Ozaki, Elor win third world title in two months

Saturday, October 22, 2022 - 00:09 By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 21) -- Since the U23 World Championships were introduced in 2017, there were only two wrestlers to win all four world titles till Thursday.

In the space of two days, three more have been added to the group which only had Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Masako FURUICHI (JPN).

After Yui SUSAKI (JPN) won the 'Grand Slam' on Thursday, Nonoko OZAKI (JPN) and Amit ELOR (USA) won their first U23 world titles to complete the haul.

Both Ozaki and Elor have won three world titles in the last two months with the first coming at the U20 Worlds in Sofia. They won the senior gold in Belgrade last month before winning the U23 gold on Friday in Pontevedra, Spain.

As women's wrestling ended at the U23 World Championships, Japan won the team title with 225 points with the USA finishing second with 107 points. Ukraine was third also with 107 points but fell behind the USA as the latter had a gold medalist [Elor] while Ukraine did not.

Apart from Ozaki and Elor, senior world champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) won the 62kg gold, former senior and U23 world champion Haruna OKUNO (JPN) won the 53kg gold and Sae NANJO (JPN) won the 57kg gold.

Amit ELOR (USA) won the 72kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

While Ozaki and Elor have been very similar in their way of winning the gold at the World Championships, both reflect on their achievements differently.

Ozaki, who has lost only once since her 2018 Inter High School Championships semifinals against Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN), feels that the world titles mean little unless she wins the Olympics.

"I don't really have an actual feeling that I am number one in the world," Ozaki said. "Becoming number one was the goal, but since winning the [senior world] championship, nothing has changed for me. For this tournament, I never thought about my being the world champion. Also, it was my first tournament at U23. I just felt it was a regular international tournament. I didn't feel any pressure."

Ozaki, just 19 years old, spent four minutes and 54 seconds in her four bouts in Pontevedra to win the gold at 62kg. In the final, she defeated Iryna BONDAR (UKR) using the leg lace. She led 8-0 after 37 seconds but dropped the pace of the bout after that and won the final in two minutes and 13 seconds.

In the semifinal, she defeated returning champion Ana GODINEZ (CAN) via technical superiority.

"My style is to finish it [match] off with a single action," she said. "If it doesn't end there, I go to a counterattack. That happened in the semifinal. It wasn't bad to not finish it off all at once, and overall it was a good match."

Despite a 41-0 result in Pontevedra, Ozaki thinks that there are a lot of areas in which she can improve.

"From a mental point of view, the way I dealt with the matches was really good," Ozaki said. "I was in several tournaments over the past year and there were good things and bad things from a mental aspect. Each match was different, and I had to think about how I can ensure my best performance and what should I think about before the match. Over this year, I feel I found a good way to do that. I think this will be useful from now."

For 18-year-old Elor, the tournament was another learning experience as keeps improving with every gold medal.

"With each world championship I've gone a little bit better," Elor said. "Even this summer, each time I wrestled I gained experience and I felt stronger, mentally and physically."

The USA wrestler was up against Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) in the 72kg finals and won 11-0 in four minutes and 12 seconds. She also defeated returning silver medalist Kendra DACHER (FRA) 13-2 in the quarterfinals.

"I can't believe this summer," she said. "This has been the best summer of my life. [At the start of the year] I would not believe that [winning 3 world titles]. I was injured. I had surgery in January this year. It's unbelieve. That [senior world] medal means the world so far and was an amazing experience for me."

With a lot accomplished, a lot remains for the two. Ozaki and Elor want to be Olympic champions and as the next season approaches, both will have to go through a grinding qualification process.

Ozaki will have to win the Emperor's Cup in December this year before the Meiji Cup in June next year to qualify for the 2023 World Championships which offers 2024 Olympic quotas. A medal there will seal the berth for Ozaki.

"I prepared for this [U23] tournament, but my number one objective is the Olympics," Ozaki said. "I went into this [U23] tournament regarding it as the last one to get ready for the Emperor's Cup. At this tournament, a number of new issues to be addressed came up. I want to use that in my final preparations."

Ozaki's win-loss record reads 60-1 dating back to 2018 with that one loss coming at the 2021 World Championships against Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), her first against a non-Japanese opponent in 11 career international tournaments.

Riding on a 26-0 winning streak, Ozaki will be the favorite at the Emperor's Cup especially since she beat Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI (JPN) at the Meiji Cup in June this year to qualify for the 2022 World Championships.

However, Ozaki does not think much of that win.

"I don't think it [win over Kawai] gives me confidence," she said. "More than that, I learned a lot about myself."

Elor will have to first decide which Olympic weight class -- 68kg or 76kg -- she wants to move before attending the Olympic trials for the USA if the country wins the quota for the Paris Olympics.

But she is taking one step at a time and not thinking too much ahead.

"I really want to grow and learn more techniques and work on new tactics," she said. "I want to see my body feels at training. For now, I will rest for a while. I am excited for the World Cup this summer."

Three other Japanese wrestlers won gold with Morikawa adding a U23 world gold to her U20 and senior world titles. She also has two U17 silver medals. In the final, Morikawa defeated Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE) 10-0 and won the gold to join her Japanese teammates as the world champion. But like Elor, Morikawa has to quickly make a decision to switch to an Olympic weight class as the Emperor's Cup approaches in two months.

At 57kg, Nanjo added to her 2019 U23 world gold after beating Patrycja GIL (POL) 13-1 in the final. In the quarterfinals, Nanjo defeated senior world bronze medalist and returning champion Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) 10-0.

But Okuno, the first wrestler to win all world titles, won her third U23 world title with another dominant performance. She defeated defending champion Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) 10-0 in the 53kg final.

Okuno was a late replacement for Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) who pulled out due to cellulitis in her knee. Fujinami had to skip the senior World Championships as well due to injury.

The 18-year-old will try to be ready for the Emperor's Cup. Okuno will be one of her competitors along with Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN).

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df. Lucia YEPEZ (ECU), 10-0

BRONZE: Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) df. Felicity TAYLOR (USA), 3-3
BRONZE: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df. Meng HSIEH (TPE), 7-0

57kg
GOLD: Sae NANJO (JPN) df. Patrycja GIL (POL), 13-1

BRONZE: Alexandra HEDRICK (USA) df. Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ), 13-2
BRONZE: Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) df. Siwar BOUSETA (TUN), via fall (9-2)

62kg
GOLD: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Iryna BONDAR (UKR), 11-0

BRONZE: Astrid MONTERO (VEN) df. Ameline DOUARRE (FRA), 3-1
BRONZE: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. Paulina DANISZ (POL), 11-0

65kg
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE), 10-0

BRONZE: Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) df. Asli DEMIR (TUR), via fall
BRONZE: Elena ESPOSITO (ITA) df. Dariga ABEN (KAZ), 5-5

72kg
GOLD: Amit ELOR (USA) df. Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), 11-0

BRONZE: Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) df. Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR), 8-1
BRONZE: Kendra DACHER (FRA) df. Maria NITU (ROU), 12-2

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) vs. AMAN (IND)

SF 1: Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) df. Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO), 10-0
SF 2: AMAN (IND) df. Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ), 10-4

65kg
GOLD: Hamza ALACA (TUR) vs. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Hamza ALACA (TUR) df. Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), 14-8
SF 2: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ), 7-6

70kg
GOLD: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) vs. Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)

SF 1: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) df. Yahya THOMAS (USA), 4-2
SF 2: Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) vs. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)

SF 1: Daulet YERGESH (KAZ) df. Carter STAROCCI (USA), 8-7
SF 2: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), 9-6

97kg
GOLD: Tanner SLOAN (USA) vs. Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)

SF 1: Tanner SLOAN (USA) df. Islam ILYASOV (AZE), 10-2
SF 2: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Ertugrul AGCA (GER), 8-0

#WrestleHangzhou

Asian Games Freestyle Preview: Tazhudinov, Yazdani in star-studded field

Saturday, September 30, 2023 - 18:33 By Vinay Siwach

HANGZHOU, China (September 30) -- It’s rare that Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is second best on the mat. It’s rarer that he isn’t the biggest star at a wrestling competition, that too in Asia.

But the Asian Games in Hangzhou is one such rare occasion when Yazdani has to take a back seat. It’s not because his form has deteriorated or he isn't the favorite in his weight class.

It's because a new star has taken the wrestling world by storm in the last two weeks.

WOMEN'S WRESTLING PREVIEW | GRECO-ROMAN PREVIEW

20-year-old Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) is the newly-crowned world champion at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) will have everyone glued to their screens as he competes two weeks after setting the World Championships ablaze, winning the 97kg gold medal in what was arguably the most thunderous run in recent times.

Beating Olympic champions Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) in back-to-back matches, Tazhudinov became the first world champion from Bahrain and also qualified the nation for the Paris Olympics.

The 20-year-old will be under the limelight at the Lin’an Sports Culture and Exhibition Center, the venue for wrestling at the Asian Games which began September 23. Wrestling will take place from October 4 to 7 in the 18 Olympic weight classes.

Tazhudinov is one of the seven 2023 crowned world champions who will be in Hangzhou, hoping to win the gold medal. He is expected to capture gold without trouble but can have a rematch with Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) and Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI).

Tazhudinov defeated Ibragimov in the World Championships and had a 13-8 win over Goleij in the Asian Championship, a tournament in which he won gold after beating Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) 11-0 in the final and the Chinese wrestler will be keen on avenging that loss if the two meet in Hangzhou.

38-year-old Ibragimov is a returning bronze medalist and will hope to add one more medal to his cabinet. Goleij, who lost to Sadulaev in a thriller at the World Championships, has to hope his gas tank holds on if he wants to win a medal.

For Kazakhstan, Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) is back at 97kg and can complicate the medal standings as a dark horse.

Yazdani, who has won six World and Olympic medals since his gold at the Jakarta Asian Games, will come to Hangzhou after his latest world silver medal. It will be key for Yazdani to have recovered both physically and mentally after another grueling final match against David TAYLOR (USA).

The Rio Olympic champion has not lost to a wrestler not named Taylor at 86kg and a loss in the Asian Games looks unlikely. However, a few will look to challenge him.

World bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) has the potential to push the Iranian and the Kazakhstan wrestler has shown in the past that he is improving consistently. Kazakhstan will put a lot of hopes on Dauletbekov to end their gold-medal drought as the country last won a Freestyle title at the Asian Games in 1994, its only gold. The 2018 Games saw Kazakhstan win four silver and six bronze medals.

Former world silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) will be back in action at 86kg after a long time. Punia has not been in the thick of things since finishing fifth at the Tokyo Olympics. Another Tokyo fifth Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) will be competing at his first Asian Games. He finished fifth at the World Championships after suffering a last-second loss to Dauletbekov in the bronze-medal bout. He will be a big medal contender in Hangzhou.

Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) finished seventh at the World Championships but will look to make his mark at the Asian Games. For Korea, Gwanuk KIM (KOR) won a bronze medal in 2014 but missed out in 2018.

World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) is the favorite to win gold at 125kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Yazdani and Goleij are not the only members of Iran’s World Championships team on this trip. World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI), Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) and Yones EMAMI (IRI) are also on the team as Iran looks to improve the gold medal bout. 57kg will be represented by Ebrahim KHARI (IRI) who defeated Alireza SARLAK (IRI) in a domestic trial to win the spot.

He will be high on confidence after he reclaimed the world title he lost to Taha AKGUL (TUR) in Belgrade. He will need it as he faces a few big names to win his first Asian Games gold medal.

2022 world silver medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) will be Zare’s biggest hurdle in Hangzhou. Munkhtur won the Asian Championships in April, a competition Zare skipped, to earn his first-ever Asian gold. If Zare needs to beat the big Mongolian, his underhook and active wrestling will be key as it will test Munkhtur’s conditioning.

Another test for Zare will be Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) who was a takedown away from beating him at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in June 2022. He can trouble the Iranian again due to his strong gut-wrench which Zare can avoid by building an early lead.

37-year-old Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) returned to the mat in June after the Tokyo Olympics and reached the 1/16 finals at the World Championships. He will be at the Asian Games as a medal threat but will have to manage the younger wrestler who will beat him by fitness.

A consistent performer at the age levels, Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) has not been able to replicate that success at the senior. He will return to the mat after four months and can upset a few stars if he is at the top of his game. Sumit MALIK (IND) will hope to improve on his fifth-place finish from the 2018 edition and win his first Asian Games medal.

Bekzod ABDURAKHAMONOV (UZB) Bekzod ABDURRAKHOMOV (UZB) is the defending champion at 74kg. (Photo: UWW / Assem Shalgumbayeva)

At 74kg, both Emami and Bekzod ABDURAKHAMOV (UZB) will be disappointed to not win a medal or an Olympic qualification at the World Championships for Iran and Uzbekistan respectively. Both lost to eventual world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (AIN) and in repechage, Abdurkhamanov lost to Avantdil KENTCHADZE (GEO) in the repechage while Emami suffered a close loss to Hetik CABOLOV (SRB).

But at the Asian Games, Abdurakhamonov comes in as the defending champion. He won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and unsuccessfully tried switching to 86kg before moving back to 74kg as the Olympics near. His experience will be useful to beat the likes of Emami, a world bronze medalist from 2022.

The Iranian will back himself to beat Abdurakhamonov but it will be a close battle as the Uzbek is known for his strong defense as well.

Asian champion at 74kg, Darkhan YESSENGALI (KAZ) will look to spoil the party for both Emami and Abdurakhamonov. He will spearhead Kazakhstan's challenge to win the gold medal and end the drought.

Kirin KINOSHITA (JPN) was second to Yessengali at the Asian Championships and will be a big medal threat. Orozbek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), who has a few senior-level medals at 70kg, is moving up to 74kg for the Asian Games.

Returning bronze medalist Byunmin GONG (KOR) will have the responsibility of winning another medal for Korea. He lost to Kinoshita at the Asian Championships and later to Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL). But Mongolia has decided to send 2021 Asian bronze medalist Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) to Hangzhou.

Another defending champion coming to Hangzhou is Bajrang PUNIA at 65kg. The five-time world and Olympic medalist is returning to the mat after a year of absence. He has not competed since winning the bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships.

Punia will have to go through a minefield if he wants to defend his title from Jakarta. 2022 world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) will be at his first Asian Games and will start as the favorite being a two-time Asian champion. Joining Amouzad is Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL) who has improved considerably since finishing fifth at the 2019 World Championships.

Both Tumur Ochir and Amouzad are beasts with their underhooks and have managed to beat a few of the best wrestlers in the world with Amouzad beating Punia in the 2022 Asian final and then repeating as champion in 2023 defeating Tumur Ochir.

But Punia and Tumur Ochir can take confidence from the fact that Amouzad failed to win a medal at this World Championships and finished fifth. His conditioning for a six-minute bout appeared weaker than in previous years.

Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB) is replacing Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) from the initial squad after the latter got injured during the World Championships. Rakhmonov stunned Punia last year by beating the Indian in the final second of their Ranking Series bout.

U20 Asian champion Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), a recent transfer, is a big medal threat. He finished third at the Bishkek Ranking Series after losing to Tumur Ochir 4-0. 2019 U20 world champion Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN) and 2021 world bronze medalist Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ) are also entered.

AMAN (IND) was the 57kg champion at the Asian Championships. (Photo: UWW / Assem Shalgumbayeva)

The 57kg weight class will see Asian champion AMAN hoping to repeat the golden performance in the Games. While he will be the favorite, Iran is sending Khari, Toshiro HASEGAWA (JPN) is a bronze medalist from 2021 Worlds at 61kg while China has Tokyo Olympian Minghu LIU (CHN), also a multiple-time Asian medalist, Kazakhstan is going with Asian bronze medalist Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) while Kyrgyzstan has young star Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ).

Aman is trying to fill the shoes of Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Ravi KUMAR who has been sidelined for more than a year due to injuries. He is currently under rehabilitation for an ACL injury.

India's first-ever U23 world champion Aman had a golden run at the Asian Championships, beating Rikuto ARAI (JPN), Wanhao ZOU (CHN) and Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ). But the Games come with different pressures.

Former U23 world champion Hasegawa, who pinned Kumar to win that gold in 2018, will look to finally get a big medal at the senior level and the Asian Games could be his chance. A technically gifted wrestler, Hasegawa has not been able to find a firm footing at 57kg, mainly due to the weight cut.

If he wins the gold, it will not only be special for Hasegawa but for Japan as well. Japan has not had a Freestyle gold medal in the last two editions of the Asian Games. In fact, London Olympic champion Tatsuhiro YONEMITSU (JPN) is the only Freestyle wrestler from Japan to win gold since the 1994 edition. In the last 28 years, apart from Yonesmitsu, Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) is the only wrestler to reach the final. He lost to Punia in the 65kg final in 2018.

Liu was at the 2018 Asian Games and finished fifth. So he will be hoping to win a medal at the home Games and has all the class to do so as well.

Ozaki, Elor win third world title in two months

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Asian Games Freestyle Preview: Tazhudinov, Yazdani in star-studded field