#WrestleRome

Matteo Pellicone day three finals set

By Vinay Siwach

ROME, Italy (June 24) -- The third day of the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series will feature six women's wrestling weight classes and two from freestyle. Ukraine dominated day two, winning three out of the four women's wrestling gold medals. Azerbaijan clinched the Greco-Roman title with ease.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

An absolutely thrilling session of wrestling comes to an end in Rome. Here are the final match-ups for the evening session. Action begins 1800 hours local time:

Women's wrestling

50kg: Madison PARKS (CAN) vs. Agata WALERZAK (POL)
53kg: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) vs. Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)
55kg: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) vs. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
59kg: Grace BULLEN (NOR) vs. Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
65kg: Nordic style -- Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) won gold
72kg: Nordic style -- Skylar GROTE (USA) won gold

Freestyle

97kg: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) vs. Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK)
125kg: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) vs. Robert BARAN (POL)

13:30: Quick 2-0 lead for Grote and she then gets on a single leg and adds two more to lead 4-0 at the break against Schell. Another shot from Grote and she gets two more. Schell adds a takedown with 41 seconds left. Grote defends and takes the gold at 72kg 

13:20: Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) absolutely thrashes Veronica BRASCHI (ITA) in the Round 5 bout at 65kg and seals the gold medal. What a performance from the European champion. On Mat A now, the Round 5 bout, with the gold medal on the line, between Anna SCHELL (GER) and Skylar GROTE (USA) 

13:10: Is that another upset? Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) scored a takedown in the final 20 seconds against European champion Andreea ANA (ROU). Even as Ana got on a two-on-one, Vynnyk hangs on for the win and enter the 55kg final 

13:00: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) in trouble against Jowita WRZESIEN (POL). She warned for fleeing in danger and is trailing 3-0 at the break in the 59kg semifinal. A double leg to begin the second period and she gets on the scoreboard with a takedown. Adekuoroye gets on another double leg but the series of exposures scored to Wrzesien. Challenge from Adekuoroye. She wins it but the exposures are for Wrzesien while Adekuoroye gets a point for negative from Wrzesien. She has 10 seconds to overturn a 9-3 score. She cannot and she will be wrestling for a bronze later. 

12:45: Grace BULLEN (NOR) is on a roll. She is in the final at 59kg after a 10-0 win over Abigail NETTE (USA). This is the first time in two years that Bullen has managed to reach a final at an international competition.

12:43: Anna SCHELL (GER) and Skylar GROTE (USA) both dominate their Round 4 bouts and have set up a clash for the gold in Round 5. They will wrestle in the evening session for the 72kg gold.

12:35: Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK) has a strong leg lace and he uses it to perfection. He reaches his second straight Ranking Series final after beating fellow European bronze medalist Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) 11-0 in the 97kg semifinal 

12:25: A rivalry that goes four years back. Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) vs. Kriszta INCZE (ROU) are on Mat B for their virtual gold-medal bout. Both are the only unbeaten wrestlers at 65kg. Rizhko once again gets exposure to lead 2-0 but Incze with a reversal. Incze circles around and get behind Rizhko in standing but the Ukrainian tosses her for four. It's 6-1 for Rizhko as Incze rues a missed opportunity. No points were scored in the second period. European champion Rizhko once again beats Incze

12:20: Talk about comebacks! Emma BRUNTIL (USA) was down 6-0 but worked her way to a 7-6 lead before giving up 2 for a trip. But she scores a takedown to lead 9-8 with a minute left. Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) tried hard and desperately for a point but failed. Bruntil won 11-8

12:10: Pan-Am champion Skylar GROTE (USA) has picked up two wins at 72kg. After getting past compatriot Marilyn GARCIA (USA) 11-0 in Round 2, she beats Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) 6-3 in Round 3 to strengthen her position for the gold. 

11:45: A minute and 10 seconds is all Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) needs to upset European champion Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE). Strong performance so far from him after beating BAITCAEV (HUN) in the opening round. He will face Erik THIELE (GER) in the semifinal after the German defeated Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN) 10-0.  

11:40: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) squaring off in the 59kg quarterfinals. A stepout for Adekuoroye to begin proceedings before she adds a takedown to lead 3-0 at the break. Vynnyk with a four and looks to pin Adekuoroye. Exposure sequence and it's 2 each with Vynnyk lead 6-5. Adekuoroye manages to go behind in the same sequence. She leads 7-6. She wins 10-6

11:30: Big match up at 65kg. Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) up against Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR). She gets two takedowns before working a leg turk. Zelenykh survives the fall. She then tries to reach Rizhko's far leg but ends up in a cradle and gives up two more. 8-0 for Rizhko. Zelenykh drives Rizhko out to make it 8-1. Rizhko with some crafty defence and puts Zelenykh on her back to secure the fall

11:15: European bronze medalist Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK) began with two takedowns against Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO). But he survived a cradle before securing an 8-4 win  

11:05: Winning start for Romania. First, European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) pins Alice BEVILACQUA (ITA) at 55kg and then Kriszta INCZE (ROU) controls the bout against Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) for a 4-1 win at 65kg  

10:55: Vladislav BAITCAEV (HUN) was up 7-2 but fails to keep the intensity and suffers a 14-9 loss to Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) at 97kg. Not the start the European Championships silver medalist would have hoped for. 

10: 50: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) with a composed 11-0 win over Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER). He did not waste too much energy and let the bout stroll into the second period.

10:45: We are moving very quickly. At 97kg, Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK) got an injury default win over Radoslaw BARAN (POL) while European champion Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) uses a gut wrench to secure a technical superiority win over  Radu LEFTER (MDA).

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) throws Nikolett SZABO (HUN) in their opening round bout at 59kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

10:41: What a start for Grace BULLEN (NOR)! She leg laces Nikolett SZABO (HUN) before securing a fall with a huge five at the end.

10:40: Emma BRUNTIL (USA) held off Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) for a few moments but the European champion secures a first-period fall over the American. Big result for Rizhko as she looks to add a gold  

10:35: World bronze medalist Anna SCHELL (GER) with a series of go behinds and she secures an 11-0 win in Round 1 at 72kg.

10:30: Ukraine won four gold medals Thursday and Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) begins the new day like her teammates. He wins 11-0 over Veronica BRASCHI (ITA) at 65kg. 

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024 Wrestling Day 4: Yazdani, Lee, makes semis; Sakurai vs Maroulis set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

PARIS (August 9) -- Freestyle action kicks off in Paris with 57kg and 86kg as Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) look to change their silver medals from past Olympics to gold. In 57kg, Helen MAROULIS (USA) is trying to do the same but world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) is in her way.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | PARIS 2024 DAY 3

13:31: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is back in the Olympic semifinals! He got thrown for a huge four from Dauren KURGULIEV (GRE) but he comes back to break Kurguliev and win 9-4 and book a spot against Myles AMINE (SMR)

13:20: A bout for the ages as returning bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) beats Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) 16-14 to book his spot in the semifinal! Nurmagomedov took the lead using a leg lace but Amine hit the same and reclaimed the lead. At 16-12, Amine was happy to keep his distance from Nurmagomedov even if that meant giving up a takedown.

13:08: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) pins Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) in the second period. What a win for Ramazanov and he moves into the semifinal at 86kg. He will face Aaron BROOKS (USA) for a spot in the final

13:06: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) with a first-period fall of Giullia PENALBER (BRA) to book her spot in the women's 57kg semifinals. The former 59kg world champion will face Hong.

13:04: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) gets a 4-point counter and three takedowns in a 12-5 victory over Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and he's into the freestyle 57kg semifinal and a date with Lee.

13:00: Kexin HONG (CHN) wins a thriller in the women's 57kg quarterfinals over Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), finishing off the Nigerian with a cradle for a fall with :44 left after she had just surrendered the lead. Adekuoroye strikes first with a pair of takedowns, but Hong responds with a takedown and three lace-lock rolls to go up 8-4. In the second period, Adekuoroye goes ahead on criteria with a takedown and lace lock, but Hong strikes back by getting her into a cradle and securing the fall.

12:55: Aaron BROOKS (USA) is on mission today! He takes out Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) 11-1 at 86kg. The pace of that bout was unreal and completely broke Ishiguro

12:51: Helen MAROULIS (USA) scores three takedowns and she's into the women's 57kg with a 7-4 victory over Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR). She will face Sakurai in a rematch of the semifinals at last year's worlds in Belgrade, which Sakurai won 6-0.

12:49: Spencer LEE (USA) gives up an early takedown to Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) in their freestyle 57kg quarterfinal, but then he gets to work. He twice gets a takedown-exposure combo, then finishes off a 12-2 win with a 4-point takedown with 58 seconds left in the first period.

12:45: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) has been spotted. He begins with a 10-0 win over Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS) who has scored two points over Yazdani at the World Championships.

12:41: AMAN (IND) earns a clash with Higuchi in the freestyle 57kg semis after using the lace lock to chalk up a 12-0 victory over Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB).

12:39: Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) is at her dominating best, piling up the points with both offensive and defensive takedowns and a pair of stepouts against Luisa VALVERDE (ECU). When it hits 11-0, she is in the middle of applying an arm bar that puts Valverde onto her back for a fall at 4:35.

12:28: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) is coming in hot! He moves into the quarterfinals with an 11-0 win over Ethan RAMOS (PUR). His likely quarterfinal opponent -- Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)

12:33: Rio Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) takes the mat for the first time in the freestyle 57kg quarterfinals after his first-round opponent, Alireza SARLAK (IRI), failed to make weight. Higuchi dominates Darian CRUZ (PUR), scoring with some creative exposures to finish off a 12-2 victory early in the second period.

12:30: World silver medalist Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) easily gets past Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) 9-0 to secure a place in the women's 57kg quarterfinals.

12:26: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) makes his Olympic debut with a win over Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) at 86kg. A top 12-2 win to advance to the quarterfinals.

12:22: Three-time world bronze medalist Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) grabs the final place in the freestyle 57kg quarterfinals with a 13-3 win over Roman BRAVO (MEX).

12:19: Giullia PENALBER (BRA) makes short work of Rckaela AQUINO (GUM), slamming to her back for a 4-point takedown and securing the fall in 1:02 to advance at women's 57kg.

12:16: Returning bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) shows why he is a threat. Top defense as he beats Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) 7-4 to move into the quarterfinals at 86kg.

12:15: Kexin HONG (CHN), a winner this year in Budapest and Zagreb, wins a lively clash with Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL), advancing at women's 57kg with a 16-12 victory. Hong takes an 8-0 lead, but Boldsaikhan cuts the lead to 2 in the second period. Hong puts up 6 with a takedown-lace lock combination, only for Boldsaikhan to get 4 with a counter lift. But Hong gets a final 2-point exposure to notch the win.

12:11: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) gets a 4-point throw in the first period, then gets a pair of exposures countering a front headlock roll in the second in an 11-4 win over Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) at freestyle 57kg.

12:04: World bronze medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), looking for her first Olympic medal in a thrid appearance, advances at women's 57kg by injury default when Chaimaa AOUISSI (ALG) suffers a head gash and is unable to continue.

12:02: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) pulls out his 'A' game to beat Alexander MOORE (CAN) 12-2 in the opening round. He will face Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) who defeated Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) 5-2 in the other bout.

12:00: Spencer LEE (USA), competing on a top world stage for the first time since winning back-to-back world junior titles in 2015-16, scores a takedown and activity point in the first period, and holds on for a 3-2 win over Wanhao ZOU (CHN) at freestyle 57kg. Zou gets a pair of stepouts late in the second period but just ran out of time.

11:59: In a wild clash of 2022 world bronze medalists, Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) rallies out of an eight-point hold to defeat Anhelina LYSAK (POL) 16-13 at women's 57kg. Lysak had three 4-point moves and led 13-5 when Hrushyna Akobiia hit a 4-pointer of her own. In the final 30 seconds, she picked up a takedown and a stepout to go ahead, then added a late takedown. Whew!

11:47: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) scores a second-period takedown with Asian bronze medalist Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) on the activity clock to take a 3-1 lead, then adds a stepout for a 4-1 victory at freestyle 57kg.

11:45: Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) has no trouble disposing of Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) via technical superiority and sets up a 86kg quarterfinal with Aaron BROOKS (USA).

11:41: Helen MAROULIS (USA), looking for her second Olympic gold and third medal overall, repeats her victory from the 2021 world final over ANSHU (IND) to advance to the women's 57kg quarterfinals 7-2. Maroulis uses an effective single-leg attack to score three takedowns

11:38: Aaron BROOKS (USA), who defeated David TAYLOR (USA) in the U.S. trials, gave up an early stepout but bounced back with two takedowns and beat top seed Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) 4-1 in the opening round at 86kg. 

11:36: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS), only the third wrestler in Guinea-Bissau history to appear in the Olympics, looks like a seasoned pro in taking a 6-0 lead against world bronze medalist Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) at freestyle 57kg. But the match is six minutes, and Abakarov comes back with two takedowns, adding a lace lock after the second. An unsuccessful challenge adds a point as Abakarov advances 7-6.

11:33: An impressive start for Luisa VALVERDE (ECU), who opens with a 4-point takedown against Aurora RUSSO (ITA) at women's 57kg, then scores a takedown to the back and secures the fall at 2:34.  

11:27: Two-time reigning world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) opens her Olympic debut at women's 57kg with an activity point, then a slick ankle pick for a takedown against Hannah TAYLOR (CAN), but gets reversed going for a lace lock. She adds a stepout and another takedown in the second period for a hard-fought 6-1 win.

11:26: 2023 Asian champion AMAN (IND) uses a shrug-by to get behind Russian-born 2021 European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) for the clinching takedown in a 10-0 win at freestyle 57kg.

11:17: Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) spots Dominique PARRISH (USA) a four-point lead in their women's 53k repechage, then storms back to go ahead 10-4 with a back trip before latching onto a cradle for a fall.

11:14: Darian CRUZ (PUR) picks up a big win for the Caribbean nation, locking up Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) in a cradle and securing the fall in their freestyle 57kg opener.

11:09: Luis ORTA (CUB), denied in his bid for a second straight Olympic gold, will get a chance for a bronze after storming to a 9-0 victory over Ishak GHAIOU (ALG) in the 67kg repechage.

11:08: Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) stays on track to give the DPR Korea its first-ever women's Olympic medal with an 11-0 repechage victory over European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) at 53kg. Choe will take on Annika WENDLE (GER).

11:04: In the opening match on Mat A, Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) uses an arm throw for a quick 4-pointer, then lifts and throws Mate NEMES (SRB) for 4 more and an 8-0 win in their Greco 67kg repechage. He will face Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) in a bid for Kyrgyzstan's third bronze medal in Greco later tonight.

10:45: We are beginning with Freestyle at Paris 2024 in two weight classes and women's wrestling will continue with 57kg.