Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! June 25, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing results from the China Open, Hungarian Grand Prix, and Final X. Also looking at the best-of-three match between Susaki and Irie, along with the relocation of Russian Nationals to Moscow. 

1. China Boasts Depth, Wins Four China Open Titles  
China boasted their depth last weekend in Taiyuan, China, winning four championships and fifteen overall medals at United World Wrestling's third women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the year, the China Open. 

The most impressive Chinese performance came at 57kg where RONG Ningning thumped the competition for the third time this year, winning her third gold medal in as many competitions. This time, it was down 2kg from her Ivan Yaryin and Asian Championship weight of 59kg. 

After the competition, Rong said “The 2kg difference was not hard to make. It was just a few extra runs. But, I felt light, and this is going to be my weight moving forward to the Asian Games and the World Championships.” 

FULL CHINA OPEN RESULTS

J'den Cox, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist (Photo by Tony Rotundo) 

2. USA’s World Championship Team Set 
The third installment of the United States’ world team selection process, Final X competed in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with the final three freestyle spots being claimed by 2017 world bronze medalists J’den COX and Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) along with first-time world team member, Nashon GARRETT (USA).

Also of note, three-time world and Olympic champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) withdrew from Final X due to an unspecified injury and has been granted a wrestle-off for a time to be later determined. 

USA’s World Team Line-up 
57kg – Thoman GILMAN (USA) 
61kg – Nashon GARRETT (USA)
65KG – Logan STIEBER (USA)
70kg – James GREEN (USA)
74kg – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)
79kg – Kyle DAKE (USA)
86kg – David TAYLOR (USA)
92kg – J’den COX (USA)
97kg – Kyle SNYDER (USA)
125kg – Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)

FINAL X – Bethlehem Results

3. Hungarian Grand Prix Wraps up in Gyor 
United World Wrestling’s third Greco-Roman Ranking Series event of the year, the Hungarian Grand Prix wrapped up in Gyor, Hungary, and four different nations had wrestlers claim gold medals. 

Kazakhstan was the front-runner, winning four gold medals, while the host nation finished with three champions. Iran’s duo of Mohsen HAJI POUR (IRI) and Yousef GHADERIAN (IRI) each claimed gold medals, with the tenth and final gold medal going to Kyrgyzstan’s Kanybek ZHOLCHUBEKOV.

FULL HUNGARIAN OPEN RESULTS 

 2017 world champion, Yui SUSAKI (JPN). (Photo by Tony Rotundo) 

4. Susaki and Irie Wrestle-off Set for July 7
Defending world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Yuki IRIE’s (JPN) world team spot match-up has been set for July 7. Japan's playoff process for the 2018 World Championships is between the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup champions, which happens to be Susaki and Irie at 50kg. 

Irie, Japan's Asian Championship representative defeated Susaki in December by technical fall in the Emperor’s Cup semifinals, but Susaki claimed revenge and returned the favor by flattening Irie at the Meiji Cup two weeks ago, evening "the series" at one apiece. 

Though Irie, the winner of the Emperor’s Cup will represent Japan at the 2018 Asian Games, the winner of the third match-up since December will seal their spot on Japan's world championship team.  
Three-time world and Olympic champion, Abdulrashid SADULAEV  (RUS). (Photo by Martin Gabor) 

5. Russian Nationals Relocated to Moscow 
The Russian National Championships were set to take place in Sochi, Russia, but have since been moved to Moscow, Russia. 

The extremely expensive hotel and venue prices for August on the Black Sea in the tourist city of Sochi, the host site for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games have forced the Russian Federation to relocate their National Championships. 

Moscow has since stepped up and will now host the Russian Nationals on August 1-5. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday!

2. Selection of photos from the final day of the #2018chinaopen #womenswrestling #unitedworldwrestling#wrestling

3. Happy #OlympicDay!!

4. #TheWinnersWalk // ?? ☺ - #uww #unitedworldwrestling #wrestling#womenswrestling

5. Shot from this morning’s session at the 2018 China Open #womenswrestling #chinaopen2018#unitedworldwrestling

#WrestleAthens

U17 World Wrestling Championships 2025: Day 1 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 28) -- The World U17 Championships kicks off in Athens, Greece with five Greco-Roman weight classes. Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia will be in contention to win the team title.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | FULL PREVIEW

READ THE REPORT OF ALL SEMIFINALS HERE

18:00: Welcome back to the World U17 Championships coverage! The semifinals in 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg will begin now!

15:00: The semifinals will begin at 18:00 hours local time! The opening ceremony will be at 17:00 hours. Stay tuned!

14:45: Asian domination at 55kg! Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) will face Aditya GUPTA (IND) and Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) will take on Nurali ASKAR (KAZ) in the semifinals.

14:35: Asian champion HARDEEP (IND) beats European bronze medalist Anatolii NOVACHENKO (UKR), 9-0, with turns from par terre and enters the semifinals at 110kg.

14:30: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) holds his positions good and gets both par terre points in the match against Hu Anshi NUERLEBIEKE (CHN) and makes it to the 110kg semifinal.

14:20: Aditya GUPTA (IND) with a takedown in the final second of the bout to beat Rakhman GAMIDOV (UKR) 4-2. He was down 2-2 on criteria but manages to wrap his arm around Gamidov to score a takedown. Ukraine challenges for time but it was inside the last second.

14:02: Madness on Mat A! Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) was trying to stop a pin from Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) and turns it around and manages to pin the Azerbaijan wrestlers for the win at 80kg!

13:50: Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) continues his good show at 55kg as he pins Osman OZDEMIR (TUR) and advances to the quarterfinals.

13:45: Asian silver medalist Sadriddin TULKINBOEV (UZB) drops his 55kg 1/8 final to Aditya GUPTA (IND), 4-1. Gupta did not get any turn from par terre but Tulkinvoev scored a stepuot in the second period and made it 1-1. But due to a new rule currently being tested by UWW, a 1-1 scoring in Greco-Roman will see the wrestler who scored the first point, win on criteria. Gupta keeps his attacks and there is no par terre for Tulkinboev. Uzbekistan throw a challenge for "nothing", as the review team said. Gupta wins 4-1

13:25: Rakhman GAMIDOV (UKR) digs deep and pulls off a four-pointer later in the match to win 5-2 against Naru SEMBA (JPN) at 55kg. He was down 2-1 with just 30 seconds left.

13:15: Big win for ANUJ (IND) at 65kg as he beats Asian bronze medalist Xusan GIEZIDINOV (UZB) 8-0. High pace match from Anuj to block Geizidinov.

13:05: Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), European silver medalists, reaches the quarterfinal at 65kg, after a technical superiority 9-1 win over Huseyn ISGANDAROV (AZE).

12:50: Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) bounces back from 5-0 down by blocking a throw from Mardanbek MAKHKAMBAYEV (KAZ) and gut wrenches his way to a 13-5 win at 80kg.

12:46: Ismail BEREKET (TUR) continues his big-throwing streak as he beats Stepan DANHEL (CZE) 9-0 in a minute 50 seconds at 80kg. The European bronze medalist is looking better with every win.

12:45: How do you win with one second remaining?! Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN) hits a four-pointer in the final second after getting thrown by Martin MANJIKYAN (ARM) and wins 6-6. He can't believe it as well

12:40: Zhanarbek SEIITOV (KGZ) uses the gut-wrench to great effect and wins his 48kg bout against Fuhua KANG (CHN) 10-2. He gets Asian bronze medalist Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) in the next round after Hsanov pulled off a late throw against Amirmohammad HAJIVAND (IRI) and win 4-3.

12:35: HARDEEP (IND), Asian champ at 110kg, gets both the par terre points and beats Baktur SOVETKHAN (KAZ), 2-0, in the opening round.

12:30: Quick work from Sayidamir NEMATOV (UZB) at 110kg as he beats European champ Rihad IBRAHIMLI (AZE) 10-0 in the first period.

12:20: Hu Anshi NUERLEBIEKE (CHN) was so calm despite being down 8-1 against Vasileios BOUNTOULIS (GRE) at 110kg. Nuerlebieke locked Bountoulis in bodylocks twice in last 15 seconds and threw him for two four-pointers to win 9-8. He was thrown for two four-pointers in the first period by Bountoulis.

12:15: A 2024 Asian U15 champ Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) stops European silver medalist Giorgi CHACHUA (GEO) 4-2 in their 55kg bout.

11:50: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) pulls off a stunning win over Amirreza  TAHMASBPOUR (IRI) 5-3 at 55kg. Abdirasulov scores a correct throw to lead 3-3 on criteria but Iran challenges for no points. The challenge is won but on review, it's four points for Abdirasulov wins the bout

11:20: Pan-Am champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) has a hard time against Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), who is an European silver medalist, as he cannot get a turn but Nazaryan manages to score. Nazaryan wins 4-1

11:05: Big match between Asian champion Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) and European silver medalist Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU). Kholmirzaev and Bubelevicius go back-and-forth but Kholmirzaev manages to hang on for an 11-6 win.

10:45: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO), who finished 5th at 92kg at the European Championships, is back at 80kg and finishes with two front headlocks to win 9-0 in just 21 seconds against David VILK (CRO).

10:40: Big throws right from the start in Athens! European bronze medalist Ismail BEREKER (TUR) launches Samarth GOVEKAR (IND) for big throws and wins the opening bout at 80kg 11-0 in just a minute and 28 seconds.

10:30: Welcome to the World U17 Championships in Athens. It is being held at the iconic Ano Liosia Olympic Hall, the venue where wrestling competition during the 2004 Olympics was held.