#WorldClubsCup

Iran and Turkey to Meet in FR World Clubs Cup Final

By Ali Feizasa

BABOL, Iran (December 14) - Teams from Iran and Turkey advanced to the final match of 2018 Freestyle Clubs World Championships in Babol City, Iran.  Both sides went undefeated on the day and finished with 3-0 records to qualify for the final.

Iran's Bimeh Razi Babol had an easy job in pool A with their pair of Iranian and Russian stars in the lineup.

In the opening match, the host team beat the Team Ukraine, 9-1. The first and the last win for Ukraine came at 57kg, where Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) dominated Nader HAJAGHANIA, 14-3. Marovych, a U23 world bronze medal winner, finished all his opening day bouts with technical victories. 

In arguably the most important match, 70kg, 2016 world champion and 2018 European gold medal winner, Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS), earned a 2-1 win over Ukraine's Semen RADULOV. At 79 kg, 2018 world bronze medal winner Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) defeated Alfes DOLIDZE (UKR) by technical fall, 13-3. Also, 2018 U23 world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) added a technical fall victory for Team Babol, defeating Andril GYKA (UKR), 10-0.

In their second-round matchup, Team Babol downed Team Hungary, 10-0. 

After being absent for nearly two years, five-time world and Olympic medal winner, Hassan RAHIMI (IRI), stepped on the mat and defeated Karoly KISS (HUN), 10-0. It was Rahimi's first appearance since winning the 2017 World Cup title.

In other matches, 2018 92kg world bronze medalist, Alireza KARIMI (IRI), moved down to 86kg and edged Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN), 12-0.

In the third round of pool A, two Iranian sides met to determine the first finalist of the tournament, but Bimeh Razi Babol came out on top against Setaregan Sari, 9-1.

This year's Asian Games bronze medal winner, Reza ATRI (IRI) (57kg), former Asian champion, Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI)(61kg), and two-time Asian medal winner Meysam NASIRI (IRI) (65kg) claimed victories and gave Team Babol the 3-0 lead.

Magomed Kurvanaliev (70kg) and Akhmed Gadzhimgomedov (79kg) added two more victories and secured the win for their team.

Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) (74kg), Alireza KARIMI (IRI) (86kg), Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (IRI) (92kg), and Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR (IRI) (97kg) added three other victories for Babol, giving them the 9-0 lead.

At heavyweight, Bimhe's Iranian youngster Abbas FOROUTAN (IRI) didn’t compete against Yadollah MOHEBI (IRI). Foroutan was the 2018 junior world champion at 92kg, and it seems he'll be a future star of Iran at the senior level. 

In pool B, Team Turkey opened the tournament with a 6-4 win against Team India, then earned an 8-2 victory over Georgia. They also beat Kyrgyzstan, 6-4, and will meet Iran's Bimeh Razi Babol in the final.

Ahmet BILICI (86kg), Semih YAZICI (92kg) and Bekir ERYUCEL (125kg) were three Turkish wrestlers who finished all their matches undefeated.

On the final day, Iran's Bimeh Razi meets Team Turkey for the team title, and Iran's Setaregan Sari will compete against  Georgia's Raindi for third place.

Results

Groups standings:
Pool A: 1- Bimeh Razi Babol (Iran) 2- Setaregan Sari (Iran) 3- Ukraine Club 4- Hungary Club
Pool B: 1- Turkey Club 2- Raindi (Georgia) 3- Kyrgyzstan club 4- India club

Round 1

Pool A
Bimeh Razi Iran df. Ukraine, 9-1
57kg- Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) df. Nader HAJAGHANIA (Bimeh) by Tech Fall, 14-3 
61kg- Behnam EHSANPOOR (Bimeh) df. Volodymyr BURUKOV (UKR), 7-2
65kg- Mehran NASIRI (Bimeh) df. Pavlo VYZIR (UKR), 6-0
70kg- Magomed KURBANALIEV (Bimeh) df. Semen RADULOV (UKR), 2-1
74kg- Reza AFZALI (Bimeh) df. Mukhammed ALIEV (UKR), 12-4
79kg- Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Bimeh) df. Alfes DOLIDZE (UKR) by Tech Fall, 13-3
86kg- Kamran GHASEMPOUR (Bimeh) df. Andril GYKA (UKR)  by Tech Fall, 10-0
92kg- Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Bohdan HRYTSAI (UKR) by Tech Fall, 13-2
97kg- Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR (Bimeh) df. Andriy VLASOV (UKR), 5-0
125kg- Amin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Danylo KARTAVY (UKR), 6-4

Setaregan Sari df. Hungary, 10-0
57kg- Amir PARASTEH (Setaregan) – No wrestler
61kg- Mehran SHEIKHI (Setaregan) df. Karoly KISS (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
65kg- Abolfazl HAJIPOUR (Setaregan) – No wrestler
70kg- Mehdi YEGANEH JAFARI (Setaregan) df. Csaba VIDA (HUN), 10-1
74kg- Hossein ELYASI (Setaregan) df. Botond IUKACS (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
79kg- Bahman TEYMOURI (Setaregan) df. Milan MESTER (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
86kg- Masoud MADADI (Setaregan) df. Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
92kg- Arashk MOHEBBI (Setaregan) df. Pejman FAZLOLLAHTABAR (HUN), 4-1
97kg- Amir MOHAMMADI (Setaregan) df. Hossein RAMEZANIAN (HUN), 4-2
125kg- Alireza GORZBAR (Setaregan) df. Mihaly NAGY (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0

Pool B

Georgia df. Kyrgyzstan, 9-1  
57kg- Lasha TALAKHADZE (GEO) df. Khurshid PARPIEV (KGZ), 9-5 
61kg- Otari GOGAVA (GEO) df. Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ), 7-1 
65kg- Giorgi REVAZISHVILI (GEO) df. Ravil SAMAT UULU (KGZ), 6-1  
70kg- Adelit MAMATAEV (KGZ) df. Levani KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO), 5-5
74kg- Daviti TLASHADZE (GEO) df. Elaman DOGTURBEK UULU (KGZ) by FALL 
79kg- Aleksandre SATHVADZE (GEO) df. Bekten ABDIMUSA (KGZ), 11-3 
86kg- Giorgi KVATADZE (GEO) df. Dinislambek TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) by FALL 
92kg- Mukhran NARSAVIDZE (GEO) df. Symbat SULAIMANOV (KGZ) by FALL 
97kg- Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO) df. Kunai NURDAVLETOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 11-0 
125kg- Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO) df. Ayan ALYMOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0 

Turkey df. India, 6-4 
57kg- Ravi KUMAR (IND) df. Ali KARABOGA (TUR), 9-2
61kg- Saban KIZILTAS (TUR) df. MANDEEP (IND) by Tech Fall, 10-0 
65kg- HARPHOOL (IND) df. Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR), 9-6
70kg- RAJNEESH (IND) df. Mustafa ZOPALI (TUR), 4-0
74kg- No Wrestler – Nazim KARA (TUR)
79kg- JITENDER (IND) df. Muhammet NURI KOTANOGLU (TUR), 4-1
86kg- Ahmet BILICI (TUR) df. PARVEEN (IND) by Tech Fall, 14-3 
92kg- No Wrestler – Semih YAZICI (TUR)
97kg- No Wrestler – Fatih YASARLI (TUR)
125kg- Bekir ERYUCEL (TUR) SATENDER (IND), 3-1

Round 2
Pool A

Bimeh Razi Iran df. Hungary, 10-0
57kg- No wrestler –Nader HAJAGHANIA (Bimeh)
61kg- Hassan RAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Karoly KISS (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
65kg- No wrestler – Meysam NASIRI (Bimeh)
70kg- Mehran NASIRI (Bimeh) df. Csaba VIDA (HUN) by Tech Fall, 11-0
74kg- Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (Bimeh) df. Botond IUKACS (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
79kg- Akhmet GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Bimeh) df. Milan MESTER (HUN) by Tech Fall, 11-0
86kg- Alireza KARIMI (Bimeh) df. Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN), 12-0
92kg- Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI df. Pejman FAZLOLLAHTABAR (HUN) by forfeit
97kg- Abbas Foroutan (Bimeh) df. Hossein RAMEZANIAN (HUN) by forfeit
125kg- Amin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Mihaly NAGY (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0

Setaregan Sari Iran df. Ukraine, 7-3
57kg- Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) df. Amir PARASTEH (Setaregan) by Tech Fall, 12-2
61kg- Younes SARMASTI (Setaregan) df. Volodymyr BURUKOV (UKR) by Tech Fall, 12-0 
65kg- Abolfazl HAJIZADEH (Setaregan) df. Pavlo VYZIR (UKR), 12-5
70kg- Semen RADULOV (UKR) df. Mehdi YYEGANEH JAFARI (Setaregan), 6-6
74kg- Hossein ELYASI (Setaregan) df. Mukhammed ALIEV (UKR) by Tech Fall, 13-2 
79kg- Hamidreza ZARRINPEYKAR (Setaregan) df. Alfes DOLIDZE (UKR), 3-2 
86kg- Ali MOJERLOU (Setaregan) df. Andril GYKA (UKR), 8-2
92kg- Bohdan HRYTSAI (UKR) df. Arashk MOHEBI (Setaregan) by FALL
97kg- Amir MOHAMMADI (Setaregan) df. Andriy VLASOV (UKR), 4-2
125kg- Yadollah MOHEBI (Setaregan) df. Danylo KARTAVY (UKR), 8-3

Pool B
Turkey df. Georgia, 8-2
57kg- Ali KARABOGA (TUR) df. Lasha TALAKHADZE (GEO), 7-3
61kg- Otari GOGAVA (GEO) df. Saban KIZILTAS (TUR), 9-2 
65kg- Giorgi REVAZISHVILI (GEO) df. Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR), 11-10
70kg- Mustafa ZOPALI (TUR) df. Levani KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO), 4-3
74kg- Nazim KARA (TUR) df. Daviti TLASHADZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 11-0
79kg- Muhammet NURI KOTANOGLU (TUR) df. Aleksandre SATHVADZE (GEO), by FALL
86kg- Ahmet BILICI (TUR) df. Giorgi KVATADZE (GEO) by FALL 
92kg- Semih YAZICI (TUR) df. Mukhran NARSAVIDZE (GEO), 5-2
97kg- Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO) df. Fatih YASARLI (TUR), 3-2
125kg- Bekir ERYUCEL (TUR) df. Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO), 5-3

Kyrgyzstan df. India, 5-5 (24-20)
57kg- Ravi KUMAR (IND) df. Khurshid PARPIEV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 11-0 
61kg- Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ) df. MANDEEP (IND), 6-3 
65kg- HARPHOOL (IND) df. Ravil SAMAT UULU (KGZ), 10-1
70kg- Adelit MAMATAEV (KGZ) df. RAJNEESH (IND), 6-3 
74kg- No Wrestler - Elaman DOGTURBEK UULU (KGZ)
79kg- JITENDER (IND) df. Bekten ABDIMUSA (KGZ), 11-2
86kg- PARVEEN (IND) df. Dinislambek TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) by FALL
92kg- No Wrestler - Symbat SULAIMANOV (KGZ)
97kg- No Wrestler - Kunai NURDAVLETOV (KGZ)
125kg- DEEPAK (IND) df. Ayan ALYMOV (KGZ), 9-5

Round 3
Pool A

Ukraine df. Hungary, 8-2
57kg- No wrestler - Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR)
61kg- Volodymyr BURUKOV (UKR) df. Karoly KISS (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0
65kg- Pavlo VYZIR (UKR) - No wrestler
70kg-Semen RADULOV (UKR) df. Csaba VIDA (HUN) by Tech Fall, 10-0 
74kg-Mukhammed ALIEV (UKR) df. Botond IUKACS (HUN), 5-4
79kg- Alfes DOLIDZE (UKR) df. Milan MESTER (HUN), 2-1
86kg- Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN) df. Andril GYKA (UKR), 4-2
92kg-Bohdan HRYTSAI (UKR) df. Pejman FAZLOLLAHTABAR (HUN) by Tech Fall, 11-0
97kg- Hossein RAMEZANIAN (HUN) df. Andriy VLASOV (UKR), 13-11
125kg- Danylo KARTAVY (UKR) df. Mihaly NAGY (HUN) by Tech Fall, 11-0

Bimeh Razi Iran df. Setaregan Sari Iran, 9-1
57kg- Reza ATRI (Bimeh) df. Amir PARASTEH (Setaregan), by Tech Fall, 11-0 
61kg- Behnam EHSANPOOR (Bimeh) df. Mehran SHEIKHI (Setaregan), 7-2
65kg- Meysam NASIRI (Bimeh) df. Farzad AMOUZAD KHALILI(Setaregan), 3-2
70kg- Magomed KURBANALIEV (Bimeh) df. Farhad NOURI (Setaregan) by Tech Fall, 12-1
74kg- Mostafa HOSSEINKHANI (Bimeh) df. Hossein ELYASI (Setaregan), 5-3
79kg- Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (Bimeh) df. Bahman TEYMOURI (Setaregan), 3-3
86kg- Alireza KARIMI(Bimeh) df. Ali MOJERLOO by Tech Fall, 12-2
92kg- Mohammad Javad EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Arashk MOHEBI (Setaregan), 8-2
97kg- Hamed TALEBI ZARRINKAMAR (Bimeh) df.Amir MOHAMMADI (Setaregan), 7-1
125kg- Yadollah MOHEBI (Setaregan) df. Abbas FOROUTAN (Bimeh) by Forfeit

Pool B

Georgia df. India, 5-5 (24-22)
57kg- Ravi KUMAR (IND) df. Lasha TALAKHADZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 11-1 
61kg- MANDEEP (IND) df. Otari GOGAVA (GEO) by forfeit 
65kg- Giorgi REVAZISHVILI (GEO) df.HARPHOOL (IND), 3-3  
70kg- Levani KELEKHSASHVILI (GEO) df. RAJNEESH (IND), 4-2
74kg- Daviti TLASHADZE (GEO) – No wrestler 
79kg- JITENDER (IND) df. Aleksandre SATHVADZE (GEO), 6-2 
86kg- PARVEEN (IND) df. Giorgi KVATADZE (GEO) by FALL 
92kg- Mukhran NARSAVIDZE (GEO) – No wrestler
97kg- Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO) – No wrestler 
125kg- SATENDER (IND) df. Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO), 6-2

Turkey df. Kyrgyzstan, 6-4
57kg- Ali KARABOGA (TUR) df. Khurshid PARPIEV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0 
61kg- Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURODOV (KGZ) df. Saban KIZILTAS (TUR) by Tech Fall, 19-8 
65kg- Ravil SAMAT UULU (KGZ) df. Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR), 9-4
70kg- Adelit MAMATAEV (KGZ) df. Mustafa ZOPALI (TUR), 6-4
74kg- Elaman DOGTURBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Nazim KARA (TUR), 4-3
79kg- Muhammet NURI KOTANOGLU (TUR) df. Bekten ABDIMUSA (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0
86kg- Ahmet BILICI (TUR) df. Dinislambek TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0
92kg- Semih YAZICI (TUR) df. Symbat SULAIMANOV (KGZ)by FALL
97kg- Fatih YASARLI (TUR) df. Kunai NURDAVLETOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 11-0
125kg- Bekir ERYUCEL (TUR) df. Ayan ALYMOV (KGZ) by forfeit

#WrestleAlexandria

#WrestleAlexandria Senior African Championships 2024 Preview

By Vinay Siwach

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 13) -- At last year's African Championships, Nigeria entered finals in all 10 women's weight classes. Out of the 10, it won six gold medals and four silver medals.

Nigeria will look to better its performance from 2023 at the African Championships which will be held on March 18 and 19 in Alexandria, Egypt. The U17 and U20 African Championships will be held before the senior competition at the same venue.

After a two-day break, the African and Oceania OG Qualifiers will also be held in Alexandria, making the African Championships even more important as the countries participating in the first event will be eligible to participate in the qualifiers.

Nigeria will be led by world bronze medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) at 57kg as she returns to competition for the first time since September. She had skipped last year's championships but a gold medal in Alexandria will earn her 10000 points. A win will ensure that Adekuoroye tops the 57kg rankings.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) will defend her 68kg gold medal. Oborududu has failed to repeat her performances since winning that silver in Tokyo. However, she won the African title for a record 10th time last year.

The 65kg champion Khadija JLASSI (TUN) is now jumping up to 68kg and will look to challenge Oborududu in the new weight class.

At 50kg, Mercy GENESIS (NGR) is returning to defend her gold as is Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) at 53kg, Mercy ADEKUOROYE (NGR) at 59kg and Ebi BIOGOS (NGR) at 72kg.

Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) finished with a silver medal at 62kg but with Marwa AMRI (TUN) moving into coaching, she will be the favorite to win the gold medal in Alexandria.

The 76kg weight class can throw some interesting match-ups as 72kg bronze medalist Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) has moved to the Olympic weight class. She will likely face Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) who won a silver medal at 76kg last year.

Yousiff HEMIDA (EGY)Yousiff HEMIDA (EGY) was African champion in 2022. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Freestyle

The six Olympic weight classes will see intense battles. 57kg champion Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) will be the favorite to win the gold medal but bronze medalist Khalil BARKOUTI (TUN) is returning.

The 65kg weight class will see a new champion as only bronze medalist Zohier IFTENE (ALG) is returning for the African Championships. But it will be difficult to count out Shehabeldin MOHAMED (EGY), Wotna NDOC (GBS), Yassine JAA (MAR), Sylvio DIATTA (SEN) and Mohamed BEN HAFSIA (TUN).

Last year's silver medalist Bacar NDUM (GBS) will start as the favorite at 74kg as Amr REDA (EGY) has decided to skip the championships for the qualifiers.

It will be a similar story in 86kg as only bronze medalist Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR) is returning to upgrade his medal. The 2023 gold medalist Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) will be looking to qualify for Algeria later and he will be replaced by Oussama ABDELLAOUI (ALG) for the championships.

At 97kg, none of the 2023 medalists are entered and a new African champion will be crowned. Fares YAHI (ALG), Abdelrahman ABOUHEIBA (EGY) and Anas SAMIR (MAR) will fancy their chances for the same.

Egypt will be looking to keep the 125kg medal to itself and that responsibility will be on Youssif HEMIDA (EGY) who is replacing the gold medalist Diaaeldin KAMAL (EGY). However, silver medalist Hamza RAHMANI (TUN) hopes to change the color of his medal.

At 61kg, Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) is returning to defend his gold medal while 79kg silver medalist Chems FETAIRIA (ALG) is entered as well.

Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) is the favorite at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

World bronze medalist and defending champion Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) will be eyeing his eighth African Championships title as he enters the competition at 130kg. He has two African Games gold medals as well.

Mohamed has dominated the super heavyweight class for years in the continent and is likely to have smooth sailing to the gold again.

With most of Algeria's first team entered for the Olympic Qualifiers, Egypt has a huge chance to win gold medals in multiple weight classes. Last year, Egypt and Algeria shared five gold medals each in Greco-Roman.

At 60kg, Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) will look to defend his gold medal but 55kg champion Mohamed DRIDI (ALG) has jumped up a weight class to challenge Mahmoud. Also in the mix is Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE) who finished with a silver medal.

No medalists from last year are entered at 67kg, leaving the weight class open for a new champion. U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) will be the favorite to win the gold. He won a silver medal at the 2022 championships. Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG) and Oussama NASR (TUN) can challenge Alameldin.

The 77kg will see returning champion Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) hoping to win a second straight gold medal. Algeria has entered Chawki DOULACHE (ALG) and a Freestyle bronze medalist last year Francisco KADIMA (ANG) is entered in Greco-Roman this year.

Haithem ISSAAD (ALG) and Noureldin HASSAN (EGY) are likely to wrestle for the gold medal at 87kg as most of the medalists have skipped this tour for the qualifiers. 

At 97kg, Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY) is challenging himself by moving up a weight class. He won a silver medal at 87kg last year and is entered in the new weight this year. But Amine BENDJELLOUL (ALG) will be keen on getting a hand on the Egyptian. Bendjelloul has big shoes to fill as he has named the replacement for Bachir SID AZARA (ALG).

Algeria has Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG) as the returning champion at 72kg.