#WrestleOslo

#WrestleOslo: USA, Japan Put Three in WW Semifinals as Gray Eyes 6th Title

Tuesday, October 5, 2021 - 12:01 By Vinay Siwach

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OSLO, Norway (October 5) -- Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) lived up to the hype. The 17-year-old from Japan outscored her opponents 21-0 in the two bouts and reached the semifinal of the 53kg weight class at the senior World Championships in Oslo, Norway.

The two-time cadet world champion defeated POOJA (IND) 11-0 and then former World Championships medalist Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) 10-0 in the quarterfinals. Her win took her to the semifinal and she will face Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) who defeated junior world champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE) via fall in the quarterfinal.

Fujinami's overall wrestling with defense and offense combined made it almost impossible for her opponents to score on her and ultimately giving up points. She won the All Japan Championships to book her ticket to Oslo. Japan's 53kg Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) decided to sit out of the tournament.

The other final at 53kg will be between Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) and Iulia LEORDA (MDA). Bereza defeated Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) 6-3 while Leorda overcame Samantha STEWART (CAN) 10-4.

Tokyo Olympic silver Adeline GRAY (USA) and fifth-place Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) are on course for a finals meeting after they reached their respective semifinals. Gray was once again in her elements as she won both her bouts on Tuesday via first-period fall. She beat KIRAN (IND) in the quarterfinals.

Medet Kyzy also took no time to move past Marina SUROVTSEVA (RWF) 10-0 and set up a meeting with Tokyo Olympian and European champion Epp MAEE (EST). The Kyrgyzstan wrestler wrestled Gray in the Olympic semifinal and lost 3-2 in a nail-biting finish. 

Samar HAMZA (EGY) beat Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) 4-2 to set up a semifinal against Gray. Hamza was trailing 2-2 on criteria but a pushout in the final three seconds gave her a point. Japan challenged the call but lost, adding one more point to Hamza's score.

Sarah HildebrandtSarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) reached the 50kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) also remained on course for her second Worlds final as she leg-laced her way to the semifinal. Losa ERSEL (GER) tried to put up a challenge but the USA wrestler was too strong for her. She will wrestle Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RWF) in the semifinal after the latter made short work of Hanny KUMARI (IND) in a 10-0 win.

In the other semifinal, two-time world silver medalist Emilia VUC (ROU) will face young star Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) who beat Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) via fall. Vuc was up against Madison PARKS (CAN) and was in a bit of trouble early but then got a takedown and four exposures to win 13-3. A lost challenge from Canada added one more point to her score.

A third wrestler for USA reached the semifinal after Forrest MOLINARI managed to pull off a late takedown for a 3-3 criteria win over Koumba LARROQUE (FRA). The France wrestler led 3-1 going into the final ten seconds but was exposed to her back by the American to give up the lead.

Molinari will face Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) in the semifinal after the Japan wrestler defeated Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ) 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

Junior world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) was also in top form when she beat Malin MATTSSON (SWE) 6-2 and reached the semifinal against Tokyo Olympian Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL). The Bulgarian wrestler struggled a bit but finally overcame Asli DEMIR (TUR) 7-2.

#WrestleBratislava

European Championships 2025 Day 1 Freestyle Semis Set

Monday, April 7, 2025 - 08:15 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 7) -- The European Championships begins in Bratislava with Freestyle weight classes 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

57kg semifinals
SF 1: Aryian TIUTRIN (UWW) vs. Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB)
SF 2: Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) vs. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)

65kg semifinals
SF 1: Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW) vs. Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO)
SF 2: Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) vs. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)

70kg semifinals
SF 1: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) vs. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
SF 2: David BAEV (UWW) vs. Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE)

79kg semifinals
SF 1: Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) vs. Ion MARCU (MDA)
SF 2: Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP) vs. Akhmed USMANOV (UWW)

97kg
SF 1: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) vs. Richard VEGH (HUN)
SF 2: Magomed KURBANOV (UWW) vs. Radu LEFTER (MDA)

The semifinals will begin at 18:00 local time

13:30: In the final bout of the morning session, Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) books his spot in the 65kg semifinal with a 10-0 win over Nico MEGERLE (GER). Rahimzada led 2-0 at the break, adds a takedown, two chest-wrap turns and a takedown with a minute and 18 left to win 10-0.

13:20: In a marquee 65kg match, European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) takes on world U23 champion Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW). Tevanyan is put on the activity clock first and he falls behind 1-0 at the break. The second period sees more action and Tevanyan gets on the leg-attack but Ibragimov manages to keep it down to a step down. A fleeing caution is hit on Ibragimov which gives Tevanyan a 2-1 lead. Ibragimov with a fake snap for takedown on the edge to claim a 3-2 lead with a minute remaining. Tevanyan can't break the defense and Ibragimov gets the 3-2 win to enter semifinals at 65kg.

13:12: Magomed KURBANOV (UWW) adds to the misery of the local fans as he beats Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) at 97kg. Kurbanov relied on his defense to counter Tsakulov and win 9-1 and advance to the semifinals.

13:08: For a place in the 97kg semifinals, Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) takes on Richard VEGH (HUN). Abakarov scores a takedown just before the break to lead 2-1. Vegh gets a stepouts to make it 2-2 but Abakarov leads on criteria for his takedown. Vegh scores another stepout in the final 25 seconds to lead 3-2. He squares up to defend and Abakarov tries to reach the far leg but Vegh evades and spins behind for two. He wins 5-2.

13:02: Veteran Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) pulls off a 4-0 win over Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) at 79kg and enters the semifinal. Two points for activity and a takedown are enough for Khadjiev. He celebrates the win with a sigh of relief. Local fans heartbroken with the loss.

12:55: Big match at 79kg as world champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) takes on former European champion Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR). Both wrestlers start slow but it is Usmanov who gets on the scoreboard first with an activity point. Mykhailov gets on the clock as well and leads 1-1 on criteria. In the final minute, Mykhailov is put on the activity clock again and the lead switches to Usmanov, 2-1, with a 20 seconds left on the clock. Usmanov defends the time and advances to the semifinals at 79kg

12:47: Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP) had built an 8-0 lead in the first period over Okan TAHTACI (TUR) in their 79kg quarterfinal but Tahtaci scored a takedown and turn to cut it to 8-4 against a tiring Mottaghinia. But as it looked like Tahtaci would make a match of it, Mottaghinia scores a takedown and two lace turns to win 14-4.

12:40: Defending 70kg champion Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) advances to the semifinals with a controlled 4-0 win over Oleksii BORUTA (UKR) and takes a step closer to defend his gold medal.

12:30: Defending 97kg champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) opens with a 11-0 win over Radoslaw BARAN (POL). He got a point for Baran's passivity, scored a takedown before adding three gut-wrenches to lead 9-0 at the break. A go-behind in the second period is enough for the win.

12:25: Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) with an over-under lock and throw for four to lead 4-1 against Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM) at break in their 57kg quarterfinal. That remained the only scoring move of the match even as Khndzrtsyan tried breaking the shackles in the second period. Mongush into the semifinals with a 4-1 win.

12:10: David BAEV (UWW) is looking unstoppable. He now gut wrenches Viktor VOINOVIC (SRB) and advances to the semifinal at 70kg which will be held at 18:00 local time

12:05: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in defense is one of the best you get out there. He works up a 3-0 win over Islam GUSEINOV (UWW) at 65kg enters the quarterfinals.

11:55: Magomed KURBANOV (UWW) started off slow but he takes just 2 minutes and 17 seconds to beat Gurgen SIMONYAN (ARM) 10-0 at 97kg.

11:40: Defending 79kg champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) gets two activity points and a stepout as he wins 3-0 against Paris Olympian and world silver medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO). Usmanov had defeated Gamkrelidze in the 79kg final at the 2023 World Championships.

11:30: Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), moving up to 97kg for the European Championships, opens up a 8-2 win over Vasyl SOVA (UKR)

11:20: Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) posts a technical superiority win over Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM) and advances at 79kg. He is chasing his second European gold

11:05: Aryian TIUTRIN (UWW) hands Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) a 10-0 humbling at 57kg. Tiutrin is one of the hopefuls to win the gold. In the next match at 57kg, Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW), who won the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series gold at 61kg, wins 100- against Ivaylo TISOV (BUL)

11:00: Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB), former European champion, gets on the scoreboard with a activity clock point to lead 1-0 against Niklas STECHELE (GER) at the break in their 57kg bout. He adds a stepout to make it 2-0. A double-leg takedown to make it 4-0 and Stechele can't break the defense.

10:56: Former world U20 champion Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) makes quick work of Benedikt HUBER (AUT) in the 70kg opening round bout.

10:50: Battle of two world champions on Mat B as Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), world 65kg champion in 2023, takes on David BAEV (UWW), who won gold medal at 79kg in 2019. Baev opens up a 4-0 lead with a takedown and two stepouts as Muszukajev evades most of the attacks in the first period. Baev starts the second period with a double-leg. Muszukajev avoids a takeodwn but Baev laces him and spins him for an in-air leg lace and gets four and two to win 10-0 and advance at 70kg. 

10:42: On Mat C, three-time European champion Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) opens his defense of 70kg gold with a takedown class and finishes with a 10-0 win over Mateusz LUSZCZYNSKI (POL).

10:35: World U23 champion Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW) takes a minute and 46 seconds to roll to a 10-0 victory over Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)

10:30: The European Championships are underway in Bratislava. Big names are wrestling with five gold medals on line.