#WrestleAlmaty

Geraei Dominates Ryu in Greco 67kg Final After Both Qualify for Tokyo

By Ken Marantz

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (April 9) --- Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), having already assured he will join his older brother at the Tokyo Olympics, made a statement that gives an indication of how he might do when he gets there.

Geraei put on an impressive performance in dismantling veteran Hansu RYU (KOR) in the Greco-Roman 67kg final at the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament on Friday night, winning by 9-0 technical fall.

As both wrestlers had qualified for Tokyo with victories in the semifinals in the afternoon session, pride was on the line and Geraei looked sharp in ending the match at the spectator-less Baluan Sholak Palace of Culture and Sports in 3:45.

"It's a good day," Geraei said. "I won all of my bouts without giving a point. So I am proud. I come from a wrestling family and my brother always supports me and pushes me."

Geraei, the 2019 Asian champion, took a commanding lead from the first par terre position, reverse lifting the 33-year-old Ryu and slamming him to the mat for a 5-0 lead. In the second period, he countered a back drop by the former world champion that again sent him to his back for 4 points and the victory.

Geraei won all four of his matches by fall or technical fall in a weight class that, because it had no Olympic qualifiers from the 2019 World Championships, was particularly deep and included the world silver medalist at 72kg.

"My body was prepared for the tournament and I was able to do exactly what I had planned," said the 24-year-old Geraei. "In Almaty I achieved the next level with my performance."

Geraei's older brother Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) had already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics at 77kg by placing third at the Nursultan worlds.

"It's a honor to go to Olympics with my brother," the younger Geraei said. "I hope he can help me reach my goal of winning the Olympic gold medal. Having him there is great as a support system and partner and teacher."

For Ryu, the loss was a disappointment, but hardly dissaudes him from his goal of capturing an elusive Olympic medal.

"I am not satisfied with myself," he said. "The Olympics is an important tournament and this was just the qualification so at the Olympics, I will do my best. During training, I always remind myself that it is for the Tokyo Olympics so I'm planning to train sincerely.

"Now I have medals at Worlds, Asian, Asian Games, but I missed an Olympics one," said Ryu, who has a combined five gold medals from Asian Games and Asian Championships, including in 2020. "I'll do my best to get an Olympic medal."

As for how long he will continue, Ryu says the 2022 Asian Games in Hanghou, China, are in the cards. "I'll do wrestling until next year's Asian Games," he said. What about Paris 2024? "No I don't have an idea to participate at Paris Olympics. I'll retire. Too old."

Kyrgyzstan, which sent three wrestlers into the finals, came with two champions in Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)  at 60kg and Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) at 77kg.

Sharshenbekov, last year's Asian silver medalist, held on for a 4-3 victory over 2018 world bronze medalist Sailike WALIHAN (CHN). He took a 4-0 lead into the second period, then held on after Walihan scored a takedown and gained the par terre position.

Likewise, Makhmudov built up a 7-0 lead in the first period against Shohei YABIKU (JPN), then kept his composure as the Japanese chipped away at it with three points but nothing more.

In a clash of the most recent Asian gold medalists at 97kg, reigning champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) handily defeated his predecessor Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ), finishing off a 10-0 technical fall early in the second period.

Saravi completed two gut wrenches in the par terre position to take a 5-0 lead in the first period. Just 15 seconds in the second, he countered an attack and slammed Dzhuzupbekov to his back as they went off the mat for a 4-point move. An unsuccessful challenge added the 10th point.

The other two finals went uncontested due to defaults. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) gained the 87kg title over Fei PENG (CHN), who appeared to have injured his near in his semifinal win, while Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) accepted the 130kg gold without a fight from Minseok KIM (KOR).

Anyone with the notion that those in the bronze-medal matches would be less than motivated after missing out on Olympic spots need only to have watched the performance of Yanan CHEN (CHN) at 97kg.

On the verge of a technical fall loss to Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB), the unheralded Chen never gave up in the face of a 9-2 deficit and used a duck under to a powerful half-nelson that sent the Uzbek to his back. That's where the match ended, with Chen recording a fall in 4:19.

Greco-Roman Results

60kg
GOLD - Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)  df. Sailike WALIHAN (CHN), 4-3
BRONZE - Firuz MIRZORAJABOV (TJK) df. Mohammad ALAJMI (KUW) 4-2
BRONZE -Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) df. Gyandender GYANDENDER (IND), 4-3

67kg
GOLD - Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Hansu RYU (KOR) by TF, 9-0, 3:45
BRONZE - Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) df. Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM) by TF, 11-2, 4:05
BRONZE - Ashu ASHU (IND) df. Sheroz OCHILOV (TJK), 8-1

77kg
GOLD - Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Shohei YABIKU (JPN), 7-3
BRONZE - Singh GURPREET (IND) df. Rabie KHALIL (PLE) by Default
BRONZE - Hujun ZHANG (CHN) df. Habibjon Zuhurov (TJK) by Fall, 2:07 (4-5)

87kg
GOLD - Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) df. Fei PENG (CHN) by Default
BRONZE - Masato SUMI (JPN) df. Kumar SUNIL (IND) by TF, 10-1, 5:21
BRONZE - Jinhyeok KIM (KOR) df. Hossein NOURI (IRI) by Default

97kg
GOLD - Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) by TF, 10-0, 3:15
BRONZE - Yanan CHEN (CHN) df. Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB) by Fall, 4:19 (4-9)
BRONZE - Seyeol LEE (KOR) df. Ravi RAVI (IND), 3-1

130kg
GOLD - Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Minseok KIM (KOR) by Default
BRONZE - Lingzhe MENG (CHN) df. Naveen NAVEEN (IND), 5-1

#WrestleAlmaty

LIVE BLOG: Senior Asian Championships, Day Three

By United World Wrestling Press

Day three here in Almaty and action shifts to women's wrestling as wrestlers from 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg, and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

1930 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) pulls off a dramatic fall over Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) to win the gold medal here in Almaty at 76kg

1910 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) claims her fourth Asian title as she beats Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in the final at 68kg

1845 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! SARITA (IND) defends her title! She beats Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) 10-7 to capture the top medal at 59kg. The Indian had lost to the Mongolian in the morning but she avenges that loss in dramatic comeback

1825 hrs: They were wrestling to decide the silver and bronze at 55kg and with Madina USMONJONOVA (UZB) beat Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ), she will take the silver at 55kg

1815 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Dulguun MUNKHBOLD BOLORMAA (MGL) captures the gold medal at 55kg as she wins all three of her bouts. She pins Hyungjoo KIM (KOR)

1810 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Minute and 45 seconds is all Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) needs to beat Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB) 10-0 and win the gold medal at 50kg

1805 hrs: A first period technical superiority win for SEEMA (IND) to win the bronze medal at 50kg. For the final now between Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) and Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)

1800 hrs: Back for the final's session here in Almaty. All the action will be on Mat B, beginning with 50kg bronze medal bout between Yung Hsun LIN (TPE) and SEEMA (IND)

1330 hrs: We are all set for our semifinal on day one of women's wrestling

We will start off with 50kg as Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB) takes on SEEMA (IND) on Mat A while Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) takes on Yung Hsun LIN (TPE) on Mat B

1310 hrs: Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) gets the fall again! She has been outclassing her opponents here

1250 hrs: Eun Sun JEONG (KOR) pulls off a dramatic fall. Trailing 0-6, she gets a pin off NISHA (IND) at 68kg.

1235 hrs: Dulguun BOLORMAA (MGL) dominating here in Almaty. He gets a victory by fall over Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ) at 55kg

1210 hrs: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) gets rolling with an 11-1 win over Azoda ESBERGENOVA (UZB) at 68kg

1208 hrs: Domination from Mongolia! Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) gets the pin in over NISHA (IND) at 68kg

1200 hrs: Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) gets her opening win over defending Asian champion SARITA (IND). A close bout between the two but it ends 5-4 in the Mongolian wrestler's favour

1145 hrs: Dulguun BOLORMAA (MGL) gets going on Mat A with a 10-0 win against Madina USMONJONOVA (UZB)

1130 hrs: All set for day three here. Women's wrestling is underway with all the action on Mat A and Mat B