#WrestleBudapest

Four Nations Earn Pair of Olympic Berths on Friday

Friday, March 19, 2021 - 20:02 By Eric Olanowski

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 19) --- Belarus, Bulgaria, Russia and Ukraine earned a pair of Tokyo Olympic berths, while Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) and Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) outscored their semifinal opponents 20-0 on Friday night at the European Olympic Qualifier.

Hrushyna Akobiia and Koliadenko were flawless en route to booking Ukrainian Olympic tickets at 57kg and 62kg, respectively.

Hrushyna Akobiia, the ’20 European runner-up, scored 16 points and only surrendered one on her way to reaching the 57kg finals. She stopped two-time world medalist Emese BARKA (HUN), 6-1, then shot down Sara LINDBORG’S (SWE) hopes of booking Sweden’s second ticket of the day to the Tokyo Olympic Games.

In her semifinals meeting with Lindborg, Hrushyna Akobiia scored four takedowns before sticking Lindborg to her back in the bout's closing seconds. She was inches away from booking the fall but time expired and she was awarded the 10-0 technical superiority victory.

She’ll wrestle Bulgaria’s Evelina NIKOLOVA for gold on Saturday night. The ’15 world bronze medalist earned her nation's Tokyo berth with a 4-2 come-from-behind win over Bediha GUN (TUR). Nikolova and Gun traded takedowns, but the Bulgarian restored her lead with a late second-period takedown to gain the two-point advantage.

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) snaps down her Geman opponent at the European Olympic Qualifier. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Koliadenko was the second Ukrainian wrestler to score a perfect ten and earn an Olympic license. She barely broke a sweat in her semifinals match agast Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA). She blew through the Moldovian wrestler, 10-0, in the first period and will compete tomorrow night for 62kg European OG Qualifier gold.

She’ll square off with Latvia’s now-three-time Olympian, Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT). The 30-year-old and former European champion denied Elif YESILIRMAK’s (TUR) attempt at becoming the first Turkish woman to reach three Olympic Games with a 4-4 come-from-behind victory.

Grigorjeva trailed 3-0 but capitalized on two second-period shot attempts and won, 4-4.

Belarus, Bulgaria and Russia also cemented a pair of Olympic spots through Friday night’s semifinal winning performances.

Belarus’ berths came from Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) and Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), who put on semifinal shows at 53kg and 76kg, respectively.

Kaladzinskaya, a two-time world champion, led Iulia LEORDA (MDA), 9-0, when she stopped wrestling after thinking she earned the 11-0 technical superiority win. She surrendered a reversal and a takedown but comfortably cruised to the 9-3 win.

She’ll go toe-to-toe with Rio Olympic bronze medalist and fellow world champion Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) on Saturday night.

Mattsson seized Sweden’s 53kg Olympic quota with a semifinal fall over Russia’s Stalvira ORSHUSH.

Marzaliuk looked marvelous in her semifinals meeting against Mariya ORYASHKOVA (BUL). The '17 world finalist got to her double underhooks and the rest was history. She only needed just over two minutes to pick up the fall and move into the 76kg finals. 

Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) and the aforementioned Nikolova punched Bulgaria’s pair of women’s wrestling tickets to Tokyo with wins on Friday night.

Selishka fell behind 1-0 against Poland’s 38-year-old Iwona MATKOWSKA but strung together two takedowns for the 4-1 victory. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), a two-time world medalist, awaits the European champion in the 50kg finals.

The 25-year-old had a minimal 1-0 lead over Julie SABATIE (FRA) after the first period but flew out of the gates in the second period with a head inside single, coupled with a gut wrench to extend to lead to 5-0. Although she shut it down with 30 seconds, she cried tears of joy with a 5-1 victory.

Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) was one of two Russian wrestlers who earn Olympic berths on Friday night. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Russia was the final country that had a pair of semifinal winners on Friday night.

Heavy hitters Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) and Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) were the ticket punchers that we’ll wrestle for gold on Saturday night.

Velieva, the stone-cold 21-year-old, completely shut down fellow European champion Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) in their semifinals clash. The young Russian earned back-to-back one-point exchanges in the first period, then grabbed a pair of second-period takedowns to win, 6-0.

Velieva will wrestle 21-year-old Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) for 68kg gold.

Larroque, who became the ninth French woman to qualify for the Olympic Games, rocked Dalma CANEVA (ITA), 10-0, in the semifinals. The two-time world-medal winner scored three takedowns in the first period and closed out the match with a takedown and an exposure in the second period to claim the 11-0 shutout win.

Although it wasn’t the ideal way you’d want to qualify, London Olympic champion Vorobeva snuck past Martina KUENZ (AUT), 2-1, thanks to a pair of inactivity calls. She’ll wrestle the long and lengthy Marzaliuk for the 76kg crown on Saturday night.

The European Olympic Qualifiers resume on Saturday morning at 11:00 with Greco-Roman action taking center stage.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD - Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) vs. Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL)
SEMIFINAL - Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) df. Iwona Nina MATKOWSKA (POL), 4 – 1
SEMIFINAL - Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Julie SABATIE (FRA), 5-1

53kg
GOLD - Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) vs. Sofia Magdalena MATTSSON (SWE)
SEMIFINAL - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) df. Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS), via fall
SEMIFINAL - Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) df. Iulia LEORDA (MDA), 

57kg
GOLD - Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL) vs. Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) df. Sara LINDBORG (SWE), 10-0
SEMIFINAL - Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), 4-2

62kg
GOLD - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) vs. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
SEMIFINAL - Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) df. Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR), 4-4
SEMIFINAL - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA),10-0

68kg
GOLD - Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) vs. Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), 6-0
SEMIFINAL - Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) df. Dalma CANEVA (ITA), 11-0

76kg
GOLD - Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) vs. Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 2-1
SEMIFINAL - Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Mariya ORYASHKOVA (BUL), via fall

#WrestleTirana

Sadulaev shuts down Taylor in World Championships showdown

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - 11:59 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 30) -- Two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) would have expected his return to the World Championships to make all the noise in Tirana. After all, it had been two years since he last competed at the World Championships.

Enter Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) and David TAYLOR (USA). The former, who last won the world title in 2021, was not able to compete at the Paris Olympics and was injured during the semifinal of the 2023 World Championships.

Taylor, world champion in 2023, missed the Paris Olympics after losing the trials in the United States, announced his retirement and took a coaching job. He came out of retirement and decided to compete at the World Championships and retire.

Both are not 92kg wrestlers. Sadulaev has been a true 97kg for eight years now. Taylor is competing at this weight for the first time after dominating 86kg for years. But the two were pitted against each other in the opening round of the World Championships in Tirana at 92kg.

The small Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana did not have space to sit. So where one could, they stood to watch the two wrestle. Saudulaev in a singlet not meant for his 92kg body. Taylor, in his customary elbow on the thigh and waiting for his opponent.

No one knew what was going to happen. Sadulaev was reducing weight, and Taylor was gaining. How would the two match up? It was this lack that prompted the fans to cheer for both. But after the first period, the picture became much clearer. Sadulaev shut down Taylor's offense and came out of the pressure bout 7-0.

After the initial collar ties, Taylor went for the offense. He got on Sadulaev's leg and tried the lift but Sadulaev was swift to get out of the hold. Taylor continued his attack. That's the only way he knows wrestling. Taylor took another offensive shot and Sadulaev, with lessons from the previous attack, pressured forward to neutralize the attack and scored a go-behind for two. Sadulaev resorted to heavy snapdowns and Taylor wasn't able to defend the second one. Within two minutes, Sadulaev was up 4-0.

The speed and power was Sadulaev was impressively superior to that of Taylor who decided to change a little in the second period. He went for the far leg of Sadulaev. But Sadulaev was quick and spun behind Taylor and scored a takedown with less than two minutes left.

By this time, Ghasempour had finished his bout on the other mat. He defeated Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 6-0 in a rather slow bout.

Sadulaev now had to defend his 5-0 lead. Taylor continued his aggressive approach and got on Sadulaev's right leg. What he did not expect was the quick counter from Sadulaev who pushed Taylor and scored an exposure for two. It was evident that Taylor could not match Sadulaev.

David TAYLOR (USA)David TAYLOR (USA) in the warm-up hall after his bout against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) at 92kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I did not score on the two times I shot and he did," Taylor said after the bout. "That was the difference. I needed to score on those two occasions."

Taylor and Sadulaev went to the warm-up hall but the former sat for more than 45 minutes in silence. He finally broke his silence and talked to the United States coaches after his leg attacks. After spending 30 more minutes gathering his thoughts, Taylor packed his bags and left.

On the training mats, Ghasempour and Sadulaev jogged before cooling down after their bouts. If both continue to win, they are expected to meet in the semifinals.

The match will be rather important for Taylor as well. He will hope for a Sadulaev win which will give him the chance to wrestle for the bronze medal.

"I expect him to make the finals and come back tomorrow," Taylor said. "I need to wrestle better that is my focus for now."

If he does wrestle Thursday, fans will only be treated to another blockbuster. A Ghasemoour-Taylor bout. The only downside will be that one will go home empty-handed.