#WrestleOslo: Yazdani Finally Upends Taylor, Takes 86kg Gold on Monumental Day for Iran

Sunday, October 3, 2021 - 21:09 By Ken Marantz

OSLO, Norway (October 3) -- There would be no last-minute comeback this time. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), so unbeatable against everyone else, could finally walk off the mat a winner over rival David TAYLOR (USA) for the first time in four career clashes.

Yazdani controlled the match from start to finish to notch a solid 6-2 victory over Taylor in the highly anticipated 86kg final as four freestyle titles were decided on the second day of the World Championships in Oslo on Sunday.

Yazdani's victory, coming two months after a heartbreaking loss to Taylor in the final at the Tokyo Olympics, gave him a third world title to go with his 2016 Rio Olympic gold, and capped a remarkable day for Iran in the Jordal Amfi arena.

"I made the people of Iran happy," Yazdani said. "I need to appreciate Taylor, because he worked as a motivation and inspiration for me to work better and better and become the champion."

The vocal contingent of Iranian fans were also sent into a frenzy when rising star Amir ZARE (IRI) claimed the 125kg title, having earlier seen Iran gain finalists in all four weight classes that got underway Sunday, including Yazdani's cousin Amir YAZDANI (IRI).

"Iran always supports their wrestlers and fans here were great," Yazdani said. "And it was because of them and God I won."

The United States had mixed success in the two other finals, with Kyle DAKE (USA) prevailing at 74kg, but Daton FIX (USA) coming up short against Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) at 61kg.

In Tokyo, Yazdani had to settle for the Olympic silver when Taylor scored a takedown with 17 seconds left for a 4-3 win in the final. On Sunday, he never gave the American the chance to get close.

Yazdani continually kept the pressure on, using an underhook to force Taylor to the edge and score a pair of stepout points in the first period. In the second period, he added a takedown, before Taylor got on the scoreboard with a takedown with 1:03 left.

With the clock ticking down, Taylor tried a counter lift, but Yazdani held firm and dumped him to the mat for a takedown and the final points of an well-earned victory.

"He's a great competitor," said Taylor, whose lone world title came in 2018, where he beat Yazdani in the first round. "Not my day."

Asked what he could have done differently, Taylor quipped, "Scored my points. He's a good wrestler. We will go again."

Amir ZARE (IRI) defeated Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) 9-2 in the 125kg final in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Zare, a 2019 world U23 champion and junior silver medalist, also avenged a loss from Tokyo in beating three-time defending champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final, and he did it with an emphatic 9-2 win.

The 20-year-old Zare lost 6-3 to Petriashivili in the semifinals in Tokyo, where the Iranian went on to take the bronze medal. Petriashivili ended up with the silver after losing in the final to Gable STEVESON (USA), who opted not to make the trip to Oslo.

"After winning the bronze medal at the Olympics, I began working on my weakness right after I stepped down from the podium," Zare said.

On Sunday, Petriashvili struck first with a double-leg takedown, but that would be end of his scoring as Zare maintained a solid wall of defense that led to two takedowns off counters as well as three stepouts.

"The final was very hard against Geno," Zare said. "I had analyzed everything for this match and prepared accordingly. And thank God everything went as planned."

Dake, coming off a bronze-medal run at the Tokyo Olympics, picked up his third world title and first at 74kg with a 7-3 victory over Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK).

"The first two times I was a young buck coming up, this time I faced adversity in Tokyo," Dake said "Put that behind me and it feels nice to be back on top."

Kyle DAKE (USA) became a three-time world champion in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Dake, who won his two previous golds at 79kg in 2018-19, stayed focused after falling behind 2-1 in the second period on a second stepout. The American went ahead with a takedown from a single-leg to a body lock midway through the period, then put the matter to rest with a takedown to a roll.

"There is a lot that goes into this," Dake said. "You guys get to see the glory of it. It is hard. The guys that are here in the tournament and guys back home putting countless hours to get me here.

"I want to thank my coaches, trainers, everybody for getting me here. My wife for managing the kids. I have two little girls and we got another one on the way. Really happy to win and represent my country."

The Russian-born Salkazanov became the fourth world medalist in Slovakian history, although he will rue missing out on becoming its first gold medalist.

At 61kg, Magomedov capped his senior world debut with a workmanlike 4-1 victory over Fix in the final.

"As you can see, I am the world champion, which means my final match went successfully,"Magomedov said. "I've been working hard for that and I am really glad."

Magomedov, this year's European champion and 2018 world junior gold medalist, received two activity clock points, then put the match away with a takedown off a counter against the ever-attacking Fix.

"Honestly, my plan was either to pin the opponent or finish 10-0," Magomedov said. "I kind of tried to pin him, but I couldn't make it, so it is 4-1 and I am satisfied with the victory. It's the World Championships, you never have easy opponents here. I am really glad."

Magomedov, who won a second straight national title in March, was accorded the honor of being named to the Russian federation team without having to go through the trials. The only other wrestler to have such treatment was 97kg superstar Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF).

Magomedov, who said he plans to go up to the Olympic weight of 65kg, got the ultimate compliment from his coach after his victory.

"He said that I am a real man," Magomedov said. "If someone calls you a real man, it's really nice. After the victory, I could see in his emotions that he was really happy. It was our first final for today, so Russia already has one gold medal."

Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) after winning the 61kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In the bronze-medal matches, Azamat NURYKAU (BLR) was denied a place on the podium yet again when Fazil ERYILMAZ (TUR) gained a late activity clock point for a 2-1 victory at 74kg.

Nurykau, competing in his seventh World Championships, had previously made it to the bronze-medal match in 2014, 2015 and 2017 -- and lost every time. For Eryilmaz, who finished third at the Individual World Cup in 2020, it marks his first world medal on any level.

Timur BIZHOEV (RWF), a 2018 world U23 bronze medalist, rallied from a 1-6 deficit to defeat Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 8-6, for the other 74kg bronze medal. Kentchadze's younger brother, Nika, will wrestle for a 79kg bronze on Monday.

At 125kg, 2016 Rio Olympic champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) earned his sixth world medal -- he now has two of each color -- when he scored all of his points in the first period in beating two-time world bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA), 6-4.

In the other match, 2019 world U23 bronze medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) scored 4 points with a takedown-lace lock combination in the first period enroute to a 5-3 victory over Asian champion Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ).

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (RWF) picked up his second world bronze at 86kg, riding a first-period takedown and second-period activity point to a 3-0 victory over Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ).

The other 86kg bronze went to 2019 world U23 silver medalist and two-time world junior medalist Abubakr ABARAKOV (AZE), who went on a 8-point tear in the second period then held on to defeat Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 9-5.

At 61kg, Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) added a senior world bronze to the two he won on the junior level in 2017-18 when he manhandled Ravinder DAHIYA (IND) with a 10-0 technical fall in 2:16.

That Dahiya made it to the bronze-medal match was a small miracle in itself. In the repechage, he was getting hammered 0-8 by Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) when he determinedly put his opponent on his back and scored a fall at 2:36.

Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN), the 2018 world U23 champion at 57kg, put on a takedown clinic and gained a pair of unorthodox exposures in a 12-1 technical fall over Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) for the other 61kg bronze.

On Monday, superstar Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) takes the mat as the final two freestyle weight classes of 70kg and 97kg, as well as the women's 55kg and 62kg divisions.

Hassan YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) won the gold medal at 86kg after beating David TAYLOR (USA). (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

57kg
Semifinal: Thomas GILMAN (USA) df. Horst LEHR (GER) by TF, 15-5, 5:27
Semifinal: Alireza SARLAK (IRI) df. Suleyman ATLI (TUR), 7-4

61kg
GOLD - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) df. Daton FIX (USA), 4-1

BRONZE: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Ravinder DAHIYA (IND) by TF, 10-0, 2:15
BRONZE: Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN) df. Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) by TF, 12-1, 5:34

65kg
Semifinal: Amir YAZDANI (IRI) df. Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ), 5-4
Semifinal: Zagir SHAKHIEV (RWF) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 4-4

74kg
GOLD: Kyle DAKE (USA) df. Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 7-3

BRONZE: Fazil ERYILMAZ (TUR) df. Azamat NURYKAU (BLR), 2-1
BRONZE: Timur BIZHOEV (RWF) df. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 8-6

79kg
Semifinal: Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Ryuki YOSHIDA (JPN), 10-1
Semifinal: Mohammad NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) df. Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO), 6-5

86kg
GOLD: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. David TAYLOR (USA), 6-2

BRONZE: Abubakr ABARAKOV (AZE) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 9-5
BRONZE: Artur NAIFONOV (RWF) df. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), 3-0

92kg
Semifinal: Magomed KURBANOV (RWF) df. Osman NURMAGODMEDOV (AZE), 7-4
Semifinal: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. J'den COX (USA), 3-3

125kg
GOLD: Amir ZARE (IRI) df. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 9-2

BRONZE: Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ), 5-3
BRONZE: Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA), 6-4

#WrestleTirana

World Championships: Kinjo wins fourth world gold as Japan wins three

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - 23:55 By Ken Marantz

TIRANA, Albania (October 30) -- For two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO (JPN), it wasn't just winning a fourth world title and first in five years that made her latest triumph so special. It was because of where she is at in her life at the moment.

"This is my fourth world title, but the first since I became a mother," Kinjo said after winning the women's 59kg gold at the Non-Olympic Weight Categories World Championships on Wednesday in Tirana. "So it makes me happier than at any other tournament."

Kinjo was one of three Japanese to take one of the four women's golds up for grabs, as Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) became the sixth wrestler in history to win world titles on all four age-group levels when she triumphed at 55kg, and Ami ISHII (JPN) claimed the 72kg title to add to the world U23 gold at 68kg she won a week ago in the same venue.

Jia LONG (CHN) captured the other title at stake with a victory by fall in the 65kg final to improve on her silver medal from 2022.

Kinjo, who got married and gave birth to her first child after winning the gold at the Tokyo Olympics under her maiden name of KAWAI, missed out on qualifying for the Paris Games, but decided against retiring and was content to seek further success in the non-Olympic weight.

It hasn't been an easy journey, as her time away from the mat left her quite rusty. Just to get to Tirana, she had to score a last-second victory in the domestic qualifier over teenager Sakura ONISHI (JPN).

Now 30 and having to juggle training with the responsibilities of motherhood, Kinjo tries to get the most out of her body in the most efficient way. There are no wasted motions, and that came out during her 4-2 victory in the final against Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL).

"I get help from my family and make the best use of my time," Kinjo said. "Every day, I put together a schedule that allows me to sufficiently train."

Kinjo fell behind when Sukhee scored a stepout off Kinjo's takedown attempt in the first period. An activity point for Kinjo put her ahead on criteria in the second period, and then she scored a stepout countering a rare attack by Sukhee.

Kinjo remained patient and forced Sukhee to take the initiative. And when she did, Kinjo was ready with a quick counter to spin behind for a takedown. Sukhee added a late stepout that was too little, too late. Her points were the only ones scored on Kinjo in three matches.

Asked to assess her performance, Kinjo replied, "I've done everything I could do and I'm at my strongest right now, so I'm satisfied."

Kinjo and Sukhee had met once before, with Kinjo winning 10-0 in their first-round match at the 2019 World Championships, where she won the last of three consecutive golds. She also has a world silver from 2015.

While Japan did not sweep the women's golds here nor at the Paris Olympics (where the country won four of six), Kinjo sees that as a good thing. "The fact that we don't monopolize all of the golds, I think that shows that the level of women's wrestling is getting better, and I think that's great."

Kiyooka came into Tirana with a slight chip on her shoulder. The 21-year-old had watched with mixed emotions as her older brother Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) and her Ikuei University teammates Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) took home gold medals from the Paris Olympics.

"I really supported my brother and was happy when he won, but half of me was thinking that I too am an athlete who is aiming for the Olympics, so it was tough to take," Kiyooka said. "I want to quickly catch up to my brother, and he gives me good motivation. I practice with the feeling that the next time will be my time."

In the final, Kiyooka never took her foot off the gas as she stormed to a 10-0 technical fall over world U20 champion Jin ZHANG (CHN).

Kiyooka took an 8-0 lead in the first period, scoring three takedowns and adding a 2-point roll after the first. In the second period, she spun behind for a fourth and decisive takedown to end the match at 4:22 and complete a run of outscoring four opponents 32-0.

With her first senior championship, Kiyooka joined the elite group that has achieved the "Grand Slam" of world titles, having won the cadet (U17) gold in 2019 and adding both the U20 and U23
crowns in 2022. She was preceded by Haruna OKUNO (JPN), Masako FURUICHI (JPN), Yui SUSAKI (JPN), Amit ELOR (USA) and Nonoka OZAKI (JPN).

"From U17, I went up one level at a time and now I was able to win as a senior," Kiyooka said. "I feel that all I have left [to accomplish] is the Olympics."

Ishii, also a teammate of Kiyooka's at Ikuei University, earned her first senior world title when she rallied to an 8-6 victory over three-time world medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) in the 72kg final.

Ishii, who finished second at 68kg in 2022, scored an opening takedown in the first period, but got sloppy on an attempt in the second period and Bakbergenova scored 4 with a counter lift.

Ishii spun behind for a takedown, but then allowed the Kazakh to score again off her attack with a counter, this time for 2 to fall behind 6-4.

Ishii, who missed out on the Paris Olympics when she lost in the last second of a playoff at 68kg to Ozaki, was not about to give up the fight and scored a takedown and a go-ahead 2-point exposure with 50 seconds left to seal the victory.

In the 65kg final, Long took down European silver medalist Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) with a double-leg lift to her back and secured a fall in 1:19.

It was the same outcome as in their only previous meeting, but could not have been more different. The two put on quite a show in the final of the 2022 Women's World Cup, when Zelenykh was competing for Ukraine. In that match, Zelenkyh led 8-2 at one point when Long launched an amazing comeback, tying the score at 12-all (but trailing on criteria) when she secured a fall with :02 left.

American pair add senior bronzes to U23 medals
In the bronze-medal matches, Macey KILTY (USA) and Kylie WELKER (USA) added senior medals to the ones they won at the last week's World U23.

Kilty, who won the world U23 silver at 65kg, picked up a bronze in that weight class when she stormed back from a five-point deficit to defeat Valeriia DONDUPOVA (AIN) 16-5.

Welker, the world U23 champion at 72kg, stayed at that weight and scored a takedown in each period to defeat 2023 world bronze medalist Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) 5-2.

Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), the world 65kg champion in 2022, picked up her fourth world medal by taking the other bronze in that weight class with an 8-2 victory over MANISHA (IND).

Morikawa took a 4-0 lead into the second period and, after Manisha cut the gap with two stepouts, came back with a stepout and takedown to clinch the victory as she rebounded from a loss in the semifinals to Long that avenged a defeat in the 2022 final.

The other bronze at 72kg went to Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), who scored a victory by fall over Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL). Hanzlickova shot in on a takedown and, as Zorigt defended, the Czech locked her arms and twisted her over onto her back.

At 55kg, Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) secured her third career bronze medal and first since 2019 by defeating Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) 5-3. Kurachkina scored two takedowns in the first period and held on for the win.

The other 55kg bronze was won by 2023 European bronze medalist Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA), who picked up her first world medal at age 33 when she scored the second of two second-period takedowns with 25 seconds left for a 4-3 victory over Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA).

At 59kg, 2022 world U23 bronze medalist MANSI (IND) became the eighth Indian woman in history to win a senior world medal when she scored a takedown in each period in a 5-0 victory over Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN).

Elena BRUGGER (GER) won a battle between two-time European bronze medalists when she got two lace-lock rolls off a takedown in the second period to down Svetlana LIPATOVA (AIN) 6-3 for the other bronze at 59kg.

Women's Results

55kg (18 entries)
GOLD: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Jin ZHANG (CHN) by TF, 10-0, 4:22

BRONZE: Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) df. Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA), 4-3
BRONZE: Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) df. Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN), 5-3

59kg (22 entries)
GOLD: Risako KINJO (JPN) df. Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), 4-2

BRONZE: MANSI (IND) df. Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN), 5-0
BRONZE: Elena BRUGGER (GER) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (AIN), 6-3

65kg (19 entries)
GOLD: Jia LONG (CHN) df. Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) by Fall, 1:19 (2-1)

BRONZE: Macey KILTY (USA) df. Valeriia DONDUPOVA (AIN) by TF, 16-5, 3:53
BRONZE: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. MANISHA (IND), 8-2

72kg (18 entries)
GOLD: Ami ISHII (JPN) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), 8-6

BRONZE: Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) df. Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) by Fall, 1:56 (2-0)
BRONZE: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 5-2

#WrestleOslo: Yazdani Finally Upends Taylor, Takes 86kg Gold on Monumental Day for Iran

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World Championships: Kinjo wins fourth world gold as Japan wins three