#WrestleTokyo

Youngsters Shine in Greco-Roman; Tynybekova, Kawai Reach Semifinals

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 - 07:45 By Vinay Siwach

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CHIBA, Japan (August 3) --- Out of the 49 wrestlers that took the mat Tuesday at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba, 22 were world champions at the senior or age group level. By the end of the morning session eight remained in the hunt for the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Wrestling saw action in 67kg and 87kg in Greco-Roman and 62kg in women's wrestling as it entered day three of the Olympics in Chiba Prefecture, 20 kilometers from downtown Tokyo. Semifinals were decided in all three of the weight categories.

A host of upsets in the morning sessions gave way to young blood in the 67kg semifinals. Former cadet world champion Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) reached the semifinal after dumping Rio Olympic gold medalist Ismael BORRERO (CUB) in the opening round. Borrero was trailing 1-1 on criteria after giving up passivity in the second period. He went for a head pinch to get two points but instead gave up a takedown to trail 1-3. A late step out point was not enough as the defending champion lost 3-2.

Zoidze will face will face U23 world champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) in the semifinals as he upset three-time world champion Frank STAEBLER (GER) 5-5 in the quarterfinals. Staebler was leading 5-3 when the referees called for a leg-foul and it was awarded to Geraei. The two had one caution each and a similar scoring pattern but the Iran wrestler had the last point and was declared the winner.

ElsayedMohamed ELSAYED (EGY) is one of the two wrestlers from his country to make the semifinalists in Tokyo. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The other semifinal will also see young guns Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) take on Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY). Multiple times age-group world medalist Nasibov claimed 2018 world champion Artem SURKOV (ROC) with a 1-1 score. The two had a passivity each but it was the Ukrainian who had it in the second period.

Elsayed had a frantic first bout against two-time world champion RYU Hansu (KOR) but hung in for a 7-6 win. In the quarterfinals he was in deep water against former junior world champion Karen ASLANYAN (ARM), but pulled out a 7-7 victory to reach the semifinals.

While it was youngsters who shone in 67kg, veterans ruled the 87kg weight class. In the final lap of his career, world champion Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) reached the semifinal and will take on Mohamed METWALLY (EGY). He defeated Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) 6-1 in the first bout before he stopped Rio bronze medalist Denis KUDLA (GER) 1-1 in the quarterfinal.

Metwally was the surprise entry in the list as he won by technical superiority 9-1 over Individual World Cup winner Kiril MASKEVICH (BLR). He then pulled out a fall over Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB) to reach the semifinal.

Rio silver medalist and world champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) will take on Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) in the other semifinal at 87kg. Beleniuk continued his well planned strategy of trying to attack more in the second period, resulting in him winning the criteria lead.

Zhan BELENIUKZhan BELENIUK (UKR) reached the 87kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In the first bout, he wrestled European champion Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) and won 3-1 after a big gut from par terre. Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) kept the match tighter, but it was Beleniuk gutting out the 1-1 win and trip to the semifinals.

Huklek removed Rio Olympic bronze medalist Rustam ASSAKOLO (UZB) in the quarterfinal with a 4-1 win. He began with a 5-3 win over John STEFANOWICZ (USA).

On the women's side, world champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) booked her spot in the second straight Olympic semifinal and will take on Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR). In 2016, Tynybekova lost her semifinal and later the bronze medal bout.

But she looked a wrestler on a mission as she defeated Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) 8-0 with those trademark double-leg takedowns. And just when it seemed that Kriszta INCZE (ROU) will be a problem, she exposed the Romanian to her back and won via fall.

AIsuluu TynybekovaAisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) is in the 62kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Koliadenko also looks like the one to cause the upset as she won both her bouts via fall. First was Aminat ADENIYI (NGR) who was up 4-0 but the Ukrainian smashed her to the mat and the referee took their time but finally called it a pin. LONG Jia (CHN) was her next victim as she also suffered a fall in the first period itself.

Even if Tynybekova clears the semifinals, she will meet one of the two main rivals in the Olympic finals as KAWAI Yukako (JPN) and Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) made it to the semifinal from the other side of the bracket at 62kg.

Kawai, wrestling at her first Olympics, got her lace going against Liubov OVCHAROVA (ROC) to win 10-0 before she won 10-2 against a tiring Henna JOHANSSON (SWE). The Swede did give up a point for passivity but managed a takedown but Kawai came back stronger with a four pointer as well to win.

Yusein was also dominant in her two bouts as she got Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) in a arm-to-chest wrap and got the rolls for a 10-0 win in no time. But her opening win was 4-1 against Lais NUNES (BRA).

The semifinals will be followed by the medal bouts of the Greco-Roman 77kg and 97kg and women's 68kg weight classes.

#WrestleBucharest

Kayaalp reaches European final; Nazaryan, Abuladze stunned

Monday, February 12, 2024 - 18:00 By Vinay Siwach

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BUCHAREST, Romania (February 12) -- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) took a step closer to a record 13th European title after reaching the 130kg final on the first day of the European Championships which began in Bucharest Monday.

The defending champion has won the gold medal at the European Championships, tying him with Aleksandar KARELIN and a win Tuesday in the final will make him the most successful wrestler in the continent.

For the gold medal, Kayaalp will take on Sergei SEMENOV (AIN), a bronze medalist from the Tokyo Olympics.

Four other Greco-Roman weight classes were also in action on Monday. Three defending champions failed to advance to the finals of their respective weight classes. Adem UZUN (TUR) dropped his quarterfinal at 55kg, Leri ABULADZE (GEO) lost to Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) at 63kg while Istvan TAKACS (HUN) lost to Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB) in the 1/8th final.

The only defending champion to make it to the final apart from Kayaalp was Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) at 77kg. He defeated Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) 2-1 in the semifinal and will take on Yunus BASAR (TUR) for the gold medal.

Kayaalp was up against Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) in the semifinal and trailed 2-0 at the break. But he began the second period with a stepout before getting the point for par terre. He reached the final with a 2-2 win.

Semenov defeated Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) 2-1 in the semifinal as he also scored an extra stepout against Kajaia's par terre point.

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) defeated Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) 2-1 in the semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In a low-scoring bout, Amoyan scored a crucial pushout in the first period and then put up a strong defense in the second period to win 2-1. He got the first par terre advantage and added a stepout point from that position. Gutu got it in the second period but he was not able to score any points.

The gold-medal bout will see Amoyan take on Yunus BASAR (TUR), a repeat of the semifinal from last year that Amoyan won 6-1. Basar's path to the final included a win over 72kg world champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) in the qualification round. Basar held off Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) 3-1 in the last-four bout.

Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB)Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB) won his quarterfinal against Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) 3-1. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 87kg, world champion Ali CENGIZ (TUR) will try to win his first European title as he takes on Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB) in the final. Cengiz defeated Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) in the semifinal 4-1 while Komarov reached the gold medal bout after beating Islam ABBASOV (AZE) 3-1 in the semifinal.

Komarov, who first wrestled at the senior level at the European Championships in 2019 in Bucharest, looks to make his return to the city golden.

"My first time wrestling at a senior-level competition was back in 2019 in Bucharest," Komarov said. "Now I am back after five years and I want to win the gold medal. It’s my dream."

But the Zagreb Open Ranking Series bronze medalist accepted that it was a tough day in the office for him. In the pre-quarterfinals, Komarov defeated defending champion Istvan TAKACS (HUN), and stopped Olympic champion Zhan BELENUIK (UKR) in the quarterfinals before beating Abbasov.

"It’s been a tough day today," he said.

Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) stunned Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) 9-5 in the 63kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The biggest upset of the day came in the 63kg semifinal as Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) stunned Nazaryan 9-5 in a comeback victory. Nazaryan managed to take a 5-0 lead after getting the par terre advantage but Hrushyn scored a big four and then got a par terre advantage to lead 5-5 on criteria. Nazaryan tried to get a body lock but failed. Hrushyn countered one of his attempts and scored a takedown and another in the dying moments to win 9-5.

"The semifinal went almost as I planned it," Hrushyn said. "Except for the first par terre, I was expecting a different move. I was planning to do something in a standing position. I am confident that functionally I am well-prepared, better than many other wrestlers here. I was counting on that."

Hrushyn has made it to his first European Championships final but he won a bronze medal in 2022. But he is not contended with silver and hopes to win his first gold on Tuesday.

"This is my first ever European final," he said. "Not a step back, just forward. That’s it. I will prepare the same way. It’s a European Championships, so no easy opponents."

Earlier in the day, Nazaryan faced world champion Abuladze in the quarterfinal and came out with a 3-0 win. He used an arm-throw to score but Abuladze stopped him from completing the throw. As Nazaryan landed first, Abuladze was awarded two points but Bulgaria challenged the decision. On review, the judges ruled that Abuladze blocked Nazaryan and restarted the bout in par terre. Abuladze was quick to stand up but he was later warned for passivity, giving one more point to Nazaryan who led 3-0 at the break. No points were scored in the second period and Nazaryan won 3-0. But his run was cut short by Hrushyn.

For the gold medal, Hryshyn will face Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), who reached his second straight European Championships after beating Anvar ALLAKHAROV (AIN) 3-3. Till the final 30 seconds of the bout, Allakharov was destined to reach the final as he was leading 3-1. But Mammadov received a late par terre advantage, with just 40 seconds left on the clock.

Allakharov, struggling with his conditioning, failed to stop a par terre turn and conceded a 3-3 criteria lead. Mammadov kept his distance from Allakharov for the remaining time in the bout.

At 55kg, Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) failed to break his Azerbaijan curse as he suffered a 5-1 loss to Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE) in the semifinals. In his previous outings, he has lost to world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE). Mammadov will now face Artium DELEANU (MDA) for the gold medal as he won 2-2 on criteria against Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM).

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RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. Artium DELEANU (MDA)

SF 1: Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), 5-1
SF 2: Artium DELEANU (MDA) df. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 2-2

63kg
GOLD: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)

SF 1: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN), 3-3
SF 2: Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) df. Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL), 9-5

77kg
GOLD: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) vs. Yunus BASAR (TUR)

SF 1: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), 2-1
SF 2: Yunus BASAR (TUR) df. Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO), 3-1

87kg
GOLD: Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) vs. Ali CENGIZ (TUR)

SF 1: Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: Ali CENGIZ (TUR) df. Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN), 4-1

130kg
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs. Sergei SEMENOV (AIN)

SF 1: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 2-2
SF 2: Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) df. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO), 2-1