and Rio Olympic bronze medalist Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) are all set to compete. 

The qualification and elimination rounds for all ten weight classes will be wrestled on Saturday, and the championship rounds will be on Sunday. 

Schedule 
Saturday (February 9) 
8:00 - 1st-day Medical examination & Weigh-in, all weight categories (No weight tolerance!) Sport Hall
10:30 - Qualification and elimination rounds, all weight categories (on 3 wrestling mats)

Sunday (February 10)
8:00 - 2nd-day weigh-in, all weight categories (No weight tolerance!) Sport Hall
10:30 - Repechage bouts and bronze medal matches (all categories)
17:30 - Opening ceremony and Final matches (all categories)

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday -- PYSHKOV D. (UKR) -- 2018 Dan Kolov #grecoromanwrestling #ukrainian #wrestler#suplex #throw #takedown #olympic #wrestling
2. #SundaySmiles ?
3. @wrestlerviktor, the 2017 world champion, will wrestle at the first Greco-Roman Ranking Series event of the year, the Zagreb Open (February 9-10). He's entered at 77kg.
4. Miss the #Yariguin2019 finals? Don't stress. Here's every takedown from the freestyle finals. You’re welcome in advance ?!
5. How about the timing by @rasul_gazimagomedov70 on this outside trip? #Yarigyin2019#ThursdayTrips

#WrestleZagreb

Maroulis, Blades make U.S. team for World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

NEWARK, United States (June 14) -- The United States Women's Wrestling team for the World Championships is fixed. The final selection of the team was held Saturday in Newark, New Jersey with three-time Olympic medalist Helen MAROULIS (USA) and Olympic silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA) among those making the cut.

The 'Final X', a tournament to select the team's final 10 wrestlers, saw five experienced stars and five young athletes who earned their spot on the World Championships team.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by FloWrestling (@flowrestling)

Maroulis, the 2016 Olympic and three-time world champion, continued her amazing run of excellence by pinning Amanda MARTINEZ, winning the best-of-three series 2-0 at 57kg. In the first bout, Maroulis scored a first-period pin in 1:51, then was able to put away Martinez in 4:43 in bout two.

This will Maroulis' 12th world team selection to go along with her three Olympic appearances. Apart from three world gold medals, Maroulis has four other medals at the World Championships.

World Championships Tickets

Blades, who won silver medal at the 2024 Olympics, finished off a two-match sweep over Brooklyn HAYS at 68kg. Surprisingly, this will be Blades' first appearance at the World Championships. Blades won the first match over Hays, 10-4, and the second 5-2.

Macey KILTY and Kylie WELKER, Blades' teammates at Iowa University, also made the team with convincing victories. Both Kilty and Welker are past world medalists.

Kilty downed Aine DRURY with a pair of 10-0 technical falls, with both matches ending in the first period. Welker, a 2024 world bronze medalist, defeated Dymond GUILFORD in two straight bouts. Welker opened her offense in the second match, she broke open a 1-1 tie with eight second-period points for a 9-1 win. Her first match was a razor-thin 2-1 victory.

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2019 world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER needed all three matches to defeat Abigail NETTE at 59kg. Nette scored a pair of second-period takedowns to beat Winchester, 6-4, in the first bout. In the second match, Nette took a 6-1 lead but a four-point Winchester takedown made it 6-5 before she scored two more takedowns for a 9-7 win. In the deciding third bout, it was all Winchester, who secured a 10-0 technical fall.

The other five wrestlers will be competing in their first senior World Championships, scheduled for September 13 to 21 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Adaugo NWACHUKWU needed three matches to defeat two-time world silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE at 62kg. Nwachukwu had a strong second period to win the first match 14-8. In the second bout, Miracle scored a late step out point to tie it at 3-3 and got another point on a failed challenge for a 4-3 victory. In the deciding third match, after trailing 2-0, Nwachukwu scored eight straight points and went on to win 8-4.

At 50kg, world age-group medalist Audrey JIMENEZ swept her series over veteran Erin GOLSTON. Jimenez began with a 10-2 win over Golston before closing out with a 12-2 technical superiority win in the second bout.

Felicity TAYLOR had a two-match sweep over Brianna GONZALEZ. After winning the first bout 2-1, Taylor scored a takedown and two tilts for a 6-4 victory in the second.

Cristelle RODRIGUEZ, a 2024 world U20 champion, swept her series over high school star Everest LEYDECKER. While the first bout was a close 12-8 win for Rodriguez, she rallied to a 5-1 win in the second.

Alexandria GLAUDE got the 72kg spot after 2024 Olympic champion and two-time world champion Amit ELOR did not compete for personal reasons.

RESULTS (Best of three)

50kg
Audrey JIMENEZ df. Erin GOLSTON, 2-0

Bout 1: Jimenez df. Golston, 10-2
Bout 2: Jimenez df. Golston, 12-2

53kg
Felicity TAYLOR df. Brianna GONZALEZ, 2-0

Bout 1: Taylor df. Gonzalez, 2-1
Bout 2: Taylor df. Gonzalez, 6-4

55kg
Cristelle RODRIGUEZ df. Everest LEYDECKER, 2-0

Bout 1: Rodriguez df. Leydecker, 12-8
Bout 2: Rodriguez df. Leydecker, 8-5

57kg
Helen MAROULIS df. Amanda MARTINEZ, 2-0

Bout 1: Maroulis df. Martinez, via fall
Bout 2: Maroulis df. Martinez, via fall

59kg
Jacarra WINCHESTER df. Abigail NETTE, 2-1

Bout 1: Nette df. Winchester, 6-4
Bout 2: Winchester df. Nette, 9-7
Bout 2: Winchester df. Nette, 11-0

62kg
Adaugo NWACHUKWU df. Kayla MIRACLE, 2-1

Bout 1: Nwachukwu df. Miracle, 14-8
Bout 2: Miracle df. Nwachukwu, 4-3
Bout 3: Nwachukwu df. Miracle, 8-4

65kg
Macey KILTY df. Aine DRURY, 2-0

Bout 1: Kilty df. Drury, 10-0
Bout 2: Kilty df. Drury, 10-0

68kg
Kennedy BLADES df. Brooklyn HAYS, 2-0

Bout 1: Blades df. Hays, 10-4
Bout 2: Blades df. Hays, 5-2

72kg
Alexandria GLAUDE df. Amit ELOR, via forfeit

76kg
Kylie WELKER df. Dymond GUILFORD

Bout 1: Welker df. Guilford, 2-1
Bout 2: Welker df. Guilford, 9-1