#WrestleAstana

Asian Championships day one finals set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (April 9) -- The Asian Championships are underway in Astana. Greco-Roman will kick off the continental championships with five weight classes. The tournament has same-day finals.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

The finals are set. Like always, Greco-Roman threw some stunning bout. Here are the pairs

55kg - RUPIN (IND) vs. Poya DAD MARZ (IRI)
63kg - Iman Hossein Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB) 77kg - Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) vs. Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)
87kg - Naser Ghasem ALIZADEH (IRI) vs. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
130kg - Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs. Lingzhe MENG (CHN) 

14:26: In the final semifinal match, Alikhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) ran out of gas and lost his chance to defend his title after losing with three cautions to Zagreb Open bronze medalist Lingzhe MENG (CHN). Syzydkov was leading 3-0 in the second period when he had no energy to withstand Meng, who would have won anyway by technical fall as the score was 11-3 after Syzdykov received his third caution for fleeing during a stepout.

14:25: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) with a par terre to gut wrench and wins his 130kg semifinal against Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB) 9-0.

14:15: Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) has got the home crowd excited. He sends A. AZISBEKOV (KGZ) to two big throws and wins his 87kg semifinal 11-0. He will wrestle Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) for the gold.

14:12: The 7-point lead that Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) built up in the first period provided more than the cushion he needed when he gave up a second-period takedown to Sunil KUMAR (IND), and the 7-2 win gives him the chance a winning a second straight 87kg title. Kumar will have a chance for a second straight bronze.

14:04: World champion Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) proved too much for Kodai SAKURABA (JPN), storming to a 9-1 technical fall in 2:41 to give him a shot at a third senior Asian title. Sakuraba will be wrestling for a second straight bronze. 

14:01: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) led 1-0 at the break after the forced par terre position before Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) got the lead 1-1 for his par terre. He managed to roll Zhadrayev and lead 3-1. Kaviyaninejad was called for passivity but did not give up any points. He wins 3-1 to reach the final.

13:58: Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB), the Asian U23 champion, will have a shot at the senior title after coming back with a dramatic victory by fall over Mukhamedali MAMURBEK (KAZ) in the other 63kg semifinal. Mamurbek had taken a 5-2 lead before Sharibjanov stormed back.

13:52: No surprises there as Iman Hossein Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) rolls Jinseub SONG (KOR) to a 9-0 win. He uses his gut wrench from par terre to reach the final at 63kg.

13:43: In a replay of the final at the Ranking Series Zagreb Open in February, Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) dispatched Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZ) 8-1 to advance to the 55kg final, assuring that he will improve on his bronze medal from 2021. 

13:40: RUPIN (IND) into the final at 55kg. He gets a gut wrench from par terre and then defends his par terre position to beat Haifeng ZHANG (CHN) 3-1 in the semifinal

We have the semifinals set. Here's how the order will be

Mat B
55kg - RUPIN (IND) vs Haifeng ZHANG (CHN)
63kg - Iman Hossein Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Jinseub SONG (KOR)
77kg - Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) vs Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)
87kg - A. AZISBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
130kg - Amin MIRZAZADEH ((IRI) vs Temurbek NASIMOV (KAZ)

Mat C
55kg - Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) vs. Poya DAD MARZ (IRI)
63kg - Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB) vs Mukhamedali MAMURBEK (KAZ)
77kg - Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) vs Kodai SAKURABA (JPN)
87kg - Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) vs. Sunil KUMAR (IND) 
130kg - Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) vs. Lingzhe MENG (CHN)

13:20: 2020 Asian champion Sunil KUMAR (IND) is in the semifinal. He will face defending champion Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) at 87kg on Mat C

13:13: Iran made it a perfect 5-for-5 for getting its wrestlers into the semifinals, but Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) cut it as close as possible at 77kg. Kaviyaninejad, the 2020 Asian champion at 72kg, squeezed out a 1-1 victory over Rui LIU (CHN) by resisting from the bottom of par terre in the final minute.  

13:02: World silver medalist Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is into the semifinals at 130kg after brushing aside Roman KIM (KGZ) by technical fall. Mirzazadeh is looking to add to the senior Asian title he won in 2020. 

12:56: World U23 champion Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) looked clinical in rolling to an 8-0 technical fall over Taiga ONISHI (JPN) to gain a place in the 55kg semifinals.

12:51: Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ), looking for his first Asian medal since 2015, showed how experience counts in this sport when he shrugged off an 0-5 deficit and came back for an 11-5 win over 2022 silver medalist Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) in the quarterfinals at 87kg. Turynov topped off the win with a pair of gut-wrenches. 

12:48: Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR) with a stunning head pinch to throw Kodai SAKURABA (JPN) in the first half. But they have called it a foul. A challenge from Kim. Reviews show that he committed a leg foul. A big throw from Kim but it's two each for both the wrestlers. Sakuraba scores another move and it's 7-5 for him. Kim will bow out.

12:38: World champion Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) begins his title defense at 77kg in style, rolling to a 9-0 technical fall over Jeyhun OVEZDURDYYEV (TKM) to advance to the semifinals. 

12:41: Another defending champion, Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) at 87kg, overcame the challenge of a gutsy Masato SUMI (JPN) to make the semifinals with a 1-1 victory. Neither wrestler could score from par terre, and Alizadeh got the win by last-point criteria. 

12:32: Defending 130kg champion Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) gut-wrenched his way to a technical fall over Aybegshazada KURRAYEV (TKM) to book his place in the semifinals. 

12:26: At 130kg, world U20 bronze medalist Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB) fights out of a near go-behind takedown and hangs on for a 5-3 win over NAVEEN (IND) to make the semifinals.  

12:12: World U20 bronze medalist Taiga ONISHI (JPN), looking to keep the 55kg title in Japanese hands for the third straight year following the back-to-back golds by Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), cruised to a 5-0 victory over Mostafa ALQADE (JOR). Next up is world U23 champion Poya DAD MARZ (IRI). 

12:05: Masato SUMI (JPN) begins with a statement win. He moves to the quarterfinals with an 11-0 win over Shyhazberdi OVELEKOV (TKM).

12:01: 2022 bronze medalist Kodai SAKURABA (JPN) gets the big lift to finish off a technical fall over Lai Hsing YAO (TPE) at 77kg. That puts him into a quarterfinal clash with 34-year-old 5-time champion Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR).

11:58: Veteran Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), looking for his fifth career senior Asian medal, gets off to a good start with a technical fall over Amro SADEH (JOR) at 77kg. 

11:48: NEERAJ (IND), a bronze medalist in 2022, gets through his qualification round match at 63kg by holding on for a 7-6 win over Dastan KADYROV (KGZ) to advance to the quarterfinals. 

11:40: We did not expect that start! RUPIN (IND) wrestles back from 7-0 down to a 16-7 win over Sardarbek KONUSHBAEV (KGZ) as Rupin exposes Konushbaev's weak conditioning. 

11:30: Welcome to Astana for the start of the Asian Championships. We're kicking off the six days of action with five weight classes in Greco-Roman -- 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg, 130kg. There are three defending champions in action today, Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) at 77kg, Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) at 87kg and Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) at 130kg. Makhmudov is also the reigning world champion. 

#WrestleAmman

U17 Worlds: India claims four WW golds after unbeaten run

By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 22) -- China's Na HU (CHN) stole a match in the dying seconds but it was India that stole the show at the U17 World Championships in Amman on Thursday. India had four wrestlers in the final in Women's Wrestling and all four won gold medals.

Last year, India had won only one gold, coming at 61kg. But with four golds and five more weight classes remaining, the country is set to register its best at the U17 World Championships.

Hu was the other champion of the day at 49kg, a weight class in which India had no participation as it sent only nine wrestlers in Women's Wrestling to the U17 Asian Championships in June.

NEHA (IND)NEHA (IND) scores a takedown against So TSUTSUI (JPN) during the 57kg final at the U17 World Championships in Amman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Leading the Indian team was returning bronze medalist NEHA (IND) at 57kg. A day before heading to Amman, Neha met VINESH (IND) who had returned from the Paris Olympics. Vinesh had become the first wrestler to beat Yui SUSAKI (JPN) internationally and reach the final at 50kg. She was later disqualified for failing her weigh-in on the second day.

Hailing from the same village -- Balali in Haryana -- as Vinesh, Neha did not take long to announce herself, winning the gold medal by beating So TSUTSUI (JPN) in a show of brute power. In her earlier bouts on Wednesday, Neha won one via fall, one via technical superiority and the semifinal 8-4.

The 16-year-old will have to quickly refocus as she is scheduled to compete at her first U20 World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain from September 2.

Mansi LATHER (IND)Mansi LATHER (IND) works for the pin against Hanna PIRSKAYA (AIN) during the 73kg final at the U17 World Championships in Amman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 73kg, Mansi LATHER (IND) capped off her dominant run with a gold medal by pinning Hanna PIRSKAYA (AIN) in the final. This was her third fall in four bouts while one was a 6-0 win over returning champion Piper FOWLER (USA).

Lather built a 3-0 lead over Pirskaya at the break and continued her attacks in the second period. She had Pirskaya's back on the mat after a takedown and secured the fall with 1:23 remaining in the four-minute bout. The gold is an addition to her gold at the U17 Asian Championships in 69kg in June.

PULKIT (IND)PULKIT (IND) and Daria FROLOVA (AIN) in a scramble during the 65kg final at the U17 World Championships in Amman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

PULKIT (IND) did not dominate her final but did enough to beat Daria FROLOVA (AIN), 6-3, and win the gold medal at 65kg. She got the first points on board when Frolova tried to score a pushout but Pulkit defended and pushed Frolova out. Frolova fell with Pulkit scoring a takedown to take a 2-0 lead. It became 3-0 when Frolova was called passive.

A missed leg-attack from Frolova gave another takedown to Pulkit who extended her lead to 5-0. Frolova cut the lead to 5-3 when she scored a takedown and Pulkit was cautioned. The next attempt gave her hope but Pulkit defended the attack and came out unscathed. A lost challenge added one point to Pulkit's score.

Aditi KUMARI (IND)Aditi KUMARI (IND) celebrates after winning the 43kg gold medal at the U17 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Aditi KUMARI (IND) was the fourth gold medalist for India as she defeated Maria GKIKA (GRE) 7-0 in the 43kg final. Gkika was hoping to become Greece's first world champion in Women's Wrestling in 22 years.

Kumari got the first point when Gkika was called passive before she added a takedown just before the break to lead 3-0. She added two gut wrenches before the clock expired and raced to a 7-0 lead that she maintained till the end of the match.

Ha, the lone Chinese wrestler in the final, had to bring out a clutch double-leg to score two points and beat Utaha YUI (JPN) 4-3 in the 49kg final and become the first wrestler from China to win gold at U17 Worlds in Women's Wrestling after five years.

Yui led 3-0 at the break but Ha scored a takedown to cut it to 3-2 in the second period. As Yui tried holding on to that lead, Ha made continuous attempts to break the defense. She finally succeeded in the final 10 seconds, using a double-leg attack, completing the takedown with head-outside for two points.

Yuu KATSUME (JPN)Yuu KATSUME (JPN) defeated Morgan TURNER (USA) in the 46kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

India eyes team title

With four golds and two more finalists on Friday, India will be favorites to win the Women's Wrestling team title in Amman. This would be the first time it will accomplish the feat after falling short for the last five years.

India has 100 points from the gold medal while Japan, in second spot, has 56 points. Japan has three finalists on Friday and is still looking for its first gold medal. Japan hopes that one of Yuu KATSUME (JPN), Nana KOZUKA (JPN) and Sae NOGUCHI (JPN) end the drought.

Katsume entered the 46kg final by beating returning champion Morgan TURNER (USA) 13-2 in the semifinal. She will take on Shrutika PATIL (IND) for gold after Patil beat Medina KUANYSHBEK (KAZ) in the other semifinals.

Kozuka was also dominant, winning her 53kg semifinal via fall over Lisette BOETTKER (EST) and will take on Kaura COLES (CAN) after she became the first Canadian to reach the U17 Worlds final in Women's Wrestling. Coles beat Isabella GONZALES (USA), 8-3.

Noguchi will look to stop the United States from having a U17 world champion as she faces Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) in the 61kg final. Noguchi beat Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) 5-0 while Fernandez pinned Zhaidar MUKAT (KAZ) in the semifinals.

At 69kg, Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) will face KAJAL (IND) after she stunned Ilayda CIN (TUR) with a fall. Cin was leading 4-0 when Rybak rolled over and pinned her. Kajal defeated Rahma BEDIWY (EGY), 4-3, in a close semifinal.

Ukraine's second finalist was Kamila KUCHMA (UKR) who won her semifinal at 40kg against Nazrin AHMADLI (AZE) 5-0. She will take on Aleksandra FEDOROVA (AIN) who defeated Raj BALA (IND) 4-3, thanks to a challenge to give her the win instead of Bala, who was winning 3-2 before the challenge.

https://photo.uww.org/Wrestling/2024/U17-World-Championships/Womens-Wrestling

RESULTS

43kg
GOLD: Aditi KUMARI (IND) df. Maria GKIKA (GRE), 7-0 

BRONZE: Aleksandra BEREZOVSKAIA (AIN) df. Mareim ABDELAAL (EGY), 7-0
BRONZE: Gabriela PALACIOS (MEX) df. Xin HUANG (CHN), 6-4

49kg
GOLD: Na HU (CHN) df. Utaha YUI (JPN), 4-3

BRONZE: Kseniya KOSTSENICH (AIN) df. Dounia ZITOUNI (ALG), via fall
BRONZE: Polina BOCHKAREVA (AIN) df. Esra MAMMADLI (AZE), 9-0

57kg
GOLD: NEHA (IND) df. So TSUTSUI (JPN), 10-0

BRONZE: Anna STRATAN (KAZ) df. Mairi MANI (GRE), 5-1
BRONZE: Palina BRAHINETS (AIN) df. Barbara BAGER (HUN), 7-3

65kg
GOLD: PULKIT (IND) df. Daria FROLOVA (AIN), 6-3

BRONZE: Uldana TILEUKHAN (KAZ) df. Anastasiya KOMANAVA (AIN), via fall (13-2)
BRONZE: Maram ALY (EGY) df. Ling CAI (CHN), via fall (11-0)

73kg
GOLD: Mansi LATHER (IND) df. Hanna PIRSKAYA (AIN), via fall

BRONZE: Lotta ENGLICH (GER) df. Khrystyna DEMCHUK (UKR), via fall (5-2)
BRONZE: Diana TITOVA (AIN) df. Makia KIMURA (JPN), 6-0

Women's Wrestling Semifinals

40kg
GOLD: Kamila KUCHMA (UKR) vs. Aleksandra FEDOROVA (AIN)

SF 1: Aleksandra FEDOROVA (AIN) df. Raj BALA (IND), 4-3
SF 2: Kamila KUCHMA (UKR) df. Nazrin AHMADLI (AZE), 5-0

46kg
GOLD: Shrutika PATIL (IND) vs. Yuu KATSUME (JPN)

SF 1: Yuu KATSUME (JPN) df. Morgan TURNER (USA), 13-2
SF 2: Shrutika PATIL (IND) df. Medina KUANYSHBEK (KAZ), 3-1

53kg
GOLD: Nana KOZUKA (JPN) vs. Kaura COLES (CAN)

SF 1: Kaura COLES (CAN) df. Isabella GONZALES (USA), 8-3
SF 2: Nana KOZUKA (JPN) df. Lisette BOETTKER (EST), via fall (10-0)

61kg
GOLD: Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) vs. Sae NOGUCHI (JPN)

SF 1: Sae NOGUCHI (JPN) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 5-0
SF 2: Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) df. Zhaidar MUKAT (KAZ), via fall (6-0)

69kg
GOLD: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) vs. KAJAL (IND) 

SF 1: KAJAL (IND) df. Rahma BEDIWY (EGY), 4-3
SF 2: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) df. Ilayda CIN (TUR), via fall (2-4)