ISTANBUL (May 6) – World and Olympic champion Hamid SORYAN (IRI) stormed to four technical falls and booked his ticket for Rio 2016 on Friday, the opening day of the “Last Chance” Olympic Games Qualifying Tourney in Istanbul.

[[{"fid":"11296","view_mode":"wysiwyg","type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":800,"width":1200,"style":"width: 600px; height: 400px; margin: 5px; float: right;","class":"media-element file-wysiwyg"}}]]“It feels good to finally earn qualification (for Rio 2016),” the defending Olympic Games champion said after his 10-0 semifinal victory over Dimitry TSYMBALIUK (UKR). “But my goal now is to win the gold medal in Rio.”

The six-time Greco-Roman world champion dismissed losses in earlier qualifying events in Kazakhstan and Mongolia this spring, explaining “I had a little trouble losing the weight, but with the Olympic Games as my motivation, I knew I had to do it here.”

On Friday, Soryan dominated from the opening whistle, wrapping up Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO), a bronze medal finalist at the European championships, and Erik WEISS (GER) in slightly over a minute each.

With the ticket to Rio 2016 on the line, Soryan took European bronze medal winner Dmitriy TSYMBALIUK (UKR) to his back with a bodylock to bear hug, then added a pair of gut wrenches to end the semifinal bout, 8-0, at1:25.

Soryan’s triumph sends him to a third Olympic Games and gives Iran an entry in all 12 men’s events – freestyle and Greco-Roman. 

In Friday evening’s finals, Soryan did not let up against Jesse THIELKE (USA), wrapping up the Golden Grand Prix Final bronze medalist with a quick takedown and three gut wrenches for an 8-0 technical fall in just 36 seconds.

Thielke had earlier defeated London 2012 bronze medalist Peter MODOS (HUN) by technical fall at 2:43 and silver medalist Revaz LASHKHI (GEO), 13-6. Thielke grabbed a fourth ticket in Greco-Roman with a technical fall over Donior ISLAMOV (MDA) in the semifinals.

[[{"fid":"11298","view_mode":"wysiwyg","type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":800,"width":1200,"style":"font-size: 13.5135px; line-height: 21.6216px; width: 600px; height: 400px; margin: 5px; float: left;","class":"media-element file-wysiwyg"}}]]At 66kg, world champion Rasul CHUNAYEV (AVE) had only one chance all day to unleash his trademark headlock, but in the semifinals Chunayev unveiled a single-arm drop and a back-arching throw to stop Artak MARGARYAN (FRA), 8-0, at 1:08.

Chunayev’s victory gave Azerbaijan a fifth qualifier for Rio 2016 in Greco-Roman and an 11th entry in the 12 men’s events. In the final, Chunayev played it easy with Asian bronze medalist Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ) for a 6-0 victory.

Meanwhile, world champion Selcuk CEBI (TUR) and 2014 world bronze medalist Cenk ILDEM (TUR) grabbed a pair of tickets at 75kg and 98kg to the delight of the hometown fans.

Cebi received a by injury default over European Games bronze medalist Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) and Ildem took a second tournament title from Turkey by default from Daigoro TIMONCINI (ITA).

European silver medalist Robert KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) and European under-23 champion Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) reserved spots for their country in Rio de Janiero at 85kg and 130kg.

Both wrestlers, however, defaulted in the championship finals -- Kobliashvili to European bronze medal winner Denis KUDLA (GER) at middleweight and Kajaia to world and Olympic Games bronze medalist Johan EUREN (SWE) at super heavyweight.

[[{"fid":"11300","view_mode":"wysiwyg","type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":800,"width":1200,"style":"font-size: 13.5135px; line-height: 21.6216px; width: 600px; margin: 5px; float: right; height: 400px;","class":"media-element file-wysiwyg"}}]]On the whole, it was a difficult day for world champions Ivo ANGELOV (BUL) at 59kg and Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA) at 85kg who lost before the quarterfinals as did London 2012 medalists Lashkhi, Modos and Aleksandr KAZAKEVICH (LTU) as well as Beijing 2008 bronze medalist Roman AMOYAN (ARM).

Meanwhile, 41-year-old Mihaly DEAK BARDOS (HUN), five-time world silver medalist and four-time Olympian, made an unexpected return to the mats and advanced to the semifinals at 130kg before falling to Kajaia by technical fall.

Deak Bardos, who still practices at his club 3-4 times a week, stepped in for Hungarian team member Balint LAM (HUN) who dislocated his elbow at the first world qualifier two weeks ago in Ulaanbaatar.

-- Results --

Greco-Roman

59kg (24 entries)

Gold – Hamid SORYAN (IRI) df. Jesse THIELKE (USA) by TF, 8-0, 0:36
Bronze – Dmitriy TSYMBALIUK (UKR) df. Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO), 4-1
Bronze – Donior ISLAMOV (MDA) df. Frunze HARUTYUNYAN (SWE), 3-2

Semifinals – Hamid SORYN (IRI) df. Dmitriy TSYMBALIUK (UKR) by TF, 8-0, 1:25
Semifinals – Jesse THIELKE (USA) df. Donior ISLAMOV (MDA) by TF, 17-8, 5:16

66kg (29 entries)

Gold – Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ), 6-0
Bronze – Armen VARDANYAN (UKR) df. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA), 6-5
Bronze – Dawid KARECINSKI (POL) df. Artak MARGARYAN (FRA) by Injury Default, 1:33

Semifinals – Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ) df. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 0:46
Semifinals – Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Artak MARGARYAN (FRA) by TF, 8-0, 1:08

75kg (29 entries)

Gold – Selcuk CEBI (TUR) df. Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) by Injury Default, 0:00
Bronze – Robert ROSENGREN (SWE) df. Jonas BOSSERT (SUI), 4-0
Bronze – Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) df. Jure KUHAR (SLO), 5-4

Semifinals – Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) df. Robert ROSENGREN (SWE), 7-4
Semifinals – Selcuk CEBI (TUR) df. Jure KUHAR (SLO), 2-0

85kg (24 entries)

Gold – Denis KUDLA (GER) df. Robert KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) by Injury Default, 0:02
Bronze – Laimutis ADOMIATIS (LTU) df. Danyal GAJIYEV (KAZ) by Withdrawal, 1:30
Bronze – Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Artur OMAROV (CZE), 2-0

Semifinals – Robert KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) df. Danyal GAJIYEV (KAZ), 2-1
Semifinals – Denis KUDLA (GER) df. Metehan BASAR (TUR), 2-1

98kg (22 entries)

Gold – Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Daigoro TIMONCINI (ITA) by Injury Default, 0:00
Bronze – Oliver HASSLER (GER) df. Abrorbek  MAMASOLIEV (UZB), 4-0
Bronze – Felix BALDAUF (NOR) df. Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) by Fall, 0:46 (4-0)

Semifinals – Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Oliver HASSLER (GER), 4-2
Semifinals – Daigoro TIMONCINI (ITA) df. Felix BALDAUF (NOR), 2-1

130kg (17 entries)

Gold – Johan EUREN (SWE) df. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) by Injury Default, 0:00
Bronze – Miloslav METODIEV (BUL) df. Iosef CHUGOSHVILI (BLR), 4-3
Bronze – Radhouane  CHEBBI (TUN) v Mihaly DEAK BARDOS (HUN)

Semifinals – Johan EUREN (SWE) df. Miloslav METODIEV (BUL), 4-1
Semifinals – Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Mihaly DEAK BARDOS (HUN) by TF, 9-0, 2:11

در مسابقه فینال نیز سوریان به جسی تیلکه از آمریکا اجازه عرض اندام نداد و برنده مدال برنز جایزه بزرگ باکو را با خاک کردن و سه بارانداز در 36 ثانیه ضربه فنی کرد.

این در حالی بود که تیلکه پیش از این پیتر مودوس، دارنده مدال برنز المپیک لندن از مجارستان را در دو دقیقه و 43 ثانیه ضربه فنی کرده بود و با حساب 13 بر شش رواز لاشخی از گرجستان را نیز شکست داده بود.

تیلکه با پیروزی ضربه فنی مقابل دونیور اسلام اف از مولداوی در مرحله نیمه نهایی، جواز حضور در بازی‌های المپیک را گرفت.

در 66 کیلوگرم رسول چونایف، قهرمان جهان از آذربایجان با پیروزی مقابل آرتاک مارگاریان از فرانسه پنجمین سهمیه المپیک را در کشتی فرنگی نصیب آذربایجان کرد تا این کشور با یازده سهمیه در کشتی مردان به المپیک برود.

همچنین سلجوق جبی و جنک ایلدم دو سهمیه المپیک را در اوزان 75 و 98 کیلوگرم نصیب ترکیه کردند.