#Yariguin2019

Khizriev Upsets Akgul, Russia Wins Four Golds on Day Three

Saturday, January 26, 2019 - 16:43 By Eric Olanowski

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KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 26) - Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), Anzhela FOMENKO (RUS), Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS), and Anzor KHIZRIEV (RUS) won gold medals on the third day of competition at the Ivan Yariguin, bringing Russia’s freestyle and women’s wrestling gold medal total to nine.

Akhmed Chakaev, the two-time world bronze medalist, held off Nachyn KUULAR (RUS), 2-1, in a relatively slow-paced 65kg gold-medal bout,  handing Russia their first freestyle gold medal of the day.

Chakaev significantly slowed the pace of the match down with his underhook and paid the price for doing so, getting dinged for an inactivity point in the opening period to trail 1-0. But it was Chakaev who carried the 2-1 lead into the closing period after scoring on a hip lift from Kuular’s high crotch attempt. 

The second period remained scoreless until Kuular snuck behind Chakaev and threw him for four-points shortly after the clock hit zero. The points were award to Kuular and he led 5-2, but Chakaev and his corner were adamant that the time had expired before Kuular scored the four points. After a referees review, it was obvious that Chakaev’s right foot was in bounds as time expired, giving world-class Chechen the 2-1 victory and his second Yariguin title in the past three years. 

Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov won the 79kg round-robin tournament, avenging his first round loss to Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS). 

Gadzhimagomedov dumped Ramazanov to his back for four-points and extended his lead to 6-1 with a first period high crotch. Gadzhimagomedov ultimately defeated Ramazanov 6-2 to reach the top of the Yariguin podium for the fourth time.

Anzor Khizriev, Russia’s third freestyle champion of the day, scored a pair of crotch lifts in the second period and knocked off two-time world and Rio Olympic champion Taha AKGUL (TUR), 7-3, in the 125kg gold-medal match.

Anzhela Fomenko won the fourth and final Russian gold medal of the day, picking up an injury default win over Anna SHCHERBAKOVA (RUS) in the 68kg women's wrestling gold-medal match.  

Mongolia, led by 2015 world champion SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg, won a pair of gold medals on the third day of action in Krasnoyarsk.

Soronzonbold only needed 31 seconds to grab the fall over fellow Mongolian Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) in the 68kg title bout, landing the world champion her second overall Yariguin gold medal, and first since 2015. 

SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) was the second Mongolian wrestler who won a gold medal on the third day of competition. Sukhee capped off her path to a Yariguin title with a 10-5 win over Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS). In addition to her finals wins over Khoroshavtseva, Sukee also scored wins against U23 world champion Grece BULLEN (NOR) and 2017 world bronze medalist Becka LEATHERS (USA). 

The United States’ Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) claimed the final women’s wrestling gold medal to close out the third day of wrestling when she scored a 6-4 come-from-behind win over Natalia MALYSHEVA (RUS) in the 53kg finals.

Hildebrandt, the 2018 world runner-up, fired off a shot on the sound of the opening whistle and locked up the 2-0 advantage.

The American carried the 2-0 lead into the final frame, but her Russian opponent stole the 2-2 criteria advantage with an early second period takedown. The Russian extended her lead to 4-2, shucking-by the American and scoring her second takedown of the period. 

In the closing minute, Hildebrandt tied the match at four-all and grabbed the lead on criteria after she stopped a gut wrench attempt and planted Malysheva on her back. The Russian fought off her back and the Hildebrandt scored two additional exposures points before time expired to become the seventh American female to win a Yariguin title.

The Ivan Yariguin wraps up tomorrow morning with the four freestyle and two women’s wrestling finals. 

RESULTS

Freestyle 

65kg
GOLD - Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) df. Nachyn KUULAR (RUS), 2-1 
BRONZE - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) df. Cristian Damian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB), 2-1 
BRONZE - Batmagnai BATCHULUUN (MGL) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 4-2 

79kg
GOLD - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS), 6-2
BRONZE - Alexander David DIERINGER (USA) df. Alan ZASEEV (RUS), via inj. def. 

125kg 
GOLD - Anzor KHIZRIEV (RUS) df. Taha AKGUL (TUR), 7-4 
BRONZE -  Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (RUS) df. Zhiwei DENG (CHN), 9-7 

Women’s Wrestling 

53kg 
GOLD - Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Natalia MALYSHEVA (RUS), 6-4 
BRONZE - Leila KARYMOVA (RUS) df. Haley Ruth AUGELLO (USA), via inj. def.
BRONZE - Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) df. Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS), 11-6 

57kg
GOLD - Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS), 
BRONZE - Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL) df. Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL), 13-9
BRONZE - Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR) df. Becka Anne LEATHERS (USA), via inj. def. 

62kg 
GOLD - Anzhela FOMENKO (RUS) df. Anna SHCHERBAKOVA (RUS), via inj. def. 
BRONZE - Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS) df. Yaquelin ESTORNELL ELIZASTIGUE (CUB), 7-0 

68kg 
GOLD - SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) df. ENKH AMAR Davaanasan (MGL), via fall. 
BRONZE - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Iuliia MAKSIMOVA BARTNOVSKAIA (RUS), 9-0 
BRONZE - Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)df.  Rio WATARI (JPN), 4-3 

#development

South Africa Advances National Wrestling System with DNSS Phase 2

Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 07:25 By United World Wrestling Press

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PRETORIA, South Africa (April 8) -- South Africa has reached a decisive milestone in its long-term wrestling development strategy with the successful implementation of Phase 2 of the Development of National Sport System (DNSS) programme, delivered in collaboration with United World Wrestling (UWW) and supported by Olympic Solidarity.

Following the diagnostic and mapping phase conducted earlier, Phase 2 marks a clear transition from analysis to structured implementation, laying the foundation for a sustainable and internationally aligned wrestling system.

Led by UWW Development Officer Vincent AKA, in close cooperation with the South African Wrestling Federation (SAWF), the National Head Coach, Markus DEKKER and Provincial Coordinators, the programme was deployed across multiple provinces through a structured 10-day intervention from March 2 to 13. 

Activities were conducted in key locations including:

· LPWA (Ion Bachu)
· CGWA (Ruiter)
· NGWA (Menlo Park Hall)
· Frank Joubert Tournament (Menlo Park Hall)

This nationwide approach ensured direct engagement with provincial structures, strengthening alignment between national leadership and local associations while promoting inclusive development across the country.

From Talent Identification to System Building

Unlike traditional training camps, DNSS Phase 2 focused on identifying talent and building long-term development systems. Wrestlers and coaches from all age categories -- U13, U15, U17, U20, and Senior -- were actively involved, ensuring a complete pathway approach.

Provincial visits and stakeholder meetings played a key role in assessing facilities and operational structures, strengthening coordination between SAWF and provinces, and identifying emerging wrestlers.

Building Athlete Pipeline

A training camp for different provinces brought together wrestler to consolidate talent identified during Phase 1 and introduce standardized training methodologies.

The training camp included technical sessions, physical conditioning, match simulations and wrestling. The initiative contributed to the creation of an updated national prospect and the foundation of a structured athlete monitoring system.

South Africa

Beach Wrestling Gains Momentum

As part of the DNSS activities, a Beach Wrestling training session in Roodepoort highlighted the programme’s expanding impact.

During the visit, Aka led a specialized session, sharing advanced technical insights adapted to beach wrestling. It included stance and balance adjustments, grip and control techniques, and movement adaptation on sand.

The training programme comes at a crucial time, as South African athletes prepare for African Beach Wrestling Championships in Alexandria, Egypt and other international tournaments.