Bozkurt joins list of rising Turkey heavyweights with U23 World gold

Tuesday, October 18, 2022 - 21:51 By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 18) -- As if the Turkey super heavyweight class was not already packed, Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) is the latest name to enter the list of successors to five-time world champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR).

Bozkurt won the 130kg gold medal at the U23 World Championships in dominating fashion in Pontevedra, Spain to inch closer to the spot on the senior team.

Apart from Kayaalp, Osman YILDIRIM (TUR), Muhammet BAKIR (TUR), Cemal BAKIR (TUR) and now Bozkurt are the wrestlers trying to fill the spot in the heaviest weight category.

Bozkurt, who finished fifth at the last edition of the U23 Worlds in Belgrade, outscored his opponents 31-2 in five bouts for the gold.

In the final, he wrestled U20 world champion Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) and came out with a technical superiority win, trouncing the Ukrainian at will.

He opened the scoring with a takedown when Vyshnyvetskyi tried a headlock. He also got the par terre position. When he scored the second takedown, he made sure he turns Vyshnyvetskyi and extends his lead.

Desperate to get back in the final with just one point on the board, Vyshnyvetskyi tried a bodylock throw but landed on his back to give two more points to Bozkurt.

Vyshnyvetskyi had used the bodylock to perfection Monday but the same became his undoing a day later.

“The final was a good one,” Bozkurt said. “ A little easy.”

Bozkurt also avenged his loss from the U23 European Championships final which he lost to Dariusz VITEK (HUN) 1-1. In the semifinals Monday, he scored a 6-1 win over Vitek.

“I was expecting to medal here and it's a relief that I was able to win the gold,” he said. “I am very pleased with this performance.”

While he aims to make the senior team in the coming time, Bozkurt is aware that it will be one challenging task.

“The competition in the Turkey national team is always tough, especially at 130kg,” he said. “It's good and that means I have to perform better to win.”

Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) upgraded his silver from 2021 to gold on Tuesday at the U23 Worlds. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

In the other four Greco-Roman gold medal bouts Tuesday, Iran managed to capture two while Armenia and Hungary shared one each.

For Iran, Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) made sure he doesn't return home with silver like last year. He defeated Nihad GULUZADE (AZE) 5-1 at 55kg to win the gold.

In a highly-paced bout, Dad Marz scored the first takedown. He did not let the guard down and got Guluzade to be passive. From par terre he got one gut wrench to lead 5-0 at the break.

In the second period, he was called passive but Guluzade did not get the turn that could have helped him remain in contention.

The former U20 world champion was also at the senior world championships this year but finished eighth. He was relieved that he managed to finish the season on a high.

Iman Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) defeated Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) 8-0 in the 63kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostandin Andonov)

The second gold medal for Iran was won by Iman Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) at 63kg. He defeated Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) via technical superiority in the final.

Shotadze was never able to match the high-paced wrestling of Khoon Mohammadi. He was warned for being inactive both in the first and second periods. Khoon Mohammadi then scored using a stepout. Shotadze was cautioned for fleeing.

Khoon Mohammadi then scored a takedown before Shotadze hit a desperate throw but fell on his back, giving Khoon Mohammadi a technical superiority win.

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) now has three world titles -- U20, U23 and senior. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In a highly anticipated 77kg final, senior world champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) humbled Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) to win his first U23 world title.

Continuing his streak of winning medals in all the tournaments he has wrestled since the Individual World Cup in 2020, Amoyan captured the top medal to complete the set of U20, U23 and senior world gold.

Amoyan, who won the 72kg gold medal at the Oslo World Championships, also continues his smooth transition to 77kg, a weight in which he won bronze at the recent senior World Championships.

His opponent, 20-year-old Gutu was expected to put up a stronger challenge for the gold medal and did so at the start of the bout but was consistently caught off guard by Amoyan.

The first par terre advantage went to Amoyan. Gutu, however, managed to escape from the position before Amoyan caught him midway and exposed him with a high gut wrench. Gutu scored a stepout to cut the lead to 3-1 at the break.

Early in the second period, Gutu was once again caught in his own attack when Amoyan got one of his hands around Gutu's waist and after a little struggle, brought him to the mat for a takedown. He also turned Gutu for two more points.

In the end, Gutu, who finished 17th at the '21 U23 Worlds, had to contend with a silver medal as his search for the first world title since the U17 one in 2018 continues.

Istvan TAKACS (HUN) scored a 7-4 win over Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM) in the 87kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Another rapidly rising star captured the gold Tuesday. Istvan TAKACS (HUN) added a U23 world gold medal to his already impressive resume which boasts of U20 world and continental gold medals. Takacs also won the U23 European Championships this year.

In the 87kg gold medal bout, he faced Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM), a surprise finalist.

Tadevosyan built a 4-0 lead with a passivity call, a turn and a stepout. But just before the break, Takacs scored a big throw for four to lead on criteria.

The second period saw Takacs add three more points to his score to win the gold medal with no real trouble at the end.

After the medals were decided in five weight classes, Iran leads the team title race in Greco-Roman with Armenia in second and Turkey placed third.

The gold medal bouts of the remaining five weights were also decided Tuesday with eight different countries getting a finalist. Azerbaijan and Croatia were the only countries to have two finalists each.

Women's wrestling will begin at the U23 World Championships Wednesday with 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg wrestlers going on the mat.

Olympic and world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) will be one of the wrestlers in action Wednesday as she begins her quest to win the U23 world gold and complete the Grand Slam in wrestling.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) df. Nihad GULUZADE (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Ahmet TASKINOGLU (TUR) df. Denis MIHAI (ROU), 8-3
BRONZE: Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO) df. Ken MATSUI (JPN), 8-0

63kg
GOLD: Iman Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO), 8-0

BRONZE: Ryuto IKEDA (JPN) df. Ziya BABASHOV (AZE), 1-1
BRONZE: Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) df. Maksym LIU (UKR), 3-1

77kg
GOLD: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), 7-2

BRONZE: Sajan BHANWALA (IND) df. Dmytro VASETSKYI (UKR), 10-10
BRONZE: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) df. Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI), 3-1

87kg
GOLD: Istvan TAKACS (HUN) df. Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM), 7-2

BRONZE: Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL) df. Beka MELELASHVILI (GEO), 4-1
BRONZE: Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) df. Maksat SAILAU (KAZ), 9-1

130kg
GOLD: Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) df. Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), 9-1

BRONZE: Dariusz VITEK (HUN) df. Nikolaos NTOUNIAS (GRE), 12-2
BRONZE: Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) df. Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE), 9-1

Semifinals

60kg
GOLD: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) vs. Kerem KAMAL (TUR)

SF 1: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ), 3-1
SF 2: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO), 4-4

67kg
GOLD: Seyed SOHRABI (IRI) vs. Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA)

SF 1: Seyed SOHRABI (IRI) df. Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), 6-3
SF 2: Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA) df. Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN), 9-1

72kg
GOLD: Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO) vs. Gurban GURBANOV (AZE)

SF 1: Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO) df. VIKAS (IND), 9-0
SF 2: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 7-1

82kg
GOLD: Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) vs. Karlo KODRIC (CRO)

SF 1: Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) df. Mats AHLGREN (SWE), 11-0
SF 2: Karlo KODRIC (CRO) df. Beka GURULI (GEO), 6-5

97kg
GOLD: Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) vs. Alex SZOKE (HUN)

SF 1: Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) df. Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO), 4-1
SF 2: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Igor ALVES (BRA), 3-0

#WrestleBelgrade

Zare sets up final with Petriashvili after blanking Akgul

Saturday, September 16, 2023 - 21:07 By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 16) -- For the third straight year, Amir ZARE (IRI) had to take on Taha AKGUL (TUR) in the semifinals at freestyle 125kg at the World Championships. For the second time, the Iranian came out on top, even by the same score.

Zare forged a 4-0 victory over defending champion Akgul in the tournament's first major clash of titans -- and secured the bonus of a berth for Iran at next year's Paris Olympics -- on Saturday, the opening day of the nine-day tournament in Belgrade, Serbia.

Zare set up a showdown in Sunday's final at the Stark Arena with the other member of the Big Three at 125kg, Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who will be looking to avenge a loss to Zare in the 2021 final.

"I hope I can wrestle well tomorrow and not make my last year's mistake and present a beautiful gold medal to my dear people," Zare said through an interpreter.

Petriashvili, who has not made the top of the podium since winning three straight titles from 2017 to 2019, advanced with a tough 8-6 win over young Mason PARRIS (USA).

In the other Olympic weight class in action Saturday, another classic duel was set up at 86kg between defending champion David TAYLOR (USA) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), who have combined to win every world and Olympic title in the weight class dating back to 2017.

The tournament is serving as the first qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with five quotas on offer in each Olympic weight class. The winners of the semifinals automatically secured one for their national federation, while the bronze medalists and the winner of a playoff between the losers of the bronze-medal matches will secure the remaining three.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) defeated Taha AKGUL (TUR) 4-0 in the 125kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Zare assured Iran a place in Paris at 125kg with a solid win over Akgul, his fellow bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics who is among the most successful heavyweights in history. At 32, Akgul is Zare's senior by a decade, but he showed last year he was not going to allow a changing of the guard so easy.

Akgul, the 2016 Olympic champion, beat Zare 4-2 in the semifinals a year ago in Belgrade en route to his third career world title. That avenged a 4-0 loss to Zare from the previous year.

On Saturday, Zare repeated his 2021 win when he received an activity point in each period, then closed the deal with a takedown with 40 seconds remaining.

"I dedicate this win to all of the dear people of Iran and to all who waited for this victory," Zare said. "I lost this match by mistake last year but thanks to god, with the help of coaches, a ready body and a good analysis, we were able to go according to plan and I implemented this analysis."

Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) celebrates after beating Mason PARRIS (USA) in the 125kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

For Petriashvili, his win prevented a repeat of his nightmarish loss in the Tokyo Olympic final to another young American, Gable STEVESON (USA), who pulled off a last-second 10-8 victory to deny Petriashvili an Olympic gold after placing third in 2016.

Steveson, who retired after the 2022 NCAA Championships to pursue a career in professional wrestling, had "unretired" and earned a place on the U.S. team to Belgrade. But he became a late withdrawal, opening the door for Parris, the 2019 world U20 champion.

Parris gave Petriashvili a fight that he probably did not expect. Parris led 4-1 and 6-4 at certain points of the second period before Petriashvili went ahead on criteria 6-6 with a key takedown with 44 seconds left, then added a late 2 in the final seconds.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) overcame Myles AMINE (SMR) in the 86kg quarterfinals. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 86kg, neither Taylor and Yazdani had to go the distance in defeating Asian opponents who had otherwise looked very impressive in making the semifinals in a weight class with 48 entries, the former winning by fall and the latter by 10-0 technical fall.

"We're back at it, this is what people want to see," Taylor said. "This is what I've been training for, this is what Hassan has been training for. It's going to be another epic battle."

Yazdani, who had relied on stepouts for the bulk of his points in his earlier bouts, went into full-out takedown mode and scored three in taking a 7-0 first-period lead against Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB). A takedown and a stepout in the second period and the match was over at 4:04.

David TAYLOR (USA) pinned Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) in the 86kg semifinals. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Taylor needed slightly more time against Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) and struggled a bit in the early going. Taylor had to settle for an activity point and a 1-0 lead in the first period, but got through Dauletbekov's defenses and scored a pair of takedowns off single-leg attacks in the second.

After the second takedown, Taylor applied a half-nelson and pried Dauletbekov over before securing a fall in 4:37. The victory was a repeat of last year's semifinal Taylor won 12-0 en route to his third world gold.

"It was almost identical to the match last year," Taylor said. "These guys have a good plan. They spend a whole year preparing for two people. You just have to stay patient and be smart. Everyone's got a trick or two, but I've been doing it for a while, so you feel those things and keep building."

Against Yazdani, Taylor has the upper hand when it comes to their career meetings, holding a 4-1 record. Yazdani's lone win was a 6-2 decision in the 2021 final in Oslo.

Zain RETHERFORD (USA), blue, controlled his semifinals for a 7-0 win over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

In the non-Olympic weights, Zain RETHERFORD (USA) will get a chance to win the gold medal that eluded him at 70kg last year when he bunched all of his points in the first period and cruised to a 7-0 victory over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM).

Retherford scored with a takedown, then went to a grapevine ride. Andreasyan stood up, providing an intriguing situation that backfired when, at the edge, Retherford spun him down to the mat for a 4-point move. An unsuccessful challenge added the seventh point, and that was how it stayed until the end.

In the final, Retherford will face the other Yazdani in action on Saturday -- Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI), a distant cousin -- who put on a takedown clinic in a 13-2 technical fall over Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL).

"I don't scout too much, I know who he is, I know he's been in the world final before," Retherford said of Yazdani. "He's a great wrestler. He's a Yazdani. I'm just excited for that. I know these Iranian fans are going to be excited and I just have to go do my thing."

Things got heated between Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) and Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) in their 70kg quarterfinals. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Yazdani, the 2021 world 65kg silver medalist, used a powerful single to score three takedowns in the first period, after one of which he immediately transitioned into a gut wrench, to take a 9-1 lead into the second period. A stepout, unsuccessfully challenged, and a shuck-by takedown ended the match at 4:39.

That avenged a 7-6 loss to Ramazanov in the semifinals at the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov International in Bulgaria in March.

"I had lost to this wrestler and it was more like a revenge thing for me," Yazdani said. [My coaches] arranged a good program for me and I wrestled according to that program."

Vitali ARUJAU (USA) defeated Asian champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) 12-2 in the 61kg semifinals. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

The 61kg final will see a clash between 2021 world champion Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) and Vitali ARUJAU (USA), an NCAA champion this year at Cornell University who is making his senior world debut. Both advanced with technical fall victories.

Magomedov scored four takedowns in the first period, then got the fifth 46 seconds into the second to finish up a 10-0 win over European bronze medalist Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO).

Arujau completed his mission in the first period against Asian champion Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ). After taking a 4-2 lead, he gained a single-leg takedown, secured a lace lock and reeled off three rolls for a 12-2 victory in 2:36.

"I think my build and my style were a pretty good counter [to his attacks]," Arujau said. "I was able to get to a lot of multiple attacks and create these flurries that may have looked really chaotic, but I was planning out where I was going. There was just a lot of good wrestling out there."

Day 1 Results

Freestyle

61kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Vitali ARUJAU (USA) vs. Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN)

Semifinal - Vitali ARUJAU (USA) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) by TF, 12-2, 2:36
Semifinal - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) by TF, 10-0, 3:46

70kg (30 entries)
GOLD: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) vs. Zain RETHERFORD (USA)

Semifinal - Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) df. Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) by TF, 13-2, 4:39
Semifinal - Zain RETHERFORD (USA) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 7-0

86kg (48 entries)
GOLD: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) vs. David TAYLOR (USA)

Semifinal - Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 4:04
Semifinal - David TAYLOR (USA) df. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) by Fall, 4:37 (7-0)

125kg (33 entries)
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) vs. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)

Semifinal - Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Taha AKGUL (TUR), 4-0
Semifinal - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Mason PARRIS (USA), 8-6

Bozkurt joins list of rising Turkey heavyweights with U23 World gold

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Zare sets up final with Petriashvili after blanking Akgul