Preview: Beach Wrestling World Championships

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

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.

#WrestleTirana

U23 Worlds: On return, Otoole leads U.S. dominance in Tirana

Monday, October 23, 2023 - 20:00 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 23) -- Last year, the United States had only three Freestyle finalists at the U23 World Championships and failed to win a single gold medal.

The U.S. team this year can certainly hope to better that performance as it managed to enter three of its wrestlers in the finals on day one of the U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania.

Led by 2021 U20 world champion Keegan OTOOLE (USA), the U.S. was the best-performing nation with three finalists with Turkiye coming second with two finalists. Two Individual Neutral Athletes also made it to the finals.

Japan, Kazakhstan and Moldova earned a finalist each as the competition commenced with five Freestyle weight classes in the Albanian capital.

Otoole last competed internationally in 2021, winning the gold medal at 74kg in Ufa. But on Monday it seemed he had never been away from international wrestling, winning his four bouts with utter domination.

In the semifinal against Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR), Otoole came out with his cradle and pinned Santiago to reach the final.

Imam GANISHOV (AIN) defeated NAVEEN (UWW) 10-0 in the 74kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

To win a second world age-group title, Otoole will have to beat Imam GANISHOV (AIN) who was equally good on the mat as the American.

After beating Vasile DIACON (MDA) 8-0 in his first bout, Ganishov secured three technical superiority wins including a 10-0 win over NAVEEN (UWW) to enter the final.

Aaron BROOKS (USA) reached the 86kg final after beating Arslan BAGAEV (AIN) 5-4. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Two-time world age-group medalist Aaron BROOKS (USA) was the second high-profile athlete from the U.S. to reach the final as he made his way to the 86kg final after a close 5-4 win over Arslan BAGAEV (AIN) in the semifinal.

Brooks scored a takedown in Bagaev's activity period to go 3-0 up but Bagaev countered one of Brooks' attempts to cut the lead to 3-2. Brooks was called passive in the second period but he swung into action and scored a takedown just before the activity period finished to lead 5-2.

Bagaev, who finished 12th at the World Championships in Belgrade, scored a pushout with 39 seconds remaining and then got a point for negative wrestling from Brooks who still won 5-4.

Defending champion at 86kg Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN) reched the final in Tirana. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Defending champion Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN) will look to stop Brooks in the final as he put on another defensive show throughout the day to enter his second straight U23 world final.

Shirai blanked Benjamin GREIL (AUT) 4-0 in the semifinal, taking his total points scored in four bouts to 22 while he conceded only one. He will look to become Japan's first-ever double U23 world champion in Freestyle.

Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) was the third American wrestler in the final after he chalked his way with some gritty wins. He opened his day with a big victory over Abdulla KURBANOV (AIN). Hendrickson pinned Kurbanov after leading 17-9. Nicolae STRATULAT (MDA) was handed a 14-1 defeat before Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE), a former U23 world silver medalist, was stopped 4-2 in the semifinal.

Adil MISIRCI (TUR) will look to end Hendrickson's run in Tirana after he made the final from the other side of the bracket. He after scoring two big wins in the morning Misirci kept calm and beat Anirudh KUMAR (UWW) 3-0 in the semifinal.

Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) made it to the 92kg final in Tirana. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Turkiye confirmed another medal as Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) entered the 92kg final and will take on Ion DEMIAN (MDA) for the gold medal.

Gimri had to work hard in his 8-5 semifinal win against Pruthviraj PATIL (UWW). He led 1-1 on criteria at the break but scored a takedown in the second period when Patil was on the activity clock. Once Patil failed to score in the 30-second limit, Gimri led 4-1. He hit a strong double-leg to make it 6-1 before Patil scored a takedown and gave up exposure as Gimri led 8-3. Patil got two more points but it mattered little as Gimri completed an 8-5 win.

Ion DEMIAN (MDA) booked his spot in the 92kg semifinal against Muhammed GIMRI (TUR). (Photo: UWW / Ulug Burga Han Degirmenci)

Demian overcame U23 European champion Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) that too in a spectacular manner, winning the semifinal 11-1 and becoming only the second Moldovan wrestler to reach the final at U23 Worlds after Radu LEFTER (MDA) in 2021.

The Moldovan used three stepout to lead 3-1 at the break before adding two more in the second period. Margishvili was struggling with his conditioning as both wrestlers kept going for their attacks. Margishvili gave up a tame go-behind with a minute left to fall behind 7-1. Margishvili tried a bodylock move but Demian defended well and flung the Georgian, earning four points and an 11-1 win.

Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ), right, stunned returning silver medalist Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the 61kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 61kg, Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) had a dream run to the final as he avenged his U23 Asian Championships loss to returning silver medalist Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the semifinal.

Yessengeldi was up 9-1 in the semifinal when Zhumashbek Uluu mounted a comeback in the second period but fell short despite two cautions to Yessengeldi. Zhumashbek Uluu scored two takedowns in the second period and was awarded two stepouts along with two caution points but Yessengeldi did enough to remain in the bout.

He will take on Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) for the gold medal after Magomedov blanked Ivan HRAMYKA (AIN) 10-0 in the other semifinal. That was Magomedov's third victory via technical superiority in as many matches.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) vs. Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ)

SF 1: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Ivan HRAMYKA (AIN), 10-0
SF 2: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 9-7

74kg
GOLD: Keegan OTOOLE (USA) vs. Imam GANISHOV (AIN)

SF 1: Keegan OTOOLE (USA) df. Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR), via fall (8-0)
SF 2: Imam GANISHOV (AIN) df. NAVEEN (UWW), 10-0

86kg
GOLD: Aaron BROOKS (USA) vs. Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN)

SF 1: Aaron BROOKS (USA) df. Arslan BAGAEV (AIN), 5-4
SF 2: Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN) df. Benjamin GREIL (AUT), 4-0

92kg
GOLD: Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) vs. Ion DEMIAN (MDA)

SF 1: Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) df. Pruthviraj PATIL (UWW), 8-5
SF 2: Ion DEMIAN (MDA) df. Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO), 11-1

125kg
GOLD: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) vs. Adil MISIRCI (TUR)

SF 1: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) df. Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE), 4-2
SF 2: Adil MISIRCI (TUR) df. Anirudh KUMAR (UWW), 3-0

Preview: Beach Wrestling World Championships

Comments

U23 Worlds: On return, Otoole leads U.S. dominance in Tirana