Chamizo Wins Clash Against Gazimagomedov, Claims Fourth European Title

Sunday, February 16, 2020 - 20:36 By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (February 16) --- Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) dramatically claimed his fourth European title in front of a friendly Italian crowd on Sunday. He scored the match-deciding takedown with under 25 seconds left to defeat fellow two-time world champion Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS), 5-3.

After winning his fourth European gold medal, Chamizo said this win was the sweetest because it was in front of his hometown Italian fans. “This (European title) is the best. It’s in my home; It’s the best,” he said. “European people say Italy doesn’t know about wrestling. Today, everyone was here to support me, and that’s amazing. I want to say thank you to the Italian people for coming.”

Chamizo entered the European Championships ranked No. 2 in the world, trailing reigning two-time world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) by 20 points. He grabbed the 22-point gold medal and is the new top-ranked wrestler in the world at 74kg.

“I’m wrestling in Poland. It’s a Ranking Series tournament and I want to come into (the Olympic Games) ranked No. 1,” he said.

In the finals, Chamizo scored an inactivity point in the first period, but conceded a left-sided single leg and fell behind 2-1.

In the second period, the Italian superstar fought off a near-takedown on the edge, and luckily for him, the refs awarded Gazimagomedov the one-point stepout point and not the two-point takedown, putting the Russian in front, 3-1. Chamizo, who trailed by two points, snapped Gazimagomedov to the mat and spun behind, but the Russian kicked out and surrendered the stepout point.

Chamizo trailed 3-2 when he jammed Gazimagomedov’s double-leg attempt with his heavy hips and spun behind for the match deciding takedown. “I knew he was coming. He needed to take my legs to win, he said. “If you want, you can come. I have a surprise for you.”

But there was still time on the clock and Chamizo nearly threw the match away with 10 seconds left.

He gave up a single leg and was one second away from giving up the stepout. Chamizo held Gazimagomedov off long enough to defend his European crown from last year and win his fourth continental title. “The outside people say the match is too close. But, when you know you’ve trained good, you can do whatever you want.”

After the award ceremony, Chamizo stated he believes that Gazimagomedov is a lot better than the man that beat him in last year’s world finals, Zaurbek Sidakov. “(Sidakov) is a cool guy, and he’s training good, but I think (Gazimagomedov) is much better than him,” Chamizo said. “Look, (Sidakov and I) wrestled in 2018, and my training was about 50%. I didn’t perform. It was the same thing in 2019. My knee and ankle weren’t good. Right now, I’m good. But, where is (Sidakov)?”

After winning the Ivan Yariguin title, Gazimagomedov stated a similar opinion as Chamzio. He said, “In Russia, many understand that I will win against Sidakov, but perhaps we will not be allowed to meet on the mat because we don’t have a very transparent selection system.”

As it sits now, Sidakov is the top choice to represent Russia at the Olympic Games. But, Gazimagomedov’s Yariguin win and European silver-medal finish further his case that he deserves at least a wrestle-off to show just how worthy of a competitor he is.

Aleksandr BOGOMOEV (RUS) attacks Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) in the 61kg European finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Bogomoev and Naifonov Close out Team-Title Run for Russia
Aleksandr BOGOMOEV (RUS) and Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) reeled in gold medals and helped the Russian Federation lock up the freestyle team title. Russia finished with 186 points, which was 70 points ahead of second-place Azerbaijan and 91 points ahead of third-place Georgia.

Bogomoev defeated the reigning world champion and the returning European champion en route to the 61kg gold medal. His win on Sunday added Russia’s dominating lightweight performance in which they won gold in the first three weight classes.

Bogomoev joined lightweights Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) and Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS), who won the 57kg and 65kg gold medals, respectively.

Bogomoev scored a last-second takedown against returning European champion Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and moved into the finals with the 5-5 criteria win. He closed his run to the non-Olympic weight gold medal with a one-point win over returning world champion Beka LOMTADZE (GEO).

In the finals, Bogomoev commanded a convincing 3-0 lead midway through the second period. He scored an inactivity point, then capitalized on a high crotch while he was on the shot clock. He gave up a second-period takedown, which cut his lead to one point. Bogomoev fought off a flurry of Georgian attacks and won his second European title and first defeating Lomtadze in the 2015 European Games.

Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) finishes a shot on Myles AMINE (SMR) in the 86kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Artur Naifonov was the second Russian of the day and fifth of the tournament to claim European gold. He stopped Myles AMINE (SMR) from becoming the first athlete from San Marino to ever win a European title with a 4-0 shutout win in the 86kg finals.

In the gold-medal match, Naifonov scored three stepouts and an inactivity point and won his second European title and first since winning the 2018 crown in Dagestan, Russia.

Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR) carries the Turkish flag around the mat after defeating Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) in the 92kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Karadeniz and Petriashvili Claim Final Two European Golds
Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) claimed the final two golds of the European Championships.

At 92kg, Karadeniz stopped Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) from ending Switzerland’s 85-year freestyle continental gold-medal drought.

Karadeniz snuck behind Scherrer and nearly scored the matches first takedown but ran out of real estate and collected the inactivity point. He picked up another stepout, then tacked on an inactivity point and claimed his first European title with a 3-0 shutout victory.

Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) won his second European title with an 11-0 win over Robert BARAN (POL) in the 125kg gold-medal match. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Petriashvili stopped Robert BARAN (POL) for the second time in the European finals and won his second European title. The three-time world champion ended the match in the first period after scoring the 11-0 technical superiority victory. His 11 points came from a stepout, two takedowns and three gut wrenches.

RESULTS
61kg
GOLD - Aleksandr BOGOMOEV (RUS)Beka LOMTADZE (GEO), 3-2
BRONZE - Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Georgios PILIDIS (GRE), via injury default
BRONZE - Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU) df. Intigam VALIZADA (AZE), 3-1

74kg
GOLD - Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS), 5-3
BRONZE - Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE - Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Miroslav KIROV (BUL), via fall

86kg
GOLD - Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) df. Myles Nazem AMINE (SMR), 4-0
BRONZE - Boris MAKOEV (SVK) df. Akhmed Adamovitch MAGAMAEV (BUL), 6-5
BRONZE - Rasul TSIKHAYEU (BLR) df. Lars SCHAEFLE (GER), 5-4

92kg
GOLD - Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR) df. Samuel SCHERRER (SUI), 3-0
BRONZE - Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE) df. Irakli MTSITURI (GEO), 2-0
BRONZE - Amarhajy MAHAMEDAU (BLR) df. Marzpet GALSTYAN (ARM), 7-0

125kg
GOLD - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Robert BARAN (POL), 11-0
BRONZE - Levan BERIANIDZE (ARM) df. Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE), 2-2
BRONZE - Baldan TSYZHIPOV (RUS) df. Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR), 4-1

On his path to Paris, Burroughs makes a stop in Taraz

Thursday, November 2, 2023 - 19:15 By Vinay Siwach

TARAZ, Kazakhstan (November 2) -- The sports hall at the 'Athletic' Hotel in Taraz is full of boxing world champions and medalists. The Kazakhstan boxers are preparing for an upcoming domestic tournament.

A few meters away from the boxing ring are two wrestling mats, crowded with wrestlers from various countries. But as Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) begins his training, one mat is slowly vacated with wrestlers moving to the other.

It's his final training session before he steps on the mat on Friday as the six-time world champion will wrestle at the Kunayev DA tournament in the south Kazakhstan city. Back at 74kg after almost three years, Burroughs gearing up for the Paris Olympics next year.

Once Burroughs begins his drills, mobiles are out to record, a few others watch and admire, and even the boxers pause briefly and catch a glimpse. He spars with Joseph MCKENNA (USA) who is participating in the tournament at 65kg. The 30-minute session has Burroughs defend McKenna's shots, and work on finishing leg attacks and some heavy-hands. The sparring is followed by a long session of skipping ropes.

As the 35-year-old cools down, there are a few requests for photographs from young kids and other wrestlers. He obliges.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)

The DA Kunayev tournament in Taraz will be Burroughs' first international appearance since the 2022 World Cup in Iowa. While the United States won the gold there, Burroughs personally suffered a big loss. He lost, for the first time in his career, to an Iranian wrestler Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI).

He tried making the U.S. team for the World Championships this year at 79kg but lost the trials to Chance MATSTELLER (USA). So what is Burroughs doing in Taraz at the end of the 2023 season?

"There is no international tournament in 2023 after this one," Brandon SLAY (USA), the coach with Burroughs in Taraz, said. "The Pan-Am Games or this. Burroughs coming down to 74kg meant we need to do this gradually but wrestling at Pan-Am Games would mean to make 74kg at scratch."

A two-kilogram allowance in Taraz helps Burroughs as he slowly shifts back to 74kg, an Olympic weight class in which he won gold in the 2012 London Games and now looking to repeat in Paris.

But the road to Paris is filled with challenges. Domestically, Burroughs will have to win the Olympic trial in April, going through four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) who qualified the weight for the U.S. in Belgrade by winning silver. But to reach Dake, Burroughs will have to beat some of the best wrestlers in the U.S. including Jason NOLF (USA), Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA), Keegan O'TOOLE (USA), the top four U.S. wrestlers from this month's Bill Farrell International, the top five wrestlers from the National Championships in December, the 2024 NCAA champion and the 2024 Pan-American Championships champion. Marsteller is also qualified for the Olympic trial and can compete if he decides to drop to 74kg in April.

Perhaps that's what made Burroughs take the trip to Kazakhstan. This will be his first invitational tournament in six years.

"Kazakhstan has been amazing," Slay said. "We participated here last year for the first time and this was in our minds this year as well. The organizers have been very accommodating. Despite the long travel, it's reasonable to stay and wrestle here. We get to wrestle international wrestlers so that is what we were looking for."

Burroughs is up against the U20 Asian champion from Kazakhstan Yerkhan BEXULTANOV (KAZ) and if he manages to reach the final in the 20-man bracket on Saturday, he is likely to get another Kazakhstan wrestler.

"He is the only American in the bracket so we are not thinking too much," Slay said. "I am pretty satisfied with the brackets here."

Back in the sports hall, Burroughs rests himself for a brief period before calling it a day. No signs of aggressive reduction of weight. He will perhaps step on the weighing scale more than once before he actually does on Friday morning for the weigh-ins.

That is when Burroughs' battle for the Paris Olympics at 74kg begins.

Chamizo Wins Clash Against Gazimagomedov, Claims Fourth European Title

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On his path to Paris, Burroughs makes a stop in Taraz