#WrestleTokyo Olympic Games Preview: 76kg

Friday, July 23, 2021 - 20:41 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO, Japan (July 23) -- Although the question from a Japanese reporter was clumsily translated as: "You didn't place in Rio, now this time is revenging against your loss...?", Adeline GRAY (USA) got the drift. But the normally outgoing, media-accommodating American only responded curtly, "Next question. We can move on."

Even with an American-record five world titles to her name, the mention of her quarterfinal loss at the 2016 Rio Olympics still manages to hit a nerve. Conversely, it also motivates Gray to rectify the lack of an Olympic gold when she takes the mat at the upcoming Tokyo Games.

Gray, the reigning world champion and No. 1 seed, is the favorite in win the women's 76kg class and finally claim that elusive gold, but she will have to do it in a stacked field just as determined to keep that from happening.

Looking to deny Gray will be the three other medalists from the 2019 World Championships -- silver medalist Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) and bronze-medal winners Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) and Epp MAEE (EST) --as well as defending Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN), former Olympic gold medalist Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS), former world champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR)....the list goes on. It's not going to be easy.

Gray secured her ticket to Tokyo with a 4-2 win over Minagawa in the final at the 2019 worlds in Nur-Sultan, giving her a second straight. Her previous world golds had come in 2012 and back-to-back in 2014 and 2015.

Going into the 2016 Olympics, Gray hadn't lost a match in two years dating back to July 2014, when she lost in final of the Golden Grand Prix in Baku to Minagawa, who ended up not making Japan's team to Rio.

But then the impossible happened in Rio. In the quarterfinals, Gray admittedly wrestled too conservatively and gave up a late takedown to come out on the short end of a 4-1 decision to Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), an opponent she had handily beaten a number of times.

"I haven’t had a loss in a long time," Gray was quoted as saying at the time. "I don’t even know what this is supposed to feel like."

Fast forward five years and Gray is again at the top of the field, now 30 years old and wiser. Soon after the 2019 worlds, she defeated Minagawa again at the World Cup, but knows she can't take the No. 2 seed for granted.

"I'm glad that Minagawa and I are on the separate sides of the bracket," Gray said during a recent interview with the Japanese media at the U.S. team base in central Japan. "We'll meet in the final hopefully.

"We wrestled in the final at the last world championships, and it was awesome to wrestle against Japan. Such a legacy within wrestling, especially women's wrestling, and it would be an honor to compete with her on home soil. Hopefully I'll come out on top."

The fact that there will be no spectators at the competition in Makuhari Messe somewhat nullifies the homecourt advantage for Minagawa. But Gray would certainly have welcomed even a partisan crowd.

"I was really looking forward to spectators," she said. "Japan always brings great crowds and great energy, and always a very respectful crowd as well. So I was looking forward to a kind of an enjoyment of sport.

"But I'm still happy that we get to have it on TV, and have the event, and I know people will be cheering from home. It will be just as exciting, it just won't have the same energy and buzz in the stadium."

Following the World Cup, Gray's pre-Olympic outings were limited to last two Pan American Championships, where she lost to Justine DI STASIO (CAN) in the 2020 final and won the tournament in 2021.

Di Stasio will not be in Tokyo after being beaten out by Wiebe at the Canadian trials to compete at the Pan American Olympic qualifier, which Wiebe won to keep alive her hopes of defending her Olympic crown.

Wiebe's bid to qualify for Tokyo at the 2019 worlds ended with a 4-3 loss in the quarterfinals to Maee. The 2018 world bronze medalist came back to triumph at the 2020 Matteo Pellicone tournament in a field that included no less than nine other wrestlers who will be in Tokyo.

The 32-year-old Wiebe defended her Matteo crown this year, and also took a bronze at the Poland Open, where she lost 1-1 in the semifinals to Rotter Focken.

Minagawa won her third career gold at the Asian Championships in 2020, then used the year delay of the Tokyo Games to take care of an old injury, undergoing surgery on her right knee in June 2020.

During the pandemic, she would spar with her husband, a former wrestler, in their garden to stay in shape and worked on building strength. "Compared to a year ago, I feel I've gained power," Minagawa said.

Minagawa is one example of the rare athlete who blooms late in their career. She did not win the first of her three consecutive world medals from 2017-19 until she was 30, and she will be making her Olympic debut at the matronly age of 33.

According to the JWF website, Minagawa had become disappointed with her lack of progress at one point and told her family in 2016 that she was going to retire. That took her parents by surprise. They had obtained passports for the first time in their lives for the express purpose of watching her at the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas, which she ended up missing due to injury.

A little while later, Minagawa suggested that since they got the passports anyway, maybe they all could take a vacation to Hawaii. Nothing doing, her father said, "We got these passports to go watch you."

That flipped a switch in Minagawa, as her father had never been the demanding type of parent when it came to her wrestling. She became further motivated when her father said: "The best thing is to give everything you've got and win. The next best thing is to give everything you've got and lose."

Vorobieva, 30, won the gold medal at 72kg at the 2012 London Olympics, then added a silver four years later in Rio at 68kg, losing in the final to Sara DOSHO (JPN).

After taking three years off for motherhood, she returned in 2019 and won a second world title, but in the non-Olympic weight of 72kg. She secured her place at a third Olympics by moving up to 76kg and winning the European Olympic qualifying tournament.

This year, Vorobieva placed second to Epp at the European Championships, then finished third at the Poland Open after losing to Epp again in the quarterfinals. She beat Tokyo-bound Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) for the bronze.

One wrestler who may not be regarded as a medal contender but deserves attention is Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL). She stands out not because she will be competing in her third Olympics, but because of which Olympics she has appeared in.

The 39-year-old Ochirbat is one of only two wrestlers from among the 48 who took part when women's wrestling made its Olympic debut with four weight classes at the 2004 Athens Games who were still active in 2020.

Ochirbat, who also appeared at the 2012 London Olympics, placed second to Medet Kyzy at the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament to earn a ticket to her Tokyo.

A three-time world medalist with a silver in 2009 and bronzes in 2013 and 2014, Ochirbat had left the sport for three years after failing to qualify for Rio 2016. At the 2019 World Championships, she lost her opening match to Qian ZHOU (CHN).

For the record, the other Athens alumnus still going in 2020 was Svetlana SAENKO (MDA), who appeared at the European Championships that year. In Athens, Saenko finished fourth and Ochirbat 10th.

76kg
No. 1 Adeline Maria GRAY (USA)
No. 2 Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
No. 3 Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN)
No. 4 Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Epp MAEE (EST)
Qian ZHOU (CHN)
Samar Amer Ibrahim HAMZA (EGY)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)
Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN)
Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA)
Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Burmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)

#WrestleTokyo

Elder Lorincz Grabs Greco 77kg Gold; Evloev, Mensah Stock Cruise to Olympic Titles

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 - 14:38 By Ken Marantz

CHIBA, Japan (August 3) --- The Lorincz family of Hungary is halfway toward a double Olympic celebration.

Veteran Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) made his fourth and final Olympics a triumphant one by defeating rising star Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) 2-1 in the Greco-Roman 77kg final on Tuesday night at Makuhari Messe Hall A.

Two other reigning world champions also secured their first Olympic golds, with Musa EVLOEV (ROC) triumphing over a less-than-100-percent defending champion at Greco 97kg and Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) taking the women's 68kg crown.

Earlier, Lorincz's younger brother Viktor advanced to the final at 87kg, keeping alive their dream of taking home golds together from the Tokyo Olympics. It nearly happened at the 2019 World Championships, where Tamas won his lone world gold but Viktor lost in the final.

Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) celebrates after winning the 77kg GR final. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

"In the last five years we have trained hard," Tamas Lorincz said. "Even during the pandemic I trained with my brother. So there is a reason we are both in the final of this Olympics. This is my final Olympics."

The 35-year-old Lorincz, who also won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, showed his experience and saavy by doing exactly what was needed to advance through each round. After receiving a first-round victory by default, he won all of three of his subsequent matches by one point.

“I just thought no, I can’t lose, especially after I managed to defeat the Iranian," Lorincz told m4sport in Hungarian, referring to his semifinal win over Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI). "It gave him so much power that no one here could stop me. I am very glad that this won by me."

In the final against the 22-year-old Makhmudov, Lorincz was put in the bottom of the par terre in the first period, but held firm and did not give up any points. In the second period, he scored with a stepout, then received a passivity point himself. While he couldn't turn his young opponent, he did enough to preserve his lead.

"Incredible," Lorincz said. "I made it to my fourth Olympics, almost 35 years old. I don't want to believe this. I'm so happy."

Makhmudov, the 2018 Asian champion, had been aiming to become Kyrgyzstan's first-ever Olympic champion in any sport. Instead, he will have to settle for being the nation's fifth medalist in history (the sixth came a short time later in the women's 68kg), while establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Musa EVLOEV (ROC), left, and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) after the former won the 97kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Evloev added the Olympic gold to his two world titles when he defeated rival Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) 5-1 at Greco 97kg in a repeat of the 2019 world final in Nur-Sultan.

Rio 2016 and three-time former world champion Aleksanyan was visibly hampered by a leg injury he suffered in the semifinals, and while bravely fighting on, never really threatened the Russian.

Evloev, gaining the par terre position first, got a 2-point leg penalty that was given through a challenge, then added a 2-point throw for a 5-0 lead. In the second period, Aleksanyan was put on top, but could not put enough power from his legs to lift his opponent.

"I was nervous of course, every athlete is," Evloev said. "I was sure of myself, my strength, endurance. I have done this before. I tried to show whatever my coaches invested into me. I had some luck as well. I wanted to prove that I am the strongest in this category. This was a collective effort."

Asked how he felt about beating Aleksanyan for a third time, Evloev said, "I came here to grab my Olympic gold medal. I have no emotions, honestly. It was the same at the world championships, I was calm when I won. I don’t feel anything. I am just glad. I have worked a lot for it."

Evloev said the postponement of the Olympics had little effect on him.

"There is no difference for me," he said. "In 2020 I wrestled with the same guys, and won them all. If the coaches agree, I will be glad to participate in the World Championships [in Oslo] in two months."

The 28-year-old Evloev is also already talking about going for a second gold in Paris in 2024. Not surprising, given his obsession with the sport--although he's not so crazy about training.

"I go to sleep thinking about wrestling, I wake up in the morning thinking about wrestling," Evloev said. "It’s the easiest to wrestle at the competition, although the toughest parts is the preparation for me personally. The training [sessions] are crazy, after them you can’t fall asleep at night, then you wake up in the morning and all your body is in pain. So, I enjoy wrestling."

Women's 68kg Olympic champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA). (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

In the women's 68kg final, Mensah Stock proved she is truly in a class of her own with a steady 4-1 victory over Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), the first-ever Nigerian to make an Olympic final.

The 29-year-old American scored a defensive takedown, but was reversed as she tried to turn Oborududu over to make it 2-1. Undaunted, Mensah Stock went on the attack and scored with a powerful single-leg takedown.

Mensah Stock was never in danger in the second period as she became the second American woman in history to win an Olympic wrestling gold with a near repeat of her 6-1 win over Oborududu in the first round at the 2019 worlds.

"I am so happy and I want to cry but I am controlling it," Mensah Stock said.

The American has lost just once since her triumph in Nur-Sultan, a loss to Feng ZHOU (CHN) at the Matteo Pellicone tournament in January 2020 -- which she avenged with a technical fall in the quarterfinals on Monday.

The six bronze medals on offer each went to a different country, with the biggest surprise coming at Greco 77kg, where unheralded Shohei YABIKU (JPN) upended two-time world bronze medalist Geraei.

Japan Shohei YABIKU (JPN) won the bronze medal at 77kg GR weight class. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Yabiku, whose lone international achievement of any note was a world junior bronze medal from 2013, rallied from an 0-3 deficit to score a 13-3 technical fall that ended with 6 seconds left in the match.

Yabiku needed a late 4-point throw to beat Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) 5-3 in his opening match before losing 3-2 to Lorincz, and came up big again against Geraei.

Put in the par terre position trailing 2-3, he lifted and flipped the Iranian for 5 points. At the end, Geraei tried a desperation jump over the top of Yabiku, but the Japanese dumped him to the mat for 4 points to end the match.

"I lost in the second round, and I wanted to feed off that disappointment to win the bronze medal, and I'm glad I could do it," said Yabiku, who is only the second athlete in Japanese history from the southern islands of Okinawa to compete at an Olympics.

"I hope this medal inspires kids on Okinawa to follow their dreams," he said.

The medal also fulfills the dream of his parents. His father was an Asian bronze medalist who was injured during qualifying for the 1992 Barcelona Games and never appeared in the Olympics, and his mother was a nationally ranked javelin thrower.

While the host country could celebrate a new hero, an older one will be looking for a way to turn around a recent run of misfortune.

Rio 2016 champion Sara DOSHO (JPN) came into the Tokyo Olympics aiming for a second Olympic gold, but will head home empty handed after losing in the women's 68kg bronze-medal match by fall to 2018 world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR).

Cherkasova caught Dosho in a barrel roll that put her on her back, then clamped down for a fall in 2:33 to win the bronze in her second Olympic appearance.

It was Cherkasova who won the 2018 world gold after Dosho was unable to defend the title she won the previous year after undergoing shoulder surgery. That injury and later knee problems curtailed Dosho's preparations for Tokyo, although the one-year postponement helped her recover somewhat. Still, it was obvious that she was not the same wrestler who won the gold in Rio.

The other third-place match at 68kg also ended in a fall, with Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) decking Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) at 5:06 after building a 10-1 lead. That made Zhumanazarova the first Kyrgyzstan woman in history to win an Olympic medal, albeit because Tynybekova will have to wait until Wednesday to receive hers.

Iran picked up a bronze at Greco 97kg when 2020 Asian champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) went on a second-period tear to defeat Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) 9-2.

Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) won the other 97kg bronze with a 10-0 technical fall over Alex SZOKE (HUN). This was Poland's first medal at Greco-Roman in Olympics in 25 years.

Two-time European champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), the 2019 world silver medalist at 82kg, won the other Greco 77kg bronze with a 4-1 victory over Karapet CHALYAN (ARM).

Tynybekova sets up clash with Kawai

In semifinals held earlier in the session, Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) stayed on track to become Kyrgyzstan's first Olympic champion in any sport, but she will face a tough challenge from local rival Yukako KAWAI (JPN) after they both advanced to the women's 62kg final.

Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) will wrestle for the 62kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Tynybekova, who became her country's first-ever world champion in 2019, put on a technical clinic in disposing of Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) by 10-0 technical fall in 3:57.

Tynybekova swept up three single-leg takedowns, then finished up the match with consecutive counter lifts off a Koliadenko takedown attempt.

Kawai had a tougher test but skillfully scraped together a 3-2 victory over Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), avenging a loss to the Bulgarian in the final at the 2018 World Championships.

Yusein took the lead on a stepout and an activity clock point, but Kawai went ahead on criteria with a single-leg takedown at the end of the first period. In the second, she gained an activity clock point then held on to assure herself of at least a silver medal in her Olympic debut.

Yukako KAWAI (JPN) reached the final at 62kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Not that she would be satisfied with silver. Like the Lorincz brothers, the 2019 world bronze medalist is on a mission with her sister Risako to win golds together at the Olympics. Risako will begin her quest for a second straight Olympic title on Wednesday at 57kg.

"Tomorrow, my older sister Risako gets started, and I wanted to do what I could to get a good momentum going," Kawai said. "It was a tough match, but I fought believing up to the end that I would definitely win, so it was good."

The clash between Tynybekova and Kawai will be the third since 2019. Tynybekova won the first two before Kawai took their most recent encounter at the 2020 Asian Championships.

In the Greco 67kg semifinals, world U-23 and Asian champion Mohammedreza GERAEI (IRI), the younger brother of Mohammadali, assured there would be an Olympic medal taken back to their family home when he posted a 6-1 victory over Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO).

Geraei Zoidze Mohammaedreza GERAEI (IRI) advanced to the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Zoidze had gotten the day's competition off to a rousing start by knocking off Rio 2016 champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) in the first round, but fell into a 4-1 hole against Geraei when he was dealt a 2-point penalty for leg-grabbing and lost a further point with an unsuccessful challenge.

“I came here for the gold medal," Geraei said. "All of my competitors are so powerful, but if you want to get the gold medal, it’s not important how good the competitors are. I have a plan for all of them.

"I was so sad for my brother who was defeated last night, because we thought that he would be in the final. But we are separate, I have my own goals."

The clash was a rematch of the 2019 world U-23 quarterfinals, which Zoidze led 5-2 with a minute to go, only to have Geraei throw him onto his back with a back suplex. That knocked the fight out of the Georgian and he conceded a fall.

Parviz NASIBOV Parviz NASHIBOV (UKR) defeated Mohamed ALSAYED (EGY) to reach 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

In the final, Geraei will face 2018 world junior bronze medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), who pulled a rabbit out of his hat in rallying to defeat Mohammed ELSAYED (EGY) 7-6.

Elsayed, who was looking to become just the third Olympic wrestling champion in Egyptian history, scored with a big 4-point throw in the first period and led 6-0 in the second.

But somehow it all fell apart, as the 22-year-old Nasibov cut the lead with a 4-point move off a scramble. With Elsayed visibly fatigued as he tried to fend off Nasibov, he tried a half-hearted throw that Nasibov easily countered for a takedown that was upheld by challenge and give him the victory.

Looking ahead to the final, Nasibov said, "The Iranian wrestler is really good, he is strong. The one who is stronger and the one who desires more will win the final. I am young, I am excited and I really want it. Tomorrow I’ll try to do the same thing I’ve done today."

Egypt hopes were again shattered in the next match, as Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) joined his brother as a finalist at the Tokyo Olympics by beating Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) 9-2 in the 87kg semifinals.

That set up a rematch of the 2019 world final with champion Zhan BELINIUK (UKR), who defeated Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) 7-1 in the other semifinal.

Lorincz gave up an early takedown and was trailing 2-2 on criteria when he bulled the unheralded Metwally over with a standing pancake for 4. An unsuccessful challenge and 2-point penalty for a head butt finished off Metwally, who can draw satisfaction for having made an Olympic semifinal without ever having even appeared at a World Championships.

Beliniuk, who will be looking to improve on the silver medal he won at the 2016 Rio Olympics, scored a 4-point throw and a 2-point gut wrench out of the par terre in the second period to defeat Huklek, who will attempt to become Croatia's first-ever Olympic wrestling medalist in the bronze-medal match.

"In Rio, I was 25, I was a young guy," Beliniuk said. "Now I have more experience. I am not getting younger, but I prepared for this competition very well."

Day 3 Results

Greco-Roman

67kg
SF1 - Mohammedreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), 6-1
SF2 - Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Mohammed ELSAYED (EGY), 7-6

77kg
GOLD - Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) df. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), 2-1

BRONZE - Shohei YABIKU (JPN) df. Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) by TF, 13-3, 5:54
BRONZE - Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM), 4-1

87kg
SF1 - Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) df. Mohamed METWALLY (EGY), 9-2
SF2 - Zhan BELINIUK (UKR) df. Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), 7-1

97kg
GOLD - Musa EVLOEV (ROC) df. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 5-1

BRONZE - Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) df. Alex SZOKE (HUN) by TF, 10-0, 1:53
BRONZE - Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 9-2

Women's Wrestling

62kg
SF1 - Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 3:57
SF2 - Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), 3-2

68kg
GOLD - Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) df. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), 4-1

BRONZE - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) df. Sara DOSHO (JPN) by Fall, 2:33 (2-0)
BRONZE - Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) by Fall, 5:06 (10-1)

#WrestleTokyo Olympic Games Preview: 76kg

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Elder Lorincz Grabs Greco 77kg Gold; Evloev, Mensah Stock Cruise to Olympic Titles