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

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

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.

Elsayed Mohamed 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 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 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.

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After tears, Yanan Sun wants to come back with a smile

Wednesday, April 26, 2023 - 06:09 By

-- by Xinhua sportswriters Wang Chujie, Huang Haoran

NANCHANG, South China (April 26) -- Tears streamed down Yanan SUN's (CHN) face as she knelt in the center of the mat. It was August 7, 2021, and the women's freestyle wrestling 50kg final at the Tokyo Olympics had just ended. In less than two minutes, Sun had lost the match due to a small mistake that cost her dearly.

When asked by reporters if she would continue to train for the next Olympics after the match, she couldn't give a definitive answer. At the time, she faced many challenges, including injuries, age, and younger competitors vying for her spot.

In early spring 2023, Sun returned to China's national women's wrestling team after nearly a year of recovery from knee surgery.

"When I make up my mind, all the difficulties or challenges seem to be no problem."

The Rio Olympic bronze medalist and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist has embarked on her journey to prepare for the Olympics once again.

To better prepare for the upcoming Asian Championships, the Chinese team relocated in mid-March to train in Nanchang, where the national youth team also trained at the same time.

Perhaps seeing the youthful faces, Sun thought of her own inexperienced self. She, who hasn't updated her personal social media for a long time, posted a photo of herself participating in the Asian Youth Wrestling Championships in 2010 with the caption, "Enjoying time with passion makes time more meaningful."

"This is the first international competition I participated in," Sun said. "Seeing this photo and recalling the scene from back then, although it has been 13 years, the passion in my heart for wrestling has never changed."

She shared this photo to encourage herself to leave behind everything from before and start anew.

Yanan SUN (CHN) is a bronze medalist from the Rio Olympics as well. (Photo: (Xinhua)

Last May, Sun underwent surgery for a bilateral anterior cruciate ligament and has been absent from various international competitions for nearly a year before her return to the national team.

She, however, is only able to undergo physical rehabilitation training. It will take some time before she can resume normal mat-specific technique training and return to matches.

"Rehabilitation training is quite painful," Sun said. "It's about repeatedly stimulating it [the knee], and the mat-specific technique training is not systematic, which can cause some anxiety."

She admitted that she is facing significant challenges but said optimistically that, once she makes up her mind, she will stick to it.

"Yanan is now fully committed to rehabilitation, and it's an exciting challenge to help her recover as soon as possible," said Frenchman Guillaume Defois, fitness coach of the Chinese national wrestling team. "I am in full confidence in her own capacity."

The support of her family also fuels Sun's perseverance.

During the days of being away from the wrestling arena, Sun had her wedding, and her husband Ridong ZHANG is also an accomplished Chinese wrestler.

Most of the wife and husband's conversations revolve around wrestling, and they both understand the meaning of persistence for a dream.

"He is a Greco-Roman wrestler, and I am a freestyle wrestler," she said. "Our events have similarities and differences. We often have intense discussions analyzing opponents or during training breaks.

"My husband is very supportive of me. I also want to seize the opportunity to continue pursuing my dreams. Although it is my own goal, it cannot be achieved without the support of my family and the team."

Yanan SUN (CHN) Yanan SUND (CHN) and Yui SUSAKI (JPN) compete during the 50kg final at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. (Photo: Xinhua / Xu Zijian)

When asked about her international rivals, Sun said that wrestling is a traditional strength of Japan and Japanese wrestlers often start at a younger age which helps them better understand the sport.

"We also have our own advantages in overall physical fitness and absolute strength, and we must have confidence in ourselves," Sun added.

In 2024, the 31-year-old Sun will strive to step onto the Olympic stage for the third time.

"When I debuted at Olympic Games at Rio 2016, I was a bit naive and forgot to celebrate after I won the bronze medal," she said. "And in Tokyo, though I improved to win a silver, I couldn't help shedding tears of disappointment.

"If I have the chance to continue chasing my dreams in Paris, I hope to leave the Olympic stage with a smile on my face," Sun said.

(Note: This article was orginally published by Xinhua News Agency. It can be read here)

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

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After tears, Yanan Sun wants to come back with a smile