#WrestleOslo

#WrestleOslo: Miyaji Stuns Olympic Champ Mensah Stock as Japan Rolls On

By Vinay Siwach

OSLO, Norway (October 6) -- Akie HANAI (JPN) was still going through her interview when Rin MIYAJI (JPN) joined her in the mixed zone. A surprised Hanai was wondering how did Miyaji come back so early after her semifinal. But when she was informed that Miyaji pinned Tokyo Olympic and world champion Taymara MENSAH STOCK (USA), Hanai could not but hug her teammate with a big smile on her face.

In what is perhaps the biggest upset of the tournament, Miyaji claimed a 21-second pin over Mensah Stock after both the wrestlers were locked in arm-tie. But the USA wrestler squared up and Miyaji cradled her and held her on the back for the fall.

Miyaji was one of the three Japan wrestlers who reached the final Wednesday as Hanai managed to reach the 59kg final while Masako FURUICHI (JPN) entered the 72kg after beating Anna SCHELL (GER).

With that, Japan has sent six wrestlers to the final while nine others are wrestling for medals.

Miyaji, who has ever wrestled at a World Championships before, will wrestle Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) in the final. The Kyrgyzstan wrestler has to thank her fate for the win as the scorers' had wrongly indicated caution against when there was not.

She gave up a takedown in final 10 seconds to trail 3-3 on criteria but when the mat chairman was about announce the result, the criteria was give to Zhumanazarova as a wrong caution had been added to it.

Hanai also beat an American to reach the 59kg final as Maya NELSON (USA) was not given any chance in a 4-1 defeat. She will face 2018 world silver medalist Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) in what will a match of close margins. Dudova beat two-time Asian champion Sarita MOR (IND) 3-0 in the semifinals and booked her spot in the final. 

But India did get its first-ever women's wrestling Worlds finalists when Anshu MALIK (IND) defeated Solomiia VYNNYK (JPN) 11-0 in the semifinal at 57kg. India has five bronze medals from World Championships but no one ever reached the final.

Maik scored via a series of takedowns and finally a gut wrench and move on to face Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Helen MAROULIS (USA).

The USA wrestler had a nail-biting finish against U23 world champion Sar NANJO (JPN) before pulling off a 6-4 win. Nanjo was looking for a repeat of Tokyo Olympics where eventual champion Risako KAWAI (JPN) beat Maroulis to stop her from defending her Olympic title which she won in Rio.

Maroulis was given a point for Nanjo's passivity but the Japan wrestler launched a huge throw on the edge and was awarded four. Leading 4-1, Nanjo gave up two before the break.

Then Maroulis began the second period with a takedown and stayed with it until the final whistle. Nanjo's tries of attacking the legs in the end did not work and Maroulis entered the final.

Kazakhstan also had a World Championships finalist when Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) defeated Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR) 13-2 with ease.

Bakbergenova will wrestle for gold against Masako FURUICHI (JPN) who defeat Anna SCHELL (GER), 13-2 and try to stop the Japanese juggernaut of winning gold medals with ease.

#WrestlePontevedra

Wrestling legend Medved, three-time Olympic champion, passes away aged 86

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 2) -- Aleksandr MEDVED, the most successful Freestyle wrestler with 10 Olympic and World Championships gold medals, died on Monday aged 86 years.

Medved made his international debut at the 1961 World Championships, where he won bronze in the 87kg weight class. A year later, he jumped to 97kg and won the gold medal at the World Championships.

Barring 1965, Medved won all the World Championships gold medals from 1962 to 1971, majorly competing in the +100kg. He was considered small for the weight class, yet he dominated it for more than a decade.

Apart from winning seven gold medals, Medved also won a silver medal (1965) and a bronze medal (1961) at the World Championships.

Aleksandr  MEDVEDAleksandr  MEDVED as a referee in a wrestling bout. (Photo: IMAGO / ITAR-TASS)

"The passing of Aleksandr saddens us," United World Wrestling President Nenad LALOVIC said. "He was an ambassador of our sport and his achievements show that the world regarded him as the best."

"It's a great loss to the wrestling world and we are with the Medved family in this time of grief."

Medved won his first Olympic gold medal in 1964 at the Tokyo Olympic Games in the 97kg weight class. He repeated as the Olympic champion in the +97kg at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, beating Osman DURALIEV (BUL). The two met in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games in the +100kg final and Medved defeated Duraliev again to win his third Olympic gold medal.

He also has three European Championships titles as well.

After retiring from the sport, Medved was actively involved in coaching. He was inducted into the UWW Hall of Fame in 2003.

United World Wrestling expresses its condolences to the Medved family.