#Yariguin2019

Russia Captures Five of Seven Golds on Day Two of Ivan Yariguin

Friday, January 25, 2019 - 15:09 By Eric Olanowski

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KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 25) - Russia, riding on the coattail of their two-time world champion Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV, claimed a combined five gold medals across freestyle and women’s wrestling on the second day of competition at the 30th Annual Ivan Yariguin. 

Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov stuck two-time world bronze medalist GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) in the 70kg finals to claim his first Yariguin title. Gazimagomedov scored three takedowns and then caught Ganzorig on his back during a failed Mongolian roll-through attempt, which was meant to stop the Russian from grabbing his fourth takedown. Either way, Gazimagomedov picked up the fall after leading 10-0. 

Muslim SADULAEV (RUS) scored four points on a first-period feet-to-back double leg and outlasted Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 4-4 in the 57kg gold medal bout. 

Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) gave the Russian Federation their third freestyle gold medal of the day when he made easy work of Romania’s Nikolai OKHLOPKOV, shutting him out, 7-0, in the 61kg gold-medal bout. 

Viktoriia VAULINA and Mariia KUZNETSOVA stopped Japan from sweeping the Day 2 women’s wrestling finals and provided the host nation with their final two gold medals of the day. 

Vaulina stuck Nao TANIYAMA (JPN) in the 55kg finals after commanding a lead 7-0 lead, and Kuznetsova rode a nine-point first period to grab the 9-4 win over Misuzu ENOMOTO (JPN) in the 65kg gold-medal bout. 

Kika KAGATA and Yuzuka INAGAKI handed Japan the pair of remaining women’s wrestling gold medals. 

Kagata controlled the 50kg gold-medal bout from the first whistle and capped off her Yariguin rookie trip with a 10-0 victory over Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS). 

The game plan for Kagata, the four-time age-level world champion, was apparent and worked like a charm. The Japanese plan was to overemphasize the fake to the left leg and come back to the right with a high crotch. Kagata scored a pair of early first period takedowns with her heavy fake, then tacked on an exposure and commanded for the 6-0 lead before ending the match with a defensive stop that transitioned to a leg lace, giving her the 10-0 technical superiority victory. 

Yuzuka Inagaki survived a scare and narrowly edged Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 4-3, to win the 59kg gold medal. 

Inagaki, the 2017 cadet world champion, scored the first takedown of the match, using an overhook to a high crotch and ended the opening period with a two-point advantage. 

In the final period, Inagaki went back to what worked in the first period and scored her second takedown of the match with an overhook to a high crotch,  extending her lead to 4-0. 

Things got interesting from this point of the match. 

A Lipatova exposure and reversal cut Inagaki’s lead to 4-3. With under 10 seconds remaining in the match, the Russian went for and was awarded the match-winning takedown as the clock hit zero. Lipatova gained the 5-4 advantage as time expired, but a successful Japanese challenge that lasted nearly four minutes reversed the call and helped Inagaki narrowly escape with the 4-3 victory. 

Day three action from the Ivan Yariguin resumes tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. local time. 

RESULTS

Freestyle 

57kg 
GOLD - Muslim SADULAEV (RUS) vs. Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
BRONZE - NARMANDAKH Lkhangarmaa (MGL) df. ZOU Wanhao (CHN),  4-4 
BRONZE -  Thomas Patrick GILMAN (USA) df. Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL), 14-8

61kg 
GOLD - Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) df. Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU), 7-0 
BRONZE - Ramazan FERZALIEV (RUS) df. Otgonbaatar GANSUKH (MGL), 10-0 
BRONZE - Eduard GRIGORIEV (RUS) df. TSERMAA Chinzorig (MGL), 4-0 

70kg
GOLD - Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Mandakhnaran GANZORIG (MGL), via fall
BRONZE -  ENKHBAYAR Byambadorj (MGL) df. Askhat SLYAMKHANOV (KAZ), 8-0 
BRONZE - Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) df. David BAEV (RUS), 8-4

Women’s Wrestling 

50kg 
GOLD - Kika KAGATA (JPN) df. Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS), 10-0 
BRONZE - Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB) df. Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL), 3-2
BRONZE - Victoria Lacey ANTHONY (USA) df. Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS), 6-1

55kg
GOLD - Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS) df. Nao TANIYAMA (JPN), via fall. 
BRONZE - BAT OCHIR Bolortuya (MGL) df. Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS), 7-5

59kg 
GOLD - Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 4-3 
BRONZE - ALTANTSETSEG Battsetseg (MGL) df. Zelfira SADRADDINOVA  (RUS), 7-4 

65kg
GOLD - Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) df.  Misuzu ENOMOTO (JPN), 9-4 
BRONZE - Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) df. SALIKHOVA Dinara (RUS), via fall 
BRONZE - Yulia PRONTSEVITCH (RUS) df. Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA), 4-1 

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Wrestling 2025 Season Preview

Monday, February 3, 2025 - 08:02 By Vinay Siwach

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​CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 3) -- As the memories of the 2024 Paris Olympics and the World Championships in Tirana linger in the minds of wrestling fans, the 2025 season is already here. And it brings new hopes and a few challenges.

With the spotlight turning toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, this season promises to be a crucial stepping stone in winning a medal in LA 2028.

DOWNLOAD THE 2025 SEASON PREVIEW HERE

The four Ranking Series events in 2025 and the continental championships will serve as vital platforms for athletes preparing for the World Championships in September.

Freestyle (Click here to read full Freestyle preview)

At the 2024 World Championships, Masanosuke ONO (JPN) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) stood out. Sadulaev will return to 97kg to reclaim the gold medal he lost to Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) in 2023. The 97kg weight class is highly competitive, with Tazhudinov’s Olympic win further elevating the stakes.

Kyle SNYDER (USA), once a dominant force at 97kg, now faces a crucial year after missing the Paris Olympics podium. In the 86kg category, Iran's Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), who narrowly missed a second Olympic gold due to injury, will decide which weight class is best for him in 2025.

The season kicks off in Zagreb in February and moves to Tirana for the first two Ranking Series. The continental championships will follow and Iran’s dominance in Asia is likely to continue with top wrestlers like Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) and Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) expected to compete in the Asian Championships in Amman.

The European Championships will be key to gauging team strengths, with Azerbaijan looking to build on a successful 2024. The form of neutral athletes will also be under the scanner in Slovakia. The Pan-American Championships in May will see the United States dominate.

The World Championships will feature fierce competition, with new faces emerging in the U.S. and Iran, and Japan announcing themselves in style at the Olympics. Add to the mix the neutral athletes and we have a blockbuster.

Japan will be challenged at the World Championships by Iran, U.S., AINs and dark horses like Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)Iran won two gold medals at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman (Click here to reach full Greco-Roman preview)

Can Iran be topped as the best Greco-Roman country? This will be the big question of 2025 as Iran, which had an outstanding Olympics and age-group World Championships, tries to bring more talented wrestlers in its line-up.

Iran excels in the heavier weight classes, with champions like Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) at 82kg, Alireza MOHAMMADI (IRI) at 87kg, Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) at 97kg, and Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) at 130kg. It will try new faces in the lower weight classes with Olympic champion Saied ESMAEILI (IRI) staying at 67kg.

Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN), blue, and Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) have dominated the 60kg weight class in recent past. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan and Kyrgyzstan had successful Olympics. However, the latter is still searching for a gold medal. The rivalry between Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and and Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) is likely to continue in 2025 along with Nao KUSAKA (JPN) and Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) at 77kg.

Europe will have more competition with Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Armenia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary and the neutral athletes in contention. The 77kg and 87kg weight class will be the most contested and it will be interesting to see who will be the new stars of 97kg and 130kg.

Greco-Roman is unpredictable at the World Championships. There is not one weight class that his a favorite. However, one can expect Azerbaijan, Iran, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cuba, Armenia, Hungary and a few AINs to be on the podium.

JapanJapan won eight gold medals at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Women's Wrestling (Click here to read full Women's Wrestling preview)

Japan remains the dominant force in women’s wrestling, securing four of the six gold medals at the Paris Olympics, including their first-ever win at 76kg.

The United States, which claimed the remaining two golds, stands as Japan’s primary challenger. Amit ELOR (USA) and Kennedy BLADES (USA) will lead the U.S. charge in the build-up to the 2028 LA Games, with both nations having strong domestic qualifying systems.

China has had success at the Olympics and World Championships but struggles to challenge Japan at the senior level. In Asia, China faces increasing competition from India and Kyrgyzstan.

IndiaIndia has shown rapid rise in Women's Wrestling. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

India's growing success in age-group wrestling shows promise, but its performance at the senior level, especially at the World Championships, remains inconsistent. Wrestlers like ANTIM (IND), ANSHU (IND), NISHA (IND), and REETIKA (IND) have potential but must maintain consistency.

Kyrgyzstan, with two Olympic medalists in Paris, is aiming for gold next cycle. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) still has more to give, while Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) will lead the new generation.

European countries struggled in Paris, winning only four medals out 24, failing to secure medals in 50kg, 53kg, and 76kg.

One team that is gives hope is Ukraine, led by with Paris medalist Iryna KOLIDENKO (UKR), and boosted by return of Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) and rise of Iryna BONDAR (UKR).

Despite emerging challenges, Japan continues to be the team to beat in women’s wrestling.