#Yariguin2019

Ivan Yariguin Rosters Released

Monday, January 21, 2019 - 17:46 By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 22) - The 30th Annual Ivan Yariguin, United World Wrestlings first freestyle and women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the year begins on January 24 in Siberia's central city, Krasnoyarsk, Russia. The Yariguin is often referred to as the "Toughest Tournament in the World" because wrestlers from all over the globe make the trek to Siberia to compete with the best wrestlers Russia has to offer.

For the second year in a row in freestyle and for the first time in women's wrestling, United World Wrestling has given wrestlers more of an incentive to compete at this prestigious event, naming the Ivan Yariguin a Ranking Series tournament.

The winner of each Ranking Series event will be awarded eight (8) points, with second, third and fifth place grabbing six (6), four (4), and two (2) points respectively. In addition to the placement points, wrestlers will receive points based on the number of participants in their bracket. For weight categories with 10 or fewer entries, an additional six (6) points will be added. For categories with 11-20 wrestlers entered an additional eight (8) points will be added. Ten (10) points will be added to any weight category with more than 20 entries.

The points wrestlers gain this weekend are used as a part of the seeding process for the 2019 Astana World Championships. The number of points competitors accumulate from last year's World Championships, along with the 2019 Continental Championships and the Ranking Series events, will be combined and the wrestlers with the four highest cumulative points will be award the top four seeds.

The three remaining freestyle and women's wrestling Rankings Series events are the Dan Kolov (February 28), the Sassari (May 24), and the Yasar Dogu (July 12).

Freestyle

57kg
ZOU Wanhao (CHN)
Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO)
Abzal OKENOV(KAZ)
ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL)
TUMENBILEG Tuvshintulga (MGL)
NARMANDAKH Nasanbuyan (MGL)
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Khuresh-ool Donduk-ool (RUS)
Amiran GUVAZHOKOV (RUS)
Aryaan TYUTRIN (RUS)
Muslim SADULAYEV (RUS)
Myrat HOJANEPESOV(TKM)
Ahmet PEKER (TUR)
Zane RICHARDS (USA)
Thomas GILMAN (USA)

61kg
LIU Minghu (CHN)
Lasha LOMTADZE (GEO)
GANSUKH Otgonbaatar (MGL)
TSERMAA Chinzorig (MGL)
ALTANSUVD Munkh Erdene (MGL)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
Ramazan FERZALIEV (RUS)
Magomedrasul IDIRSOV (RUS)
Maidir DONGAK (RUS)
Eduard GRIGORIEV (RUS)
Semyon VLADIMIROV (RUS)
Mekan ORAZOV (TKM)
Cory CLARK (USA)
Joseph COLON(USA)

Russia's two-time world runner-up Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV will move up to 65kg from his normal weight of 61kg. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

65kg
TIAN Zhenguang (CHN)
YUAN Shaohua (CHN)
Tornike KATAMADZE (GEO)
Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Amiran VAKHTANGASHVILI (GEO)
TUMUR OCHIR Tulga (MGL)
BATCHULUUN Batmagnai (MGL)
NARMANDAKH Lkhangarmaa (MGL)
Ivan GUIDEA (ROU)
Ahmed CHAKAEV (RUS)
Muslim SAIDULAYEV (RUS)
Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)
Nachyn KUULAR (RUS)
Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS)
Perman HOMMADOV (TKM)
Cengizhan ERDOGAN (TUR)
Zain Allen RETHERFORD (USA)

70kg
YEERLANBIEKE Katai (CHN)
Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Askhat SLYAMKHANOV (KAZ)
GANZORIGMandakhnaran (MGL)
ENKHTUYA Temuulen (MGL)
ENKHBAYAR Byambadorj (MGL)
Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
David BAYEV (RUS)
Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS)
Anzor ZAKUEV (RUS)
Chermen VALIEV (RUS)
Batyr BORJAKOV (TKM)
Jason Lyle CHAMBERLAIN (USA)
James Malcolm GREEN (USA)

Reigning world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) will try to improve on his second-place finish from a season ago. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

74kg
FENG Chunfu (CHN)
Giorgi SULAVA (GEO)
Goga MAMIAURI (GEO)
TISAKOVJOR Erzo Shamil (MGL)
Ken HOSAKA (JPN)
BAT ERDENE Byambadorj (MGL)
BYAMBASUREN Bat-Erdene (MGL)
GANTULGA Shijir (MGL)
Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS)
Timur BIZHOEV (RUS)
Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS)
Nikita SUCHKOV (RUS)
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (RUS)
Yakup GOR (TUR)
Isaiah MARTINEZ (USA)

79kg
Zeping LIN (CHN)
DENZENSHARAV Tugs Erdene (MGL)
PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL)
Ahmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Haji NABIYEV (RUS)
Alan ZASEEV (RUS)
Khalil AMINOV (RUS)
Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS)
Alexander David DIERINGER (USA)

86kg
Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL)
LIN Zushen (CHN)
Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO)
Ahmed DUDAROV (GER)
Shota SHIRAI (JPN)
ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL)
GANBAATAR Gankhuyag (MGL)
ENKHTUVSHIN Batmagnai (MGL)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS)
Vladislav VALIEV (RUS)
Soslan KTSOEV (RUS)
Omar ZIYAUTDINOV (RUS)
Magomedsharif BIYAKAEV (RUS)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Samuel BROOKS (USA)

92kg
Danan XU (CHN)
BAASANTSOGT Ulziisaikhan (MGL)
CHINBAT Altangerel (lMGL)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (RUS)
Anzor URISHEV (RUS)
Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS)
Magomed KURBANOV (RUS)
Azamat ZAKUEV (RUS)

America's two-time world and Olympic champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) will try to become the first American to ever win three Yariguin titles in a row. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

97kg
Haobin GAO (CHN)
ULZIISAIKHAN Batzul (MGL)
BAYASGALAN Bat Erdene (MGL)
BATDORJ Namkhai (MGL)
Shamil MUSAEV (RUS)
Igor OVSYANNIKOV (RUS)
Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Tamerlan RASUEV (RUS)
Eric DZHIOEV (RUS)
Baki SAHIN (TUR)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)

125kg
DENG Zhiwei (CHN)
DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL)
Anzor HIZRIEV (RUS)
Said HAMIDOV (RUS)
Zelimkhan HIZRIEV (RUS)
Pavel KRIVTSOV (RUS)
Ostap PASENOK (RUS)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)

Norway's reigning U23 world champion Grace BULLEN will make her Yariguin debut this week. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Kika KAGATA (JPN)
NANDINTSETSEG Anudari (MGL)
BUYANDALAI Chimgee (MGL)
TSOGT OCHIR Namuuntsetseg (MGL)
Angelika VETOSHKINA (RUS)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS)
Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS)
Maria TYUMEREKOVA (RUS)
Valeria CHEPSARKOVA (RUS)
Victoria ANTHONY (USA)
Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB)

53kg
Madina NADIROVA (KGZ)
ERDENECHIMEG Sumiya (MGL)
BATBAATAR Enkhtsetseg (MGL)
Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS)
Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS)
Alena KUULAR (RUS)
Leila KARYMOVA (RUS)
Nadezhda TRETYAKOVA (RUS)
Haley Ruth AUGELLO (USA)
Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)

Russia's 2018 European champion Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) will try to improve on her runner-up finish from a year ago. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

55kg
Nao TANIYAMA (JPN)
BAYARAA Khaliunaa (MGL)
BAT OCHIR Bolortuya (MGL)
BAT ORSHIKH Bolor Erdene (MGL)
Victoria VAULINA (RUS)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
Marina SIMONYAN (RUS)
Nina MENKENOVA (RUS)
Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS)
Becka Anne LEATHERS (USA)

57kg
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL)
BALJINNYAM Enkhtuvshin (MGL)
BOLDSAIKHAN Khongorzul (MGL)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Khadizhat MURTUZALIEVA (RUS)
Alexandra NITSENKO (RUS)
Natalya VOLZHANINA (RUS)
Sevara ESHMURATOVA (UZB)

59kg
Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)
ALTANTSETSEG Battsetseg (MGL)
ULZIISAIKHAN Purevsuren (MGL)
Svetlana LIPTOVA (RUS)
Anastasia YAKOVLEVA (RUS)
Alena SANGADIEVA (RUS)
Zelfira SADRADDINOVA (RUS)
Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA)
Nigora BAKIROVA (UZB)

62kg
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL)
Angela FOMENKO (RUS)
Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS)
Elizaveta SOROKINA (RUS)
Daria BOBRULKO (RUS)
Anna SHCHERBAKOVA (RUS)

65kg
Misuzu ENOMOTO (JPN)
ZORIGT Bolortungalag (MGL)
BAATARJAV Shoovdor (MGL)
Maria KUZNETSOVA (RUS)
Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS)
Natalia FEDOSEEVA (RUS)
Dinara SALIKHOVA (RUS)
Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)
Sakhipjamal ALEUATDINOVA (UZB)

Mongolia's 2015 world champion SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg will try to reach the top of the Yariguin podium for the first time since 2015. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

68kg
Rio WATARI (JPN)
SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL)
ENKHSAIKHAN Delgermaa (MGL)
ENKH AMAR Davaanasan (MGL)
Khanum VELIYEVA (RUS)
Christina EREMINA (RUS)
Julia MAXIMOVA (RUS)
Khalbazar NARBAEVA (UZB)

72kg
Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
OCHIRBAT Nasanburmaa (MGL)
Tatyana KOLESNIKOVA (RUS)
Evgenia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)
Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS)
Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA)

76kg
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
Hiroe MINAGAWA SUZUKI (JPN)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL)
Naranchimeg GELEGJAMTS (MGL)
Zagardulam NAIGALSUREN (MGL)
Ksenia BURAKOVA (RUS)
Alena PEREPELKINA (RUS)
Kristina SHUMOVA (RUS)
Elmira KHALAEVA (RUS)
Shakhribonu ELLIEVA (UZB)

*PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE NOT OFFICAL ENTRIES AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

#WrestleZagreb

Kayaalp Returns with Gold at Zagreb Open; Gomi stuns Ganiev

Monday, February 9, 2026 - 01:45 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 8) -- Wearing gold medals is nothing new for Riza KAYAALP (TUR), an Olympic, world and 12-time European champion with a career spanning more than 15 years.

But wearing the Zagreb Open gold on Sunday felt different for Kayaalp.

Returning to the mat after a hiatus of 18 months, Kayaalp wrestled at the Ranking Series event and claimed the 130kg gold medal. The 36-year-old looked sharp in Zagreb, repeatedly using the trademark gut-wrench to win his bouts. He showed no signs of fading in any bout and remained in complete control throughout.

Kayaalp opened with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Aden ATTAO (USA) and followed with another 9-0 victory against Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO). In the semifinals, he was content with winning 4-0 against Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ), getting both passivity advantages.

Facing Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) in the final, Kayaalp scored three turns from par terre to lead 7-0. Schultz was given par terre advantage in the second period but failed to score as Kayaalp secured a 7-1 victory.

"It has been a day full of pride and joy for me to return to this beautiful mat," Kayaalp said. "I returned to the place that has been a part of my life, and to wear the gold medal here again."

At the 2023 European Championships at the same Arena Zagreb, Kayaalp had won his record-tying 12th gold medal. Later that year, he qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics with a silver medal at the World Championships.

However, his career stalled in 2024 when he received a competition ban. Following a lengthy appeal process, Kayaalp cleared his name and returned to the sport, with the Zagreb Open being his first tournament.

"It was a stressful time. Things I never wanted happened to me," he said. "There is nothing worse in life than not being able to explain yourself. But we still have something to live for."

Kayaalp had planned to retire after the Paris Games. After missing the event, however, he returned with renewed motivation to win medals at the Olympics, World Championships and the European Championships.

"There is great fire, ambition and renewal within me," he said. "That old boredom in my mind is gone. I got angry, very angry. But now I hope to have good goals."

Riza KAYAALP (TUR) receives the gold medal from Taha AKGUL (TUR). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Taha AKGUL (TUR), a long-time teammate of Kayaalp but in Freestyle and now the President of the Turkish Wrestling Federation, called Kayaalp the magician.

"He came here with around twenty percent preparation," Akgul said about Kayaalp. "We have the European Championship ahead and we will prepare well. Hopefully, he will break Karelin's record by becoming European champion for the thirteenth time."

Kayaalp and Aleksandr KARELIN are tied at 12 European gold medals, and the former nearly broke the record in 2024. However, he got pinned by Sergey SEMENOV (UWW) in the final.

"He is the brother, the captain, the magician of the team," Akgul said. "We set out on this journey as two brothers. It was the same when I was an athlete. We won our gold medals together. Now, we want to represent Turkish wrestling in the same way."

Turkiye won the second gold medal of the day through Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) who denied Mihail BRADU (MDA), 5-0, in the final.

As soon as the second period began, Bradu tried hitting an arm-throw on Saricicek but the Turkiye wrestler countered and flung Bradu and got four points.

That was the only action in the second period as Saricicek claimed the gold medal. Saricicek survived a tough semifinal against Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) but managed to scrap past 4-3.

Alex SZOKE (HUN) tries to score against Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Alex SZOKE (HUN) took a step closer to making the Hungarian team at 97kg for the European Championships after winning gold medal at the same weight here in Zagreb.

Facing former U20 world champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) in the final, Szoke managed to get both par terre position and also a turn to lead 4-0, which was also the winning score for him.

Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI) emerged as the latest entry in Iran for a weight class. Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) had long been Iran's go-to at 55kg but then emerged Payam AHMADI (IRI) who won gold at U20 World Championships and silver at the senior level.

Now, Hosseinvand defeated Dad Marz in the semifinal in Zagreb and later went on to win the gold medal, defeating Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), 2-0, in the final.

Hosseinvand got both par terre advantages in the match. While he did not score any points in the final, he defended his positions and did not give any either to claim the gold medal.

At 72kg, former U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) controlled his final against Nika BROLADZE (GEO) and won the gold medal, posting a 4-1 victory.

Alameldin was put in par terre in the first period which gave Broladze a point. As he was unable to score any points, Broladze led only 1-0 at the break.

Broladze gave up a point via stepout at the start of the second period which gave Alameldin a 1-1 criteria lead. Alameldin then got the par terre advantage, making the score 2-1.

In the final 30 seconds, Broladze tried some desperate moves but Alameldin bodylocked him and brought him down for two points which sealed the win for him.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI) df. Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), 2-0

BRONZE: Omer RECEP (TUR) df. Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ), 8-0
BRONZE: Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) df. LALIT (IND), 5-3

60kg
GOLD: Koto GOMI (JPN) df. Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 10-0

BRONZE: Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) df. Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), 1-1
BRONZE: Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ) df. Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI), via fall

72kg
GOLD: Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) df. Nika BROLADZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) df. Abror ATABAEV (UZB), 3-3
BRONZE: Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) df. Alejandro SANCHO (USA), 11-0

82kg
GOLD: Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) df. Mihail BRADU (MDA), 5-0

BRONZE: Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) df. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA), 10-1
BRONZE: Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) df. Jesse PORTER (USA), 7-2

97kg
GOLD: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 4-0

BRONZE: Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) df. Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ), 1-1
BRONZE: Giorgi MELIA (GEO) df. Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), 2-1

130kg
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA), 7-1

BRONZE: Darius VITEK (HUN) df. Artur SARKISJAN (CZE), 1-1
BRONZE: Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ) df. Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO), 6-1

Ivan Yariguin Rosters Released

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Kayaalp Returns with Gold at Zagreb Open; Gomi stuns Ganiev