#WrestleSofia

Chakvetadze Lone Olympic Medalist of 3 to Reach Greco Semis

Saturday, May 8, 2021 - 15:11 By Ken Marantz

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SOFIA, Bulgaria (May 8) --- Of the three Olympic medalists in action on Saturday, only Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS) still has a chance to pick up more of the shiny hardware in Tokyo this summer.

Chakvetadze advanced to the semifinals at 87kg as the Greco-Roman competition got underway in the six Olympic weight classes at the final world Olympic qualifying tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Chakvetadze, the Rio 2016 Olympic champion at 85kg, will face Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) -- a fellow Georgian native who now competes for another nation -- for the ticket to Tokyo that will go to each semifinal winner in the night session at the spectator-less Arena Armeec Sport Hall.

Chakvetadze will also be looking to fill the lone remaining Olympic berth for Russia, joining Cuba as the only nations with six entrants in Greco. Over the past two days in Sofia, the European powerhouse completed its Olympic lineup in freestyle and women's wrestling.

Datunashvili, the newly minted European champion, spoiled Iran's bid to also have a full Greco lineup in Tokyo when he edged Asian gold medalist Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) 1-1 on last-point criteria.

"All of today's bouts were hard for me, but right now I am feeling good after winning the quarterfinal," Datunashvili said. "I have one more match and I am prepared to win it. Hard work, that's my secret."

In the other semifinal at 87kg, Kristoffer BERG (SWE) will face Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) after knocking off two-time former world champion Metehan BASAR (TUR) 3-2 by getting a takedown while going out of bounds with :58 left. Huklek advanced with a 9-0 technical fall over Petr NOVAK (CZE).

"I have been wrestling well but I am only getting started," Berg said. "Most important thing is still left and I can evaluate after that. I am trying to remain calm like I have been throughout the day."

Rio 2016 bronze medalist Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) saw his Tokyo Olympic hopes dashed when he came out on the short side of a 3-2 decision to Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), who made his go-ahead takedown late in the first period hold up for the victory.

Chunayev, a two-time world medalist, had barely survived a qualification round clash with Donior ISLAMOV (MDA), as his early 4-point headlock proved the difference in a 4-4 victory on criteria.

Nasibov will next face Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN), who will attempt to give the Olympic host a third Greco spot. Takahashi, a 2019 Asian bronze medalist, is one of just two Asians to make it to the semifinals; Europeans filled all of the other berths, spread out over 20 countries.

"I want to emerge with a win using Japanese-style wrestling," said Takahashi, who defeated Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR) 2-1 in the quarterfinals.

The other 67kg semifinal will pit three-time European bronze medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) against Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA), after both ousted Asian opponents in the quarterfinals.

Aslyanyan defeated Asian bronze medalist Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) 10-5, while Sylla held on for a 5-2 victory over Asian silver medalist Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ), a two-time world medalist who failed in a bid to appear at a third Olympics.

The third Olympic medalist to fall was Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR), and the Rio bronze medalist's exit at 60kg came early on with a 4-1 loss in the qualification round to Murad MAMMADOV (AZE).

Mammodov will also be no more than a spectator during the Olympics, as his tournament ended with a 2-1 loss in the quarterfinals to Hanjae CHUNG (KOR), an Asian bronze medalist at 63kg.

Chung's path to Tokyo will have to go through 2019 world U23 champion Armen MELIKYAN (ARM), who defeated European bronze medalist Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) 3-1.

Earlier, Arnaut chalked up a 3-1 win over Michal TRACZ (POL), who will have to wait three more years to follow in the footsteps of his uncle and coach, three-time Olympic medalist Jozef TRACZ.

Former world silver medalist Victor CIOBANU (MDA), making his third attempt at qualifying for the Olympics, moved closer when he advanced to the other 60kg semifinal with a display of big throws, routing Firuz MIRZORAJABOV (TJK) by 14-0 technical fall.

Ciobanu will face Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO), a two-time European bronze medalist who edged Ivo ANGELOV (BUL) 2-1 in the quarterfinals.

The 77kg division was deprived of what would have been a fourth Olympic medalist, as 2012 Olympic champion and 2016 bronze medalist Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR) had to withdraw due to a pandemic-related issue.

There is no shortage of top-level wrestlers to fill the void, including Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), the 2020 European champion at 82kg who got the bye left by Kim's absence and ran with it all the way to the semifinals with a pair of a technical falls.

Huseynov will face a formidable foe for the Olympic ticket in Viktor NEMES (SRB), who placed eighth at the Rio Games.

"I know him very well and I think he is a very good wrestler," Huseynov said. "But as they say, may the best wrestler win on the mat."

Nemes advanced with a 2-0 victory over Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR), with whom he was a co-bronze medalist at the 2018 World Championships.

"The journey has been long," Nemes said. "The World Championships in 2019 and there also I was a match away from qualifying for the Olympics. But I think now I am in good form."

Nemes said that he is focused on avoiding the mistakes that cost him at the European Olympic qualifer, where he placed third. And he has a score to settle.

"I wrestle the Azerbaijan guy and I want revenge a loss from the 2013 World Championships as he won. It's time for revenge and going to the Olympics with my twin brother," he said, referring to sibling Mate, who qualified for Tokyo at 67kg by placing third at the 2019 World Championships.

In the other 77kg semifinal, two-time world bronze medalist Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) will clash with 2017 world U23 champion Fatih CENGIZ (TUR).

Another native Georgian will get a chance to represent his adopted country at 97kg, where European silver medalist Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) advanced to the semifinals by edging 2017 European champion Felix BALDAUF (NOR) 2-1. He will face Alex SZOKE (HUN), a 9-0 technical fall winner over Jesus GASCA (ESP).

Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) and Artur OMAROV (CZE) will battle in the other semifinal. Laurinaitis made it through with a nail-biting 4-4 win over veteran Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA), with his early 4-point arm throw giving him the edge on criteria.

The 38-year-old Noumonvi had been aiming to appear at a fourth career Olympics -- and that's after missing out on Rio 2016. The 2014 world champion made his Olympic debut at Athens 2004, and finished fifth at both Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

At 130kg, 2020 European champion Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) will take on Rafal KRAJEWSKI (POL), while Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN) will face Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) in a battle of European bronze medalists from the past two years.

Alexuc Ciurariu eked past Asian silver medalist Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) 1-1 before scoring a 10-1 technical fall over Arata SONODA (JPN) in the quarterfinals.

Day 3 Results

Greco-Roman

60kg (25 entries)

Semifinals
Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO) vs Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Armen MELIKYAN (ARM) vs Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)

Quarterfinals
Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO) df. Ivo ANGELOV (BUL), 2-1
Victor CIOBANU (MDA) df. Firuz MIRZORAJABOV (TJK) by TF, 14-0, 1:58
Armen MELIKYAN (ARM) df. Razvan ARNAUT (ROU), 3-1
Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), 2-1

67kg (26 entries)

Semifinals
Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) vs Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) vs Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN)

Quarterfinals
Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ), 10-5
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA) df. Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ), 5-2
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), 3-2
Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR), 2-1

77kg (30 entries)

Semifinals
Viktor NEMES (SRB) vs Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) vs Fatih CENGIZ (TUR)

Quarterfinals
Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR), 2-0
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df. Abd OUAKALI (ALG) by TF, 9-0, 2:39
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) df. Bakuri GOGOLI (GEO), 6-2
Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) df. Paulius GALKINAS (LTU), 7-1

87kg (27 entries)

Semifinals
Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS) vs Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) vs Kristoffer BERG (SWE)

Quarterfinals
Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS) df. Michael WAGNER (AUT), 6-0
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) df. Naser ALIZADEH (IRI), 1-1
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) df. Petr NOVAK (CZE) by TF, 9-0, 2:20
Kristoffer BERG (SWE) df. Metehan BASAR (TUR), 3-2

97kg (21 entries)

Semifinals
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) vs Alex SZOKE (HUN)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) vs Artur OMAROV (CZE)

Quarterfinals
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) df. Felix BALDAUF (NOR), 2-1
Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Jesus GASCA (ESP) by TF, 9-0, 2:09
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) df. Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA), 4-4
Artur OMAROV (CZE) df. Peter OEHLER (GER), 3-2

130kg (19 entries)

Semifinals
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) vs Rafal KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN) vs Mykola KUCHMII (UKR)

Quarterfinals
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) df. Arata SONODA (JPN) by TF, 10-1, 4:30
Rafal KRAJEWSKI (POL) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) by Fall, 1:52 (4-4)
Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN) df. Radoslav GEORGIEV (BUL), 1-1
Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) df. Adam COON (USA), 6-3

#JapanWrestling

Paris champ Kiyooka sets up clash with Tanabe, Motoki faces Ozaki

Saturday, June 21, 2025 - 12:44 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (June 21) -- Before his astonishing run to an unlikely Olympic title, Kotaro KIYOOKA was the one doing the chasing. Now at the forefront and looking over his shoulder, he sees a familiar face bearing down on him whom he now has to confront.

Paris Olympic champion Kiyooka advanced to the freestyle 65kg final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships on Saturday, where he will face former Nippon Sport Science University teammate Kaisei TANABE with a ticket to this year's World Championships on the line.

Kiyooka is one of three Paris gold medalists, along with Sakura MOTOKI at women's 62kg and Nao KUSAKA at Greco 77kg, who are making their full-fledged returns to the mat at the Meiji Cup, the second of Japan's two domestic qualifiers for the World Championships in Zagreb in September.

Both Motoki and Kusaka advanced with little trouble to Sunday's finals at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym, with Motoki setting up a highly anticipated clash with Paris 68kg bronze medalist Nonoka OZAKI -- whom she beat out for the spot in Paris at 62kg but is intent on reclaiming that weight class.

Kotaro KIYOOK (JPN)Kotaro KIYOOKA, left, ended up scoring 4 points off this scramble in his semifinal match at freestyle 65kg with Yuto NISHIUCHI. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Unlike the other two, Kiyooka has never been to a senior World Championships. Standing in his way is a formidable opponent in Tanabe, two years his junior who is coming off an impressive victory at the Asian Championships in March in Amman, Jordan. Tanabe only moved up to 65kg last year, and the two had not crossed paths before.

Following the Olympics, Kiyooka spent some time (with Kusaka) competing in the German Bundesliga. But the Meiji Cup marks his first high-level competition since Paris.

"It's been awhile since I've been in an official tournament," the 24-year-old Kiyooka said. "Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics, I'm still a long way away. What's important at this tournament is to come out with a victory.

"I have to make adjustments and prepare mentally for tomorrow. It's not just a one-and-done final, there is also a playoff so I can make it to the World Championships."

Tanabe, the son of NSSU coach and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Chikara TANABE, captured the title at the first domestic qualifier for the world team, the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December, in Kiyooka's absence.

As such, Kiyooka will not only have to beat him on Sunday in the final, but again in a playoff to be held at the end of the session.

As an indication of the depth of Japan in the weight class, even with the retirement of Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO, both Kiyooka and Tanabe had to get over tough hurdles to make the championship match.

In the semifinals, Kiyooka struggled to break through the defenses of two-time world U20 champion and current NSSU star Yuto NISHIUCHI. In the end, he used counters to great effect in an 8-1 win, scoring 4 by stepping over during a scramble and 2 more defending against a single leg.

"I'm not usually the type who scores big points," Kiyooka said. "But I have built myself up physically after the Olympics and I think the result was that I could get the big point."

In his opening match, Tanabe needed a stepout with 20 seconds left to get past Shinnosuke SUWAMA 5-4, before topping Ryuto SAKAKI 5-0 to make the final.

While Kiyooka is a bit unsettled about having a target on his back, he seems ready to face whatever comes his way.

"Up to now, it's always been the reverse situation," he said. "I never had the feeling that I was being chased. But I don't want to lose. As being among those who is aiming for the Los Angeles Olympics, I want to be a big barrier for the others. If you give them an opening, they will use it. I don't want to show them any gaps."

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)Sakura MOTOKI pries over Shirin TAKEMOTO en route to a 10-0 win in their women's 62kg semifinal. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

As surprising as Kiyooka's run to gold in Paris was, the bigger shock likely came during the qualifying process when an underrated Motoki, who was "only" a world bronze medalist at 59kg, had the audacity to move up and challenge the highly touted Ozaki at 62kg.

But the 2022 world U20 champion believed in herself, and keeps making believers of others. She returned to competition earlier this year in order to qualify for the World U23 Championships.

Victories at the U23 and senior worlds will make her just the third person in history to achieve the "Golden Grand Slam" of Olympic gold combined with all four world age-group titles.

On Saturday, Motoki's toughest test in advancing to the final came in the opener, when she used a low single to score a takedown in each period of a 5-0 win over two-time world U23 champion Yuzuku INAGAKI.

"She has a good defense," Motoki said. "Being able to get through a tough match really boosts my confidence. When you're an Olympic champion, it's only natural that [opponents] try to come up with a strategy against you.

"In that light, I have to figure out a way to become stronger from the start of Olympic qualifying. That's still under development."

Like Kiyooka, Motoki will have to beat the Emperor's Cup champion twice to secure a place on the world team, and Ozaki won't make it easy.

"She's a really strong wrestler," Motoki said. "I will have to summon up all of my power and try my best."

Nao KUSAKA (JPN)Nao KUSAKA sets up a 4-point overhead lift of Naoki KADODE during their semifinal at Greco 77kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At Greco 77kg, Kusaka chalked up a pair of technical falls to advance to the final, where he will face the Emperor's Cup champion in Kodai SAKURABA, a 2022 Asian bronze medalist whom he aced out in the qualifying for Paris.

In the semifinals, Kusaka romped to a 12-1 victory over Naoki KADODE. After giving up a stepout, he came back with three of his own. Then he got behind and dropped backwards for 4, then ended the match with a 4-point lift at 2:04.

In other weight classes that will finish with medal matches on Sunday, longtime rivals and former NSSU teammates Katsukai ENDO and Kyotaro SOGABE set up their latest clash in the final at Greco 67kg.

Asian bronze medalist Endo, the Emperor's Cup champion, defeated 2021 world bronze 63kg medalist Kensuke SHIMIZU 7-3 in the semifinals, while Paris Olympian Sogabe rallied for a 13-6 win over 2023 world U23 bronze medalist and fellow NSSU alum Haruto YABE.

With Paris bronze medalist Yui SUSAKI still on post-Olympic hiatus, Remina YOSHIMOTO remained on track for a shot at a second world title at women's 50kg when she stormed to 10-0 victories over a pair of teenagers. She will face Umi ITO in a repeat of the Emperor's Cup final, which she won 3-2.

Emperor's Cup champion Rin SAKAMOTO, who has taken the rare collegiate path of going to the United States to compete at Oklahoma State University, advanced to the final at Freestyle 57kg and a showdown with Kento YUMIYA.