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

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 World Championships 2025 GR & WW Day 3 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 22) -- The U23 World Championships third day will see Greco-Roman action in 60kg and 82kg while Women's Wrestling in 50kg, 72kg and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 2 RESULTS

14:05: Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) looks in good form as she reaches the semifinals at 50kg with a 10-0 win over Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN).

13:55: Ibrahim TABAEV (BEL) takes out Alperen BERBER (TUR) at 82kg. Tabaev was down 4-1 but got the par terre in the second period and scored a suplex which was scored two points as he led 4-4 on criteria. Tabaev countered Berber for another takedown later for a 6-4 lead. Berber, visibly frustrated being down, is docked two points for aggressive wrestling. Tabaev defends his lead to win 8-4.

13:35: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) hits a double leg attack to get the first four points on her match against Haticenur SARI (TUR) at 72kg. Then gets the half nelson for a fall and move on to the semifinals.

13:25: It all happened in the first period but Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) gets the fall over Greili BENCOSME CARVAJAL (CUB) at 50kg despite trailing 7-5. Carvajal used the gut-wrench to lead 7-2 but Kerymova scored a reversal and then got the Cuban in a danger position before securing the fall, seven seconds before the break.

13:22: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) is a menace! He goes front headlock and Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) with two big throws and he leads 7-0 before he pressures Satayev to give up a takedown and Gutu into the semifinals at 82kg.

13:15: Off the whistle and Koto GOMI (JPN) hits a body lock for four against former U20 world champion Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM). Gomi then tries an arm throw but blocked by Aghajanyan. Both wrestlers move out of zone in par terre but Armenia challenges for a point. Challenge is lost which makes Gomi's lead 5-0. Aghajanyan scores a takedown to make it 5-2 but Gomi answers with a stepout. A takedown from Gomi to start the second period as he extends his lead to 8-2. Gomi blocks an attempted throw from Aghajanyan and gets two more points to win 10-2 at 60kg.

13:10: Kylie WELKER (USA) with a five! She moves behind Nyla BURGESS (CAN) and performs a suplex to to get the five points. Three turns and it's all over as she wins 11-0.

12:55: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) with a massive comeback against Svenja JUNGO (SUI) at 50kg. Jimenez was down 6-0 before scoring two takedowns to make it 6-4. She then hit a four-pointer to take a 8-6 lead. Jungo with a few fake shots but Jiminez with an easy 12-6 win.

12:40: Greili BENCOSME CARVAJAL (CUB) hands Minoriho YONEHARA (JPN) at 6-3 defeat at the 50kg. Three different takedowns by Carvajal while Yonehara could only manage points in the last minute.

12:35: Returning silver medalist Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) and Samandar BOBONAZAROV (UZB) exchange four-pointers but Belelashvili breaks Bobonazarov in the second period to beat him 10-7 at 82kg.

12:30: Alperen BERBER (TUR) survives an onslaught from Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) in their 82kg bout to win 5-3. Aliyev started the second period with takedown and then also got the par terre position but failed to score any points as Berber defended his lead.

12:20: U17 world champion Yuqi LIU (CHN) manages to hold off Diksha MALIK (IND), 9-3, in her opening bout at 72kg. Liu has medals at all age-group World Championships but is chasing her first at U23 level.

12:10: Alexandru GUTU (MDA) hits a massive give on Reon KAKEGAWA (JPN) in the 82kg bout! Gutu is looking for his second U23 world title. 

12:00: After another round of repechage, wrestling continues with 1/16 finals. At 72kg, Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) hits her trademark four-pointer to pin Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR).

11:15: Sviatlana KATENKA (UWW) locked Hanny KUMARI (IND) with a double arm lock and threw her for four before securing the fall with three seconds left. Katenka was down 4-2 with 10 seconds left when she went for the move.

11:10: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) starts her campaign at 50kg with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Asmar JANKURTARAN (AZE). Pudova is one of the favorites for gold at this weight class

11:00: Minoriho YONEHARA (JPN) was more cautious of Andela VASILJEVIC (SRB) in their 50kg match as Vasilkevic did look like novice. Yonehara works five takedowns to beat Vasiljevic

10:45: Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR) hits a takedown in the final 25 seconds to see off Abolfazl MOHMEDI (IRI) at 82kg. Mohmedi enjoyed a 3-1 lead and seemed headed towards a win. However, Abdiiev dragged him down for a takedown and then got a stepout as well to win 4-3.

10:30: Returning champion Kylie WELKER (USA) with a quick technical superiority win over U20 world silver medalist PRIYA (IND) at 76kg. Welker is a recent senior World Championships bronze medalist

10:20: After the repechage bouts, we are straight into the qualifications in GR 60kg, 82kg and WW 50kg, 72kg and 76kg.