Icho, Hamada Roll While Tsargush, ‘Gazi’ Rocked at Yarygin Grand Prix

By William May

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 29) – World champions Denis TSARGUSH (RUS) and Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) were rocked with early losses on the opening day of the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix wrestling tournament. But, Japanese world champs Kaori ICHO (58kg) and Chiho HAMADA (53kg) rolled into the gold medal finals at the Ivan Yarygin Sports Palace. Icho racked up three technical falls with a combined score of 37-1.

Icho’s triumphs included a 13-0 win over 2014 world champ SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) in the opening round, while Hamada edged Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), 4-3, in the semifinals -- a replay of their 2014 world championship final in Tashkent.

Meanwhile, in the two events in men’s freestyle, three-time world champ Tsargush could not convert on his front headlock chances with Muslim DADAEV (RUS) and fell, 4-1, in the round of 16.

Tsargush also lost in the consolation bracket, 2-0, to Yarygin defending champion Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) just shy of the bronze medal matches.

World champion at 70kg Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) also stumbled out of the gate and was tagged with a 12-1 technical fall by 2013 world team member Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS). Gazimagomedov was eliminated when Khubezhty lost in the semifinals.

At 57kg, European Games gold medalist at 61kg Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) advanced to the finals in a 1-1 semifinal win over junior world bronze medalist Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS). In the final, Bogomoev will face 2014 Yarygin champion Rustam AMPAR (RUS).

In the final two women’s events, former university world champion Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS) advanced to the final of the non-Olympic weight category of 60kg and will face Ayaulaylm KAZYMOVA (KAZ).

Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ), who narrowly missed qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, notched a pair of technical falls to advance to the 69kg finals, where she will meet 2014 junior world runner-up Dalma CANEVA (ITA).

Freestyle

57kg (35 entries)
Gold – Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) v Rustam AMPAR (RUS)
Bronze – Vladimir FLEGONTOV (RUS) v Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)
Bronze – Nariman ISRAPILOV (RUS) v Artyom GEBEKOV (RUS)
 
Semifinals – Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) df. Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS), 1-1
Semifinals – Rustam AMPAR (RUS) df. Artyom GEBEKOV (RUS), 5-2

74kg (23 entries)
Gold – Zaur MAKIEV (RUS) v Muslim DADAEV (RUS)
Bronze – Khabib BATYROV (RUS) v Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS)
Bronze – Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) v Andrew HOWE (USA)

Semifinals – Zaur MAKIEV (RUS) df. Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS), 3-0
Semifinals – Muslim DADAEV (RUS) df. Andrew HOWE (USA) by TF, 10-0, 0:43

Women’s Wrestling

53kg (17 entries)
Gold – Lyubov SALNIKOVA (RUS) v Chiho HAMADA (JPN)
Bronze – KHATANTUUL Buunveibaatar (MGL) v ERDENECHIMEG Sumiya (MGL)
Bronze – Mariya GUROVA (RUS) v Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS)
 
Semifinals – Lyubov SALNIKOVA (RUS) df. ERDENECHIMEG Sumiya (MGL), 12-1
Semifinals – Chiho HAMADA (JPN) df. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), 4-3

58kg (13 entries)
Gold – PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) v Kaori ICHO (JPN)
Bronze – BATAARJAV Shoovdov (MGL) v Ekaterina BALDANOVA (RUS)
Bronze –  SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) v ENKHBAT Gantuya (MGL)

Semifinals – PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) df. Ekaterina BALDANOVA (RUS) by TF. 12-0, 1:33
Semifinals – Kaori ICHO (JPN) df. ENKHBAT Gantuya (MGL) by TF, 12-0, 3:00

60kg (8 entries)
Gold – Ayaulaylm KASYMOVA (KAZ) v Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS
Bronze – Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) v Elizaveta SOROKINA (RUS)
Bronze – Natalya FEDOSEVA (RUS) v Yoshimi KAYAMA (JPN)

Semifinals – Ayaulaylm KASYMOVA (KAZ) df. Elizaveta SOROKINA(RUS) by Fall, 4:20 (7-10)
Semifinals – Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS) df. Yoshimi KAYAMA (JPN), 3-2

69kg (12 entries)
Gold – Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) v Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Bronze – TSERENDORJ Bayarzaya (MGL) v Arina BABKINA (RUS)
Bronze – Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)  v SHARKUU Tumentsetseg (MGL)
 
Semifinals – Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Arina BABKINA (RUS) by TF, 11-0, 3:00
Semifinals – Dalma CANEVA (ITA) df. SHARKUU Tumentsetseg (MGL) by Fall, 1:39 (4-2)