Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! June 11, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing Russia's sweep of the U23 European Championships and Wiebe's World Championship return. Also looking at Final X results, doubling up on European titles and an update to the ranking series events. 

1. Russia Sweeps Team Titles at U23 European C'ships 
On the heels of twelve individual gold medals, Russia captured team titles in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's wrestling at the 2018 U23 European Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. 

In freestyle, Russia captured six freestyle gold medals and finished with at least a bronze medal in nine out of ten weight categories. 

In Greco-Roman, the Russians grabbed three of the possible ten gold medals and walked away with hardware in seven weight classes. 

The Russian women snagged a trio of U23 Euro gold medals and locked up three other medals, bringing their overall count to six medals. 

Erica WIEBE (CAN), the 2016 Olympic Champion will make her World Championship return in Budapest, Hungary (Photo by Jack Adams) 

2. Canada's Women's Wrestling World Team Set at Olympic Weights 
Canada's women's wrestling Olympic weight world team trials took place this past weekend in Toronto, Canada and four wrestlers reclaimed their world team spot for the 2017 World Championships. 

After sitting out of last years World Championships, Erica WIEBE (CAN), the 2016 Olympic champion will make her return to World-level competition. 

Also of note, at 68kg Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) stopped 2016 Olympian Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) from making her second world team with a 4-1 victory. 

2018 World Team 
50kg – Jessica MACDONALD (CAN) *
53kg – Diana WEICKER (CAN) *
57kg – Alexandria TOWN (CAN)
62kg – Linda MORAIS (CAN) *
68kg – Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) *
76kg – Erica WIEBE (CAN)
* Returning world team members

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) defeated Isaiah MARTINEZ (USA) in two matches to make his sixth world team. (Photo by Tony Rotundo) 

3. Burroughs Makes Sixth World Team, Four Other World Medalists Headed to Budapest
In front of his home crowd, Olympic champion and defending world champion, Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) made his sixth world team after defeating Isaiah MARTINEZ (USA) in two matches (4-1/11-1) at the Finals X in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Returning world medalists Thomas GILMAN (USA), James GREEN (USA), Alli RAGAN (USA) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) were also successful in making back-to-back world teams. 
Freestyle 2018 World Team
57kg – Thomas GILMAN (USA) 
70kg – James GREEN (USA)
74kg – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) 
97kg – Kyle SNYDER (USA) 

Women's Wrestling 2018 World Team 
55kg – Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) 
59kg – Alli RAGAN (USA) 
68 kg – Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) 

FINAL X - LINCOLN RESULTS 


Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) added a U23 gold medal to her 2018 senior-level Euro title from Dagestan, Russia. (Photo by Martin Gabor) 

4. Dudova and Mihut Double up on European Titles 
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) joined 63kg Greco-Roman champion Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU) as the only two wrestlers to win both 2018 Senior and U23 European Championships. 

Dudova defeated Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), 3-1 for the 59kg gold medal. 

Dudova nabbed a takedown after being dinged on the activity clock, taking the 2-1 lead after the first three minutes. She would add a step out point in the second period, ultimately winning the gold medal with a 3-1 victory. 

Romania’s Mihut won the 63kg U23 European title with a 5-3 win over Alexandru BICIU (MDA). 

Mihut’s first-period passivity point and two gut wrenches proved to be the difference in fighting off Biciu for the gold medal. 

Olympic champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) is expected to participate at the 2018 Yasar Dogu which will be held in Istanbul, Turkey on July 27-29. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

5. Yasar Dogu Replaces South African Open as Ranking Series Event 
The 46th Annual Yasar Dogu International has been named a Ranking Series event in men’s freestyle wrestling. 

The tournament will be held July 27-29 in Istanbul and replaces the South African Open, which cited a lack of early sign-ups as motivation to cancel its event. 

Freestyle Ranking Series Events
Ivan Yariguin (RUS) -- Completed
Tbilisi GP (GEO), July 3-5                          
Yasar Dogu, July 27-29            
Medved (BLR), September 14-16     

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday! #wrestlelikeagirl

2. Are you ready for the last day of the U23 Senior European Championships? ??? #UWW#Wrestling #u23euros

3. Big Move from Day 6 of the U23 Senior European C'ships #Istanbul2018 !

4. Thank you so much to all followers, we have reached 200,000.

#UWW #UnitedWorldWrestling #wrestling#followers

5. Day 3 in the warm up room here at the U23 Senior European Championships 2018 ?? #uww #wrestling#u23euros

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 5 Greco-Roman Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 8) -- All Greco-Roman day at the Zagreb Open on Sunday with 55kg, 60kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg and 130kg weight classes in action. World and Olympic champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) will be in action today after being away for 2 years.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

15:25: 130kg semifinals -  Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is back in a Ranking Series final after he beats Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ), 4-0. He par terre positions in both periods and a turn the first time to lead 4-0. Syrlybay did get the third passivity which is without any points but he did not score. To capture the gold medal, Kayaalp will face Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) who posted a 2-1 victory over Artur SARKISJAN (CZE). He got a reversal when Sarkisjan was put on top.

15:10: 97kg semifinals - Alex SZOKE (HUN) gets par terre in both the periods of his semifinals against Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) to win the bout 2-0 and a place in the final. He will face another Kazakhstan wrestler in former U20 world champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) who managed to get past Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), 5-3, after a big throw from par terre in the first period. Kajaia failed to turn Yevloyev from par terre but got two points for a defensive foul.

14:55: 82kg semifinals - Mihail BRADU (MDA) blocks Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) when the Iranian was trying to turn Bradu from par terre and he gets the fall. Mokhtari is devasted. Bradu is hyped as he will wrestle for gold against Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) who defeated Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) 4-3 after scoring two stepouts and overturn the result.

14:45: 72kg semifinals - Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY), former U20 world champion, beats Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ), 8-1, and moves into the final at 72kg. He will face Nika BROLADZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian found a way to beat Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) despite being down 2-1. Both wrestlers had locked each other but then Broladze just flung Kuchkorov for two points. He continued the action and scored a suplex for four points to extend his lead to 7-2, which was also the winning score.

14:35: 60kg semifinals - Alisher GANIEV (UZB) takes 29 seconds to finish his semifinal against Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) at 60kg. He gets a bodylock throw for four points and then lifts Shiotani again and completes the suplex for another four points and the world silver medalist reaches the final. But for the gold medal, he will have to go through another Japanese phenom in U23 world champion Koto GOMI (JPN) who rolls to a 10-0 technical superiority win over Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI).

14:25: 55kg semifinals - Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) gets Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) in a front headlock and continues throwing him until securing a 9-0 lead for the win. It is ultimately called a fall. Botirov will face Mohammad HOSSEINVAND (IRI) for the gold medal after he defeated Iran's longtime 55kg wrestler Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) 1-1.

14:00: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) must be heartbroken with that loss. He led 7-0 against Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) in the 60kg quarterfinal but Shiotani gets the par terre in the second period and punishes Tibilov with two reverse lifts. A defensive foul and lost challenge give Shiotani a 11-7 lead. Another reverse lift for four points helps him win 15-7

13:45: In a battle of two age-group champions, Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) pins Abror ATBAEV (UZB) and advances to the semifinal at 72kg. After a review on challenge from Uzbekistan, they cancelled the fall for a foul from Alameldin. However, the Egyptian still posts a 2-1 victory to advance. 

13:30: Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) takes out Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) with a 3-1 victory at 82kg. A turn in par terre was all that was needed for Mokhtari to win the bout

13:15: Two of the most talented wrestlers at 60kg and both U23 world champions in different years, Koto GOMI (JPN) and Alisher GANIEV (UZB), have made it to the semifinals in Zagreb. A treat awaits if both reach the final

12:55: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) looks extremely good in his comeback! Using the gut-wrench against, he marches on with yet another 9-0 win at 130kg, this time over Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO)

12:45: U23 world champion Koto GOMI (JPN) with two beautiful throws to beat Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI), 9-0, and advance to the quarterfinals at 60kg

12:40: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) continues his good form in Zagreb with another technical superiority win at 60kg. This time he beats Mert ILBARS (TUR) 10-0

12:30: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), a mainstay of the Serbian team, begins his 97kg team with 9-2 victory over NITESH (IND). Kajaia had flirted with the idea of moving up to 130kg but has returned to 97kg.

12:20: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), known for his explosive reverse lift, keeps it simple against Maxwell BLACK (USA) at 60kg and battles out a controlled 8-4 win to advance.

12:00: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), Olympic silver medalist at 77kg in Paris, gets the fall over Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE) in their bout at 82kg.

11:45: Riza KAYAALP (TUR), returning to action after two years, begins with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Aden ATTAO (USA). He scores four turns from par terre for the victory at 130kg

11:35: Not something we see everyday but Marko MILANOVIC (CRO), the son of President of Croatia, is wrestling. At 130kg, he is off to a flying start with a technical superiority 9-0 victory over Joginder RATHEE (IND). After leading 5-0 at the break, Milanovic hits a suplex for four to finish the bout.

11:25: World silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB) wins his opening bout at 60kg, 9-0. But that's not the story. He defeated former United States team member in Freestyle Zane RICHARDS (USA), who wrestled Greco-Roman for the first time internationally. 

11:05: Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) stuns former European champion Artiom DELEANU (MDA) at 55kg. He finishes the bout after rolling from par terre and winning 9-0

10:55: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) takes his match into the second period but has not trouble in winning the 82kg bout against Marek VRBA (CZE), 9-0.

10: 45: World bronze medalist and big hope for a medal for the hosts Croatia Karlo KODRIC (CRO) drops his opening bout against Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO) 1-1 after failing to score any points from the two par terre positions he got in the 97kg bout.

10:30: Six Greco-Roman weight classes in action but Riza KAYAALP (TUR) comeback will be the most anticipated event on Sunday in Zagreb