Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! July 01, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing the Cadet World Championships and the Tbilisi Grand Prix. Also looking at Chamizo's Mediterranean Games championship performance, along with Lamont making his sixth age-level world team.  

1. Cadet World Championships Begin Monday 
The 2018 Cadet World Championships kick off July 2-8 in Zagreb, Croatia and features six returning world champions from the 2017 Athens World Championships. 

Women’s wrestling begins Wednesday and is highlighted by three returning champions, two of which hail from Japan. Freestyle begins on Monday and boasts a pair of champions from a season ago, while Azerbaijan's Gurban GURBANOV closes out the Greco-Roman portion of the Croatian championships.

Returning Champions 
Freestyle 
48kg - Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE)            
110kg - Daniel KERKVLIET (USA) 

Greco-Roman 
45kg - Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) 

Women’s Wrestling 
43kg - Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE) 
65kg - Honoka NAKAI (JPN) 
73kg - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) 

SCHEDULE 
Monday (July 2)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg
6:00 PM - Semi Final FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Tuesday (July 3)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg
5:00 PM - Opening Ceremony
5:30 PM - Semi Final FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg
6:00 PM - Finals FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Wednesday (July 4)
10:30 AM – Qualification rounds WW – WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg

5:30 PM - Semi Final WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg
6:00 PM - Finals FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg

Thursday (July 5)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg
6:00 PM - Finals WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg

Friday (July 6)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final GR – 48-55-65-80-110kg
6:00 PM - Finals WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg 

Saturday (July 7)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg
6:00 PM - Finals GR – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Sunday  (July 8)
6:00 PM - Finals GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg

Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) won the 2018 Mediterranean Championships, making it his third gold medal performance of the year. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

2. Chamizo Wins Third Gold of the Year at the Mediterranean Games
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), the two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist defeated Samy MOUSTAFA (EGY) in the Mediterranean Games finals, capturing the 74kg gold medal.

Chamizo’s first-place finish in Tarragona, Spain added another championship to his winning performances at the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament and International Ukrainian Tournament. 

He also grabbed a bronze medal at the 2018 European Championships in Dagestan, Russia after dropping his semifinal bout to Turkey’s eventual champion, Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR). 

Mediterranean Games RESULTS 

Roman VLASOV (RUS), the two-time Olympic champion is set to compete at the Tbilisi Grand Prix. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

3. Ten Olympic Medalists Set to Compete at Tbilisi Grand Prix
Tbilisi, Georgia will host United World Wrestling’s second freestyle Ranking Event of the year, the Tbilisi Grand Prix July 3-5 and ten former Olympic medalists from both freestyle and Greco-Roman will share the stage at the New Sports Palace.

Though loads of Freestyle and Greco-Roman talent take the mat this Tuesday in Tbilisi, only those placing in Freestyle will be awarded Ranking Series points. 

Olympic Medalists in Action 
GR 77kg - Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) – 2012 Silver 
GR 77kg - KIM Hyeon-woo (KOR) – 2012 Gold and 2016 Bronze 
FS 92kg - Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – 2012 Bronze 
FS 125kg – Davit MODZMANASHVILI (UZB) – 2012 Silver 
FS 70kg - Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) – 2016 Bronze 
FS 125kg - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) – 2016 Bronze 
FS 74kg - Kumar SUSHIL (IND) – 2008 Bronze and 2012 Silver 
GR 82kg - Roman VLASOV (RUS) – 2012 and 2016 Champion 
FS 86kg - Selim YASAR (TUR) – 2016 Silver 
GR 130kg - Heiki NABI (EST)  – 2012 Silver 

Tbilisi Grand Prix Schedule 

Taylor LAMONT (USA) became the first American to make six straight age-level world teams. (Photo by Justin Hoch) 

4. Lamont Makes Record Sixth Age-Level World Team 
Taylor LAMONT (USA), the 2016 junior world bronze medalist made his third straight junior Greco-Roman world team and sixth straight age-level world team after Benji PEAK (USA) failed to miss weight for their special wrestle-off.

According to USA Wrestling,” It is believed that he is the first athlete to make the U.S. World Team at his age-group for six straight years.”

RONG Ningning (CHN) won her third gold medal of the year after winning the China Open. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

5. New Rankings To Be Released This Week 
The seventh installment of United World Wrestling’s point-based rankings will be released later this week.

The biggest leaps in this month's rankings will be seen in Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling as June featured the Hungarian Grand Prix (Greco-Roman) and the Mongolia and China Opens (women's wrestling). 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 


1.Unexpectedly? Would you try it with your friend? Неожиданно? Повторишь со своим другом? 
Video from @alpadastanov #coolvideo#wrestling#sport#kazakhstan#wrestlers#vacation#summer#supplex#uww#beach#борьба#борцы#пляж#отдых#прогиб#неожиданно

2. Wrestling is my passion!  Борьба - моя страсть!

3. 2018 Cadet Worlds Start in 1 Day in #zagreb #croatia

4. Official Teaser Video Of The 2018 Cadet Worlds 
تیزر رسمی مسابقات نوجوانان جهان در کرواسی
#zagreb #croatia #hrvatska #olympic#wrestling

5. Be the best version of yourself! 
Будь лучшей версией себя! ? @kadircaliskan 
#wrestling#motivation#sport#спорт#мотивация#борьба

Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! October 29, 2019

By Eric Olanowski

Previewing this week's U23 World Championships and the upcoming Women's Wrestling World Cup. Also reviewing results from the 7th CISM World Military Games and the Ugra Cup. 

1. U23 World Championships Underway in Budapest 
Freestyle wrestling is underway at the U23 World Championships, and Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) and Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) will take the mat on Tuesday night for a shot at winning their second U23 world titles. 

At 57kg, Andreu Ortega will go toe to toe with Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ), and Goleij will square off against Shamil MUSAEV (RUS) in the 97kg finals. 

Women’s wrestling will take over on Wednesday. They'll have a pair of U23 world champs who are looking to repeat their title-winning performances from 2018. Japan's Saki IGARASHI (55kg) and China's Paliha PALIHA (76kg) are the two women’s wrestlers that'll look to win their second consecutive U23 world title. 

Greco-Roman and its five defending gold medalists kick off the championships on Friday. 

The headliner on the Greco-Roman side of the competition is Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), who last month reached the top of the senior world podium in Nur-Sultan.

His fellow compatriot, Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), will look to defend his U23 world title from a year ago. In total, the Georgian big man's resume is littered with six age-group world titles. 

Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) and Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) are both entered at 67kg, which could set up a colossal matchup of returning U23 gold-medal winners from last season. El Sayed is coming off a fifth-place finish in Nur-Sultan, where he qualified Egypt for the 2020 Olympic Games at 67kg. 

The fifth and final Greco-Roman champ from a year ago is Semen NOVIKOV (UKR). He’s entered at 87kg. 

For news, highlights and wraps, make sure you're following United World Wrestling on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Tuesday's Freestyle Finals
57kg: Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) vs. Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
65kg: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) vs. Takuma TANIYAMA (JPN)
70kg: Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) vs. Cherman VALIEV (RUS)
79kg: Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) vs. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
97kg: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) vs. Shamil MUSAEV (RUS)

Riza KAYAALP (TUR) remained undefeated on the season and won the 130kg World Military Games gold medal. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

2. Evloev and Kayaalp Among GR World Military Games Winners
Musa EVLOEV (RUS) and Riza KAYAALP (TUR) remained undefeated in 2019 and closed out their year with gold-medal performances at the 7th CISM World Military Games in Wuhan, China. 

Evloev, the reigning two-time 97kg world champion, went 4-0 on his quest for gold and outscored his opponents 29-1. Evloev grabbed three consecutive technical superiority wins against Udeh JOSEPH (NGR), Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE) and Oliver HASSLER (GER), before edging Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN), 2-1, in the finals. 

The Russian's undefeated reign of terror now spans over 15 months and nine tournaments. Since Evloev's last loss, he's won gold at the Russian National Championships, European Championships and twice at the World Championships, among many others.

Kayaalp, who is freshly off claiming his Turkish record-breaking fourth world title, avenged his 2018 World Championships loss to Heiki NABI (EST) in the 130kg finals, and won his first CISM World Military Games gold medal with a 3-1 victory.

Meanwhile, Nur-Sultan world finalists Viktor LORINCZ (HUN), Sergei EMELIN (RUS) and Artem SURKOV (RUS) also competed in gold-medal matches in their respective weight classes, but the Hungarian was the only one to reach the top of the podium. 

Lorincz, a 2019 world runner-up, used a three-point second period to sneak past Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), 4-1, in the 87kg gold-medal bout. 

Emelin and Surkov each dropped their finals matches and settled for second-place finishes. Emelin was shutout by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Ri Se UNG, 4-0, in the 60kg finals, while Surkov forfeited to Mohamed EL SAYED (EGY) in the 67kg finals. 

The sixth and final Greco-Roman gold medal went to Iran’s Pejman POSHTAM, who edged Hasan ALIYEV (AZE), 2-1, in the 77kg finals. 

Click here for full results from the 7th CISM World Military Games.

Greco-Roman Results

60kg
GOLD: Ri Se UNG (PRK) df. Sergei EMELIN (RUS), 4-0
BRONZE: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) df. Gyanender (IND), 6-3
BRONZE: Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) df. Tigran MINASYAN (ARM), 8-0

67kg
GOLD: Mohamed IBRAHIM (EGY) df. Artem SURKOV (RUS) by forfeit
BRONZE: Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Jolison JUNIOR (BRA), 9-0
BRONZE: Mikayil RAHMANOV (AZE) df. Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 5-0

77kg
GOLD: Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) df. Hasan ALIYEV (AZE), 2-1 
BRONZE: Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR), 3-0
BRONZE: Florian NEUMAIER (GER) df. Mariea GEORGE VLAD (ROU), 5-0 

87kg
GOLD: Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) df. Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), 4-1
BRONZE: Denis KUDLA (GER) df. Metehan BASAR (TUR), 6-0
BRONZE: EvgHYSHMAN (UKR), 2-1

97kg
GOLD: Musa EVLOEV (RUS) df. Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN), 2-1
BRONZE: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df.  Michail IOIFIDIS (GRE) , via fall 
BRONZE-Aliksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Alimulati DALAWUBAI (CHN), 5-1

130kg
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Heiki NABI (EST), 3-1
BRONZE: Abdellatiif AHMED (EGY) df. Berei LEONARD ISTVAN (ROU), 8-0
BRONZE: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR), 2-2

Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) bumped up to 76kg and scored the fall over WANG Juan (CHN) in the gold-medal match. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

3. Vorobieva Wins World Military Games Title Up at 76kg 
Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) returned to the Olympic weight of 76kg after winning the 72kg world title and reached the top of the podium at the 7th CISM World Military Games. The two-time Olympic finalists and London Olympic champion finished the tournament with three wins but saved the most dramatic win for last. Vorobieva found a way to score the fall over WANG Juan (CHN) after trailing 6-2 in the opening period. 

Vorobieva's  move up a weight is intreaguing because Rio bronze medalist Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) failed to qualifty the Russian Federation for the Olympic Games at 76kg after a 17th-place finish at the 2019 World Championships. This means Russia could be without one of their Olympic medalists if the pair elect to stay at the same weight class moving into the 2020 calendar year. 

Meanwhile, the host nation was successful in claiming a trio of women’s wrestling gold medals. Their three champions were LI Yuyan, LI Hui and ZHOU Feng, who won the 50kg, 57kg and 68kg gold medals, respectively.

The Democratic People’s Republic finished with the second-most gold medals after they collected titled from Jo Hwa YON and Mun Hyon GYONG won gold at 53kg and 62kg, respectively. 

Click here for full results from the 7th CISM World Military Games.

Women’s Wrestling Results 

50kg 
GOLD: Yuyan LI (CHN) df. Whitney CONDER (USA), 6-5
BRONZE: kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR) df. Nada ASHOUR (EGY), via fall 
BRONZE: Kim Su JONG (PRK) df. Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL), 5-2

53kg
GOLD:  Jo Hwa YON (PRK) df. Seicariu SUZANA GEORGIANA (ROU), via fall 
BRONZE: Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) df. Bolorerdene BATORSHIKH (MGL), 12-6
BRONZE: Nina HEMMER (GER) df.Ellada MAKHYADDINOVA (KAZ), 10-0

57kg
GOLD: Hui LI (CHN) df. Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), 6-3 
BRONZE: Jong Myong SUK (PRK) df. Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA), 8-1
BRONZE: Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) df. Katsiaryna HANCHAR (BLR), 10-0

62kg
GOLD: Mun Hyon GYONG (PRK) df. Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS), 11-1
BRONZE: Lais OLIVEIRA (BRA) df. Olena KREMZER (UKR), 7-0
BRONZE: Anastasiya HUCHOK (BLR) df.  Sushila CHAND (NEP) by forfeit

68kg
GOLD: Feng ZHOU (CHN) df.  Agnieszka WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL), 6-2
BRONZE: Davaanasan ENKHAMAR (MGL) df. Dailane REIS (BRA), 9-5
BRONZE: Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) by forfeit

76kg
GOLD: Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) df. Juan WANG (CHN), via fall 
BRONZE: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL), 6-2
BRONZE: Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) df. Greta CEPONYTE (LTU), 10-0

Israil KASUMOV (RUS) took down an Olympic champion and a two-time world medalist en route to winning the 70kg title at the Ugra Cup. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

4. Russia Wins Eight Golds at Ugra Cup
Israil KASUMOV (RUS) knocked off Alan GOGAEV (RUS) and Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) as Russian wrestlers claimed eight of ten gold medals at the Grand Prix of Vladimir Semenov "Ugra Cup" in Russia’s wintery city of Nefteyugansk.

Kasumov won the 70kg gold medal, but his biggest win came in the semifinals when he downed Rio Olympic champion Soslan RAMONOV (RUS), 9-7. Kasumov followed up his huge semifinals win with a 5-3 victory over Alan Gogaev, who is a two-time world medalist.  

Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER) and Danylo KARTAVYI (UKR) were the two non-Russian wrestlers who won gold medals at the Ugra Cup. The German used a 4-2 victory over Znaur KOTSIEV (RUS) to seize the 97kg title, while the Ukranian wrestler pinned Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS) in the 125kg finals. 

After three consecutive weekends of high-level competitions, the Russian calendar takes a few weeks off before the Grand Prix Moscow Alrosa Cup (November 29-30) and the Alans International Tournament (December 5-8). 

Ugra Cup Results
57kg – Khasankhusein BADRUDINOV (RUS) df. Artur CHEBODAEV (RUS) , 7-2 
61kg – Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (RUS) df. Efim KORMILTSEV (RUS), 5-2 
65kg – Lulian GREGENOV (RUS) df. Aleksandr BOGOMOEV (RUS), via injury default 
70kg – Israil KASUMOV (RUS) df. Alan GOGAEV (RUS), 5-3 
74kg – Timur BIZHOEV (RUS) df. Magomed KHIZRIEV (RUS), 5-2 
79kg – Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS) df. Malik SHAVAEV (RUS), via fall ­
86kg – Arsen-Ali MUSALALIEV (RUS) df. Tamerlan TAPSIEV (RUS), 3-2 
92kg – Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) df. Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS), 6-1 
97kg – Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER) df. Znaur KOTSIEV (RUS), 4-2
125kg – Danylo KARTAVYI (UKR) df. Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS), via fall 

Adeline Gray is one of five world champions that'll wrestle at the Women's Wrestling World Cup. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

5. Women’s World Cup Schedule to be Released this Week
Later this week, United World Wrestling will announce the schedule for the 2019 Women's Wrestling World Cup, which will take place at the Nakadai Sports & Recreation Park Gymnasium in Narita, Japan, from November 16-17.

The can't-miss competition is set to feature an impressive list of wrestlers who have world and Olympic medals on their resumes. As the entries sit, five of the ten women’s wrestling world champions from Nur-Sultan will make the trip to Japan for the 18th installment of the annual dual meet event. Furthermore, the tournament will also feature at least three additional wrestlers that have a world gold on their resume -- bringing the grand total of past and reigning world champions to eight.

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1. Big Move Monday -- Nasibov P. (UKR)
2. Who is ready to watch Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) defend his U23 and SR level world title?!
3. Back and forth match between IBRAGIMOV (AZE) and PANTALEO (USA) with IBRAGIMOV grabbing the 9-8 win ?? ? ?
4. Some behind the scenes photos from day one at the 2019 U23 World Championships. .
5. The #best10from day 1 at #wrestlebudapest