#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest: Kamal third time lucky to win European title

Sunday, April 3, 2022 - 18:40 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (April 3) -- Turkey claimed back-to-back gold medals to close out the European Championships in Budapest. 

Overall, Turkey finished with three gold, one silver, and three bronze at the tournament to finish 150 points. However, this was not enough to overtake Azerbaijan which had 165 points and won the Greco-Roman team title. Georgia finished third with 114 points.

Kerem KAMAL (TUR) was third time lucky in the final as he won the gold after previously losing two finals in 2020 and 2021. But in his third final in three years, he defeated former European champ Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) 5-0 to win at 60kg.

"I have been waiting for this for a very long time," Kamal said. "This is my third final and I lost the first final 5-5, the second final 3:1, finally I managed to win the gold medal. I am still very young and have many goals."

After getting a point for Nazaryan's passivity, Kamal managed to score from a step-out to lead 2-0. A second-period takedown and a step-out gave him a comfortable 5-0 lead.

Nazaryan looked like a shadow of himself from Saturday. He had defeated defending champion Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) 10-1 in the semifinal but could not repeat the performance in the final.

Kamal was well aware of Nazaryan's abilities to score from par terre and had planned to not let the Bulgarian get that chance.

"I know exactly who is the father [Armen NAZARYAN] of my opponent in the final," he said. "I know with which technique he became Olympic champion. His son [Edmond] is as good and talented as his father. I knew it would be hard, but I won with my will and stubbornness."

Kamal burst into the scene with three back-to-back world titles and has now added all age-group European titles to his name. Kamal, all recovered from his injury at the U23 Worlds, has his eyes set on a senior World title.

"I suffered a serious injury at the U23 World Championships six months ago," he said. "I know who I am and what I want, and I know that I always want to be the strongest."

Murat FiratMurat FIRAT (TUR) won the gold at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The second gold for the nation came from Murat FIRAT (TUR) as he denied Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) a gold medal at home. In the close final, Firat used an exposure close to the zone to win 3-1.

Vancza had his chance to take the lead when Firat was called passive but he did not manage to score any points from par terre in the second period.

This was Firat's second championships win, seven years after he won the first one at the junior European title in 2015.

Robert FRITSCHRobert FRITSCH (HUN) won Hungary's first gold of the tournament. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hungary did have a home champion as Robert FRITSCH (HUN) upset Rio bronze medalist Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-2, at the 72kg final. In one of the closest bouts of the tournament, Bolkvadze led 1-0 at the break for a passivity point.

But Fritsch bounced back with a gut wrench from par terre to lead 3-1. A reversal point for Bolkvadze but his lead to 3-2 but he managed to hang on for the win.

In a historic feat, Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE) became the first-ever Azerbaijan wrestler to win three European titles.

Wrestling Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) in the 82kg final, Huseynov gave up a point for passivity but defended the par terre position. Georgia asked for a challenge for Huseynov's fleeing but lost it. Huseynov got the second point from Bolkvadze's passivity and kept the 2-1 lead to win the gold.

The final gold of the tournament went to Kiril MILOV (BUL) who upgraded from his silver in 2019. With fond memories of Budapest, he changed the color of his medal with an error-less performance in the final against Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 4-1.

Milov got the match-deciding gut wrench in the second period to defeat the former U23 world champion Savolainen who won the title in Budapest three years ago.

GR medal bouts

60kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df (BUL) Edmond NAZARYAN, 5-0

BRONZE: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) df Razvan ARNAUT (ROU), 5-2
BRONZE: Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) df Erik TORBA (HUN), 5-1

67kg
GOLD: Murat FIRAT (TUR) df Krisztian VANCZA (HUN), 3-1

BRONZE: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) df Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), via fall
BRONZE: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df Sebastian NAD (SRB), 8-1

72kg
GOLD: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) df Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-2

BRONZE: Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) df Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU), 14-7
BRONZE: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO), via fall

82kg
GOLD: Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 2-1

BRONZE: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df Mihail BRADU (MDA), 4-1
BRONZE: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df Pascal EISELE (GER), 6-1

97kg
GOLD: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 4-1

BRONZE: Daniel GASTL (AUT) df Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE), 4-1
BRONZE: Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR) df Felix BALDAUF (NOR), 8-0

#WrestleBudapest

Orta, Kusaka win Ranking Series gold; Esmaeili books Paris 2024 spot

Monday, June 10, 2024 - 00:29 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 9) -- The 67kg weight class in Budapest was supposed to offer some interesting match-ups. Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) could have avenged his World Championships loss to Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI). Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) could have qualified for the Paris Olympics if he had defeated Geraei in Budapest. Leri ABULADZE (GEO) could have become a contender in Georgia for the weight class.

But none of that happened as Orta dominated, outsmarted and controlled his way to the gold medal at 67kg in the Ranking Series, making him one of the favorites for the gold medal in Paris. The Paris Games will also present Orta a rare opportunity to win two Olympic gold medals in two different weight classes as he won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 60kg.

Orta began his day with an 8-0 win over David MANYIK (HUN) before using a four-pointer to beat Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) 7-1 to set up a semifinal against Esmaeili. No one would have expected the Asian champion Esmaeili to challenge the world champion but the Iranian had different ideas.

Esmaeili raced to a 7-0 lead in the first period and was one point away from winning the bout. However, Orta managed to keep himself in the bout and began the second period with a front headlock for four and got one more for a lost challenge from Iran. Still, Esmaeili did well to defend the lead until the last three seconds.

As the bout entered the final 10 seconds left, Orta almost gave up and Esmaeili, thinking that Orta had accepted defeat, turned his back and began walking towards the Iranian corner to celebrate. Just the whole stadium gasped as Orta, realizing there was still time left, ran towards Esmaeili and threw him for four.

Midway through the throw, an air-borne Esmaeili knew he messed up. He pleaded that the time was over. Referees initially did not award points to Orta but Cuba challenged and it was clear that the move was completed with 0.1 seconds left. Orta was awarded four points, helping him win 9-7.

An inconsolable Esmaeili had to be helped to the warm-up area. For he thought his Paris 2024 dream was over. 

Orta, fueled by that unthinkable win and his Cuban teammates including Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) in the stands, went on to beat Abuladze in the final to claim the gold medal. He, however, will remain second in the seeding for the Olympics as Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) has already locked up the top seed.

Jafarov was wrestling in Budapest but was up at 72kg. He may have changed his weight class but had no trouble winning the gold medal at the higher weight as well.

Back to Esmaeili who had his task cut out in the evening session. He needed to beat Geraei in two bouts to earn the Paris 2024 spot on the Iran team. He gathered himself from that loss to Orta and scored a final second takedown against Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) to clinch a 6-5 win while Geraei defeated Andres MONTANO (ECU) 3-3 to claim the other bronze.

The two stepped on the mat for the wrestle-off for the Olympic spot with Geraei holding an advantage that if he won the first match, he would book his spot for Paris but Esmaeili had to do it in a best-of-three format. But Esmaeili did not let it go to that third as he defeated Geraei in two straight bouts in a tennis-like scoreline, 6-0 and 6-4, to earn a spot on the Iran team for the Paris Olympics and maybe a rematch with Orta in the French capital which on Sunday witness Carlos ALCARAZ win his first French Open.

David LOSONCZI (HUN)David LOSONCZI (HUN) celebrates after securing a fall over Ali CENGIZ (TUR). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

There was more drama in Budapest as David LOSONCZI (HUN) made sure he pinned Ali CENGIZ (TUR) when the two met in the 87kg semifinal. The two were awarded a shared World Championships title in September after Cengiz defeated Losonczi but the Hungarian wrestler won an appeal for judges' errors and was also awarded the gold medal.

Losonczi admitted that he was waiting for the rematch and though relieved to get the gold medal in Belgrade, he did not really celebrate it. So when he faced Cengiz this time, Losonczi stepped over when the Turkish wrestler was trying to finish a headlock throw. The local fans in Budapest were ecstatic and so was Losonczi who missed his final against Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) due to an injury, a deep cut on his chin.

Nao KUSAKA (JPN)Nao KUSAKA (JPN) defeated Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) in the 77kg semifinal in Budapest. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Nao KUSAKA (JPN) has now beaten World Championships gold and silver medalists at 77kg in the past two months. After his win over world champion Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) at the Asian Championships in April, Kusaka handed World Championships silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) a 2-1 defeat in the semifinal. Suleymanov was leading 1-1 on criteria but Kusaka managed to score a stepout just in time to claim the win.

In the final, Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) defaulted due to injury and Kusaka won the gold medal that will take him past Suleymanov as the top-ranked wrestler in the world. Suleymanov would have remained the top-ranked wrestler if he had won a bronze medal but pulled out due to injury. Kusaka will now have 67200 points while Suleymanov will have 67100 points.

At 97kg, World Championships bronze medalist Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) had no issues beating whoever tried to challenge him. In the final Alex SZOKE (HUN) led 1-1 on criteria but Saravi scored a takedown.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
SILVER: Poya DAD MARZ (IRI)
BRONZE: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)

67kg
GOLD: Luis ORTA (CUB) df. Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 4-0

BRONZE: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN), 6-5
BRONZE: Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Andres MONTANO (ECU), 3-3

72kg
GOLD: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY), 5-2

BRONZE: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) df. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 7-3
BRONZE: Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) df. Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA), 2-1

77kg
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) df. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Yosvanys PENA FLORESS (CUB) df. Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) df. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), via inj. def.

82kg
GOLD: Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) df. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-1

BRONZE: Karlo KODRIC (CRO) df. Spencer WOODS (USA), via fall
BRONZE: Mihail BRADU (MDA) df. Peter DOEMOEK (HUN), 3-0

87kg
GOLD: Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Mohammadhossein MAHMOODI (IRI) df. Ali CENGIZ (TUR), 10-4
BRONZE: Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) df. Istvan TAKACS (HUN), via forfeit

97kg
GOLD: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Alex SZOKE (HUN), 3-1

BRONZE: Giorgi MELIA (GEO) df. Josef RAU (USA), 11-4
BRONZE: Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI) df. Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON), via inj. def.