Elder Lorincz Grabs Greco 77kg Gold; Evloev, Mensah Stock Cruise to Olympic Titles

Tuesday, August 3, 2021 - 14:38 By Ken Marantz

CHIBA, Japan (August 3) --- The Lorincz family of Hungary is halfway toward a double Olympic celebration.

Veteran Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) made his fourth and final Olympics a triumphant one by defeating rising star Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) 2-1 in the Greco-Roman 77kg final on Tuesday night at Makuhari Messe Hall A.

Two other reigning world champions also secured their first Olympic golds, with Musa EVLOEV (ROC) triumphing over a less-than-100-percent defending champion at Greco 97kg and Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) taking the women's 68kg crown.

Earlier, Lorincz's younger brother Viktor advanced to the final at 87kg, keeping alive their dream of taking home golds together from the Tokyo Olympics. It nearly happened at the 2019 World Championships, where Tamas won his lone world gold but Viktor lost in the final.

Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) celebrates after winning the 77kg GR final. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

"In the last five years we have trained hard," Tamas Lorincz said. "Even during the pandemic I trained with my brother. So there is a reason we are both in the final of this Olympics. This is my final Olympics."

The 35-year-old Lorincz, who also won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, showed his experience and saavy by doing exactly what was needed to advance through each round. After receiving a first-round victory by default, he won all of three of his subsequent matches by one point.

“I just thought no, I can’t lose, especially after I managed to defeat the Iranian," Lorincz told m4sport in Hungarian, referring to his semifinal win over Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI). "It gave him so much power that no one here could stop me. I am very glad that this won by me."

In the final against the 22-year-old Makhmudov, Lorincz was put in the bottom of the par terre in the first period, but held firm and did not give up any points. In the second period, he scored with a stepout, then received a passivity point himself. While he couldn't turn his young opponent, he did enough to preserve his lead.

"Incredible," Lorincz said. "I made it to my fourth Olympics, almost 35 years old. I don't want to believe this. I'm so happy."

Makhmudov, the 2018 Asian champion, had been aiming to become Kyrgyzstan's first-ever Olympic champion in any sport. Instead, he will have to settle for being the nation's fifth medalist in history (the sixth came a short time later in the women's 68kg), while establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Musa EVLOEV (ROC), left, and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) after the former won the 97kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Evloev added the Olympic gold to his two world titles when he defeated rival Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) 5-1 at Greco 97kg in a repeat of the 2019 world final in Nur-Sultan.

Rio 2016 and three-time former world champion Aleksanyan was visibly hampered by a leg injury he suffered in the semifinals, and while bravely fighting on, never really threatened the Russian.

Evloev, gaining the par terre position first, got a 2-point leg penalty that was given through a challenge, then added a 2-point throw for a 5-0 lead. In the second period, Aleksanyan was put on top, but could not put enough power from his legs to lift his opponent.

"I was nervous of course, every athlete is," Evloev said. "I was sure of myself, my strength, endurance. I have done this before. I tried to show whatever my coaches invested into me. I had some luck as well. I wanted to prove that I am the strongest in this category. This was a collective effort."

Asked how he felt about beating Aleksanyan for a third time, Evloev said, "I came here to grab my Olympic gold medal. I have no emotions, honestly. It was the same at the world championships, I was calm when I won. I don’t feel anything. I am just glad. I have worked a lot for it."

Evloev said the postponement of the Olympics had little effect on him.

"There is no difference for me," he said. "In 2020 I wrestled with the same guys, and won them all. If the coaches agree, I will be glad to participate in the World Championships [in Oslo] in two months."

The 28-year-old Evloev is also already talking about going for a second gold in Paris in 2024. Not surprising, given his obsession with the sport--although he's not so crazy about training.

"I go to sleep thinking about wrestling, I wake up in the morning thinking about wrestling," Evloev said. "It’s the easiest to wrestle at the competition, although the toughest parts is the preparation for me personally. The training [sessions] are crazy, after them you can’t fall asleep at night, then you wake up in the morning and all your body is in pain. So, I enjoy wrestling."

Women's 68kg Olympic champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA). (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

In the women's 68kg final, Mensah Stock proved she is truly in a class of her own with a steady 4-1 victory over Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), the first-ever Nigerian to make an Olympic final.

The 29-year-old American scored a defensive takedown, but was reversed as she tried to turn Oborududu over to make it 2-1. Undaunted, Mensah Stock went on the attack and scored with a powerful single-leg takedown.

Mensah Stock was never in danger in the second period as she became the second American woman in history to win an Olympic wrestling gold with a near repeat of her 6-1 win over Oborududu in the first round at the 2019 worlds.

"I am so happy and I want to cry but I am controlling it," Mensah Stock said.

The American has lost just once since her triumph in Nur-Sultan, a loss to Feng ZHOU (CHN) at the Matteo Pellicone tournament in January 2020 -- which she avenged with a technical fall in the quarterfinals on Monday.

The six bronze medals on offer each went to a different country, with the biggest surprise coming at Greco 77kg, where unheralded Shohei YABIKU (JPN) upended two-time world bronze medalist Geraei.

Japan Shohei YABIKU (JPN) won the bronze medal at 77kg GR weight class. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Yabiku, whose lone international achievement of any note was a world junior bronze medal from 2013, rallied from an 0-3 deficit to score a 13-3 technical fall that ended with 6 seconds left in the match.

Yabiku needed a late 4-point throw to beat Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) 5-3 in his opening match before losing 3-2 to Lorincz, and came up big again against Geraei.

Put in the par terre position trailing 2-3, he lifted and flipped the Iranian for 5 points. At the end, Geraei tried a desperation jump over the top of Yabiku, but the Japanese dumped him to the mat for 4 points to end the match.

"I lost in the second round, and I wanted to feed off that disappointment to win the bronze medal, and I'm glad I could do it," said Yabiku, who is only the second athlete in Japanese history from the southern islands of Okinawa to compete at an Olympics.

"I hope this medal inspires kids on Okinawa to follow their dreams," he said.

The medal also fulfills the dream of his parents. His father was an Asian bronze medalist who was injured during qualifying for the 1992 Barcelona Games and never appeared in the Olympics, and his mother was a nationally ranked javelin thrower.

While the host country could celebrate a new hero, an older one will be looking for a way to turn around a recent run of misfortune.

Rio 2016 champion Sara DOSHO (JPN) came into the Tokyo Olympics aiming for a second Olympic gold, but will head home empty handed after losing in the women's 68kg bronze-medal match by fall to 2018 world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR).

Cherkasova caught Dosho in a barrel roll that put her on her back, then clamped down for a fall in 2:33 to win the bronze in her second Olympic appearance.

It was Cherkasova who won the 2018 world gold after Dosho was unable to defend the title she won the previous year after undergoing shoulder surgery. That injury and later knee problems curtailed Dosho's preparations for Tokyo, although the one-year postponement helped her recover somewhat. Still, it was obvious that she was not the same wrestler who won the gold in Rio.

The other third-place match at 68kg also ended in a fall, with Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) decking Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) at 5:06 after building a 10-1 lead. That made Zhumanazarova the first Kyrgyzstan woman in history to win an Olympic medal, albeit because Tynybekova will have to wait until Wednesday to receive hers.

Iran picked up a bronze at Greco 97kg when 2020 Asian champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) went on a second-period tear to defeat Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) 9-2.

Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) won the other 97kg bronze with a 10-0 technical fall over Alex SZOKE (HUN). This was Poland's first medal at Greco-Roman in Olympics in 25 years.

Two-time European champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), the 2019 world silver medalist at 82kg, won the other Greco 77kg bronze with a 4-1 victory over Karapet CHALYAN (ARM).

Tynybekova sets up clash with Kawai

In semifinals held earlier in the session, Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) stayed on track to become Kyrgyzstan's first Olympic champion in any sport, but she will face a tough challenge from local rival Yukako KAWAI (JPN) after they both advanced to the women's 62kg final.

Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) will wrestle for the 62kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Tynybekova, who became her country's first-ever world champion in 2019, put on a technical clinic in disposing of Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) by 10-0 technical fall in 3:57.

Tynybekova swept up three single-leg takedowns, then finished up the match with consecutive counter lifts off a Koliadenko takedown attempt.

Kawai had a tougher test but skillfully scraped together a 3-2 victory over Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), avenging a loss to the Bulgarian in the final at the 2018 World Championships.

Yusein took the lead on a stepout and an activity clock point, but Kawai went ahead on criteria with a single-leg takedown at the end of the first period. In the second, she gained an activity clock point then held on to assure herself of at least a silver medal in her Olympic debut.

Yukako KAWAI (JPN) reached the final at 62kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Not that she would be satisfied with silver. Like the Lorincz brothers, the 2019 world bronze medalist is on a mission with her sister Risako to win golds together at the Olympics. Risako will begin her quest for a second straight Olympic title on Wednesday at 57kg.

"Tomorrow, my older sister Risako gets started, and I wanted to do what I could to get a good momentum going," Kawai said. "It was a tough match, but I fought believing up to the end that I would definitely win, so it was good."

The clash between Tynybekova and Kawai will be the third since 2019. Tynybekova won the first two before Kawai took their most recent encounter at the 2020 Asian Championships.

In the Greco 67kg semifinals, world U-23 and Asian champion Mohammedreza GERAEI (IRI), the younger brother of Mohammadali, assured there would be an Olympic medal taken back to their family home when he posted a 6-1 victory over Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO).

Geraei Zoidze Mohammaedreza GERAEI (IRI) advanced to the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Zoidze had gotten the day's competition off to a rousing start by knocking off Rio 2016 champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) in the first round, but fell into a 4-1 hole against Geraei when he was dealt a 2-point penalty for leg-grabbing and lost a further point with an unsuccessful challenge.

“I came here for the gold medal," Geraei said. "All of my competitors are so powerful, but if you want to get the gold medal, it’s not important how good the competitors are. I have a plan for all of them.

"I was so sad for my brother who was defeated last night, because we thought that he would be in the final. But we are separate, I have my own goals."

The clash was a rematch of the 2019 world U-23 quarterfinals, which Zoidze led 5-2 with a minute to go, only to have Geraei throw him onto his back with a back suplex. That knocked the fight out of the Georgian and he conceded a fall.

Parviz NASIBOV Parviz NASHIBOV (UKR) defeated Mohamed ALSAYED (EGY) to reach 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

In the final, Geraei will face 2018 world junior bronze medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), who pulled a rabbit out of his hat in rallying to defeat Mohammed ELSAYED (EGY) 7-6.

Elsayed, who was looking to become just the third Olympic wrestling champion in Egyptian history, scored with a big 4-point throw in the first period and led 6-0 in the second.

But somehow it all fell apart, as the 22-year-old Nasibov cut the lead with a 4-point move off a scramble. With Elsayed visibly fatigued as he tried to fend off Nasibov, he tried a half-hearted throw that Nasibov easily countered for a takedown that was upheld by challenge and give him the victory.

Looking ahead to the final, Nasibov said, "The Iranian wrestler is really good, he is strong. The one who is stronger and the one who desires more will win the final. I am young, I am excited and I really want it. Tomorrow I’ll try to do the same thing I’ve done today."

Egypt hopes were again shattered in the next match, as Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) joined his brother as a finalist at the Tokyo Olympics by beating Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) 9-2 in the 87kg semifinals.

That set up a rematch of the 2019 world final with champion Zhan BELINIUK (UKR), who defeated Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) 7-1 in the other semifinal.

Lorincz gave up an early takedown and was trailing 2-2 on criteria when he bulled the unheralded Metwally over with a standing pancake for 4. An unsuccessful challenge and 2-point penalty for a head butt finished off Metwally, who can draw satisfaction for having made an Olympic semifinal without ever having even appeared at a World Championships.

Beliniuk, who will be looking to improve on the silver medal he won at the 2016 Rio Olympics, scored a 4-point throw and a 2-point gut wrench out of the par terre in the second period to defeat Huklek, who will attempt to become Croatia's first-ever Olympic wrestling medalist in the bronze-medal match.

"In Rio, I was 25, I was a young guy," Beliniuk said. "Now I have more experience. I am not getting younger, but I prepared for this competition very well."

Day 3 Results

Greco-Roman

67kg
SF1 - Mohammedreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), 6-1
SF2 - Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Mohammed ELSAYED (EGY), 7-6

77kg
GOLD - Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) df. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), 2-1

BRONZE - Shohei YABIKU (JPN) df. Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) by TF, 13-3, 5:54
BRONZE - Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM), 4-1

87kg
SF1 - Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) df. Mohamed METWALLY (EGY), 9-2
SF2 - Zhan BELINIUK (UKR) df. Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), 7-1

97kg
GOLD - Musa EVLOEV (ROC) df. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 5-1

BRONZE - Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) df. Alex SZOKE (HUN) by TF, 10-0, 1:53
BRONZE - Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 9-2

Women's Wrestling

62kg
SF1 - Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 3:57
SF2 - Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), 3-2

68kg
GOLD - Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) df. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), 4-1

BRONZE - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) df. Sara DOSHO (JPN) by Fall, 2:33 (2-0)
BRONZE - Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) by Fall, 5:06 (10-1)

#WrestleTokyo

Beleniuk Moves to Top of Olympic Podium; Geraei, Kawai Strike Gold

Wednesday, August 4, 2021 - 15:16 By Ken Marantz

CHIBA, Japan (August 4) --- Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) likes to get more aggressive in the second period, figuring it might give him the last-point advantage in matches decided on passivity points. He didn't need that edge in winning his first Olympic gold medal.

Beleniuk scored four points out of the par terre in defeating Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) 5-1 in the Greco-Roman 87kg final on Wednesday night at Makuhari Messe Hall A, giving Ukraine its first Olympic gold in Greco since 1996.

In other finals on a night which featured wrestlers with siblings in the Olympics, Mohammedreza GERAEI (IRI) notched Iran's first wrestling gold with a solid victory at Greco 67kg, and Yukako KAWAI (JPN) did the same for the host country by taking the women's 62kg crown.

Beleniuk's victory was a repeat of the final at the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan, in which Beleniuk won 2-1 with all points awarded for passivity. On Wednesday, the Ukrainian star put up technical points by rolling Lorincz twice from the par terre position in the second period.

For Beleniuk, it caps a crusade to the top of the Olympic podium after having to settle for the silver at the 2012 London Games, which he went into as reigning world champion.

"This journey has been bumpy and hard," Beleniuk said. "The Olympics were postponed. Practice was not ideal during COVID. A dream came true today and I don't believe it. It will take some time to realize but tomorrow morning I will wake up with a smile."

Beleniuk said he felt the pressure of giving Ukraine its first Greco gold since Vyatsheslav OLEYNIK (UKR) won the country's lone previous one at 90kg at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. It was the fourth wrestling gold overall won by Ukraine.

"Yes, of course I have felt all the tension and pressure," Beleniuk said. "I was the favorite and everybody was expecting and this is something that can not helped. I am a sports psychologist. My knowledge helps me with difficulties and focus on things."

The 30-year-old Beleniuk has one of the more unique background stories among Olympic wrestlers. He was born in Kyiv to a Ukrainian mother and Rwandan father, who was a pilot studying at the city's National Aviation University but would die in the Rwandan civil war.

While excelling as a wrestler, winning two world and three European titles, Beleniuk also got involved in politics and became the first Black member of the Ukrainian Parliament.

"I have won everything thanks to God," Beleniuk said. "I'm an MP [Member of Parliament] and I have been combining the two things. This has made life difficult. Anyway, now I'll rest, focus on work in Parliament."

Yukako KAWAI (JPN) became Olympic champion at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

While Lorincz's loss kept him from joining older brother Tamas as an Olympic champion, after the latter won the Greco 77kg gold on Tuesday, that dream remained in tact for the Kawai sisters of the host country.

Yukako Kawai, the younger sister of 57kg gold medal hopeful Risako KAWAI (JPN), defeated rival and reigning world champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) 4-3 in the women's 62kg final, the first medal won by Japan's powerful women's team halfway through the six weight classes.

"I've faced her a number of times and I've won and I've lost," said Kawai, the 2018 world silver medalist and 2019 world bronze medalist. "This time it was at the Olympics hosted by Japan, so I really wanted to win no matter what. I wanted to show my best to everyone."

After giving up an activity point, Kawai successfully scored with a single-leg takedown to end the first period leading 2-1. It was the first points given up by Tynybekova in four matches.

"I don't remember why, I just did it without thinking," Kawai said of the takedown. "During the match, I just leave it up to what I've done in practice."

In the second period, Kawai padded her lead by spinning behind for 2 on a takedown counter. From that point, it was a battle against the clock as Tynybekova tried to find a way to break down her opponent's defenses.

She came close one time which ended in a stalemate, then got a takedown with 5 seconds remaining that left her one point short.

"This is a sport," said Tynybekova, who won her first medal in three Olympic appearances. "Allour life it's been wrestling and everybody wants to win. Everybody fights according to their style and I did like that. According to the results, Japan is the winner."

Kawai had lost to Tynybekova in their first two encounters, including a defeat by fall at the 2019 World Championships where Tynybekova became Kyrgyzstan's first-ever world champion--and raised hopes of become the country's first-ever Olympic gold medalist in any sport.

"To Kyrgyzstan, yes, I have won the first silver medal for women's wrestling," she said. "I wanted gold. I went to great lengths in my training and did not spare any opponent. Thank you to everyone who helped and waited for the medal. I did everything. But today I could not make history. For now, I have to be satisfied with this silver."

Kawai finally got the best of her rival at the 2020 Asian Championships, setting the stage for a high-level showdown at the Olympics. Kawai had used the one-year postponement of the Tokyo Games to work on building strength, and it paid off by her ability to fend off Tynybekova's attacks.

"In other sports that came before ours, I watched others win gold medals and I thought, 'That's cool, I definitely want one too.' I prepared coming into this, so I'm really happy to win a gold medal."

Earlier in the session, Kawai's older sister Risako earned a shot at a second straight Olympic gold by making the 57kg final. The two have long talked about winning Olympic golds together, and now they are one match away from having it come true.

"It's like a dream," Yukako said. "This was the stage I've always wanted to be on. I was able to get the ideal medal. I'm really happy....Up to now, I've always been second or third...To hear 'Olympic champion,' I'm happy, it's the best day ever."

For Tynybekova, she will have to wait another three years for the chance to earn that moniker.

"In general, my team, my coach and I prepared well," she said. "My coach did well to put me in the right mood. I felt very good in Tokyo. In the final match I could not do everything perfectly according to my coach's instructions."

Mohammadreza GERAEI Mohammedali GERAEI (IRI) won the GR 67kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Geraei, who saw older brother Mohammedali lose in the bronze-medal match at 77kg the day before, gave the family something to celebrate by sweeping past Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) for the Greco 67kg gold with a 9-1 technical fall.

"I did my best to win the gold," said Geraei, the 2019 world U-23 and Asian champion at 72kg. "It was the dream of my life. Unfortunately, my brother could not because he had an injury fromIran. I hope he makes it in the next Olympics."

Leading 3-1 in the second period, Geraei scored 4 points off a driving tackle. An unsuccessful challenge of that call gave him another point, and then he finished off the technical fall at 4:09 by sidestepping a charging Nasibov and scoring a stepout.

Geraei said he expects to return to 72kg for this year's World Championships in Oslo in October, but is undecided beyond that.

"My future plan will be based on my coaches, weight category change as well," Geraei said. "In Norway I will fight at 72kg. For the next Olympics, I will do my best to win the next time with my brother. Hopefully the gold."

In bronze-medal matches, Germany came away with two medals, with 32-year-old Frank STAEBLER (GER) heading into retirement with a hard-earned and first Olympic medal at Greco 67kg to go with his three world titles.

Frank STAEBLER (GER) announced his retirement after winning bronze at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Staebler, making his third Olympic appearance, chalked up a 4-point throw from the par terre position in the first period against Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) , then held off the 2018 world U-23 silver medalist for a 5-4 win.

World bronze medalist Denis KUDLA (GER) caught fire in the second period of his Greco 87kg clash with Mohamed METWALLY (EGY), gut-wrenching his way to a big lead before ending the match by fall at 5:36.

Egypt, however, will not leave Tokyo empty-handed as 2018 and 2019 world U-23 champion Mohammed ELSAYED (EGY) defeated Artem SURKOV (ROC) 1-1 at Greco 67kg. Both points were for passivity, and Elsayed fought off one final stint in the bottom of par terre to clinch the win.

The other Greco 87kg bronze went to Georgian-born Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB), who gave his adopted country just its second Olympic wrestling medal ever by beating Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) 6-1.

European champion Datunashvili scored a takedown and a pair of gut wrenches in the first period to provide all the points he would need in denying Croatia its first-ever Olympic wrestling medal.

Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), the 2018 world champion, needed less than a minute to capture a women's 62kg bronze in her second Olympics. Yusein, who lost to Kawai 3-2 in the semifinals, gained a quick takedown against Liubov OVCHAROVA (ROC), then reeled off a combination of rolls and tilts for a 10-0 technical fall in :56.

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) won the other 62kg bronze, scoring two stepouts in the second period of a 3-1 win over Anastasjia GRIGORJEVA (LAT), who had been aiming to win Latvia's first Olympic wrestling medal since 1936.

Elder Kawai holds off Maroulis in clash of Rio champs

Risako KAWAI (JPN), left, and Helen MAROULIS (USA) acknowledge after semifinal at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Earlier, Risako KAWAI (JPN) emerged victorious in a highly anticipated clash of Rio 2016 champions, holding off Helen MAROULIS (USA) 2-1 in the semifinals of the women's 57kg class.

Kawai was the Rio gold medalist at 63kg and Maroulis took the 53kg gold with her historic victory over Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) which made her the first American woman to win an Olympic wrestling gold.

At the Tokyo Olympics, they split the difference and met in the middle, aiming for the gold in the weight class in which Kaori ICHO (JPN) won in Rio her unprecedented fourth gold medal.

Icho had actually aimed for a fifth, but lost out in Japan qualifying to Kawai.

In their first-ever meeting, neither Kawai nor Maroulis could break through the other's defenses. In the end, all of the points were scored on the activity clock, with Kawai, regarded as the more aggressive, gaining two.

"The result is the most important thing," Kawai told Japanese TV. "The issues that came up in the morning I talked over with my coach and resolved."

Kawai said she was prepared for the showdown. "She applies a lot of pressure. I had never faced her before, but I saw videos. When we tied up, I felt right away that it was different from those I practiced with and I felt I could handle it."

For Maroulis, the journey to the Tokyo Olympics was a challenge in itself. She had suffered from concussions and a knee injury, and might not have even given it a shot had the Games not been postponed for a year.

"In that year my health actually started getting better, so that was just a blessing," Maroulis said. "If you told me a year ago that I was gonna feel this healthy today and be like 100 percent, I would have probably not believed you. So to be here like this, I'm so grateful."

With the seconds ticking down, Maroulis desparately launched attacks, but was repelled each time.

"In those last 30 seconds, 40 seconds, I really felt like I pushed the pace, but I felt like I got out-positioned," Maroulis said. "I felt like I would be really close to getting her to maybe open up so I could get a takedown, but it just didn't happen."

Hassan YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) df. Artur NAIFONOV Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) wrestle Artur NAIFANOV (ROC) in the 86kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Another match for the ages was set up in Thursday's freestyle 86kg final, where Rio Olympic and reigning world champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will battle it out with David TAYLOR (USA) in a long-awaited rematch of the 2018 world final won by the American.

Yazdani, who won the 74kg gold in Rio before moving up to the next Olympic weight class and winning the 2017 world title, scored a takedown and a 4-point counter lift in the second period to oust 2019 world bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (ROC) 7-1 in the semifinals.

Taylor stormed into the final with his third technical fall of the day, manhandling world silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) 10-0 in 2:49.

"I am excited for the final," Taylor said. "Yazdani is a great competitor, we’ve had battles, one of the best wrestling stars out there. For wrestling to grow you need stars to wrestle each other."

Yazdani is aiming to become the first-ever two-time Olympic champion for wrestling-mad Iran, while Taylor is shooting for a gold medal in his Olympic debut.

"I have to go out there and get it," Taylor said. "It’s not gonna be given to me at all."

Taylor missed the 2019 World Championships after undergoing knee surgery, while Yazdani has been unbeaten since that loss in Budapest in 2018, including winning a second Asian title this year.

Taylor won their two previous meetings, a victory by fall in the 2017 World Cup in Iran and an 11-6 win in the first round at the 2018 worlds.

In the freestyle 57kg semifinals, favorite Zavur UGUEV (ROC) looked more like the two-time world champion than he did in two close victories in the early rounds, notching an 8-3 victory over 2019 Asian champion Reza ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI).

Uguev gave up a roll early on, but came back with a takedown to make it 2-2 going into the second period. A stepout and a pair of takedowns put him in control as he repeated his victory over the Iranian from the quarterfinals at the 2019 World Championships.

In the final, Uguev will face Ravi KUMAR (IND), who rallied from the brink of defeat for a stunning victory by fall over fellow 2019 world bronze medalist Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ).

Kumar never gave up after falling behind 2-9 in the second period, going on the attack to score two takedowns and clamping down for a fall at 5:21 after the second.

Kumar, looking to avenge a loss to Uguev from the semifinals at the 2019 worlds, will get a chance to become India's first-ever Olympic wrestling champion, after becoming just the second in history to make an Olympic final. Sushil KUMAR (IND) took the freestyle 66kg silver at the 2012 London Olympics.

Day 4 Results

Freestyle

57kg
SF1 - Ravi KUMAR (IND) df. Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) by Fall, 5:21 (7-9)
SF2 - Zavur UGUEV (ROC) df. Reza ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI), 8-3

86kg
SF1 - Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. Artur NAIFONOV (ROC), 7-1
SF2 - David TAYLOR (USA) df. Deepak PUNIA (IND) by TF, 10-0, 2:49

Greco-Roman

67kg
GOLD - Mohammedreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) by TF, 9-1, 4:09

BRONZE - Frank STAEBLER (GER) df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), 5-4
BRONZE - Mohammed ELSAYED (EGY) df. Artem SURKOV (ROC), 1-1

87kg
GOLD - Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) df. Viktor LORINCZ (HUN), 5-1

BRONZE - Denis KUDLA (GER) df. Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) by Fall, 5:36 (8-1)
BRONZE - Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) df. Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), 6-1

Women's Wrestling

57kg
SF1 - Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. Helen MAROULIS (USA), 2-1
SF2 - Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) by TF, 11-0, 4:42

62kg
GOLD - Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), 4-3

BRONZE - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Anastasjia GRIGORJEVA (LAT), 3-1
BRONZE - Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) df. Liubov OVCHAROVA (ROC) by TF, 10-0, :56

Elder Lorincz Grabs Greco 77kg Gold; Evloev, Mensah Stock Cruise to Olympic Titles

Comments

Beleniuk Moves to Top of Olympic Podium; Geraei, Kawai Strike Gold