#BuchaWrestU23

Japan Snags Three Champions in Final Day of #BuchaWrestU23 Women’s Action

By Taylor Miller

Photo of Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) by Martin Gabor. 

BUCHAREST, Romania – Japan won three more World titles in women’s freestyle on Friday night at the U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, to win the team title with 188 points.

Winning for Japan tonight was Momoka KADOYA at 53 kg, Yukako KUWAI at 62 kg and Ayana GEMPEI at 65 kg, bringing Japan’s gold-medal total to five in women’s freestyle.

It was an emotional ending at 53 kg as it appeared that Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) won 5-4 with a late takedown. However, Kadoya’s corner challenged and won, giving Japan its third World champion of the week with a 4-3 decision.

Making her second World finals in less than a month, 2018 Senior World runner-up Yukako KAWAI (JPN) defeated Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) in the 62 kg gold bout with a dominant 14-3 performance.

The final champion from Japan came at 65 kg as Gempei won her second-consecutive U23 World title. To earn gold, Gempei put up a decisive 7-3 decision against two-time Junior World bronze medalist Elis MANOLOVA (AZE).

Photo of Buse TOSUN (TUR) by Martin Gabor. 

The other two golds up for grabs tonight went to Canada and Turkey.

At 57 kg, Alexandria TOWN (CAN) stopped Japan from another gold medal, defeating 2018 Junior Asian champion Akie HANAI (JPN) with a 7-4 win.

To close out the night, 2018 Senior World bronze medalist Buse TOSUN (TUR) finished off fast 10-0 technical fall over host country’s Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), ending the bout in 1:35.

This is Tosun’s third World medal as she also has a 2013 Junior World silver medal.

Finishing behind Japan in the team race was Russia in second with 113 points and China in third with 106 points.

The 2018 U23 World Championships continue tomorrow with men’s freestyle action.

Finals results

53 kg
GOLD - Momoka KADOYA (JPN) df. Milana DADASHEVA (RUS), 4-3
BRONZE - Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) df. Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB), fall
BRONZE - Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) df. Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL), 5-3

57 kg
GOLD - Alexandria TOWN (CAN) df. Akie HANAI (JPN), 7-4
BRONZE - Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 11-3
BRONZE - Alexandra ANDREEVA (RUS) df. Qi ZHANG (CHN), 2-1

62 kg
GOLD - Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), 14-3
BRONZE - Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df. Kayla MIRACLE (USA), 6-3
BRONZE - Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) df. Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU), 4-2

65 kg
GOLD - Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) df. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), 7-3
BRONZE - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL), fall
BRONZE - Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) df. Moa NYGREN (SWE), 10-0

72 kg
GOLD - Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 10-0
BRONZE - Xiaoqian WANG (CHN) df. Nomin Erdene PURVEE (MGL), 8-3
BRONZE - Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Naina NAINA (IND), fall

Team scores      
1. Japan – 188
2. Russia – 113
3. China – 106
4. Ukraine – 81
5. USA – 76

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open: Amouzad vs Tevanyan for 65kg gold; Nolf, Aman in finals

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (January 10) -- The season begins with the Zagreb Open Grand Prix in the Croatian capital. Freestyle will kick off action in seven weight classes. The Ranking Series provides points that will be used to seed the wrestlers for the Paris Olympics.

Watch all the action from the #WrestleZagreb Ranking Series event, FREE on UWW+ using CODE: ZAGREB100

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

The gold medal bouts for the evening session

57kg: AMAN (UWW) vs. Wanhao ZOU (CHN)
61kg: Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) vs. Andrii DZHELEP (UKR)
65kg: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) vs. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
70kg: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) vs. Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
74kg: Jason NOLF (USA) vs. Hossein ABOUZARIPASHKOLAEI (IRI)
86kg: Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) vs. Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)

14:40: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) is not letting Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) do his things. Rivera had beaten Tevanyan in the World Championships semifinals but the Armenian avenges that loss with a 9-1 win in Zagreb. Tevanyan will take on Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) in the 65kg final.

14:32: Jason NOLF (USA) with a 35-second pin over Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)! A strong headlock to put the Greek wrestler on the mat and Nolf kept him there to win and move into the final at 74kg.

14:18: We have our 57kg finalists. AMAN (UWW) won 11-0 against Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) while Wanhao ZOU (CHN) scored a takedown with 16 seconds left to beat Horst LEHR (GER) 4-3.

14:03: World bronze medalist Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) moves into the semifinals at 65kg after a 5-2 win over Jo MCKENNA (USA). He used a takedown and gut wrench in the first period to keep his lead.

13:55: A big result in the Iran national team context as Yones EMAMI (IRI), the first choice wrestler, drops his match against Hossein ABOUZARIPASHKOLAEI (IRI) 4-4 at 74kg. Emami disappointed with that result.

13:50: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) is too much for Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) as the Greek wins 8-0. Khadjiev had some moves but wasn't strong enough to score on Kougioumtsidis who is now into the 74kg semifinals.

13:45: Dzhbrail GADZHIEV (AZE) hangs on for a 5-4 win over Quincy MONDAY (USA). The two were 4-4 with Gadzhiev leading on criteria but he scored a late stepout to claim a 5-4 win.

13:40: Chace MARSTELLER (USA) makes a huge comeback against Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) to win at 86kg. The Georgian raced to a 5-0 lead but Marsteller's conditioning helped him make it 8-5 for the win.

13:30: Aman works his way to an 11-0 technical superiority win over Richards at 57kg. Aman continued to attack throughout the six minutes and never let Richards make a comeback.

13:20: First of the big quarterfinals on Mat C. AMAN (UWW) takes on Zane RICHARDS (USA) at 57kg. This match will be followed by Chandler MARSTELLER (USA) vs Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) at 86kg, Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) vs Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) at 74kg and Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) vs Joseph MC KENNA (USA) at 65kg.

13:00: Another comeback man Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) is at 57kg. He last wrestled at the Tokyo Olympics. Now he is in the quarterfinals with a 9-4 win over Joseph SILVA (PUR).

12:55: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) rolls into the 74kg quarterfinals after a 9-1 win over Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO). He seems to have adjusted well to the lower weight class.

12:35: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) was slow to get off the mark but raced to a 12-1 victory over Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) at 65kg. On Mat C, Joseph MC KENNA (USA) gets a lace to beat Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) 10-0

12:15: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) gets a 10-0 victory at 65kg. While he looks in control of his wrestling, his conditioning still looks off. He takes his time to walk off the mat after the bout.

12:00: Yones EMAMI (IRI) with a technical superiority win over Nuerlanbieke WURENIBAI (CHN) at 74kg. Emami missed out on a medal and Olympic qualification at the World Championships.

11:35: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) and Chance MARSTELLER (USA) are squaring it off at 86kg. Marsteller put on the clock for passivity and Nurmagomedov goes 1-0 up at the break. Marsteller with a takedown in the second period and Nurmagomedov is called for passivity. Marsteller takes a 3-0 lead which Nurmagomedov fails to cover. Marsteller moves on 3-0 at 86kg.

11:15: Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), making a comeback after testing positive for a banned substance in 2019, begins with a pin over Ivan STOYANOV (BUL) at 74kg. It will be interesting to see how far he can go in this tournament.

11:00: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI), who finished fifth at the World Championships, seems to have found his form back, at least by the looks of the first bout. He beats Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR), who is out after three cautions against him.

10:42: Chance MARSTELLER (USA), moving up to 86kg, gets two takedowns on either side of the break to win 4-0 over Ceballos PEDRO (VEN).

10:30: World silver medalist at 79kg Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) makes a winning debut at 86kg. He beats U20 world champion Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) 6-3 in Zagreb. On Mat C, Zahid VALENCIA (USA) doesn't have the same start as he falls to Valentyn BABII (UKR).

10:15: Deepak PUNIA (UWW) was up 2-0 after two activity points but world bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) got a takedown and gut wrench to make it 4-2 with under a minute left. He added another takedown to win the 86kg opening bout 6-2.

10:00: Welcome to the Zagreb Open! The first tournament of the season and we have around 600 wrestlers competition.