#Zagreb2018

Shilson Knocks Off Nazarova, Japan Wins Four Women’s Titles on Thursday at #Zagreb2018

By Taylor Miller

ZAGREB, Croatia – The first five Cadet World champions in women’s freestyle were crowned on Thursday night in Zagreb, Croatia.

Highlighting the night was 2017 Cadet World silver medalist Emily Shilson, who knocked off last year’s 38 kg World champion Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE).

Trailing 4-0, Shilson maneuvered her way on top and picked up six gut wrenches for a tech fall and the 2018 Cadet World title at 43 kg.

The rest of the night was dominated by Japan. The nation picked up the next four gold medals with repeat World title performances coming from 2017 World champs Honoka NAKAI (JPN) at 65 kg and Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) at 73 kg.

The closest bout of the night came at 65 kg, where Nakai, the 2018 Cadet Asian champion, picke up a first-period takedown, which was all that would be scored in her 2-0 win over Cadet Asian runner-up Xinru ZHOU (CHN) for a second-consecutive Cadet World title.

Asian champion Kagami wrapped up the night for Japan at 73 kg, where she scored five takedowns on two-time Cadet Asian medalist Qian JIANG (CHN) to claim an 11-0 tech fall for another World gold.

At 49 kg, Cadet Asian champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) won Japan’s first gold medal of the night with a first-period fall over Polina LUKINA (RUS).

Already up 7-0, Fujinami capitalized off an attempted throw from Lukina and pinned the Russian in 1:45.

In the 57 kg final, Cadet Asian champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) scored a fast takedown and four leg laces for a 10-0 technical fall over Anna SZEL (HUN) in the first 40 seconds.

The tournament continues tomorrow with women’s freestyle repechage and Greco-Roman preliminaries at 4:30 a.m. ET on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Women’s freestyle team scores going into final day (top 10)
1. Japan - 110
2. Russia - 70
3. Ukraine - 54
4. China - 50
5. United States - 48
6. Belarus - 45
7. India - 31
8. Hungary - 30
9. Azerbaijan - 20
10.
Mongolia - 20

Finals results
43 kg
GOLD - Emily SHILSON (USA)
SILVER - Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE)
BRONZE - Viktoriia ALEKSANDROVA (RUS)
BRONZE - Amina PONOMAROVA (UKR)

1st - Emily Shilson (USA) TF Shahana Nazarova (AZE), 14-4
3rd - Viktoriia Aleksandrova (RUS) fall Simran Simran (IND), 1:05
3rd - Amina Ponomarova (UKR) dec. Anna Ueno (JPN), 6-4

49 kg
GOLD - Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)
SILVER - Polina LUKINA (RUS)
BRONZE - Tiare IKEI (USA)
BRONZE - Natallia VARAKINA (BLR)

1st - Akari Fujinami (JPN) fall Polina Lukina (RUS), 1:45
3rd - Tiare Ikei (USA) fall Munkhgerel Munkhbat (MGL), 1:17
3rd - Natallia Varakina (BLR) dec. Lucia Yepez Guzman (ECU), 9-2

57 kg
GOLD - Nonoka OZAKI  (JPN)
SILVER - Anna Hella SZEL (HUN)
BRONZE - Aryna MARTYNAVA (BLR)
BRONZE - Irina RINGACI (MDA)

1st - Nonoka Ozaki (JPN) TF Anna Hella Szel (HUN), 10-0
3rd - Aryna Martynava (BLR) dec.
Anastasiia Sidelnikova (RUS), 6-4
3rd - Irina Ringaci (MDA) dec. Yaping Zhu (CHN), 11-3

65 kg
GOLD - Honoka NAKAI  (JPN)
SILVER - Xinru ZHOU (CHN)
BRONZE - Ekaterina GLUKHAREVA (RUS)
BRONZE - Sonam SONAM (IND)

1st - Honoka Nakai (JPN) dec. Xinru Zhou (CHN), 2-0
3rd - Ekaterina Glukhareva (RUS) dec. Noémi Szabados (HUN), 7-0
3rd - Sonam Sonam (IND) dec. Oksana Chudyk (UKR), 1-1

73 kg
GOLD - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
SILVER - Qian JIANG (CHN)
BRONZE - Elina PYSHKINA (UKR)
BRONZE - Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR)

1st - Yuka Kagami (JPN) TF Qian Jiang (CHN), 11-0
3rd - Elina Pyshkina (UKR) dec. Marion Bye (NOR), 4-4
3rd - Kseniya Dzibuk (BLR) dec. Valeriia Trifonova (RUS), 5-0

#WrestleAlexandria, #WrestleParis

Samoa, Australia, South Africa end Olympic drought with Paris spots in Alexandria

By Vinay Siwach

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 24) -- Seven nations shared the 12 Paris Olympics Freestyle quotas on the final day of the African & Oceania OG Qualifiers in Alexandria.

Hosts Egypt led the way with four quotas while Australia and Guinea Bissau won two each. Samoa, Algeria, South Africa and Nigeria won one each to complete the line-up.

Samoa qualified for the first time in Freestyle as Gaku AKAZAWA (SAM) dominated his bouts to win the quota. Paris will also mark the first Samoan wrestler at the Olympics since Sydney 2000. Akazawa, a former Japanese high school star who moved to Samoa in 2017, defeated Wotna NDOC (GBS) via fall in the first period of the 65kg semifinal.

Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS) also ended an eight-year wait for Australia as he qualified at 65kg after winning the other semifinal. He defeated Manaceu NGONDA (ANG) 10-0.

A little later, Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS) earned a Paris quota at 86kg with a thrilling 4-4 win over Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR) in the semifinals. 

Onovwiomogbowho scored a takedown, earned another point for Lawrence's passivity and added a stepout to build a 4-0 lead in the semifinal. Lawrence put all his energy into scoring a takedown in the second period but found it difficult. He ultimately hit a cut back which made Onovwiomogbohwo fall on his back, giving Lawrence four points.

Lawrence kept his 4-4 criteria lead for the final two minutes and earned a Paris 2024 quota.

Tokyo Olympian Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) joined him as the qualified wrestler for Paris as he defeated Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR) 7-0 and won the ticket.

South Africa will also be back in the Olympics after 16 years Nicholas de LANGE (RSA) qualified the country at 97kg after he defeated Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN)via fall. The former U20 world medalist convincingly won both bouts.

Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) was surprised by Wali KEBIR (ALG) who scored three points on Elders but the Egyptian never lost his cool and posted an easy 15-3 victory.

Egypt qualified three more weight classes, 57kg, 74kg and 125kg, with Amr REDA (EGY) leading from the front. The ever-consistent Reda took just 33 seconds after the first period to win the quota after beating Rayanne ESSAIDI (MAR), 11-0. His previous two wins of the day were via falls.

At 125kg, Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) survived a scare to beat Modou FAYE (SEN), 3-3, in the semifinals and qualify for the Games. He got a 1-0 lead after Faye was called passive but no additional points were scored in the first period.

Faye was put on the activity clock again in the second period this time he hit a single-leg attack to takedown. Abdelmottaleb was put on the activity clock late in the bout and failed to score, giving one more point to Faye who now led 3-1 with just over a minute left.

Abdelmottaleb scored a takedown using a go-behind to take a 3-3 criteria lead and defended it for the last 28 seconds to qualify for the Olympics.

Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) did not face any troubles as he won the 57kg place with an easy 8-0 win over KHALIL BARKOUTI (TUN) in the semifinal.

Two of the remaining three spots were captured by Guinea Bissau as Tokyo Olympian Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) won at 57kg, rolling to a 10-0 win over Suraj SINGH (NZL) while 74kg African champion Bacar NDUM (GBS) defeated Oyeinkeperemo BRAVEMAN (NGR), 10-2, in his semifinal.

The second 125kg quota was won by Ashton MUTUWA (NGR) who was involved in a high-scoring bout against Justin VAN ZYL (RSA) before winning via fall.

sdfgd

RESULTS

57kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) df. Suraj SINGH (NZL), 10-0
SF 2: Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) df. KHALIL BARKOUTI (TUN), 8-0

65kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Georgii OKOROKOVV (AUS) df. Manaceu NGONDA (ANG), 10-0
SF 2: Gaku AKAZAWA (SAM) df. Wotna NDOC (GBS), via fall (4-2)

74kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Amr REDA (EGY) df. Rayanne ESSAIDI (MAR), 11-0
SF 2: Bacar NDUM (GBS) df. Oyeinkeperemo BRAVEMAN (NGR), 10-2

86kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) df. Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR), 7-0
SF 2: Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS) df. Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR), 4-4

97kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) df. Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN), via fall (5-2)
SF 2: Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) df. Wali KEBIR (ALG), 15-3

125kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) df. Modou FAYE (SEN), 3-3
SF 2: Ashton MUTUWA (NGR) df. Justin VAN ZYL (RSA), via fall (16-8)