#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Yoshimoto adds Asian gold to world title with eyes on Paris 2024

By Ken Marantz

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (April 21) -- World champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) had one small stumble early in the final, but it was smooth sailing the rest of the way as she cruised to her first senior Asian title.

Yoshimoto scored a late fall over home favorite Namuuntsetseg TSOGTOCHIR (MGL) in the 50kg final, and powerhouse Japan took three of the five titles at stake as the women's competition started Thursday at the Asian Championships.

"I wasn't concerned about giving up points, but to achieve my ultimate goal, I have to raise my attacking ability so I don't give up points," the 21-year-old Yoshimoto said.

With China missing from the tournament due to travel issues as well as the DPR Korea, the women's fields had limited entries and all five weight classes competed in a group stage.

Meanwhile, the other reigning world champion in action, Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), suffered a stunning loss in the 68kg final to Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), while world bronze medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) captured her first Asian title at 76kg.

Remina YOSHIMOTORemina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) won the gold at 50kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Yoshimoto showed the domination that propelled her to the world title last year in Oslo when she needed just 2:13 to win her two group matches with a technical fall and fall, then made the final with a 10-0 technical fall in 1:07.

In the gold-medal bout, Yoshimoto lost her balance when Tsogtochir slipped away from a tackle attempt, allowing the Mongolian to rush her and gain a takedown. That got the partisan crowd at the Buyant Ukhaa Sports Palace vocally involved.

"The crowd was really something, but this [my opponent's] country, so there's nothing I can do about it, it's only natural," Yoshimoto said. "I tried not to pay attention to during the match."

There would be no more slipups, as Yoshimoto built up a 6-2 lead in the first period, and added six more points before ending the match by fall at 5:04.

"I allowed her to get points, which made the match more touch-and-go," Yoshimoto said. "I need to reflect on [that mistake]."

The match gives Yoshimoto, a student at powerhouse Shigakkan University, something to work on.

"I have to address the issue of having my attack lead to points," Yoshimoto said. "There were times when I wasn't able to turn an attack into points or let my opponent get away, or had points scored on me. I came to realize this, and I'll work on it to achieve my next goal."

That next goal is crystal clear -- to get to the 2024 Paris Olympics. But to do that, it means a clash with the reigning Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN), who has not competed since her triumph at the Tokyo Games last summer.

The two could meet in June at the All-Japan Invitational Championships, where Susaki will make her return to action. The tournament will serve as a qualifier for this year's World Championships, although Yoshimoto will definitely not be defending her title, as she has already committed to the Asian Games.

So there won't be anything but a psychological edge at stake if the two clash in June, as the qualifying process for Paris starts at the All-Japan Championships in December. Susaki has already beaten Yoshimoto twice, most recently in a close 2-1 decision in 2019.

"The 'real' competition is the [first] Paris qualifier which will be in December, that and the next in June, so I have to get a win there," Yoshimoto said. 

"The [upcoming tournament] is before that, so it's like I just want to see how it goes. But in reality, I have to win. It's really been awhile, so I have to go all out, as I will be the challenger."

Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) upset world champion Meerin ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) to win the 68kg gold. (Photo: Bayrem Ben Mrad)

At 68kg, Bakbergenova scored three points in the final 25 seconds of the summit clash to stun Olympic bronze medalist Zhumanazarova 4-2 and pick up her first Asian gold after two previous bronzes.

In a staid match, Zhumanazarova had gone ahead 2-0 after receiving her second activity point, before the gap was cut to one when Bakbergenova gained an activity point. With the clock ticking down, the Kazakh came to life, spinning behind on a takedown attempt to force a stepout.

An additional point was tacked on for fleeing, and another when the Kyrgyz side unsuccessfully challenged the call. The match ended with Zhumanazarova desperately clutching an ankle but Bakbergenova fending off the tackle attempt.

"With the help of God I’ve won the Asian Championships," said Bakbergenova, who had lost 5-0 to Zhumanazarova in the group stage. "We’ve been preparing for a very long time here in Ulaanbaatar. We had a two-week training camp here. Thanks a lot to the Mongolian girls, it was a good camp with nice training."

Bakbergenova also had a close call to get into the final. Facing former world junior champion Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN) in the semifinals, Bakbergenova scored a takedown with 30 seconds left to win 3-3 on criteria.

"I wrestled against the Japanese wrestler in the semifinal, before that I knew I was gonna wrestle her, and I did my best to win the match," Bakbergenova said.

Aiperi MEDET KYZYAiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) counter for four points secured her the first Asian Championships gold. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Medet Kyzy, a two-time Asian silver medalist, finally moved to the top of the podium with a 5-3 victory in the 76kg final over former world junior champion Yuka KAGAMI (JPN).

Medet Kyzy scored 4 points with a twisting counter lift from the standing position that Kagami reversed to the back, putting the Kyrgyz ahead 5-2. Kagami, the 2019 Asian champion at 72kg, scored a late stepout, but it was too little, too late.

Umi IMAI (JPN)Umi IMAI (JPN) defeated Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) in Round 2 to all but confirm the gold. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Imai, Natami add to Japan gold tally

Japan's two other gold came from Umi IMAI (JPN) at 55kg and Sara NATAMI (JPN) at 59kg, who both became first-time senior Asian champions. Both weight classes had just five entries and were run in a round-robin format.

Imai, the 2018 world junior champion at 53kg, had her 'gold medal' match in the second round of the round-robin when she defeated Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL), 12-3. She clinched the title in her final match in the night session with victory by fall over winless Sarbinaz JIENBAEVA (UZB).

"It was my intention to definitely bring the title home, so it's a bit of a relief," Imai said. "I'm glad I can take a medal home.

"I gave it my all and did my style of wrestling. In my first match, my legs weren't moving well and other things, but instead of becoming timid, I stuck with my wrestling and stayed on the attack, so it was good."

Imai said she overcame jitters that were from more than appearing in her first Asian Championships.

"It's my first international tournament in a while," Imai said. "So there was an aspect of being nervous. But if I think too much, I tighten up. I thought to just go like I always do. I just focused on practicing as usual."

Imai took a practical approach to a question about the missing Chinese and DPR Koreans.

"Those two countries are on the top level in Asia. My feeling was that I wanted to face them and test myself. But it is what it is, and it was good that I fought in my own style."

In a final round-robin match that ended up deciding the silver medal, Ganbaatar defeated Sushma SHOKEEN (IND) 15-5, overcoming a 5-4 deficit with a reversal and five straight lace locks. Shokeen took the bronze.

Sara NATAMI Sara NATAMI (JPN), blue, won her first Asian gold after winning a silver in 2018. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Natami, a Shigakkan teammate of Yoshimoto's, had previously appeared at the Asian Championships as a high schooler in 2018 in Bishkek, where she finished second to Chinese opponent Xingru PEI (CHN). She wishes she had a chance for a rematch.

"The Chinese athletes are strong," Natami said. "I work to win each and every match. I want to [face] the Chinese again."

Natami defeated eventual silver medalist Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) 4-2 in the third round of the morning session. In her final match, she got caught three times in a counter lift by Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ) and trailed 6-4, but scored six points in the second period for a 10-6 win.

"My attack was good, but the finishing up was poor," Natami said. "When I get back to Japan, I will closely address this problem."

Earlier in the day, Baatarjav edged defending champion and world bronze medalist Sarita MOR (IND), 2-1, and the Indian eventually had to settle for the bronze medal.

Because of the limited fields, there was only one bronze medalist in each weight class. At 50kg, 2021 silver medalist Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB) scored a fall over MANISHA (IND); Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) sent Matsuyuki home empty-handed after a 4-0 win at 68kg; and Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) took the 76kg bronze by beating Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL), 7-4.

Day 3 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg (6 entries)
GOLD: Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) df. Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) by Fall, 5:04 (12-2)

BRONZE: Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB) df. MANISHA (IND) by Fall, 2:31 (10-0)

55kg (5 entries)

GOLD: Umi IMAI (JPN), 4-0
SILVER: Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL), 3-1
BRONZE: Sushma SHOKEEN (IND) , 2-2

Key match: Umi IMAI (JPN) df. Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) 12-3 in Round 2

59kg (5 entries)
GOLD: Sara NATAMI (JPN), 4-0
SILVER: Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL), 3-1
BRONZE: Sarita MOR (IND), 2-2

Key match: Sara NATAMI (JPN) df. Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) 4-2 in Round 3

68kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), 4-2

BRONZE: Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) df. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 4-0

76kg (6 entries)
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Yuka KAGAMI (JPN), 5-3

BRONZE: Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) df. Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL), 7-4

#WrestleTirana

World Championships: Azizli wins record fourth title, leads Azerbaijan's golden run

By Ken Marantz

TIRANA, Albania (October 29) -- In leading a golden night for Azerbaijan, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) became the country's most successful wrestler on the world stage.

Azizli won his fourth consecutive world title at Greco 55kg, one of three golds won by Azerbaijan on the first night of finals at the Non-Olympic Weight Categories World Championships on Tuesday in Tirana.

Azerbaijan also got golds from Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) at 63kg and Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) at 72kg, while Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) took the other Greco title at stake at 82kg to claim an elusive world gold after having previously settled for three bronzes.

In the 55kg final, Azizli defeated 2023 bronze medalist Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) for the fourth time in four career meetings, but this one was the closest as he won 1-1 on last-point criteria after each received a passivity point.

"I have met the Iran wrestler before and we know each other well," Azizli said. "That is why it was close. I have beaten him four times and but this time it was closer."

It was an ironic defeat for Dad Marz, who had been on the winning end of the same scoreline in his two previous matches. In their most recent encounter at the Budapest Ranking Series in June, Azizli had bested the Iranian 6-1.

By winning his fourth world title, the 32-year-old Azizli eclipsed the national record of three held by freestyle great Haji ALIYEV (AZE), who won golds in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Aliyev also has two Olympic medals, a prize that Azizli is unable to attain on the current Olympic program.

Looking ahead, Azizli said he would like to win his fifth world Greco gold, a milestone reached by 16 wrestlers, topped by the 12 of Russian legend Aleksandr KARELIN (RUS).

"I don't know what the future holds, but I would like to win five world gold medals," he said. "I will not be at the Europeans [next year], but I will try to win a fifth world title and finish my career."

In a battle of reigning continental champions, Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) took advantage of some impatience on the part of Yerzhet ZHARLYKASSYN (KAZ), scoring twice by stopping throw attempts for a 6-1 victory in the 63kg final.

After keeping Asian champion Zharlykassyn from scoring from par terre in the first period, Mammadli, the European 60kg champion, went ahead by stuffing a back suplex attempt, adding a roll to go ahead 4-1.

When Zharlykassyn tried a front headlock throw at the edge, Mammadli pressed forward and sent him tumbling back for another 2 to put the match out of reach.

At 72kg, Ganizade kept the Azeri juggernaut going and improved on his silver medal from 2022 by dethroning defending champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) 3-2.

Ganizade had won a 7-7 nail-biter over Ghanem in the final at the 2023 European Championships, and Tuesday's clash was just as tense. Ganizade was put on the bottom of par terre in the first period, but grabbed Ghanem's head and stopped a roll attempt for a 2-point exposure.

Ghanem received a second passivity point in the second period to make it 2-2, but remained behind on criteria. Perhaps learning a lesson from the first period, he chose to remain standing instead of taking another shot at par terre.

In the end, he could not break down the defenses of Ganizade, who gained a third point when Ghanem unsuccessfully challenged for what he claimed was a grabbed singlet.

In the 82kg final, Geraei was not to be denied in his first chance at world gold, as he stormed to a 9-0 victory over a shell-shocked Erik SZILVASSY (HUN).

"After eight years, I finally got to experience the world finals," Geraei said. "I’m truly happy from the bottom of my heart because I could make my fans and family happy, especially my dear wife 
who stood by me in tough times and understood me, as well as my parents and all my fans.

"I'm grateful to them; they have always been there for me and supported me, and I dedicate this medal to them."

Geraei, normally a 77kg wrestler who was competing at the heaviest weight of his career, encountered no problems handling the extra bulk against Szilvassy, a winner of international tournaments this year in Zagreb and Budapest.

After a quick stepout, Geraei stopped an attempted throw by Szilvassy for a takedown, then transitioned immediately to a gut wrench. An unsuccessful challenge by the Hungary side padded Geraei's lead to 6-0 just a minute into the match.

Geraei, who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics but missed the Paris Games due to a suspension, then completed a snap-down, go-behind takedown to finish the match in 1:35 and add the world gold to the bronzes he won at 71kg in 2017 and at 77kg in 2019 and 2021.

"I thought this competition would be really tough, but thank God it ended up being easy," Geraei said. "These past two or three years have been difficult for me, and due to certain circumstances, I couldn't participate in the Olympics and missed out on it. But I hope with this medal I won, I can pave my way to the [next] Olympics and achieve the best medal and my dream."

Serbia's Arsalan takes bronze in 30-point thriller

In the bronze-medal matches, Iranian-born Ali ARSALAN (SRB) picked up his third straight world medal, and he certainly earned it when he rallied to a wild 16-14 win over Hayk MELIKYAN (ARM) at 72kg.

In a thriller filled with big throws and slick counters, Arsalan fell behind 10-5 in the first period. But the 2021 world champion came back in the second with a pair of 4-pointers, the second with 12 seconds to go that was enough for the victory even after Melikyan reversed him for 2.

The other 72kg match was not as high-scoring but was just as entertaining, as Otar ABULADZE (GEO) connected on a pair of 4-point headlock hip throws to defeat Asian bronze medalist Ji LENG (CHN) 9-5 for his first major medal since winning a world cadet bronze in 2017.

Two-time European bronze medalist Denis MIHAI (ROU) added a world bronze by holding on to defeat Haifeng ZHANG (CHN) 8-5 at 55kg. Mihai scored two stepouts and two rolls from par terre for a 7-0 lead, then survived a second-period surge from the Chinese.

Emin SEFERSHAEV (AIN), a silver medalist in 2021, picked up the other 55kg bronze after scoring six points in the first period and holding on for a 7-5 victory over European bronze medalist Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM).

At 63kg, Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) sent Abu AMAEV (BUL) flying all over the mat before he knew what hit him, throwing him four times with a front headlock for an 8-0 victory in 30 seconds. A challenge negated one throw but revised two others to 4-pointers to produce the same result.

Aslanyan, who defeated reigning champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) and newly crowned world U23 champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) before losing to Mammadli in the semifinals, had seen little international action since placing ninth at 67kg at the Tokyo Olympics. But now he has a world bronze to go with three European ones he won from 2018 to 2020.

Sadyk LALAEV (AIN), a European bronze medalist at 60kg, took home the other 63kg bronze without a fight as Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) was forced to default due to injury.

At 82kg, Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) prevented Azerbaijan from medaling in every weight class, denying two-time European U23 champion Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) a senior world bronze with a solid 8-1 victory.

Yilmaz, who normally competes at 77kg, started off with three stepouts before clinching the deal with a classic 4-point throw from par terre for his first major medal on any level.

European bronze medalist Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) gave Japanese teenager and senior Asian champion Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) a lesson on the big stage, rolling to a 10-2 victory for the other 82kg bronze.

Yoshida, the 2023 world U17 champion, got an opening takedown, but could offer little resistance when Bolkvadze got behind for a takedown and added a gut wrench. The Georgian then used an arm drag for another takedown, and two gut wrenches ended the match at 2:40.

Greco-Roman Results

55kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df. Poya DAD MARZ (IRI), 1-1

BRONZE: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df. Haifeng ZHANG (CHN), 8-5
BRONZE: Emin SEFERSHAEV (AIN) df. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 7-5

63kg (21 entries)
GOLD: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. Yerzhet ZHARLYKASSYN (KAZ), 6-1

BRONZE: Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Abu AMAEV (BUL) by TF, 8-0, :30
BRONZE: Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) df. Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) by Inj. Def.

72kg (28 entries)
GOLD: Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) df. Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), 3-2

BRONZE: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df. Hayk MELIKYAN (ARM), 16-14
BRONZE: Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Ji LENG (CHN), 9-5

82kg (28 entries)
GOLD: Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) df. Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) by TF, 8-0, 1:35

BRONZE: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Gurban GURBANOV (AZE), 8-1
BRONZE: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) by TF, 10-2, 2:40