India, Canada share 5 golds as Commonwealth Games comes to close

Saturday, August 6, 2022 - 23:19 By Vinay Siwach

COVENTRY, England (August 6) -- As the Commonwealth Games came to a close, two of the most successful countries in the history of the Games -- Canada and India -- established their supremacy, sharing five of the six gold medals on offer on Saturday.

India won the freestyle golds at 57kg and 74kg along with the 53kg gold in women's wrestling. Canada had two champions on Saturday with Justina DI STASIO (CAN) winning the 76kg gold while Nishant RANDHAWA (CAN) winning the 97kg gold.

Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR) was the other champion on Saturday as she claimed the third women's wrestling gold for Nigeria by winning the 50kg weight category.

But two wrestlers who stood out at the Coventry Arena were Olympic silver medalist Ravi KUMAR (IND) and world bronze medalist Vinesh PHOGAT (IND).

Kumar finished all three of his bouts well before the six minutes and showed the gulf in class in 57kg in Birmingham.

Wrestling Nigeria’s multiple-Commonwealth medalist Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR) in the final, Kumar used a leg lace to lead 8-0 before getting a takedown in the second period to finish the bout 10-0.

This was Kumar’s first medal at the Commonwealth Games.

“It’s always special to win the medal at Games and this was also special,” Kumar said. “Tokyo silver was special and so is this medal.”

Kumar, hoping to win a World Championships medal in Belgrade, has been on an incredible run, winning three golds and losing only one bout since Tokyo.

He did give up four points in the semifinal against Asad ALI (PAK) but said that it was more about getting stuck in a move.

"It's wrestling and sometimes we get stuck in a move," he said. "I can't say I was off guard or wasn't moving well. Just a move I got stuck in and he managed to score."

NAVEEN (IND), red, defeated Muhammad TAHIR (PAK) 9-0 in the 74kg final. (Photo: UWW / Helena Curtis)

NAVEEN (IND) added another gold to India’s account as he dominated the 74kg field and defeated Muhammad TAHIR (PAK) 9-0 in the gold bout.

Tahir was put on passivity as well when Naveen continued his attacks. Four takedowns gave him the eight other points.

A bronze medalist at the Asian Championships, Naveen will try to make the Indian team at 74kg for the World Championships.

Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN) became the Commonwealth Games champion at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Helena Curtis)

At 97kg, Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN) defeated two U20 World bronze medalists en route to winning the gold medal with some tough wins.

In the quarterfinal, he wrestled Deepak NEHRA (IND) and almost suffered a loss as Nehra was leading 6-6 on criteria with nine seconds remaining. But Randhawa scored a stepout and got the all-important point to win 7-6 and reach the semifinals. He managed to beat Tayab RAZA (PAK) 7-0 to make it to the final.

"Nehra was defending very well and it was a back-and-forth match," Randhawa said. "But I knew I have enough time to score a takedown. He went to the zone and I capitalized with the stepout."

He wrestled another U20 world bronze medalist in the final in Nicolas DE LANGE (RSA) and made it look easy with a 9-3 win for the gold.

"I have wrestled him before at the U20 Worlds and I know his style," he said. "It's great to win the gold here."

Randhawa, a U20 bronze medalist himself, will now be hoping to medal at the senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

"I train in Iowa and I believe in my potential," he said. "As you train with the best in the world, you keep improving and hopefully I will be able to beat the wrestlers at 97kg. If not now, then when?"

Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) claimed her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Helena Curtis)

Vinesh wins third gold

Her cousin sister Geeta PHOGAT (IND) may be the first Indian woman to win the Commonwealth gold but Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) became the first woman from the country to win it three times.

In a confidence-boosting gold win in Birmingham, Phogat defeated world bronze medalist Samantha STEWART (CAN) and African champion Mercy ADEKUOROYE (NGR) in Round 1 and Round 2 to all but confirm the gold in the morning session.

She pinned Stewart and almost pinned Adekuoroye but the Nigerian was in danger position for close to two minutes and lost 6-0.

"It's a good confidence-boosting win for me," Phogat said. "Canada and Nigeria do pose a challenge in this tournament but thankfully I managed to win here."

Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR) celebrates after winning the 50kg gold medal in Birmingham. (Photo: UWW / Helena Curtis)

At 50kg, Madison PARKS (CAN) and Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR) were involved in a close battle in the gold medal bout with Parks scoring a stepout when she was put on the activity clock. But Genesis took a 1-1 criteria lead and as the match entered the final minute, it looked like Genesis will hang on for a 1-1 win but hit a lateral drop and secured the fall to win Nigeria's third gold medal in women's wrestling.

As she was trailing, Parks went for a single leg shot but got countered for the pin. She had made a stunning comeback in the semifinals against Pooja GEHLOT (IND). After giving up a six-point lead, Parks slowly worked her way with takedowns and made it 6-4. She scored a takedown with nine seconds remaining on the clock. Gehlot, hoping to keep her one-point lead, moved away but Parks sprung to action and hit a huge underhook for four to win 9-6.

Genesis was the third gold medalist for Nigeria after Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) won the gold at 57kg and 68kg respectively.

Justina DI STASIO (CAN) hit a four against Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) in the 76kg final. (Photo: UWW / Helena Curtis)

The final gold of the night went to former world champion Justina DI STASIO (CAN) who defeated Hannah RUEBEN (NGR), 4-2, in the final to capture her first Commonwealth Games gold.

Her's was the only big move of the final as she hit a four-pointer against Rueben who managed to score only two points.

Earlier in May, Di Stasio made a comeback to the sport after two years and managed to win a bronze medal. But with ambitions of winning the World Championships gold as she did in 2018, Di Stasio got a big shot in the arm with the gold in Birmingham.

RESULTS

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Ravi KUMAR (IND) df. Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR), 10-0

BRONZE: Asad ALI (PAK) df. Suraj SINGH (NZL), 11-0
BRONZE: Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN) df. Jakobo TAU (RSA), 12-2

74kg
GOLD: NAVEEN (IND) df. Muhammad TAHIR (PAK), 9-0

BRONZE: Jasmit PHULKA (CAN) df. Cole HAWKINS (NZL), 10-0
BRONZE: Ogbonna JOHN (NGR) df. Charlie BOWLING (ENG), 10-0

97kg
GOLD: Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN) df. Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA), 9-3

BRONZE: Thomas BARNS (AUS) df. Maulalo ALOFIPO (SAM), 12-0
BRONZE: Deepak NEHRA (IND) df. Tayab RAZA (PAK), 10-2

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR) df. Madison PARKS (CAN), via fall

BRONZE: Pooja GEHLOT (IND) df. Christelle LETCHIDJIO (SCO), 12-2

53kg
GOLD: Vinesh PHOGAT (IND)
SILVER: Samantha STEWART (CAN)
BRONZE: Mercy ADEKUOROYE (NGR)

Key bout: Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) df. Samantha STEWART (CAN), via fall

76kg
GOLD: Justina DI STASIO (CAN) df. Hannah RUEBEN (NGR), 4-2

BRONZE: Pooja SIHAG (IND) df. Naomi DE BRUINE (AUS), 10-0
BRONZE: Georgina NELTHORPE (ENG) df. Madusu KOROMA (SLE), via fall

On his path to Paris, Burroughs makes a stop in Taraz

Thursday, November 2, 2023 - 19:15 By Vinay Siwach

TARAZ, Kazakhstan (November 2) -- The sports hall at the 'Athletic' Hotel in Taraz is full of boxing world champions and medalists. The Kazakhstan boxers are preparing for an upcoming domestic tournament.

A few meters away from the boxing ring are two wrestling mats, crowded with wrestlers from various countries. But as Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) begins his training, one mat is slowly vacated with wrestlers moving to the other.

It's his final training session before he steps on the mat on Friday as the six-time world champion will wrestle at the Kunayev DA tournament in the south Kazakhstan city. Back at 74kg after almost three years, Burroughs gearing up for the Paris Olympics next year.

Once Burroughs begins his drills, mobiles are out to record, a few others watch and admire, and even the boxers pause briefly and catch a glimpse. He spars with Joseph MCKENNA (USA) who is participating in the tournament at 65kg. The 30-minute session has Burroughs defend McKenna's shots, and work on finishing leg attacks and some heavy-hands. The sparring is followed by a long session of skipping ropes.

As the 35-year-old cools down, there are a few requests for photographs from young kids and other wrestlers. He obliges.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)

The DA Kunayev tournament in Taraz will be Burroughs' first international appearance since the 2022 World Cup in Iowa. While the United States won the gold there, Burroughs personally suffered a big loss. He lost, for the first time in his career, to an Iranian wrestler Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI).

He tried making the U.S. team for the World Championships this year at 79kg but lost the trials to Chance MATSTELLER (USA). So what is Burroughs doing in Taraz at the end of the 2023 season?

"There is no international tournament in 2023 after this one," Brandon SLAY (USA), the coach with Burroughs in Taraz, said. "The Pan-Am Games or this. Burroughs coming down to 74kg meant we need to do this gradually but wrestling at Pan-Am Games would mean to make 74kg at scratch."

A two-kilogram allowance in Taraz helps Burroughs as he slowly shifts back to 74kg, an Olympic weight class in which he won gold in the 2012 London Games and now looking to repeat in Paris.

But the road to Paris is filled with challenges. Domestically, Burroughs will have to win the Olympic trial in April, going through four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) who qualified the weight for the U.S. in Belgrade by winning silver. But to reach Dake, Burroughs will have to beat some of the best wrestlers in the U.S. including Jason NOLF (USA), Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA), Keegan O'TOOLE (USA), the top four U.S. wrestlers from this month's Bill Farrell International, the top five wrestlers from the National Championships in December, the 2024 NCAA champion and the 2024 Pan-American Championships champion. Marsteller is also qualified for the Olympic trial and can compete if he decides to drop to 74kg in April.

Perhaps that's what made Burroughs take the trip to Kazakhstan. This will be his first invitational tournament in six years.

"Kazakhstan has been amazing," Slay said. "We participated here last year for the first time and this was in our minds this year as well. The organizers have been very accommodating. Despite the long travel, it's reasonable to stay and wrestle here. We get to wrestle international wrestlers so that is what we were looking for."

Burroughs is up against the U20 Asian champion from Kazakhstan Yerkhan BEXULTANOV (KAZ) and if he manages to reach the final in the 20-man bracket on Saturday, he is likely to get another Kazakhstan wrestler.

"He is the only American in the bracket so we are not thinking too much," Slay said. "I am pretty satisfied with the brackets here."

Back in the sports hall, Burroughs rests himself for a brief period before calling it a day. No signs of aggressive reduction of weight. He will perhaps step on the weighing scale more than once before he actually does on Friday morning for the weigh-ins.

That is when Burroughs' battle for the Paris Olympics at 74kg begins.

India, Canada share 5 golds as Commonwealth Games comes to close

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On his path to Paris, Burroughs makes a stop in Taraz