Host Serbia puts two into GR finals on opening day of Worlds

Saturday, September 10, 2022 - 20:16 By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 10) -- The opening act of the World Championships was a smash for the home team, as host Serbia saw two wrestlers advance to the finals of the four Greco-Roman weight classes that kicked off the tournament on Saturday in Belgrade.

Defending champion Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) put himself in a position for a repeat of the 87kg gold medal he won last year in Oslo, while Iran-born Ali ARSALAN (SRB) earned a shot at a first world title at 72kg.

Azerbaijan will also have two wrestlers in action on the first night of finals at Stark Arena on Sunday when Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) will look to regain the world 55kg title that he won in 2018, and European bronze medalist Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) will go for gold at 72kg.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) made his first world final at 77kg, earning a clash with surprising Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), who denied Serbia a third finalist when he knocked off former world champion Viktor NEMES (SRB).

Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) won his 87kg semifinal 4-3. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Datunashvili, sporting his trademark cornrow braids, had to scrape his way into the 87kg final, where he will try to prevent European champion Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) from becoming Denmark's first-ever world champion in Greco-Roman.

"For the Serbian people, for Serbian sports, I want to win it tomorrow," Datunashvili said.

All three of Datsunashvili's matches went the distance, including a 4-3 nail-biter in the semifinals over 2021 world U23 silver medalist David LOSONCZI (HUN). His ability to stay calm under pressure earned the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist a trip back to the finals.

Against Losonczi, Datunashvili barely managed to gain a 2-point exposure from par terre, then managed to hang on after Losonczi scored a stepout that had a one-point fleeing penalty tacked on and cut the gap to a point.

Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN), blue, defeated Ali CENGIZ (TUR) 6-0 in the semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

In the final match of the session, Bisultanov took advantage of a rare second passivity call in his favor against Ali CENGIZ (TUR), scoring a 4-point throw in the second period to secure a 6-0 victory. That made him the first Dane to make a world Greco final since 2015 when Mark MADSEN (DEN) won the fourth and last of his silver medals at 74-75kg.

"I am very looking forward to it [the final]," Bisultanov said. "I was thinking that he or Hungarian will go to the final and yeah, they were both in the semifinals and had a very close match. I don't know, we will see what happens tomorrow, I and my coaches will see what we can do and I will do my best tomorrow."

Bisultanov said the vocal group of Danish fans in the venue will take away some of the home-field advantage of his opponent.

"Of course, every time you are at home you feel more energy, you have to do something for your home, for your fans," he said. "But luckily I got my crazy Danish fans here. I hope my fans will beat the Serbian fans, and I'll beat him as well."

Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) celebrates after scoring a 9-0 win over Max NOWRY (USA) in the 55kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

At 55kg, the final will be a clash between the two bronze medalists from Oslo 2021 -- both former world champions, as well -- although Azizli will seem to have the upper hand on Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), having beaten him six months ago in the final at the European Championships.

Azizli stormed into the final with his third technical fall of the day, overwhelming Max NOWRY (USA) 9-0 in 1:44 in the first semifinal. Put on top in par terre, Azizli went right to work, ripping off a pair of gut wrenches before transitioning to a 4-point throw.

Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) will try to win his second world title on Sunday. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Tsurtsumia, the 2019 world champion, advanced to the final with a 5-3 victory over Asian silver medalist Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ). Tsurtsumia fell behind 3-3 on criteria when he gave up a defensive takedown early in the second period, but he immediately came back with a stepout to regain the lead.

The final will be the third meeting between Azizli and Tsurtsumia in two years. The two also met in the quarterfinals of the 2021 European Championships, with Azizli winning 10-1 en route to a bronze medal.

"I've lost to Azizli around seven or even eight times," Tsurtsumia said. "But it doesn't matter, because tomorrow I will wrestle till the very end. I'm not going to tell you now what exactly I'm gonna do, but you will see it all tomorrow. I'll take revenge."

Ali ARSALAN (SRB) pinned Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) in the 72kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In the 72kg semifinals, Arsalan had the play of the day when he used a slick duck-under to a half-nelson that put Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) onto his back, where he secured a fall at 2:33.

That had come after Arsalan, a 2017 Asian bronze medalist who began competing for Serbia last year, had scored a reversal from the bottom of par terre.

"First of all, I am so glad that I made it to the final, it's really good for me," Arsalan said, "but it's not enough for me. I should recover myself and my body and my mind. Tomorrow I should be myself on the mat."

Earlier in the day, Arsalan defeated Robert FRITSCH (HUN) 7-3 to avenge a loss in the quarterfinals of the European Championships in June, where he won a bronze medal.

Ganizade made the final by edging Selcuk CAN (TUR) 4-3 in a battle of 2020 European bronze medalists. Both scored 2-point throws from par terre, but Ganizade added a stepout after his to provide the margin of difference.

Olympic silver medalist Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), red, defeated Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR) 4-1 in the 77kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

At 77kg, Makhmudov and Levai made it through a grueling gauntlet of 33 entries which saw three world medalists from 2021, including the champion at 72kg, and an Olympic bronze medalist fall by the wayside.

"Tomorrow there will be revenge against Zoltan Levai," Makhmudov said. "I already lost to him once and I defeated him once as well. I want to do my best to show the Kyrgyz soul, to show what our wrestlers are capable of."

Makhmudov once again confirmed a changing of the guard in Asia when the 23-year-old knocked off veteran Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR) 4-1 in the semifinals. After a successful defense from the bottom of par terre, Makhmudov scored with a roll during his turn on top.

"I am really satisfied with today's performance," said Makhmudov, who beat Kim in the semifinals of the Asian Championships in April, where he won his second continental title.

Kim won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics and bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) celebrates after beating Viktor NEMES (SRB) 3-1 in the 72kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Levai finished off a long and exhausting day by beating Nemes 3-1 in the other semifinal. It was his fifth match of the day, which started with a 3-3 win over 2021 world 72kg champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM).

It's been a good year for Levai. He came into Belgrade having won international tournaments in Rome, Warsaw and Mladenovac, Serbia, over a three-month span through August.

At least Amoyan still has a shot at a bronze medal. Among those who didn't make it to the repechage were 2021 silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 2021 bronze medalist Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Shohei YABIKU (JPN).

On Sunday, competition through the semifinals will be held in Greco 63kg, 67kg, 82kg and 97kg.

Day 1 Greco-Roman Results

55kg (18 entries)

Semifinals
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df. Max NOWRY (USA) by TF, 9-0, 1:44
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) df. Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ), 5-3

72kg (25 entries)

Semifinals
Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df. Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) by fall, 2:33 (5-1)
Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) df. Selcuk CAN (TUR), 4-3

77kg (33 entries)

Semifinals
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) df. Viktor NEMES (SRB), 3-1
Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR), 4-1

87kg (30 entries)

Semifinals
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 4-3
Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) df. Ali CENGIZ (TUR), 6-0

#WrestleBudapest

Hildebrandt relishes new approach, wins gold at #WrestleBudapest

Friday, July 14, 2023 - 23:21 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 14) – Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) may spend her Saturday looking for the best ice cream in Budapest.

It's a way of her treating herself for the gold medal in the Budapest Ranking Series she won on Friday after five bouts at 50kg, exactly a year after she won her last Ranking Series gold medal in Tunis, Tunisia.

Three years ago, Hildebrandt made the decision to move from the 53kg to the 50kg weight class in her pursuit of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. As part of her weight management, she had to give up eating ice cream, despite her love for it. She joked that she could eat ice cream like a "125kg wrestler."

It did pay off. She won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and followed it with a silver medal at the World Championships. Last year, she added another world bronze medal to her collection.

Now, at 29 years old, Hildebrandt is savoring her well-deserved treat after claiming the gold in Budapest. She won five bouts on a "fun day."

“Ice cream is something I love eating,” Hildebrandt said. “I can eat it anytime. I won five bouts so I will eat five scoops.”

With the gold in Budapest just two months before the World Championships in Belgrade, Hildebrandt has positioned herself as a strong contender for the gold medal. She showcased her skills and style throughout the tournament.

In her five bouts on Friday, Hildebrandt only gave up a single takedown. She secured three technical superiority wins and avenged a loss against world silver medalist Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL).

"When I saw the brackets, I was like, 'No way! First round,'" she said.

Hildebrandt faced Dolgorjav in the first round, whom she had previously met in the semifinals of the 2022 World Championships. Dolgorjav had defeated Hildebrandt, denying her back-to-back appearances in the world finals.

While the memory of that loss was still fresh, Hildebrandt knew she had to let go of it and focus on the challenges ahead.

"There is no specific strategy to wrestling her, but I wanted to approach the match with an open mind," she said. "I didn't want to force anything and instead capitalize on the opportunities that came my way. In wrestling, you never know if it will be one bout or five, especially in low-stakes tournaments like these. But I wanted to face the best, and if it had to be just one bout, I wanted it to be against her."

Dolgorjav, known for her counter-attacking game, followed a similar plan, waiting for Hildebrandt to initiate attacks. After almost a minute of sizing each other up, Hildebrandt executed a snap and scored the first takedown, taking a 2-0 lead in the bout.

Dolgorjav attempted an attack but failed to finish before Hildebrandt countered with a single-legged takedown, extending her lead to 4-0 at the break.

Hildebrandt controlled the center of the mat better than Dolgorjav, securing a 6-0 lead by defending a double-leg attack from the Mongolian. She finished the bout with a takedown on the edge and a lace.

“It was a hard day but a fun day,” she said. “In Belgrade, I was not happy and mentally I was very fixed. I escaped that mental prison after the World Championships.”

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Following her victory against Dolgorjav, Hildebrandt continued her winning streak with technical superiority wins over Agata WALERZAK (POL) and Julie SABATIE (FRA). She then defeated Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN) 8-1 in the semifinals.

From the other side of the bracket, Ziqi FENG (CHN) dominated with three 10-0 wins and a 10-8 win over her compatriot Jiang ZHU (CHN), securing her fourth Ranking Series medal this year.

However, despite her dominance on the way to the final, a second gold medal was not to be for Feng.

Hildebrandt faced some tense moments when Feng attempted a takedown from behind, but she managed to grab Feng's leg and score an exposure, taking a 2-0 lead.

Feng tried to regain control but couldn't find an opening against Hildebrandt's strong defense.

"They [Chinese wrestlers] are strong," Hildebrandt said. "It's always tough. But in the final, I didn't want to prove a point by forcing a takedown or rushing things."

Hildebrandt patiently waited for another opportunity to score, which came in the second period when she executed a takedown, extending her lead to 4-0. Although Feng managed to secure a takedown later, she couldn't turn Hildebrandt for the win.

During the final moments, Hildebrandt focused on being present in her body, avoiding overthinking as the clock ticked.

“In the past, I had so much running through my mind,” she said. “Now I just myself and be in my body. I have made the mistake of being in mind too much and lost.”

In the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics, Hildebrandt was on the verge of reaching the final when Yanan SUN (CHN) surprised her with a front headlock throw, ending her dream.

"The Olympics. I won't forget," Hildebrandt said, reflecting on her loss against Sun in Tokyo. "So, this time, I'm focusing on my game and mental state because that was my downfall last time."

However, that loss was followed by two more at the World Championships in 2021 and 2022, which made Hildebrandt realize that something needed to change.

“I have realized that off the mat, you need to be human,” she said. “It's not fun to be a machine wrestler. It was at the 2022 Worlds and at the last two World Championships I was like a machine and it was either I stop being a machine or I move away from the sport.”

Hildebrandt chose the former option and, with the help of her boyfriend, who is a gymnast, she began changing her approach to wrestling.

“A lot of my improvements have been off the mat,” she said. “It's tempting to be more and more, but I don't want to overdo it closer to such big events. [When I used to], it hasn't worked for me yet. So now I am like off the mat, rest, recover and calm down.”

Throughout the day, Hildebrandt maintained a relaxed approach and avoided forcing her wrestling style during the bouts.

“I am so excited and I just wanted to enjoy myself,” she said. “I want to take in these moments. Paris may be the last of my career and I want to have an awesome run.”

Her journey to the gold medal at the Paris Olympics will likely involve facing Tokyo Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN), who was in the stands observing the wrestling matches from a distance.

Susaki, undefeated internationally, is currently in Hungary for a training camp in Tata after the Ranking Series. Hildebrandt was pleasantly surprised to see Susaki in Budapest.

“I was in the warm-up and I saw her and said is that Yui Susaki?” she said. “It was surprising but we had a surprise run in Los Angeles a few months ago. Anytime you can get your hands on someone. She also will be picking up on a lot too as she is a very intelligent wrestler.

“That makes it all the more special because these are high-level elite IQ wrestlers, anytime you get your paws on them, there's a little information there. But it's give and take. We have never wrestled each other so to get to train with her is beneficial for me all the way and that's what I am hanging on to.”

However, before Paris, there are the World Championships, where five wrestlers in the 50kg category will earn Olympic quotas. Hildebrandt aims to be one of them.

“I feel the hype [for the World Championships],” she said. “This was the perfect pre-World Championships tournament as there were many wrestlers from different countries.”

For now, Hildebrandt will return to the United States for the national camp and intends to maintain her humanity and enjoy her time before the World Championships.

“I want to remain human,” she said. “Maybe I will go to a concert and do other stuff.”

Perhaps indulging in some ice cream will be among her chosen activities.

Host Serbia puts two into GR finals on opening day of Worlds

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Hildebrandt relishes new approach, wins gold at #WrestleBudapest