Datunashvili Denies Rio champ Chakvetadze Ticket to Tokyo; Armenia Grabs 2 Greco spots

Saturday, May 8, 2021 - 23:03 By Ken Marantz

SOFIA, Bulgaria (May 8) -- After appearing in two Olympics for his native Georgia, Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) will now get to represent his adopted country of Serbia. It took a victory over the defending Olympic champion to do it, and one that also spoiled Russia's perfect record in qualifying.

Datunashvili did what needed to be done to forge out a 1-1 victory on criteria over Rio 2016 gold medalist Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS) in the semifinals at 87kg, earning his country one of the 12 Greco-Roman spots allocated at the final world Olympic qualifying tournament on Saturday night in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Both wrestlers were limited to a passivity point, but Datunashvili's came later to give him the victory as the semifinal winners in each of the six weight classes clinched tickets to Tokyo for their country.

In the last 10 seconds, the Georgian-born Chakvetadze got in on a body lock, but Datunashvili whizzered his way out of danger to give Serbia a third Greco spot at the Tokyo Games.

"It's been hard for me," said Datunashvili, who won his third career European championship this year and first for Serbia. "He is also a Georgian and I am, too. We wrestled in training when we were younger. This is the first time we met in a competition and I won."

Competing for Georgia, Datunashvili finished seventh at the London 2012 Olympics, then dropped to 18th four years later in Rio. He made his debut for Serbia last year.

"I had many problems in Georgia but Serbia adopted me," he said. "I say thanks to them."

For Russia, Greco 87kg will be the only weight class without an entry, after the country completed the sets in freestyle and women's wrestling on the first two days of the tournament.

In Greco, only Cuba will have the full six-member squad.

In the other 87kg semifinal, Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) stuffed a tiring Kristoffer BERG (SWE) on a back drop in the last 50 seconds for 2 points, then added a stepout for a 4-1 victory to give Croatia a second Olympic spot.

"I wrestled him in camp but this was the first time in competition," Huklek said. "This will be my first Olympics and I am going to take a medal from Tokyo."

Huklek added he was dedicating his triumph to his sister who died recently.

It was a good night for Armenia, which doubled its allotment of Greco places with victories by Armen MELIKYAN (ARM) at 60kg and Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) at 67kg. For both, the ability to convert in the par terre position became the difference between victory and defeat.

Melikyan coverted from the down position in the first period, then added a late takedown for a 5-2 victory over Hanjae CHUNG (KOR), one of just two Asians who appeared in the semifinals.

Both lost.

The other winner at 60kg was Victor CIOBANU (MDA), the 2018 world silver medalist who finally made it to the Olympics in his third try with a stunning victory by fall over Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO).

Ciobanu used an arm throw to get behind, and when Chkhartishvili tried to escape by sitting out, the Moldovan sucked him back to put him on his back, then clamped down for a fall at 2:11.

"This was so hard but I kept on fighting," Ciobanu said. "I just thought to continue wrestling and thank God I won in this manner."

Aslanyan's victory at 67kg came at the expense of Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA), as he was able to convert in par terre after his opponent couldn't for a 3-1 victory.

In the other semifinal, 2018 world junior bronze medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) scored a pair of four-point moves in the first period of a 10-3 victory that denied Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN) a spot in the Olympics in his home country.

The Czech Republic became the 61st and last country to grab a ticket to Tokyo in wrestling when Artur OMAROV (CZE) secured one of the two places at 97kg.

Omarov, who finished third at at last December's Individual World Cup, outclassed Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) in an 8-0 technical fall in 5:12 that he capped with his third stepout point of the match.

A transplanted Georgian came out on the losing end in the other semifinal, in which Alex SZOKE (HUN) defeated Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) 6-1 after scoring a pair of two-point rolls from the par terre position.

"The scoreboard shows that it was an easy match but it was not easy," said Szoke, who finished second at the Individual World Cup. "It was hard but I was very strong mentally to win this and qualify."

Host Bulgaria came away with an Olympic spot at 77kg -- although there were no spectators at Arena Armeec Sport Hall to appreciate it -- when Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) defeated Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) 3-2.

Mnatsakanian, a two-time world bronze medalist at 72kg, gave up a stepout and a passivity point before getting a takedown to go ahead on criteria. He received a passivity point in the second period then protected the lead to the end.

In the other 77kg semifinal, Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) scored a pair of takedowns in the first period and defeated former world champion Viktor NEMES (SRB) 4-1.

"This win is so hard for me because my opponent is a famous wrestler – world and European champion," said Huseynov, the 2020 European champion himself at 82kg and a former world silver medalist. "I am very happy to win this match.

"This is my first Olympics and I think I will be better there because after 2014 and after seven years, this is my first competition in this category."

For the 33-year-old Huseynov, much of the battle was with the scale in dropping to the lower weight.

"I reduced 12 kgs for this competition, but for the Olympics I will be good," he said. "I was very strong in March 2020 but then COVID happened. We had to wait. I was trying to go to 87kg, but we have strong wrestlers in that category. So I decided to drop to 77kg."

At 130kg, 2020 European champion Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) earned his third trip to the Olympics by putting up a solid wall of defense to shut out Rafal KRAJEWSKI (POL) 5-0.

Alexuc Ciurariu scored his first two points on passivity calls, and even though he could not convert in the par terre position, he put the match out of reach with a spin-behind takedown. An unsuccessful challenge added the final point.

"Not many people believed in me but I always believed that I would qualify," Alexuc Ciurariu said. "The bouts were very hard but I wanted to win."

In the final bout of the night at 130kg, Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN) defeated Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) 1-1 on criteria, with both points allocated for passivity.

Interestingly, Kuosmanen opted to remain on his feet in lieu of the par terre position. In the end, it neither helped nor harmed him, as neither wrestler could launch an effective attack.

Day 3 Results: Greco-Roman

60kg (25 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Victor CIOBANU (MDA) df. Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO) by Fall, 2:11 (2-1)
SEMIFINAL - Armen MELIKYAN (ARM) df. Hanjae CHUNG (KOR), 5-2

67kg (26 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA), 3-1
SEMIFINAL - Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN), 10-3

77kg (30 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df. Viktor NEMES (SRB), 4-1
SEMIFINAL - Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) df. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 3-2

87kg (27 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) df. Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS), 1-1
SEMIFINAL - Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) df. Kristoffer BERG (SWE), 4-1

97kg (21 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA), 6-1
SEMIFINAL - Artur OMAROV (CZE) df. Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) by TF, 8-0, 5:13

130kg (19 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) df. Rafal KRAJEWSKI (POL), 5-0
SEMIFINAL - Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN) df. Mykola KUCHMII (UKR), 1-1

#wrestlebishkek, #WrestleParis

Ageless Abdurakhmonov gains ticket to Paris 2024, third Olympics

Friday, April 19, 2024 - 17:09 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 19) -- Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) had to battle the altitude, the home crowd and a determined opponent. The Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist showed his 34-year-old body could still work its wonders.

Abdurakhmonov earned a ticket to his third straight Olympics with a masterful 6-0 victory over home favorite Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) at 74kg as the freestyle quotas for Paris were decided at the Asian Olympic Qualifier on Friday in Bishkek.

"This win is not just mine," said Abdurakhmonov, who has two Asian golds and two world bronze medals from the last decade to his credit. "Wrestling is such a tough sport that it is not just you. You need the whole team, country to push you forward, to do better. I am very blessed to have these fans and friends, teammates, coaches and people at my home. So I am very excited."

Combined with a one-sided victory earlier at 57kg by Tokyo Olympian Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), Uzbekistan was one of six nations that evenly split the 12 available tickets to Paris with two each and now has three Olympic places overall.

The others winning two quotas were Iran, host Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

Iran has now filled five of the six freestyle weight classes with just the World Olympic Qualifier in May remaining.

Bekzod ABDURAKHAMONOV (UZB) clashes with Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) in the 74kg Paris qualification bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In a clash between the bronze medalists at last October's Asian Games, Abdurakhmonov came out firing from the opening whistle to score a single-leg takedown which, despite lifting Toktomambekov full into the air and slamming him to the mat, was good only for two points. No matter, because Abdurakhmonov secured a high chest lock and easily rolled Toktomambekov for a 4-0 lead.

In the second period, Toktomambetov, who is 11 years Abdurakhmonov's junior, got in on a deep single, but Abdurakhmonov doesn't concede points easily. He initiated a counter scramble that ended with him on top for a takedown.

Despite how it appeared on the mat, the ever-moving Abdurakhmonov said he had trouble with his stamina. "I don't know what it is," he said. "I came here in very good shape but the altitude, the mountains are killing me a little bit. It's hard to wrestle here."

Even so, Abdurakhmonov managed to make both of his previous matches entertaining, as he won his opener against Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) 10-4 after surviving a cradle and near fall situation, then built up a 15-9 lead before securing a late fall over Feng LU (CHN).

In addition to the thin air, Abdurakhmonov also had to contend with facing an opponent wrestling on home soil.

"You have to [step it up]. When it's your hometown, even the walls help you. There was a lot of crowd cheering for him. But thank God I found a way to beat him."

Abdurakhmonov, who attended and competed at Clarion University in the United States and speaks fluent English, finished fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he famously beat Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) 11–1 but lost in the bronze-medal match to Jabrayil HASENOV (AZE). He made amends by taking home a bronze from Tokyo in 2021.

Among the more amazing aspects of Abdurakhmonov's colorful career is that his return to 74kg for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics included stops at weights as high as 86kg.

"I moved around a bit," he said. "I went up to 79kg and I was trying up to 86kg. I went to a couple of tournaments but 86kg guys are monsters. I feel better at 74kg. So I moved back down. We have an 86kg wrestler [Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB)] who is very good and qualified for the Olympics. So it's good we have one more weight qualified."

Yones EMAMI (IRI) defeated Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) to win the Paris quota at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Iran's Asian Games champion Yones EMAMI (IRI) secured the other spot at 74kg, just as he did in 2021, but this time will be hoping that he gets to use it after cruising to a 10-0 rout of the 2021 Asian champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ).

In a clash between world 70kg medalists in 2019, Emami puts on a takedown clinic with three in the first period, then opens the second period with a stepout. He then scores two more points with a driving takedown, then immediately finishes off the match with a gut wrench at 3:49.

In 2021, Emami won the Asian qualifier in Almaty but was not on the team to Tokyo. He missed a chance to qualify this time at last year's World Championships in Belgrade, where he lost to eventual champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (AIN) before falling to Hetik CABALOV (SRB) in the repechage.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) won Iran's fifth Freestyle quota for the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling.)

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI), a two-time world U23 champion, gave Iran its fifth Paris berth with a 3-0 victory over Asian Games bronze medalist Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) at 97kg, clinching the victory with a takedown in the second period while on the activity clock.

"Today's competition was very difficult because it was the Olympic quota and there was no place for mistakes," Azarpira said. "I could be better than this but I was careful because I wanted the Olympic quota. The selection for the Olympics for Iran was in this competition, so it was highly sensitive."

In his only other match before the qualifier, Azarpira ousted rising Japanese star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), whose father is Iranian and runs the kids club where he got his start in the sport, in a bout that was close until the Iranian pulled away for a 9-1 win.

"I was wrestling Japan [Yoshida] for the first time," Azarpira said. "Yoshida is a very great opponent and it was a hard match. It was my first wrestling, my body hadn’t yet started and I wasn’t in the condition of the competition. But whatever the circumstances were, I had come to win and I was able to win."

Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) scores the winning takedown to secure the Paris 2024 ticket for Kyrgyzstan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the opening match of the night session, two-time world U23 bronze medalist Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) electrified the crowd by pulling a ticket to Paris out of his hat, scoring a counter takedown with 14 seconds left to edge Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) 3-3 on criteria at 57kg.

Each wrestler had received an activity point that gave Almaz Uulu the lead on criteria. In the second period, Batkhuyag fought out of Almaz Uulu's deep double-leg shot to score a takedown with a minute left for a 3-1 lead.

Batkhuyag looked like he might run out the clock when he grabbed a single leg and hung on for dear life, but Almaz Uulu, the winner of this year's Yasar Dogu tournament in Turkey, broke the hold and spun behind for the victory.

Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) hits a fireman carry against AMAN (IND). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Abdullaev's overwhelming victory by fall over AMAN (IND) for the other 57kg berth could not have contrasted more with the preceding match.

Abdullaev, who finished seventh at the Tokyo Olympics, started things off with a low-single takedown, then tripled the lead with a slick 4-point fireman's carry. He then added a pair of 2-point exposures, the second of which gave him a 10-0 lead and would have ended the match had he not secured the fall at 2:17.

Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) celebrates after winning the 65kg Paris quota for Kyrgyzstan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Former world 70kg silver medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), who is back at 65kg after three years, put together a controlled 5-3 win over Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) to win the Olympic qualifier for the second time in a row.

"Words can’t describe my emotions," Akmataliev said. "You saw the support I had. The stands were full of our fans, my friends and relatives and I had to win. Our main goal is not just the quota, but the Olympic gold."

Trailing 2-1 at the break, Akmataliev got a pair of stepouts in the second period, with the second coming with Kim on the activity clock. The two then exchanged stepouts and Akmataliev held on for the victory.

Akmataliev recorded an amazing comeback in the previous round when he overcame a six-point deficit in the second period in a 12-6 win over Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL). Now he will look to do better in Paris than he did in Tokyo, where he lost in the first round to Bajrang PUNIA (IND).

"This will be my second Olympics," he said. "In the first one, I lost to an experienced wrestler. This time we will take into account all of the mistakes and not repeat them and bring back an Olympic medal."

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) qualified the 65kg weight class for Japan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) picked up the other 65kg berth -- and the chance to keep the Olympic gold in Japanese hands -- with a comprehensive 11-0 victory over Shaohua YUAN (CHN).

Kiyooka used a low single to maximum effect to score two takedowns in the first period which, combined with an activity point, gave him a 5-0 lead. In the second, he landed a double-leg takedown, applied the lace lock and rolled twice to end the match in 4:29.

"I'm happy to clinch [the quota], but looking at my performance overall, it's filled with issues that need to be worked on," Kiyooka said. "My goal is the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. It's good that the issues came to light, but I can't give my performance full marks. I think it was about a 50 [out of 100]."

Kiyooka, who earned the right to represent Japan in Bishkek by knocking off Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), had his toughest test in the first round when he held on for a 10-7 win over Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK).

Kiyooka is a recent graduate of Nippon Sports Science University, where among his training partners is 2016 Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), who will be among the medal favorites in Paris at 57kg. He said that helped him against Yuan, who assumes a left-foot-forward stance.

"He uses a left-handed stance, well, my teammate Rei Higuchi also does that -- and honestly speaking, Higuchi is the best -- so it was no problem," Kiyooka said.

The 23-year-old Kiyooka, whose victory came six days after younger sister Moe won the women's 55kg gold at the Asian Championships in the same venue, came into the tournament with little international experience. He won the Kolov-Petrov tournament in Bulgaria in 2023, then finished ninth that year at the World U23.

"I've become more mentally strong," Kiyooka said. "The World U23 last year was a good experience for me. Today I watched videos of past matches and I was able to stay composed when I gave up points."

Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN), left, and Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) secured the Paris quota at 86kg for Japan and Mongolia respectively. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Japan's other win came at 86kg, where 2023 Asian bronze medalist Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) spent all of 33 seconds on the mat the entire day booking his ticket to Paris.

That was all the time it took Ishiguro to score a takedown on Gwanuk KIM (KOR), then reel off four quick gut wrenches for a 10-0 win. Ishiguro did not have to wrestle in the afternoon session as he received a victory by default in his lone match.

Sources said that Deepak PUNIA (IND) was unable to wrestle because he was late to the weigh-in after his flight from Dubai was delayed. He was stuck in Dubai for two days because of flooding.

"In the first match, you're usually pretty tight," said Ishiguro, the 2018 world junior (U20) champion at 79kg and 2019 world U23 bronze medalist who is a product of the same Tokyo kids wrestling club that produced Otoguro. "So there was a bit of anxiety. But everyone around me encouraged me, and that lifted my mood."

Mongolia secured the other Paris ticket at 86kg, when Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) defeated Tokyo Olympian Zushen LIN (CHN) 1-1 on criteria, with both points scored on the activity clock in a dull match.

Three-time Asian medalist Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) earned a place for Kazakhstan in Paris and a possible second Olympics for himself at 97kg by edging Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) 3-2 at 97kg.

Yergali scored an activity point and stepout to take a 2-0 lead into the break. In the second period, Habila was on the clock again when he got in on a single-leg, but time ran out before the Chinese could finish the takedown, leaving Yergali ahead 3-2. It was a similar outcome to Yergali's 2-1 win over Habila in the first round at last year's World Championships.

Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) defeated Zhiwei DENG (CHN) to win the 125kg quota for Mongolia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Two-time world medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) made China 0-for-4 on the night when earned a ticket to a second straight Olympics at 125kg, while denying Zhiwei DENG (CHN) what would be his third trip by scoring an activity point in each period for a 2-0 win.

The match was a clash between the losers of the bronze-medal matches at the Tokyo Olympics and a rematch of Deng's 2-1 win in the first round at last year's World Championships.

"The match was hard," Munktur said. "At the World Championships, Deng beat me, but today I won so I am happy about it. I am going for the gold in Paris. Everything is possible. Why not?"

Tokyo Olympian Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) capped the night with a second-period scoring spree to defeat Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) 7-3 in the other 125kg match.

Batirmurzaev, the 2021 Asian champion who finished third last year, received an activity point in the first period. In the second, he scored back-to-back 2-point counter lifts from a front body lock, then added a gut wrench for a 7-0 lead.

Sharipov, one of a handful of wrestlers who also competed at last week's Asian Championships -- where he won a bronze -- came back with a takedown and stepout, but it was too little, too late.

Paris 2024 Qualification Matches

57kg
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) 3-3
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. AMAN (IND) by Fall, 2:17 (10-0)

65kg
Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Shaohua YUAN (CHN) by TF, 11-0, 4:29
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Kwang Jin KIM (PRK), 5-3

74kg
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 6-0
Yones EMAMI (IRI) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) by TF, 11-0, 3:49

86kg
Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) df. Gwanuk KIM (KOR) by TF, 10-0, :33
Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) df. Zushen LIN (CHN), 1-1

97kg
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) df. Awusayiman HABILA (CHN), 3-2
Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), 3-0

125kg
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Zhiwei DENG (CHN), 2-0
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), 7-3

Datunashvili Denies Rio champ Chakvetadze Ticket to Tokyo; Armenia Grabs 2 Greco spots

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Ageless Abdurakhmonov gains ticket to Paris 2024, third Olympics