Weekly FIVE!

Weekly Five! November 19, 2019

By Eric Olanowski

Discussing results from Women's World Cup, four matches you may have missed, and the top-three upsets. Also, looking at Snyder's run to a Bill Farrell title and the upcoming Greco-Roman World Cup. 

1. Japan Wins Fifth Consecutive World Cup 
Japan won its fifth consecutive Women’s World Cup and tied China (2007-’11) for the annual dual meet event’s longest win streak. The host nation defeated the United States in the gold-medal dual after taking out rival China and a young Ukrainian team in pool play. 

The four-time defending champions kick-started their day with an impressive 9-1 routing of Ukraine. Japan won the first seven matches before Alla BELINSKA, a 2019 World Military Games bronze medalist, put Ukraine on the board with a fall over Mei SHINDO (JPN) in their 72kg meeting. Japan’s domination in the dual was highlighted by Sae NANJO’s (JPN) 10-0 blanking of last year’s U23 world bronze medalist, Olena KREMZER (UKR). 

Japan’s win over Ukraine set up an all-star dual between them and China – who combine for 17 of the 18 Women’s World Cup titles. 

Yui SUSAKI (JPN), a two-time world champion, returned to Japan’s lineup with a massive bang -- taking down world champion and Rio Olympic bronze medalist, Yanan SUN (CHN), 3-2. Japan followed Susaki’s 3-2 victory over Sun by winning five straight matches before dropping the final four matches. Japan's strong early lead cemented their spot in the finals against the USA with the 6-4 advantage over China. 

In the gold-medal dual, Japan won seven of ten matches and captured their fifth straight Women’s World Cup title -- tying China’s run, which lasted from 2007-’11.

The only three losses Japan suffered in the finals came from the Stars and Stripes trio of world champions, Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Tamyra MENSAH (USA) and Adeline GRAY (USA). 

China closed out the tournament with a 7-3 win over Mongolia in the bronze-medal match, and Ukraine edged Russia, 5-5 on criteria, in the fifth-place match. 

Japan df. The United States, 7-3 
50kg: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Whitney CONDER (USA) by TF, 10-0, 3:17
53kg: Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) by TF, 10-0, 5:32
55kg: Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) df. Akie HANAI (JPN), 5-1
57kg: Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA) by TF, 11-0, 4:10
59kg: Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Desiree ZAVALA (USA) by TF, 10-0, 4:12
62kg: Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Macey KILTY (USA), 7-0
65kg: Naomi RUIKE (JPN) df. Forrest MOLINARI (USA), 5-1
68kg: Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) df. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 8-1
72kg: Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) df. Victoria FRANCIS (USA), 3-1
76kg: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) by Fall, 5:04 (3-1) 

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Yanan SUN (CHN) trade gifts before clashing at the 2019 Women's World Cup. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

2. Four Women’s World Cup Matches You May Have Missed 
With 17 returning world medalists entered at this weekend’s Women’s World Cup, it wasn’t a question if there would be good matches; the question is when they would take place. 

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Yanan SUN (CHN), 3-2 
Yui SUSAKI (JPN) downed Yanan SUN (CHN) for the second time in three years at the Women’s World Cup and improved her career record against the Chinese world champion to 3-0. Outside of their two World Cup meetings, their third meeting came at the 2017 Asian Championships, where Susaki defeated Sun 9-4 in the quarterfinals. She ultimately went on to grab the continental title. 

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Milana DADASHEVA (RUS), 10-7
Maybe one of the most confusing endings to a match that I’ve ever seen, but after a challenge that lasted nearly five minutes, Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) defeated Milana DADASHEVA (RUS), 10-7. 

The 2018 world runner-up fought off a late flurry of attacks and scored the three-point victory over last year's U23 world silver medalist, Milana Dadasheva. 

Adeline Maria GRAY (USA) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN), via fall 
One of the most highly anticipated matches coming into the tournaments that left wrestling fans licking their chops was the potential 76kg world finals rematch between Adeline Maria GRAY (USA) and Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN). 

Both Japan and the United States went undefeated in pool play, which set up the Gray and Minagawa matchup that we were all waiting for. But, this match was much different than the six-point match the two put in the world finals. In their World Cup matchup last weekend, Gray went big early and scored the fall over Minagawa and handed the United States their third win of the dual. 

Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), 11-6 
Adeline Gray may have more world medals than Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), but the Russian has one thing that the American is still searching for -- an Olympic medal. But that wasn’t on Gray's mind this weekend when the two heavyweights closed out the United States and Russian dual with an impressive back and forth 17-point showing. 

3. Top-Three Upsets from the Women’s World Cup 
1. Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) df. Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), via fall 
The four reigning world champions who wrestled in Narita last weekend went 10-1, and the only wrestler who scored a victory over a Nur-Sultan gold medalist was BAT OCHIR Bolortuya (MGL). Bat Ochir, this year's world bronze medalist, stuck 55kg world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA). 

Bat Ochir gave up a takedown but strung together a pair of step-outs and trailed 2-2 on criteria mid-way through the first period. A second American takedown put the Mongolian down 4-2, but Bat Ochir remained calm and caught Winchester on her heels during an underhook throw by attempt -- pancaking the world champion to her back for the fall. 

2. Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Ningning RONG (CHN), 2-0 
Although it wasn’t flashy or high scoring, high schooler Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) struck down reigning two-time world finalist RONG Ningning (CHN), 2-0, in their 59kg meeting. 

Inagaki, this year’s junior and U23 world champion, scored both points while the Chinese wrestler was on the activity clock and picked up the 2-0 win.

It should be noted, to avoid a 57kg world finals rematch with rival Risako KAWAI (JPN), the three-time world and Olympic champion, Rong bumped up to 59kg from her Nur-Sultan world silver-medal winning weight of 57kg. 

3. ZHOU Qian (CHN) df. Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN), 7-0 
ZHOU Qian (CHN) and Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN) have been going back and forth for years, and after the Chinese wrestler “upset” the Japanese wrestler last weekend, it doesn’t look like the rivalry is dying down anytime soon. 

Zhou lost to Minagawa 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the World Championships but avenged her loss with a 7-0 shutout win in the second round at the Women’s World Cup. 

4. Snyder Highlights Bill Farrell Memorial Champions 
The first Olympic Team Trial qualification tournament, the Bill Farrell Memorial, wrapped up at the historic New York Athletic Club and the two-time world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) highlighted the list of six American champions. 

Kyle SNYDER (USA) highlighted the list of six American Bill Farrell Memorial champions. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Snyder only needed just over two and a half minutes to demolish Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA), 10-0,  in the 97kg finals.

He kicked off the match with monstrous double to his feet for the opening takedown then quickly extended his lead to six points with a pair of right side gut wrenches. The Rio Olympic used a counter-offensive spin behind to push his lead to eight points before closing the match out with an uncharacteristic open double leg. 

Other notable Bill Farrell Memorial champions were Alex DIERINGER (USA) and Gable STEVESON (USA). 

Dieringer, the Alexander Medved, Dan Kolov and Yasar Dogu champion added a second Bill Farrell Memorial gold medal to his resume after taking down Myles MARTIN (USA), 7-2, in the 86kg finals, which is a weight up from his normal weight of 79kg. 

At 125kg, Gable STEVESON (USA), a three-time age-group world champion, won his first senior-level gold medal with a three-point finals win over Dominique BRADLEY (USA). 

The highest finisher at each weight class qualified their spot for April's Olympic Trials. In cases where the highest finished already qualified for the Olympic Trials (97kg), the next highest finisher earned the qualification spot. 

RESULTS
57kg - Seth GROSS (USA) df. Nathan TOMASELLO (USA), 11-1 
65kg - Jordan OLIVER (USA) df. Frank MOLINARO (USA), 8-6 
74kg - Isaiah MARTINEZ (USA) df. Jason NOLF (USA), 12-0 

86kg - Alex DIERINGER (USA) df. Myles MARTIN (USA), 7-2 
97kg - Kyle SNYDER df. Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA), 10-0 
125kg - Gable STEVESON (USA) df. Dominique BRADLEY (USA), 4-1 

Two-time world and Olympic champion BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) highlights the entries for the 2019 Greco-Roman World Cup. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

5. Greco-Roman World Cup Begins Next Friday
The third and final World Cup begins next Friday (November 28-29) in Tehran, Iran's Azadi Stadium. As the entries sit heading into this week, there are six reigning world gold medalists who will travel to Tehran to compete in the Greco-Roman World Cup. 

The schedule and the full set of entries for the Greco-Roman World Cup will be released later this week. 

Reigning World Champions Entered
55kg - Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
60kg - Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) 
67kg - Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB)
67kg - Shinobu OTA (JPN)
72kg - Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS)
82kg - Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1. Big Move Monday -- Wang J. (CHN) -- Women's World Cup 2019 #wrestlenarita
2. World Championship Highlights: Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
3. Two trips to the World Championships. Two gold medals for @kyledake444.
4. 1/2 Final Matches | Women's Wrestling World Cup 2019
5. ‪Happy Friday, wrestling fans!

#WrestleBaku

European OG Qualifiers 2024 Entry List

By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (March 25) -- The third continental Olympic qualifiers, European OG Qualifiers, will be held in Baku from April 5-7 with 36 quotas on offer for the Paris Olympic Games 2024.

A total of 301 wrestlers are registered for the tournament with Greco-Roman receiving the most entries at 114. A host of countries are yet to earn their spots for Paris 2024.

The tournament will be live on uww.org and the UWW App using UWW+. The two winners of the semifinals will earn a Paris quota with no final or bronze-medal bouts scheduled.

Hosts Azerbaijan will look to earn as many quotas as possible including one at 65kg in Freestyle with onus two-time Olympic medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE). Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) who missed the quota at the World Championships in dramatic fashion will give it another try.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) is back in action since his neck surgery which forced him to pull out of his 97kg semifinal against Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) at the World Championships. Tokyo bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) is also returning to international competition for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics.

In Women's Wrestling, the 57kg will end in heartbreak for someone as Tokyo silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN), Tokyo bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) and former European champion Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) are entered.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE), a four-time Olympic medalist, will look to earn a spot to her fifth Olympic at 50kg.

Freestyle

57kg
Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Simone PIRODDU (ITA)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Razvan KOVACS (ROU)
Thomas EPP (SUI)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)

65kg
Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN)
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Ayub MUSAEV (BEL)
Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
Carlos ALVAREZ IGLESIAS (ESP)
Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO)
Andre CLARKE (GER)
Joshua FINESILVER (ISR)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Stefan COMAN (ROU)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)

74kg
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Ibragim VELIEV (BEL)
Miroslav KIROV (BUL)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Stas WOLF (GER)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
Egzon XHONI (KOS)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD)
Patryk OLENCZYN (POL)
Zurab KAPRAEV (ROU)
Malik AMINE (SMR)
Tobias PORTMANN (SUI)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Vadym KURYLENKO (UKR)

86kg
Ilya KHAMTSOU (AIN)
Artur NAIFONOV (AIN)
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Joshua MORODION (GER)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)
Patrik PUESPOEKI (HUN)
Matthew FINESILVER (ISR)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Domantas PAULIUSCENKO (LTU)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Ahmad MAGOMEDOV (MKD)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

97kg
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN)
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN)
Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA)
Erik THIELE (GER)
Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Georgian TRIPON (ROU)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)

125kg
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN)
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)
Alen KHUBULOV (BUL)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Abraham CONYEDO (ITA)
Ralfs LUKINS (LAT)
Gheorghe ERHAN (MDA)
Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)

Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR)Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) will return to competition after recovering from her injury. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Kseniya STANKEVICH (AIN)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN)
Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Julie SABATIE (FRA)
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Gabija DILYTE (LTU)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Ana PIRVU (ROU)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

53kg
Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Natalia MALYSHEVA (AIN)
Irena BINKOVA (BUL)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Sztalvira ORSUS (HUN)
Maria FERONE (ITA)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Veronika RJABOVOLOVA (MKD)
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Andreea ANA (ROU)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)

57kg
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)
Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN)
Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Othelie HOEIE (NOR)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)

62kg
Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE)
Alina KASABIEVA (AIN)
Veranika IVANOVA (AIN)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Lydia PEREZ (ESP)
Viktoria VESSO (EST)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Eniko ELEKES (HUN)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)

68kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Hanna SADCHANKA (AIN)
Khanum VELIEVA (AIN)
Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE)
Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Rita TALISMANOVA (AIN)
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN)
Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Epp MAE (EST)
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Agoro PAPAVASILEIOU (GRE)
Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR)

Leri ABULADZE (GEO)63kg world champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) is wrestling at 60kg in Baku. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

60kg
Hleb MAKARANKA (AIN)
Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN)
Bajram SINA (ALB)
Aker SCHMID AL OBAIDI (AUT)
Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)
Leo TUDEZCA (FRA)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Etienne KINSINGER (GER)
Ilias ZAIRAKIS (GRE)
Melkamu FETENE (ISR)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Olivier SKRZYPCZAK (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Georgij TIBILOV (SRB)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Oleksii MASYK (UKR)

67kg
Maksim NEHODA (AIN)
Ruslan BICHURIN (AIN)
Abu AMAEV (BUL)
Dominik ETLINGER (CRO)
Matias LIPASTI (FIN)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
Michael WIDMAYER (GER)
Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE)
Krisztian VANCZA (HUN)
Andrea SETTI (ITA)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Mihai MIHUT (ROU)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Niklas OEHLEN (SWE)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)

77kg
Pavel LIAKH (AIN)
Adlet TIULIUBAEV (AIN)
Kevin KUPI (ALB)
Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Oliver KRUEGER (DEN)
Marcos SANCHEZ (ESP)
Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN)
Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Deni NAKAEV (GER)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Riccardo ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Per KURE (NOR)
Patryk BEDNARZ (POL)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Per OLOFSSON (SWE)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Elmar NURALIIEV (UKR)

87kg
Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN)
Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN)
Lukas STAUDACHER (AUT)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO)
Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)
Waltteri LATVALA (FIN)
Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Hannes WAGNER (GER)
Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE)
Leon RIVALTA (ITA)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)
Exauce MUKUBU (NOR)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Nicu OJOG (ROU)
Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Alex KESSIDIS (SWE)

97kg
Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN)
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Filip SMETKO (CRO)
Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO)
Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER)
Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Alex SZOKE (HUN)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU)
Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Gerard KURNICZAK (POL)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Dogan YILMAZ (TUR)
Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR)

130kg
Dzmitry ZARUBSKI (AIN)
Sergei SEMENOV (AIN)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Georgi IVANOV (BUL)
Heiki NABI (EST)
Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Sulkhan BUIDZE (GEO)
Jello KRAHMER (GER)
Dariusz VITEK (HUN)
Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Boris PETRUSIC (SRB)
Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR)