Beach wrestling, beach, World Championships, Pakistan, gold medal, oil wrestling

Beach Wrestling World Champ’s Delivers High-Flying, Fan-Friendly Action

By Tim Foley

DALYAN, Turkey (October 24) – Muscular bodies and postcard sunsets met with top-level international wrestling and sprays of sand last week on the beaches of Dalyan, Turkey as United World Wrestling hosted the 2017 Beach Wrestling World Championships.

The championships were a celebration of the sport’s reemergence around the globe and the kickoff event for what the wrestling body believes will be the next big global sports phenomenon.

“Beach wrestling is an exciting area of development for our organization,” boasted United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. “The appeal is right there for everyone to see. We are in the sun, and wrestlers are very fit people so when they compete everything is pleasing to the spectators no matter how much they know about wrestling.”

Wrestlers in the Cadet, Junior and Senior age groups competed in a total of 20 weight categories across the three-day event. Iran, Ukraine and Pakistan all took home gold medals in men’s beach wrestling, while Norway and Italy proved to be the dominant powers on the women’s side.

Beach wrestling is an especially appealing competition style for wrestlers from nations like Pakistan, India, Vietnam and dozens in Africa since their local styles are very similar. With constant growth Mr. Lalovic and others believe that the sport will help wrestling reach millions more young wrestlers and continue growing interest in the Olympic styles as well.

“Beach wrestling has a lot of potential. We want to see it in more countries in 2018 and are planning for a new event series to make sure that we inspire our young athletes to get out and be active in our sport,” said Lalovic.

The Beach Wrestling World Championships latched on to local excitement for oil wrestling and held a joint event on the final day of wrestling, combining the men’s freestyle 90kg and +90kg finals with a Turkish Oil Wrestling competition. Known as “yagli gures” the sport dates back more than a thousand years and holds an annual championship known as “Kirkpinar” which attracts more than 100,000 fans and is considered the longest continually running athletic event in history.

With big eyes for the future, beach wrestling will expand its offerings in 2018 with a tentatively approved global tour of five cities capped by an annual prize event.

For more information on beach wrestling and more follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and on our homepage.

Men’s Senior Beach Wrestling

Men’s 70kg

GOLD:  RADULOV SEMEN (UKR) df. Mohammad NADERI (IRI), 3-2 
BRONZE:  Veli YANTIR (TUR) df. Michael PETERS (USA), 4-2 
BRONZE:  Aimar ANDRUSE (EST) df. Arouzmanidis NIKO (GRE), 2-1 

Men’s 80kg

GOLD: Sayed Jafar GHASEMI (IRI) df. Omid Hassan TABAR JELODAR (IRI), 3-0 
BRONZE: Serkan CAVUSOGLU (TUR) df. VELIKSAR SERGII (UKR), 1-0 

Men’s 90kg

GOLD:  Muahammad Inam (PAK) df. Pejman Fazlollah TABAR NAGHRACHI (IRI), 2-1 
BRONZE:  Pavlidis THEODOSIOS (GRE) df. Petridis CHRISTOS (GRE), 3-0 
BRONZE:  Savvinov PLATON (RUS) df. Kerimkulov CHYNGYZ (KGZ), 3-0 

Men’s 90kg+

GOLD:  Pouga RAHMANI (IRI) df. Hakan AYDOGAN (TUR), 3-0 
BRONZE:  Ivanov FEDOR (RUS) df. Kargiotakis IOANNIS (GRE), 2-2 
BRONZE:  Engin DAGLI (TUR) df. GABRIEL ARMAND (USA), 2-0 

Senior Women’s Beach Wrestling

Women’s 60kg

GOLD: Francesca INDELICATO (ITA) df. CHRISTINA DEMIRKAN (GRE), 4-0 
BRONZE: Florine SCHEDLER (AUT) df. Nadir UGURUN PERCIN (TUR), 2-0 

Women’s 70kg

GOLD: Charlotte SKAVNER (NOR)
SILVER: Cesilie MAGNUSEN (NOR)
BRONZE: Meral KAYA (TUR)

Women’s 70kg+

GOLD: Cathrine FRILSETH (NOR) df. Pesnille ROJAR (NOR), 4-0 
BRONZE: Pistiava AIKATERINI EIRIR (GRE) df. F Zehra KANLIADA (TUR), 3-0  

#WrestleHangzhou

Asian Games Wrestling: Japan puts 3 in WW finals; Iran vs China in GR

By Vinay Siwach

LIN'AN, Hangzhou, China (October 5) -- The Asian Games will see the second day of wrestling and it will be a mix of Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling. World champions Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI), Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) and Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) will be in action among others as Greco-Roman 97kg and 130kg and Women's Wrestling 50kg, 53kg and 57kg wrestlers take the mat.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | BRACKETS | DAY 1 RESULTS

The five finals for the evening session at the Asian Games

GR 97kg
Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) vs. Yiming LI (CHN()

GR 130kg
Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs. Lingzhe MENG (CHN)

WW 50kg
Son Hyang KIM (PRK) vs. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN)

WW 53kg
Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) vs. Qianyu PANG (CHN)

WW 57kg
In Sun JONG (PRK) vs. Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)

12:32: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) defends from par terre to beat Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) 3-1 in the 130kg semifinal. He will wrestle for gold against Lingzhe MENG (CHN) who completed a 1-1 criteria win over Minseok KIM (KOR).

12:25: Yiming LI (CHN) is the second finalist in Greco-Roman for China! He pins Seyeol LEE (KOR) in the 97kg semifinal to move on. He will take on Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) in for the gold medal.

12:15: Qianyu PANG (CHN) with a final second headpinch for four to beat Hyogyong CHOE (PRK). Absolute scenes here in Lin'an. Choe was in complete control of the bout leading 5-2 but then got locked by Pang who tried the first throw with 20 seconds left on the clock but was given clean. She keeps holding Choe in the headlock and completes the throw this time to get four! A challenge from Choe but that was lost. Pang into the final 7-5. She will face Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) who scored a 10-0 win over Bortulaya BAT-OCHIR (MGL)

12:05: Kexin HONG (CHN) is just not able to break In Sun JONG (PRK) defense. Hong on a big attack but Jong splits to defend. She then shrugs Hong using her leg to get 2 for exposure. Hong was unable to score from that split. Just before the break, Hong manages to score a takedown. Jong with a clutch takedown to win 4-2 and enter the 57kg final.

11:50: Seyeol LEE (KOR) with a turn in par terre to beat Narinder CHEEMA 3-1 at 97kg and he moves into the semifinals. Local favorite Yiming LI (CHN) with a takedown and three turns to complete an 8-0 win over Atthaphol SIRITHAHAN (THA).

11:46: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) goes into the 97kg semifinals with a controlled win over U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) while Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) pins Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB) at 130kg

11:40: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) into the semifinal after yet another 9-0 win in a minute and 50 seconds over Aybegshazada KURRAYEV (TKM). On Mat C, Lingzhe MENG (CHN) gets a 3-0 win over NAVEEN.

11:30: Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) got a scare from MANSI but she sees her off 3-2 in the 57kg quarterfinal. After all the Women's Wrestling quarterfinals, only Japan and DPR Korea wrestlers are unbeaten.

11:25: Kexin HONG (CHN) with a quick fall over Emma TISSINA (KAZ) at 57kg. The semifinal will be a fiery affair as she gets In Sun JONG (PRK). The 57kg wrestler gave no chance to Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) and won 10-0

11:15: At 50kg, Sonhyang KIM (PRK) with a controlled 8-0 win over Jiang ZHU (CHN). Top-class single leg takedowns from Kim to move into the finals. Can she challenge Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN)? The Japanese star beat Aktenge KEUNIMKAEVA (UZB) in the quarterfinals via fall.

11:05: Qianyu PANG (CHN) and Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) let it fly in the 53kg quarterfinals. Pang built a 6-0 lead but Sedneva scored a four and takedown to make it 6-6. Pang with a clutch four-pointer to secure a 10-6 win

Here's how the other three 53kg quarterfinals went about

Akari FUNINAMI (JPN) with a 1:55 fall over ANTIM.

Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) wins 10-0 over Meng HSIEH (TPE) in 2:12.

Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) gut wrenches Vannak SAMBAT (CAM) for a 10-0 win.

10:50: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) gets the first par terre advantage and scores a turn. As he was going for the second, Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) blocks him and almost got the pin. A 3-2 lead for Saravi. A stepout makes it 4-2 before he scores a takedown and goes into the break leading 6-2. Assakalov gets a passivity point in the second period but Saravi will move on with a 6-3 win.

10:45: Lingzhe MENG (CHN) with four turns to beat Timothy LOH (SGP) 9-0 at 130kg in Greco-Roman. He is followed by world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) who also scores four turns from par terre to beat Nanthawat PANPHUEK (THA) 9-0.

10:40: Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) was troubled by Jeongae BARK (KOR) but the Japanese world champion with a top 10-0 win at 57kg. On Mat A, it's time for Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) vs Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) in 97kg Greco-Roman.

10:30: Asian champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) launches a deadly leg lace against SAMNANG DIT (CAM) to finish the 50kg bout in 30 seconds. On Mat B, In Sun JONG (PRK) with a fall over Thi Anh TRAN (VIE) at 57kg.

10:25: Contrasting results for Kazakhstan. Emma TISSINA (KAZ) works a 8-0 lead before pinning Danielle LIM (SGP) at 57kg. But Miran CHEON (KOR) beats Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ) 2-1 at 50kg.

10:22: Pooja GEHLOT finishes her 50kg bout against Manlika ESATI (THA) in the first period. A takedown and roll to make it 4-0 before earning a 10-0 technical superiority win.

10:20: Tokyo Olympic silver medalist has all the cheers from the crowd as she beats Thi NGUYEN (VIE) 8-0, a win which included three takedowns and two technical points.

10:15: Super fast action on Mat B and Mat C. Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) got tossed for a four but she pins Ahinsa PORUTHOTAGE (SRI) at 53kg. On Mat C, Hyogyong CHOE with a fall over Hyunyoung OH (KOR) at 53kg. She is followed by Son hyang KIM (PRK) who uses an arm-trap to roll to a 10-0 win over Thi Xuan NGUYEN (VIE).

10:05: World bronze medalist ANTIM scores two takedowns to lead 5-0 at the break against Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB). Antim is the Asian Championships silver medalist and a win will give her a chance to wrestle world and Asian champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) in a rematch of the Asian final. Antim works that outside single for two more takedowns before finishing the bout with a similar takedown. She wins 11-0.

10:00: Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT-OCHIR (MGL) comes out with double-leg for four. A turn to make it 6-0 but give up a reversal to Marimar CANDRA (INA). Two more takedowns for Bat-Ochir and she leads 10-1 at the the break. Four to begin the second period and Bat Ochir moves into the quarterfinals at 53kg.