Beach wrestling

Preview: Beach Wrestling World Championships

Tuesday, October 2, 2018 - 19:49 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (October 2) -- Muscular bodies, top-level international wrestling and postcard sunsets meet with sprays of sand – that’s the 2018 Beach Wrestling World Championships set for the first weekend of October in the coastal city of Muglia welcoming more than 150 athletes from around the world; among them the reigning champions from Ukraine, Pakistan, Iran, Italy and Norway ready to battle it out on Turkish sands.

Over 150 wrestlers from 16 nations will compete for a world title in cadet, junior and senior divisions, men and women, at the 2018 Beach Wrestling World Championships. The event also serves as a qualifying event for the 2019 Beach Games held in San Diego, California (USA).

Turkey is the reigning team champion in the men's competition after accumulating the individual results for a country. Iran and Russia finished with silver and bronze respectively last year. Norway, led by Frank Are Haugen ANDERSEN (70kg), will look to improve on last year's fourth-place finish. Haugen is a top contender at 70kg, but could be challenged by Konstantine KHABALASHVILI (GEO) and Semen RADULOV (UKR), the reigning champion in this weight class.

Romania and Turkey are expected to battle for the team title in the women's division. Norway brings back a strong team and should challenge for a high finish as well. At 60kg, Francesca INDELICATO (ITA) will be looking to repeat as champion, while Brenna STIKKELMAN (USA) will attempt to play spoiler. A wrestler to keep an eye on is Adina Ionela IRIMIA (ROU), Romania's youngest competitor with 17 years of age in the women’s Seniors heavyweight.

The championships will also be part of the qualification process for athletes competing in the 2019 World Beach Games, a quadrennial sporting event held next summer in California’s San Diego, USA. The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), an important partner to wrestling inside the Olympic movement, manages the Beach Games.

“Beach wrestling is one of our organization’s most exciting and fastest-growing disciplines,” states UWW president Nenad Lalovic. “The Turkish Wrestling Federation is certain to put on a great competition and we look forward to seeing our athletes compete in the sand.” Turkey hosts the UWW Beach Wrestling World Championships for the third time since the discipline’s inaugural event in 2006 in Antalya and Dalyan in the previous year.

"We want to see it in more countries in 2019 and are planning for a new event series to make sure that we inspire young athletes to get out and be active in our sport." As beach wrestling is an especially appealing competition style for wrestlers from nations like India, Pakistan and Vietnam and several in Africa as their local styles are very similar, Mr. Lalovic believes that the discipline will help wrestling reach millions more young wrestlers and continue growing interest in the Olympic styles as well.

Beach wrestling will expand its offerings in 2019 with a tentatively approved global tour capped by an annual prize event.

What is Beach Wrestling?

UWW, then known as FILA, codified the form of beach wrestling in 2004. Beach wrestling is standing wrestling done by wrestlers, male or female, inside a sand-filled circle measuring 7 meters (23 ft) in diameter. The style originally mirrored the rules used before the use of wrestling mats, and beach wrestling has been regarded as the oldest version of international competitive wrestling. The international rules have been modified in 2015 by UWW, with the current rules allowing wrestlers to score points via takedowns, pushing their opponent out of bounds, or bringing the opponent down to their back.

The 1st Beach Wrestling World Championships took place in 2006 in Antalya, Turkey. Only the Senior division was featured until 2010, and each age division has separate men and women divisions. Initially only two weight classes for each of the gender divisions within the Senior division, lightweight and heavyweight. The number of weight classes expanded beginning in 2011, with the Senior division featuring four weight classes for both the men (70 kg, 80 kg, 90 kg, and heavyweight) and women (50 kg, 60 kg, 70 kg, and heavyweight).

In addition to the annual World Beach Wrestling Championships, beach wrestling has been contested at Youth Olympic Games, Asian Games, Down Under Games, and Mediterranean Games and will be contested at the upcoming 2019 World Beach Games. A Beach Wrestling World Series is currently being planned for 2019.

WATCH LIVE

This competition will be LIVE on October 6 & 7 at 7.00 am GMT on Wrestling TV, with the finals on October 7 at 2.00 pm GMT.

#WrestleAlexandria, #WrestleParis

Algeria wins 5 Paris quotas at African & Oceania qualifiers; Elsayed falls

Friday, March 22, 2024 - 12:41 By Vinay Siwach

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ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 22) -- Algeria emerged as the most successful nation on the first day of the African & Oceania OG Qualifiers with five Greco-Roman quotas in Alexandria. Egypt was second with four spots while Tunisia won two and Morocco managed to grab one.

Egypt has the chance to complete the line-up with six quotas as it has already won one at the World Championships and was hoping to win the remaining five in Alexandria. But Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY), the top seed and favorite to win one of the two 67kg spots, lost to Souleymen NASR (TUN) 7-4.

For Algeria, Tokyo Olympians Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) and Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) led a strong performance, qualifying for the 60kg and 87kg weight classes. Fadi ROUABAH (ALG) grabbed the quota at 97kg, Abd OUAKALI (ALG) made it at 77kg and Ishak GHAIOU (ALG) won at 67kg.

Fergat controlled his semifinal against Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR) and scored two turns from par terre while Ettalibi failed to score any. Fergat won 5-1. In the second semifinal, Moamen MOHAMED (EGY) survived a scare against Latuf MADI (COM), winning 6-5.

Made did well to not give up any points from par terre in the first period but Mohamed managed pushout in the second period to make it 2-0. As Mohamed tried to hit another big move on Madi, he fell on his own back, giving Madi two points. A lost challenge from Egypt made it 3-2. It became 5-2 when Madi once again blocked an attempted throw from Mohamed.

With time ticking, Mohamed got Madi in a bear hug and launched a big move, earning him four points and a 6-5 lead. He kept Madi in danger till 10 seconds left which he saw off.

Sid Azara dominated his bouts winning all three bouts including the semifinals via superiority. He defeated Roberto NSANGUA (ANG) 8-0 in a minute and 52 seconds to earn a Paris ticket.

Fellow Tokyo Olympian Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) also dominated his earlier bouts but was in trouble in the semifinal against Hakim TRABELSI (TUN). Metwally perhaps took it easy against Trabelsi who threw him for four using a headlock in the first second of the semifinal.

Metwally gathered himself after that eye-opener. Trabelsi was penalized for a headbutt but kept a 4-3 lead. The referees then cautioned Metwally for a headbutt, extending Trabelsi's lead to 6-3. But Metwally came out all guns blazing in the second period and at one point caught Trabelsi in a lock. Unfortunately, he fell on his back and gave up two points before scoring a reversal. As Metwally tried scoring from that position, Trabelsi committed a leg four, getting him a second caution and two-point penalty. Trabelsi was finally cautioned out of the bout when he blocked Metwally who hit a four and tried to pin Trabelsi.

Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) fell in the 67kg quarterfinal.

At 67kg, after beating Elsayed, Nasr earned a Paris quota with a solid 11-0 win over Sahid KARGBO (SLE) in the semifinals. In the quarterfinal, Nasr was the first to get the par terre advantage and he rolled Elsayed twice to lead 5-0 before Elsayed scored a stepout to cut it to 5-1. In the second period, Elsayed scored a turn from par terre to make it 5-4 and as he was trying to lift Nasr for a throw, Nasr's head touched outside the zone and the referee blew the whistle. Elsayed gave up another point for a challenge.

With 1:33 left on the clock, Nasr scored a stepout when Elsayed was trying an arm throw. Nasr's lead swelled to 7-4 and Elsayed found no opening in the remaining time. Elsayed was in disbelief as he left the mat.

Ghaiout denied Australia a Greco-Roman qualification after he defeated Ando LEHTMETS (AUS) 5-1 in the semifinal.

At 97kg, Rouabh denied Tokyo Olympian Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN) another trip to the Games after an 8-0 win in a minute and 57 seconds. The other Tokyo Olympian in this weight class, Mohamed GABR (EGY) won a spot with a 10-0 win over Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR).

The same set of countries earned the Paris spots at 77kg as well with Abd OUAKALI (ALG) beating Yassine CHEKLY (MAR) 11-0 while Mahmoud ABDELRAHMAN (EGY) blanked Dean VAN ZYL (RSA) 9-0 just before the first period ended.

In the 130kg weight class, four wrestlers were entered in the tournament. Oussama ASSAD (MAR) confirmed his Paris Olympic qualification in the morning while Amine GUENNICHI (TUN) got a walkover from Marcus CARNEY (NZL) and earned the ticket to Paris.

The African & Oceania OG Qualifiers will continue on Saturday with Women's Wrestling and Freestyle on Sunday. Watch live on uww.org or UWW+.

 

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RESULTS

60kg

Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) df. Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR), 5-1
SF 2: Moamen MOHAMED (EGY) df. Latuf MADI (COM), 6-5

67kg

Paris Qualification Bouts:
SF 1: Souleymen NASR (TUN) df. Sahid KARGBO (SLE), 11-0
SF 2: Ishak GHAIOU (ALG) df. Ando LEHTMETS (AUS), 5-1

77kg

Paris Qualification Bouts:
SF 1: Mahmoud ABDELRAHMAN (EGY) df. Dean VAN ZYL (RSA), 9-0
SF 2: Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (ALG) df. Yassine CHEKLY (MAR), 11-0

87kg

Paris Qualification Bouts:
SF 1: Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) df. Hakim TRABELSI (TUN), via cautions (13-9)
SF 2: Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) df. Roberto Mbaio NSANGUA (ANG), 8-0

97kg

Paris Qualification Bouts:
SF 1: Mohamed GABR (EGY) df. Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR), 10-0
SF 2: Fadi ROUABAH (ALG) df. Mohamed Skander MISSAOUI (TUN), 8-0

130kg

Paris Qualified Wrestlers

Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)
Oussama ASSAD (MAR)