#WrestleNoviSad

Four Russian Women Punch Tickets to Day Four Finals

By Eric Olanowski

NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 6) – Russian women won four of five semifinal matches, qualifying a quartet of wrestlers for Thursday night’s U23 European championship women’s wrestling finals.

The four Russian women who will compete for gold on Thursday night (18:00 local time) are Nadezhda SOKOLOVA, Viktoriia VAULINA, Khanum VELIEVA, and Daria SHISTEROVA. 

At 50kg, Russia’s Sokolova threw Turkan NASIROVA (AZE) to her back early in the first period and scored the fall, locking up her first European finals appearance since her 2016 title-winner performance. 

She’ll wrestle 2018 world bronze medalist Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in the 50kg gold-medal bout. To reach the finals, Livach shutout Poland’s Katarzyna KAMINSKA, 10-0, and locked up her spot in the finals. The Ukranian wrestler led 4-0 in her semifinals match against Kaminska before closing the match out with a takedown and a pair of leg laces. 

Russia’s second finalist is Viktoriia Vaulina. Vaulina was up 8-0, but surrendered six straight points to her German opponent and only led 8-6. A late headlock for the Russian increased her lead by four points and pushed her into the finals with a 12-6 victory. 

She’ll have to defeat Turkey’s Eda TEKIN to take the home 55kg gold medal. Tekin trailed 4-1 with under 20 seconds left when she picked up a takedown and an exposure, stealing the match, 5-4. 

Four-time age-group world champion Khanum Velieva is the third Russian competing for a Day 4 gold medal. Velieva used three takedowns and a step out to score the 7-0 shutout over Ukraine’s Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA in her semifinals match. 

Velieva will wrestle Natalia STRZALKA (POL) for the 68kg gold medal. 

Strzalka scored nine unanswered second-period points after trailing 4-0 and grabbed the 9-4 victory over Yauheniya ANDREICHYKAVA (BLR). 

Russia’s remaining semifinal winner was Daria Shisterova, who led 1-0 but had to capitalize on a pair defensive of takedowns in the second period to defeat Romana VOVCHAK (UKR), 5-2. 

She’ll take on Turkey’s Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR) in tomorrow’s finals. Ozbege shutout Italy’s Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 9-0, to reach her first European finals. 

The lone weight not featuring a Russian finalist is 59kg. 

Moldova’s Anastasia NICHITA will meet Ukraine’s Anhelina LYSAK in the 59kg gold-medal match.   

Nichita only needed a little over a minute to pick up the 10-0 technical superiority victory over Russia’s Zelfira SADRADDINOVA to lock up a spot in the finals.

Her finals opponent Lysak trampled Emma Margareta JOHANSSON (SWE), 12-1 in her semifinals bout. 

Thursday’s finals begin at 18:00 (local time) and can be watched live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS
50kg 
GOLD - Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS) 
SEMIFINAL - Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Katarzyna KAMINSKA (POL), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS) df. Turkan NASIROVA (AZE), via fall 

55kg
GOLD - Eda TEKIN (TUR) vs. Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Eda TEKIN (TUR) df. Sezen BELBEROVA (BUL), 5-4 
SEMIFINAL - Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS) df. Ellen RIESTERER (GER), 12-6 

59kg 
GOLD - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) vs. Anhelina LYSAK (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Zelfira SADRADDINOVA (RUS), 10-0
SEMIFINAL - Anhelina LYSAK (UKR) df. Emma Margareta JOHANSSON (SWE), 12-1 

68kg 
GOLD - Natalia  STRZALKA (POL) vs. Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Natalia STRZALKA (POL) df. Yauheniya ANDREICHYKAVA (BLR), 9-4 

SEMIFINAL - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR), 7-0 

76kg
GOLD - Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS) vs. Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS) df. Romana VOVCHAK (UKR), 5-2 
SEMIFINAL - Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR) df. Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 9-0 

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open Day 4 Freestyle: Results & Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 7) -- Freestyle day at Ulaanbaatar Open with seven weight class. World champions Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) and Chongsong HAN (PRK) are in action at 65kg and 57kg respectively.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

14:20: 65kg semifinal - Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) has unreal pace and Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) has no answers for it. The world champion enters the 65kg final after a win over the Kazakhstan wrestler. Amouzad led 3-0 and then scored a stepout before Askarov also got a stepout to make it 4-1. Amouzad managed another before scoring a takedown to lead 7-1 at the break. He starts the second period with a takedown as well and then needs a stepout and go-behind to finish the bout 12-1.

14:07: 61kg semifinal - In a match that saw the lead switch hands on several occasions, Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) scores a late takedown to  beat Batnasan GANKHULEG (MGL), 3-2, and reach the 61kg final

14:07: 125kg semifinal - DINESH (IND) breaks Timur KOTAEV (RUS) in the 125kg semifinal and scored easy go-behind takedowns for a 11-0 victory in 3:13

14:00: 125kg semifinal - Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) with a late takedown to beat Jose DIAZ (VEN) 2-2 on criteria. Diaz had two activity points but Kassimbek's takedown takes the upper hand in the score

13:58: 61kg semifinal - DEEPAK (IND) in the 61kg final after a 7-1 victory over Adilet ALMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ). Deepak with relentless pressure to score his takedowns while Almukhamedov could never break through

13:51: 97kg semifinal - Demchigdorj TUMURBAATAR (MGL) hangs on for a 2-1 win over TUXIGE (CHN) at 97kg. He will face Takhir KHANIEV (RUS) for the gold medal

13:48: 65kg semifinal - Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) took his time but comes alive in the second period, finishing his semifinal 12-1 against Ossimzhan DASTANBEK (KAZ) at 65kg. He led 4-1 at the break but scores eight points in the second period to win 45 seconds after the break

13:47: 97kg semifinal - Takhir KHANIEV (RUS) scores a takedown and four turns using the gut-wrench to finish off his semifinal in 53 seconds against VICKY (IND) and advance to the final.

13:44: 79kg semifinal - Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) with a 13-2 victory over Shamsat TAIR (KAZ). Tair scored the first takedown but Yousefi with a takdown and turn to lead. Tair gives up a stepout and fleeing caution as Yousefi leads 7-2. A takedown later, he makes it 9-2 before finishing the bout with a techncial superiority win.

13:43: 70kg semifinal - Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) holds on to a 2-0 win over Magomed ELTEMIROV ((RUS) after the Russian was called passive two times in the bout. Both passivity calls gave Tumur Ochir gave one point each.

13:40: 57kg semifinal - Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (RUS) uses the leg lace to build a 6-0 lead before finishing his 57kg semifinal with a 12-1 victory over Abzal OKENOV (KAZ) with the lace in the second sequence.

13:33: 57kg semifinal - World champion Chongsong HAN (PRK) advances to the final at 57kg after a 4-1 win over Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ). A stepout and activity point gave Han two points but he lost a challenge. He added a takedown in the second period to lead 4-1, the winning score.

13:31: 70kg semifinal - Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ) dominates his 70kg semifinal against Usukhbayar BAATARKHUU (MGL) and posts a 10-0 win. Kakharov never looked in trouble against the Mongolian

13:30: 79kg semifinal - Barring a four-pointer from Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) which extended the bout, Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) dominated his semifinal to complete a 14-4 victory and advance to the final.

Semifinals on all three mats with three different weight classes

13:15: Last match of the qualification rounds and Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) hangs on for a 3-2 win over Ahora KHATERI (IRI) at 61kg. He score two activity points and a stepout while Khateri scored a takedown 

12:30: World Champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) keeps it simple in his first bout of the tournament with a 5-0 controlled win over Kwang Jin KIM (PRK). Kim had not idea how to break those underhooks. Amouzad into the 65kg semifinals.

12:15: Cross WASILEWSKI (USA) with two takedowns at the end against Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) to make it 5-4 but he cannot score a point needed for the win and Tumur Ochir advance to the semifinals at 70kg with the narrow win 

12:05: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) looks in great form at 65kg as he now beats Christopher COMPOSTO (USA), 10-0. He scores a takedown and gut-wrench to go 4-0 up. He then gets an easy go-behind for a 6-0 lead. Composto tries a fake but Mamedov counters with a takedown and exposure to win.

11:50: The Khaniev brothers -- Ismail and Takhir -- begin with contrasting victories at 79kg and 97kg respectively. Takhir goes first at 97kg and scores a 2-0 win over Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) with no action points. However, Ismail is scores multiple different takedowns to complete an 11-0 win over Khangaibayar GANBOLD (MGL) at 79kg 

11:30: Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS) starts off with a 10-0 victory over Zandanbat BATSAIKHAN (MGL) at 70kg. He scores an easy takedown and then turns the Mongolia using gut-wrench and lace to complete the victory.

11:15: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) lost the Asian Championships final to ABHIMANYOU (IND) at 70kg. But he avenges that loss with a 9-0 victory over the Indian on Sunday. Tumur Ochir with total control of the bout while Abhimanyou looked tired.

11:05: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) steps on the mat at 65kg against MOHIT (IND). He lifts and slams Mohit for a four-pointer before finishing the bout 10-0. Mamedov is on the way to clash with world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) if both do not suffer an upset

10:55: European silver medalist Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (RUS) scores six points and then holds on to his 6-2 lead throughout to beat Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ) at 57kg.

10:45: World champion Chongsong HAN (PRK) needed his strong leg lace to survive a scare in the opening round at 57kg against Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK). Han and Belolyubskii exchanged a few scrambles but the former led 10-8 when he unleashed the leg lace to complete an 18-8 win at 57kg. 

10:30: The fourth day of the Ulaanbaatar Open will feature 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, 97kg, and 125kg.