#WrestleBudapest

'King Vlad' and Aliyev Highlight Loaded 65kg Euro OG Qualifier Bracket

By Eric Olanowski

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 11) --- Despite owning a combined four world titles and three Olympic medals – including a London Olympic gold -- European superstars Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) and Haji ALIYEV (AZE) are still looking to book their nation's tickets to the Tokyo Olympic Games.

They'll have to reach the finals at the European Olympic Qualifiers, which kicks off next Thursday, March 18-21 in Budapest, Hungary. But to do so, they'll have to navigate a loaded 65kg bracket that features 17 entries who have claimed a combined 14 world and Olympic medals (11 world / 3 Olympic).

Aliyev won gold at the '15 World Championships and locked up his nations' place at the Rio Olympic Games where he finished with a bronze medal. But, it was a different story after the '19 World Championships. The three-time world champ lost to fellow world champions Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) in Nur-Sultan and finished in 12th place -- putting himself in unfamiliar territory. For the first time in his storied career, Aliyev is on the outside looking in at an Olympic qualifying event.

 

Khinchegashvili, on the other hand, is no stranger to missing out on an Olympic berth through the World Championships. Back in '11, "King Vlad" finished in seventh place at the Istanbul World Championships and failed to earn an Olympic berth for Georgia. Khinchegashvili ultimately qualified Georgia for the London Olympics through the '12 Olympic Qualifier and grabbed Olympic silver.

Now, the Rio Olympic champion is in a similar situation as he was back in '11 after he missed out on punching Georgia's ticket to the Tokyo Olympic Games with a 22nd-place finish in Nur-Sultan. In a UWW LIVE interview, Khinchegashvili said, "I will try to get the license at the European Olympic Qualifier. I think it won't be a problem and I'll compete well at the Tokyo Olympic Games." He continued, saying, "It won't be easy to qualify nor compete at the Olympics, but I am always ready for these situations."

Both Aliyev and Vlad will indeed have to be ready for all situations, as they'll share the bracket with loads of talent – including savvy veterans and rising stars.


Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) takes on Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) at the '16 Rio Olympic Games. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Past Olympians Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) and Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) are entered at 65kg while rising star Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) received the nod for Armenia at 65kg.

Poland's two-time world medalist Gadzhiev will debut down at 65kg for the first time since the '18 World Championships. He's since competed up at 70kg, where he was a '19 world bronze medalist and a '20 Individual World Cup champion.

Two-time world medalist Dubov will try to qualify Bulgaria for the Olympic Games in just his fifth outing at 65kg. 

Ukraine pegged '15 world bronze medalist Shuptar as their guy to earn an Olympic berth at 65kg through the European Olympic Qualifier.

Despite his 24th-place finish at the '19 World Championships, Tevanyan earned the right to represent Armenia after his surprising breakout performance at the '20 Individual World Cup. He outscored his five opponents 43-3 and capped off his improbable run to World Cup gold with a 9-1 win over Hungary's '19 world bronze medalist Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV.

Wrestling at the European Olympic Qualifiers gets underway next Thursday (March 18-21) in Budapest and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

65kg OG Qualifier Entries 
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR)
Vladimir Vladimirov DUBOV (BUL)
Juan Pablo GONZALEZ CRESPO (ESP)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO)
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Abdellatif MANSOUR (ITA)
Elmedin SEJFULAU (MKD)
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
George BUCUR (ROU)
David HABAT (SLO)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR)

#WrestleBudapest

Tosun triumphant, Godinez clinches gold at Budapest Ranking Series

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 8) -- World champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) sent a stern warning to her competitors two months before the Paris Games by winning the 68kg gold medal at the Ranking Series in Budapest, Hungary.

In her three bouts, Tosun blanked Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB) 10-0, pinned Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in the rematch of the World Championships final and held on to her 2-0 lead to beat Soleymi CARABALLO (VEN) in the final.

Tosun won the World Championships in Belgrade last year to become only the second female wrestler to win the gold at the marquee event. She will now enter the Paris Olympics as the top-seeded wrestler at 68kg.

PodiumAna GODINEZ (CAN), center, with the other medalists at 62kg in Budapest. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 62kg, Ana GODINEZ (CAN) came on top of a packed bracket, winning the gold medal after world bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) pulled out of the final due to injury.

But before the walkover in the final, Godinez was solid on the mat beating Lais NUNES (BRA) 6-2 before humbling European champion Grace BULLEN (NOR) 11-7 in the semifinal. Bullen was leading the semifinal before Godinez continued her relentless attacks and broke Bullen down. Trailing on 7-7 criteria, Godinez scored two takedowns to win the bout.

"Even though I didn't wrestle my final, it feels good. I did want to wrestle Iryna [Koliadenko]. It's a little disappointing," Godinez said. "I am satisfied with the two matches I had. I did want to wrestle at least three, maybe four.  We came here to see what's good, what's bad, what's new."

Godinez expressed her satisfaction with her performance in Budapest but said that she could perform better on any other given day.

"I come with the same mindset every time. I want to win obviously, but it's every position," she said. "I did not feel my greatest today but it's nice to know that I can perform when I don't feel great. I have to be able to perform even when I don't feel great and that can happen any day, even at the Olympics."

World Championships bronze medalist Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) clinched the gold medal at 76kg with three wins in four matches. World U23 champion REETIKA (IND) also had three wins from four bouts but Renteria clinched the gold as she defeated Reetika in their direct clash in the group.

Reetika and Renteria clashed in the second round and it was the Indian who had a 2-1 lead going into the last minute of the match. Both wrestlers were struggling with their breath but the Colombian continued her attacks and eventually got a takedown over Reetika to win 3-2.

She suffered a loss to Justina DI STASIO (CAN) while beating Genesis REASCO (ECU) and Zainab SGHAIER (TUN) in the other group stage bouts. Reetika defeated Di Stasio, Reasco and Sghaier for her three wins.

sdfgd

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 5-2

BRONZE: Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 11-2

62kg
GOLD: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Lais NUNES (BRA), via fall
BRONZE: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) df. Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), 8-2

65kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), 10-4

BRONZE: Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), via inj. def.

68kg
GOLD: Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Soleymi CARABALLO (VEN), 2-0

BRONZE: Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) df. Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB), 13-4
BRONZE: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) df. Kseniia BURAKOVA (AIN), 7-2

76kg
GOLD: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL)
SILVER: REETIKA (IND)
BRONZE: Genesis REASCO (ECU)