Ivan Yarygin

Sadulaev and Snyder Win Second Yarygin Titles

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KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 28) -- Russian wrestlers capped off the third day of action at the 29th Annual Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix with three additional gold medals, bringing their tournament total to eight. The only two non-Russian wrestlers to capture gold medals were David TAYLOR (USA) and Kyle SNYDER (USA).

In this evenings first men’s freestyle bout, Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) took the 1-0 lead after Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) failed to score while on the shot clock. Tsabolov’s extended his lead to 3-0 with timely takedown that came off a single-leg in the second period, ultimately giving him the 74kg gold medal.

At 86kg, David TAYLOR (USA), 2017 Grand Prix of Paris champion wrapped up his day with back-to-back falls, winning his first Ivan Yarygin title.

Taylor evened the score up after Fatih ERDIN’s (TUR) two-point head- pinch. Taylor picked up his second takedown, taking the 4-2 lead half way through the first period. Taylor then caught Erdin on his back and secured the first period fall.

When asked about winning the Yarygin, Taylor said “Just to hear the national anthem almost brought tears to my eyes because I’ve envisioned hearing that so many times.”

In the 92kg gold medal bout, Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) used three takedowns to defeat Anzor URISHEV (RUS), 6-0. Sadulaev finished the day outscoring his opponents 26-0.This was Sadulaev’s first tournament win since dropping the gold medal bout at the 2017 World Championships. 

At 97kg, Kyle SNYDER (USA) added back-to-back Yargin titles to his resume, becoming the first American to ever do so. 

Snyder, the two-time world champion trailed in the first after being put on the shot clock. He went on to score four answered points, defeating Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 4-1.

In women’s wrestling, China capped off their impressive tournament by going five for seven in gold medal bouts, including going 2-0 on the third and final day.

Their sixth finalist, Juan WANG (CHN) used a four-point bodylock to defeat Masako FURUICHI (JPN) 4-1 in the 72kg final. WANG ‘s victory gave China their fourth gold medal of the tournament. China's fifth gold medal came when Qian ZHOU (CHN) was handed the 76kg  gold medal after Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) injury defaulted.

FINALS RESULTS
74kg
GOLD - Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS), 4-1

BRONZE – Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM) df. Mandakhnaran GANZORIG (MGL), 9-0
BRONZE - Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS) df. Muhammet DEMIR (TUR), 10-0

86kg
GOLD -  David TAYLOR III (USA) df. Fatih ERDIN (TUR), 6-2

BRONZE –  Vladislav VALIEV (RUS) df. Zaur BERADZE (GEO),2-0
BRONZE - Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) df. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB),2-1

92kg
GOLD -  Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Anzor URISHEV (RUS), 6-0

BRONZE –  Yury BELONOVSKIY (RUS) df. Serda BOKE (TUR), 9-3
BRONZE -  Turtogtokh LUVSANDORJ (MGL) df. Nicholas HEFLIN (USA), 4-2

97kg
GOLD - Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 4-1

BRONZE –  Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) df. Yunus DEDE (TUR), 11-0
BRONZE - Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) df. Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL), 10-0

Women’s wrestling
72kg

GOLD -  Juan WANG (CHN) df. Masako FURUICHI (JPN), 4-1

BRONZE – Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) df. Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA MOROZOVA (RUS), 9-0
BRONZE - Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Alena PEREPELKINA (RUS), 8-5

76kg
GOLD - Qian ZHOU (CHN) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS),Inj def

BRONZE – Paliha PALIHA (CHN) df. Viktoriia FROLOVA (RUS), 10-0
BRONZE - Epp MAE (EST) df. Anzhela KATAEVA (RUS), 4-0

#WrestlePontevedra

U20 Worlds: Iran shines, U.S. surprises in Greco-Roman on Day 1

By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (September 2) -- Seven years after it crowned a world champion at U20 level, the United States will have a chance to end that drought on Tuesday.

Two wrestlers, Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) and Otto BLACK (USA), reached the finals of 55kg and 63kg in Greco-Roman at the U20 World Championships which kicked off in Pontevedra, Spain on Monday. Kamal BEY (USA) won the gold medal in 2017 at 74kg and since then the U.S. has been looking for a world champion. It was also the last time the U.S. had two wrestlers in the final.

Cortez had three back-and-forth bouts in the morning session but was at his best in the semifinal against Aibek AITBEKOV (KAZ). He took the par terre position in the first period and finished the bout 9-0 after getting four turns over Aitbekov using the trap-arm.

In his earlier bouts, Cortez pulled off a 9-8 win against Anil MOR (IND), and defeated Peter TOTOK (HUN) 7-4 before going past Maxim SARMANOV (MDA) 9-6.

He will wrestle former U17 world champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) for the gold medal. Ahmadi Vafa overcame Alibek AMIROV (AIN), 6-3, in the other semifinal at 55kg.

Black took out Yurik HOVEYAN (ARM) in the semifinal at 63kg after battling hard to keep his 3-2 lead. Hoveyan tried jumping over Black to get a four-pointer but Black defended it and slammed Hoveyan on the mat for four points to win 7-2.

For the gold, he will face Erzu ZAKRIEV (AIN) who had to win the semifinal twice. Zakriev pinned Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) very early in the semifinal but Georgia challenged and won as Khozrevanidze's head was outside the zone when Zakriev was trying to pin him.

Khozrevanidze used his second life in the bout to perform a headlock and got four points. However, Zakriev avoided any fall position and reversed the position and turned Khozrevanidze three times. After a challenge and consultations from referees, Zakriev led the bout 11-4.

He scored four points using a big throw and a lost challenge from Georgia gave him another point as he won 16-4.

Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI)Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) will wrestle for the 77kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran had two other finalists, taking the total to three. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) scored a controlled 3-1 win over Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO) at 77kg and will take on Magomed IARBILOV (AIN) for the gold. Iarbilov defeated Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 6-4, in the other semifinal.

At 130kg, Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI) joined a long list of top Iranian super heavyweights in Greco-Roman as he reached the final after beating Aramayis HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) 2-1 in the semifinal. He scored a takedown against Harutyunyan's point for forced par terre.

For the gold medal, he will face former U17 world champion Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) who won 3-1 against Aleksandr MELEKHOV (AIN) in the other semifinal.

Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ)Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) defeated returning champion Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) at 87kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Kyrgyzstan, a country that has grown leaps and bounds in wrestling over the last decade, sent one wrestler in the final. Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) had an epic run at 87kg to reach the final. In the semifinal, he took less than two minutes to beat Patrik GORDAN (ROU) 8-0.

Joju SAMADOV (AZE) will look to stop him from becoming Kyrgyzstan's first U20 world champion in Greco-Roman since 2018. Samadov had a close semifinal against Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ) but managed to win 4-2.

df

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) vs. Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI)

SF 1: Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) df. Aibek AITBEKOV (KAZ), 9-0
SF 2: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Alibek AMIROV (AIN), 6-3 

63kg
GOLD: Erzu ZAKRIEV (AIN) vs. Otto BLACK (USA)

SF 1: Erzu ZAKRIEV (AIN) df. Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO), 16-4
SF 2: Otto BLACK (USA) df. Yurik HOVEYAN (ARM), 7-2

77kg
GOLD: Magomed IARBILOV (AIN) vs. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI)

SF 1: Magomed IARBILOV (AIN) df. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 6-4
SF 2: Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) df. Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO), 3-1

87kg
GOLD: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) vs. Joju SAMADOV (AZE)

SF 1: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Patrik GORDAN (ROU), 8-0
SF 2: Joju SAMADOV (AZE) df. Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ), 4-2

130kg
GOLD: Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) vs. Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI)

SF 1: Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) df. Aleksandr MELEKHOV (AIN), 3-1
SF 2: Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI) df. Aramayis HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), 2-1