#WrestleIstanbul

Live Blog: Yasar Dogu, Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Day 1

By United World Wrestling Press

ISTANBUL, Turkey (February 24) -- The first day of the Yasar Dogu, Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Ranking Series event is here. Seven weight classes will be in action. There are 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 87kg, 97kg and 130kg. Riza KAYAALP (TUR), Zarubi DATUNASHVILI (SRB), Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) will be in action Thursday.

LIVE STREAM | MATCH ORDER

14:30: Mahmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB) and Furkan YILDIZ (TUR) were in a cut-throat battle in the 67kg semifinals. Bakhshilloev leads 3-0 but then Yildiz leads 3-3 on criteria. The Uzbek doesn't give up and wins 4-3

1415: Felix BALDAUF (NOR) and Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) are on Mat A for their 97kg semifinal. Assakalov is up 6-0 in quick time and then is awarded 4 for a body throw. Challenge from Baldauf and he wins since it was a trip from Assakalov. It ultimately ends 7-1 for Assakalov

1410: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) is making his way to the 63kg final. He gets it done with two big points throws and wins 10-0.

14:05: Is that the upset of the tournament? Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) stuns local favourite and world champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) with a pin in the quarterfinals.

13:55: Norway has two in the semifinals. Morten THORESEN (NOR) makes his way to the 67kg last four with a 5-3 win over Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ).

13:50: Felix BALDAUF (NOR) and Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE) on Mat C. Baldauf with a 3-0 lead in the first period. He scores a stepout to start the second period. He keeps his calm to claim a 5-0 win

13:42: Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) had built a 5-0 lead over Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) in their 60kg quarterfinal but Azizli calls for a medical timeout. The medical staff rules out future competition for Azizli. Ozturk moves into the semifinals

13:33: We're going to roll right into the semifinals. They'll start first on Mat A. Mats B and C will follow once their quarterfinals conclude.

13::29: In champion-like fashion, Basar picked up the match-deciding takedown in the second period. He'll square off against fellow world champion Datunashvili for a spot in the finals.

13:22: Kulynycz has two-time world champion Basar in trouble. He spun behind the Turkish wrestler and picked up the first takedown of the bout. His opponent felt that he stepped out, but after further review, Kulynycz was awarded a point for the lost challenge. He leads, 3-1, after the opening frame.

12:49: Reigning world champ Datunashvili picked up his second victory of the day -- a 5-1 win over  Mehmetali KUCUKOSMAN (TUR) -- and pushed himself into the 87kg semifinals. He'll take on the winner of Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL) and Metehan BASAR (TUR) (Mat C / Bout 78) for a finals berth.

 

Can you name a more important electric ⚡️ duo? #WrestleIstanbul

• Olympic? Elmurat TASMURADOV ??
• ?? Victor CIOBANU ?? pic.twitter.com/XHgVmVI39E

— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) February 24, 2022

 

12:44: Kayaalp, the four-time world champion, picked up a 4-1 win over Savenko in his opening round match. He'll wrestle Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) for a spot in the 130kg finals. 

On the other side of the 130kg bracket, Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) and Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) will square off the second finals spot.

12:30: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) comes on the mat with loud cheers from the crowd. He is taking on Anton SAVENKO (KAZ) at 130kg

12:20: Tokyo bronze medalist Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) and Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) on Mat A. Kajaia is warned for passivity. 1-0 for Michalik. Kajaia will lead 1-1 on criteria after Michalik is warned for passivity in the second period. Kajaia wins 1-1

12:00: Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) is going strong at 97kg. He beats Abdul CEBICEBI (TUR) 9-1 in the pre-quarterfinals. He gets in a front headlock position before getting two guts to finish the bout

11:30: World champion at 87kg is making his way to Mat B for his first bout of the dayEarly passivity call against Datunashvili and he is down 0-1 at the break. He levels it as he gets the activity point. 8 straight points and he wins 9-1

11:00: World champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA) gets going with a win as well. He has little trouble going past Abdurahman ALTAN (TUR). 

10:45: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) was down 0-3 but scores 7 unanswered points to win 7-3 against Ibrahim TIGCI (TUR) at 130kg

10:30: We are beginning with the matches here in Istanbul. The Greco-Roman wrestlers are ready and warmed-up

#WrestleAmman

U17 Worlds: Another Petriashvili rises; U.S. beats Iran for FS team title

By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 25) -- A new Petriashvili is on the block. The younger brother of the newly crowned Olympic champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), Konstantine, became the U17 world champion on Sunday in Amman.

The younger Petriashvili showed exceptional wrestling, identical to Geno, over two days to win the 92kg weight class and win his first world title.

Last year, he finished with a bronze medal in the 80kg weight class but jumped to 92kg this year. He won the U17 European Championships in Novi Sad in July and now has both the continental and world titles. Petriashvili is set to compete at the U20 World Championships next week in Pontevedra, Spain.

In other finals, the United States won two gold medals, Iran captured one while Kyrgyzstan, which won two golds on Saturday, added another on Sunday.

The United States won the team title with 152 points, 20 more than second-place Iran. Kyrgyzstan finished third with 104 points, its first-ever podium finish at the U17 World Championships.

In the final, Petriashvili was up against Rodion SANAKOEV (AIN) and constantly hit the double-leg attack. He scored no success using that attack and was put on the activity clock in the first period.

As Sanakoev built an attack, Petriashvili defended well and scored exposure for two points. He led 2-0 at the break and defended every attack from Sanakoev to keep the two-point lead. Petriashvili got a takedown in the final 30 seconds after Sanakoev failed to defend using chest wrap. He scored two turns to extend his lead to 8-0 as the clock expired.

Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO)Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) defeated Rodion SANAKOEV (AIN) 8-0 in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I am Konstantine. U17 world champion. Last year I won the bronze medal," a jubilant Petriashvili said after the final. "The final was very difficult. I was tired in the middle."

After winning the final, Konstantine broke out in a celebration similar to Geno's, punching his fist in the air with a roar.

"My brother is the best and king of wrestling," he said. "I have no pressure. I think its good when they tell me I am Geno's brother."

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA)Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) celebrates after winning the 45kg gold medal at the U17 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U.S. wins title

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) had to come from behind and Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) won his second U17 world title to held the United States win the team title over Iran, its second in three years.

Sanchez was down 5-0 against Amirabbas RAMEZANI (IRI) after the first period in the final but came back strongly in the second period. He cut the lead to two points after Ramezani was penalized for a singlet pull and he gave up a takedown.

Ramezani defended most of the period but Sanchez hit a smart go-behind and exposure to make it 7-5. A turn using trap-arm gave him a 9-5 lead which he defended till the clock expired.

Domenic MUNARETTO (USA)Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) defeated Frederick BACHMANN (PUR) in the 51kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Munaretto, who won 45kg gold at the 2022 U17 Worlds, added another by beating Frederick BACHMANN (PUR), 3-1, in the 51kg final.

Bachmann, who was trying to become the first Puerto Rican to win gold at U17 Worlds in 49 years, fell short, a day after his brother Joseph met with the same fate in the 55kg final.

Both wrestlers were put on activity clocks but it was Munaretto who got the advantage as Bachmann was on the clock in the second period. This gave Munaretto a 1-1 criteria lead. Bachmann tried his best to score a point but failed and a desperate attempt in the final second saw him fall on his back, which gave Munaretto another two points.

With a clean record in the final, Munaretto completed an incredible run in the tournament in which he did not given up a takedown for any points.

"I have been wrestling a lot," Munaretto said. "I have control of my ties."

Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) won the gold medal at 71kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran crowned a champion at 71kg after U17 Asian champion Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) defeated returning bronze medalist Manuel WAGIN (GER), 1-1 in the final. Shamsipour denied Germany its first-ever U17 world champion in Freestyle.

The final was decided after Shamsipour was awarded a point for Wagin's passivity, in the second period, giving the Iranian a 1-1 criteria lead. There were no more points in the match and Shamsipour won 1-1.

Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ)Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) gave Kyrgyzstan its third gold of the U17 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kyrgyzstan added a gold and a bronze medal to its two golds from Saturday and finished third in the team race. After Kursantbek ISAKOV (KGZ) at 55kg and Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ) at 65kg won gold medals, Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) won the gold medal at 60kg while Marlen ABDRAIMOV (KGZ) won bronze at 51kg.

Asan  Uluu was up against Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) in the final and at no point he was in any sort of trouble in the match. He scored a takedown and stepout in the first period to lead 3-0. He went for a bear hug throw but Ismayilov slipped out of the grip and Asan Uulu fell out of bounds to give one point to the Azerbaijan wrestler.

A stepout made it 4-1 for Asan Uulu and a point at the end of the bout gave him the 5-1 lead and the gold medal.

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RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) df. Amirabbas RAMEZANI (IRI), 9-5

BRONZE: Dzhamal BAKAEV (AIN) df. Mher HAKOBYAN (ARM), 11-0
BRONZE: Ravan HASANZADE (AZE) df. Bekzat AMANGELDY (KAZ), via fall (4-6)

51kg
GOLD: Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) df. Frederick BACHMANN (PUR), 3-1

BRONZE: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) df. Akhmed ATANGERIEV (AIN), 7-4
BRONZE: Marlen ABDRAIMOV (KGZ) df. Ozodbek ALIJONOV (UZB), 17-6

60kg
GOLD: Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) df. Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Hayk AVANESYAN (ARM) df. Danoush JOWKAR (GBR), 5-2
BRONZE: Itsuki YONASHIRO (JPN) df. Jordyn RANEY (USA), via inj. def.

71kg
GOLD: Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) df. Manuel WAGIN (GER), 1-1

BRONZE: Fatih AYDIN (TUR) df. Mark LAPOSA (HUN), 6-5
BRONZE: Kairi ITO (JPN) df. Melvin MILLER (USA), 7-2

92kg
GOLD: Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Rodion SANAKOEV (AIN), 8-0

BRONZE: Elijah DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) df. Aliaksei KHADUNOU (AIN), 8-3
BRONZE: Amir Reza ALI POUR (IRI) df. Michealjeet Singh GREWAL (CAN), 10-5