Beach wrestling

Romania Sweeps Women’s Division; Pakistan’s Inam Repeats on the Beach

By Marc Berman

SARIGERME, Turkey (October 7) --  The 2018 Beach Wrestling World Championships wrapped up Sunday in the coastal Turkish city of Sarigerme with wrestlers from Romania sweeping the women’s division, and Pakistan’s Muhammad INAM the lone wrestler to successfully defend his 2017 world title.

In all, 159 wrestlers from 17 nations took to the sand with a number of nations medaling in United World Wrestling’s fastest growing style.

Stefania Claudia PRICEPUTU (ROU) set the standard for her Romanian teammates early, besting Sevil ALIOGLU (TUR) 3-0 in the 50kg division gold medal final. Priceputu had defeated teammate Maria Alexandra CIOCLEA (ROU) in the semifinal on her way to the finals.
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
In the 60kg finals it was Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU) stopping Francesca INDELICATO (ITA) to win Romania’s second gold. Indelicato had been cruising past opponents all weekend, but it was Incze who found a last-minute takedown to earn her first world title and Romania’s second-straight gold.

Adina Elena POPESCU (ROU) kept up Romania’s winning ways upsetting returning champion Charlotte SKAUEN (NOR). Skauen found herself down 2-0 halfway through the match but was able to fight onto the board with a hard-won takedown. Despite Skauen’s late flurry of activity Popescu found an opening, attacked and sealed her first world title, 3-1.

Catalina AXENTE completed Romania’s sweep of the women’s division defeating Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE) in the +70kg final, 2-1. With her victory, Romania became the first women’s team to ever win all weight divisions at the Beach Wrestling World Championships.
Muhammad Inam of Pakistan celebrates after defending his 90kg title against Irakli Mtsituri (not in photo) of Georgia during the second and final day of the UWW Beach Wrestling World Championships in Serigerme, Turkey on October 7, 2018 (Photo: Dean Treml)

Back on the men’s side it was Pakistan’s Inam who would inspire the local crowd on his way to making history. The young wrestler had already became the first from Pakistan to win a Beach Wrestling world title, but in besting Irakli MTSITURI (GEO), 3-1 he was also the first to repeat, and the first Pakistani wrestler to win any world title back-to-back.

Konstantine KHABALASHVILI (GEO)

At +90kg Baki SAHIN (TUR) was Turkey’s lone representative in the men’s final and didn’t let down the home crowd, upsetting former Olympian Rares Daniel CHINTOAN (ROU). Sahin was down early, but was able to score a late takedown for the win.

Georgia took the other two gold medals, winning the 70kg and 80kg titles. Konstantine KHABALASHVILI (GEO) defeated the returning champion Semen RADULOV (UKR) in the highly anticipated 70kg final. Khabalashvili, who is a medalist at the Europeans in freestyle wrestling, took down Mehmet Emin OGUT (TUR) in the semifinal before defeating Radulov in the finals match, 3-1.

Teammate Jakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) defeated Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) 2-0 to bring home a second gold medal for Georgia. Makarashvili represented Georgia at the 2016 Olympics and was dominant all weekend capping his weekend with a dominant 3-0 victory in the finals.

There were more than 300 matches competed at the Beach Wrestling World Championships, with 20 overall champions coming from the Cadets, Juniors and Senior divisions.

The 2018 Beach Wrestling World Championships also served as a qualifying event for the 2019 Beach Games, a quadrennial sporting event held next summer in California’s San Diego, USA while Beach Wrestling will expand its offerings in 2019 with a tentatively approved global tour capped by an annual prize event.
 

Men's Beach Wrestling


70kg
GOLD: Konstantine KHABALASHVILI (GEO) df. Semen RADULOV (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Mehmet Emin OGUT (TUR) df. Gheorghe Constantin CONSTANTIN (ROU), 5-0

80kg
GOLD: Jakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) df. Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 2-0
BRONZE: Jumber KVELASHVILI (GEO) df. Efe Sami UNAL (TUR), 3-1

90kg
GOLD: Muhammad INAM (PAK) df. Irakli MTSITURI (GEO), 3-1
BRONZE: Pedro Jacinto GARCIA PEREZ (ESP) df. Grigorios KRIARIDIS (GRE), 3-0

+90kg
GOLD: Baki SAHIN (TUR) df. Rares Daniel CHINTOAN (ROU), 5-1
BRONZE: Irfan METE (TUR) df. Niazi IMPIS (GRE), 3-0

Women’s Beach Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Catalina AXENTE (ROU) df. Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE), 2-1
BRONZE: Diana Elena VLASCEANU (ROU) df. Adina Ionela IRIMIA (ROU), 4-1

60kg
GOLD: Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU) df. Francesca INDELICATO (ITA), 4-0
BRONZE: Jeannie Agnes KESSLER (AUT) df. Camila FAMA TRISTAO (BRA), 0-0

70kg
GOLD: Adina Elena POPESCU (ROU) df. Charlotte SKAUEN (NOR), 3-1
BRONZE: Beatrice DUKOV OANCEA (ROU) df. Cesilie Hoeivik MAGNUSSEN (NOR), 3-1

+70kg
GOLD: Catalina AXENTE (ROU) df. Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE), 2-1
BRONZE: Diana Elena VLASCEANU (ROU) df. Adina Ionela IRIMIA (ROU), 4-1

#WrestleBucharest

European Championships Day 2 GR semis set

By United World Wrestling Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (February 13) -- The European Championships enters its second day with five more Greco-Roman weight classes. Wrestlers in 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg will be on the mat Tuesday and try to make a place in the final.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 REPORT

Here are the semifinals for Tuesday

60kg
SF 1: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) vs. Sadyk LALAEV (AIN)
SF 2: Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) vs. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)

67kg
SF 1: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) vs. Morten THORESEN (NOR)
SF 2: Murat FIRAT (TUR) vs. Ruslan BICHURIN (AIN)

72kg
SF 1: Selcuk CAN (TUR) vs. Narek OGANIAN (AIN)
SF 2: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) vs. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE)

82kg
SF 1: Alperen BERBER (TUR) vs. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
SF 2: Islam ALIEV (AIN) vs. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)

97kg
SF 1: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) vs. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
SF 2: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)

15:15: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) with a 8-0 technical superiority win over Georjig TIBILOV (SRB) and he moves into the 60kg semifinal. He will now take on Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) for a place in the gold-medal bout.

15:00: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) rolls into the semifinal at 72kg with a 9-0 win over Matias LIPASTI (FIN). On the other side of the bracket, Selcuk CAN (TUR) will be up against Narek OGANIAN (AIN) after both posted comprehensive wins.

14:45: A big semifinal at 97kg as Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) faces Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN). Aleksanyan scored a 7-3 win over Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) while Khaslakhanau defeated Anton VIEWEG (GER) 9-0 in the quarterfinal.

14:30: Returning silver medalist Kiril MILOV (BUL) will fall to U23 world champion Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) 4-0 as the Individual Neutral Athlete continues to impress in the new weight class.

14:25: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) got thrown for a big four Abu AMAEV (AIN) but that didn't trouble him in beating Amaev 15-4 and moving into the semifinals of the 67kg weight class.

14:15: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) is finally on the mat for his first bout, almost four hours since the session started. Viktor PETRYK (UKR) gets the first par terre advantage and he scores the turn to lead 3-0. Petryk then tries an arm-spin which is blocked by Ciobanu and he gets a takedown after a challenge. Another takedown and turn as he races to a 10-3 lead at the break. A quick takedown after the break and Ciobanu wins 12-3 at 60kg. He moves into the quarterfinals

14:00: The first quarterfinals are beginning in 97kg. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) is up against Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) and he gets a par terre advantage. Savolainen with stepouts on either side of the breaks and a second par terre advantage as well to win 4-0 and enter the semifinal.

13:40: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) continues his winning run. Up against world bronze medalist Mate NEMES (SRB), who has moved up to 72kg for this tournament, Nasibov scores two stepouts in a 3-1 win over Nemes

13:05: 82kg world champion Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE) is up against U20 and U23 world silver medalist Alperen BERBER (TUR). Huseynov put in par terre but no score for him. But Berber with a bodylock for four and a turn which is not scored. Turkiye asked for a challenge but the action was outside the zone. Berber led 5-1 at the break. Hyseynov is cautioned for finger locks and Berber gets two more points to lead 7-1. That's how the match will end. What a big win for the young gun from Turkiye.

12:45: Defending champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) defends from par terre in the first period against Sebastian NAD (SRB) and then scores a takedown, and adds a beautiful throw to win 6-1 in the 67kg bout.

12:30: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) warms up with a 9-1 win over Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR). The next match in 97kg saw Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) with a big throw against Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE) and win 9-0.

12:15: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) looks in solid form as he takes out world bronze medalist and top seed Artur OMAROV (CZE) 9-0 at 97kg. He got four rolls from par terre to win the bout. Kiril MILOV (BUL) also moves into the next round with an 8-0 win.

12:05: In a repechage bout in 87kg, Zhan BELENUIK (UKR) rolls back the day and holds off Istvan TAKACS (HUN) 1-1 and makes it to the bronze medal bout

11:55: Drama in the 60kg Kerem KAMAL (TUR) vs Georgij TIBILOV (SRB)! Tibilov seemed to have pinned Kamal but Turkiye challenged and on review, there was a stepout. Tibilov led 3-3 on criteria when Kamal tried to push him out. But as Tibilov was evading, he got behind Kamal who was penalized for a singlet foul. Turkiye again challenged but lost which gave Tibilov a 7-3 lead. Kamal, desperate for a four-point throw, jumped over Tibilov who grabbed him and pin. Tibilov suggested that Kamal may have tried to bite him. Both wrestlers were separated by the referee.

11:35: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) survives a touch opening bout. He got a 3-0 lead at the break and managed to stop Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (AIN) from scoring any points in the second period from par terre. Nasibov scored a stepout in the second period to lead 4-1. Towards the end of the bout, Nasibov was cautioned for headbutting, thus giving Liavonchyk two points. But Nasibov held on for a 4-3 win.

11:20: Former U23 European champion Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) is still trying to find the same success at the senior level. He has a bronze medal at the European Championships. He starts his campaign at 67kg with a big 9-0 win over Andrea SETTI (ITA). A five-point throw as well.

10:55: U23 world champion at 87kg Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) decided to move to 97kg and faced Tamas LEVAI (HUN) first up. But no troubles for Murtazaliev at the new weight class. He wins his first bout 6-0 and sets up a 1/8 final against world bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE).

10:30: The first day of the European Championships saw Riza KAYAALP (TUR) reach the final at 130kg whereas Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) lost his semifinal at 63kg after beating world champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO). Ali CENGIZ (TUR) and Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB) set up a final at 87kg

10:15: Second day at the European Championships and we are going in with five weight classes. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) are going to defend their titles.