#Yariguin2019

Yariguin Rewind: Six Yariguin Medalists Eventually Won Budapest World Titles

By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russian (January 16) – The 30th Annual Ivan Yariguin, United World Wrestling’s first Ranking Series event of the year, begins 8 days from today (on January 24),  in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Seven eventual world champions made the trip to Siberia twelve months ago to compete at the “Toughest Tournament in the World,“ but only six left with a medal.  

The seven Budapest gold medalists who competed at the 2018 Ivan Yariguin were Zaur UGUEV (RUS) (57kg), Yowles BONNE RODRIGUES (CUB) (61kg), Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) (70kg), Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) (74kg), Kyle DAKE (USA) (79kg), David TAYLOR (USA) (86kg), and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) (97kg). 

Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) (65kg), J’den COX (USA) (92kg), and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)(125kg) were the three world champions who missed last year's Yariguin. 

Uguev, Taylor, and Sadulaev were the only three wrestlers to win gold medals at both the Yariguin and World Championships. Uguev and Taylor won their Yariguin titles at their World Championship weights, while Sadualev won his Yariguin title at 92kg and his world title at 97kg.

Zaurbek Sidakov, Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov, and Kyle Dake were the trio of Yariguin silver medalists who traveled to Budapest and claimed world titles. 

On the flip side, Gadzhimurad Rashidov and Kyle Snyder won titles in Krasnoyarsk but fell short in the Budapest World Championship finals. 

Cuba’s Yolwes Bonnes Rodrigues was the only 2018 world champion to depart the 2018 Yariguin empty-handed. It should be noted that Bonne competed at 65kg, 4kg heavier than his Budapest World Championship weight of 61kg. 

Bonne went 1-1 and lost to Mongolia’s BATCHULUUN Batmagnai, who fell to Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) and Nachyn KUULAR (RUS) and finished in fifth-place. 

Early registration for the 2019 Ivan Yariguin closed last week but has since reopened. The updated deadline for registrations is January 21.

Results 
57kg - 
 Zavur UGUEV (RUS) df. Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS), 4-1 
61kg - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)
df. Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS), 3-2 
65kg -  Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS)
df. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), 3-3 
70kg - Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS)
df. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)2 - 2
74kg - Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS)
df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS), 3-1
79kg - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
df. Kyle DAKE (USA)8-2 
86kg - 
David TAYLOR III (USA) 
df. Fatih ERDIN (TUR), via fall. 
92kg - 
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS )
df. Anzor URISHEV (RUS), 6-0 
97kg - Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA)
df. Rasul Magomedovitch MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 4-1 
125kg - Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS)
df. Anzor Ruslanovitch KHIZRIEV (RUS), 1-1 

*2018 world champion are in bold.

#WrestleTirana

Wednesday's U23 World Championship semifinals set

By Eric Olanowski

TIRANA, Albania (October 25) --- Welcome to the third day of wrestling at the 2023 U23 World Championships. Today, we'll welcome in five women's wrestling weights--50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg.

Top Stars in Action:
50kg - Nada MOHAMED (EGY) - U23 world bronze
53kg - Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) - U23 world gold 
53kg - Alisha Sue HOWK (USA) - U23 world bronze 
59kg - Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) - U23 world bronze 
68kg - Nesrin BAS (TUR) - U23 world gold 
68kg - Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) - U23 world bronze 
76kg - Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) - U23 world bronze 
76kg - Kennedy BLADES (USA) - U20 world gold

Semifinal matches (as they come in):

50kg
Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) vs. Audrey Rae JIMENEZ (USA)
Emma Solange Irène LUTTENAUER (FRA) vs. Umi ITO (JPN)

55kg
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) vs. Umi IMAI (JPN)
Neha SHARMA (UWW) vs. Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN)

59kg
Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) vs. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) vs. Michaela Amy RANKIN (CAN)

68kg
Vanessa Cheryl Elizabeth KEEFE (CAN) vs. Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN)

Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Vusala PARFIANOVICH (AIN)

76kg
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) vs. Reetika REETIKA (UWW)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) vs. Kennedy Alexis BLADES (USA)

13:49: That's two matches up, and two matches down for Ito. She punched her ticket to tonight's semifinals with another tech fall. This time, it was a 13-2 win over Aida KERYMOVA (UKR).

13:07: I'm waiting for Tindra Linnea SJOEBERG (SWE) to come up on Mat B. She's someone who Sweden has invested heavily into, and their waiting to see the fruits of their efforts. They obviously see the potential or they wouldn't have sent her to six competitions--five of which were senior-level events--this season.

It would be a great one-two punch for Swesen if Sjoeberg can continue to improve over the next six months and somehow find a way to join this year's U23 European champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) at the Paris Olympic Games.

With years ahead of them, it feels like Sjoeberg and Malmgren could be the second coming of Swedish greats Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) and Jenny FRANSSON (SWE).

Sjoeberg will wrestle Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) next on Mat B.

12:49: Ito took Szeker down four times and turned her once for a 10-0 first-period win. She'll compete next against the winner of Amanda TOMCZYK (POL) and Aida KERYMOVA (UKR).

12:22: As a massive Yui SUSAKI (JPN) fan, one think I always pay attention to is her fellow Japanese 50kg countrywomen. I'm trying to project who will be the successor to Susaki's 50kg throne after she goes up to 53kg following the Paris Olympic Games.

For that reason, I'm patiently waiting for Umi ITO (JPN) to take the mat. She's coming up on Mat C against in three matches, where she'll meet Szimonetta Timea SZEKER (HUN).

12:20: There wasn't much to say about the Vynnyk win. She came to the mat, scored ten quick points and left. She'll wrestle Kalmira BILIMBEK KYZY (KGZ) in the quarterfinals.

12:09: '21 U23 world champion Andreea ANA (ROU) just picked up an easy 10-0 win on Mat A. That brings up reigning U23 world bronze medalist Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR).

Vynnyk has been one of the most consistent U23 wrestlers in the world over the last few years. She's only lost twice, winning the U23 European Championships earlier this season and finishing with bronze medals last season at the World and European Championships.

11:34: Although there are no returning U23 world medalists in Japan's lineup, they have the most dominant women's program in the world and are "guarenteed" to win at least five golds.

Since the first edition of the U23 World Championships in 2017--and with the exception of the 2021 U23 World Championships where Japan sat out due to COVID restrictions--the Japanese women have won at least five world titles at every U23 World Championships.

11:25: I've said this before, but it's worth noting the depth of the United States at 76kg. Adeline Gray has to be the front-runner to win the spot, but Blades, Kylie WELKER and Amit ELOR (USA) are all serious threats that Gray should be training for.

I know Elor has repeatedly stated that she's heading down to 68kg, and it would be best for the United States lineup, but she's never cut weight, so don't rule out the potential that she goes up to 76kg just yet.

11:11: Well, that was short-lived. Blades only needed a minute to score the tech fall over Patrycja Monika SLOMSKA (POL). I don't think she's going to have much trouble in the bracket, with her biggest test ultimately coming against U23 world bronze medalist Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)

11:05: Kennedy BLADES (USA) is up now on Mat C. Earlier this year, Blades tech'ed six-time world Adeline GRAY (USA) and most thought she would represent the United States at the Senior World Championships. Gray had different thoughts, coming back to beat Blades in two straight matches to take the spot.

10:58: No matter how you spin it, a win is a win at this level. Bas didn't look her best in that opening round match, only scoring a referee-given point, but she ended up holding on to win 1-1 on criteria.

10:51: We just wrapped up our last freestyle repechage match and will now head directly into the women's wrestling qualification round matches. 

The first star up is defending champion Nasren BAS (TUR). She's up now on Mat C against Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR).