#WrestleTokyo

With Nation's Golden Dreams in Reach, India's Ravi Remains Focused

Thursday, August 5, 2021 - 04:38 By United World Wrestling Press

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CHIBA, Japan (August 5) – When Ravi KUMAR (IND) steps on the mat tonight at the Makhuari Messe in Chiba, he'll be only the second Indian wrestler to compete for an Olympic Gold. For a nation obsessed with wrestling, the drama of the golden moment, and the pressure, builds by the hour.

And yet Kumar remained unfazed and cool under pressure now as he did in battling back from a 9-2 deficit in last night's semifinal fall over Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ).

“I should not have conceded a huge lead against Sanayev,” he said. “I am not happy with it. I knew I could pull it off despite trailing. I was assured inside, but I should not have made it a close fight. I have some unfinished business”

Kumar will face rival Zaur UGUEV (ROC) in Thursday's final. The two last met in the semifinal at the 2019 World Championships, with the ROC athlete taking the victory, 6-4.

Ravi KumarRavi KUMAR (IND) reached the 57kg final. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

While Kumar's dominant technical superiority wins in the first and second rounds were also impressive, it was his fall over Sanayev which will be regarded as one of the most stunning comebacks in Olympics history. The young Indian wrestler led 2-1 at the end of the break, but Sanayev answered with a takedown of his own and rolled Kumar three times in a leg lace to earn the 9-2 advantage. As the pair restarted it was Kumar who immediately scored a pair of takedowns and then quickly a fall at 5:21.

The match wasn't without an additional flare of drama. As Ravi pinned Sanayev, the Kazakhstan wrestler undertook a prohibited action. The action was brought to the attention of the Technical Delegates and after review by the referee delegates, sport director and technical delegates it was concluded that the action taken was an unintentional reaction. Based on the discussion and review of the incident no disciplinary action will be taken based on the conclusion of the incident.

As always, Kumar stayed focused on Olympic gold. "Tonight I will wrestle for gold," said Kumar. "That is my goal."

#WrestleZagreb

Monday night's semifinals set

Monday, April 17, 2023 - 08:08 By Eric Olanowski

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ZAGREB, Croatia (April 17) --- The final details are being made to the Arena Zagreb before the start of today's European Championships. We're just over 90 minutes away from the beginning of freestyle action 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 92kg.

FULL EUROPEAN C'SHIP SCHEDULE:
- 11:30 - Qualification rounds
- 17:15 - Opening Ceremony
- 18:00 -  Semifinals

Monday's semifinal matches:

57kg 
Suleyman ATLI (TUR) vs. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) 
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) vs. Simone Vincenzo PIRODDU (ITA) 

65kg
Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL) vs. Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU) 
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) vs. Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) 

70kg​​​​​​​
Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR) vs. Ramazan Eldarovitch RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Vasile DIACON (MDA) vs. Haji ALIYEV (AZE) 

79kg
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) vs. Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) 
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) vs. Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE) 

97kg​​​​​​​
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) vs. Vladislav BAITCAEV (HUN) 
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) vs. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) 

2:20: That'll do it for the morning session. We'll see you back at the Arena Zagreb at 18:00 for tonight's semifinals.

2:10: World bronze medalist Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) just scored a step out with less than a second left to beat Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR), 4-3. He'll wrestle Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) in the 97kg semifinals. 

1:43: What a battle between Atli and Vangelov.

Atli led 5-0, but Vangelov fought back and cut the Turkish wrestler's lead to one point. He was in a shot as time expired, but failed to pick up any more points. He'll now have the winner of  Razvan Marian KOVACS (ROU) and Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO).

1:32: Three-time world medalist Suleyman ATLI (TUR) is making his way to Mat C to take on Georgi Valentinov VANGELOV (BUL). 

1:24: Arsamerzouev just upset returning world bronze medalist Micic to reach the quarterfinals. He'll wrestle Coman for a spot in tonight's semifinals.

1:11: That's why you wrestle until the last whistle. Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU) just took Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL) down with .08 seconds left on the clock to win, 3-2. 

Coman will wrestle the winner of Khamzat Timourovitch ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) and Stevan Andria MICIC (SRB), who are wrestling now on Mat C. Currently, Arsamerzouev leads 2-0 after the first period.

12:54: U23 world champion Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) leads Muhammed AKDENİZ (TUR), 6-0, on Mat B. 

12:30: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) and Benjamin Konrad HONIS (ITA) were in a tight race on Mat B but the reigning European champion blew the match open with a takedown and four leg laces. The Azeri will wrestle  Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) next. 

12:18:  Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) just upset returning world silver medalist Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK), 6-4, and punched his ticket to the 97kg quarterfinals. He'll wrestle the winner of  Erik Sven THIELE (GER) and Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM). 

12:14: Cabolov and Micic both pick up technical superiority wins and continue their quest for Euro gold. 

12:00: World bronze medalist Stevan Andria MICIC (SRB) is wrestling Carlos ALVAREZ IGLESIAS (ESP) over on Mat C. Micic is up from his world bronze-medal weight of the 57kg.
On a side note regarding Micic: He's fresh off a two-week training camp in Japan, where he was invited by world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) and Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN).

11:50: Former world champion Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) is up now against  Kreso SKUGOR (CRO) on Mat B. The Russian-turn-Serbian is up at 79kg for the first time in his career. 

11:38: Aliyev is on an 8-0 run after giving up the opening point of the match. He closed out the first period with his patented single leg and a trapped arm gut wrench. In the second, he ended the bout early with three takedowns and a leg lace. He'll wrestle  Kevin Christopher HENKEL (GER) in the 70kg quarterfinals. 

11:31: The wait is over. Wrestlers are being called to the mats. We'll kick things off at 70kg across the board. The biggest star on the elevated stage is up on Mat B as three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE) is taking on Gianluca TALAMO (ITA).