#Grappling

Kazakhstan wins all four team titles at Asian Grappling Championships

By Vinay Siwach

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (June 25) -- Continuing their success from the age-group categories, Kazakhstan dominated the Asian Grappling Championships, winning men's and women's Grappling and Grappling Gi titles.

The team in Grappling Gi won eight out of our eight gold medals winning the team title with 200 points. Iran finished second with 82 points while India was third with 45 points.

In the women's Grappling Gi, Kazakhstan finished with 120 points and emerged as the top team. Out of the five gold medals, four were won by Kazakhstan. The only other country to win gold was the Philippines.

Grappling also saw Kazakhstan win seven gold medals. Iran denied the clean sweep of the medals and won the gold at 130kg. But it did not stop Kazakhstan from winning the team title. It finished first with 190 points. Iran was second with 87 points while Kyrgyzstan was third with 42 points.

Kazakhstan and the Philippines were the top teams in women's Grappling with the former winning four gold medals. The Philippines won one gold medal at 53kg.

Grappling

RESULTS

Men's Grappling Gi

62kg
GOLD: Zhassulan ZHETPISBAY (KAZ)
SILVER: Armat KABDOLOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Nathanielle ORTIZ (PHI)

66kg
GOLD: Aibar ORAZALY (KAZ)
SILVER: Daulet ZHUMADULLAYEV (KAZ)

71kg
GOLD: Sarsen ZHETIBAYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Fierre AFAN (PHI)
BRONZE: Raghav JAMWAL (IND)

77kg
GOLD: Nurbek TALBUDIN (KAZ)
SILVER: Radheshyam YADAV (IND)
BRONZE: Sadegh ZARE (IRI)

84kg
GOLD: Temirzhan TULEBAYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Amirhossein JINOUR (IRI)
BRONZE: Azamat SARBASSOV (KAZ)

92kg
GOLD: Ravshan URAZOV (KAZ)
SILVER: Kambar KOKOMBAY (KAZ)
BRONZE: Azizbek SHARIPOV (UZB)

100kg
GOLD: Bakdaulet ABYZOV (KAZ)
SILVER: Arbi UMAROV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Arman ATAEITOSANLOU (IRI)

130kg
GOLD: Saulet ABUSSALIKHOV (KAZ)
SILVER: Ali Reza SHAHRIARIYANEHSARI (IRI)
BRONZE: Rustam SARTBAEV (KAZ)

Women's Grappling Gi

53kg
GOLD: Maria RATCLIFF (PHI)
SILVER: Ulbolgan ZHAKSYLYKOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Alina KASKINOVA (KAZ)

58kg
GOLD: Botakoz YELDOSKYZY (KAZ)
SILVER: Nuraiym MUNAITBAS (KAZ)

64kg
GOLD: Fariza KULYNTAY (KAZ)
SILVER: Zamira BOLATOVA (KAZ)

71kg
GOLD: Meruyert SATYBALDIYEVA (KAZ)
SILVER: Shynar UZBEKOVA (KAZ)

90kg
GOLD: Assel KABDYGALYMOVA (KAZ)
SILVER: Aikorkem IKHSANOVA (KAZ)

Men's Grappling

62kg
GOLD: Arulan KURMANALIYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Arystanbek GIZZATOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Michael TABAMO (PHI)

66kg
GOLD: Bekzat KAPASHOV (KAZ)
SILVER: Saveliy KAZAKOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Syimyk MAKHMEDOV (KGZ)

71kg
GOLD: Sarsen ZHETIBAYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Fierre AFAN (PHI)
BRONZE: Raghav JAMWAL (IND)

77kg
GOLD: Adlan MADAYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Nurbek TALBUDIN (KAZ)
BRONZE: Adilet KHUPTUEV (KGZ)

84kg
GOLD: Azamat SARBASSOV (KAZ)
SILVER: Temirzhan TULEBAYEV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Amirhossein JINOUR (IRI)

92kg
GOLD: Azizbek SHARIPOV (UZB)
SILVER: Ramazan KUSSAINOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Rakhmatulla ABDUZHALILOV (KAZ)

100kg
GOLD: Arbi UMAROV (KAZ)
SILVER: Ramazan ABDRAKHIMOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Mohammad JAFARITIRTASHI (IRI)

130kg
GOLD: Amir FARHADPOR (IRI)
SILVER: Rustam SARTBAEV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Vadim SIMACHENKO (KAZ)

Women's Grappling

54kg
GOLD: Maria RATCLIFF (PHI)
SILVER: Gulnaz ABDRAKHMANOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Alina KASKINOVA (KAZ)

58kg
GOLD: Nuraiym MUNAITBAS (KAZ)
SILVER: Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ)

64kg
GOLD: Fariza KULYNTAY (KAZ)
SILVER: Zamira BOLATOVA (KAZ)

71kg
GOLD: Shynar UZBEKOVA (KAZ)
SILVER: Meruyert SATYBALDIYEVA (KAZ)

90kg
GOLD: Assel KABDYGALYMOVA (KAZ)
SILVER: Aikorkem IKHSANOVA (KAZ)

#WrestleTirana

Kamal soars high with Tirana Ranking Series gold

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (March 1) -- The last time Kerem KAMAL (TUR) was in action internationally, he did not have a favorable outcome. A bloody battle with Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) ended in a loss at the European Championships.

But Kamal, who impressed all with his performance at all the age-group World Championships and continentals, started the 2025 season with a scintillating victory at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, capturing the 63kg gold medal.

The 2022 U23 world champion was in his elements as he defeated Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ), 10-0, in the final with two big throws for four points each. His first shoulder throw gave him a 4-0 lead, then he got the par terre position from which he performed a suplex for four points to win in just over a minute. Choibekov challenged for a leg-foul but Kamal's movements were clean.

In his earlier bouts, he defeated Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) 5-1 in the quarterfinals with some incredible defense from par terre in the first period. When Mohsen Nejad tried to turn Kamal, the Turkish wrestler moved forward on the mat to break Mohsen Nejad's grip.

Mohsen Nejad needed to score to break Kamal's 1-1 criteria lead and tried a big throw which Kamal blocked and pinned Mohsen Nejad on the mat for four points.

"At the Turkish Championships six weeks ago, I moved up to the new weight class of 63kg," Kamal said. "This time I competed against very strong opponents like Mohsen Nejad from Iran and [Razvan] Arnaut from Romania. I’m happy that I was able to win all my matches. It was a good start to the new year.

Kamal will now be busy for the preparation of European Championships to be held in second week of April in Bratislava, Slovakia.

"I’m not yet 100 percent fit," he said. "I focused a lot on endurance training during the training camp, and my preparations are fully aligned with the European Championships. I wanted to test my ground defense -- I did a good job [in Tirana] but I will work even harder to make sure I can reach my full potential at the European Championships."

Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ)Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) throws Valentin PETIC (MDA) for four points during the 67kg final in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Kyrgyzstan did win a gold medal as U23 world champion Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) brought out his best in the final against Valentin PETIC (MDA), beating the Moldovan 11-0 to capture the 67kg gold medal.

This was the second gold medal for Kyrgyzstan in Tirana after Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ) won the 77kg gold medal on Friday.

Beishekeev, the U23 world champion last year in Tirana, needed only the first par terre position to complete the technical superiority win over Petic. He went for the reverse left and scored four points and as Petic landed on his back, Beishekeev went for the fall. However, Petic blocked Beishekeev with his hands on legs was docked two caution points.

With a 7-0 lead and restart in par terre, Beishkeev once again went for the reverse lift and scored a four-pointer to complete the 11-0 win.

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ), 10-0

BRONZE: Baiaman APILOV (KGZ) df. Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) df. Razvan ARNAUT (ROU), 3-1

67kg
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Valentin PETIC (MDA), 11-0

BRONZE: Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) df. Madiyar MAULITKANOV (KAZ), 7-2
BRONZE: Bagdat SABAZ (KAZ) df. Lei LI (CHN), 9-1