#WrestleHammamet

#WrestleHammamet Weight to Watch: Freestyle's 57kg

Thursday, March 25, 2021 - 19:04 By Eric Olanowski

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HAMMAMET, Tunisia (March 26) – Freestyle’s 13-man 57kg bracket at the Africa and Oceania Olympic Qualifier (April 2-4) is loaded with top-level talent and will feature all four of last year’s African championship medalists.

But there are only two Tokyo Olympic tickets up for grabs at each weight class. Wrestlers must win their semifinal matches to earn an Olympic license for their respective National Olympic Committees.

Returning champ Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) heads into Tunisia as one of the favorites to earn an Algerian berth to the Olympic Games. He hasn’t lost on African soil since he finished in third place at the ’18 African Championships. Since that ’18 loss, Kherbache has claimed golds at the ’19 and ’20 African Championships and the ’19 All African Games.

Last year, the Algerian picked up a pair of wins over wrestlers who are entered into the Africa and Oceania Olympic Qualifier field on his way to winning the 57kg title. He defeated Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) and Gamal MOHAMED (EGY), who finished with silver and bronze, respectively, en route to a second continental title.

Iuna Fafe, last year’s runner-up, is returning to the mat for the first time since finishing in the top-ten at December’s Individual World Cup. He defeated Minir REDJEPI (MKD) and Niklas STECHELE (GER) but fell to eventual bronze medalist Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) and ended his Belgrade run in ninth place.

Last year’s African bronze medalists Jakobo Tanki TAU (RSA) and Mohamed are also entered at 57kg.

Tau is looking to become the first wrestler from the Republic of South Africa to punch his nation’s ticket to the Olympic Games since Heinrich BARNES (RSA) qualified for the ’12 London Olympic Games.

Mohamed will have to have a career-best day if he has hopes of earning Egypt a 57kg Tokyo berth. He’s competed on the continental level three times and medaled in each of those appearances -- but he’s failed to reach the finals. He’s earned bronze medals at the  ’19 and ’20 African Championships and the ’19 All African Championships.

Another guy to keep an eye on is Rio Olympian, Chakir ANSARI( MAR). He’s the most experienced guy in the field. Ansari has 33 senior-level competitions under his best – including three world championship appearances.

Wrestling at the Africa and Oceania Olympic Qualifier kicks off Friday (April 2-4) and can be followed live on www.uww.org.

57kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Josh FAILAUGA (ASA)
Raoul Brillant NGANJI (BDI)
Gamal Abdelnaser Hanafy MOHAMED (EGY)
Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Mohamed CAMARA (GUI)
Ethan AGUIGUI (GUM)
Chakir ANSARI( MAR)
Soufiane KABIL (MAR)
Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR)
Jakobo Tanki TAU (RSA)  
Saber DRIDI (TUN)
Kossai AJIMI (TUN)
Hachem HASNAOUI (TUN)

#WrestleParis

Wrestling at Paris 2024: Tazhudinov wins gold; Kiyooka, Kagami continue Japan's dominance

Sunday, August 11, 2024 - 08:59 By Vinay Siwach

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PARIS (August 11) -- The final day of wrestling at Paris 2024. Repechages round and then the medal bouts of Freestyle 65kg and 97kg and women's wrestling 76kg.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | PARIS 2024 DAY 6

14:00: Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) is an Olympic champion! The world champion beats Kennedy BLADES (USA) 3-1 in the 76kg weight class and clinches the top medal for Japan. It's first-ever for Japan in the heavyweight.

13:45: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) hangs on! She takes the bronze medal with a 2-1 win over Genesis REASCO (ECU). Colombia's third medal in women's wrestling at the Olympics.

13:30: Cuba won its second women's wrestling medal at this Olympics! Milaimy MARIN (CUB) stuns world silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) 6-0. That is the second Olympic loss for Medet Kyzy in bronze-medal bouts at the Games.

13:10: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) is an Olympic champion! The world champion pins Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) in a minute and 52 seconds to win the gold at 97kg. First-ever Olympic champion for Bahrain in wrestling.

12:55: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) claims the bronze medal at 97kg after he shuts down Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR). He wins the bout 10-0. The second bronze goes to Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) who gets three stepouts in his 4-1 win over Kyle SNYDER (USA). This is the first time Snyder has not won a medal at a World Championships or Olympics since 2015.

12:30: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) is an Olympic champion! What a win for the young star. After beating Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) in the domestic playoff, Kiyooka beats Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) 10-3 in the 65kg final to keep the gold medal with Japan. Amouzad with the first point but Kiyooka goes lace after takedown and makes it 10-1 at the break. A takedown in the second period but Amouzad has nothing left in him to attack. Kiyooka wins gold.

12:15: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) with a buzzer-beating one point to beat world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) 13-12 for the bronze medal at 65kg. Muszukajev fell behind 12-8 but hit a front headlock four to lead 12-12 on criteria. However, Dudaev with a reversal and one point with 3 seconds left.

12:00: The first bronze medal of the day goes to Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)! He comes back in the final 10 seconds to beat Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) 9-8. Tumur Ochir gave up a takedown in the second period and Rivera turned him two times to lead 8-4. Tumur Ochir hit his filthy underhook to headlock four to lead 11-8 on criteria but Rivera with a takedown late. Initially, it is not scored but Rivera wins on challenge. 

11:42: Genesis REASCO (ECU) has given a chance to Ecuador to win two medals in wrestling in Paris. She hangs on to beat Tokyo bronze Yasemin ADAR (TUR) 3-1 in the 76kg repechage. She will take on Tatiana RENTERIA (COL).

11:30: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) sets up a bronze medal bout against Kyle SNYDER (USA) after the Iranian beat Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) 10-0 in the repechage at 97kg

11:20: History was on line had Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) had pulled off one takedown against Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR). De Lange was down 2-2 on criteria but got a leg attack and tried exposing Mchedlidze. The Ukrainian somehow blocked De Lange and threw him off balance to take two points and win 5-3. He will wrestle for bronze

11:10: Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) opened a 4-0 lead over Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) in the 65kg repechage bout but Rivera in the second period puts on 14 points and wins 14-4. He will wrestle Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) for the bronze

11:00: Welcome to the final day of wrestling at the Paris 2024 Olympics. After five repechage bouts, we move into the medal bouts. Zain RETHERFORD (USA) and Catalina AXENTE (ROU) are injured and there will be one fewer repechage bouts in 65kg and 76kg.