#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

Asian Championship (April 13-18) Entries

By Eric Olanowski

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (April 10) -- After the Asian OG Qualifiers wrap up, there will be a short two-day pause in action before wrestling resumes in Almaty for the '21 Asian Championships. The focus for the 315 wrestlers from 23 different nations switches from earning Tokyo Olympic berths to claiming continental gold.

The five-day competition starts with Greco-Roman action on April 13. Women's wrestling takes center stage on Thursday while freestyle action closes out the tournament beginning on Friday.

57kg 
Kumar RAVI (IND)
Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI)
Ahmed Jawad Kadhim AL ZAIDAWI (IRQ)
Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN)
Daulet TEMIRZHANOV (KAZ)
Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)
Hyeonsik SONG (KOR)
Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Muhammad BILAL (PAK)
Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK)
Rozgeldi SEYIDOV (TKM)
Nodirjon SAFAROV (UZB)

61kg 
Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN)
Minghu LIU (CHN)
Ravinder RAVINDER (IND)
Majid Almas DASTAN (IRI)
Shaheed Hussni Khalid ALKHALIFA (IRQ)
Shoya SHIMAE (JPN)
Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Nemekhbayar BATSAIKHAN (MGL)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB)

65kg
Bajrang BAJRANG (IND)
Morteza Hassanali GHIASI CHEKA (IRI)
Mohammed Al Jawad Zuhair K KAREEM (IRQ)|
Takuto OTOGURO (JPN)
Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ)
Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ)
Yongseok JEONG (KOR)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Bilguun SARMANDAKH (MGL)
Chamara Milinda Perera WEERASINGHEGE (SRI)
Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK)
Kerim HOJAKOV (TKM)
Nodir RAKHIMOV (UZB)

70kg
Hasibagena HASIBAGENA(CHN)
Karan KARAN(IND)
Amirhossein Ali HOSSEINI(IRI)
Karam Shakir Mhmood MAHMOOD(IRQ)
Jintaro MOTOYAMA(JPN)
Syrbaz TALGAT(KAZ)
Islambek OROZBEKOV(KGZ)
Seungbong LEE(KOR)
Mohammed J M Th A ABDULKAREEM(KUW)
Temuulen ENKHTUYA(MGL)
Saidasan ASHRAFKHONOV(TJK)
Perman HOMMADOV(TKM)
Sirojiddin KHASANOV(UZB)

74kg
Menghejigan MENGHEJIGAN (CHN)
Sandeep Singh MANN (IND)
Mostafa Mohabbali HOSSEINKHANI (IRI)
Dawood Salman Jasim AL DULAIMI (IRQ)
Keisuke OTOGURO (JPN)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)|
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ)
Seungchul LEE (KOR)
Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Abdullrahman Ibrahim A IBRAHIM (QAT)
Hong Yeow LOU (SGP)
Madushanka Lakmal Wijesooriya WIJESOORIYA MUDIYANSELAGE (SRI)
Gulomdzhon SHARIPOV (TJK)
Alymuhammet OVEZMYRADOV (TKM)
Atamyrat CHARLYYEV (TKM)
Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB)

79kg
Narsingh Pancham YADAV (IND)
Ali Bakhtiar SAVADKOUHI (IRI)
Ahmed Mohsin Kadhim AL GBURI (IRQ)
Ryuki YOSHIDA (JPN)
Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ)
Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ)
Byungmin GONG (KOR)
Batzul DAMJIN (MGL)
Gurbanmyrat OVEZBERDIYEV (TKM)
Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB)

86kg
Vuthy HENG (CAM)
Zushen LIN (CHN)
Deepak PUNIA (IND)
Hassan Aliazam YAZDANICHARATI (IRI)
Mustafa Abdulbasit Abd U AL OBAIDI (IRQ)
Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)
Yeskali DAULETKAZY (KAZ)
Mirlan CHYNYBEKOV (KGZ)
Gwanuk KIM (KOR)
Abdullah F A SALEEM (KUW)
Domenic Michael ABOU NADER (LBN)
Unurbat PUREVJAV (MGL)
Bakhodur KODIROV (TJK)
Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM)
Isa SHAPIEV (UZB)

92kg
Sanjeet SANJEET (IND)
Kamran Ghorban GHASEMPOUR (IRI)
Anmar Hamid Hilal ALQAISI (IRQ)
Ryoichi YAMANAKA (JPN)
Elkhan ASSADOV (KAZ)
Chyngyz KERIMKULOV (KGZ)
Hyeokbeom GWON (KOR)
Tsogtgerel MUNKHBAATAR (MGL)
Azat GAJYYEV (TKM)
Rustam SHODIEV (UZB)

97kg
Satywart KADIAN (IND)
Ali Khalil SHABANIBENGAR (IRI)|
Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ)
Minwon SEO (KOR)
Jongku LEE (KOR)
Khalid A S ALSHAMMARI (KUW)
Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL)
Muhammad INAM (PAK)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Mukhammadrasul RAKHIMOV (UZB)

125kg
Sumit SUMIT (IND)
Amir Hossein Abbas ZARE (IRI)
Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN)
Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ)|
Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ)
Donghwan KIM (KOR)
Khuderbulga DORJKHAND (MGL)
Haroon ABID (PAK)
Omar Ihab SAREM (SYR)
Rustam ISKANDARI (TJK)
Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM)
Amirjon NUTFULLAEV (UZB)

Defending continental champion Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) will compete at 63kg. He's looking to win a sixth Asian title. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

50kg
Sandeep SANDEEP (IND)
Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI)
Sajjad Ali Muksr ALBIDHAN (IRQ)
Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)
Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ)
Zhanserik SARSENBIYEV (KAZ)
Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ)
Jinhyeok KIM (KOR)
Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL)
Aslamdzhon AZIZOV (TJK)
Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB)

60kg
Gyanender GYANENDER (IND)
Mehdi Seifollah MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI)
Karrar Abbas Mukasr ALBEEDHAN (IRQ)
Ayata SUZUKI (JPN)
Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ)
Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)|
Kuttubek ABDYKERIM UULU (KGZ)
Seunghak KIM (KOR)
Mhdasad Aldein ALOSTA (SYR)
Firuz MIRZORAJABOV (TJK)
Merdan ALLAYAROV (TKM)
Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB)

63kg
Sailike WALIHAN (CHN)
Neeraj NEERAJ (IND)
Meysam Karamali DALKHANI (IRI)
Mohammed Abbas Shyaa AL SAEDI (IRQ)
Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN)
Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ)
Urmatbek AMATOV(KGZ)
Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Mohammad F Kh M J ALAJMI (KUW)
Muhamad FWAZ (SYR)
Jui Chi HUANG (TPE)
Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB)

67kg
Qiye TIAN (CHN)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Hossein Nasrollah ASSADI KOLMATI (IRI)
Waael Jasim Abed ALAAJAMI (IRQ)
Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (JPN)
Nurbek KYZYROV (KAZ)
Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ)
Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Dohyeong KIM (KOR)
Abdwlkarim Mohammad ALHASAN (SYR)
Sheroz OCHILOV (TJK)
Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM)
Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB)

72kg
Kuldeep MALIK (IND)
Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)
Taha Yaseen Dhahir AL SALIHI (IRQ)
Taishi HORIE (JPN)
Azat SADYKOV (KAZ)
Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ)
Hansu RYU (KOR)
Muslihiddin UROQOV (TJK)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)


77kg
Singh GURPREET (IND)
Pejman Soltanmorad POSHTAM (IRI)|
Hussein Ali Muksr ALBIDHAN (IRQ)
Kodai SAKURABA (JPN)
Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ)
Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ)
Kairatbek TUGOLBAEV (KGZ)
Yeonghun NOH (KOR)
Rabie K. A. KHALIL (PLE)
Bakhit Sharif K BADR (QAT)
Daler REZA ZADE (TJK)
Muhammetberdi MAMEDOV (TKM)
Bilan NALGIEV (UZB)

82kg
Singh HARPREET (IND)
Mahdi Asgar EBRAHIMI (IRI)
Satoki MUKAI (JPN)|
Miras BARSHYLYKOV (KAZ)
Yevgeniy POLIVADOV (KAZ)
Kalidin ASYKEEV (KGZ)
Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
Mohammad A H ALSAYEGH (KUW)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

87kg
Fei PENG (CHN)
Kumar SUNIL (IND)
Naser Ghasem ALIZADEH (IRI)
Abbas Shaalan Abdulkadhim AL TAMEEMI (IRQ)
Soh SAKABE (JPN)
Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ)
Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)|
Seunghwan LEE (KOR)
Tokhirdzhon OKHONOV (TJK)
Shageldi ANNAYEV (TKM)
Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB)

97kg
Ravi RAVI (IND)
Mehdi Mohammad BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI)
Ali Majeed Hameed AL KAABI (IRQ)
Masayuki AMANO (JPN)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ)
Beksultan Makhamadzhanovich MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Seungjun KIM (KOR)
Seyeol LEE (KOR)
Amirjon JURAEV (TJK)
Ergali AYKHIMBAEV (UZB)

130kg
Lingzhe MENG (CHN)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Aliakbar Hossein YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI)
Ahmed Shaalan Abdulkadhim AL TAMEEMI (IRQ)
Sota OKUMURA (JPN)
Mansur SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Nurmakhan TINALIYEV (KAZ)
Murat RAMONOV (KGZ)
Minjoon KIM (KOR)
Minseok KIM (KOR)
Sukhrob FATTOEV (UZB)

Vinesh VINESH (IND), a '19 world bronze medalist and Tokyo Olympian, will compete at 53kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling
50kg
Samnang DIT (CAM)
Seema SEEMA (IND)
Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ)
Ayazhan MARKASHEVA (KAZ)
YeoJin KIM (KOR)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL)
Yung Hsun LIN (TPE)
Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)

53kg
Vinesh VINESH (IND)
Assylzat SAGYMBAY (KAZ)
Tatyana AKHMETOVA AMANZHOL (KAZ)
Hyunyoung OH (KOR)
Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL)
Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE)
Shakhnozakhon MAKHMUDOVA (UZB)

55kg
Pinki PINKI (IND)
Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ)
Hyungjoo KIM (KOR)
Dulguun MUNKHBOLD BOLORMAA (MGL)
Madina USMONJONOVA (UZB)

57kg
Anshu ANSHU (IND)
Altynay SATYLGAN (KAZ)
Emma TISSINA (KAZ)
Nazira MARSBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Shinhye LEE (KOR)
Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL)
Danielle Sue Ching LIM (SGP)
Sevara ESHMURATOVA (UZB)

59kg
Sarita SARITA (IND)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Nuraida ANARKULOVA (KGZ)
Jieun UM (KOR)
Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL)
Dilfuza AIMBETOVA (UZB)

62kg
Sonam SONAM (IND)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Youngjin KWON (KOR)
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Deepika WEERABAHU (SRI)
Rushana ABDIRASULOVA (UZB)

65kg
Jia LONG (CHN)
Sakshi MALIK (IND)
Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
Gaukhar MUKATAY (KAZ)
Hanbit LEE (KOR)
Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL)
Hsin Ping PAI (TPE)
Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB)

68kg
Feng ZHOU (CHN)
Nisha NISHA (IND)
Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ)
Anastassiya PANASSOVICH (KAZ)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Eun Sun JEONG (KOR)
Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Azoda ESBERGENOVA (UZB)

72kg
Divya KAKRAN (IND)
Alexandra ZAITSEVA (KAZ)
Valeriya GONCHAROVA (KAZ)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Sujin PARK (KOR)
Tsevegmed ENKHBAYAR (MGL)

76kg
Pooja POOJA (IND)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Seoyeon JEONG (KOR)
Zagardulam NAIGALSUREN (MGL)
Ozoda ZARIPBOEVA (UZB)