With Lorincz in his Corner, Takacs Wins #WrestlePlovdiv Gold

Tuesday, March 8, 2022 - 20:01 By Vinay Siwach

PLOVDIV, Bulgaria (March 8) – As Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) patted Istvan TAKACS (HUN) on the back and handed him the Hungarian flag, it marked a symbolic moment in the country's Greco-Roman history.

This was the passing of baton at 87kg for Hungary as Lorincz, a silver medalist from Tokyo Olympics, guided rising star Takacs to the gold medal at the U23 European Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Five gold medals were decided Tuesday and Hungary claimed a pair while Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey got one each.

“I am very, very happy with the performance,” Lorincz said.

The 31-year-old sat shouted instructions as Takacs and Dariusz VITEK (HUN) won the 87kg and 130kg respectively. Moreover, the three-time World Championships medalist never made the moment about himself as a coach but his wrestlers.

Hungary took home the first gold after Takacs' incredible performance in the final against junior European champion Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN), who looked on a mission to win his first U23-level gold.

He had in his pocket for the most part of the final, leading 4-1 with two minutes remaining in the six-minute bout. He was awarded a point for Takacs' passivity in the first period and while trying a gut-wrench, he ended up giving a point for reversal.

But he capitalized on a failed arm-spin of his opponent and led 3-1 going into the break. Another passivity point increased his lead to 4-1 but he could not inflict any further damage.

“I was prepared to give up the first point against him [Bisultanov] because he works more in the first period,” Takacs said. “But I knew I have to come hard in the second period.”

Bisultanov continued to put forward pressure and it was one of these moments when Takacs moved out of the way and scored a takedown. A gut-wrench made it 5-4 for the Hungarian with a minute left.

Istvan TAKACS (HUN) celebrates after winning the gold in Plovdiv. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The moment left Lorincz celebrating with a fist-pump before he hugged his ward and sent him for a victory lap.

But both Lorincz and Takacs know that this is only the beginning of the road to the senior national team. As a matter of fact, Takacs could not make it to that team for this month's home European Championships in Budapest.

Former U23 world champion Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) is on the roaster but that also means that Lorincz and Takacs have their task cut out for the year with the Hungarian Championships scheduled before the September senior World Championships. The national champion will be heading to Belgrade, Serbia.

“I used to wrestle with him in training so I know where he can improve and I will continue to help him to make the senior team,” Lorincz said.

Takacs, a bronze medalist from last year's U23 Euros, is banking on his hard work and coach's knowledge to make the weight class his own.

“I don't feel the pressure of Lorincz's achievement as my coach,” he said. “Actually, he will only help me become better and win constantly.”

Dariusz VITEK (HUN) defetaed Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) in the 130kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 130kg, a battle of two bronze medalists from last year saw Vitek come out on top 1-1 against Fatih BOZKURT (TUR).

Vitek was put in par terre in the first period while Bozkurt was penalized in the second. With the score 1-1 and Vitek leading on criteria, it was a matter of which wrestler will blink first.

The referees once again called Vitek passive but no points are awarded for the third passivity call. However, Bozkurt could not score points despite getting the top position, giving Vitek the win.

Emre MUTLU (TUR) pinned Denis DEMIROV (BUL) in the 55kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Turkey's lone gold medal came at 55kg when Emre MUTLU (TUR) battled hard to secure a victory via fall against Denis DEMIROV (BUL) who was backed by a vocal home crowd.

Like his semifinal in which he staged a comeback from a 7-0 deficit, Mutlu recovered from 5-0 in the final. He was cautioned for blocking Demirov's attack with his hand on the neck. He was called passive to further trail 3-0. Demirov managed to get a roll and lead 5-0.

In the second period, Demirov was called for inactivity and a front-head lock from Mutlu gave him four. Demirov's reversal for four from standing was given four. But Turkey challenged the call and Demirov's move was called a leg foul when rewatched. Mutlu led 8-5 at this point. A desperate move from Demirov failed and Mutlu secured the fall.

Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) won the 63kg final 3-0. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Georgia and Azerbaijan exchanged gold medals at 63kg and 77kg as both bouts had the Azerbaijan-Georgia pair.

Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) battled it out with Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) to earn a 3-0 win in the 63kg final. The former cadet and junior world champion scored a takedown inside 30 seconds. He was up 3-0 once Babashov was called passive in the second period and maintained that lead with some solid defense to win the top medal.

But Khasay HASANLI (AZE) made sure the results were reversed at 77kg by winning the gold medal after a quick 10-0 win against Davit SOLOGASHVILI (GEO).

When Sologashvili was called passive in the first period, Hasanli was already up 2-0. He lifted the Georgian from par terre and tried going for an overhead throw. But seeing the momentum in the opposite direction because of his opponent's defense, Hasanli put Sologashvili pushed to his back and scored four.

An exposure added two more points to give him a 9-0 win. Georgia challenged the call but lost giving more points to Hasanli and the gold medal.

Khasay HASANLI (AZE) finished the 77kg inside first period. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

But Georgia will have a chance to win five gold medals Wednesday as all their remaining Greco-Roman wrestlers reached the summit clashes led by junior World Championships silver medalist Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO). He took out U23 world champion Idris IBAEV (GER) earlier in the day.

Women's wrestling will also begin Wednesday with five weight classes – 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg – in action.

RESULTS

GR Medal Bouts

55kg
GOLD: Emre MUTLU (TUR) df Denis DEMIROV (BUL), via fall

BRONZE: Artiom DELEANU (MDA) df Steven ECKER (GER), 7-6
BRONZE: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df Azat SEDRAKYAN (ARM), 6-0

63kg
GOLD: Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) df Ziya BABASHOV (AZE), 3-0

BRONZE: Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR) df Vladimir HAROYAN (ARM), 3-1
BRONZE: Ilia MUSTAKOV (BUL) df Abere FETENE (ISR), 9-5

77kg
GOLD: Khasay HASANLI (AZE) df Davit SOLOGASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

BRONZE: Krisztofer KLANYI (HUN) df Aleksa ILIC (SRB), 4-1
BRONZE: Abdurrahman KALKAN (TUR) df Patryk BEDNARZ (POL), 5-0

87kg
GOLD: Istvan TAKACS (HUN) df Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN), 5-4

BRONZE: Lachin VALIYEV (AZE) df Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM), 6-5
BRONZE: Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL) df Matej MANDIC (CRO), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Dariusz VITEK (HUN) df Fatih BOZKURT (TUR), 1-1

BRONZE: Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO) df Tomasz WAWRZYNCZYK (POL), 1-1
BRONZE: Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) df Nikolaos NTOUNIAS (GRE), 6-1

Day 2 Semifinals

60kg
GOLD: Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO) vs Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)

SF 1: Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO) df Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 9-0
SF 2: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df Tigran MINASYAN (ARM), 9-0

67kg
GOLD: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) vs Kadir KAMAL (TUR)

SF 1: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df Ignazio SANFILIPPO (ITA), 9-0
SF 2: Kadir KAMAL (TUR) df Niklas OEHLEN (SWE), 8-1

72kg
GOLD: Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) vs Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) df Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 4-0
SF 2: Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR), 7-0

82kg
GOLD: Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) vs Beka GURULI (GEO)

SF 1: Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) df Vasile COJOC (ROU), 8-0
SF 2: Beka GURULI (GEO) df Branko KOVACEVIC (SRB), 3-3

97kg
GOLD: Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) vs Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)

SF 1: Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) df Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED), 4-0
SF 2: Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) df Richard KARELSON (EST), 9-0

#JapanWrestling

Paris champ Kiyooka sets up clash with Tanabe, Motoki faces Ozaki

Saturday, June 21, 2025 - 12:44 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (June 21) -- Before his astonishing run to an unlikely Olympic title, Kotaro KIYOOKA was the one doing the chasing. Now at the forefront and looking over his shoulder, he sees a familiar face bearing down on him whom he now has to confront.

Paris Olympic champion Kiyooka advanced to the freestyle 65kg final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships on Saturday, where he will face former Nippon Sport Science University teammate Kaisei TANABE with a ticket to this year's World Championships on the line.

Kiyooka is one of three Paris gold medalists, along with Sakura MOTOKI at women's 62kg and Nao KUSAKA at Greco 77kg, who are making their full-fledged returns to the mat at the Meiji Cup, the second of Japan's two domestic qualifiers for the World Championships in Zagreb in September.

Both Motoki and Kusaka advanced with little trouble to Sunday's finals at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym, with Motoki setting up a highly anticipated clash with Paris 68kg bronze medalist Nonoka OZAKI -- whom she beat out for the spot in Paris at 62kg but is intent on reclaiming that weight class.

Kotaro KIYOOK (JPN) Kotaro KIYOOKA, left, ended up scoring 4 points off this scramble in his semifinal match at freestyle 65kg with Yuto NISHIUCHI. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Unlike the other two, Kiyooka has never been to a senior World Championships. Standing in his way is a formidable opponent in Tanabe, two years his junior who is coming off an impressive victory at the Asian Championships in March in Amman, Jordan. Tanabe only moved up to 65kg last year, and the two had not crossed paths before.

Following the Olympics, Kiyooka spent some time (with Kusaka) competing in the German Bundesliga. But the Meiji Cup marks his first high-level competition since Paris.

"It's been awhile since I've been in an official tournament," the 24-year-old Kiyooka said. "Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics, I'm still a long way away. What's important at this tournament is to come out with a victory.

"I have to make adjustments and prepare mentally for tomorrow. It's not just a one-and-done final, there is also a playoff so I can make it to the World Championships."

Tanabe, the son of NSSU coach and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Chikara TANABE, captured the title at the first domestic qualifier for the world team, the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December, in Kiyooka's absence.

As such, Kiyooka will not only have to beat him on Sunday in the final, but again in a playoff to be held at the end of the session.

As an indication of the depth of Japan in the weight class, even with the retirement of Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO, both Kiyooka and Tanabe had to get over tough hurdles to make the championship match.

In the semifinals, Kiyooka struggled to break through the defenses of two-time world U20 champion and current NSSU star Yuto NISHIUCHI. In the end, he used counters to great effect in an 8-1 win, scoring 4 by stepping over during a scramble and 2 more defending against a single leg.

"I'm not usually the type who scores big points," Kiyooka said. "But I have built myself up physically after the Olympics and I think the result was that I could get the big point."

In his opening match, Tanabe needed a stepout with 20 seconds left to get past Shinnosuke SUWAMA 5-4, before topping Ryuto SAKAKI 5-0 to make the final.

While Kiyooka is a bit unsettled about having a target on his back, he seems ready to face whatever comes his way.

"Up to now, it's always been the reverse situation," he said. "I never had the feeling that I was being chased. But I don't want to lose. As being among those who is aiming for the Los Angeles Olympics, I want to be a big barrier for the others. If you give them an opening, they will use it. I don't want to show them any gaps."

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) Sakura MOTOKI pries over Shirin TAKEMOTO en route to a 10-0 win in their women's 62kg semifinal. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

As surprising as Kiyooka's run to gold in Paris was, the bigger shock likely came during the qualifying process when an underrated Motoki, who was "only" a world bronze medalist at 59kg, had the audacity to move up and challenge the highly touted Ozaki at 62kg.

But the 2022 world U20 champion believed in herself, and keeps making believers of others. She returned to competition earlier this year in order to qualify for the World U23 Championships.

Victories at the U23 and senior worlds will make her just the third person in history to achieve the "Golden Grand Slam" of Olympic gold combined with all four world age-group titles.

On Saturday, Motoki's toughest test in advancing to the final came in the opener, when she used a low single to score a takedown in each period of a 5-0 win over two-time world U23 champion Yuzuku INAGAKI.

"She has a good defense," Motoki said. "Being able to get through a tough match really boosts my confidence. When you're an Olympic champion, it's only natural that [opponents] try to come up with a strategy against you.

"In that light, I have to figure out a way to become stronger from the start of Olympic qualifying. That's still under development."

Like Kiyooka, Motoki will have to beat the Emperor's Cup champion twice to secure a place on the world team, and Ozaki won't make it easy.

"She's a really strong wrestler," Motoki said. "I will have to summon up all of my power and try my best."

Nao KUSAKA (JPN) Nao KUSAKA sets up a 4-point overhead lift of Naoki KADODE during their semifinal at Greco 77kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At Greco 77kg, Kusaka chalked up a pair of technical falls to advance to the final, where he will face the Emperor's Cup champion in Kodai SAKURABA, a 2022 Asian bronze medalist whom he aced out in the qualifying for Paris.

In the semifinals, Kusaka romped to a 12-1 victory over Naoki KADODE. After giving up a stepout, he came back with three of his own. Then he got behind and dropped backwards for 4, then ended the match with a 4-point lift at 2:04.

In other weight classes that will finish with medal matches on Sunday, longtime rivals and former NSSU teammates Katsukai ENDO and Kyotaro SOGABE set up their latest clash in the final at Greco 67kg.

Asian bronze medalist Endo, the Emperor's Cup champion, defeated 2021 world bronze 63kg medalist Kensuke SHIMIZU 7-3 in the semifinals, while Paris Olympian Sogabe rallied for a 13-6 win over 2023 world U23 bronze medalist and fellow NSSU alum Haruto YABE.

With Paris bronze medalist Yui SUSAKI still on post-Olympic hiatus, Remina YOSHIMOTO remained on track for a shot at a second world title at women's 50kg when she stormed to 10-0 victories over a pair of teenagers. She will face Umi ITO in a repeat of the Emperor's Cup final, which she won 3-2.

Emperor's Cup champion Rin SAKAMOTO, who has taken the rare collegiate path of going to the United States to compete at Oklahoma State University, advanced to the final at Freestyle 57kg and a showdown with Kento YUMIYA.

With Lorincz in his Corner, Takacs Wins #WrestlePlovdiv Gold

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Paris champ Kiyooka sets up clash with Tanabe, Motoki faces Ozaki