#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Asian Championships 10 freestyle brackets

Friday, April 22, 2022 - 12:47 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (April 22) -- The final two days of the Asian Championships will see freestyle wrestlers take the mats. The draw for all 10 freestyle weight classes was held in Ulaanbaatar on Friday.

Olympic medalist Ravi KUMAR (IND) and Bajrang PUNIA (IND) will be in action alongside a strong Iran team as well. Japan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are also bringing some known names to the competition.

57kg

Ravi KUMAR (IND) and Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) will clash for a second time in two months if both can hold true to their number one and two seedings respectively.  

Kumar is sitting in the quarterfinal on the top side and will face Rikuto ARAI (JPN) in that bout. The semifinal will see Kumar or Arai facing the winner of Reza MOMENIJOUJADEH (IRI) and Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) who is seeded third.

The lower side has Abdullaev in the quarterfinal and is likely to face Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) in that bout. Third seed Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) has to wait for the winner of Sunggwon KIM (KOR) and Muhammad BILAL (PAK).

61kg

The 61kg can see the clash of top seed Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) and Rio silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) in the semifinal on the upper side. The Kyrgyzstan wrestler is in the quarterfinal and will likely face defending champion Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB) in that bout.

For Higuchi, he needs to beat Ali ALMOHAINI (KUW) to reach the quarterfinals where he can face one of Mekan MUHAMMEDOV (TKM) or Mangal KADIYAN (IND) who is seeded fourth.

The lower side of the bracket has the second seed Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN) in the quarterfinals. He will have to wait to find out his opponent as Darioush HAZRATGHOLIZADEH (IRI) and Insang CHOI (KOR) wrestle it out in the 1/8 finals.

Third seed Akbar KURBANOV (KAZ) will get one of the U23 world bronze Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL) or Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK) in the quarterfinals before a potential semifinal against Alibegov.

65kg

If Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB) can beat Seonho YOO (KOR) in his opening bout, he will face top seed Bajrang PUNIA (IND) in the quarterfinal. The winner is likely to face fourth seed Haji ALI (BRN) in the semifinal.

Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL) and Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) are meeting in the first round on the lower side and the winner will get to face Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ) in the quarterfinal.

The lower side, however, has junior world champion Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) as well. He makes his debut in the Olympic weight class of 65kg and will face Inayat ULLAH (PAK) in his first bout before a quarterfinal against third seed Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN). That bout could be a clash of the styles as both like to take their time to attack.

70kg

The favorite to win the gold and world silver medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) and defending champion Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) are seeded number one and two respectively and can only meet in the final.

For that, Akmataliev will have to first beat one of Perman HOMMADOV (TKM) or NAVEEN (IND) in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he is likely to face the U23 Asian champion from 2019 Temuulen ENKHTUYA (MGL)

Talgat will get either Yongseok JEONG (KOR) or Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB) in the quarterfinals but the semifinals can be a bigger test as he will have to beat one of Mohammademehdi YEGANEHJAFARI (IRI) or Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN).

74kg

Defending champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) is seeded third at 74kg which means he will have Islambek OROZBEKOV (KGZ) in the semifinals if they hold true to their seeding. Orozbekov was bronze when Kaipanov won gold in 2021.

But Kaipanov will have to go past either the '21 Asian bronze Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) or the upcoming Yash TUSHIR (IND). The Navruzov-Tushir bout will be a display of some willy wrestling and Tushir's stamina.

Orozbekov has to beat one of CHARLYYEV (TKM) or Hong LOU (SGP).

Top seed and former world bronze medalist Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) will be leading the charge for Iran and a quarterfinal against Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) who won a bronze in 2020.

Fourth seed Byambadorj BAT-ERDENE (MGL) will have to wrestle against Seungbong LEE (KOR) or Lakmal Wijesooriya (SRI) for a spot in the semifinals.

79kg

Number one seed and '20 Asian champion Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) can set up a rematch of that final from New Delhi against Gourav BALIYAN (IND) in the semifinal in Ulaanbaatar. That can only happen if they both win their first bout.

Budazhapov will wrestle one of Jasurbek USMONOXUNOV (UZB) or Bumgue SEO (KOR) in the quarterfinal to reach the semifinal while Baliyan has to beat Gurbanmyrat OVEZBERDIYEV (TKM).

Number two seed Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) will likely wrestle Byambadorj ENKHBAYAR (MGL) in the quarterfinal. A win will take him to the semifinal.

That bout can be against third seed Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ) but first, he will have to go past the winner of Yudai TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Shuhrat BOZOROV (TJK).

86kg

Since world champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is not entered, Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) takes the top seed and can face Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB) in the quarterfinal. A semifinal against either Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ) or Muhammad INAM (PAK) awaits.

Second seed and former world silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) will begin his campaign against Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM) or Mohsen MOSTAFAVI (IRI). If he manages to reach the semifinal he can face third seed Gwanuk KIM (KOR). Kim will have to beat one of Shota SHIRAI (JPN) and Temuujin MENDBILEG (MGL).

92kg

Junior world champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) did not get a seed but will be primed to win the gold at 92kg. He wrestles Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ) in the quarterfinal and can face the top seed and '20 Asian silver Takuma OTSU (JPN).

The Japanese wrestler has Jinmyeong KIM (KOR) first up in the quarterfinal.

The lower side has Orgilokh DAGVADORJ (MGL) as the second seed and two-time age-group world medalist Viky CHAHAR (IND) as the third seed. Stopping them from facing other in the semifinal will be Ajiniyaz SAPARNIYAZOV (UZB) and Mirlan CHYNYBEKOV (KGZ).

Chahar has Chynybekov in the quarters while Dagvadorj will wrestle Saparniyazov.

97kg

Second seed Mohammadhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) is the favorite to win the gold at 97kg and for that, he has to beat Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM) in the quarterfinal and one of third seed Satywart KADIAN (IND) or Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) in the semifinal.

His finalist will come from the top side which has top seed Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL) who was second at the 2019 Asian Championships. He wrestles Yasar Dogu 2022 bronze medalist Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ) in the quarterfinal.

The other quarterfinal will see Minwon SEO (KOR) against Mukhammadrasul RAKHIMOV (UZB).

125kg

Top seed and junior World bronze Anirudh KUMAR (IND) will have to battle it out against Rustam ISKANDARI (TJK) in the quarterfinal. Iskandari is a three-time Asian medalist and is the favorite to reach the final from the top side.

But he has Tokyo Olympian at 97kg Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) waiting in the semifinals. The fourth seed Yergali still has to beat Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM) in the quarterfinal.

The lower side quarterfinals have second seed Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN) wrestling Batmagnai ENKHTUVSHIN (MGL) while Yadollah MOHEBI (IRI) is wrestling Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB).

The winner of these quarterfinals will clash in the semifinal before the final.

Trailblazer Epp Mae retires as Estonia's top wrestler

Tuesday, January 28, 2025 - 13:16 By Vinay Siwach

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ESTONIA (January 28) -- European champion and two-time World Championships medalist Epp MAE (EST) announced her retirement earlier in January at an emotional press conference in Tallinn. She left her shoes on the mat, symbolizing retirement from wrestling.

The 32-year-old is Estonia's most successful wrestler in Women's Wrestling, winning gold at the European Championships in 2021 and silver medals in the 2017 and 2022 editions. She also has a bronze medal from 2019.

At the World Championships, Mae became the first Estonian wrestler to win a medal, enter the final, and even have two medals. She won silver in the 76kg in 2021, plus three bronze medals in 2015, 2019, and 2022.

"The day I announced my retirement was very emotional and hard because something so big in your life came to an end," Mae told UWW. "I knew that I was about to retire because I was expecting a baby. But it was difficult to stand in front of the people and say that this part of my life has ended, so announcing was harder than deciding it inside myself."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Epp Mäe (@eppmae)

Mae is a two-time Olympian for Estonia. She made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games and finished 13th. She improved to eighth at the 2020 Tokyo Games. For the 2024 Paris Olympics, Mae tried qualifying in the 76kg weight class but failed to achieve that. Her last international competition was the World Olympic Qualifier in May in Istanbul.

"To be honest, I did not expect my career to be this long, as it is," she said. "I did not have any role models in female wrestling in Estonia when I was growing up. So I had no idea whether it was possible to earn money or live from wrestling and how far it was possible to go from my country. I dedicated my life and my career to wrestling as much as I could. An athlete should know it's time to step down. It aligned for me with a wish to start a family."

Epp MAE (EST)An emotional Epp MAE (EST) announcing her retirement in a wrestling club in Tallinn on January 9. (Photo: ERR / Siim Lõvi)

Mae took up wrestling after her father, a former wrestler, pushed her into the sport. However, there were no partners to train with and Mae did not have any national competitions. She even trained in judo and sumo just to get training.

When Estonia did start a national championship in women's wrestling, Mae dominated, winning it 12 times in her career. For other sports, she is a four-time Estonian sumo champion, a four-time Estonian beach wrestling champion, and has also been an Estonian judo champion on one occasion.

"I have always laughed that the population of Estonia is 1.3 million and I am one in a million to choose to do something like this and be successful," she said. "Coming from a small nation, it is not easy to break through to the top. Most likely you don't have training partners at home. you have to travel a lot away from your country and get to train at a level that you need to succeed."

Epp MAE (EST)Epp MAE (EST), red, wrestling at the 2014 World Championships in Tashkent. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Internationally, Mae made her debut in 2007 at the U17 European Championships, winning a bronze medal in the 70kg weight class. She began her senior career at the Yasar Dogu in 2011 and won a silver medal at 72kg at the age of 18.

In 2012, Mae clinched the U20 European Championships and remains the only Estonian wrestler to win gold at the continental event at any age group. A decade later, she reached the final of the World Championships at 76kg, marking another historic landmark in Estonian wrestling.

"As I said there was no one in front of me to lead the way, I am happy that I went through everything to get to places and results that I managed to and kind of make a path for all the girls from Estonia who will ever wish or have this doubt whether it is possible to get that far," she said. "I am happy that they have a path already in front of them. I wish that they would want to go bigger and further than I did. I will be more than excited and happy if someone did do that."

Epp MAE (EST)Epp MAE (EST) wrestling in the 2021 World Championships final at 76kg in Oslo. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Reflecting on her career two-decade-long career, Mae did share her disappointment of not winning a medal at the Olympics but was happy to have achieved what she has for Estonia.

"My father recently told a journalist that what I did [in wrestling] was against the odds because we did not have all the possibilities and facilities a bigger team would have," she said. "So I think I did good in my career by achieving the results that I did. Little sad that I did not win a medal at the Olympics. But I can leave wrestling knowing that I gave everything. There is never going to be any doubt that what if I could have done this or that."

Now off the mat, Mae will concentrate on her family and follow the sport from afar.

"I will keep following wrestling and the wrestling friends I have made during the years. I will keep following them," she said. "For Estonia wrestling, I wish all the girls in different age groups we have right now will be motivated just to go as far as possible and always try to achieve the best for you. I will try to help Estonian wrestling as I can and I hope they will not stop developing Estonian female wrestling."