Kayaalp, Maskevich Dominate Through Finals; Russia Wins WW Title

Friday, April 23, 2021 - 20:37 By Vinay Siwach

WARSAW, Poland (April 23) -- No spectators were allowed at the Sportowa COS Torwar stadium in Warsaw, but if they were, Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) and Riza KAYAALP (TUR) would have received the loudest cheer as both made it the finals of their respective weight categories in style.

While their both reached the summit clash, their paths were contrasting. Kayaalp used his experience to set up the opponents before dominating them in the three wins he needed to reach the final at 130kg. Kayaalp is chasing his 10th senior European title and is one step away from that.

Maskevich was more aggressive and had some hiccups before he entered the final at 87kg. After battling a world medalist, a world champion and even coming from behind to win, the young Belarussian phenom will look to win his first senior European title on Saturday.

Kayaalp led the way as three Turkish wrestlers made it to the final followed by two from Russia. Azerbaijan, Hungary, Belarus, Serbia and Georgia also had a finalist each.

The senior European Championships in Warsaw, Poland entered its fifth day with Greco-Roman action beginning in five weight categories – 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg. The medal bouts of the five women's weight category were also held as Russia won the team title.

Close to two months after he won the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series gold medal, Kayaalp was back on the mat. Beginning with the qualification round, the Turkey legend got going with a technical superiority win over Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR).

In the quarterfinal, Alin CIURARIU (ROU) had no chance one Kayaalp had been down on the mat. He completed a 8-0 win over the Romanian to move into the semifinal.

He took some time but once Eduard POPP (GER) was called for inactivity, Kayaalp got two turns and then a fall to reach his 11th European championship final.

Testing him in the final on Saturday will be 2019 World bronze medalist and European Games champion Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) who defeated Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU) 5-0 in the other semifinal.

This will be a rematch of the 2019 European Championships final which the Turkey wrestler won with ease.

Kiryl MASKEVICH European Championships 2021 — Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) reacts after beating Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) in Warsaw. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Another rematch in the final will be at 87kg as Maskevich will face Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) for the gold medal. The two met four months ago at the Individual World Cup in Belgrade, for a quarterfinal spot which Maskevich, the eventual champion, won 10-3.

Maskevich was one to enthrall live viewers from the word go as he opened up with a big opening round win against multiple time world medalist Viktor LORINCZ (HUN). He launched a pair of lifts to finish the bout in the first period itself with a score of 9-0.

But his tournament was well over when Individual World Cup winner at 82kg Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) led, 6-0. Maskevich then launched a headlock to pin the Russian to his back and he held it long enough to get the fall. He let out a loud roar before consoling his opponent.

Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO) was his next victim as he scored a 9-1 win over the Georgian to reach the semifinal and win it against Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) 9-1.

Serbian transfer from Georgia Datunashvili had a field as well on the other side of the 87kg bracket as he defeated world champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR), 1-1, in the quarterfinal before humbling Rio Olympic bronze medalist and world silver medalist Denis KUDLA (GER),2-1, in the semifinal.

At 55kg, a pair of world champions failed to reach the finals as Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) defeated 2019 world champion at 55kg Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), 9-0, in the quarterfinals before losing his semifinal against Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) 5-4.

This was Azizli's second straight win over Tsurtsumia after winning the semifinal at the 2018 World Championships. But he could not keep up his performance as he lost 4-5 against Sefershaev.

Azizli led 2-1 in the semifinal after the first period as he gave a point for inactivity but Sefershaev failed to roll him, instead gave up two points.

The second period saw Azizli getting another passive warning which made the score 2-2. A pushout, which was challenged by Russia, gave him a 4-2 lead which was intact until 18 seconds were left in the bout.

Sefershaev jumped over Azizli and grabbed him for a reverse lock and exposed him for two. The call was challenged by Azerbaijan but with no luck. In the end, it was a close, heartbreaking loss for Azizli.

From the other side of the bracket, 2018 world bronze medalist Ekrem OZTURK made it to the finals after beating Rudik MKRTHCHYAN (ARM), 5-4, and producing a technical superiority win over Artsiom KATSAR (BLR) in the semifinal.

Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) European Championships 2021

Another thriller was seen at 63kg as World Cup winner Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) scored nine points in the second period after trailing 0-5 against junior European champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) to win 9-5.

As if waiting for the passivity call against Abuladze, Lokyaev lifted him twice for four-point throws and won the battle.

He will face Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) in the final as the Azerbaijan wrestler defeated Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT) 7-1. Had the Latvian wrestler reached the final, it would have been his country's first senior European medal in 83 years.

Mammadov and Lokyaev wrestled in the quarterfinal at the Individual World Cup in November last year with the Russian claiming a 2-0 win.

Another world champion to make it to the final with ease was Tamas LORINCZ (HUN). He had little to no trouble to reach the 77kg final against Yunus BASAR (TUR).

In the semifinal, Lorincz won 5-0 against Michael WIDMAYER (GER) while Basar was happy with a 4-0 win over Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR), who had earlier ended the tournament for 72kg world champion Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) with 12-3 win.

Ringaci avenges loss, Russia win title

As soon as the 65kg final finished, Irina RINGACI (MDA) ran to her coach for a long hug. The Moldova wrestler ran back to the mat as the referee raised her hand as the champion of Europe. While it was an overwhelming feeling for her, it became even more emotional given the manner in which she won the gold medal.

Over four months ago, Ringaci was in the final of the Individual World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia, and a win away from winning the gold. But all her dreams came crashing down as Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) defeated her, 14-4.

Cut to April in Warsaw, the two faced each other in the European Championships final, and this time, Ringaci makes no mistake and claims a technical superiority 10-0 win over Rizhko.

Ringaci got a body lock from behind to send Rizhko flying for a four before she came out on top in scramble she initiated using a slide-by. Two chest wrap exposures were enough for her to claim the gold medal in the Polish capital.

That denied Ukraine three gold medals which could have propelled them to a team title on the final day of women's wrestling. Russia claimed the title after Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) won the 53kg gold medal while Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) won the bronze at 72kg.

Ukraine's two gold medals came via Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) at 62kg as she denied Marianna SASTIN (HUN) her first European gold medal. Alla BELINSKA (UKR) also won a gold medal for her country as she defeated Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) 6-3 in the 72kg final.

Sastin tried hard to get a big attack in the final seconds of the 62kg final but Koliadenko was strong enough to hold her 4-1 lead and win the gold medal. This was Sastin's seventh European medal but none of them the top one.

Olympic silver medalist Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS)'s troubles continued at 62kg as she lost the bronze medal bout 0-5 to Veranika IVANOVA (BLR). On Thursday, she had suffered a loss by fall in the semifinal.

The second bronze at 62kg went to Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL) as world silver medalist Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) opted out.

In the 53kg final, Khoroshavtseva was totally dominant against Rio Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) and gave no chance to her in the final. Three takedowns and a lost challenge from Greece handed her a 7-0 win.

The bronze medal at 53kg went to Iulia LEORDA (MDA) who defeated Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE) 10-0 and Annika WENDLE (GER) who came out on top against Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 8-1.

Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) ended the dream run and home country's gold medal hope Anhelina LYSAK (POL) by beating her 15-4 in the 57kg final.

Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) fought out a close bronze medal bout against Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) at 57kg but won 8-7. Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) completed a victory via fall over Francesca INDELICATO (ITA) to win the second bronze at the weight.

Kriszta INCZE (ROU) and Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL) captured the bronze medals at 65kg with a 4-3 win and a victory by fall over IrIna Petrovna NETREBA (AZE) and Alina ANTIPOVA (LAT), respectively.

In the final weight category of the day, 72kg, Dalma CANEVA (ITA) battled it out against Maria SELMAIER (GER) for a 3-2 win and the bronze medal. Zakharchenko won the other with an 11-0 win over Merve PUL (TUR).

Greco-Roman Semifinal Results

55kg
GOLD - Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) vs. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)

SEMIFINAL - Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 5-4
SEMIFINAL - Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) df. Artsiom KATSAR (BLR), 8-0

63kg
GOLD - Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) vs. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)

SEMIFINAL - Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) df. Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 9-5
SEMIFINAL - Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT), 7-1

77kg
GOLD - Yunus BASAR (TUR) vs. Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)

SEMIFINAL - Yunus BASAR (TUR) df. Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR), 4-0
SEMIFINAL - Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) df. Michael WIDMAYER (GER), 5-0

87kg
GOLD - Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) vs. Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)

SEMIFINAL - Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) df. Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN), 9-1
SEMIFINAL - Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) df. Denis KUDLA (GER), 2-1

130kg
GOLD - Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)

SEMIFINAL - Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Eduard POPP (GER), via fall
SEMIFINAL - Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU), 5-0

European Championships 2021 WW 62kg podium

Day Five WW Medal Results

53kg
GOLD - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), 7-0

BRONZE - Iulia LEORDA (MDA) df. Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE - Annika WENDLE (GER) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 8-1

57kg
GOLD - Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Anhelina LYSAK (POL), 15-4

BRONZE - Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 8-7
BRONZE - Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) df. Francesca INDELICATO (ITA), via fall

62kg
GOLD - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Marianna SASTIN (HUN), 4-1

BRONZE - Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) df. Valeria KOBLOVA ZHOLOBOVA (RUS),5-0
BRONZE - Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL) df. Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL), via fall

65kg
GOLD - Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR), 10-0

BRONZE - Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU) df. IrIna Petrovna NETREBA (AZE), 4-3
BRONZE - Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL) df. Alina Aleksandra ANTIPOVA (LAT), via fall

72kg
GOLD - Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL), 6-3

BRONZE - Dalma CANEVA (ITA) df. Maria SELMAIER (GER), 3-2
BRONZE - Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) df. Merve PUL (TUR), 11-0

#WrestleIstanbul

Lee qualifies for Paris 2024; India, China earn first Freestyle spots

Sunday, May 12, 2024 - 11:36 By Vinay Siwach

ISTANBUL, Türkiye (May 11) -- Spencer LEE (USA) says it was a long day for him in Istanbul but he needed only 36 seconds to qualify for the Olympics.

After four bouts in over 10 hours at the World Olympic Qualifier in Istanbul, Lee thrashed Rakhat KALZAN (KAZ) 12-2 in just 36 seconds in the Paris 2024 qualification bout at 57kg to qualify the United States for the Olympics.

"It was kind of a long day because our bracket was a little smaller," Lee said. "Even though I was like first up pretty much, there was a little bit of a break, with the bronze medal, like people coming back to repechage. There's a lot of space between my matches."

Lee spent only 7 minutes and 50 seconds on the mat, winning three bouts before the first minute finished. The only match that went all the way was his 1/8 final against Wanhao ZOU (CHN) as Lee survived a scare, winning 10-9.

But in his quarterfinal, Lee rocked former European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) 12-2 in 53 seconds using his high gut and used the same move to beat Kalzan 12-2 to confirm his journey.

"I do think that it was like 18 or 19 days I had before this," Lee said about his recovery time after the U.S. trials three weeks ago. "It was a really quick turnaround. I remember like having two or three days off and then I was already scrapping in the room again, like not 100 percent. But we were getting back into it because this is a big deal. It's a big tournament."

Lee also knew that winning the quota from the semifinals was important and did not leave it to Sunday when he would have to win the bronze medal and then the playoff.

"If you don't win right on the semis and you don't qualify, and in the long day, the next day to making weight again, and then competing in other two matches. Better is to win the semis than not," he said.

Lee, a two-time former U20 world champion, was out of international wrestling for eight years. He returned at the Pan-Am Championships earlier this year and won gold. He later defeated Thomas GILMAN (USA) in the best-of-three finals in the U.S. trials to earn the right to wrestle in Istanbul.

"It's not like you really excel in the layoff," he said. "I definitely needed some competition internationally before I competed at the Olympics anyway. So if anything, you see it as a blessing, it was a good thing. Americans are really, really into your face all over you most of the time. Then over here, they're a little more calculated, a little smarter. I think that it was good to get that feel again. Because like I said, you know, eight years has been a long time for me to compete internationally. So I'm glad that I'm back on the scene."

Apart from winning a medal at the Olympics, Lee has another special reason to be in Paris. His mother, a former judoka, hails from France and her family lives there.

"This is a big deal for me," he said. "My family lives in France. They live outside of Bordeaux. My grandmother never has seen me wrestle and it's a really big deal for me to compete in my mother's home country."

Spencer LEE (USA) and AMAN (IND) after their qualification for the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The second spot at 57kg was clinched by AMAN (IND), making him the first male wrestler from India to win a Paris Olympic quota, that it failed to win at the World Championships or the Asian Olympic Qualifier.

Aman, the Asian champion in 2023, defeated Asian Games silver medalist Chongsong HAN (PRK) 12-2 to complete a commanding day in which he had three wins, two of them via technical superiority.

"When I lost the Asian Olympic qualifier, my coaches told me that I should not wrestle outside my style," Aman said. "My style is not to allow the other wrestler to finish the bout. I have to wrestle for six minutes. I had only this target in my mind that I have to wrestle six minutes here."

Out of Aman's three wins on Saturday, only one bout went the full distance. He was up against Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) in his first bout and built a 2-1 lead at the break. But relentless in his attacks, he quickly made it 6-1 before Vangelov hit a double-leg takedown to cut it to 6-3. But it was not enough as Aman won 10-4. Andri YATSENKO (UKR) was up next but Aman showed no mercy, winning the bout 12-2 a minute and eight seconds before time.

"I thought that Vangelov bout was a tight one," he said. "I didn't want him to get to my legs to finish it with a lace. So I kept my distance and scored points whenever I got a chance."

Aman was replacing Ravi DAHIYA (IND), a Tokyo Olympic silver medalist and three-time Asian champion, and was under pressure to win India's first spot for the Paris 2024 in Freestyle.

"I am relieved," he said. "It was big responsibility on me to qualify especially in the lowest weight. I was checking the records and India has a wrestler qualifying at this weight since 2004. So I had not qualified, everyone would have blamed me."

India had a chance to win another spot as SUJEET (IND) reached the semifinal against Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) but the latter proved too strong for the former. Tumur Ochir, who earlier defeated Zain RETHERFORD (USA), beat Sujeet 6-1 to earn the Paris spot.

The two were in some intense scrambles but Tumur Ochir seemed the more active wrestler. Sujeet was put on the activity clock in each period, in which he failed to score, giving Tumur Ochir a 2-0 lead. Sujeet got a point for Tumur Ochir's passivity to come within one-point distance for a win.

But his desperate attempts to get a stepout or takedown went in vain and Tumur Ochir hit a four-pointer in the final seconds to claim a 6-1.

The second spot at 65kg was claimed by European champion Islam DUDAEV (ALB) who defeated Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) 12-2 in the semifinal. This was Albania's second Paris 2024 qualification in any style.

While Arushanian was easily seen off, Dudaev must thank his stars as he won his quarterfinals only after a long challenge that Albania threw, asking for a takedown against Kwang Jin KIM (PRK).

Kim led 2-0 with 30 seconds left on the clock when Dudaev hit a single-leg and attempted a takedown. As the time ticked, he failed to control Kim and complete a takedown. However, Albania challenged that at one point, Dudaev had control of the takedown with Kim in three-point contact with the mat.

On review, it was confirmed that Dudaev actually completed a takedown, giving him a 2-2 win which Kim did not accept and spent a few minutes protesting the decision.

Albania almost had a second Paris 2024 when Cherman VALIEV (ALB) defeated Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) 2-2 in the 74kg semifinal but Rassadin challenged and on review, it was seen that Valiev committed a singlet-pull. Rassadin was awarded a point that gave him a 3-2 win.

Valiev had defeated Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) in the quarterfinals and with his loss to Rassadin, Chamizo will not be at the Paris Olympics.

In the other 74kg semifinal, three-time world silver medalist and European champion Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) defeated Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), 4-2, to qualify for his first Olympics. After Salkazanov took 2-2 criteria lead with a stepout, Demirtas made attempts to score but Salkazanov countered one of them and scored a go-behind to make the score 4-2.

At 86kg, European champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) defeated Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 5-3, with a takedown in the final seconds to earn the Paris qualification while Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) controlled his semifinal and posted a 3-0 win over Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) and qualified Greece for the Paris Games.

In a stunning moment of brain-fade, Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) gave up a takedown in the final five seconds against Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) to drop his semifinal at 97kg, 2-2, and lose the Paris spot.

Erik THIELE (GER) won the other spot at 97kg after he tired out Radu LEFTER (MDA) and won 3-0.

China did achieve its first Paris quota in Freestyle when Zhiwei DENG (CHN) defeated Jose DIAZ (VEN), 4-0, in the 125kg semifinal and two-time Olympian Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) defeated Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 12-2, to win the other available spot.

RESULTS

57kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Spencer LEE (USA) df. Rakhat KALZAN (KAZ), 10-0
AMAN (IND) df. Chongsong HAN (PRK), 12-2

65kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Islam DUDAEV (ALB) df. Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), 12-2
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. SUJEET (IND), 6-1

74kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), 4-2
Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) df. Cherman VALIEV (ALB), 3-2

86kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 5-3
Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) df. Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 3-0

97kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) df. Awusayiman HABILA (CHN), 2-2
Erik THIELE (GER) df. Radu LEFTER (MDA), 3-0

125kg Paris Qualification Bouts
Zhiwei DENG (CHN) df. Jose DIAZ (VEN), 4-0
Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) df. Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 12-2

Kayaalp, Maskevich Dominate Through Finals; Russia Wins WW Title

Comments

Lee qualifies for Paris 2024; India, China earn first Freestyle spots