#PolandOpen

Rong Wins Second Ranking Series Gold Medal

Sunday, September 9, 2018 - 16:55 By Eric Olanowski

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WARSAW, Poland (September 9) - China’s RONG Ningning continued her 2018 hot streak and remained undefeated on the year,  winning the 57kg gold medal at the final women’s Ranking Series event of the year, the Poland Open. 

Rong’s win in Warsaw was her second Ranking Series gold medal of the year. She also won the China Open. In addition to her two Ranking Series championships, Rong claimed gold medals at the Ivan Yargin and Asian Championships, while also going undefeated at the World Cup. 

In the opening round, the Chinese wrestler kicked off the Poland Open by shutting out Mehlika OZTURK (TUR), 4-0. 

Rong, the No. 5 ranked wrestler in the world (at 59kg) followed her opening round win with a 14-3 quarterfinals thumping of current World No. 1 and European runner-up, Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS). 

In the semifinals, Rong narrowly squeaked out the win, defeating two-time cadet world champion, Yumeka TANABE (JPN), 6-4. 

RONG Ningning (CHN) has won two Ranking Series events this year. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

The 57kg final was a top-ten match-up that pitted Rong against Norway’s ninth-ranked Grace BULLEN. 

In the opening minute of the first period, the Asian champion found herself in an early 4-0 hole after Bullen tossed her to back. She fought off her back and gained a two-point exposure, closing Bullen ’s first period lead to 4-2. 

Rong opened up the second period with a monstrous high-crotch, coming up to her feet and doubling off for four points and controlled the 6-4 lead. 

After a pair of leg-laces, the Chinese wrestler gained the 10-4 advantage before catching Bullen on her back, picking up the second-period fall to claim her fourth individual gold medal of the year. 

Rong, who competed at 59kg for half of the year will most likely represent China at 57kg at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. 

RESULTS 
Women’s Wrestling 
53kg
GOLD - Nanami IRIE (JPN) df. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL), 2-2 

BRONZE - Nina HEMMER (GER) df. Diana Mary Helen WEICKER (CAN), 10 - 6
BRONZE - Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA), 12-10

57kg 
GOLD - Ningning RONG (CHN) df. Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR), via fall 

BRONZE - Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) df. Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL), 6-3 
BRONZE - Yumeka TANABE (JPN) df. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), 4-0 

62kg 
GOLD - Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) df. Malin Johanna MATTSSON (SWE), 2-1 

BRONZE - Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER) df. Sara DA COL (ITA), 10-0 
BRONZE - Na LU (CHN) df. Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA), 12-1 

68kg 
GOLD - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) df. Dalma CANEVA (ITA), 16-5

BRONZE - Jiao WANG (CHN) df. Anna Jenny Eva Maria FRANSSON (SWE), 4-4 
BRONZE - Tamyra Mariama MENSAH (USA) df. Alla BELINSKA (UKR), 5-0 

76kg 
GOLD - Erica WIEBE (CAN) df. Aline FOCKEN (GER), 7-0 

BRONZE - Paliha PALIHA (CHN) df. Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR), 6-0
BRONZE - Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Yasemin ADAR (TUR), 6-5 

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series golds for Higuchi, Kiyooka, Parris

Friday, June 7, 2024 - 09:31 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- For Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), the Ranking Series in Budapest was a chance to assess his preparation for the Olympics. Things were going on track, but Higuchi caught a fever on the day he was to wrestle.

Struggling with a temperature of 38.2 degrees on a hot day in Budapest, Higuchi struggled on the mat but manager to win the gold medal at 57kg in Budapest with some top-class wrestling. He defeated AMAN (IND) 11-1 in the final.

The run to the gold medal also included an incredible comeback in the semifinal against Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE). The Azerbaijan wrestler scored a takedown and hit a high gut to lead 8-0. Higuchi somehow managed to stop the final turn and give himself a chance to stay in the bout.

Higuchi used a gut wrench of his own and scored 18 points to beat Rzazade 18-8 and enter the final. Rzazade later complained of a shoulder dislocation which may rule him out of the Paris Olympics in August as well.

With the win, Higuchi is now second in the rankings below Stevan MICIC (SRB). Aman, for his silver, jumped to the sixth spot.

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) defeated Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) in the group stages of the 65kg bracket. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Another Japanese wrestler who had to come back from an 8-0 deficit was Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) as he won the 65kg gold medal. The field at 65kg included Haji ALIYEV (AZE), world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and Austin GOMEZ (MEX) among others. But it was Kiyooka who came out on top in the round robin and then clinched the gold medal over Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI), 12-8.

Like Higuchi, Kiyooka also fell behind 8-0 against Ebrahimzadeh but stopped the final turn. Kiyooka then mounted the comeback and tired Ebrahimzadeh, winning the bout 12-8 in six minutes.

Mason PARRIS (USA)Mason PARRIS (USA) celebrates after pinning Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) in the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 125kg, world bronze medalist Mason PARRIS (USA) had a stunning campaign, winning the gold medal with ease. While a Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Parris rematch was expected, the Georgian got pinned in the semifinal by Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ). Parris pinned BAtirmurzaev in the final.

Petriashvili returned to win the bronze medal and keep his second spot in the rankings at 125kg that he would have lost to Parris if he had not finished on the podium.

df

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) df. AMAN (IND), 11-1

BRONZE: Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) df. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), via inj. def.

61kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Shahdad KHOSRAVI MARDAKHEH (IRI) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 8-0
BRONZE: Nahshon GARRETT (USA) df. Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO), 11-3

65kg
GOLD: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI), 12-8

BRONZE: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Austin Klee GOMEZ (MEX), 12-3

70kg
GOLD: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ) df. Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-3
BRONZE: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) df. Evan HENDERSON (USA), 14-4

79kg
GOLD: Otari BAGAURI (GEO) df. Adel PANAEIAN (IRI), 6-5

BRONZE: Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) df. Chems FETAIRIA (ALG), via inj. def.

97kg
GOLD: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) df. Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 4-2
BRONZE: Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR) df. Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), 4-3

125kg
GOLD: Mason PARRIS (USA) df. Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ), via fall

BRONZE: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY), 10-0
BRONZE: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Jonovan SMITH (PUR), 11-0