#Bishkek2018

Kazakhstan Puts Trio into Greco Finals on 2nd Day as Iran Falters Mightily

Wednesday, February 28, 2018 - 11:08 By Ken Marantz

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World silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV led a trio from Kazakhstan into the Greco-Roman finals on the second day of the Asian Championships, while Iran surprisingly struggled and put just one wrestler into the five gold-medal matches slated for the night session.

Zhadrayev, the 2015 Asian bronze medalist, will take on Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) in the 72kg final---one of two head-to-head clashes between host Kyrgyzstan and neighbor Kazakhstan, which will surely incite the vocal crowd at Kozhomkul Sports Palace.


In the other, at 82kg, Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) will take on Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ).

The third Kazakh vying for a continental championship will be Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ), a silver medalist last year in New Delhi who will take on unheralded Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (JPN) at 67kg.

In the morning session, Shimoyamada ousted Paris 2017 world champion RYU Hansu by default in the quarterfinals. Ryu had suffered a deep gash over his eye in his first-round bout, and after falling behind 7-1 to Shimoyamada and with blood continually flowing through his thick bandages, the bout was stopped with :51 left.

That was a rematch of the 67kg final at the Dave Schultz Memorial, which Shimoyamada won 3-2.

Japan, which got a victory from Shota TANOKURA at 55kg on the opening day, will have a chance to sweep the three lightest weights, as Rio 2016 silver medalist Shinobu OTA advanced to the final at 60kg.

Ota, an Asian silver medalist in 2014 and bronze medalist in 2013, will try to finally strike gold when he clashes with teenager RI Se Ung (PRK) in the final.

Since Rio, Ota had lost his place on the national team to Keniichiro FUMITA, who went on to win Asian and world titles. But Ota finally beat Fumita at the Japan nationals in December, earning a ticket to Bishkek.

As is often the case with North Koreans, little is known of Ri, except that he was an Asian cadet champion in 2013 and 2015, and Youth Olympic winner in 2014. He showed few weak spots when he stormed into the final with three consecutive technical falls, without giving up a point.

Ota's path to the final was far less smoother. In the semifinals, he had to battle back from a 4-0 deficit to defeat Shirzad Ali BEHESHTITALA (IRI) 5-4, with the decisive point coming on passivity with :30 left.

"Ota is the type of wrestler who gives up points, but stays calm and under control," said Japan Greco-Roman coach Masatoshi TOYOTA. "He wrestled his way and did what he does best."

Beheshtitala's collapse added salt into the wounds for Iran, which had just one wrestler make the final, with New Delhi 2017 champion Sayedmostafa SALEHIZADEH (IRI) going for the 97kg gold against Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB).

Behestitala is the only Iranian in the bronze-medal matches, meaning the powerhouse can finish the day with a maximum of two medals after taking two golds and a silver the previous day.

Assakalov, a New Delhi 2017 bronze medalist, got the already fired-up crowd even more excited with his antics during his 2x-2 quarterfinal win over home favorite Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ).

Assakalov had a mini-tantrum that included kicking the bowling pin-like object used for making challenges. Then when he was awarded a second penalty point when his opponent grabbed his singlet late in the match, he was so grateful he moved to kiss the referee (who obviously refused).

Greco-Roman
60kg (11 entries)
Gold - Shinobu OTA (JPN) v RI Se Ung (PRK)

Bronze –  Kanybek ZHOLCHUBEKOV (KGZ) v Shirzad Ali BEHESHTITALA (IRI)
Bronze – LIN Yu Hung (TPE) v Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB)

Semifinal – Shinobu OTA (JPN) df. Shirzad Ali BEHESHTITALA (IRI), 5-4
Semifinal – RI Se Ung (PRK) df. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) by TF, 8-0, 4:35

67kg (12 entries)
Gold - Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) v Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (JPN)

Bronze –  Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB) v Manish MANISH (IND)
Bronze – Seydylla TAZAYEV (TKM) v ZHANG Gaoquan (CHN)

Semifinal – Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) df. Manish MANISH (IND) by TF, 10-1, 2:33
Semifinal – Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (JPN) df. ZHANG Gaoquan (CHN), 6-5

72kg (12 entries)
Gold - Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) v Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)

Bronze –  Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) v JIANG Yuan (CHN)
Bronze – Kuldeep MALIK (IND) v Tomohiro INOUE (JPN)

Semifinal – Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) df. JIANG Yuan (CHN) by TF, 8-0, 3:34
Semifinal – Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Tomohiro INOUE (JPN), 7-0

82kg (10 entries)
Gold - Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) v Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)

Bronze –  Yuya MAETA (JPN) v KIM Jinhyeok (KOR)
Bronze – Nurbek KHASHIMBEKOV (UZB) v Singh HARPEET (IND)

Semifinal – Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) df. KIM Jinhyeok (KOR), 10-5
Semifinal – Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) df. Singh HARPEET (IND), 5-0

97kg (10 entries)
Gold - Sayedmostafa SALEHIZADEH (IRI) v Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB)

Bronze –  Ali Majeed AL KAABI (IRQ) v Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ)
Bronze – Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) v GU Hakbon (KOR)

Semifinal – Sayedmostafa SALEHIZADEH (IRI) df. Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ), 5-0
Semifinal – Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) df. GU Hakbon (KOR) by TF, 8-0, 5:22

#WrestleSamokov

Greco trained Sokolovska wins women's 76kg gold

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 09:07 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- "Have you ever seen her shoot for the legs? You haven’t!"

Vladimir SOKOLOVSKI has long been Greco-Roman coach in Ukraine. So when he put his daughters in wrestling, he trained them in Greco-Roman. Both Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) would perform upper body moves in competition and tried to complete the matches with fall.

In 2019, Krystyna won a bronze medal at the World U17 Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Out of her four wins, two were via fall and one via technical superiority.

Six year's later and back in Bulgaria for the World U20 Championships, Sokolovski's younger daughter Nadiia went a step further and won the gold medal at 76kg in Samokov on Thursday.

Just like her father had taught her Sokolovska performed those arm-drags to perfection. She scored takedowns, big throws and falls. Out of her four wins to gold, three victories were via fall, including one in the final. It was only her quarterfinal against Elmira YASIN (TUR) that the Ukraine wrestler won 5-2.

"I won three out of four bouts by fall," Sokolovska said after the final. "I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like to mess around with opponents for too long. I like to finish earlier, I always do things the way it’s comfortable for me. If I need to work on endurance, then I work on it. But if I get a chance, why not finish earlier?"

The final was no different story as Sokolovska finished the match in just 48 seconds, pinning former world U20 champion PRIYA (IND). The Ukraine wrestler first scored a takedown using arm-drag for two points. When Priya attacked after restart, Sokolovska did not let the Indian stand up and locked up a cradle as Priya sat in a squat position.

Sokolovska turned Priya on her back and then secured a fall to be crowned world champion.

"I still haven’t fully realized that I won," she said. "I had only competed once at the World U17 Championships and I placed fifth. This is my second World Championship and I really wanted to wrestle against the Asians and the Americans.

"I didn’t get the chance to wrestle an American, but I did get to wrestle an Asian -- just what I wanted."

Sokolovska is now a European and World U20 champion, with an unbeaten run in nine matches. Even at the European U20 Championships, she won five matches and three of them were via fall.

"I work only with the upper body in standing position. I have a strong upper body," she said.

But Sokolovska said that she will not rush herself to the senior level and plan her debut. Her father, who is also her coach, will devise a program that fits her training.

"I understood that it’s not always necessary to focus only on wrestling," she said. "You need to take psychological breaks. Play rugby or go swimming, take a mental break from the mat."

Momoko KITADE (JPN)Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final against Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In other weight classes, the United States, China and Japan won gold medals on day five of the tournament. Japan now has a firm grip on the Women's Wrestling team title.

After two golds medals on Thursday, Japan earned third one as Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final. She held off Margarita SALNAZARIAN's (UWW) onslaught in the second period, winning the 65kg final, 9-5, to secure the gold medal.

The first period belonged to Kitade as her speed and strength were no match for Salnazarian who was down 6-0 at the break. But Kitade's conditioning gave way for Salnazarian's comeback. She scored two takedowns to cut the lead to 7-4. However, Kitade still held her positions and scored two stepouts and made the score 7-5.

Salnazarian pressured Kitade towards the zone but she was never able to score as Kitade turned her and scored two stepouts. She got 9-5 lead and defended it for the final 40 seconds.

Everest LEYDECKER (USA)Everest LEYDECKER (USA) celebrates after winning the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. won its first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at this World U20 Championships through Everest LEYDECKER (USA) who had a dominant run to gold. After winning her three bouts via technical superiority on Wednesday, Leydecker seemed in no trouble in the final.

She raced to an 8-0 lead against REENA (IND) in the final after scoring a takedown using a leg attack. She then cross ankled Reena and turned her three times for the lead. There was little action after that in the match as Leydecker kept her strong defense despite being called passive and cautioned for points as well. But Leydecker had enough lead to not be trouble by those warning.

At 62kg, YANGZHEN (CHN) made a dream international debut by winning the 62kg gold medal in a thrilling final against former world U17 champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE). Down 6-0, Yangzhen managed to score six points in the second period and win the final, 6-6, on criteria.

Mammadova, who won World U17 gold in 2022, raced to a 6-0 lead with three counter exposure points and almost pinned Yangzhen. But in the second period, Yangzhen mounted the comeback, scoring a takedown from single leg and then got a turn using a strong gut-wrench.

With the clock ticking, Yangzhen needed one takedown for the win and she scored exactly that to lead 6-6 on criteria. Mammadova had one minute to reclaim the lead but Yangzhen managed to play the clock and win on criteria.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) df. REENA (IND), 10-2

BRONZE: So TSUTSUI (JPN) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 5-3
BRONZE: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU), 6-2

62kg
GOLD: YANGZHEN (CHN) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-6

BRONZE: Shirin TAKEMOTO (JPN) df. Neevis RODRIGUEZ (MEX), 9-7
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Busra EFE (TUR), 8-0

65kg
GOLD: Momoko KITADE (JPN) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW), 9-5

BRONZE: Iryna BORYSIUK (UKR) df. Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY), 12-2
BRONZE: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Daniella NUGENT (USA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. PRIYA (IND), via fall

BRONZE: Diana TITOVA (UWW) df. Evelin UJHELJI (SRB), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Cancan LIU (CHN) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 6-0