Klippan Ladies

Adar, Gray and Wiebe Set to Collide in Klippan

Wednesday, February 14, 2018 - 14:41 By Eric Olanowski

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KLIPPAN, Sweden (February 14) -- Wrestlers from 20 countries will head to Klippan, Sweden to compete in United World Wrestling’s first women’s wrestling ranking series event of the season, the Klippan Lady Open.

Three previous world champions and two Olympic medalists are set to collide this weekend at the Klippan Lady Open. Erica WIEBE (CAN), Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and Adeline GRAY (USA) are among the elite wrestlers competing in the 76kg weight class.

Erica WIEBE (CAN), 2016 Olympic champion, returns to international competition after taking an extended period of time off. Yasemin ADAR (TUR), returning world champion looks to reign supreme over the 76kg weight category, but three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) is looking to reclaim the top spot that she held from 2014 until the Olympic Games when Wiebe took the crown.

Other wrestlers to pay attention to will be Olympic bronze medalist Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), Aline FOCKEN (GER), a 2017 world finalist and Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) the U23 world champion.

At 50kg, Yui SUSAKI (JPN), 2017 world champion and returning Klippan champion will have three top contenders to fight off. Chasing Susaki will be Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the two-time world and Olympic silver medalist, U23 world champion, Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) and Alina Emilia VUC (ROM), 2017 world silver medalist.

The 53kg weight class is littered with age-level talent chasing Olympian Nina HEMMER (GER).

The three youngsters who are looking to make their presence known on the senior-level are Nanami IRIE (JPN), junior world champion, Beatrice Andrea ANA (ROM), cadet world runner-up and Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS), a U23 world bronze medalist.

Competing for the gold at 55kg will be a pair of Russian’s in Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS), a 2018 Yarygin finalist and Nina MENKENOVA (RUS), the U23 world bronze medalist who is looking to win her first senior-level tournament since the 2016 Torneo Citta a Sassari.

The remaining contender at 55kg is 2017 cadet world runner-up, Sena NAHAMOTO (JPN).

Vying for the top spot at 57kg is the top-tier trio of 2017 junior world champion Sae NANJO (JPN), Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), 2016 world silver medalist and 2017 European champion and Tetyana KIT (UKR).

A pair of Russian Ivan Yarygin bronze medalists in Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) and Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS) are leading the charge at 59kg.

The other potential gold medalist at 59kg is 2017 European champion Grace BULLEN (NOR). 

Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT), 2017 world bronze medalist will look to put a stop to 62kg tournament favorite, 2017 world finalist Yulia TKACH’s (UKR) quest to win her second Klippan Lady Open title.

Tkach won her last Klippan Lady Open in 2015.

At 65kg, it’ll be the threesome of Henna JOHANSSON (SWE), two-time Olympian, Petra OLLI (FIN), 2015 world silver medalist and U23 world runner-up Braxton STONE CAN who will be looking to stop Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS), the 2018 Ivan Yarygin runner-up from winning back-to-back titles.

Last month, tournament favorite Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) became the first American to win Yarygin titles.

If Mensah-Stock wants to continue her winning ways and claim the 68kg Klippan Lady Open title, she’ll have to go through two Olympians in Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) and Buse TOSUN (TUR). 

Rounding out the tournament, the two favorites at 72kg are Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), Olympic bronze medalist and Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), U23 world runner-up.

SCHEDULE 
Saturday - All weights 
Session 1 - 1:00pm (local time)
Session 2 - 5:00pm (local time) 
Sunday - All weights 
Session 3 - 10:00am (local time)
Session 4 - 2:00pm (local time) 

#WrestleTirana

Kamal soars high with Tirana Ranking Series gold

Sunday, March 2, 2025 - 00:02 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (March 1) -- The last time Kerem KAMAL (TUR) was in action internationally, he did not have a favorable outcome. A bloody battle with Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) ended in a loss at the European Championships.

But Kamal, who impressed all with his performance at all the age-group World Championships and continentals, started the 2025 season with a scintillating victory at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, capturing the 63kg gold medal.

The 2022 U23 world champion was in his elements as he defeated Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ), 10-0, in the final with two big throws for four points each. His first shoulder throw gave him a 4-0 lead, then he got the par terre position from which he performed a suplex for four points to win in just over a minute. Choibekov challenged for a leg-foul but Kamal's movements were clean.

In his earlier bouts, he defeated Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) 5-1 in the quarterfinals with some incredible defense from par terre in the first period. When Mohsen Nejad tried to turn Kamal, the Turkish wrestler moved forward on the mat to break Mohsen Nejad's grip.

Mohsen Nejad needed to score to break Kamal's 1-1 criteria lead and tried a big throw which Kamal blocked and pinned Mohsen Nejad on the mat for four points.

"At the Turkish Championships six weeks ago, I moved up to the new weight class of 63kg," Kamal said. "This time I competed against very strong opponents like Mohsen Nejad from Iran and [Razvan] Arnaut from Romania. I’m happy that I was able to win all my matches. It was a good start to the new year.

Kamal will now be busy for the preparation of European Championships to be held in second week of April in Bratislava, Slovakia.

"I’m not yet 100 percent fit," he said. "I focused a lot on endurance training during the training camp, and my preparations are fully aligned with the European Championships. I wanted to test my ground defense -- I did a good job [in Tirana] but I will work even harder to make sure I can reach my full potential at the European Championships."

Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ)Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) throws Valentin PETIC (MDA) for four points during the 67kg final in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Kyrgyzstan did win a gold medal as U23 world champion Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) brought out his best in the final against Valentin PETIC (MDA), beating the Moldovan 11-0 to capture the 67kg gold medal.

This was the second gold medal for Kyrgyzstan in Tirana after Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) won the 77kg gold medal on Friday.

Beishekeev, the U23 world champion last year in Tirana, needed only the first par terre position to complete the technical superiority win over Petic. He went for the reverse left and scored four points and as Petic landed on his back, Beishekeev went for the fall. However, Petic blocked Beishekeev with his hands on legs was docked two caution points.

With a 7-0 lead and restart in par terre, Beishkeev once again went for the reverse lift and scored a four-pointer to complete the 11-0 win.

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ), 10-0

BRONZE: Baiaman APILOV (KGZ) df. Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) df. Razvan ARNAUT (ROU), 3-1

67kg
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Valentin PETIC (MDA), 11-0

BRONZE: Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) df. Madiyar MAULITKANOV (KAZ), 7-2
BRONZE: Bagdat SABAZ (KAZ) df. Lei LI (CHN), 9-1