#WrestleHangzhou

Asian Games Wrestling: Yazdani vs Punia, Tazhudinov vs Goleij in finals

Saturday, October 7, 2023 - 01:42 By Vinay Siwach

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LIN'AN, Hangzhou, China (October 7) -- The Asian Games in Hangzhou will see the final day of wrestling at the Lin'an Sports Culture and Exhibition Center. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) and Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) are wrestling today as wrestlers in Freestyle 74kg, 86kg, 97kg and 125kg

LIVE MATCH ORDER | BRACKETS | DAY 3 RESULTS

That's it for the session before repechage begins. Here are the finals for the evening session

74kg
Kirin KINOSHITA (JPN) vs. Yones EMAMI (IRI)

86kg
Deepak PUNIA vs Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)

97kg
Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) vs Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN)

125kg
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) vs. Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)

12:55: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) returns to the 86kg final at the Asian Games with yet another 10-0 victory in the semifinal. He will take on Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) who manages to score a late exposure against Deepak PUNIA to win 3-2. Wait we have challenge... Punia is asking for two points as well. The jury awards two points to Punia and he wins 4-3 against Shapiev.

12:48: Asian Championships silver medalist Kirin KINOSHITA (JPN) takes out defending champion Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) 6-0 to enter the final at 74kg. A top win for the Japanese. He will face Yones EMAMI (IRI) who defeats Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) 9-3.

12:45: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) and Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) final set at 97kg. The two wrestled at the Asian Championships with Tazhudinov scoring a 13-8 win over Goleij.

12:33: Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) with a fall over Khusanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) in the 125kg semifinals. Munkhtur will wait for the winner of Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) and Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) to know his final opponent. 

12:25: Azamat DALUETBEKOV (KAZ) is absolutely livid with his coach who challenged a stepout call with 30 seconds on board. Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) led 2-1 when he forced the stepout to make it 3-1. Kazakhstan corner decided to challenge the call and as Daluetbekov had put his hand out first, it was called a stepout and Kazakhstan lost the challenge, giving Shapiev an extra point. Daluetbekov scored the takedown but that made it only 4-3.

Just two weeks back, Daluetbekov had scored a final-second takedown against Shapiev to win the World Championships bronze medal.

12:15: Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) has still got it. The defending champion puts himself in the 74kg semifinal after beating Darkhan YESSENGALI (KAZ) 3-1. On Mat C, Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) scores the winning takedown to beat Bali SOU (CAM) 5-1 at 125kg.

12:12: A stepout, takedown, stepout, takedown, turn, turn. That's the scoring pattern Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) used to beat in the first period and reach the 86kg semifinal.

12:05: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) scored a takedown in each of the two periods to beat Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) 4-2 at 97kg. He moves into the semifinals.

12:03: Deepak PUNIA gives up three stepouts against Shota SHIRAI (JPN) but his two takedowns, one stepout and two caution points against Shirai are enough to help him move into the semifinals with a 7-3 win.

11:48: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) takes a minute and 56 seconds to beat Mukhammad ABDULLAEV (KGZ) at 86kg. Yazdani is the defending champion at the Asian Games.

11:40: World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) on Mat A wrestling BUHEEERDUN (CHN) in the 125kg quarterfinals. Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) wrestling Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) at 97kg on Mat B. Zare works to a 10-0 win while Yergali holds off Ishiguro for a 4-2 victory.

11:35: Azamat DALUETBEKOV (KAZ), the 86kg world bronze medalist, is made to work hard by Gwanuk KIM (KOR) in the opening bout but he gets the job done 6-0.

11:30: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) with a go-behind to open the scoring against Kanybek  Abdulkhairov. He adds exposure and an activity period point to lead 5-0. An arm-bar to get the fall just at the break!

11:22: Defending champion Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) with two activity points in either period to win 2-0 against Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) at 74kg. 

11:15: Yones EMAMI (IRI) will feel the heat of this bout against Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) perhaps later in the day. Emami scores a 7-2 win but Toktomambetov brought the pace with him and Emami looks a little tired here.

10:55: World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) with a composed 10-0 win over Zaman ANWAR (PAK) at 125kg. He will have a 10-minute break before the next round of matches. 

10:50: Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) and Feng LU (CHN) roll to technical superiority wins on Mat C. The Kazakhstan wrestler beats Farkhod ANAKULOV (TJK) at 125kg while Lu thrills the crowd by beating Inayat ULLAH (PAK) at 74kg.

10:35: Omar SAREM (SYR) got a big four against Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN) to lead 4-4 on criteria but the Japanese wrestler scored a takedown to make it 6-4. A reversal for Sarem but that doesn't change the final result.

10:25: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) with a 10-0 win over VICKY to advance. Next up on Mat C is Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) and SUMIT at 125kg. Sumit qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in Sofia but was later found to have failed a dope test. His place was awarded to Lazarev.

10:20: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) built a 2-0 lead over Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) but the Uzbek with a counter four! Goleij with a stepout to lead cut the lead 4-3 at the break. Ibragimov with a takedown in the second period to lead 6-3 now. Both wrestlers are on the edge and it's a stepout for Ibragimov who now leads 7-4. Well, that was it for Ibragimov as Goleij scored a takedown and three turns to make it 13-7 and advance.

10:14: Deepak PUNIA lost to Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) in the Asian Championships in 92kg but he avenged that loss with a 3-2 win at 86kg. Bost wrestlers had a takedown each but Punia with an activity point in the second period to win the bout.

10:00: World champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) is on Mat A against Awusayiman HABILA (CHN), a rematch of the Asian Championships final in which Tazhudinov won. The Bahrain wrestler with a big attempted lift but gets only two points. A takedown for Tazhudinov but Habila scores a reversal just before the break. The second period begins with Habila go behind and he cuts Tazhudinov's lead to 5-3. Tazhudinov answers with a takedown to lead 7-3 and is happy to keep it as the clock expires.

#WrestleAcapulco

Pan-Am Olympic Qualifiers Preview: Elor gets ready for 68kg

Monday, February 26, 2024 - 12:52 By United World Wrestling Press

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ACAPULCO, Mexico (February 26) -- The first Paris Olympic qualifying event will kick off February 28 in Acapulco, Mexico. The Pan-American Olympic Qualifying tournament is the first of the four continental qualifiers.

The three-day event will see six Greco-Roman Olympic weight classes on February 28, followed by Women's Wrestling on February 29 and Freestyle on March 1.

The qualification rounds will begin at 1000 hours local time while the Paris 2024 Qualification bouts i.e. the semifinals, will begin at 1700 hours local time. The winners of each semifinal will earn a Paris Games ticket for the respective nation. Four wrestlers per weight class will be seeded in each weight class and there will be no gold and bronze medal bouts and repechage bouts.

The Pan-American Championships last week at the same venue gave some insight into how the United States can dominate all three styles. But some of the most intense competitions are expected to take place in Women's Wrestling in Acapulco.

All eyes will be on Amit ELOR (USA) as the 72kg world champion makes the descent to the Olympic weight class of 68kg. Elor is undeniably the favorite to win the weight class and qualify the U.S. Since she is not seeded, Elor will be drawn at random in the bracket.

Former world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) will also hope to get the quota for Canada at 68kg.

Another world champion from the U.S. is Dominique PARRISH (USA) who is looking to get the spot at 53kg. She won the World Championships in 2022 but fell in the first round in 2023. She is yet to repeat her performance from 2022 and the Pan-Am qualifiers will be a big test for her.

Parrish will be seeded number one at 53kg and can face a stiff challenge from former Pan-Am champion Karla GODINEZ (CAN) who will not have a seed in the bracket.

At 50kg, Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU) and Mariana ROJAS (VEN), the finalists from the Pan-Am champs will be happy to repeat the performance and claim the spot for their countries. But top seed Alisson CARDOZO (COL)  will look to bounce back after a medalless Pan-Ams. 

Top seed Giullia PENALBER (BRA) and Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) have a chance to win the quotas at 57kg if the two can repeat their performances from the Pan-Ams. Penalber was the finalist, while Taylor reached the semifinals before suffering an injury. She will have to quickly recover from the injury she suffered in the semifinal.

Former Pan-Am champ and third seed Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) can also spring a surprise in the qualifiers along with second seed Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX).

Another top battle can ensue at 62kg as Pan-Am champ Kayla MIRACLE (USA) and Ana GODINEZ (CAN) step up for their countries and qualify for the Paris Games. The two met in the final last week and are the favorites to repeat.

Lias NUNES (BRA) will, however, look to spoil the party for Godinez and earn a spot for Brazil. She is seeded third and can only meet Godinez in the semifinal. 

The 76kg class had three qualifications from the World Championships. This will leave Justina DI STASIO (CAN) and Pan-Am champ Genesis REASCO (ECU) hoping to get a win in the semifinals. The two are seeded number one and two, so they will not meet each other in the bracket.

Nicholas LEE (USA)Pan-Am champ Nicholas LEE (USA) will be the one of the favorites to qualify at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / William Bain)

Freestyle

The U.S. has already qualified for the 74kg, 86kg, 97kg and 125kg in Freestyle and will look to complete the line up in Acapulco with 57kg and 65kg. Zane RICHARDS (USA) at 57kg and Nicholas LEE (USA) at 65kg will be the favorite to win these weight classes.

At 57kg, Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN) will be seeded number one while Richards will be number two and can only meet in the final. If the two seeds hold, both will win a quota for their respective countries.

But Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) and Darian CRUZ (PUR) will look to win a quota as well. Bravo has been wrestling in the NCAA in the U.S. for a few years while Cruz has racked up international wins.

For Pan-Am champ Lee, Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) would have been the biggest challenge, but since the two are seeded number one and two, both can meet only in the final. That makes two-time world medalist Alejandro VALDES (CUB) another favorite to win the semifinal and qualify. Austin GOMEZ (MEX) will also be keen on winning his semifinal.

In the weight classes with no U.S. wrestlers, veteran Jeandry GARZON (CUB) will look to qualify for his second Olympics at the age of 40 years. He has four World Championships medals but the last came in 2010.

It will be interesting to see who manages to win the semifinals but Cesar BORDEAUX (BRA) and Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR) will back themselves if they reach the last-four.

Cuba will also back former Pan-Am champion Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) to qualify the 86kg spot. But it won't be an east bath for him. Ethan RAMOS (PUR), seed number one Pedro CEBALLOS (VEN) and Anthony VALENCIA (MEX) will also be in the fray to win the spot.

Canada can hope that Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN) at 97kg and Amarveer DHESI (CAN) at 125kg will be the favorites in their respective weight classes. Randhawa will have to be careful as Maxwell LACEY (CRC), Arturo SILOT (CUB) and Cristian SARCO (VEN) are entered as well.

Dhesi won the Pan-Am Games last year and has the experience to go all the way but Ibrain TORRES (CUB), Jonovan SMITH (PUR) and Jose DIAZ (VEN) will be his biggest challengers.

Arsen JUFALAKYAN (ARG)Arsen JUFALAKYAN (ARG) wrestling at the 2015 World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Greco-Roman

The return of 2012 Olympic silver medalist Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG) will be the biggest story in Greco-Roman. The 36-year-old became a world champion in 2014 and competed for Armenia at the European Championships in 2020. However, he has now switched to Argentina. He competed at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix in January, winning a silver medal.

As an unseeded wrestler, Julfalakyan will be drawn at random in the bracket. Top seed Yosvanys PENA (CUB) will start as the favorite along with top seed Kamal BEY (USA). Interestingly, both lost in the semifinal of the Pan-Am Championships as Jair CUERO MUNOZ (COL), who will be seeded second, won the gold medal while Joilson RAMOS (BRA) was the silver medalist. Will Julfalakyan manage to navigate this bracket and return to the Olympics?

Cuba will be hoping that Pan-Am champion Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) gets the Paris Games spot at 87kg. He will be the top-seeded wrestler and the favored wrestler to win his semifinal. Luis AVENDANO (VEN), who won silver at the Pan-Ams, will be on the opposite side of the bracket.

Alfonso ARIEL ANDRES (HON) and Carlos MUNOZ (COL), who reached the semifinals at the Pan-Ams, will hope to win it at the qualifiers.

At 130kg, Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) is undoubtedly the favorite while top seed Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) will hope Acosta doesn't fall on his side of the bracket. Moises PEREZ (VEN) is the second seed for the Pan-Am qualifiers.

Hondoras has a big chance of winning a Paris Games quota as Pan-Am champ Kevin MEJIA (HON) looks to repeat his performance from the championships. He will be the top seed for the 97kg weight class. 

Pan-Am silver medalist Alan VERA (USA) will be the favorite from the other side of the bracket as he is seeded number two and was the finalist against Mejia last week.

At 60kg, Raiber RODRIGUEZ (VEN) won the Pan-Am Championships and has the chance to qualify for the Paris Games if he can repeat at the qualifiers as the top seed. The U.S. will bank on second seed Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) who skipped the Pan-Ams to prepare for the qualifiers.

Alejandro SANCHO (USA) is another Pan-Am champion who is seeded number one for the quaifiers and will be the favorite. The 67kg weight class has Julian HORTA (COL) as the second seed but he lost to Andres MONTANO (ECU) in the Pan-Am semifinals and will have to avenge that loss if the two meet.