#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series golds for Higuchi, Kiyooka, Parris

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- For Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), the Ranking Series in Budapest was a chance to assess his preparation for the Olympics. Things were going on track, but Higuchi caught a fever on the day he was to wrestle.

Struggling with a temperature of 38.2 degrees on a hot day in Budapest, Higuchi struggled on the mat but manager to win the gold medal at 57kg in Budapest with some top-class wrestling. He defeated AMAN (IND) 11-1 in the final.

The run to the gold medal also included an incredible comeback in the semifinal against Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE). The Azerbaijan wrestler scored a takedown and hit a high gut to lead 8-0. Higuchi somehow managed to stop the final turn and give himself a chance to stay in the bout.

Higuchi used a gut wrench of his own and scored 18 points to beat Rzazade 18-8 and enter the final. Rzazade later complained of a shoulder dislocation which may rule him out of the Paris Olympics in August as well.

With the win, Higuchi is now second in the rankings below Stevan MICIC (SRB). Aman, for his silver, jumped to the sixth spot.

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) defeated Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) in the group stages of the 65kg bracket. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Another Japanese wrestler who had to come back from an 8-0 deficit was Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) as he won the 65kg gold medal. The field at 65kg included Haji ALIYEV (AZE), world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and Austin GOMEZ (MEX) among others. But it was Kiyooka who came out on top in the round robin and then clinched the gold medal over Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI), 12-8.

Like Higuchi, Kiyooka also fell behind 8-0 against Ebrahimzadeh but stopped the final turn. Kiyooka then mounted the comeback and tired Ebrahimzadeh, winning the bout 12-8 in six minutes.

Mason PARRIS (USA)Mason PARRIS (USA) celebrates after pinning Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) in the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 125kg, world bronze medalist Mason PARRIS (USA) had a stunning campaign, winning the gold medal with ease. While a Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Parris rematch was expected, the Georgian got pinned in the semifinal by Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ). Parris pinned BAtirmurzaev in the final.

Petriashvili returned to win the bronze medal and keep his second spot in the rankings at 125kg that he would have lost to Parris if he had not finished on the podium.

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RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) df. AMAN (IND), 11-1

BRONZE: Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) df. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), via inj. def.

61kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Shahdad KHOSRAVI MARDAKHEH (IRI) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 8-0
BRONZE: Nahshon GARRETT (USA) df. Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO), 11-3

65kg
GOLD: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI), 12-8

BRONZE: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Austin Klee GOMEZ (MEX), 12-3

70kg
GOLD: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ) df. Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-3
BRONZE: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) df. Evan HENDERSON (USA), 14-4

79kg
GOLD: Otari BAGAURI (GEO) df. Adel PANAEIAN (IRI), 6-5

BRONZE: Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) df. Chems FETAIRIA (ALG), via inj. def.

97kg
GOLD: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) df. Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 4-2
BRONZE: Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR) df. Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), 4-3

125kg
GOLD: Mason PARRIS (USA) df. Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ), via fall

BRONZE: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY), 10-0
BRONZE: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Jonovan SMITH (PUR), 11-0

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024 Wrestling Day 4: Yazdani, Lee, makes semis; Sakurai vs Maroulis set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

PARIS (August 9) -- Freestyle action kicks off in Paris with 57kg and 86kg as Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) look to change their silver medals from past Olympics to gold. In 57kg, Helen MAROULIS (USA) is trying to do the same but world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) is in her way.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | PARIS 2024 DAY 3

13:31: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is back in the Olympic semifinals! He got thrown for a huge four from Dauren KURGULIEV (GRE) but he comes back to break Kurguliev and win 9-4 and book a spot against Myles AMINE (SMR)

13:20: A bout for the ages as returning bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) beats Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) 16-14 to book his spot in the semifinal! Nurmagomedov took the lead using a leg lace but Amine hit the same and reclaimed the lead. At 16-12, Amine was happy to keep his distance from Nurmagomedov even if that meant giving up a takedown.

13:08: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) pins Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) in the second period. What a win for Ramazanov and he moves into the semifinal at 86kg. He will face Aaron BROOKS (USA) for a spot in the final

13:06: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) with a first-period fall of Giullia PENALBER (BRA) to book her spot in the women's 57kg semifinals. The former 59kg world champion will face Hong.

13:04: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) gets a 4-point counter and three takedowns in a 12-5 victory over Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and he's into the freestyle 57kg semifinal and a date with Lee.

13:00: Kexin HONG (CHN) wins a thriller in the women's 57kg quarterfinals over Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), finishing off the Nigerian with a cradle for a fall with :44 left after she had just surrendered the lead. Adekuoroye strikes first with a pair of takedowns, but Hong responds with a takedown and three lace-lock rolls to go up 8-4. In the second period, Adekuoroye goes ahead on criteria with a takedown and lace lock, but Hong strikes back by getting her into a cradle and securing the fall.

12:55: Aaron BROOKS (USA) is on mission today! He takes out Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) 11-1 at 86kg. The pace of that bout was unreal and completely broke Ishiguro

12:51: Helen MAROULIS (USA) scores three takedowns and she's into the women's 57kg with a 7-4 victory over Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR). She will face Sakurai in a rematch of the semifinals at last year's worlds in Belgrade, which Sakurai won 6-0.

12:49: Spencer LEE (USA) gives up an early takedown to Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) in their freestyle 57kg quarterfinal, but then he gets to work. He twice gets a takedown-exposure combo, then finishes off a 12-2 win with a 4-point takedown with 58 seconds left in the first period.

12:45: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) has been spotted. He begins with a 10-0 win over Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS) who has scored two points over Yazdani at the World Championships.

12:41: AMAN (IND) earns a clash with Higuchi in the freestyle 57kg semis after using the lace lock to chalk up a 12-0 victory over Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB).

12:39: Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) is at her dominating best, piling up the points with both offensive and defensive takedowns and a pair of stepouts against Luisa VALVERDE (ECU). When it hits 11-0, she is in the middle of applying an arm bar that puts Valverde onto her back for a fall at 4:35.

12:28: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) is coming in hot! He moves into the quarterfinals with an 11-0 win over Ethan RAMOS (PUR). His likely quarterfinal opponent -- Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)

12:33: Rio Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) takes the mat for the first time in the freestyle 57kg quarterfinals after his first-round opponent, Alireza SARLAK (IRI), failed to make weight. Higuchi dominates Darian CRUZ (PUR), scoring with some creative exposures to finish off a 12-2 victory early in the second period.

12:30: World silver medalist Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) easily gets past Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) 9-0 to secure a place in the women's 57kg quarterfinals.

12:26: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) makes his Olympic debut with a win over Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) at 86kg. A top 12-2 win to advance to the quarterfinals.

12:22: Three-time world bronze medalist Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) grabs the final place in the freestyle 57kg quarterfinals with a 13-3 win over Roman BRAVO (MEX).

12:19: Giullia PENALBER (BRA) makes short work of Rckaela AQUINO (GUM), slamming to her back for a 4-point takedown and securing the fall in 1:02 to advance at women's 57kg.

12:16: Returning bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) shows why he is a threat. Top defense as he beats Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) 7-4 to move into the quarterfinals at 86kg.

12:15: Kexin HONG (CHN), a winner this year in Budapest and Zagreb, wins a lively clash with Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL), advancing at women's 57kg with a 16-12 victory. Hong takes an 8-0 lead, but Boldsaikhan cuts the lead to 2 in the second period. Hong puts up 6 with a takedown-lace lock combination, only for Boldsaikhan to get 4 with a counter lift. But Hong gets a final 2-point exposure to notch the win.

12:11: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) gets a 4-point throw in the first period, then gets a pair of exposures countering a front headlock roll in the second in an 11-4 win over Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) at freestyle 57kg.

12:04: World bronze medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), looking for her first Olympic medal in a thrid appearance, advances at women's 57kg by injury default when Chaimaa AOUISSI (ALG) suffers a head gash and is unable to continue.

12:02: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) pulls out his 'A' game to beat Alexander MOORE (CAN) 12-2 in the opening round. He will face Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) who defeated Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) 5-2 in the other bout.

12:00: Spencer LEE (USA), competing on a top world stage for the first time since winning back-to-back world junior titles in 2015-16, scores a takedown and activity point in the first period, and holds on for a 3-2 win over Wanhao ZOU (CHN) at freestyle 57kg. Zou gets a pair of stepouts late in the second period but just ran out of time.

11:59: In a wild clash of 2022 world bronze medalists, Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) rallies out of an eight-point hold to defeat Anhelina LYSAK (POL) 16-13 at women's 57kg. Lysak had three 4-point moves and led 13-5 when Hrushyna Akobiia hit a 4-pointer of her own. In the final 30 seconds, she picked up a takedown and a stepout to go ahead, then added a late takedown. Whew!

11:47: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) scores a second-period takedown with Asian bronze medalist Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) on the activity clock to take a 3-1 lead, then adds a stepout for a 4-1 victory at freestyle 57kg.

11:45: Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) has no trouble disposing of Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) via technical superiority and sets up a 86kg quarterfinal with Aaron BROOKS (USA).

11:41: Helen MAROULIS (USA), looking for her second Olympic gold and third medal overall, repeats her victory from the 2021 world final over ANSHU (IND) to advance to the women's 57kg quarterfinals 7-2. Maroulis uses an effective single-leg attack to score three takedowns

11:38: Aaron BROOKS (USA), who defeated David TAYLOR (USA) in the U.S. trials, gave up an early stepout but bounced back with two takedowns and beat top seed Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) 4-1 in the opening round at 86kg. 

11:36: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS), only the third wrestler in Guinea-Bissau history to appear in the Olympics, looks like a seasoned pro in taking a 6-0 lead against world bronze medalist Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) at freestyle 57kg. But the match is six minutes, and Abakarov comes back with two takedowns, adding a lace lock after the second. An unsuccessful challenge adds a point as Abakarov advances 7-6.

11:33: An impressive start for Luisa VALVERDE (ECU), who opens with a 4-point takedown against Aurora RUSSO (ITA) at women's 57kg, then scores a takedown to the back and secures the fall at 2:34.  

11:27: Two-time reigning world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) opens her Olympic debut at women's 57kg with an activity point, then a slick ankle pick for a takedown against Hannah TAYLOR (CAN), but gets reversed going for a lace lock. She adds a stepout and another takedown in the second period for a hard-fought 6-1 win.

11:26: 2023 Asian champion AMAN (IND) uses a shrug-by to get behind Russian-born 2021 European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) for the clinching takedown in a 10-0 win at freestyle 57kg.

11:17: Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) spots Dominique PARRISH (USA) a four-point lead in their women's 53k repechage, then storms back to go ahead 10-4 with a back trip before latching onto a cradle for a fall.

11:14: Darian CRUZ (PUR) picks up a big win for the Caribbean nation, locking up Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) in a cradle and securing the fall in their freestyle 57kg opener.

11:09: Luis ORTA (CUB), denied in his bid for a second straight Olympic gold, will get a chance for a bronze after storming to a 9-0 victory over Ishak GHAIOU (ALG) in the 67kg repechage.

11:08: Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) stays on track to give the DPR Korea its first-ever women's Olympic medal with an 11-0 repechage victory over European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) at 53kg. Choe will take on Annika WENDLE (GER).

11:04: In the opening match on Mat A, Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) uses an arm throw for a quick 4-pointer, then lifts and throws Mate NEMES (SRB) for 4 more and an 8-0 win in their Greco 67kg repechage. He will face Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) in a bid for Kyrgyzstan's third bronze medal in Greco later tonight.

10:45: We are beginning with Freestyle at Paris 2024 in two weight classes and women's wrestling will continue with 57kg.