#WrestleSofia

Russia Strikes Gold to Defeat Iran in Freestyle Team Race at #WrestleSofia

Wednesday, July 31, 2019 - 20:22 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Erfan Mohammad ELAHI (IRI) and Arip ABDULAEV (RUS).

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Russia produced three World champions on the final night of men’s freestyle action to edge out Iran by two points in the team race on Wednesday at the 2019 Cadet World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Winning gold medals at 51 kg, 60 kg and 71 kg, Russia collected 168 team points, while Iran went 1-2 in its gold-medal matches to finish with 166 points.

The first champion of the night for Russia was two-time U15 European champion Mukhamed KHANIEV (RUS). Wrestling at 51 kg, Khaniev defeated Zhakhongir AKHMAJANOV (KAZ), 10-5.

Following up Khaniev’s performance was Arip ABDULAEV (RUS), who is also a two-time U15 European champion.

Abdulaev won a crucial head-to-head over Iran’s Erfan Mohammad ELAHI (IRI), 9-6, in the 60 kg finals. The win was critical in helping push Russia past Iran in the team race.

Photo of Marc-Anthony MCGOWAN (USA).       

At the very next weight, 71 kg, Soslan TIGIEV (RUS) wrapped up his first World tournament with a Cadet World championship, defeating 2017 U15 Balkan champion Krisztian BIRO (ROU) in a 13-11 shootout.

Iran did win a gold medal at 92 kg as 2019 Cadet Asian champion Soheyl YOUSEFI SANGANI (IRI) outlasted Zagid KARIMOV (RUS), 3-1.

In the 43 kg gold-medal bout, 2018 Cadet Pan American freestyle and Greco-Roman champion Marc-Anthony MCGOWAN (USA) won the first medal of the tournament for the United States with a late takedown over 2019 Cadet Asian champion Ali Mehran ARAB FIROUZJAEI (IRI) for a 3-1 win.

Rounding out the top-five in the team race was India with 106 points, Japan with 83 points and USA with 78 points.

Finals results
45 kg
GOLD - Marc-Anthony MCGOWAN (USA) dec. Ali Mehran ARAB FIROUZJAEI (IRI), 3-1
BRONZE - Tolga OZBEK (TUR) dec. Suraj Sanju ANNIKERI (IND), 8-6
BRONZE - Murad HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) dec. Vladislav NIKANDROV (KGZ), 10-8

51 kg
GOLD - Mukhamed KHANIEV (RUS) dec. Zhakhongir AKHMAJANOV (KAZ), 10-5
BRONZE - Ato MARUYAMA (JPN) dec. Sunil SUNIL (IND), 3-2
BRONZE - Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR) dec. Ali Abolfazl GHOLI ZADEGAN KOLOUKHI (IRI), 5-3

60 kg
GOLD - Arip ABDULAEV (RUS) dec. Erfan Mohammad ELAHI (IRI), 9-6
BRONZE - Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Farhad KARIMLI (AZE), injury default
BRONZE - Viktor TASHOHLO (UKR) dec. Daviti ABDALADZE (GEO), 5-2

71 kg
GOLD - Soslan TIGIEV (RUS) dec. Krisztian BIRO (ROU), 13-11
BRONZE - Abolfazl VALIPOURKHATIR (IRI) dec. Kevin MAKOTA STROEM (SWE), 7-2
BRONZE - Alexander Joseph FACUNDO (USA) dec. Davit KUTCHUASHVILI (GEO), 5-2

92 kg
GOLD - Soheyl YOUSEFI SANGANI (IRI) dec. Zagid KARIMOV (RUS), 3-1
BRONZE - Bekzat TAZHI (KAZ) df. Gkivi BLIATZE (GRE), fall
BRONZE - Lyova GEVORGYAN (ARM) dec. Monu DAHIYA (IND), 7-4

Team standings
1. Russia – 168
2. Iran – 166
3. India – 106
4. Japan – 83
5. USA – 78
6. Uzbekistan – 68
7. Azerbaijan – 66
8. Ukraine – 59
9. Turkey – 58
10. Georgia – 54

 

#WrestleBratislava

Adar, the woman of firsts in Turkiye wrestling, retires

Friday, April 11, 2025 - 09:17 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 10) -- Turkiye's first-ever Olympic medalist, first-ever world and European champion in Women's Wrestling, Yasemin ADAR (TUR)retired Thursday after 16 years of international wrestling.

A winner of seven gold medals at the European Championships did not have a fairytale ending as she lost the 76kg final against Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) on Thursday at the European Championships in Bratislava.

Despite the loss, Adar undoubtedly retires the trailblazer in Women's Wrestling for Turkiye. In 2016, she won her first European title to create history before adding the world title in 2017. In 2021, she became the first Turkish wrestler in Women's Wrestling to win the bronze medal when she pinned Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) to claim the medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

"I had an incredible career in the 76kg category," Adar said after the European Championships final. "I had many successes and many firsts. I became a two-time world champion. I was at the Olympics with bronze medal. So I have an incredibly beautiful career and I am proud of myself. I can't believe it. It's very difficult to describe. I am very emotional today."

Adar, who had tears in her eyes while was taking off her shoes on the mat to mark her retirement, is aptly called the "woman of firsts" in Türkiye. With her teammates and family in the stands cheering for her, the final match became even more emotional for Adar.

"I finished my wrestling and believe me it was not easy at all," she said. "I even rehearsed it many times before coming here. I said this is where I will finish my career. In my speech, I always wanted to be considered as the legend of 76kilograms. This match was more nervous for me. I had planned it beforehand, I knew that this match was the last match. Even though I couldn't earn the gold medal, I ended it with silver. But believe me, there are really great successes in my career."

On how she came to the decision of retiring at the European Championships, Adar was clear that she wanted to pass on the baton to the younger generation.

"Even if you don't want it, wrestling starts to leave you," she said. "Although there are those who say I am very good, I try to compare it to a situation like this. I am 34-years-old with an 18-year-old athlete and unfortunately we cannot have the same performance."