Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! July 2, 2019

Tuesday, July 2, 2019 - 11:59 By Eric Olanowski

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Discussing special wrestle-offs for Russia, Canada, and Japan. Also looking at the European Games and the Yasar Dogu entries. 

1. Russian National Championships Begin This Week 
The Ice Palace Sports Arena in Adler, Krasnodar, Russia, will host the National Championships for the defending freestyle world champions July 4-7. But, only four wrestlers will lock up their spot on the world team spot. The other winners will have to wait until early August to hopefully book their trip to Kazakhstan. 

The reason being, and as I mentioned late last week on Twitter, with a slight adjustment, the Russian Federation released European Games champions: Abdulrashid SADULAEV, Zaurbek SIDAKOV, Dauren KURUGLIEV, and Anzor KHIZRIEV, and bronze medalists Zaur UGUEV and Akhmed CHAKAEV from this week’s tournament. Russia will now hold a special wrestle-off at the Poland Open (Aug. 2-4) to determine the six remaining world team representatives. The special wrestle-offs were originally scheduled to take place at the Tbilisi GP but were moved after recent travel restrictions between Russia to Georgia.

SCHEDULE
July 4th (Thursday) 
17.00-17.30 - Draw for weight categories up to 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg.

July 5th (Friday)
08.30-09.00 - Medical examination and weigh in for 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg.
11.00-18.00 - Preliminary matches for 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg. 
18.00-18.30 – Draws for 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, 92kg, 125 kg.
18.30-20.30 - Semifinal for 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg.

July 6th (Saturday) 
08.30-08.45 - Weighing in for 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg.
08.45-09.15 - Medical examination and weigh in for 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, 92kg, 125kg.
11.00-18.00 - Consolation matches for 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg.
11.00-18.00 - Preliminary and semifinal matches for 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, 92kg, 125kg. 
18.00-18.30 - Opening ceremony. 
18.30-20.30 - Finalsl for 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg.

July 7 (Sunday) 
08.30-08.45 - Weighing in for 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, 92kg, 125kg.
11.00-13.00 - Consolation for 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, 92kg, 125kg.
13.00-15.00 - Final matches for 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, 92kg, 125kg.

2. Lappage Gains World Team Spot, Named Canada’s Rep at 68kg
Budapest world silver medalist Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) bumped up from her world championship weight of 65kg to the Olympic weight of 68kg and defeated Olivia DI BACCO (CAN), two matches to none (2-1 and 11-1) and gained the Canadian world team spot. 

With her win last week, Lappage will represent Canada on the world stage for the third time in her career. In her first trip to the World Championships (2014), she finished in eighth place, then rounded out last year with a world silver medal. In addition to her three times representing Canada at the World Championships, Dappage also represented Canada at the 2016 Olympic Games where she suffered an injury during warms up and was forced to medically forfeit out of her opening round match.

To top off her week, the newly minted 68kg world team rep also won a Canada Cup title. Lappage stomped Jayden LAURENT (USA), 10-0 and took home her first 68kg medal of the year after falling in the finals of the Sassari and the Grand Prix of Germany. 

3. Japan's Olympic-Weight World Team to be Finalized This Weekend
After the July 6 winner-take-all wrestle-offs, Japan will have their world team spots locked up at the Olympic weight classes. There are still three freestyle, two women’s wrestling and one Greco-Roman spot up for grabs, but all eyes will be locked into the three matches where a reigning world champion is one match away from defending their world gold. 

Starting with the 50kg match where two-time defending world champion Yui SUSAKI will meet her nemesis Yuki IRIE. 

Irie, the reigning Asian champion, is the only wrestler on Earth who has defeated Susaki multiple times. She gained the advantage over Susaki after winning December’s All-Japan Championships (Emperor’s Cup) - - a tournament in which Susaki was forced to sit out after she dislocated her elbow. 

Susaki then defeated Irie en route to her Meiji Cup gold and forced the July 6 wrestle-off. 

In the second highly anticipated match, Olympic champions Risako KAWAI and Kaori ICHO will meet for the world team spot at one of the deepest women’s weights in the world, 57kg. 

Rio Olympic champion Kawai fell to four-time Olympic champion Icho in the All-Japan finals but got revenge at the Meiji Cup and redeemed herself with a 6-4 victory. 

The third match featuring a returning world champion will take place at 65kg where Japan’s youngest male world champion in wrestling history Takuto OTOGURO will square off against Rio silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI.

Otoguro fell in his Meiji Cup final to Higuchi, 15-5, and will need to win on July 6 to regain his 65kg spot on the freestyle team.

4. Yasar Dogu Entries Released 
The most anticipated freestyle Ranking Series event of the year, the Yasar Dogu, will take place July 11 to 14 in Istanbul, and more than 275 wrestlers from 21 countries are expected to make the journey to Turkey's most populated city. The goal remains simple: try to pocket the remaining Ranking Series points before heading to Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, for September's World Championships. 

Since the Budapest World Championships, wrestlers have been stashing away Ranking Series points with hopes of becoming one of the forty top-four seeded wrestlers come September. The Yasar Dogu leaves those on the cusp of earning a top-four seed one last opportunity to gain those additional much-needed Ranking Series points. 

Heading into Istanbul, five wrestlers have seized the No. 1 seed, 17 wrestlers have cemented at least a top-four seed, leaving 23 seeds open for the taking in Istanbul. Though they're not all entered, there are still 150 wrestlers who could steal a seed from a current top-four seeded wrestler if they were to win a gold medal in a weight class with 20+ wrestlers in Turkey. 

Click HERE for full list of entries. 

5. Successful European Games Conclude in Minsk, Belarus 
The 2nd European Games wrapped up in Minsk, Belarus, with Russia winning the freestyle and Greco-Roman team titles, while Ukraine walked off with the women’s wrestling team title. 

In freestyle, Russia finished with six medalists, four of which were gold, and won the team title 20 points ahead of second-place Azerbaijan, and 52 points ahead of third place Georgia. The main storyline coming from the freestyle side of the competition was Abdulrashid Sadulaev becoming the first freestyle wrestler to win back-to-back European Games titles. 

In Greco-Roman, Russia won the team title, while 2016 Olympic champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) got back to his winning ways after failing to medal in Budapest. Aleksanyan lifted and tossed his way to his first European Games title at 97kg in Greco-Roman. The 27-year-old Armenian shut out local favorite Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) 5-0 in the gold-medal match.

In women’s wrestling, Ukraine finished in first place, 18 points ahead of the host nation Belarus, while two women made history by reaching the podium for a second consecutive time. 

Sweden’s Sofia MATTSSON and Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) became the first women two-time champions in the short history of the European Games. 

In the finals, Mattsson, a Rio Olympic bronze medalist, narrowly edged Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR), 6-6 after giving up a what seemed to be a match-deciding takedown. However, after a Swedish challenge, Mattsson luckily found herself on the winning end of the match and became the first-ever wrestler to win two European Games golds.  

Marzaliuk was the second women to win two straight European Games titles. Her finals match went a little different than Mattsson's, as she dominated Francy RAEDELT (GER), 9-0 in the 76kg finals.

Click HERE for the European Games event hub. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media! 

1. Big Move Monday -- N. NARMANDAKH (MGL) -- 2017 Cadet Worlds
2. #best10 from Day 4 at the U-15 European 
3. HERSTORY MADE! @sofiammattsson becomes the first-ever two-time European Games champion! 
4. Has Mahir AMIRASLANOV (AZE) been the most impressive wrestler of the European Games thus far?
5. Tickets for #WrestleNurSultan are on sale! Go to http://ow.ly/obUz50uM54Q to buy your tickets and come support the best wrestlers in the world. Are you in?

#WrestleBaku, #WrestleParis

Sadulaev leads star-studded line-up for European OG Qualifier

Sunday, March 31, 2024 - 20:48 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (March 31) -- For the first time in his career, Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) will participate in 'qualifiers' hoping to earn a spot for the Paris Olympics. His previous two appearances at the Olympics, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, came after winning the preceding World Championships in 2015 and 2019, respectively.

Sadulaev, if he qualifies, won't go to Paris as the world champion. Nor would he be the clear pick to win the gold. However, Sadulaev will be the favorite in Baku.

The two-time Olympic champion, who withdrew from his semifinal at the 2023 World Championships due to injury, is set to compete in the European OG Qualifiers in Baku from April 5 to 7, aiming to secure a Paris quota as an Individual Neutral Athlete in the 97kg category. This marks his return to competition following the World Championships and subsequent neck surgery.

The 97kg bracket includes some notable contenders aiming to secure quotas for Paris 2024 including Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), who clinched a bronze medal at the European Championships, veteran Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD), Radoslaw BARAN (POL), and Tokyo Olympian Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN).

Sadulaev is expected to be seeded second, barring any last-minute changes to the entries, while Erik THIELE (GER) is set to receive the top seed, placing him separate from Sadulaev. As a result, Bajcajev is likely to be the third seed, and if the seeds hold, he will meet Sadulaev in the semifinal, with the winner securing the Paris 2024 spot.

Baran is slated to be the fourth seed, positioning him in the top half of the bracket. Hushtyn, Nurov, Radu LEFTER (MDA), and Benjamin HONIS (HUN) will be drawn randomly.

Despite the time away from international competition and being in unfamiliar territory, Sadulaev will look to leave no doubt that he remains an unbeaten force.

Haji ALIYEV (AZE)Haji ALIYEV (AZE) wrestling at the World Championships where he lost in the quarterfinal. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Another wrestler hoping to earn a Paris 2024 spot is two-time Olympic medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE). When he last competed at a European qualifier, Aliyev had a relatively straightforward path to the final, securing his qualification for the Tokyo Olympics. However, this year may present different challenges.

Aliyev will have to tackle a lot, both on and off the mat, to qualify for his third Olympics. He will be dealing with some additional pressure of leading a formidable Azerbaijan team looking to qualify in five Olympic weight classes in Baku.

The 65kg bracket in Baku will feature the latest European champion, Islam DUDAEV (ALB), European silver medalist Mikyay NAIM (BUL), former European bronze medalist Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), and 2024 European bronze medalist Andre CLARKE (GER), among others.

Dudaev won the gold in February after beating Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (AIN) in the final, throwing his name in the mix to earn a Paris Olympic quota in Baku.

Aliyev will be seeded number three with Maxim SCULTAN (MDA) taking the top seed, Joshua FINESILVER (ISR) at number two and Nino LEUTERT (SUI) at number four.

The weight cut for Aliyev will also be a challenge. Since the Tokyo Olympics, he has participated in six United World Wrestling competitions, wrestling at 70kg in three of them. The Baku tournament will also mark his first competition since the World Championships in September last year, where he exited after suffering a loss to Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the quarterfinals.

Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) is looking to qualify Azerbaijan at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Joining Aliyev in the Azerbaijan team are Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) at 57kg, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) at 74kg, Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) at 86kg and Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) at 125kg.

Rzazade failed to move past the Round of 16 at the World Championships and even lost his cool in that bout. But with Stevan MICIC (SRB), Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) and Zavur UGUEV (AIN) already earning a spot from the World Championships, the European field does offer a huge opportunity for Rzazade.

He will be seeded fourth in a bracket that also has Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), Horst LEHR (GER), Robert DINGASHVILI (GEO), Simone PIRODDU (ITA),  Vladimir EGOROV (MKD), Suleyman ATLI (TUR) and Kamil KERYMOV (UKR).

Atli and Egorov, former European champions, will be drawn randomly while Vangelov will be seeded number three after Lehr, who is number two.

Artur NAIFONOV (AIN)Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) is returning since the 2021 World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 86kg, Nurmagomedov will have to repeat his heroics from the 92kg weight class that saw him become a world silver medalist and European champion. Azerbaijan will hope that Nurmagomedov can finish the job in Baku and not leave things to the final qualifiers in Istanbul in May.

But it won't be easy as Tokyo bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) returns for his first competition in three years. He will be among the contenders to claim one of the two spots. A few familiar opponents will greet Naifonov as Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) will turn up for Bulgaria while Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) will turn up for Greece.

Naifonov last wrestled at the World Championships in Oslo in 2021, winning a bronze medal. He will now be in Baku to earn the 86kg spot as an Individual Neutral Athlete.

Kurugliev won the European Championships in February and will start among the favorites to win one of the two spots in Baku. But he has to look out for Naifonov who will be drawn at random in the bracket.

The top seed will be European bronze medalist Osman GOCEN (TUR) who impressed at the European Championships. He will followed by Ramazanov as the second seed and Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) as the third seed. Kurguliev will be fourth, putting him on the same side as Gocen.

Two-time World Championships medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) at 79kg has entered 86kg since the start of the year with hopes of qualifying Georgia. Former world medalists Boris MAKOEV (SVK) and Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) are expected to surprise the field.  

The 125kg can throw a few close match-ups with little to predict. European bronze medalists Meshvildishvili and Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) will look to seize this opportunity and earn Paris spots. Joining them is Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) who finished fifth in Bucharest, former Euro medalist Daniel LIGETI (HUN), Tokyo Olympian Abraham CONYEDO (ITA) and Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR).

Ligeti was a win away from getting the spot at the World Championships but he has another chance in Baku. He will be the top seed followed by Meshvildishvili at number two. Khotsianivskyi will be at number three and Khramiankou at number four.

Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN)Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) is a silver medalist in the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

74kg minefield

Perhaps the most unpredictable weight class in the world right now. A host of Olympic and World Championships medalists will make their way to Baku to earn Paris 2024 quotas. But many will leave without one.

Tokyo silver medalist Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN), who exited the World Championships after a first-round loss, has some forgetful memories of a European qualifier as he suffered a heartbreaking 4-4 loss four years ago.

However, a European Championships silver medal in February will boost Kadzimahamedau's confidence as he heads to Baku unseeded.

Bayramov, who came agonizingly close to winning a Paris spot in Belgrade before being cautioned out, will lead the Azerbaijan challenge as the top seed. He finished with a bronze medal at the European Championships after dropping his semifinal against Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK).

Both will be separated in Baku as Salkazanov is seeded second and will be on the other side of the bracket. However, he will be drawn with Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR),  the third seed, and if the seeds hold, both will meet in the semifinals. The two wrestled in the European Championships final and Salkazanov won 5-0.

Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) will be the fourth seed for the competition which leaves Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) and Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) unseeded. They will be roaring after missing out on medals at the World Championships. Chamizo even spent 10 days in Tokyo to prepare for the qualifiers. (Yes, the video if you keep scrolling).

Out of the 22 wrestlers entered at 74kg, only two can earn the spots for the Paris Games. The others will have to give it another shot in Istanbul in May.