#WrestleBaku, #WrestleParis

Livach stuns Stadnik; Adar, Kurachkina confirm Paris 2024 spots at European qualifier

Saturday, April 6, 2024 - 21:32 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 6) -- Five seconds separated Mariya STADNIK (AZE) and history.

Leading 2-0 against Oksana LIVACH (UKR), Stadnik could have become the first woman wrestler to qualify for five Olympic Games. However, Livach pinned her with five seconds remaining to stun the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Livach did create history, becoming the first wrestler to beat Stadnik in a European event in a career that goes back 20 years. More importantly, Livach earned a Paris Olympic quota for Ukraine at 50kg.

This was the first time that Livach won against Stadnik with her latest loss at the European Championships semifinal in Bucharest in February.

"I just want to wrestle," Livach said. "I don't care about the opponent. This is the first time I have beaten her and it's amazing. She is a legend. It's a long journey to beat her. I worked hard to win here."

Livach trailed 2-0 with 11 seconds remaining in the bout when the referee called for a restart and Livach immediately hit a double-leg attack, putting Stadnik's back on the mat and held her, securing the fall.

"[In the last moments], I tried to keep her [Stadnik's] lead to a low number," she said. "At the last minute, I worked more and needed to attack. It was a tactic."

Ukraine now has two quotas for Paris Olympics as Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) won one in 62kg at the World Championships. The last chance World Qualifier in Istanbul from May 9 to 12 will present another opportunity for the wrestlers to win a quota.

"The Olympic qualification for Ukraine is very important," she said. "It is for my country, for people who support me. It's an unimaginable feeling."

Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN) won the other Paris 2024 spot at 50kg as she defeated Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER), via fall after building a 12-2 lead. She led 2-0 at the break but shifted gears in the second period. She countered Blayvas' attempt to hit a toss and scored four points. She used a cradle to hit another four and secure the fall.

Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN)Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) defeated Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) to win at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Silver medalist in Tokyo at the 57kg weight class, Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) pulled off a last-minute takedown to beat Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) and earn a quota.

Kurachkina led Hrushyna 2-2 as she had a takedown against Hrushyna's sequence of one and one points. Hrushyna scored a pushout with 33 seconds left on the clock, forcing Kurachkina to attack more.

With just 10 seconds left, Kurachkina hit a double-leg and lifted Hrushyna to slam her the mat, earning four points and a 6-3 win.

The second spot at 57kg was earned by Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) who pinned Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) in the second period to confirm her spot. Paruszewski was leading 1-0 at the break for Kamaloglu's passivity. The Turkish wrestler began the second period with a takedown and took a 2-1 lead. Paruszewski never slowed down and used the underhook to keep Kamaloglu guessing.

She would ultimately use an underhook throw to put Kamaloglu's back on the mat and get the pin along with the Paris 2024 quota. Tokyo Olympian champion and Germany's first women's wrestling champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) would later rush to congratulate her.

Yasemin ADAR (TUR)Yasemin ADAR (TUR) won the Paris 2024 spot for Turkiye at 76kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

European champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) convincingly defeated former European medalists to qualify Turkiye for the Paris Games at 76kg. She opened the day with a 12-2 win over Epp MAR (EST) and finished it with a 6-2 controlled win over Martina KUNEZ (AUT).

Kuenz was returning to the mat since the Ranking Series in Bishkek in June 2023 and began well, taking a 1-0 lead but Adar countered Kuenz's half-hearted attacks and scored points, ultimately winning 6-2.

Hungary managed to secure the other spot at 76kg as Bernadett NAGY (HUN) won 2-0 against Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA). This marks the fourth straight Olympic in which Hungary qualified in Women's Wrestling. Mariana SASTIN (HUN) was the first woman to qualify for wrestling in London 2012.

At 53kg, Tokyo Olympian Andreea ANA (ROU) moved back to 53kg to qualify Romania and did that by beating Annika WENDLE (GER), 5-4, in the Paris qualification bout.

The bout was not as close as the scoreline suggests but Ana did slow down in the final minute. After taking a 5-0 lead, Ana gave up two stepouts, one point for fleeing and one point for a singlet pull.

"I think after leading 5-0, I became complacent," Ana said. "I will take a break for now and then prepare for the Paris Olympics."

Tokyo Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) suffered a heartbreaking loss to Natalia MALYSHEVA (AIN) at the 53kg after Malysheva pulled Prevolaraki from the back and pinned her to the mat, securing the fall and the Paris 2024 ticket.

Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) earned a spot at 62kg for Bulgaria. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) picked up a Paris 2024 ticket for Bulgaria at 62kg after she beat Ameline DOUARRE (FRA), 3-0. Dudova had failed to finish on the podium at the European Championships. However, she did not let that win affect her and easily won the quota.

Alina KASABIEVA (AIN) earned the second quota at 62kg as she defeated Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA), 6-1.

Poland will have a representative at 68kg after 72kg regular Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) managed to score exposure in the dying moments of the bout to beat Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), 3-2.

Hanzlickova led 2-1 after she locked both of Choluj's arms and turned her for two points. She was on the verge of pinning Choluj but the Poland wrestler managed to sneak out of that position.

Choluj got on a single-leg and scored exposure to take 3-2 lead that she defended in the last 14 seconds to earn a spot for Paris.

Tokyo Olympian Khanum VELIEVA (AIN) was in no trouble beating Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 12-0, at 68kg to earn the second spot for the Paris Games.

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RESULTS

50kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Mariya STADNIK (AZE), via fall (4-2)
SF 2: Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN) df.  Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER), via fall (12-2)

53kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Annika WENDLE (GER), 5-4
SF 2: Natalia MALYSHEVA (AIN) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), via fall (8-0)

57kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), via fall
SF 2: Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) df. Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR), 6-3

62kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) df. Ameline DOUARRE (FRA), 3-0
SF 2: Alina KASABIEVA (AIN) df. Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA), 6-1

68kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) df. Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), 3-2
SF 2: Khanum VELIEVA (AIN) df. Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 12-0

76kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Bernadett NAGY (HUN) df. Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), 2-0
SF 2: Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 6-2

#WrestlePontevedra

U20 Worlds: Zakriev dominates to gold; Abdevali repeats

Wednesday, September 4, 2024 - 09:57 By Vinay Siwach

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PONTEVEDRA, Spain (September 3) -- Erzu ZAKRIEV (AIN) was unsure if he would be participating in the U20 World Championships. Zakriev began preparing only two days before the start of the tournament in Spain.

"We were told that we wouldn’t come here," Zakriev said. "I went into relaxed mode. It was only three days before we were told that we could go. The way was really long and difficult, we were cutting weight at the airport. We had to change four flights on our way. We arrived at midnight and early next day I had my first match in the morning. I didn’t even have time to rest."

Zakriev did not show any signs of distress as he began the competition with a technical superiority win and reached the final with two more wins. On Tuesday, the 19-year-old won the gold medal at 63kg in Pontevedra, Spain, being the final against Otto BLACK (USA) 8-0.

A minute into the final and Zakriev had Black on the backfoot with a stepout and takedown. Black never got a chance to come back into the final as Zakriev finished it in two minutes and 40 seconds.

Erzu ZAKRIEV (AIN)Erzu ZAKRIEV (AIN) tries to complete a throw against Otto BLACK (USA) in the 63kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I was very confident," he said. "Last year I was third at the national championships, and this year I finished first. I haven’t lost any single match for a year now."

The dominance of Zakriev was evident in the U20 European Championships as well as he outscored his opponents 29-0 in four bouts, winning the gold medal over Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO), an opponent he defeated 16-4 in the semifinals on Monday.

Hailing from Chechnya, Zakriev grew up in Goyty village and began training after his parents took him to the academy when he was eight years old.

"I will be moving to the Olympic weight class of 67kg from next year," he said.

The United States suffered another heartbreak in the final as Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) lost the 55kg final against Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI).

Unlike Black, Cortez had his chances to take the lead against Ahmadi Vafa in the final. He even had the Iranian in a fall position but failed to finish it. Ahmadi Vafa eventually won the final 11-3 in a match that was closer than the scoreline shows.

Ahmadi Vafa got the first par terre advantage and he used a high gut-wrench to take a 5-0 lead over Cortez. He used an arm spin to score two more points to make the lead 7-0. Cortez cut it to 7-2 just before the break with exposure.

Cortez, however, failed to score from par terre and Ahmadi Vafa led 7-3 with 1:25 left on the clock. Two desperate bodylock throws ended up in Cortez giving up points.

Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI)Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) scores two points over Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) in the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I wrestled really well to reach the final. I had analyzed my American opponent’s wrestling style, and thank God, I was able to wrestle with the best results and win the gold medal," Ahmadi Vafa said.

A former U17 world champion, Ahmadi Vafa finished without a medal last year at the U20 Worlds. A gold medal in Pontevedra gave him some relief from his medalless campaign from last year.

"Last year, I couldn’t win a good medal and lost in the world championships," he said. "This year, I managed to win gold. Next year, I have the junior competitions again, but my main goal is to be selected for the senior competitions."

This was the first time since 2017 that the U.S. had two finalists in Greco-Roman at the U20 World Championships. Kamal BEY (USA) won the title in 2017. However, the wait for a new U20 world champion just grew for the U.S.

Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI)Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) won his second U20 world gold medal at 77kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Defending U20 world champion Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) added the second gold medal, winning the 77kg weight class. Wrestling Magomed IARBILOV (AIN) in the final, Abdevali got the par terre advantage but failed to score and Iarbilov scored a reversal to lead 1-1 on criteria.

Abdevali scored an arm-drag takedown in the second period to lead 3-1 and defended it till the end of the time to win his second gold medal at this level.

"I feel great that I was able to win my second world championship medal," he said. "It felt even better than when I won the first time. I’m just at the beginning of my journey, and there’s a long way to go until the Olympics."

Alireza is the fourth of the five Abdevali brothers but said that he felt no pressure to win because of his family name.

"I didn’t feel any pressure. My older brother, Saeid, is a great wrestler, and he gives me motivation and spirit to be a fighter."

Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) scores on Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI) in the 130kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Iran could have won three gold medals on Tuesday but former U20 European champion Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) denied Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI), 5-3, in the 130kg final.

Darabos trailed 3-0 at the break after giving up a turn from par terre. However, when he got the par terre in the second period, he turned Fathitazangi twice and took a 5-3 lead and defended it.

This is the first U20 world champion for Hungary since 2019 and the first since 2012 in the highest weight class.

Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ)Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) won the 87kg gold medal after beating Joju SAMADOV (AZE) in the final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Zhanyshov upgrades

Returning bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) upgraded to gold after he defeated Joju SAMADOV (AZE), 8-0, in the 87kg final to win Kyrgyzstan's first U20 world title in Greco-Roman since 2019. Incidentally, the last U20 world champion -- Erbol BAKIROV (KGZ) -- also hails from the same village, Taygaray, as Zhanyshov.

In the final, Samadov found it difficult to match the pace of Zhanyshov and failed to stop any of his attacks. He gave up five stepouts in the final.

"I had a great training camp with the senior team," Zhanyshov said. "I already have experience wrestling at the senior level. The difference is that on age-group levels you have to be prepared technically, performing throws and moves, while at the senior level that won’t be enough. You have to be physically and functionally very well prepared. So, my level is now senior."

Having trained with world champions Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), Zhanyshov felt motivated by his seniors and was determined to win the gold medal.

"Makhmudov and Sharshenbekov are my wrestling role models," he said.

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RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Isaiah CORTEZ (USA), 11-3

BRONZE: Alibek AMIROV (11) df. Rahim HASANOV (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE: Aibek AITBEKOV (KAZ) df. Maxim SARMANOV (MDA), 10-1

63kg
GOLD: Erzu ZAKRIEV (AIN) df. Otto BLACK (USA), 8-0

BRONZE: Erfan JARKANI (IRI) df. Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO), 6-2
BRONZE: Yurik HOVEYAN (ARM) df. Enes ULKU (TUR), 2-1

77kg
GOLD: Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) df. Magomed IARBILOV (AIN), 3-1

BRONZE: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 3-2
BRONZE: Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO) df. Karl BAFF (SWE), 5-3 

87kg
GOLD: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Joju SAMADOV (AZE), 8-0

BRONZE: Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Patrik GORDAN (ROU), 10-0
BRONZE: Ruben GEVORGYAN (ARM) df. Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ), 3-1

130kg
GOLD: Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) df. Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI), 5-3

BRONZE: Aden ATTAO (USA) df. Aleksandr MELEKHOV (AIN), via fall
BRONZE: Samagan ORMONOV (KGZ) df. Aramayis HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), via fall

Semifinals 

60kg
GOLD: Servet ANGI (TUR) vs. Mohammadmehdi GHOLAMPOUR (IRI)

SF 1: Servet ANGI (TUR) df. Ongdassyn KHAMITOV (KAZ), 9-8
SF 2: Mohammadmehdi GHOLAMPOUR (IRI) df. Papik DZHAVADIAN (AIN), 9-8

67kg
GOLD: Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) vs. Yussuf ASHRAPOV (KAZ)

SF 1: Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) df. Kojiro HASEGAWA (JPN), 10-0
SF 2: Yussuf ASHRAPOV (KAZ) df. Grair OGANESIAN (AIN), 7-5

72kg
GOLD: Zaur BESLEKOEV (AIN) vs. Ashot KHACHATRYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Zaur BESLEKOEV (AIN) df. Muhammed GOCMEN (TUR), 1-1
SF 2: Ashot KHACHATRYAN (ARM) df. Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE), 4-1

82kg
GOLD: Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) vs. Alperen BERBER (TUR)

SF 1: Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) df. Abdurakhman ABDULKADYROV (AIN), via inj. def.
SF 2: Alperen BERBER (TUR) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 12-0

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) vs. Darius KIEFER (GER)

SF 1: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Anatolii AVERIN (AIN), 7-4
SF 2: Darius KIEFER (GER) df. Ahmet EREMEKTER (TUR), via fall