#WrestleBudapest

Bisultanov preps for Zagreb Worlds with Budapest gold

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 19) -- After winning the Zagreb Open gold medal in February, Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) had said that his main goal for the year to become a world champion. For that, he skipped European Championships as he had previously won gold there.

He focused on his shortcoming and weight management as he prepared for the World Championships, to be held in September in Zagreb.

With two months to go for that, Bisultanov entered the Budapest Ranking Series to test his preparations, and came out with flying colors. He won the Greco-Roman 87kg gold medal with a scintillating performance in Budapest.

Bisultanov did not break a sweat to reach the final against David LOSONCZI (HUN), who struggled throughout the day, and later pulled out of the final injured.

This was Bisultanov's second Ranking Series gold of the year and is expected to jump to number three in the rankings for 87kg. If all the top five ranked wrestlers are entered for the World Championships, Bisultanov will likely have Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) on side of the bracket.

But a performance like Saturday could potentially see Bisultanov get he better of Novikov, who lost the European Championships final to Losonczi this year.

Bisultanov, who won Thor Masters in June, warmed up with a 4-1 victory over Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) before he blanked Alan OSTAEV (UWW), 8-0, in the quarterfinal.

He faced local wrestlers Tamas LEVAI (HUN) in the semifinal and after a 7-0 lead, he decided it safe and defended from par terre. He gave a late stepout but managed to win 7-2 easily.

A Bisultanov-Losonczi final was what the fans wanted but Losonczi had struggled with his health all day long and decided to not risk it in the final.

He opened his day with tough bout against former European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), winning 3-1. His second match was also against a Serbian wrestler, Andrija MIHAJLOVIC (SRB), and he won 6-1.

It was the quarterfinal in which Losonczi was troubled by world U20 champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) who launched him for a suplex to lead 5-0. But Losonczi roared in the second period, scoring from par terre and getting points for Yevloyev's defensive fouls to win 9-5.

He then managed to keep Islam ABBASOV (AZE) quiet to win 4-0 in the semifinal and entertained the local fans with a back-flip. He would later not wrestle the final and win the silver.

In other two Greco-Roman weight classes of the day, Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) defeated Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), 8-2, in the 72kg final took a big step towards being on the Georgian team of the World Championships.

At 130kg, Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) got the better of Darius VITEK (HUN) in the final to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

72kg
GOLD: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), 8-2

BRONZE: Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), 9-0

87kg
GOLD: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), 5-2
BRONZE: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df. Alan OSTAEV (UWW), 5-2

130kg
GOLD: Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) df. Darius Attila VITEK (HUN), 3-1

BRONZE: Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) df. Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN), 5-3
BRONZE: Koppany LASZLO (HUN) df. Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE), 2-1

World Combat Games: Kyrgyzstan dominates final day in Riyadh

By United World Wrestling Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (October 26) -- Central Asian powerhouses Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan returned with a rich haul of gold medals in Belt Wrestling at the World Combat Games in Riyadh on Thursday.

While wrestlers from Kyrgyzstan won four gold medals, their counterparts from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan completed a golden hat-trick each. The competition was held in 10 categories across the two styles: Qazak (men’s 65kg, 75kg, 85kg; women’s 60kg, 70kg) and Alysh (men’s 70kg, 80kg, 90kg; women’s 55kg, 65kg).

Begai BEISHENAALY KYZY (KGZ) began the medal rush for Kyrgyzstan with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Mariam MAZANASHVILI (GEO) by Zhartylai Zheni, the acting of putting your opponent on the mat with three-point contact, in the women's Qazak Style 60kg. Soon after, Marlen ABDURASULOV (KGZ) overcame Mohammad NABIZADEH (IRI) by fall in the Men's Alysh Style 70kg.

Azizkhan MUSABEK UULU (KGZ) beat Arslan HOJAMBERDIYEV (TKM) to extend Kyrgyzstan’s dominance. He won in the Men's Alysh Style 90kg. And in the day’s penultimate gold medal bout, Elzada MOMUNZHANOVA (KGZ) defeated Gantsetseg GANBOLD (MGL) 4-2 in the Women's Alysh Style 55kg to cap off a successful day in office for the country’s wrestlers.

Meanwhile, Zhumazhan KOZHAMBEKOV, Madi AMANGELDI and Roza NYSSANTAIKYZ led the march for Kazakhstan. All three gold medals for the wrestlers from Kazakhstan came in the Qazak style.

In the women's 70kg category, Nyssantaikyz was dominant from the get-go. She began her campaign with a win over Shakhnoza BOZOROVA (UZB) and followed it up with another strong show against the Netherlands’ Sem VAN DUN (NED). In the final, the Kazakh wrestler defeated Mariasole MOMENTE (ITA) via Taza, a throw that lands the opponent with both shoulders on the mat.

There was some consolation for Van Dun as she won a bronze medal along with Reihaneh GILANIASL (IRI).

Kozhambekov, meanwhile, reigned supreme in the men’s 75kg category of the Qazak style as he defeated Tornike GRIGALASHVILI (GEO) 2-0 in the final. It was the only time in the day Kozhambekov was made to work hard as he hardly broke a sweat en route to the gold medal bout.

It was a similar story in the 85kg class, too, where Amangeldi won all three of his bout via Taza, a flawless throw for victory, as he romped to the top of the podium. After making short work of Sanga GOMBOSUREN (MGL) in the quarterfinals and Amir SHEIKH HOSSEINI (NED) in the semifinals, Amangeldi defeated Khamroz RAJABOV (TJK) in the final.

Nur AMANSHUKIROV (KAZ) could have won another gold medal for Kazakhstan but he fell short against an inspired Manucher SHIRINOV (UZB), who didn’t put a foot wrong as he claimed the title in the 65kg category.

Meanwhile, the day that began with a gold medal for Uzbekistan, with Shirinov claiming the title, ended on a similar note after Maftunbonu MAHMUDOVA (UZB) beat Jemal OVLYAKULYYEVA (TKM) 9-6 in the women's Alysh Style 65kg. Khusan ABDUKHAKIMOV (UZB) beat Rozymyrat MEDOV (TKM) via fall to win the title in men’s Alysh Style 80kg.