#WrestleZagreb

European Championships to witness Akgul vs Petraishvili again

Tuesday, April 18, 2023 - 17:30 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (April 18) -- Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) will have a go at each other once again after the two made it to the final for the second year in a row. Last year, Akgul defeated Petriashvili to win the gold and the latter will have a chance to avenge that loss.

After easy pickings in the quarterfinals, both wrestlers had comfortable wins in the semifinals as well. Akgul defeated Abraham CONYEDO (ITA) 4-0 while Petriashvili picked up a 7-4 win over Daniel LIGETI (HUN). Petriashvili gave up a huge four-pointer in that semifinal.

Akgul leads Petriashvili 5-1 in their European head-to-head record and Wednesday will see if Petriashvili can pull one back.

Another rematch from 2022 will be at 74kg as Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) returned to the final in Zagreb. Salkazanov won the thriller in Budapest last year.

The defending champion once again used his defensive skills to outplay his opponents in the morning session. He defeated Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD) 5-0 and Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM) 3-0 before facing Avantdil KENTCHADZE (GEO) in the semifinal. Salkazanov did not change his strategy and managed to see off the Georgian to win 5-1.

Chamizo had a much tougher road to the final as he faced Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) in the opening bout. Gadzhiev had the lead but Chamizo's activity broke the U20 world champion and he lost 9-4. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) must have thought he is in a safe area leading 6-1 against Chamizo in the quarterfinal. But Chamizo worked his way to three takedowns and a stepout to win 8-6. In the semifinal, he defeated Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL) 9-0 before the Bulgarian was injured.

"Last year I was not myself," Chamizo said. "This year I am going to focus a little bit more and let's see what happens."

On his final against Salkazanov, Chamizo said he doesn't like the match-up against Salkazanov as he operates with a completely different style.

"He always beats me," he said. "I don't know why. I don't like wrestling him may be because he doesn't really wrestle. But I am ready. I am not worried about who loses or wins. I am a competitor."

At 61kg, world champion Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) reached his first European Championships final in a mixed performance. He began with an 11-0 win over Niklas STECHELE (GER) and denied Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

However, the semifinal proved to be a scare as Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) got four points in the first period. Phartenadze shot for the ankle and got the takedown before adding a back exposure. But Abakarov pulled out a stunning single leg to score two points just before the break. Albania challenged the call and asked for four. On review, it was confirmed that Phartenadze fell on his back from standing and Albania won the challenge to lead 4-4 on criteria.

The second period saw him engage Phartenadze enough to not be called passive but there were no more points in those three points. He moved into the final, only the second Albanian wrestler ever.

He will now face defending champion Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) who easily moved into the final after beating Arman ELOYAN (FRA) 10-0 in the semifinal.

Another defending champion who moved into the final was Myles AMINE (SMR) at 86kg. He had to dig deep in the semifinal against Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) as he was trailing 2-1. But an arm-drag with two seconds remaining gave him the takedown and a 3-2 win. 

He will now face Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), who won the European Championships in 2017 for Russian Wrestling Federation. He defeated Boris MAKOEV (SVK) 5-0 in the semifinal to make his second Euro final.

After three finalists on day one, Azerbaijan added one more on Tuesday as Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) reached his first-ever final at the European Championships after two bronze medals. In the semifinal, he defeated Ermak KARDANOV (SVK) 6-0.

It could have been another world bronze medalist in the final but Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) beat Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) 11-1 in the other semifinal to deny that. He will be looking to defend his title which he won in Budapest.

RESULTS

Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) vs. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)

SF 1: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Arman ELOYAN (FRA), 10-0
SF 2: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) df. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO), 4-4

74kg
GOLD: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) vs. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)

SF 1: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 5-1
SF 2: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df. Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL), 9-0 via injury default

86kg
GOLD: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) vs. Myles AMINE (SMR) 

SF 1: Myles AMINE (SMR) df. Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL), 3-2
SF 2: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 5-0

92kg
GOLD: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) vs. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)

SF 1: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 11-1
SF 2: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Ermak KARDANOV (SVK), 6-0

125kg
GOLD: Taha AKGUL (TUR) vs. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)

SF 1: Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Abraham CONYEDO (ITA), 4-0
SF 2: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 7-4

#WrestleParis

10 seeded showdowns we need to see at Paris 2024 (No. 6-10)

Wednesday, July 17, 2024 - 14:29 By Eric Olanowski

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PARIS, France (July 17) – We’re still a few weeks out from the Paris 2024 draws taking place on August 4. However, with the release of the top eight seeds per style, we can start to project potential matches that could take place as early as the quarterfinals.

SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024 EVENT PAGE 

The top eight Ranking Series point collectors from the 2023 World Championships, 2024 Continental Championships, and the Croatian and Hungarian Ranking Series events earned a top eight seed. The remaining eight wrestlers will be randomly drawn into their respective brackets.

Here are the top ten matches that we could see between seeded wrestlers from the quarterfinals on:

10. WW 68kg QUARTERFINAL - No. 3 Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) vs. No. 6 Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Koumba Larroque has been a prominent figure in French wrestling since her bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships at just 19 years old. Now in the prime of her career, she’s France’s best shot at a medal.

Larroque’s path to an Olympic medal will be bumpy, to say the least. She’s the third-seeded athlete in a bracket with six world champions and includes a potential quarterfinal clash with  familiar foe No. 6 Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR).

Larroque and Oborududu met twice in their career, splitting their pair of previous encounters.

Oborududu won their opening meeting at the 2020 Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event, but Larroque returned the favor a year later at the Poland Open, evening the score at 1-1.

If Larroque and Oborududu win their first match, their third career meeting would take place August 5 in the 68kg quarterfinals.

9.  FS 65kg SEMIFINAL –  No. 2 Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) vs. No. 3 Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN)
Amouzad and Musukaev are nightmare opponents for each other and are stylistically opposites.

Amouzad, the 65kg world champ from two years ago, is a guy who wants to close the gap with his right-side underhook and fill as much space as possible. Conversely, Musukaev, the reigning 65kg world champion, wants as much space as possible to flow freely.

In their first meeting—the semifinals of the 2022 World Championships-- Musukaev fell victim to Amouzad’s pace and was shut out 6-0. In their second matches—the semifinals of the 2023 World Championships—Musukaev weathered the first period storm, saved enough energy for a last-ditch effort and stole the world finals spot, 6-5, with less than 10 seconds remaining.

If Amouzad and Musukaev meet for a third time, it’ll be on August 10 in 65kg semifinals.

8. 57kg SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) vs. No. 3  Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
The Nichita and Adekuoroye rivalry is one that dates back to the 2019 World Championships but has since changed hands from their pre-COVID meeting.

The seasoned vet Adekuoroye is an anomaly in the wrestling world. Her style can’t be mimicked or replicated. She’s the tallest and lengthiest 57kg wrestler in the world but has also learned to use her leverage to become one of the most powerful wrestlers in the weight.

Adekuoroye’s unique style gave Nichita fits in their first meeting, as the four-time world medalist opened their three-match series with a dominant 10-0 win.

But Nichita carried what she learned from their first meeting into their next matches and had her hand raised on subsequent occasions.

In Tokyo, Nichita fell behind early but capitalized on an uncharacteristic Adekuoroye’s mistake and picked up a dramatic come-from-behind fall while trailing 8-2. Their next meeting came at the 2023 World Championships, where Nichita doubled Adekuoroye before ending the match in the first period with a left-sided trap arm gut, 10-0.

The fourth meeting between Nichita and Adekuoroye will take place August 8 in the 57kg semifinals.

7. GR 67kg QUARTERFINAL – No. 2 Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) vs. No. 7 Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)
If there were ever a lesson from losing a match, Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) certainly learned it the hard way.

Earlier this year at the Hungarian Open Ranking Series event, Esmaelil led reigning Olympic champion Orta, 7-5, with 0.4 seconds left in the match.

But before we get to the ending of the match, it’s important to note that Esmaeili was in a domestic battle with reigning Olympic gold medalist Reza GERAEI (IRI) for Iran’s 67kg Paris Olympic spot. If Esmaeili beat Orta, he cemented his spot on Iran’s Olympic team. If he lost, Esmaeili and Geraei would go to a three-match wrestle off and the winner goes to Paris.

Now, circling back to the match: With less than a second to go in the match, Esmaeili began celebrating as he thought the clock expired.

During Esmaeili’s lapse of judgement, Orta, being the experienced guy, continued to wrestle through the whistle. Orta took a peek at the clock, saw there was still time left, locked up a throw and picked up four points, stealing the match, 9-7.

Esmaeili will try to get his revenge on Orta August 7 in the 67kg quarterfinals.

*Esmaeili ended up beating Geraei in two straight matches to earn the Olympic spot.

6. WW 57kg SEMIFINAL - No. 1 Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) vs. No. 5 Helen MAROULIS (USA)
Through the first two meetings between Sakurai and Maroulis, it’s been a one-sided affair. Sakurai is 2-0 against Maroulis, outscoring the Rio Olympic champion, 9-0, while picking up four offensive takedowns and not surrendering a single point.

Sakurai and Maroulis’ meeting at the 2022 World Championships was a slow-paced match, where the Japanese wrestler did enough to win but didn’t really establish her dominance.

That came in the second match.

In their second meeting, the biggest difference was Sakurai’s tatical use of her right hand when tied up with Maroulis. She used it to score three takedowns—one from an underhook front headlock, one from a underhook throw-by and the final one coming from a two-on-one—besting the American, 6-0.

The third meeting between Sakurai and Maroulis would take place August 8 in the 57kg semifinals.

Wrestling at the Paris Olympic Games starts Agust 5-11 and can be followed on www.uww.org.