Toronto, Canada, Pan Am Games

Burroughs Repeats, Rey Doubles Up on 2015 Titles in Pan Am Games

By William May

TORONTO, Canada (July 18) – Defending champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) repeated as Pan American Games gold medalist on Saturday as the United States rolled to three gold medals and a silver on the final day of wrestling competition at the Toronto 2015 Games.

World and Olympic Games champion Burroughs cruised to three wins by technical fall, including a 13-3 triumph in the quarterfinals over Livan LOPEZ (CUB), for his second Pan American Games gold medal after winning at the Guadalajara 2011 Games.

In the 74kg final, Burroughs softened up South American Games champion Yoan BLANCO (ECU) with a series of force-outs in the first period, then wrapped up the technical fall with a single-leg attack and a pair of cross-ankle turns.

Lopez, the gold medalist at 66kg in Guadalajara, rebounded for a bronze medal after his loss to Burroughs.

Meanwhile, three-time Pan American championships winner Zach REY (USA) won his first Pan American Games crown to double up on the continental titles this year. Rey defeated Korey JARVIS (CAN), 3-0, in the 125kg final.

Former junior world champ Kyle SNYDER (USA) made a big splash with his third technical fall of the day, 10-0, over Arjun GILL (CAN) in the 97kg final for his first major senior title.

Jake HERBERT (USA), the Games’ defending middleweight champion, came out on the short end of a wide-open final at 86kg, falling 12-7 to world silver medalist Reineris SALAS (CUB) and his wicked double-leg attack.

With three gold medals on the final day of wrestling, the United States completed the freestyle competition with four of the six gold medals on offer along with a pair of silver medals for 58 points.

Cuba, meanwhile, grabbed the other two gold medals as well as a silver and two more bronze medals, to finish second in freestyle with 49 points. Canada was even more distant in third place with 40 points.

Freestyle
74kg
GOLD: Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Yoan BLANCO (ECU) by TF, 11-0 
BRONZE: Cristian SARCO (VEN) df. Johnathan SCOTT (CRC) by Fall 
BRONZE: Livan LOPEZ (CUB) df. Jevon BALFOUR (CAN) by TF, 10-0

86kg
GOLD: Reineris SALAS (CUB) df. Jake HERBERT (USA), 12-7
BRONZE: Tamerlan TIGZIEV (CAN) df. Pool AMBROCIO (PER), 5-0
BRONZE: Jaime ESPINAL (PUR) df. Ricardo BAEZ (ARG) by TF, 12-0

97kg
GOLD: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Arjun GILL (CAN) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE: Jose DIAZ (VEN) df. Yuri MAIER (ARG), 9-0 
BRONZE: Jesse RUIZ (MEX) df. Marcos SANTOS (PUR), 4-1

125kg
GOLD: Zach REY (USA) df. Korey JARVIS (CAN), 3-0
BRONZE: Edgardo LOPEZ (PUR) df. Hugo DE OLIVEIRA (BRA), 8-0
BRONZE: Andres RAMOS (CUB) df. Rene SILVA (NCA) by TF, 10-0

Jake HERBERT (USA), champion en titre de la catégorie de poids moyens, s’est incliné en finale à 86 kg face au médaillé d’argent au niveau mondial Reineris SALAS (CUB).

Avec trois médailles d’or remportées lors du dernier jour de compétition, les Etats Unis terminent la compétition de lutte libre avec quatre des six médailles d’or disponibles, ainsi que deux médailles d’argent pour un total de 58 points.

Cuba a remporté les deux autres médailles d’or, une médaille d’argent et deux médailles de bronze et termine second avec 49 points. Le Canada est loin derrière avec 40 points.

Lutte libre
74kg
OR: Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Yoan BLANCO (ECU) par SP, 11-0 
BRONZE: Cristian SARCO (VEN) df. Johnathan SCOTT (CRC) par tombé 
BRONZE: Livan LOPEZ (CUB) df. Jevon BALFOUR (CAN) par SP, 10-0

86kg
OR: Reineris SALAS (CUB) df. Jake HERBERT (USA), 12-7
BRONZE: Tamerlan TIGZIEV (CAN) df. Pool AMBROCIO (PER), 5-0
BRONZE: Jaime ESPINAL (PUR) df. Ricardo BAEZ (ARG) par SP, 12-0

97kg
OR: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Arjun GILL (CAN) par SP, 10-0
BRONZE: Jose DIAZ (VEN) df. Yuri MAIER (ARG), 9-0 
BRONZE: Jesse RUIZ (MEX) df. Marcos SANTOS (PUR), 4-1

125kg
OR: Zach REY (USA) df. Korey JARVIS (CAN), 3-0
BRONZE: Edgardo LOPEZ (PUR) df. Hugo DE OLIVEIRA (BRA), 8-0
BRONZE: Andres RAMOS (CUB) df. Rene SILVA (NCA) par SP, 10-0

#WrestleTirana

Paris medalists Valiev, Amouzad make golden return in Tirana

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 26) -- Three Paris Olympic medalists were in action on day one of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series event and two returned with medals.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI), medalists at 74kg and 65kg, have announced themselves as early contenders for their respective continental championships. Islam DUDAEV (ALB), the third Paris medalist in action on Thursday, lost his 1/8 final at 65g.

Returning to action for the first time since winning the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, Valiev claimed the gold medal at 74kg in Tirana, Albania. To make the victory sweeter, he defeated four-time European champion Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) in the final at home.

Salkazanov has won gold medal at the European Championships for four straight editions and was expected to win this year, especially with the tournament to be held in Bratislava, Slovakia. But with Valiev beating Salkazanov, the odds have changed.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB)Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) in a tangle during the 74kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The two wrestlers were matched up for similar style of wrestling and were slow off the blocks. Valiev, however, kept his half shots on which forced Salkazanov to be on the activity clock. Valiev was up 1-0 at the break.

Valiev followed a similar strategy in the second period and Salkazanov was again put on the activity clock and Valiev led 2-0. The score was too steep for Salkazanov and his desperate attempts in the end as Valiev won 2-0.

Albania's other Paris Olympic bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) did not have a similar luck at 65kg as he lost to Kaisei TANABE (JPN) and finished without a medal.

However, Paris silver medalist at 65kg Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) expectedly made it to the final and won gold medal after a 5-1 win over Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ).

He opened the scoring with a takedown and continued with his attacks. A takedown on the edge made it 4-0 and Zhumashbek Uulu was cautioned for fleeing which made it 5-0. Amouzad took a step back and was content with the lead.

Zhumashbek Uulu got a point at the end for negative wrestling from Amouzad but that did not stop the Iranian from winning 5-1.

The second gold medal for Iran was won by Ali MOMENI (IRI), who was in Tirana last year for the U23 World Championships and won bronze medal. He earned gold at 57kg with a fall over Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK) in the second period.

Momeni was down 2-1 at the break but never looked worried about the match up against Belolyubskii. A half whipover from Momeni in the second period caught Belolyubskii unbalanced and Momeni was quick to hold him on the mat and get the fall.

Momeni's gold more or less confirms his spot on the Asian Championships team as he also defeated Hadi REZAEI (IRI) in the first match who could have made a claim for the spot if he had won.

Despite the loss, Belolyubskii can take heart from the fact that he became the first Tajik wrestler to win a medal at a Ranking Series event. He opened his day with a 4-1 win over Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), dominated Weiyu LI (CHN) for an 8-1 win and defeated Sultan KURMANALIYEV (KAZ) 10-4 in semifinals.

Japan won two gold medals as well, another example of the serious depth it has in wrestling.

Asian silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) was up against former European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) but remained unfazed in his 4-1 victory at 70kg. Tevanyan would be upset with his approach in the final as he defended a little too much.

As Aoyagi led 1-0 after the break, Tevanyan got the criteria 1-1 lead for Aoyagi's passivity. However, the referees deemed Tevanyan passive one more time and Aoyagi kept Tevanyan from scoring to lead 2-1. Any further attempts from Tevanyan were also thwarted by Aoyagi who got two more points for a throw at the end.

Takara SUDA (JPN)Takara SUDA (JPN) defeated Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) in the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 61kg, Takara SUDA (JPN) upset former U23 world champion Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) in a thrilling final.

Suda was quick off the blocks and scored a stepout and then hit a double leg for a 3-0 lead. Mongush stopped Suda with a chestwrap and then exposed him for two points. A reversal made it 4-2 before Suda got a takedown to lead 6-2 at the break.

Mongush began the second period with an attempted headpinch but Suda blocked it and pinned Mongush on the mat for two points to lead 8-2. Just when it seemed like he will run away with the gold medal, Mongush mounted a comeback. He scored a stepout and Suda was cautioned for fleeing.

With the score 8-4, Mongush scored another stepout and managed a takedown with 31 seconds left on the clock. A stepout without fleeing made it 8-8 but Suda kept the criteria lead for four two-point moves. He held on for the remaining 11 seconds and won the gold medal.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Ali MOMENI (IRI) df. Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK), via fall

BRONZE: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) df. Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ), 3-2
BRONZE: Sultan KURMANALIYEV (KAZ) df. Weiyu LI (CHN), 9-9

61kg
GOLD: Takara SUDA (JPN) df. Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW), 8-8

BRONZE: Mukhamed BALGABAY (KAZ) df. Stilyan ILIEV (BUL), 7-0
BRONZE: Artem GOBAEV (UWW) df. Leomid COLESNIC (MDA), 3-0 

65kg
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 5-1

BRONZE: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) df. Kaisei TANABE (JPN), 3-1
BRONZE: Real WOODS (USA) df. Kaiji OGINO (JPN), 9-1

70kg
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), 4-1

BRONZE: Vasile DIACON (MDA) df. Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), 10-0 
BRONZE: William LEWAN (USA) df. James GREEN (USA), 4-3

74kg
GOLD: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 2-0

BRONZE: Yones EMAMI (IRI) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 6-1
BRONZE: Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) df. Magoma DIBIRGADZHIEV (UWW), 1-1

86kg
GOLD: Chandler MARSTELLER (USA) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 2-0

BRONZE: Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) df. Mukhammad ABDULLAEV (KGZ), via fall (4-8)
BRONZE: Rustem MYRZAGALIYEV (KAZ) df. Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL), 8-1