#Bishkek2018

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

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

Share this article

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

#Bishkek2018

Kaur Gives India Historic 1st Asian Title

Friday, March 2, 2018 - 18:56 By Ken Marantz

Share this article

While back home, India is currently celebrating the Festival of Colors, Navjot KAUR (IND) ended nearly two decades of futility for the women's wrestling team by securing the medal of the most important color.

Kaur became the first Indian woman in history to win a gold medal at the Asian Championships when she captured the 65kg crown with a 9-1 victory in the final over Miyu IMAI (JPN) at the Kozhomkul Sports Palace.

"This is the best day of my life since I started wrestling," said a jubilant Kaur, who was carried for a victory lap around the mat by two coaches while hoisting the Indian flag.

In other finals, the Chinese added two more golds to the four they won the previous day with victories by Budapest 2016 world champion PEI Xingru (57kg) and Paris 2017 world bronze medalist HAN Yue (72kg).

But Paris 2017 world champion Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) prevented the Chinese from going 7-for-7 in finals when she overcame a 4-1 deficit to storm past LUO Xiaojuan (CHN) 12-4 for the 62kg crown.

PAK Yongmi (PRK) raises her hands in excitement after winning the 53kg gold medal. Photo by Max Rose-Fyne.

North Korea came away with its first gold medal of the tournament when PAK Yongmi put on a takedown clinic in the 53kg final and handily defeated Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) 11-5.

China, despite not having entries in two weight classes because of injury withdrawals, easily captured the team title with 185 points. Mongolia, which had medalists in eight of the 10 divisions, finished second with 167, six points ahead of third-place Japan, which had sent a young, generally inexperienced squad and won just one gold.Navjot KAUR (IND) wins India's first ever Asian championship. Photo by Max Rose-Fyne.

Since Indian women starting participating in the Asian Championships in 2001, 13 wrestlers had previously made the finals without a single one coming away with a victory. Kaur herself was among that group, having finished runner-up at the 2013 tournament in New Delhi. 

"This pressure was something that every athlete was having at the Asian Championships," Kaur said. "But this time, I decided, No, I will compete without pressure. I have just one chance to prove myself, so I was prepared. I won't feel any pressure, let me go and play my natural game.

"Now I have won and I'm proud to become the first woman from India to win a gold at the Asian Championships."

She achieved that feat by twice scoring 4-point throws on counters to single-leg takedown attempts by Imai, who had earlier beaten the Indian 4x-4 on criteria during the round-robin group stage used because the weight class had only six entries.

Imai, a third-place finisher at the Japan championships in December with scarce international experience, was hurt by a questionable challenge initiated by her coach. After Kaur threw Imai onto her side in the first period for 2 points, the Japanese side challenged the decision--only to see it changed to a 4-point move. The additional point for the unsuccessful challenge put Imai into a 5-0 hole.

In the second period, Imai stepped up the pressure and gained a point on a step-out. But the next time she had a grasp of Kaur's leg, she was suddenly sent whirling onto her back for another 4-pointer that clinched the match.

India's coaches Navjot KAUR (IND) celebrates India's first ever Asian championship. Photo by Max Rose-Fyne.

The 27-year-old Kaur acknowledged she was nervous, but also confident.

"I have been preparing for this and waiting for this for very long," she said. "At the national camp, I was supported and motivated by the whole team, including the coaches and the medical staff.

"I was a bit nervous, being on this platform and you have a lot of load on your shoulders. But I was confident. I was being boosted, 'No, you can do it, you can beat Japan, it's not something that you can't achieve.'"

Kaur considers it fortuitous that her victory coincides with the important Hindi Festival of Colors, called Holi. "I believe I got a blessing from the whole of India, and I dedicate the medal to the whole country. That is how I will celebrate, a gift of Holi to the country."

Photo of PEI Xingru (CHN) by Max Rose-Fyne 

China's Pei had her hands surprisingly full with unheralded high schooler Sara NATAMI (JPN), who was making her international senior debut. Pei broke a 1-1 tie, with both points scored on the activity clock, with a snapdown-and-drag takedown in the final minute for a 3-1 victory.

"I wasn't in 100 percent condition, so I was a little nervous," Pei said. "I should have wrestled much better."

For the 17-year-old Natami, the future is bright, but only time will tell if she can break into the Japanese elite.

"I didn't get in on even one tackle, so that was disappointing," Natami said. "This result will give me confidence. But now it's over, and I have to work hard for the next one."

Yue HAN (CHN) gets her hand raise after picking up the 11-0 technical superiority victory over Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL). Photo by Max Rose-Fyne.

In the 72kg final, Han had no trouble handling Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL), building up a 7-0 lead after the first period before ending the match with a takedown and roll combination for an 11-0 win with 1:34 remaining.

The highlight of the bronze-medal matches came at 65kg, in which LEE Hanbit (KOR) overcame a 6-0 deficit with less than a minute to go to win 6x-6 on criteria. It was one of two bronzes captured by South Korea on the night.

Japan added three bronze medals to its tally from Yu MIYAHARA (53kg), Yurika ITO (62kg) and Masako FURUICHI (72kg).  Miyahara and Ito both won by fall after leading 6-0, while Furuichi posted a 10-0 technical fall.

The remaining bronze medals went to Kazakhstan, Mongolia and India. As with the 65kg class, 72kg only had six entries, so there was only one bronze-medal match in each of those divisions.

The fifth day of competition on Saturday marks the start of men's freestyle with action in five weight classes.

Women's Wrestling
53kg (10 entries)
Gold - PAK Yongmi (PRK) df. Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL), 11-5

Bronze –  Yu Miyahara (JPN) df. Thi Hang VU (VIE) by Fall, 3:34 (6-0)
Bronze – Zhuldyz Eshimova (KAZ) df. CHIU Hsin Ju (TPE), 5-0

57kg (10 entries)
Gold - PEI Xingru (CHN) df. Sara NATAMI (JPN), 3-1

Bronze –  KIM Yeseul (KOR) df. Thi Huong DAO (VIE), 4-3
Bronze – Baltsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) df. JONG In Sun (PRK), 7-4

62kg (10 entries)
Gold - Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) df. LUO Xiaojuan (CHN), 12-4

Bronze –  Yurika ITO (JPN) df. Khalbazar NARBAEVA (UZB) by Fall, 4:02 (6-0)
Bronze – Sakshi MALIK (IND) df. Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ), 10-7

65kg (6 entries)
Gold - Navjot KAUR (IND) df. Miya IMAI (JPN), 9-1

Bronze –  LEE Hanbit (KOR) df. Tsevegmed ENKHBAYAR (MGL), 6x-6

72kg (6 entries)
Gold - HAN Yue (CHN) df. Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) by TF, 11-0, 1:34

Bronze –  Masako FURUICHI (JPN) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 0:35