Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! July 01, 2018

Sunday, July 1, 2018 - 18:22 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

Reviewing the Cadet World Championships and the Tbilisi Grand Prix. Also looking at Chamizo's Mediterranean Games championship performance, along with Lamont making his sixth age-level world team.  

1. Cadet World Championships Begin Monday 
The 2018 Cadet World Championships kick off July 2-8 in Zagreb, Croatia and features six returning world champions from the 2017 Athens World Championships. 

Women’s wrestling begins Wednesday and is highlighted by three returning champions, two of which hail from Japan. Freestyle begins on Monday and boasts a pair of champions from a season ago, while Azerbaijan's Gurban GURBANOV closes out the Greco-Roman portion of the Croatian championships.

Returning Champions 
Freestyle 
48kg - Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE)            
110kg - Daniel KERKVLIET (USA) 

Greco-Roman 
45kg - Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) 

Women’s Wrestling 
43kg - Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE) 
65kg - Honoka NAKAI (JPN) 
73kg - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) 

SCHEDULE 
Monday (July 2)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg
6:00 PM - Semi Final FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Tuesday (July 3)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg
5:00 PM - Opening Ceremony
5:30 PM - Semi Final FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg
6:00 PM - Finals FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Wednesday (July 4)
10:30 AM – Qualification rounds WW – WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg
6:00 PM - Finals FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg

Thursday (July 5)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg
6:00 PM - Finals WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg

Friday (July 6)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final GR – 48-55-65-80-110kg
6:00 PM - Finals WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg 

Saturday (July 7)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg
6:00 PM - Finals GR – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Sunday  (July 8)
6:00 PM - Finals GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg

Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) won the 2018 Mediterranean Championships, making it his third gold medal performance of the year. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

2. Chamizo Wins Third Gold of the Year at the Mediterranean Games
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), the two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist defeated Samy MOUSTAFA (EGY) in the Mediterranean Games finals, capturing the 74kg gold medal.

Chamizo’s first-place finish in Tarragona, Spain added another championship to his winning performances at the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament and International Ukrainian Tournament. 

He also grabbed a bronze medal at the 2018 European Championships in Dagestan, Russia after dropping his semifinal bout to Turkey’s eventual champion, Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR). 

Mediterranean Games RESULTS 

Roman VLASOV (RUS), the two-time Olympic champion is set to compete at the Tbilisi Grand Prix. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

3. Ten Olympic Medalists Set to Compete at Tbilisi Grand Prix
Tbilisi, Georgia will host United World Wrestling’s second freestyle Ranking Event of the year, the Tbilisi Grand Prix July 3-5 and ten former Olympic medalists from both freestyle and Greco-Roman will share the stage at the New Sports Palace.

Though loads of Freestyle and Greco-Roman talent take the mat this Tuesday in Tbilisi, only those placing in Freestyle will be awarded Ranking Series points. 

Olympic Medalists in Action 
GR 77kg - Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) – 2012 Silver 
GR 77kg - KIM Hyeon-woo (KOR) – 2012 Gold and 2016 Bronze 
FS 92kg - Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – 2012 Bronze 
FS 125kg – Davit MODZMANASHVILI (UZB) – 2012 Silver 
FS 70kg - Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) – 2016 Bronze 
FS 125kg - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) – 2016 Bronze 
FS 74kg - Kumar SUSHIL (IND) – 2008 Bronze and 2012 Silver 
GR 82kg - Roman VLASOV (RUS) – 2012 and 2016 Champion 
FS 86kg - Selim YASAR (TUR) – 2016 Silver 
GR 130kg - Heiki NABI (EST)  – 2012 Silver 

Tbilisi Grand Prix Schedule 

Taylor LAMONT (USA) became the first American to make six straight age-level world teams. (Photo by Justin Hoch) 

4. Lamont Makes Record Sixth Age-Level World Team 
Taylor LAMONT (USA), the 2016 junior world bronze medalist made his third straight junior Greco-Roman world team and sixth straight age-level world team after Benji PEAK (USA) failed to miss weight for their special wrestle-off.

According to USA Wrestling,” It is believed that he is the first athlete to make the U.S. World Team at his age-group for six straight years.”

RONG Ningning (CHN) won her third gold medal of the year after winning the China Open. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

5. New Rankings To Be Released This Week 
The seventh installment of United World Wrestling’s point-based rankings will be released later this week.

The biggest leaps in this month's rankings will be seen in Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling as June featured the Hungarian Grand Prix (Greco-Roman) and the Mongolia and China Opens (women's wrestling). 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 


1.Unexpectedly? Would you try it with your friend? Неожиданно? Повторишь со своим другом? 
Video from @alpadastanov #coolvideo#wrestling#sport#kazakhstan#wrestlers#vacation#summer#supplex#uww#beach#борьба#борцы#пляж#отдых#прогиб#неожиданно

2. Wrestling is my passion!  Борьба - моя страсть!

3. 2018 Cadet Worlds Start in 1 Day in #zagreb #croatia

4. Official Teaser Video Of The 2018 Cadet Worlds 
تیزر رسمی مسابقات نوجوانان جهان در کرواسی
| #zagreb #croatia #hrvatska #olympic#wrestling

5. Be the best version of yourself! 
Будь лучшей версией себя! ? @kadircaliskan 
#wrestling#motivation#sport#спорт#мотивация#борьба

#WrestleUlaanbaatar, #OffTheMat

Purevdorj reignites Olympic quest with Ulaanbaatar Open gold

Friday, June 20, 2025 - 09:31 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 18) -- The last time Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) wrestled in front of home crowd in Ulaanbaatar, she was one of the top wrestlers in the world at 62kg.

She was the 2017 world champion and a year before that, she had ended Kaori ICHO's (JPN) 13-year long unbeaten streak at the Ivan Yaryguin Grand Prix. Then in 2018, she won the Asian Championships in Bishkek and the Mongolian Open gold medal in Ulaanbaatar.

Few months later, she failed a dope test at the Asian Games, where she had won the gold medal in 62kg. Her rise turned into a fatal fall and Purevdorj was left to serve the four-year ban. During her long hiatus, Purevdorj focused on personal life.

“I was very sad but I decided to just live and raised my son. I kept myself busy with him,” Purevdorj says. “The most important thing is my mind. It's important to be strong.”

Purevdorj, who still remains Mongolia last world champion in wrestling, made her comeback in 2022 and was part of the Mongolian team to the World Cup. She won silver medal at the Asian Championships in 2023 and qualified for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Seven years since the ban and now in the twilight of her wrestling career, Purevdorj is hoping to reignite the fire to wrestle. She took the first step by winning a gold medal at hte Ulaanbaatar Open. The 31-year-old won in 62kg in front of her family and local fans to once again stamp herself as the best wrestler in Mongolia and even Asia.

"I am wrestling for the second time [first time internationally] this year but it's hard," she says after her gold-medal bout against compatriot and rival Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) who she defeated 11-2 to win the gold medal.

At the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Palace in Ulaanbaatar, Purevdorj is joined by her husband, son and even parents as they watch her wrestle live after a long time. It's not an ideal start for her as she gets hammered 10-0 by Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), a wrestler she has defeated multiple times in her career before.

That's not what Purevdorj or her family expected in the first bout itself. But she runs back to the warm-up hall and prepares for the second bout, this time against Asian champion MANISHA (IND). And Purevdorj looked in form against the Indian, winning via fall. [The 62kg bracket at the Ulaanbaatar Open was a round-robin bracket, hence giving Purevdorj the second chance].

The fall helps Purevdorj get five classification points and a place in the semifinal over Manisha. She will wrestle Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW) for a spot in the final. Her son, six years old, keeps cheering every time he sees his mother on the mat.

Koshkina takes Purevdorj to the limits scoring via counters. Still, Purevdorj led 9-7 at the break and both resumed their dynamic wrestling. Purevdorj managed to defend some of the attacks from Koshkina and ultimately won 15-11.

In a high-affair all-Mongolian final at 62kg, Purevdorj put on a defensive masterclass to beat Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), 11-2, and capture the gold medal.

"I was able to win because I played calmly," she said after the final. "In the first match, I was not good mental state and was not ready. But next match I was better."

Purevdorj celebrated with a few photos with her family and coaches. She looked visibly tired after the four bouts and could use some rest days.

"As I said, it's hard. I am not sure about anything," said Purevdorj, who was wrestling a UWW tournament for the first time since the Paris Games.

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) celebrating after becoming a world champion in 2017. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

When she began wrestling 17 years ago in Ulaanbaatar after her cousins introduced her to the sport, Purevdorj did not think she will reach this level. So being a world champion makes her feel happy and she is proud that she choose this sport.

“I'm seventh child in my family and only I am a wrestler. My cousins were wrestlers but they stopped soon but I never stopped. I really loved it."

But she regrets not having an Olympic medal. She has been on that stage twice but fell short. In Rio 2016, she lost in the repechage while in Paris, she lost to her long-time rival Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) in the bronze-medal bout.

Now, the only motivation to be at the 2028 Los Angeles is to get an Olympic medal which may complete her journey. A medal will make her the third Mongolian wrestler to win a medal in Women's Wresting.

“I'm not sure about wrestling till Los Angeles. But I'm just trying,” she said. “The last Olympics were so hard for me in my career. I'm trying again, and I've started this year. There are many wrestlers in 62kg who are better but I have to train more.”