#WrestleZagreb

Fujinami displays dominance in winning return at Zagreb Open

Sunday, February 5, 2023 - 00:25 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 4) -- Among all the noise around new world champions last year in Belgrade and her absence from international competitions due to injury, Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)'s name got lost in the discussions regarding being a threat for gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

But the 19-year-old on Saturday reminded the world of her domination with a gold medal at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series. In her five bouts, she finished with a 51-0 record, including a 10-0 win over Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT-OCHIR (MGL).

The five wins extended her winning streak to 111 bouts, dating back to junior high school in 2017.

"I am happy to be here. I am fully fit as well," Fujinami said.

Since the Asian Championships in April last year, Fujinami remained out of action internationally due to injuries. She pulled out of the U20 World Championships in August owing to cellulitis in her leg and was forced to sit out of the senior World Championships in September after suffering ligament damage in the left foot on the first day of the national camp.

The 2021 world champion returned to the mat at the Emperor's Cup in December and won the 53kg weight class albeit without facing Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN).

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) outscored her opponents 51-0 in Zagreb. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

When that bout happens is to be seen but before that, Fujinami is making sure that no one takes her lightly.

Beginning with Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL), Fujinami worked with multiple takedowns instead of her favorite ankle pick to leg lace transition. She defeated the former U23 world champion Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) 10-0 before taking out two Canadian world medalists in succession. Karla GODINEZ (CAN) and Samantha STEWART (CAN) suffered 10-0 and 11-0 losses respectively.

One of the surprises she threw at her opponents was to not go for the leg lace and instead score more through takedowns. Fujinami explained that it was her conscious effort to try new techniques.

"Now my favorite technique is to go for single leg or ankle pick and it's working," Fujinami said. "But I cannot win using the same technique every time. So I need to change and improve my technique."

In the final against Bat-Ochir, Fujinami was aware of the threat that Mongolian wrestlers pose with their ability to pin. Dropping the idea of ankle pick which would need her to reach deep, Fujinami kept her distance and worked on takedowns.

"I felt that the Mongolian wanted me to do the ankle pick to her so I was very careful to transition into a lace," she said. "I wanted to try my new and small techniques which my coaches taught at Nippon Sports Science University. I am training for these things and I tried if they will work here."

Fujinami also regretted the fact that she failed to defend her world title in Belgrade but treats that time as motivation to work harder for Paris Olympics.

"I was very frustrated but I take that as a trial for the Paris Olympics," she said. "After I go back, I will watch the videos of this tournament with my coaches. This is the most important time for me. I have to struggle and train more."

Fujinami will now be preparing for the Asian Championships before the all-important Meiji Cup in June. Winning the gold medal in Meiji Cup will mean that she will wrestle at the World Championships in Belgrade. A medal in Belgrade will give her an automatic qualification for Paris Olympics.

Sae NANJO (JPN) won the 57kg final against Yongxin FENG (CHN) 12-1. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

It will be a similar path for Sae NANJO (JPN) as she tries to reach her first Olympics. She won the 57kg gold medal in Zagreb after beating Yongxin FENG (CHN) 12-1 in the final.

Placed with the lower half of the bracket with Ningning RONG (CHN), Helen MAROULIS (USA), and Alexandria TOWN (CAN), it was a shock that Patrycja GIL (POL) reached the semifinal against Nanjo.

Gil defeated Rong 5-4 before shocking Maroulis 10-5 in the quarterfinals. But she failed to put up a fight against Nanjo who scored a technical superiority win over Gil.

In the final, Nanjo turned it up in the second period with tight defense and enough attacks to keep the lead. In the dying seconds, she got a takedown and roll.

Returning to senior-level competition for the first time since winning a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships, Nanjo felt nervous.

"I was nervous about this competition because this was my first senior competition since the 2021 Oslo World Championships," Nanjo said. "But my teammates told me that I won against the world champion [Tsugumi SAKURA (JPN) at Emperor's Cup] so everything will be okay."

When asked if beating Sakurai gave her more confidence than before, Nanjo said it did not matter.

"Nothing changed much because I defeated Sakurai," she said. "I don't care who I wrestle against."

Japan finished women's wrestling with six gold, one silver and one bronze medal.

Yelena MAKOYED (USA) pins Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) in the 76kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Makoyed shines again

Yelena is quickly making a name for herself in the 76kg weight class as she ran through the field to win the gold medal. That was her third Ranking Series gold medal as she captured two last year.

In Zagreb, she pinned world bronze medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) in the final using an arm-bar inside the first period.

In her previous three bouts, she won all three by technical superiority. In the semifinal, she defeated Dymond GUILFORD (USA) 12-2.

Skylar GROTE (USA) added the second gold for the USA on Saturday as she won the 72kg weight classes with some convincing wins throughout the day.

In the final, she defeated Dalma CAVENA (ITA) 3-1, capturing her second Ranking Series gold medal.

HUSIYUETU (CHN) stunned Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) 13-4 in the semifinals. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Husiyuetu stuns 67kg

HUSIYUETU (CHN), who finished ninth at the senior World Championships, stunned the 67kg field with the gold medal after being drawn in one of the toughest sides of the bracket.

He opened with a win over Elmer MATTILA (FIN) 3-1, Hasiyeutu survived a scare against Mihai MIHUT (ROU) who scored three points in the first half. But Hasiyeutu got the opportunity to be in par terre and he turned Mattila to win 4-3.

The semifinal against Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) gave a peek into Hasiyeutu's strength. Despite trailing 4-0, Hasiyeutu scored 13 points and won 13-4, exposing Orta using an unconventional grip. 

"I am so happy with the wrestling," Hasiyeutu said. "The bout against Orta from Cuba was very hard for me."

In the final, he was up against Reza ABBASI (IRI) and waited for his turn to be on top. Once there, he used a similar grip and git two rolls to win 5-2.

The 63kg gold medal went to Taleh MAMADOV (AZE) who defeated Aref Hossein Khoun MOHAMMADI (IRI) 7-2 in the final.

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RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL), 10-0

BRONZE: Iulia LEORDA (MDA) df. Diana WEICKER (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE: Samantha STEWART (CAN) df. Karla GODINEZ (CAN), 6-1

57kg
GOLD: Sae NANJO (JPN) df. Yongxin FENG (CHN), 12-1

BRONZE: Qi ZHANG (CHN) df. Patrycja GIL (POL), 4-2
BRONZE: Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) df. Giullia PENALBER (BRA), 3-2

72kg
GOLD: Skylar GROTE (USA) df. Dalma CANEVA (ITA), 3-1

BRONZE: Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) df. Milla ANDELIC (CRO), 18-7

76kg
GOLD: Yelena MAKOYED (USA) df. Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), 4-2

BRONZE: Justina DI STASIO (CAN) df. Juan WANG (CHN), 6-3
BRONZE: Dymond GUILFORD (USA) df. Precious BELL (USA), 13-0

Greco-Roman

63kg
GOLD:  Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Aref Hossein Khoun MOHAMMADI (IRI), 7-2

BRONZE: Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) df. Aker AL OBAIDI (AUT), 3-1
BRONZE: Iman Hossein Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB), 10-0

67kg
GOLD: HUSIYUETU (CHN) df. Reza ABBASI (IRI), 5-2

BRONZE: ASHU (IND) df. Adomas GRIGALIUNAS (LTU), 5-0
BRONZE: Luis ORTA (CUB) df. Elmer MATTILA (FIN), 4-2

#WrestleBratislava

European history for Serbia; Matcharashvili makes 3rd straight final

Monday, April 7, 2025 - 17:44 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 7) -- Paris silver medalist and defending 97kg champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) posted his photo on Instagram last week and captioned it: "I declare the hunting season open."

Two weeks later, Matcharashvili is doing exactly that. He marked the start of the season at 97kg by making it to his third European Championships final in Bratislava.

The first day of the European Championships, which got underway at the X-Bionic Sphere on Monday, turned out to be historic for Serbia as it got its first-ever Freestyle finalist at the European Championships and France ended its drought of missing out on the finals.

Matcharashvili, who participated in the Zagreb Open at 125kg, returned to his preferred 97kg and spent only 4 minutes and 45 seconds in his two bouts in Bratislava to make the final.

In the semifinal, Richard VEGH (HUN) failed to challenge Matcharashvili who scored a takedown and four gut-wrenches to post 10-0 technical superiority in just a minute and 24 seconds.

Matcharashvili has never lost at the European Championships, winning two back-to-back golds in 2023 and 2024. He is a step closer to a third straight gold medal and will take on Magomed KURBANOV (UWW) for it.

Kurbanov, a former European champion at 92kg, had to tougher path to the final. He scored a 5-2 win over Radu LEFTER (MDA) in the other semifinal. He was ahead 3-0 but got surprised by a Lefter front headlock exposure for two. However, Kurbanov recovered and scored a match-winning takedown to win and book a spot in the final.

Kurbanov was a late replacement for Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) at 97kg after Sadulaev failed to travel to Bratislava with the team

Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB)Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) became the first Serbian Freestyle wrestler to enter final of European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

History for Serbia

Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) created history for Serbia when he reached the 57kg final, becoming the first Freestyle wrestler from the country to make it to the final.

The 2020 European champion for Russia, Tuskaev switched to Serbia in 2024 and returned to the final after five years. He will face Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) for the gold medal bout at 57kg.

In the semifinal, Tuskaev defeated Aryian TIUTRIN (UWW), 3-1, after the two were put on 30-second activity clocks. Tuskaev scored a stepout in addition to the activity clock point to take the lead in the final minute of the bout. Tiutrin tried to get the one point for a criteria win but failed to break Tuskaev's defense.

Mongush blanked Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) 5-0 in the other semifinal which he controlled for full six minutes. He got on the scoreboard when Bazarganov as cautioned for one point for hitting him with open hands.

Bazarganov was on activity clock when he was cautioned and as the clock expired, Mongush led 2-0. Mongush added two stepouts to make it 4-0 at the break before another activity lock point in the second period was enough for a 5-0 win for Mongush.

Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) tries to defend an attack from Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

France also had something to rejoice as two wrestlers reached the finals, ending a four-year drought of a finalist in Freestyle. Young star Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) and veteran Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) booked finals spot for France at 70kg and 79kg respectively, putting the nation in the finals for the first time since 2021.

However, their path to gold will be tricky.

Arsamerzouev will have the repeat of the European U23 Championships from 2024 and face two-time world U23 champion Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW) for the 65kg gold medal. Ibragimov won that bout 6-2 for the gold medal.

The French wrestler barely made it to the final as Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) had him in a tangle in the final 10 seconds and scored an exposure. However, Arsamerzouev also got two points for exposure to win 4-3.

Rahimzada had fallen behind 2-1 earlier when challenged for a stepout but lost the challenge, denying him any other opportunity to challenge in the match.

Ibragimov rolled into the 65kg final on his senior European Championships debut with a stunning 11-0 win over Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinal. He led 1-0 at the break for Otinashvili's passivity but second period saw Ibragimov break into action as he defended a leg attack and countered with a takedown. He scored two turns using gut-wrench and leg lace to lead 7-0. A go-behind takedown put him 9-0 ahead before an easy turn got him into the final 11-0.

While this was a dominant win, Ibragimov pulled off an incredible comeback against former European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the quarterfinal, beating him 3-2. Tevanyan led 2-1 with 90 seconds remaining on the clock but Ibragimov hit a collar-tie snap to score a takedown and take a 3-2 lead which he defended till the end.

Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA)Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) defeated Ion MARCU (MDA) 7-0 in the 79kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

For Khadjiev, a two-time silver medalist, world 79kg champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) stands between him and the gold medal which Khadjiev lost in 2018 and 2019 after losing in two straight finals.

The 30-year-old broke Ion MARCU (MDA) down with his attacking style and claimed a 7-0 victory in the semifinal. Khadjiev had two stepouts, an activity clock point and two takedowns in his win.

"It was really tough," Khadjiev said. "Three years ago I went to Oklahoma State [University] to train and even young wrestlers were beating easily. But I didn’t give up. I wanted to win something."

While there have been many instances of Khadjiev losing in the final seconds earlier in his career, the 2025 season has begun on a positive note for the French.

He won the Zagreb Open in January and is now a win away from his first gold medal at the European Championships. Khadjiev put the success on wrestling more 'professionally.'

"I can say that now my wrestling in more mature," he said. "I don’t risk it or do something aimlessly. I even watch the matches of my opponents, try to analyze them. I never did that before. I would say I wrestle more professionally now."

Akhmed USMANOV (UWW)Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) defends an attack from Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP) in the 79kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

If he watched Usmanov's wrestling videos from Monday, Khadjiev may think he has a chance. Usmanov was a shadow of himself from the 2023 World Championships. Though he reached the final, Usmanov never got going, winning the final 7-0 against Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP) with his counter wrestling.

In the quarterfinal, Usmanov barely managed to sneak through against former European champion Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR). Usmanov was trailing 1-1 on criteria after the two wrestlers failed to score in the activity periods. In the final minute of the bout, Mykhailov was put on the activity clock for the second time. He failed to score, giving Usmanov a 2-1 lead which he defended for the final 28 seconds and secured the win.

European Championships debutant David BAEV (UWW), wrestling internationally for the first time since winning the world gold in 2019, booked spot in the 70kg final with a cautious 3-0 win over Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) in the semifinal.

In his opening bout, he defeated world 65kg champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) rather easily with a score of 10-0.

Baev will take on defending champion Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) for the gold medal after the Armenian managed to hang on for a 3-1 win over Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO).

Andreasyan scored takedown and got a point for Kemertelidze's passivity which took him to his third European final.

Photo

RESULTS

Freestyle Semifinals

57kg
GOLD: Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) vs. Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW)

SF 1: Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 5-0
SF 2: Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) df. Aryian TIUTRIN (UWW), 3-1

65kg
GOLD: Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW) vs. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)

SF 1: Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) df. Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE), 4-3
SF 2: Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW) df. Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO), 11-0

70kg
GOLD: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) vs. David BAEV (UWW)

SF 1: David BAEV (UWW) df. Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE), 3-0
SF 2: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), 3-1

79kg
GOLD: Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) vs. Akhmed USMANOV (UWW)

SF 1: Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) df. Ion MARCU (MDA), 7-0
SF 2: Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) df. Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP), 7-0

97kg
GOLD: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) vs. Magomed KURBANOV (UWW)

SF 1: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Richard VEGH (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Magomed KURBANOV (UWW) df. Radu LEFTER (MDA), 5-2