Akmataliev Adds World Gold to Impressive Resume

Saturday, November 6, 2021 - 21:53 By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (November 6) – Last time Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) was in Belgrade, he shot to prominence with a gold medal performance at the Individual World Cup.

But there was no fairytale ending Saturday as Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) upgraded his senior World Championships silver to gold at the U23 Worlds in the Serbian capital, continuing to become one of the most exciting wrestlers around the world.

“The gold is better than silver [in Oslo],” Akmataliev said. “Even though I lost in Oslo I am thankful to God. I won the gold because we waited and prepared for this a lot. Not only us but the whole Kyrgyzstan [waited for this].”

His 10-2 win was perhaps the highlight of the five freestyle finals that were held on day six of the tournament. Azerbaijan, Greece, Russia and Iran won one gold medal each with five more to be decided Sunday.

But the high-profile 70kg final between the two superstars lived up to the billing as Tevanyan managed to keep the Kyrgyz star silent for the first period. He began a double-leg attack to expose Akmataliev and get two points. But the Kyrgyz wrestler was also awarded two for putting Tevanyan in danger.

Just before the end of the first period, Akmateliev scored a stepout to lead 3-2 at the break. It was also the first sign of Tevanyan slowing down.

A minute into the second period, Akmateliev scored another stepout. In the next minute and a half, he scored two more stepouts and Tevanyan was finding it exceedingly difficult to break his opponent's defense.

He made a final burst of energy with a duck-under but Akmateliev was quick to turn it into a takedown and gut which gave him the 10-2 win.

“We were prepared for the final and everything went according to our plan,” he said. “I am happy that the tactics that we choose worked.”

Born in the Naryn region of Kyrgyzstan, Akmataliev shocked the world when he pinned Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB) at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Almaty earlier this year.

Life has only looked upward since then as he made his Olympic debut. He, however, could not win a medal in Tokyo. But that experience helped him iron out the flaws.

“After I won against Bekbulatov, I got more supporters not only from Kyrgyzstan but other countries as well,” he said. “I prepared for the Olympics but destiny was not there for me in Tokyo. But thank god now I have good results. I learned a good lesson there We had prepared a lot and I was in good shape both mentally and physically. But after Belgrade win, I will prepare harder to get more medals.”

The 22-year-old, who finished fifth at the last U23 Worlds, won the silver in Oslo and now the gold in Belgrade at 70kg and will have to decide to wrestle at an Olympic weight for Paris.

“We have not decided yet [about the Olympic weight 65kg to 74kg]. It will be on the coaches to decide in which weight I can win,” he said.

But he joins a list of Kyrgyzstan stars who have won a World Championships including two-time world champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ).

Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) celebrates after winning the 70kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The nation could have won two gold medals in the night but Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ) suffered a heartbreaking 6-7 loss to Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) in the 57kg final.

In a dramatic final that saw Myrzanazar Uulu score two points in the final few seconds to tie it 6-6, it was Rzazde's four-point move in the second period that separated the winner.

The bout's opening scramble had the Kyrgyz wrestler scoring a takedown but two separate stepouts gave Rzazade two points as the first period ended 2-2.

Rzazade then strung together a series of attacks and scored a four-pointer and led 6-4. The final takedown from Myrzanazar Uulu gave him two points but that was not enough for the win. Despite a challenge from the corner, the review showed no extra points for him.

“I was sure that I won, even though there was a challenge,” Rzazade said.

Hailing from the same town as Jabrail HASANOV (AZE), Rzazade had no shortage of inspiration growing up and he wants to achieve Olympic medals like Hasanov and three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE).

“I won't change the weight category,” Rzazade said. “I'll get ready for the Paris Olympics in the same weight. Aliyev is a wrestler I look up to as well as Hasanov as we are from the same place, he helps me a lot as a coach.”

Pilidis Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) looks up to the heavens after winning the 65kg gold in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 65kg, Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) finally won a gold medal at a World Championships as he had missed it twice before, falling in the 2015 and 2016 cadet Worlds final.

It seemed like he would be denied once again as he trailed Ibragim ABDURAKHMANOV (RUS) 2-3 with five seconds remaining in the gold medal bout but the referee called for a foul for a singlet grab which was not given initially but awarded to Pilidis after a challenge.

The 3-3 win for the Greek also gave his country the first-ever U23 world title.

“I had a plan for the final match,” Pilidis said. “I was going to let him lead for two or one points, and then make a comeback and score the points. I’ve done that many times and it works for me”

The youngster was at the Tokyo Olympics but he said that it was a forgettable experience for him and he doesn't take much pride in his performance.

“I don’t even want to think about the Olympics. I performed really badly. I made a lot of mistakes. Of course, I got some experience. After the Olympics, I wanted to wrestle somewhere else to prove myself.”

Magomed MAGOMAEV (RUS), blue, won the 79kg final 4-4. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Russia survived a close final at 79kg as U23 European champion Ramazan SARI (TUR) suffered a 4-4 loss against Magomed MAGOMAEV (RUS).

After scoring the initial takedown, Magomaev gave one up and wrestles went 2-2 at the break with Sari holding criteria.

Magomaev began the second period with a takedown as well but was warned for passivity and gave up one point with a minute remaining. He gave up a step out with 15 seconds remaining but held the criteria at 4-4 at the end of the six minutes and win the gold at his debut World Championships.

“I didn’t expect the match would be so tough,” Magomaev said. “It was a huge responsibility on me as I couldn’t let down my family.”

Magomaev made the Russian U23 team after winning the nationals and he said that it was emotionally tougher to wrestle here than the nationals back home in October.

“I never wrestled the opponents before. I had to figure out this wrestling style during the matches,” he said.

Born in Dagestan, Russia, he moved to Orel for training when he was 11-years-old. At the start, he did not like the sport but winning the local tournaments kept him going. He now trains in Bryansk.

After the win, he performed the traditional 'Leginzka' dance to celebrate, a promise he had made to his friends before the final.

“One of my friends said that I should dance if I win,” he said. “I said deal. So, I won and I had to keep my promise.”

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) after winning the 97kg world title in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The final gold medal of the night went to Iran as Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) controlled the 97kg final and defeated Radu LEFTER (MDA) 7-3.

He did give up a takedown but as Lefter began tiring out, Azarpira managed to pile on the points and win with ease.

“I was preparing for this gold medal before coming here,” Azarpira said. “The final was easy because we had it figured out.”

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) df Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ), 7-6

BRONZE: Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM) df Saurabh IGAVE (IND), 10-0
BRONZE: Ahmad MOHAMMADNEZHADJAVAN (IRI) df Dzmitry SHAMELA (BLR), 3-2

65kg
GOLD: Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) df Ibragim ABDURAKHMANOV (RUS), 4-3

BRONZE: Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) df Stilyan ILIEV (BUL), 10-0
BRONZE: Cavit ACAR (TUR) df Hrachya MARGARYAN (ARM), 4-2

70kg
GOLD: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), 10-2

BRONZE: Aliakbar FAZLIKHALILI (IRI) df Murad EVLOEV (AZE), 5-4
BRONZE: Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) df Cuneyt BUDAK (TUR), 5-2

79kg
GOLD: Magomed MAGOMAEV (RUS) df Ramazan SARI (TUR), 4-4

BRONZE: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) df Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE), 8-2
BRONZE: Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) df Goga MAMIAURI (GEO), 4-4

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df Radu LEFTER (MDA), 7-3

BRONZE: Danylo STASIUK (UKR) df Milan KORCSOG (HUN), 4-2
BRONZE: Jonathan AIELLO (USA) df Vasil PAULIUCHENKA (BLR), 13-2

#WrestleBelgrade

Akobiia Powers Ukraine to Historic Team Title at #WrestleBelgrade

Friday, November 5, 2021 - 21:36 By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (November 5) – Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) has made four trips to the U23 World Championships but never returned with a gold medal.

She won a bronze in 2017, failed to medal in 2018 and reached the final in 2019 but Sae NANJO (JPN) proved too strong as Akobiia finished with a silver medal.

But the wait for gold finally ended Friday as the U23 European champion won the 57kg weight class at the U23 Worlds in Belgrade, Serbia. Not only it was a personal achievement but her gold added to Ukraine's stunning campaign which saw them win the team title for the first time at any World Championships.

“I finally won the gold medal,” Akobiia said. “It’s the first world title in my sporting career. I am very happy and thankful.”

Born in a small village in Poltava, Ukraine, Akobiia made evident the gulf of class between her and others in Belgrade, reaching the final after pinning every opponent.

A day later, the script had a slight change as she failed to pin Kristina MIKHNEVA (RUS) but the end result was the same. Akobiia was held scoreless in the first period, but a pair of takedowns with less than 40 seconds left in the bout pushed her past the Russian for a 5-1 win.

Heading into the final session, Ukraine sat in third place and trailed Russia by 14 points. Akobiia’s gold-medal win helped Ukraine leap the United States for second place and by the time the last final -- 72kg -- ended, they stole the title from Russia, 161 points to 140. The USA finished third with 102 points, two more than India. Turkey took fifth place in the race.

Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR) and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) won the two other gold medals for Ukraine at 65kg and 72kg respectively while Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) stopped them from winning a fourth as she denied Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) with a 10-7 win in the 62kg final, giving Canada its first gold medal of the tournament.

Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) became her country's first-ever female world champion. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) created history when she won the 53kg gold medal, becoming the first-ever female world champion from her country.

The Tokyo Olympian faced U23 European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) in the final but unfazed by her opponent, she only used 70 seconds of the six minutes in the finals to pick up the fall. She became the fourth women’s wrestler of the #WrestleBelgrade competition to win their country's first-ever U23 world title.

A teary-eyed Yepez Guzman was filled with emotions as she talked to her family over the phone after the gold medal bout.

“It's a historic medal for Ecuador,” Yepez Guzman said. “I have been training for this for 10 years and I had studied the Russian wrestler. I am happy to win this.”

Alina AKOBIA Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) won a U23 World gold medal in her fourth attempt. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Akobiia's medal got Ukraine going for the night as the team title hung in balance between Russia and Ukraine in the absence of women's wrestling powerhouses Japan and China.

The former junior world silver has had an exceptional year winning a bronze medal at the European Championships, qualifying Ukraine for the Tokyo Olympics and winning the U23 gold at the continental level.

“The Euros gold was also very important to me,” she said. “It’s a great feeling when you run around with the Ukrainian flag. I’ve been a European champion four times, but I have never been the world champion before, that’s why I am so happy.”

But two weeks before the Olympics she injured her elbow, forcing her to miss the Games but the gold Friday eased some of the pain she felt in August.

“The injury didn’t let me compete at the Olympics,” she said. “At the beginning when I was just injured, I didn’t realize what happened, I was shocked. Now when the Olympics have finished, I realized that I lost my opportunity. But I didn’t give up, a few months later, I came here and became a world champion.”

The 22-year-old is now ready to win a medal at the senior World Championships and is already focused on the 2024 Olympics.

“I haven’t competed at the senior worlds yet, but I hope I will win a medal as soon as I go there,” she said. “It’s the new Olympic cycle, it’s time to get ready.”

Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR) won the 65kg gold medal for Ukraine. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 65kg, Lavrenchuk secured a fall over Dinara KUDAEVA SALIKHOVA (RUS) and jumped around to celebrate her world title. She only needed 88 seconds for the pin.

“I’ve been trying to win the gold for so long,” Lavrenchuk said. “I had many injuries but I was ready to do anything to win.”

Lavrenchuk was in Oslo as well but at 68kg and lost 0-8 against Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) after winning her opening round via fall. That experience helped her prepare for Belgrade.

“After the senior worlds in Oslo, I believed in myself to make it. The competition is tough in my category in Ukraine,” she said.

Talking about the team title win, she said that Ukraine deserves it because they have been training hard even during COVID-19.

“Even in the two years of coronavirus we kept training,” she said. “Our coaches are the best as they organize the training camps, prepare the schedule of the competitions.”

Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) won the 72kg world title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Part of that team and another gold medalist was Alpyeyeva who overcame a tough challenge in Kendra DACHER (FRA) in the 72kg final. She trailed 0-1 going into the second period but scored a takedown to lead 2-1.

She held Dacher in danger position which the mat chairman called neutral but Ukraine challenged it and won, giving her two more points. Dacher, who was looking to win a second world gold for France, failed to add any more points.

“I can’t believe I won it,” she said adding that it was even more important to prove that their team is the best in the world.

“Our team is very friendly and our coaches raise the team spirit in us,” she said. “We proved long ago that our team is the best at the European level and it was important to prove the same thing on the world level.

Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) won the gold medal at 62kg in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Ukraine could have won another gold but Godinez Gonzalez had other ideas. As the 62kg final began, Zelenykh caught Godinez Gonzalez on her heels with a double leg and put the first two points on the board. She added a step out from a single-leg attempt and led 3-0. The Ukrainian tacked on a second takedown and extended her lead to 5-0 after the opening three minutes.

Zenykh scored the third takedown after her Canadian opponent snapped her right into a double leg. But the match quickly turned in favor of the Canadian.

Zenykh dove in on a shot and surrendered a spin behind, cutting her lead to, 7-2. The Canadian scored four additional takedowns in the second period to steal the U23 world title.

“I feel like crying,” Godinez said. “I have been working very hard and to come back after losing a month ago at the senior Worlds in Oslo [lost to Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) in the quarterfinals].”

But Godinez has spent the last one year traveling around Europe to get more experience as she aims to be successful at the senior level.

“The European style is different from North America,” she said. “I am trying to get more and more international experience and come to camps in Europe and I want to win senior worlds.”

The camps in Tallin, Estonia and Spala, Poland helped improve her wrestling. With an added advantage of superior conditioning, the Langely, British Colombia wrestler found it easier to wrestle six minutes than her opponent.

“After a couple of minutes I noticed that she was slowing down,” she said. “I worked really hard on my conditioning and I could see on her face that she was broken. I wrestled well and followed my game plan. It did not go accordingly in the final but a win is a win.”

Ukraine Ukraine won the women's team title at the U23 World Championships in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Belgrade)

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) df Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS), via fall

BRONZE: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) df Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 9-6
BRONZE: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL), 8-3

57kg
GOLD: Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) df Kristina MIKHNEVA (RUS), 5-1

BRONZE: Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) df Patrycja GIL (POL), 9-8
BRONZE: Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) df Othelie HOEIE (NOR), 12-8

62kg
GOLD: Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) df Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR), 10-7

BRONZE: RADHIKA (IND) df Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA), 6-4
BRONZE: Anastasiia PAROKHINA (RUS) df Anna FABIAN (SRB), 8-1

65kg
GOLD: Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR) df Dinara KUDAEVA SALIKHOVA (RUS), via fall

BRONZE: Nisha DAHIYA (IND) df Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT), 10-0
BRONZE: Asli DEMIR (TUR) df Elena ESPOSITO (ITA), 3-2

72kg
GOLD: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df Kendra DACHER (FRA), 4-1

BRONZE: Eleni PJOLLAJ (ITA) df Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR), via fall
BRONZE: Divya KAKRAN (IND) df Kayla MARANO (USA), via fall

Akmataliev Adds World Gold to Impressive Resume

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Akobiia Powers Ukraine to Historic Team Title at #WrestleBelgrade