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Wrestling at Paris 2024: Tazhudinov vs Snyder in semis

Saturday, August 10, 2024 - 08:29 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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PARIS (August 10) -- Wrestling at Paris enters its penultimate day with Freestyle in 65kg and 97kg and women's wrestling in 76kg. More medals to be won at the Olympics.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | PARIS 2024 DAY 5

13:48: Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) avenges a loss to her predecessor as world champion, Yasemin ADAR (TUR), at the 2022 World Championships, holding on for a 3-0 victory to gain a spot in the women's 76kg semifinals. Kagami gains an activity point in the first period, then connects on a single-leg attempt for a takedown. She then fends off all of Adar's attacks to keep alive her gold-medal hopes.

13:30: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) seems to have recovered from that hectic opening bout against Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI). He casually beats Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) 14-2 in the quarterfinal. He will have a tough one in the semifinal -- Kyle SNYDER (USA).

13:24: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) posts a dramatic 6-3 victory over Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) to advance to the women's 76kg semifinals and move a step closer to making Colombian history. Renteria gives up a go-ahead takedown in the second period, but comes back with a stepout and takedown to take a 5-3 lead. She then holds out against a single-leg attempt by Enkh Amar to clinch the victory. The Mongolian side challenges, but it is denied. Renteria is looking to join two-time Olympic bronze medalist Jackeline RENTERIA (COL) as Colombia's lone Olympic medalist in wrestling.

13:26: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) is looking particularly sharp at freestyle 65kg. He comes out like a buzzsaw in his quarterfinal against Islam DUDAEV (ALB), who has no answer as the Iranian chalks up three stepouts and two takedowns in the first period, and two stepouts and a clinching takedown in the second for an 11-0 victory.

13:23: Kennedy BLADES (USA) survives a tough battle with Milsimy MARIN (CUB), advancing to the women's 76kg semifinals with a 4-3 win. Blades goes ahead 2-1 in the second period with a stepout while on the activity clock, then makes it 4-1 by stuffing a takedown attempt by Marin for 2. But Marin scores a takedown in the final 10 seconds, and Blades does all she can to keep from being turned out.  

13:20: Kyle SNYDER (USA) with a fall! Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB) kept him under control for some time but Snyder dumps him and holds him on the edge before a fall at the start of the second period.

13:14: In a testy freestyle 65kg quarterfinal between two longtime foes, Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) gets a 4-point takedown en route to a 10-3 victory over Haji ALIYEV (AZE). Musukaev clinched the win with a slick ankle pick for a takedown.  

13:10: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) holds on for a 1-1 victory on last-point criteria over REETIKA (IND) in a women's 76kg quarterfinal limited to activity points. On the clock in the second period, Reetika came close to getting a clinching takedown, but Medet Kyzy managed to keep her from completing the move. 

13:00: World champion Yuka KAGAMI (JPN), looking to give powerhouse Japan its first-ever gold medal in the heaviest women's weight class, gets an activity point in the first period and a stepout in the second while on the clock to defeat Genesis REASCO  (ECU) 2-0 and fill the final women's 76kg quarterfinal spot.

13:00: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) reaches the semifinal at 97kg after a 7-2 win over Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL).
      
12:59: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) chalks up a dramatic and at times acrobatic 8-6 victory over Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) to advance to the freestyle 65kg semifinals. Kiyooka gets a pair of 2-point exposures in a scramble off his single-leg attempt, then transitions to a lace lock for 2 more. Rivera comes back with a takedown to cut the lead to 6-2 at the break. In the second period, Rivera successfully counters a low single for a 2-point exposure, but Kiyooka gets an exposure on his next takedown attempt. Rivera scores a final takedown, which he completes despite a balletic flip by Kiyooka, in an attempt to escape the hold.12:48: A dramatic win on Mat A for Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) and he's into the freestyle 65kg semifinals. After giving up a 4-point takedown to Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), he gradually cuts the lead, finally going ahead with a spin-behind takedown with :12 left. An unsuccessful challenge makes it a 7-5 win.

12:47: Tokyo bronze medalist Yasemin ADAR  (TUR) trails 2-2 on criteria when she scores three takedowns in the final minute for a 6-2 win over Justina DI STASIO (CAN), a world champion in 2018 who was making a long-awaited Olympic debut.  

12:47: World champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) with a huge comeback in the second period to move into the quarterfinals. Tazhudinov was down 2-0 against Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) at the break and then 3-0 with 90 seconds left. But Azarpira could not hold for the final 40 seconds and gave up two takedowns to go down 4-3.

12:35: World 72kg silver medalist Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) bulls Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) backward for a takedown with 10 seconds left that clinches a 5-2 victory over at women's 76kg.

12:34: Two-time Asian champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) gets two takedowns in the first period then scores with stepouts in the second in a comfortable 8-0 win over world 70kg champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA) in the final first-round match at freestyle 65kg.

12:24: World bronze medalist Tatiana RENTERIA (COL), who also dabbles in beach wrestling, dug herself out of a 4-point hole against Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) to advance to the women's 76kg quarterfinals with an 8-4 win.

12:23: Japan-born Gaku AKAZAWA (SAM), who received Samoan citizenship in time to become just the second wrestler in the Pacific island nation's history to qualify for the Olympics, gets a rough intro to the Olympic level when he is dealt a 10-0 loss by Islam DUDAEV (ALB) at freestyle 65kg.

12:18: Tempestuous Tokyo silver medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE) keeps Austin GOMEZ (MEX) at bay and advances at freestyle 65kg with a safe 7-0 victory. Aliyev leads 2-0 in the second period when he chalks up two takedowns and a stepout at the buzzer.

12:14: Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB) works his way to a slow but controlled 5-0 win over Erik THIELE (GER). He will face Snyder in the next bout.

12:14: There is a delay on Mat B as Catalina AXENTE (ROU) continues to receive treatment on her neck. She is taken off on a stretcher to respectful applause from the crowd.

12:07: Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) would be proud of his four-point counter against Kyle SNYDER (USA) but the returning silver medalist from America breaks Habila and goes on to win 9-5 in the opening 97kg bout for Snyder.

12:06: Reigning world champion and two-time world bronze medalist Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) gets a slow start, taking a 1-0 lead into the second period at freestyle 65kg against Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ). But a second-period takedown opens the door for a series of gut wrenches that give him an 11-0 win.

12:05: Kennedy BLADES (USA), who defeated six-time world champion and Tokyo silver medalist Adeline GRAY (USA) at the U.S. trials, gets her Olympic debut off to a roaring start, but a painful one for Catalina AXENTE (ROU). After an opening takedown, Blades connects with a 4-point takedown to take a 6-0 lead into second period. It is then she hits a back suplex for which any Greco wrestler would be proud for 5.

11:46: World U23 champion REETIKA (IND) uses her counter lifts to great advantage and advances at women's 68kg with a 12-2 win over Bernadett NAGY (HUN).

11:45: Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) gives up an opening takedown to Georgii OKOROKOVV (AUS), then takes control of their freestyle 65kg clash. Rivera scores a takedown and two gut wrenches, then another takedown and two tilts for a 12-2 win.

11:43: European champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) has little trouble seeing off Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) at 97kg. Top counter game from Matcharashvili who has a really good chance to be in the final here.
      
11:41: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN), who dethroned Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) as national freestyle 65kg champion and earned his ticket to Paris at the Asian Qualifier, showed no fear in his first major senior tournament, rolling to a 10-0 victory over 2021 European bronze medalist Maxim SACULTAN (MDA). Kiyooka follows his third takedown with two rolls to end the match with three seconds to spare in the second period.

11:36: Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), a fifth-place finisher at the Tokyo Olympics, executes a classic counter-lift for 2, then twists around to put Juan WANG (CHN) onto her back for 2 more. Wang gets an activity point in the second period, but falls well short in a 4-1 scoreline in their women's 76kg clash.

11:35: Two-time Asian silver medalist Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) gets an activity point and takedown in the first period, and he goes on to a 5-0 victory at freestyle 65kg over 35-year-old Alejandro VALDES (CUB), a two-time Olympian who won consecutive world bronze medals in 2017-18.

11:30: World silver medalist Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) with a nice warm-up win over Luis PEREZ SOSA (DOM) at 97kg. Perez Sosa is the first ever freestyle wrestler from Dominica to be at the Olympics.

11:26: Ana GODINEZ  (CAN) scores a takedown while on the activity clock in the first period, and that's enough to defeat Kriszta INCZE (ROU) 2-0 in the second repechage at women's 62kg.  She will face Grace BULLEN (NOR) for the bronze.

11:24: World bronze medalist Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) gets a pair of takedowns in the second period to finish up an 11-0 victory over  Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) in 4:45 of the opening match at freestyle 65kg.

11:20: Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) is into the bronze medal bout after missing out on it twice before at the Olympics. He pins Amarveer DHESI (CAN) at 125kg. In the second 125kg repechage, Robert BARAN (POL) gives himself a chance to win a bronze after he beats Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)

11:16: A women's 62kg repechage match starts the action on Mat B, Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) gets a takedown with 1:02 left to defeat Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) 3-2 in a clash of former world champions.  Purevdorj will face Tokyo silver medalist and reigning world champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) for a bronze medal.

11:15: The last full morning session on Mat A starts with a 74kg repechage match between Tokyo silver medalist Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) and four-time reigning European champion Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK). An earlier defensive exposure and a key takedown with a minute to go give Kadzmihamedau a 6-6 victory on big-point criteria. Because 74kg had 18 entries and there was a preliminary round, Kadzmihamedau will have another repechage match later in the session against Chermen VALIEV (ALB) for a place in the bronze-medal match.

11:00: Welcome to Paris 2024! We have a few big matches coming on the last full day of wrestling at the Champs de Mars Arena.

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024 Day 5 Wrestling Preview: FS 74kg and 125kg; WW 62kg

Friday, July 26, 2024 - 14:32 By Vinay Siwach

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PARIS (July 26) -- Kyrgyzstan is waiting for its first Olympic champion, in any sport. Two came close to ending that drought in Tokyo when Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) reached the final in Greco-Roman 77kg and women's wrestling 62kg. Both fell short.

Come Paris, Kyrgyzstan is banking on its wrestlers again. Three world champions are heading to Paris as the favorites in their weight classes to win the gold medal. One of them is Tynybekova, the legend who took wrestling to the pinnacle in the country.

PARIS 2024 SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024 NEWS

Makhmudov and Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) wrestle before Tynybekova at the Olympics. But if they don't win the gold, Tynybekova will have the chance to win the historic gold and be the first Olympic champion from Kyrgyzstan. It would only be apt.

Kyle DAKE (USA)Kyle DAKE (USA) lost to Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) at the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Apart from Tynybekova, two more Tokyo silver medalists will look to win gold on August 9 when WW 62kg and Freestyle 74kg and 125kg weight classes take place at the Champ de Mars Arena in Paris.

Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) at 74kg and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) at 125kg won't have it easy. Both fell in the finals at Tokyo, Petriashvili's loss being the more dramatic of the two.

Kadzimahamedau stunned the world when he tossed around Kyle DAKE (USA) in Tokyo and Petriashvili was left stunned when Gable STEVESON (USA) scored a last-second takedown to beat him in the 125kg final.

But to lay claim to gold in Paris, all three weight classes will be full of drama.

FS 74kg: Dake out to avenge Tokyo loss

Kyle DAKE (USA) was the favorite to win the 74kg gold medal in Paris. Then Uzbekistan announced Razambek JHAMALOV (UZB) as its entry, Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) got in after approval and suddenly, there is no clear favorite to win this weight class.

Kadzimahamedau's run in Tokyo saw him beat Dake and reach the final. Dake hasn't faced him after but is looking forward to that bout if it happens in Paris.

"I have been itching to get those matches back," Dake told FloWrestling. "Those are fun matches. You want to go out and compete against the best guys. All I know is there will be 16 guys trying to win an Olympic gold medal and perform at their best. My goal is just being better than them on that day."

Reflecting on his campaign in Tokyo and then in the 2023 World Championships, Dake said he was satisfied and has a different outlook towards results.

"I don't know if I would change anything," Dake said. "Given the circumstances, I competed the best I could. I went out and wrestled and did my best. My girls, last year [after the World Championships], asked me 'daddy you didn't win, what happened?' I tried my best and it didn't fall my way. That's okay. A lot of what I am focusing on is competing with gratitude, scoring points, be Kyle Dake the best way I can."

If the best Dake shows up in Paris, he will be unstoppable. But a few opponents have pushed him to the edge in the past. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), Yones EMAMI (IRI), Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) are a few he has wrestled. Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), Chermen VALIEV (ALB), Razambek JAMALOV (UZB), Viktor RASSADIN (TJK), Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) are a few others he has not wrestled and will be in Paris. Thanks to his top seed, Dake will avoid Kougioumtsidis, Salkazanov and Bayramov till the final.

Kadzimahamedau will be unseeded and can be drawn anywhere in the bracket. After Tokyo, his performance has seen him win a European Championships silver medal at 79kg in what was a rare appearance on the mat.

But Kougioumtsidis defeated him at the World Championships in a thrilling opening-round bout. The Greek wrestler was looking good to make the final but hit Dake in the semifinal, dropping the bout 4-1, a much closer semifinal than the scoreline indicates.

Takatani was another wrestler who troubled Dake in the quarterfinals. Though Dake won 6-4, Takatani seemed to have figured out Dake's style and controlled the bout. Dake, however, was just too good.

The entries of Valiev and Jamalov has spiced up things. Valiev was entered in the World Olympic Qualifier after he completed his transfer from Albania. His style of frustrating his opponents by having a sitting position with no aim to score will be on test in Paris.

 

Jamalov is replacing Bekzod ABDURAKHAMANOV (UZB) in the line-up and the former U23 world champion can upset any wrestler in Paris. Jamalov's defense is among one of the many exceptional skills he possesses and once he thwarts the attacks of his opponents, they crumble due to disappointment.

Making his debut for Uzbekistan, Jamalov won the Budapest Ranking Series and won gold, announcing himself just before the Games and it should not surprise the wrestling world if he goes all the way in Paris.

Wait, maybe Geandry GARZON (CUB) will get his prized Olympic medal in Paris? The 41-year-old finished fifth in the 2008 Beijing Games and returned to the Olympics in Tokyo. Now he is going for his third Olympics in Paris.

WW 62kg: Tynybekova and history

Yukako KAWAI (JPN) denied Tynybekova the gold in Tokyo. A for Tynybekova would have grown her legend in Kyrgyzstan. The fans still love and adore her. They cheer for her in every country she wrestles. All they want is for her to become the country's first Olympic champion. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) threatened her to disallow that for significant time before she moved categories after losing domestically.

Going into Paris, one thing Tynybekova can take confidence in is her record against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), the Japan entry for the Olympics. The two met in the World Championships final which Tynybekova survived and won. Then at the Zagreb Open and again at the Asian Championships. Tynybekova used her counter lifts to win both times.

But Tynybekova knows that it's not just the Japanese opponent at the Olympics she has to be prepared for. The 62kg weight has seen the rise of Grace BULLEN (NOR), Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) and Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), return of Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL). Tokyo bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) is also looking for her second Olympic medal.

"I would like to say that there are no easy or tough opponents," Tynybekova said after the Asian Championships. "It all depends on my physical condition on that exact day. That’s why me and my coaches will prepare to wrestle every single wrestler in my weight class."

Motoki may well be at the top of that list. Motoki isn't one with the natural gift of wrestling. She believes in going back to the drawing board after every loss and aiming for perfection through repetitions.

"I don't have confidence and think negatively. That's why I can practice and research. Those are my weapons," she told Yomiuri recently.

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) will be one of the contenders for gold at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

One of her lethal attacks is the single-leg, which she has perfected to hit deep and score most of the time. If she fails to finish it, Motoki throws herself back to defend. The Ikuei University student says she has 30 variations to hit it.

"It's like a mathematical formula. If you know it, you can apply it," she said.

Those weapons have worked well against most but Tynybekova. She ran close in Zagreb but could not finish. At the Asian Championships, she got countered by Tynybekova so often that the bout was never in balance. A sobbing Motoki failed to make sense of the loss and said she believed she could win. She cried, thought about it, and realized a win was close.

It's like her junior high school all over again. At one point, she could not get past a wrestler and lost "about seven times." Then she finally beat her after years in a different division. 

"There was a sense of accomplishment and joy that people who keep winning don't get," she said. "No other athlete has ever experienced such setbacks. That's my strength. I want to win the gold medal and get revenge."

Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK)Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) is an Asian Games champion at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Gyong-Mun will be another wrestler who can surprise a few in Paris. She won the Asian Games after beating Ozaki in the final and with little known about her, wrestlers can find it tricky to face the DPR Korea wrestler.

Bullen will be at her first Olympics having transformed her style after getting a new team and moving to Georgia for training. She won bronze at the World Championships and will be a threat in Paris.

FS 125kg: Zare set to enter new territory

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) has grown leaps and bounds after his bronze-medal finish at the Tokyo Olympics. He won the World Championships gold medal in Oslo, beating Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO). He suffered a loss to Akgul in 2022 but bounced back to win the gold in 2023. Going into Paris 2024, Zare is undoubtedly a heavy favorite.

Zare has not only grown in experience but has worked on his conditioning to a great extent. At the 2023 World Championships, his opponents found it difficult to score on him and he gave up only six points in five bouts.

Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) during the Asian Olympic Qualifier. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL), who won a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships, wrestled Zare at the Asian Games final in October 2023 but fell behind quickly.

"His conditioning is very high," Munkhtur said after the final. "The strength part is normal but it's his conditioning which keeps him going for six minutes."

Munkhtur had a disastrous World Championships, bowing out in the first round. But he came back to qualify for the Olympics from the Asian qualifiers.

Zare's biggest competitors will be Petriashvili, Akgul and Mason PARRIS (USA) who won the trials in the absence of Tokyo Olympic champion Gable STEVESON (USA).

Petriashvili was close to winning his first Olympic gold after bronze in Rio but in the final second of the final, Steveson scored a takedown to beat Petriashvili. The Georgian has not been able to win a gold at any championships since.

"I was very close to the gold medal," Petriashvili told UWW. "It was one of the hardest matches in my life. Steveson was very fast and strong. Every day I try to forget that moment. I am not saying I have forgotten it. It's very hard to do so.

"I don't know what happened there. Maybe I thought 'I have won, really!' I was talking to myself. My eyes went black because of happiness. I was counting - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 seconds and I lost. What happened? Every day I ask myself what happened and don't have an answer. It's wrestling. It's very hard for your emotions but you have to be quiet and have this feeling."

Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) after losing the 125kg final at the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

But Petriashvili will have to forget it and be ready for another spell of matches. He knows that well and is ready for Paris. 

"It will be hard and there will be good matches," he said. "I hope I will be ready. For 12 years, I have been standing on the mat at the senior level. I feel good here. Akgul and Zare are world-class wrestlers. Parris is also good. I am a good wrestler as well (laughs). Everyone wants to take a gold medal home. No one gives you the medal."

Akgul won the gold medal in Rio and bronze in Tokyo. But for a third Olympic medal, he will have to work hard. He is on the same side as Zare which makes it difficult to be in the final. Both will not collide before the semifinals.

Mason PARRIS (USA)Mason PARRIS (USA), red, will be the U.S. representative at 125kg in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Parris is on the other side, making him a potential opponent of Petriashvili in the semifinal. The Georgian defeated Parris in the semifinal of the World Championships. Parris, however, won the gold medal at the Budapest Ranking Series.

"Getting a world bronze medal last year was awesome for my confidence," Parris said. "I think I am being underestimated by a lot of people. I think I have one of the best chances to be an Olympic champion. My plan is to bring it home for the U.S."