#WrestleNewDelhi

Fumita Rolls Into Greco 60kg Final; Korea, Iran Put 3 Each Into Gold-Medal Matches

Wednesday, February 19, 2020 - 10:36 By Ken Marantz

Share this article

NEW DELHI (Feb. 19)---World champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) went with what works best to earn a shot at regaining his Asian title, while Korea had a productive day in putting three wrestlers into the five Greco-Roman finals on the second day of the Asian Championships.

Iran also has three finalists, while Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have one each as the Greco-Roman competition will wrap up in the night session Wednesday at New Delhi’s K.D. Jahrav Wrestling Stadium.

Fumita, who added the 2019 world title in Nur-Sultan to the one he won two years earlier in Paris, chalked up a pair of 9-0 technical falls to advance to the 60kg final, where he will face Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ).

In the semifinals, Fumita handily ousted defending champion Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB). Last year in Xi’an, China, Bakhramov won the gold when Fumita, who had trouble making weight, lost in the semifinals and had to settle for a bronze. 

As he did in his opening match Wednesday against Gyanender GYANENDER (IND)—a fellow bronze medalist in 2019—Fumita used a high body lock in the par terre position to score numerous times with a simple tilt or a roll through. 

Against Gyanender, Fumita pulled off the move four times to end the match in 1:38, but could only manage three times against Bakhramov. Fumita concluded the latter match with a flair, executing an arm throw that ended with Bakhramov on top of the Japanese, who only had to buck him off outside the circle for a forceout point at 3:23. An unsuccessful challenge resulted in the final 9-0 score. 

“That’s my specialty,” Fumita said of the high-body lock. “I did it at the World Championships and it worked well. Nobody comes at my in the standing position, so I want to show, hey let’s take it to the ground. If they don’t want to go to the ground, they come at me at standing and I can try my throws.”

Fumita said he started his weight reduction earlier for this year’s tournament and it went well. “I think I can wrestle at my usual level,” he said.

The Japanese star also said he didn’t regard Bakhramov any differently because the Uzbeki had won the gold last year. “I wasn’t thinking about that,” he said. “But I’ve known him for a long time. I’m glad I was able to solidly win.” 

Sharshenbekov, the 2018 world and Asian silver medalist at 55kg, advanced with a 9-2 win over Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI). He survived a scare in the qualification round, when he needed a spin-behind takedown with :14 left to beat Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) 7-6.

RYU Hansu (KOR) will wrestle Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB) in the 67kg finals for a chance at retaining his Asian crown. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

In other action, former world champion RYU Hansu (KOR) will get a chance to defend his Asian title at 67kg when he joined the Korean parade into the finals by beating Hossein ASSADI KOLMATI (IRI) 5-1 in the semifinals. 

Ryu took a 1-0 lead into the second period when, gaining a passivity point and put on top in the par terre, he rolled the Iranian, then added an arm-drag takedown to clinch the match. 

In the final, Ryu will face Matteo Pellicone ranking series event winner Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB), who eked out a 4-4 win on criteria over Ashu ASHU (IND).

The other two finals involving Koreans will see them into head-to-head clashes with Iranians. 

At 82kg, which has just seven entries and used the preliminary group system, CHOI Junhyeong (KOR) will face 2018 world U-23 bronze medalist Mahdi EBRAHIMI (IRI), having beaten current world U-23 bronze medalist Yevgeniy POLIVADOV (KAZ), 3-0 in the semifinals. 

Ebrahimi pulled off a mild upset when he held on for a 6-5 victory over Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB), a world bronze medalist at 77kg who was competing at the higher weight.

The 97kg final will be clash between LEE Seyeol (KOR) and Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI). Lee topped Muhammadali SHAMSIDDINOV (UZB) 3-1, while Saravi pinned Beksultan MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) in 1:42.

Korean Greco coach JUNG Jihyun chalked up the team’s success to a number of factors. 

“There is a big competition coming up, and some nations didn’t participate in this tournament, so that’s why we did well,” he said, referring to the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament to be held next month and withdrawals here by China and two other countries due to circumstances related to the new coronavirus. 

“And in Korea, we practiced very hard and it was also a reason for our good results today.”

Almin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) will square off against Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) in the 72kg gold-medal match. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

At 72kg, Almin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) edged 2019 bronze medalist Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ) 3-0 to set up a final with Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), who ended local hopes for a gold by beating Aditya KUNDU (IND) by 9-0 technical fall.

Day 2 results

Greco-Roman

60kg (10 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) df. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) by TF, 9-0, 3:23 
SEMIFINAL – Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) df. Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI), 9-2 

67kg (11 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB) df. Ashu ASHU (IND), 4-4
SEMIFINAL – RYU Hansu (KOR) df. Hossein ASSADI KOLMATI (IRI), 5-1

72kg (9 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Almin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) df. Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ), 3-0
SEMIFINAL – Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) df. Aditya KUNDU (IND) by TF, 9-0, 1:48

82kg (7 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Mahdi EBRAHIMI (IRI) df. Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB), 6-5
SEMIFINAL – CHOI Junhyeong (KOR) df. Yevgeniy POLIVADOV (KAZ), 3-0

97kg (10 entries)
SEMIFINAL – LEE Seyeol (KOR) df. Muhammadali SHAMSIDDINOV (UZB), 3-1 
SEMIFINAL – Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Beksultan MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) by Fall, 1:42 (5-0)

#WrestleNewDelhi

Kakran Clinches 68kg Gold as Indian Women Get off to Strong Start Before Home Crowd

Thursday, February 20, 2020 - 10:36 By Ken Marantz

Share this article

NEW DELHI (Feb. 20) -- Divya KAKRAN (IND) shed tears of joy after clinching a gold medal for host India, while compatriots advanced to three of the four other finals as women’s wrestling got started Thursday at the Asian Championships.

Kakran won all four of her matches by fall at 68kg, which, with just five entries, is being competed in a round-robin format. With no matches remaining in the night session, she secured her first Asian gold after finishing third in 2019 and second in 2017.  

Kakran’s key victory came in the fourth round of matches over reigning world junior champion Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), when she was losing 4-4 on criteria but locked up her opponent’s arms from the bottom and tipped her over backwards to secure a fall at 4:20. 

“That’s my best move,” Kakran said through tears. “Before coming here, I thought that I wanted to pin everyone.”

Sarita SARITA (IND) is one of three Indian Day Three finalists. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

In the night session, India will have a chance to pick up more golds through Devi NIRMALA (IND) at 50kg, Pinki PINKI (IND) at 55kg and Sarita SARITA (IND) at 59kg. Japan has two finalists, including world 76kg silver medalist Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN), as does Mongolia, while Kyrgyzstan has one.

India’s American coach Andrew Cook, hired a year ago as a “women’s foreign expert,” said he was proud of the team’s showing in a competition that unfortunately is missing women’s powerhouses China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea due to circumstances related to the new coronavirus.

“I think the last two months or so we’ve had some of the best training that I’ve [seen] in the year that I’ve been in India,” Cook said. “Cohesion with coaches, cohesion with athletes. I think the training program is right on point.

“I’m happy with the things they are showing. They’re actually doing what we do in practice. That’s a big deal.”

Cook said his concerns about how his charges would deal with the pressure of competing before the home crowd at K.D. Jadrav Wrestling Stadium were swiftly alleviated.

“I was a little bit worried, because through the weekend, they all split off and went to their homes and I didn’t really see them until this morning,” Cook said. “So I was a tiny bit worried, how we were going to react, how were we going to wrestle. I also felt that they’re very comfortable in India, and they wrestle hard for their fans. I thought it would wash, and it washed strong.”

Miho IGARASHI (JPN) upset Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ), a world bronze medalist, and made it to the 50kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

In the 50kg final, Nirmala will face two-time world U-23 champion Miho IGARASHI (JPN), who pulled off an upset when she scored the decisive takedown with :15 left in a 5-3 victory over world bronze medalist Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ).

“I lost to her two years ago, and I was going for revenge,” Igarashi said. “Even though I cut it close, I thought if I stayed calm, I could turn her over. I kept my cool during the match and it paid off.”

Igarashi has extra motivation coming into her first senior continental championships—younger sister Saki already has an Asian gold, which she won at 55kg in 2018 in Bishkek.  

“My younger sister won the title before me, so I want to catch up and definitely win the championship,” she said with a smile.

Nirmala earned her place in the final by rolling to a 10-0 technical fall over Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB).

At 55kg, Pinki PINKI (IND) defeated Marina ZUYEVA (KAZ) 6-0 in the semifinals to set up a showdown for the gold with Dulguun BOLORMAA (MGL), who assured she will improve on her 2019 bronze medal by pinning Kana Higashikawa (JPN) in 44 seconds.

Battsetseng ALTANTSETSEG (MGL), a silver medalist a year ago in Xi’an, China, advanced to the 59kg final against Sarita with a 5-1 victory over Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ).

Sarita herself survived a scare against Yuumi KON (JPN), as she scored a 4-point move to go up 10-0, but because the action continued the technical fall was not called. Kon managed to reverse and put Sarita on her back, but she held out to clinch a 10-3 win.

Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN), the reigning world silver medalist, will wrestle in the 76kg finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

All but one of the weight classes used preliminary groups due to limited entries, and the 76kg final will be a rematch of Minagawa’s 3-0 victory over world U-23 bronze medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ).

Both wrestlers won their semifinals by fall, with Minagawa topping Arlunjargal GANBAT (MGL) and Medet Kyzy decking Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ), a 2018 bronze medalist who placed fifth at last year’s World Championships. 

Minagawa, who scored all of her points against Medet Kyzy on stepouts, is aiming for her third Asian title and first since 2015, and sixth medal overall. She was second to Chinese opponents in both 2018 and 2019.

Meanwhile, the fifth-round match at 68kg between Matsuyuki and Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) will ostensibly decide the silver and bronze medals. 

Results

Women’s Wrestling
50kg (8 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Miho IGARASHI (JPN) df. Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ), 5-3
SEMIFINAL - Devi NIRMALA (IND) df. Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB) by TF, 10-0, 3:29

55kg (6 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Pinki PINKI (IND) df. Marina ZUYEVA (KAZ), 6-0
SEMIFINAL – Dulguun BOLORMAA (MGL) df. Kana Higashikawa (JPN) by Fall, :44 (2-0)

59kg (7 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Battsetseng ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) df. Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), 5-1
SEMIFINAL – Sarita SARITA (IND) df. Yuumi KON (JPN), 10-3

68kg (5 entries)
Round-Robin Standings (through 4 rounds)
1. Divya KAKRAN (IND), 4-0;
2. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 2-1;
3. Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) 2-1;
4. Albina KAIRGELDINOVA (KAZ), 0-3;
5. Azoda ESBERGENOVA (UZB), 0-3.

76kg (7 entries)
SEMIFINAL – Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) by Fall, 2:48 (4-1)
SEMIFINAL – Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) df. Arlunjargal GANBAT (MGL) by Fall, 1:33 (5-0)