#OffTheMat

Match Breakdown: How did Akgul tech three-time world champ Petriashvili?

By Eric Olanowski

COSIER-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 3) --- Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) have arguably the greatest freestyle rivalry of the last decade. Combined, they have three Olympic medals – including a Rio Olympic gold – five world titles and ten European gold medals.

While in Turkey, Akgul sat down with United World Wrestling to break down one of the most important matches of his career, which happened to be against his Georgian rival. He treated fans an in-depth look into his mental and physical approach against his arch-nemesis.

Akgul selected his quarterfinals match at the 2017 European Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia against Petriashvili to break down. The Turkish legend said this match was so significant in his career because it was the first major championship after winning his Olympic title and athletes tend to lose concentration after winning Olympic gold.

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024: Vinesh disqualified; Guzman vs Hildebrandt in 50kg final

By United World Wrestling Press

PARIS (August 7) — Vinesh VINESH, from NOC of India in 50kg, failed the weigh-in on day two of her competition which has forced United World Wrestling to promote Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB) to the final of 50kg at the Paris Olympics. She will take on Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) in the final.

According to Article 11 of the International Wrestling Rules:

a) If an athlete does not attend or fail the weigh-in (the 1st or the 2nd weigh-in), she/he will be eliminated from the competition and ranked last, without rank.

b) “If one (or more) athletes qualified for the repechages and/or finals don’t attend or fail the weigh-in, the athlete(s) (who successfully passed the second weigh-in) will move to the next round in his(their) part of the bracket.

Therefore, according to our rules above and ORIS, that states “2.6.2.4 Failing the second-day Weigh-in, no later than ten (10) minutes after the weigh-in is completed the IF Delegate will provide the OC Technology representative with the copy of the official output "Weigh-in List for Second Day" (C50B), on which reasons for failure to qualify will be identified. 

If one of the finalists does not attend, or fails the Weigh-in, he will be replaced by the wrestler who lost against him in the semifinals. This wrestler will compete for the gold medal. The repechage will have one less round, in their part of the bracket.”, then we shall act accordingly.

Under these rules, Guzman will wrestle for gold while the 50kg will have one less round of repechage and Vinesh's results will be disqualified.

The 50kg bronze medal bout will be between Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Oksana LIVACH (UKR).