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Rau and Pena Claim Second Pan Am Titles, Sovero wins gold in 13th Pan Am event

Sunday, March 8, 2020 - 01:36 By Taylor GREGORIO

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Photo of Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB). By Tony Rotundo. 

OTTAWA, Canada – Greco-Roman action of the Pan American Championships wrapped up on Saturday with the final three weight classes, while the first two women’s weight classes were contested.

The United States won two of the last three Greco gold medals, earning it the team title with 200 points. In second place was Cuba with 105 points. Cuba collected the other gold medal on Saturday.

John STEFANOWICZ (82 kg) and Josef RAU (87 kg) emerged victorious from their respective weight classes for the United States.

Stefanowicz put together a 2-0 record in round-robin action to secure the gold. In his final match of the day, he dominated Marciano ALI (PUR) with a 14-4 technical fall, which featured multiple big throws.

At 87 kg, Rau drew two passivity points from Carlos MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL) in the gold-medal match and scored gut wrenches each time in par terre for a 6-0 win.

Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) won his second-consecutive Pan Am Championships title, taking the crown at 77 kg.

Wrestling in a Nordic system bracket, Pena lost earlier in the day to Pat Smith in pool action. The two eventually met up once again in the finals, where the Cuban got his revenge.

Trailing after the first period, Pena got an opportunity on top, where picked up a gut wrench and held on to defeat Smith, 3-1.

Photo of Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER). By Tony Rotundo. 

In women’s freestyle, Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER) impressed at 72 kg, winning her first Pan Am title and sixth overall continental medal. She won her first Senior Pan American medal in 2002.

Sovero went 3-0 on the day, dominating the field. She opened her tournament with back-to-back falls before securing a 10-0 technical fall her final round against Shauna KUEBECK (CAN).

At 59 kg in women’s, 2018 U23 World champion Alexandria TOWN (CAN) swept the field, winning all three of her matches by technical fall. In her last match, she took out Karoline SILVA DE SANTANA (BRA), 10-0.

There were two athletes funded by the United World Wrestling Development Technical Assistance program that won medals today, including a silver medal from Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR) at 57 kg in women’s freestyle and a bronze from Lesyan COUSIN OTOMURO (JAM) at 87 kg in Greco-Roman.

Final Greco Team standings
1. USA – 200
2. Cuba – 105
3. Venezuela – 69
4. Mexico – 68
5. Colombia – 67
6. Brazil – 65
7. Canada – 55
8. Dominican Republic – 42
9. Puerto Rico – 29
10. Honduras - 18

Greco-Roman results
77 kg
GOLD - Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) df. Patrick SMITH (USA), 3-1
BRONZE - Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN) df. Jair Alexis CUERO MUNOZ (COL), 6-1

82 kg
GOLD - John STEFANOWICZ (USA)
SILVER – Jose Andres VARGAS RUEDA (MEX)
BRONZE - Marciano ALI (PUR)

87 kg
GOLD - Josef RAU (USA) df. Carlos MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL), 6-0
BRONZE - Lesyan Osvaldo COUSIN OTOMURO (JAM), win by injury default
BRONZE - Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA), win by injury default

Women’s freestyle results
59 kg
GOLD - Alexandria TOWN (CAN)
SILVER – Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR)
BRONZE – Lauren LOUIVE (USA)

72 kg
GOLD - Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER)
SILVER – Victoria FRANCIS (USA)
BRONZE – Shauna KUEBECK (CAN)

#WrestleBucharest

Akgul adds 11th Euro gold to help Turkiye wins team title

Sunday, February 18, 2024 - 22:12 By Vinay Siwach

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BUCHAREST, Romania (February 18) -- The final ended like all the previous ones between Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO). Akgul built a lead and Petriashvili tried making a comeback. However, Akgul was strong enough to hold off his Georgian rival and won yet another European title.

Petriashvili came close this year to beating Akgul but fell short. Akgul extended his record of European gold medals to 11 after the 5-4 win in the 125kg weight class. Akgul has won 11 European gold medals in 12 years and is already the most successful Freestyle wrestler in European history.

The record for most European titles is jointly held by Aleksandar KARELIN and Riza KAYAALP (TUR) as both have 12 titles. Akgul's Turkish teammate in Greco-Roman Kayaalp had the opportunity to break that record in Bucharest but suffered a loss in the 130kg final to Sergei SEMENOV (AIN).

There was no such heartbreak for Akgul as he paced his final to perfection against his arch-rival. Petriashvili was warned for open fingers on the face and was penalized for it with one point. Akgul scored a stepout and then got another point for Petriasvili's passivity, leading 3-0.

Akgul remained cautious of Petriashvili's attacks and countered one of them to score a takedown for two points and extended his lead to 5-0. With a minute remaining, Petriashvili did get two takedowns but he could not get the winning point needed as the clock expired.

"I am so happy. I had a final with Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and it is always hard," Akgul said. "This is my 11th European gold which is a record. I prepared well for this tournament. This is like practice because we are preparing for the Paris Olympics."

Before the final, Akgul won his three bouts via superiority and he was so dominant that two of his bouts finished before the break while the semifinal ended before time. Akgul wishes to repeat the performance in coming tournaments, especially the Olympics.

"I will now prepare for the Olympics," he said. "I am 34 years old. Of course, my energy is not like the young wrestlers. I am doing more conditioning and weightlifting. I am a technical wrestler but I am working hard."

The final against Petriashvili was even more significant as the Freestyle team title depended on it. Turkiye had 115 points going into the final while Georgia had 110 points. An Akgul win would clinch the title for Turkiye with 140 points to Georgia's 130 while a win for Petriashvili will hand Georgia the title despite both countries being tied at 135 points as Georgia has more gold medals.

"Our team won the team title in Freestyle after 31 years," Akgul said. "That is also a big success because Freestyle is so difficult and so many teams are coming. I am the captain so I am happy. My last match against Georgia was also important because if I won, Turkiye would win the title, and if Petriashvili won, Georgia would win the team title."

Another big contribution to Turkiye's historic team title win was Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) defending his 92kg European title. He gold gave Turkiye 25 points which pushed it over Georgia in the race.

In Bucharest, Akturk pulled off two top wins, beating Mariani MAISURADZE (GEO) in the semifinal and Boris MAKOEV (SVK) in the final. Makoev could never find an opening in the whole match which Akturk won 8-0, thus becoming a three-time European champion.

Kurugliev, Salkazanov repeat

Daruen KURGULIEV (GRE) added another European gold medal to his resume after he defeated Myles AMINE (SMR) for a second straight year. Kurguliev scored a stepout and later got another point for Amine's inactivity, giving him a 2-0 lead. Amine kept attacking Kurugliev's legs but could not score a takedown. The referee cautioned Kurugliev for fleeing late in the match which gave Amine a point.

But as Amine made his last attempt to score in the final 15 seconds, Kurugliev grabbed Amine's leg and bent it more than 90 degrees forcing the referee to stop the bout with three seconds on the clock left. Kurugliev got the breather he needed and defended the last three seconds with ease.

Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) extended his European title run to four gold medals, winning the 74kg final against Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR).

Salkazanov hit a double-leg 10 seconds into the final and scored two points. He went into a shell for the remaining first period and was put on the clock in the second period. However, he scored a stepout within the activity period to avoid any trouble and lead 3-0.

Demirtas made a desperate attempt to get a takedown in the final seconds but Salkazanov kept his distance and even scored a takedown on the counter to win 5-0.

At 61kg, Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) won his second European title after beating Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), his second straight silver medal at the European Championships.

 

Magomedov, a world silver medalist, was the first to get the activity period against his name but he scored a stepout during that to lead 1-0. Abakarov responded with a big throw that Magomedov did well to not land in danger and give up only two points.

The lead exchanged hands when Magomedov scored a takedown. But in one sequence, Abakarov scored two points via exposure while Magomedov was given only one for reversal. However, on challenge, Magomedov got two points to lead 5-4.

Abakarov tried the same exposure lift again but Magomedov defended well before elevating Abakarov and scoring a takedown to win 7-4 and denying Albania its second European champion in two days.

gf 

RESULTS

61kg
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), 7-4

BRONZE: Mezhlum MEZHLUMYAN (ARM) df. Niklas STECHELE (GER), 7-5
BRONZE: Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE) df. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 7-3

74kg
GOLD: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), 5-0

BRONZE: Imam GANISHOV (AIN) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 4-1
BRONZE: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP), 4-0

86kg
GOLD: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) df. Myles AMINE (SMR), 2-1

BRONZE: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Arslan BAGAEV (AIN), 6-4
BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 8-0

92kg
GOLD: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 8-0

BRONZE: Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) df. Andrian GROSUL (MDA), 7-0
BRONZE: Magomed KURBANOV (AIN) df. Denys SAHALIUK (UKR), via fall (8-0)

125kg
GOLD: Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 5-4

BRONZE: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN), 3-0