Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! March 19, 2018

Monday, March 19, 2018 - 11:51 By Eric Olanowski

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Reviewing the Women's World Cup, Snyder's three-peat and the return of Mijain LOPEZ (CUB). 

1.Japan’s Women's World Cup Four-Peat

For the fourth year in a row and the tenth time overall, the Japanese women captured the Women’s World Cup title. They did so by picking up wins over Canada, Sweden, the United States and China, who they beat in the gold-medal bout, 6-4.

On the heels of come-from-behind wins from SHARKHUU Tumentsetseg (MGL), ERKHEMBAYAR Davaachimeg (MGL), and BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL), Mongolia defeated the United States, 6-4 in the bronze-medal bout for the third year in a row.

In the fifth-place bout, Canada edged Belarus, 24-21 on classification points after splitting the dual five matches apiece.

The seventh-place match was determined on criteria as well, with Romania picking up the victory, 24-22 on classification points.

2. Snyder Ends College Career Winning Third NCAA Title

Kyle SNYDER (USA), the two-time world and Olympic champion snagged his third NCAA title by outlasting two-time junior world bronze medalist Adam COON (USA), 3-2 in front of 19, 778 fans at the NCAA Championships.

In their third meeting of the year, Snyder used a slide-by to pick up the late takedown with 13 seconds left, giving him the 3-1 lead, ultimately winning the match, 3-2.

(Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) after winning his third Olympic gold medal.)
3. The Return of Mijain Lopez

Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), the three-time Olympic champion is slated to make his return at this week's Central American and Caribbean Championships in La Havana, Cuba. This will be Lopez’ first competition since winning his third Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Due to his age, the enormous Cuban is expected to limit his competitions until the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Aside from this week's Central American and Caribbean Championship, Lopez is only scheduled to compete at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungry.

4. Weibe Tops Fransson in the Battle of Olympic Medalists

In a showdown of Canada’s Olympic gold medalist Erica WIEBE (CAN) and Sweden’s Olympic bronze medalist, Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), Weibe used a pair of takedowns in the second period to steal the match, 4-4 on criteria.

It was Fransson who entered the second period with a 3-0 lead after a takedown and shot-clock point in the first period. Wiebe stormed back in the second period by going on a 4-0 run, clinching the match with a late takedown.

(Photo: Kawai celebrates her victory over China in the Women's World Cup finals, by Max Rose-Fyne.) 

5. Sisters Kawai

In December, Risako KAWAI (JPN) and Yukako KAWAI (JPN) became the first sisters to win gold medals at the same Japan championships since the ICHO (JPN) sisters did so eleven years ago.

Their plan coming into this weekend was to have more success than they did at the 2017 World Championships. Risako, the world and Olympic gold medalist said before the tournament "I went to the world championships with my sister, but she didn't do well. This time, we want to do well together." 

The pair did just that, going undefeated on the weekend, outscoring their opponents 40-5, including picking up two wins by technical superiority victories and one win by fall.

Weekly FIVE In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday!  

2. Sounds of Wrestling // Behind the scenes moments as Japan defeated China in the finals of the Women's World Cup. 

3. Big Move From Day 2 Of The Women's World Cup | #takasaki2018

4. Video of the Zahid VALENCIA (USA) v. Mark HALL (USA) match is circulating on Iran wrestling Instagram pages and the Iranian fans are asking why didn't Valencia get four on this takedown?

5. Erica Wiebe leads the team warm up before they step on the mat to face Belarus // 

#WrestleZagreb

Kayaalp Returns with Gold at Zagreb Open; Gomi stuns Ganiev

Monday, February 9, 2026 - 01:45 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 8) -- Wearing gold medals is nothing new for Riza KAYAALP (TUR), an Olympic, world and 12-time European champion with a career spanning more than 15 years.

But wearing the Zagreb Open gold on Sunday felt different for Kayaalp.

Returning to the mat after a hiatus of 18 months, Kayaalp wrestled at the Ranking Series event and claimed the 130kg gold medal. The 36-year-old looked sharp in Zagreb, repeatedly using the trademark gut-wrench to win his bouts. He showed no signs of fading in any bout and remained in complete control throughout.

Kayaalp opened with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Aden ATTAO (USA) and followed with another 9-0 victory against Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO). In the semifinals, he was content with winning 4-0 against Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ), getting both passivity advantages.

 Facing Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) in the final, Kayaalp scored three turns from par terre to lead 7-0. Schultz was given par terre advantage in the second period but failed to score as Kayaalp secured a 7-1 victory.

"It has been a day full of pride and joy for me to return to this beautiful mat," Kayaalp said. "I returned to the place that has been a part of my life, and to wear the gold medal here again."

At the 2023 European Championships at the same Arena Zagreb, Kayaalp had won his record-tying 12th gold medal. Later that year, he qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics with a silver medal at the World Championships.

However, his career stalled in 2024 when he received a competition ban. Following a lengthy appeal process, Kayaalp cleared his name and returned to the sport, with the Zagreb Open being his first tournament.

"It was a stressful time. Things I never wanted happened to me," he said. "There is nothing worse in life than not being able to explain yourself. But we still have something to live for."

Kayaalp had planned to retire after the Paris Games. After missing the event, however, he returned with renewed motivation to win medals at the Olympics, World Championships and the European Championships.

"There is great fire, ambition and renewal within me," he said. "That old boredom in my mind is gone. I got angry, very angry. But now I hope to have good goals."

Riza KAYAALP (TUR)Riza KAYAALP (TUR) receives the gold medal from Taha AKGUL (TUR). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Taha AKGUL (TUR), a long-time teammate of Kayaalp but in Freestyle and now the President of the Turkish Wrestling Federation, called Kayaalp the magician.

"He came here with around twenty percent preparation," Akgul said about Kayaalp. "We have the European Championship ahead and we will prepare well. Hopefully, he will break Karelin's record by becoming European champion for the thirteenth time."

Kayaalp and Aleksandr KARELIN are tied at 12 European gold medals, and the former nearly broke the record in 2024. However, he got pinned by Sergey SEMENOV (UWW) in the final.

"He is the brother, the captain, the magician of the team," Akgul said. "We set out on this journey as two brothers. It was the same when I was an athlete. We won our gold medals together. Now, we want to represent Turkish wrestling in the same way."

Turkiye won the second gold medal of the day through Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) who denied Mihail BRADU (MDA), 5-0, in the final.

As soon as the second period began, Bradu tried hitting an arm-throw on Saricicek but the Turkiye wrestler countered and flung Bradu and got four points.

That was the only action in the second period as Saricicek claimed the gold medal. Saricicek survived a tough semifinal against Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) but managed to scrap past 4-3.

Alex SZOKE (HUN)Alex SZOKE (HUN) tries to score against Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Alex SZOKE (HUN) took a step closer to making the Hungarian team at 97kg for the European Championships after winning gold medal at the same weight here in Zagreb.

Facing former U20 world champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) in the final, Szoke managed to get both par terre position and also a turn to lead 4-0, which was also the winning score for him.

Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI) emerged as the latest entry in Iran for a weight class. Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) had long been Iran's go-to at 55kg but then emerged Payam AHMADI (IRI) who won gold at U20 World Championships and silver at the senior level.

Now, Hosseinvand defeated Dad Marz in the semifinal in Zagreb and later went on to win the gold medal, defeating Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), 2-0, in the final.

Hosseinvand got both par terre advantages in the match. While he did not score any points in the final, he defended his positions and did not give any either to claim the gold medal.

 

At 72kg, former U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) controlled his final against Nika BROLADZE (GEO) and won the gold medal, posting a 4-1 victory.

Alameldin was put in par terre in the first period which gave Broladze a point. As he was unable to score any points, Broladze led only 1-0 at the break.

Broladze gave up a point via stepout at the start of the second period which gave Alameldin a 1-1 criteria lead. Alameldin then got the par terre advantage, making the score 2-1.

In the final 30 seconds, Broladze tried some desperate moves but Alameldin bodylocked him and brought him down for two points which sealed the win for him.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI) df. Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), 2-0

BRONZE: Omer RECEP (TUR) df. Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ), 8-0
BRONZE: Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) df. LALIT (IND), 5-3

60kg
GOLD: Koto GOMI (JPN) df. Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 10-0

BRONZE: Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) df. Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), 1-1
BRONZE: Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ) df. Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI), via fall

72kg
GOLD: Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) df. Nika BROLADZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) df. Abror ATABAEV (UZB), 3-3
BRONZE: Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) df. Alejandro SANCHO (USA), 11-0

82kg
GOLD: Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) df. Mihail BRADU (MDA), 5-0

BRONZE: Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) df. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA), 10-1
BRONZE: Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) df. Jesse PORTER (USA), 7-2

97kg
GOLD: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 4-0

BRONZE: Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) df. Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ), 1-1
BRONZE: Giorgi MELIA (GEO) df. Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), 2-1

130kg
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA), 7-1

BRONZE: Darius VITEK (HUN) df. Artur SARKISJAN (CZE), 1-1
BRONZE: Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ) df. Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO), 6-1