#WrestleBaku, #WrestleParis

Aliyev leads as Azerbaijan wins six Paris 2024 quota at European qualifier

By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 7) -- Haji ALIYEV (AZE) on the mat in front of a packed stadium in Baku for an Olympic spot. The fans cheered every time he scored. It only got louder as he inched towards victory. As the final whistle blew, Aliyev stretched his arms and fell on the mat even as the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku was defeaning.

Two-time Olympic medalist Aliyev, 32, qualified Azerbaijan for the Paris Olympics at 65kg with an entertaining 6-4 victory over European champion Islan DUDAEV (ALB). Aliyev was back.

Since winning the silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics, Aliyev has not dominated the 65kg weight class. He finished fifth at the 2022 World Championships and eighth at the 2023 edition.

Azerbaijan was losing confidence in its star as the Paris Olympics came closer with it still to earning a qualification. Aliyev was under pressure and his conditioning was being questioned. And a few youngsters were knocking on the door.

Yet, Aliyev entered the European OG Qualifier in Baku as the favorite. In front of the home crowd and as the captain of the Azerbaijan Freestyle team, Aliyev had to deliver.

After seeing off Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) and Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN), Aliyev faced Dudaev for Paris qualification. Dudaev won the European Championships in Bucharest in February after defeating Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (AIN).

He threatened to beat Aliyev, leading 3-0 at the break. But Aliyev managed to get on a single leg and score a takedown to close the gap to 3-2. He again hit the same shot and got a takedown before using the lace to make it 6-3. Dudaev tried hard but Aliyev was too good with his defense and only gave up a stepout for one up.

Azerbaijan will most likely give Aliyev the spot in Paris 2024, his third in his career. Aliyev will be looking to win his third Olympic medal after a bronze medal in Rio 2016 and a silver in Tokyo 2020.

The second Paris 2024 quota at 65kg was won by Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) who defeated Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 2-1, in the other semifinal. The two wrestlers exchanged passivity but Sacultan was put on the activity clock in the second period, giving Dzebisashvili the criteria win. 

Aliyev's win was one of the five that Azerbaijan had to become the first country to win all six Freestyle Olympic quotas. Apart from Aliyev, Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE), Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) earned quotas.

Rzazade seemed in a hurry to be off the mat as he opened the scoring against former European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MKD). He kicked off the bout with a stunning ankle pick for a takedown in the first five seconds of the bout and tried to soak in the Baku pressure by pacing around the mat as Egorov took time to return to the center.

In the second period, Rzazade scored a stepout when Egorov was on the activity clock, giving Rzazade a 4-0 lead. Egorov scored a takedown and was given one more point for Rzazade's fleeing at the end but the Azerbaijan wrestler won 4-3 to win the quota at 57kg.

Former world bronze medalist Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN) defeated Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 7-3, in a one-sided semifinal to earn the second quota at 57kg.

At 86kg, Nurmagomedov showed his skills to beat Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 4-1, to earn a qualification. He also defeated Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) in the quarterfinals.

Wrestling internationally for the first time since 2021, Olympic and world bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) confirmed his Paris 2024 spot after a gritty 4-0 win over Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO). In the quarterfinal, Naifonov held off European champion Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) 2-1.

Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) confirmed the qualification at 125kg after he defeated Alen KHUBULOV (BUL), 7-0. The other qualification went to Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) who defeated Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 9-2.

A last-minute replacement for Abdulrashid SADULAEV (IND), Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (AIN) still got the job done of qualifying after he defeated Illia ARCHAIA (UKR), 11-0 to earn the Paris 2024 quota.

The second spot at 97kg was won by Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN) after his opponent Radoslaw BARAN (POL) pulled out due to an injury he suffered in the quarterfinal.

At 74kg, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) did let the ghost of past affect him as he held on to a 8-8 win over Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) in a thrilling bout.

Chamizo trailed 8-6 but got awarded two caution points and almost scored a takedown which was reverted on challenge and Bayramov got a criteria win and an Olympic quota.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (AIN) held on to a 3-2 win over European champion Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) to win the quota. All five points were technical points.

 

fg

RESULTS

57kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) df. Vladimir EGOROV (MKD), 4-3
SF 2: Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN) df. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 7-3

65kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) df. Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 2-1
SF 2: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Islam DUDAEV (ALB), 6-4

74kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), 8-8
SF 2: Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 3-2

86kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 4-0
SF 2: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 4-1 

97kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (AIN) df. Illia ARCHAIA (UKR), 11-0
SF 2: Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN) df. Radoslaw BARAN (POL), via inj. def.

125kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 9-2
SF 2: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Alen KHUBULOV (BUL), 7-0 

#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships GR 60kg, 72kg, 97kg semis set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 22) -- With only three weight classes on Friday, the World Championships is entering its final days. Greco-Roman stars in 60kg, 72kg and 97kg will take the mats with 60kg and 97kg being the Olympic weight classes.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

The semifinals for the evening session:

72kg
Robert FRITSCH (HUN) vs. Shingo HARADA (JPN)
Selcuk CAN (TUR) vs. Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)

60kg
Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) vs. Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) vs. Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)

97kg
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU)
Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) vs. Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)

14:50: Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) overpowers U20 world champion Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) 8-5 in the 97kg quarterfinal. Both exchanged four-pointers before Khaslakhanau was awarded a point for Rosillo's foul. But the Cuban hit another four and was close to a fall but ultimately won 8-5

14:47: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) returns to the semifinals at 97kg as he beats Felix BALDAUF (NOR) 4-1. Saravi got a turn from par terre to lead 3-0. Baldauf got two passivity advantages in the second period but failed to score. During the second par terre, Saravi stopped him mid-turn and scored a reversal. 

14:42: Once again, Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) was put on top of par terre first and never gave his opponent a chance to be on offense again. Aleksanyan reeled off four rolls against Artur OMAROV (CZE) to end their 97kg semifinal 9-0 in just under two minutes. Later today, Aleksanyan, who last year won his fifth career title, will attempt to make his eighth world final against Mindaugas VENCKATITIS (LTU), who ended the gold-medal hopes of local favorite Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) with an 8-0 technical fall.

14:35: Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) jumps out to a 7-0 lead in the first period against Christopher KRAEMER (GER), and that's how it ends as he advances to the 60kg semifinal and a shot a defending world champion Sharshenbekov.

14:34: Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) got a turn from par terre and then defended his par terre position against Liguo CAO (CHN) to complete a 3-1 victory and set up a semifinal against  Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)

14:31: A 9-0 shutout victory for world champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) as he gets two four-pointers using underhooks against Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB). The world champion will take on Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) in the semifinals.

14:26: Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) has dominated today! He now moves into the semifinals at 72kg after a 9-0 domination of Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ).

14:24: In a wild match with a bizarre finish, European champion Robert FRITSCH (HUN) is through to the 72kg semifinals by beating local favorite and defending champion Ali ARSELAN (SRB). It was ended by fall, but the Serb seemed to give up from exhaustion. He had taken a 9-5 lead with a pair of front headlock turns in the first period, but became a limp body when Fritcsh scored a takedown and easily turned him over.

14:20: Japan continues its incredible run at this World Championships as Shingo HARADA (JPN) beats returning silver medalist Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) 6-4 after being 3-1 down. He will take on Robert FRITSCH (HUN) who pinned world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB)

Quarterfinal action now in 72kg, 60kg and 97kg

14:10: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) executes three powerful gut wrenches from par terre and he advances at 97kg with a 7-1 win over Gerard KURNICZAK (POL). That was the final match before the start of the quarterfinals, which will begin simultaneously on the four mats starting with 72kg.

13:59: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) gets put on top in par terre against Josef RAU (USA), and that only spells trouble for the American. Aleksanyan easily turns him over with a series of tilts and rolls for a 9-0 win in just over two minutes to advance to the 97kg quarterfinals.

13:55: The literally gray-beard Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) jumps out to a 4-0 lead against Gabriel ROSSILLO (CUB) at 97kg, but the 39-year-old two-time world medalist gives up a takedown and a 4-point throw to lose 6-4.

13:47: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) continues to get it done at 97kg, forging a 7-5 victory over Tamas LEVAI (HUN), a bronze medalist a year ago at 82kg. Kajaia gets three gut-wrench rolls from par terre, while limiting Levai to two front headlock turns, and that was the difference.

13:34: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) would love nothing more than to win his second straight 72kg title before the home crowd, and he cut it close in his opening match. Arsalan reeled off three gut wrenches from par terre to take a 7-0 lead into the second period against Danial SOHRABI (IRI). But the Iranian gradually came back and even scored the tying takedown with two seconds, but Arselan took the win 7-7 on big-point criteria.

13:12: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), the 2021 champion and a bronze medalist last year, gets a pair of stepouts in the first period and he's through with a 3-1 win over Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) at 97kg.

12:52: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), two months after winning the world U20 gold at 97kg, starts his senior debut by rallying to beat Mathias BAK (DEN) 11-5. Khaslakhanau has to fight off his back in the first period, and goes ahead to stay with a 4-point takedown and 2-point throw in the second.

12:43: Mega-superstar Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) gets a wake-up call when Nicu OJOG (ROU) hits him with a 4-point arm throw to start their 97kg first-round match. But the multi-world and Olympic champion quickly rebounds, scoring a reversal and two gut wrenches, then adds a 4-point takedown to go into the break up 9-4. Aleksanyan adds a stepout for a 10-4 win.

12:41: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) gets two gut wrenches from par terre, much to the joy of the home crowd, and he advances at 97kg with a 5-1 victory over Serhii OMELIN (UKR).

12:34: Returning bronze medalist Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE) has pulled out of his bout against Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU) after he expressed pain in his heavily strapped elbow. On Mat D, Artur SARGASIAN (AIN) also suffers an elbow injury in the bout against Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB).

12:30: Who would have thought that a 97kg Greco-Roman bout would turn into a slugfest? Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) comes back from 6-0 to beat Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) via fall after leading 10-7

12:15: World champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) had to work a little but he got the job done with a 10-2 victory over Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU) at 60kg. Big day for the Kyrgyz world champ. He faces Pridon ABULADZE (GEO) next

12:05: Two-time former world champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) has a worry-free second match, scoring two tilts from par terre to defeat Helary MAEGISALU (EST) 5-1 and advance to the round-of-16 at 60kg.

12:00: Young gun Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) opens his World Championships with a 6-2 win over Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB) in 60kg, a weight class that is nothing less than a minefield.

11:56: Returning 60kg silver medalist Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) has fallen at the first hurdle, and fallen hard. Former European champion Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) dominates the match and finishes off a 9-0 win with go-behind takedown.

11:50: Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN), the 2021 world U23 champion at 60kg, beats the 2022 champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) 11-5. Allakhiarov is trailing when he hits a 4-point front body lock throw, which gets a 2-point leg penalty tacked on, with 21 seconds to go.

11:38: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) thrills the home crowd by holding off two-time former world champion Metehan BASAR (TUR) 2-1 at 97kg. Kajaia, a bronze medalist in 2018, gets a steput in the first period and that proves the difference.

11:19: Never give up. Patrick SMITH (USA) falls behind 7-2 at 72kg against European bronze medalist Kamil CZARNECKI (POL), but chips away at the lead against his tiring opponent. He cuts the lead to 2 before slamming him down for a fall with just under two minutes left.

11:17: Veteran Heiki NABI (EST) won't be going for his sixth career world medal after losing his 130kg repechage match to Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), who gets both passivity points for a 2-0 win. The 38-year-old Nabi, the 2012 London Olympic silver medalist has won his five world medals over a 14-year span from 2006 to 2019.

10:57: What a way to get the session started! In a clash between former world champions that, in another place at another time could have been for the gold medal, Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) dodges a bullet and beats Victor CIOBANU (MDA) 3-1 at 60kg. As Fumita tries for the turn from par terre, Ciobanu reverses for 2, then scores an apparent 4 at the edge. But on challenge, Ciobanu is assessed a 2-point leg infraction penalty and his points are wiped out. Fumita holds on for the win. The two also met in the quarterfinals at the 2019 worlds, with Fumita notching a wild 12-5 win en route to his second career gold.

10:30: Welcome to day seven of the World Championships. All Greco-Roman day with 60kg, 72kg and 97kg wrestlers wrestling for the world title. 60kg and 97kg are the Olympic weight classes.