Shakalova returns as double champion, Toth shines at Grappling Worlds

Monday, October 17, 2022 - 18:04 By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 17) -- The warm-up hall at Municipal Pavillion in Pontevedra is an emotional setting. At the end of the Grappling World Championships by United World Wrestling, grapplers from around the world are bidding goodbyes to their friends, rivals and coaches.

It's a room full of athletes that are skilled in various forms of combat sports coming together to grapple on the mat and be the world champion. A few are mixed martial arts fights, some are skilled at various forms of grappling and a few are equally good at both.

Among them is Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) who is being congratulated by almost everyone around. She also gets some requests for selfies.

Shakalova won the gold medals in 71kg at both Grappling and Grappling Gi, a version in which athletes wrestle wearing a loose uniform used in almost all combat sports with a belt around the waist.

It was not the first time that Shakalova won two gold medals in the same tournament. She achieved the same feat in 2017 in Baku at the same tournament. Shakalova was extremely pleased that she was able to repeat after a gap of five years.

In the 71kg final, she got a 6-3 win over Giulia RODIO (ITA) with two setpouts before Radio pulled the guard to be penalized two more points. In the second period, Shakalova scored a takedown but also gave up two points for stalling while being on top. But with her experience, she secured the win.

For the first time, Shakalova was happy with off the mat facilities.

"I really liked the tournament," Shakalova said. "I want to say that I've been grappling for quite a long time, but it's the first time when I saw such a great organization of the World Championships. The food was great, usually, we have just bread, some unnecessary carbohydrates, but this time the meals were really good."

The 25-year-old has been in wrestling for 13 years now. But in the recent past, she has transformed herself into a mixed martial arts athlete with a 7-1 record. But even then, she has never stopped grappling since it helps her outperform her rivals.

"I had been grappling for about six years and then I took up MMA," she said. "Though my priority is MMA, grappling is just a hobby but I can say that grappling is an ideal kind of wrestling for MMA."

And with that in mind, she aims for the big league. "My main goal is to be signed for a good MMA promotion, this will help to promote grappling as there hasn't been a UWW grappler in that."

Although the two gold medals have brought smiles to Shakalova, she does not celebrate much as she remembers her hometown -- Kharkiv -- and the fact that she last saw her family six years ago.

Growing up in Donetsk, the Ukrainian never thought she will not have a home to go to, first in 2014 and then in 2022.

"My home in Kharkiv has been destroyed," she said. "I have been in Dusseldorf in Germany for more than a year now. My parents are stuck in Donetsk."

Shakalova fondly remembers the Pankaration tournament in Kharkiv last year which she won.

"I won it. In my home. I don't have a home now."

Alexa TOTH (HUN) won two gold medals in Pontevedra. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Ukraine finished second in both women's Grappling and Grappling Gi with Poland winning the Gi and Germany topping the Grappling style.

Among all the stars was a young one from Hungary. Alexa TOTH (HUN), 18, was the second double champion in Pontevedra as she thrashed opponents much senior to her.

"When I came, I did not expect to win it," Toth said. "As I am just 18 years old, winning the adult category is amazing."

Toth, a U17 world champion last year, has also won a silver and bronze at the European Championships as well.

"It's always great when I am on the mat. I like the idea when can be strong as a girl," she said.

Toth, who is still in school, has to find a balance between grappling and studies as she has to pass her exams later this year.

"It's really hard," Toth said. "The solution is to not sleep and do both. It happened to me as I came here instead of my exam. I have to write when I go back home. So it's going to be long nights."

RESULTS

Women's Grappling Gi

53kg
GOLD: Rui HIRABAYASHI (JPN) df. Kanae IKEDA (JPN), 3-0

BRONZE: Martyna IWAT (POL) df. Botakoz YELDOSKYZY (KAZ), 4-2
BRONZE: Naiomi MATTHEWS (ESP) df. Tetiana ASTAKHOVA (UKR), 7-2

58kg
GOLD: Alexa TOTH (HUN) df. Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA), 11-2

BRONZE: Adrianna WOJARSKA (POL) df. Minerva MONTERO (ESP), via submission
BRONZE: Lina GROSSET (FRA) df. Samantha JEAN FRANCOIS (FRA), 5-3

64kg
GOLD: Joanna ZABULEWICZ (POL) df. Antonia KANEW (GER), 6-5

BRONZE: Fariza KULYNTAY (KAZ) df. Anna CASTELLS (ESP), 5-1
BRONZE: Viktoriia SYNIAVINA (UKR) df. Aigul SAMAT (KAZ), 5-0

71kg
GOLD: Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) df. Giulia RODIO (ITA), 6-3

BRONZE: MERYXELL GONZALEZ (ESP) df. Aizhan ABDYKADYR (KAZ), via submission (2-2)
BRONZE: Emily GUENZLER (GER) df. Christina HANSEN (USA), via submission (0-6)

90kg
GOLD: Tara WHITE (USA) df. Assel KABDYGALYMOVA (KAZ), 10-1

BRONZE: Magdalena ZASZCZUDLOWICZ (POL) df. Aikorkem IKHSANOVA (KAZ), via walkover
BRONZE: Darina GOLDIN (GER) df. Teara LEWIS (USA), via walkover

Women's Grappling

53kg
GOLD: Kanae IKEDA (JPN) df. Rui HIRABAYASHI (JPN), 3-1

BRONZE: Carlota PRENDES (ESP) df. Alicja STYPULKOWSKA (POL), 4-3
BRONZE: Naiomi MATTHEWS (ESP) df. Martyna IWAT (POL), 2-0

58kg
Alexa TOTH (HUN) df. Melissa BENEDINI (ITA), 13-0

BRONZE: Laila OHLHOFF (GER) df. Jazmin ARJONA (ESP), via submission (7-3)
BRONZE: Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ) df. Adrianna WOJARSKA (POL), 4-1

64kg
GOLD: Anna CASTELLS (ESP) df. Antonia KANEW (GER), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Florika LUCHYCH (UKR) df. Kristi RUSSELL (USA), via walkover
BRONZE: Sandra PNIAK (POL) df. Olena HERMAN (UKR), 5-3

71kg
GOLD: Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) df. Alycia QUENEE (FRA), 11-5

BRONZE: Christina HANSEN (USA) df. Aizhan ABDYKADYR (KAZ), via submission (12-0)
BRONZE: Giulia RODIO (ITA) df. Giada CHIOSO (ITA), via submission

90kg
GOLD: Darina GOLDIN (GER) df. Olena SUSHKO (UKR), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Magdalena ZASZCZUDLOWICZ (POL) df. Aikorkem IKHSANOVA (KAZ), via submission (6-0)
BRONZE: Tara WHITE (USA) df. Teara LEWIS (USA), via walkover

#WrestleBaku

Vyshnyvetskyi, Hasanli avenge losses to rivals, reach U23 European finals

Monday, May 20, 2024 - 16:24 By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (May 20) -- The last time Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) faced Muhammet BAKIR (TUR), it ended in a bruising defeat that also deprived him of a world title. On Monday, he avenged that loss. And in doing so, the Greco-Roman wrestler has given himself a chance to defend his U23 European Championship crown in the 130kg category.

The first day of the continental age-group championship in Baku saw the third installment in a little more than a year of the riveting rivalry between two of the finest U23 wrestlers in this weight category.

When they met in the semifinals of the U23 European Championship in March 2023, Vyshnyvetskyi prevailed over his Turkish opponent in what turned out to be a lopsided bout. When the duo faced off later that year at the U23 World Championship, Bakir returned the favor in style, defeating his nemesis in the gold medal bout.

So, when the draws were out for the Greco-Roman bouts, it was hardly a surprise that the re-match between Vyshnyvetskyi and Bakir was one of the most anticipated matches of the day. And it lived up to the hype, although not in a way Bakir would have liked.

Vyshnyvetskyi beat his Turkish opponent 9-1 to advance to the final. Bakir had his chance when he got the par terre advantage in the first period but Vyshnyvetskyi stood up. Bakir was trying to lock his arms around the Ukrainian when Vyshnyvetskyi hit a four-pointer grabbing one of Bakir's arms. Turkiye challenged but to no avail, adding one more point to Vyshnyvetskyi's score for the lost challenge.

Vyshnyvetskyi used another four-pointer when the two were in a bear-hug position to finish the bout 9-1 in two minutes and 13 seconds.

It was a day when the Ukrainian wrestler hardly had to break a sweat. He began with a 2-1 win over Marcel ALBINI (CZE) in the qualification round, then pinned Dominik KRAWCZYK (POL) after leading 12-1 in the quarterfinals before he got the job done against Bakir in the last-four round.

Vyshnyvetskyi will take on Koppany LASZLO (HUN) in the final. The 18-year-old from Hungary got the better of Dmitrii BABORYKO (AIN) to reach Tuesday's gold medal match.

Khasay HASANLI (AZE) tries to score on Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) in the 77kg semifinal at the U23 European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

This wasn't the only bout on Monday that had a gripping backstory and ended with one of the wrestlers getting his revenge.

In the 77kg weight class, Khasay HASANLI (AZE) stunned the reigning world and European U23 champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) 7-0 to set up a final encounter with Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR).

Like Vyshnyvetskyi and Bakir, this was part three of the rivalry between Hasanli and Gutu. In fact, it was a rivalry only on paper as the Moldovan wrestler had defeated his Azerbaijani opponent twice. On both those occasions, it was in the finals: in the U23 European Championships last year, Gutu won 6-3 and at the U23 Worlds later, he won the gold with a 3-1 win.

Competing in front of his home crowd, the 22-year-old didn't concede a single point as he turned the tables in style. In the semifinal against Gutu, Hasanli got the par terre position and scored two points for a correct throw. Gutu was docked two caution points for committing a defensive foul and was put in par terre. Hasanli did not make any big moves but Gutu was cautioned again for a leg foul, ending the bout due to his two cautions.

Hasanli wasn't the only one with a chance to win a gold medal in front of his own supporters. In the 63kg category, Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) beat Abere FETENE (ISR) 5-3 to give himself a fighting chance of winning a title, when he faces off against the U23 World and European Championships bronze medallist Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA).

Babashov, a 2022 senior European Championship silver medallist, began with a convincing 4-1 win over Mairbek SALIMOV (POL) and followed it up with another comfortable victory, this time over Talibsho KHAIBARAU (AIN).

The march to the final marks an improvement for Babashov, who made exits in the round of 16 at the U23 European and World Championships in 2023. However, in Eriomenco, he faces a formidable opponent, who gave up just two points en route to the final.

Meanwhile, in the 55 kg category, Adam ULBASHEV (AIN) upset defending champion Denis MIHAI (ROU) 3-2 in a close quarterfinal bout. However, he later lost 6-5 to Emre MUTLU (TUR) in the semifinals in an equally tough encounter.

Mutlu, the European Championship gold medallist in 2022, will wrestle Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO) for the gold medal on Tuesday. Tokhadze beat Ivan STEFANSKYI (UKR) 13-4 in his first bout and followed it up with a commanding 8-0 win over Rashad MAMMADOV (AIN).

In the 87kg class, Aues GONIBOV (AIN) will take on Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) in the final. Gonibov did not concede a single point on his way to the gold medal bout. He started with a 9-0 win over Nikolaos IOSIFIDIS (GRE) and then defeated former U23 world champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) 3-0 in the quarterfinals. In the semis, he got the better of Samet YALDIRAN (TUR) 2-0.

Bolkvadze's road to the final was a little more complicated, as he had to overcome stiff competition posed by Ilya MIALESHCHYK (AIN) before beating him 8-4 and sealing his spot in the title round.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Emre MUTLU (TUR) vs. Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO) df. Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE), 8-0
SF 2: Emre MUTLU (TUR) df. Adam ULBASHEV (AIN), 6-5

63kg
GOLD: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) vs. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA)

SF 1: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Aleksandr ANDREEV (AIN), via fall (2-2
SF 2: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) df. Abere FETENE (ISR), 5-3

77kg
GOLD: Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) vs. Khasay HASANLI (AZE)

SF 1: Khasay HASANLI (AZE) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), via cautions (7-0)
SF 2: Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) df. Attila TOESMAGI (HUN), 5-2

87kg
GOLD: Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) vs. Aues GONIBOV (AIN)

SF 1: Aues GONIBOV (AIN) df. Samet YALDIRAN (TUR), 2-0
SF 2: Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Ilya MIALESHCHYK (AIN), 8-4

130kg
GOLD: Koppany LASZLO (HUN) vs. Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)

SF 1: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Muhammet BAKIR (TUR), 9-1
SF 2: Koppany LASZLO (HUN) df. Dmitrii BABORYKO (AIN), 1-1

Shakalova returns as double champion, Toth shines at Grappling Worlds

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Vyshnyvetskyi, Hasanli avenge losses to rivals, reach U23 European finals