Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! December 3, 2018

Monday, December 3, 2018 - 13:30 By Eric Olanowski

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Discussing the inaugural AWL, MBR Creative Sports Award, and Wrestling 4 All Open Day. Also looking at the joint referees and coaches courses in Guatemala and Georgia. 

1. United World Wrestling Wins MBR Creative Sports Award, $250k for Development Work

United World Wrestling has won the "MBR Creative Sports Award" for the best initiative for an International Summer Olympic International Federation. The award, one of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, was in recognition of United World Wrestling’s development program “More than Medals” a Cadet-level wrestling initiative active on five continents in 2018. 

The 2018 More than Medals program ran from February to July and impacted more than 200 young wrestlers and coaches to qualify for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The award, worth $250,000, was announced as part of the MBR Creative Sports Award 10th annual award and is the “primary sports award dedicated to inspiring creativity in sports in the UAE, Arab countries, and worldwide.”

“We are very grateful for this recognition and see it as a sign that our hard work in reaching young athletes is having a positive effect,” said United World Wrestling president and IOC executive board member, Nenad Lalovic. “The MBR Creative Sports Award will go far in helping expand the reach of our development department.” 

Click here to read more about the MBR Creative Sports Award

2. United World Wrestling and Partners Host “Wrestling 4 All Open Day” in South Africa

United World Wrestling, in partnership with Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and coordination by the South African Wrestling Federation, is hosted a “Wrestling 4 All Open Day” on December 1st in Randburg South Africa. 

The event was coordinated in recognition of the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“We are happy to be partnered with the [OHCHR] for this event,” said United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. “Our goal is to grow the sport of wrestling and show it’s unique power to bring people together through sport. We believe that wrestling can be physical fitness and fun for all ages, but also allow for better dialogue among those who have disagreements.”

The “Wrestling 4 All Open Day” is an opportunity for kids, youth and adults in the area to participate in a variety of wrestling-related events. In addition to an Olympic style wrestling tournament, there will be beach wrestling and fitness activities. Their day will also feature United World Wrestling’s “Wrestle4Fun” program run by human rights champion Mpho MADI (RSA). Children up to 13 years of age are eligible to participate in the games session.

Coaches and athletes interested in high-level fitness certifications also participated in the day’s events. United World Wrestling global supplier Suples Wrestling, led by founder Ivan Ivanov, hosted a two-day certification camp allowing attendees to learn more about how to utilize equipment for wrestling-based training.

Click here to read more about “Wrestling 4 All Open Day."

3. Joint Referees and Coaches Educator Courses for Wrestling Hosted in Guatemala, Georgia 

Oil and water. Cats and dogs. Referees and coaches. Some things in this world simply don’t mix.

In wrestling that conflict between referees and coaches may soon be improving. In an effort to harmonize the rule keepers and the men and women tasked with leading teams to victory, United World Wrestling has delivered a pair of educator courses in Guatemala and Georgia attended by both referees and coaches.

“The aim of the course is wonderful because the referees and the coaches learn new teaching techniques and debate on various areas to improve the sport of wrestling,” said United World Wrestling development director Deqa Niamkey. “It’s all about perspective and now they have shared experience and dialogue which will serve the sport.”

The courses were the result of the Referee Development Programme launched after the UWW Bureau Meeting in Paris 2017, with numerous educational courses organized to enhance and synchronize the courses provided by UWW. The first course was delivered in Manchester, Great Britain for English speakers in November 2017 and was available to referees and coaches from all five continents.

The 2018 Americas course was delivered at the Centro Alto Rendimentio (CARDA) in Guatemala City November 15-20 under the supervision of referee instructor Abraham GALVA (PUR) and development officer Vincent Aka, while the Georgian Wrestling Federation hosted the Russian speakers course under the supervision of referee instructor Ibrahim CICOGLU (TUR), Vaclav SCHEINER (CZE), and Vincent AKA (CIV) with the assistance of Petru TOARCA (ROM).

“The course was amazing. It is an eye-opener of new views, approach, philosophy of learning and transferring knowledge to younger generations,” said Davor PETANJEK (CRO) 1s Referee and instructor. “We need more collaboration and communication between the two groups. It is time that we assist our national federations in their development process and provide educational courses in the future with trained UWW Educators”

Click here to read more about the joint referees and coaches educator courses 

4. Starosta Named Rayko Petrov Award Winner

 The International Network of Wrestling Researchers (INWR), in conjunction with the Scientific Commission of United World Wrestling (UWW), presented Wlodzimierz STAROSTA (POL) the Rayko Petrov Award at the at the UWW Scientific Commission "Challenge and Perspectives in Wrestling" symposium held Nov. 21-22 in Kiev, Ukraine.

Starosta is the founding President of the International Association of Sport Kinetics (IASK) and a well-known researcher. He has published numerous books and papers focusing strongly on the advancement of human development and sports kinetics.

During his professional academic career, Starosta spent time at the University School of Physical Education and Tourism in Bialystok, University School of Physical Education in Poznan (Gorzow) and Research Institute of Sport in Warsaw.

The Rayko Petrov Award is named in honor of Rayko PETROV, a coach, scientist, pedagogue and outstandingly erudite person who dedicated all his life to the "romantic idea, love, and magic…" of wrestling. His published hundreds of titles in scientific publications, textbooks, manuals, programs, sports regulations and over 80 books. He was inducted into the UWW Hall of Fame in 2010.

5. Team Taylor beats Team Dake, 7-3 in Inaugural AWL The Begining

The U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, hosted the inaugural “American Wrestling League I The Beginning” last Saturday and Team David Taylor knocked off Team Kyle Dake, 7-3. 

The dual began at 70kg where two-time world medalist James GREEN kicked the evening off with a win for Team Dake. That would be the last time Team Dake had the lead, as Team Taylor went on a five-match win streak heading into the 125kg bout. At 125kg, Team Dake’s Dom BRADLEY was expected to take on 2018 Greco-Roman world finalist Adam COON (USA). Coon unexpectedly withdrew from the competition and Zach REY  stepped in for Team Taylor. Bradley eventually went on to beat Ray, giving Team Dake their second win of the dual, narrowing Team Taylor's lead to 5-2. 

A pair of wins for Nico MEGALUDIS and Cory CLARK locked up the win for Team Taylor, but the most anticipated match of the night was yet to come. At 65kg, the premier bout of night lived up to hype as Jordan OLIVER (USA) held on to defeat Zain RETHERFORD (USA) in a 24 point shoot-out. 

Retherford, USA's 2017 world team member, had an early lead in the opening period, but Oliver struck back and took the 4-3 lead before Oliver opened the bout up with a massive five-point move, extending his lead to 9-3 heading into the final period.

Oliver grabbed a takedown early in the second period and fell into prevent mode after leading 11-4. Retherford stormed back, scoring seven unanswered points and closed Oliver's lead to two points, but Oliver eventually held on to win 13-11. 

Each of the starters from Team Dake and Team Taylor picked up $2,500 to show, and $5,000. 

AWL I Results (Team Taylor df. Team Dake, 7-3) 
57kg - Nico MEGALUDIS (Team Taylor) df. Frank PERRELLI (Team Dake), 7-2 
61kg - Cory CLARK (Team Taylor) df.  Tony RAMOS (Team Dake), 8-0 
65kg - Jordan OLIVER(Team Dake) df. Zain RETHERFORD (Team Taylor), 13-11
70kg - James GREEN (Team Dake) df. Brandon SORENSEN (Team Taylor), 10-0 
74kg - Tommy GANTT (Team Taylor) df. Richie LEWIS (Team Dake), 7-2
79kg - Alex DIERINGER (Team Taylor) df.  Isaiah MARTINEZ (Team Dake), 4-2
86kg - Sam BROOKS (Team Taylor) df.  Nick HEFLIN (Team Dake), 11-4
92kg - Mike MACCHIAVELLO (Team Taylor)  df. Deron WINN (Team Dake), 8-0
97kg - Kyven GADSON (Team Taylor)  df. Jacob KASPER (Team Dake), 5-2 
125kg - Dom BRADLEY (Team Dake) vs. Zach Rey (Team Taylor), 3-2 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday! 
2. "Wrestling 4 All Open Day" 
3. Black and white photos from World Championships 
4. Photo of Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) from the 2008 Junior World Championships
5. World champion @Stepa_59_ shows off his belt and medal collection!

#WrestleTirana

Breaking down freestyle battles at World Championships for Non-Olympic weights

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 - 09:44 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 15) -- Six months ago, no one had the Sadulaev-Taylor-Ghasempour three-way battle for world title on their bingo card. But it is about to go down in Tirana.

The World Championships in non-Olympic weight classes is returning after eight years. Despite the fact that none of the Paris Olympic participants were allowed in the tournament, it still has a host of stars hoping to become world champions.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN), a two-time Olympic and five-time world champion, did not participate in the Paris Olympics and is going down a weight class to 92kg in a bid to earn his sixth world title. Three-time world champion David TAYLOR (USA) jumped from 86kg to 92kg in a bid to compete at the World Championships. He now gets a shot at Sadulaev. Two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), who has been moving up and down in weight classes, has somehow been made the challenger.

Ghasempour participated in the 97kg weight class in the Zagreb Open but lost to Kyle SNYDER (USA). He was in line for Iran's 86kg spot for Paris but later opted out of a trial against Hassan YAZDANI (IRI).

Sadulaev lost a bout for the second time in his career and first in six years when he lost to Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) at the 2023 World Championships. Taylor lost to Aaron BROOKS (USA) in the U.S. Olympic trials and Ghasempour barely scraped through in the trials for the world team in Iran.

Yet, the three will be the favorite for the gold medal and it will only be a surprise if any of them miss out on the podium in Tirana.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) is eyeing his seventh world title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Six-time world champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) is also chasing history. If he wins, he will win his seventh world title, making him the most successful American wrestler at the World Championships. He missed out on competing at the 2023 World Championships but stormed back in 2024, winning the trial in the United States.

But his path to gold won't be an easy one. Two-time U23 world champion Magomed MAGOMAEV (AIN), former world silver medalist Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), three-time world medalist Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) and Asian champion Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) are also in the fray.

Nokhodi and Burroughs have wrestled in two back-to-back World Championships finals with the latter winning both. But Burroughs suffered his first loss to an Iranian in 2022 when Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) defeated him at the World Cup and Nokhodi will draw confidence from there.

All the big names will be looking to hand Burroughs his first World Championships loss since 2019.

Vitali ARUJAU (USA)Vitali ARUJAU (USA) is the defending world champion at 61kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Another Olympic champion eyeing a world title will be Zavur UGUEV (AIN) as he last won the second of two titles in 2019. Uguev won gold at the Tokyo Olympics at 57kg but finished fifth at the 2023 World Championships. He will be at 61kg in Tirana hoping to deny defending world champion Vitali ARUJAU (USA) a second world title.

Arujau won his first world gold medal in 2023 by beating Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) in a tense final. He won the team trials in the U.S. to confirm his name for the World Championships in Tirana.

An interesting name entered is Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB). The former European champion will turn out for Serbia at 61kg but it is unlikely that he will be challenging for gold.

Masanosuke ONO (JPN), however, can be a big threat for the gold medal given his style and pace of wrestling. He rocked the competition at the U20 World Championships last month and won gold at 61kg. It will be interesting to see how he fares at his first senior World Championships.

Asian Championships silver medalist UDIT (IND) and Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) have some good wins under their belts over the past two years and they would like to make a mark in Tirana.

Inalbek SHERIEV (AIN)Inalbek SHERIEV (AIN) and Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) wrestled in the U23 World Championships final last year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U23 world and European champion Inalbek SHERIEV (AIN) will be making his senior international debut at 70kg in Tirana and will be the favorite to win the gold medal. However, the field has other top contenders like Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI), Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) and James GREEN (USA) among others.

Yazdani lost the final at 70kg last year to Zain RETHERFORD (USA) but will look to make amends this year. He won the Asian Championships over Aoyagi in a high-scoring final. Yazdani's 13-9 win over Aoyagi was not convincing and the Japanese will look to change the result if the two meet in Tirana. Aoyagi was in the final against Sheriev but dropped the final 9-3. He finished eighth at the World Championships in 2023.

Former U20 world champion for Iran, Peiman BIABANI (CAN) will be turning out for Canada. He finished second at the Pan-Am Championships and the World Championships will be a big test for him. 2023 bronze medalist Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) will look to change the color of his medal this year.