Soryan, Greco-Roman, World Championships, Gaber

Soryan Eyes Sixth Title, Gaber Readies Run to Rio (Live Updates)

Sunday, September 14, 2014 - 04:39 By William May

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TASHKENT (September 14) – London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist Hamid SORYAN (IRI) seeks his sixth world title and Athens 2004 champion Karam GABER (EGY) prepares a run for Rio 2016 on Sunday, the final day of the wrestling world championships in Tashkent.

Soryan, however, could be looking at a challenge from Asia champion and local favorite Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) in the semifinals at the Gymnastics Palace, and then, in the 59kg final, from 2013 world champion Ivo ANGELOV (BUL).

For his part, even before reaching the semifinals, Angelov will likely have to get by the winner of the match-up between Olympic bronze medalists Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) or Roman AMOYAN (ARM).

The 35-year-old Gaber, meanwhile, wrestling in his first competition since winning a silver medal in London, will be tested early and, if he navigates the bracket successfully, then face world silver medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) in the 98kg championship final.

Aleksanyan, who narrowly missed the title last year in Budapest, is on a mission to win it all this year and follow Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) to the top of the medals podium in Tashkent. Julfalakyan won the world title at 75kg on Friday.

Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), runner-up to Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) at the European championships and Golden Grand Prix Final, will try to capitalize on the Hungarian’s move to 66kg and close out the year with the world title at 71kg.

MAT A: http://new.livestream.com/unitedworldwrestling/events/3369840

MAT B: http://new.livestream.com/unitedworldwrestling/events/3369848

MAT C: http://new.livestream.com/unitedworldwrestling/events/3369851

Greco-Roman

59kg (36 entries)

Soryan begins his quest for a sixth world title near the bottom of the 36-wrestler bracket. A bump in the road might be European runner-up Victor CIOBANU (MDA), his likely opponent in the quarterfinals.

Asia champion Tasmuradov will have the backing of a boisterous crowd as he opens against Edward BARSEGIAN (POL) and Kristijan FRIS (SEB) on his way to a semifinal berth opposite Soryan.

Angelov starts at the bottom of the upper half of the bracket and in the quarterfinals could meet the winner of the Amoyan-Semenov match-up in the first round.

Peter MODOS (HUN), a 2013 bronze medalist in Budapest, has had a quiet year recuperating from a knee injury suffered in March, but could still navigate to the fourth semifinal berth.

71kg (30 entries)

Chunayev would seem to be the class of this non-Olympic weight category, but will be tested early at the bottom of the bracket by Justin LESTER (USA) in the round of 16 and European bronze medalist Yunus OZEL (TUR) in the quarterfinals.

Varsham BORANYAN (ARM), winner at the German Grand Prix in June, could emerge a challenger to Chunayev from the quarter above.

At the top of the bracket, Poddubny tournament winner Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) and and Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) could duel for the uppermost semifinal berth, while Aleksandar DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) and Pytlasinski tourney runner-up Mathia MAASCH (GER) battle for the berth opposite.

98kg (30 entries)

European champion Aleksanyan begins the upper half of the bracket and is looking at a potential meeting in the quarterfinals with Aleksander HRABOVIK (BLR), a bronze medalist at the German Grand Prix.

London 2012 gold medalist Ghasem REZAIE (IRI), 2013 junior world champion Musa EVLOEV (RUS) and European bronze medalist Marthin NIELSEN (NOR) make for a crowded top quarter of the bracket in a battle to face Aleksanyan in the semifinals.

At the very bottom of the bracket, Gaber appears ready to make a run for Rio, but first will to battle through a swarm of tough competitors, including European runner-up Cenk ILDEM (TUR).

The final semifinal berth may well go to the Pytlasinski bronze medal winner Miloslav METODIEV (BUL) or Alin ALEX-CIURARIU (ROU), a bronze medalist at the world student championships in July

59kg

GOLD: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) v. Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS)
BRONZE: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) v. Ismael BORRERO (CUB)
BRONZE: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) v. Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR)

Semifinal: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB), 2-1  
Semifinal: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) by TF, 9-1 

Repechage: Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) df. Jung-Baik LEE (KOR), 1-0  
Repechage: Ismael BORRERO (CUB) df. Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY), 13-9  
Repechage: Jung-Baik LEE (KOR) df. Roman AMOYAN (ARM), 4-2  
Repechage: Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY) df. Alex Iordache ANECHITEI (ROU) by TF, 9-0

Quarterfinal: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE), 3-0  
Quarterfinal: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Lumin WANG (CHN) by TF, 9-0  
Quarterfinal: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR), 5-0  
Quarterfinal: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) df. Kazuma KURAMOTO (JPN) by TF, 10-0

1/8: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Ismael BORRERO (CUB), 5-0  
1/8: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Tonimir SOKOL (CRO) by TF, 9-0  
1/8: Kazuma KURAMOTO (JPN) df. Andres MONTANO (ECU), 2-2  
1/8: Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Deniz MENEKSE (GER), 6-3  
1/8: Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) df. Ivo Serafimov ANGELOV (BUL), 1-1  
1/8: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) df. Peter MODOS (HUN), 4-0  
1/8: Lumin WANG (CHN) df. Arsen ERALIEV (KGZ) by TF, 12-3  
1/8: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Jung-Baik LEE (KOR) by FALL, 6-0  

1/16: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY), 2-1  
1/16: Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Yasin OZAY (FRA), 3-2  
1/16: Tonimir SOKOL (CRO) df. Kristian FRIS (SRB), 4-4  
1/16: Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) df. Manuel A. LOPEZ (MEX), 5-0  
1/16: Kazuma KURAMOTO (JPN) df. Ravinder SINGH (IND), 4-1  
1/16: Peter MODOS (HUN) df. Tobias Fonnesbek (DEN), 3-1  
1/16: Ismael BORRERO (CUB) df. Goderdzi DAVITADZE (GEO), 7-1  
1/16: Arsen ERALIEV (KGZ) df. Ievgen MIAGKYI (UKR), 2-1  
1/16: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Edward BERSEGIAN (POL) by TF, 8-0  
1/16: Jung-Baik LEE (KOR) df. Jussi-Pekka NIEMISTOE (FIN) by TF, 13-3  
1/16: Andres MONTANO (ECU) df. Andrey TSARYUK (ISR) by TF, 8-0  
1/16: Deniz MENEKSE (GER) df. Victor CIOBANU (MDA) by FALL, 6-2  
1/16: Lumin WANG (CHN) df. Maksim KAZHARSKI (BLR), 6-2  
1/16: Ivo Serafimov ANGELOV (BUL) df. Albert BAGHUMYAN (ESP) by TF, 9-0  
1/16: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Roman AMOYAN (ARM), 3-0  
1/16: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) df. Fatih UCUNCU (TUR), 2-2  

Qualification: Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY) df. Suparmanto SUPARMANTO (INA) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Goderdzi DAVITADZE (GEO) df. Fouad FAJARI (MAR), 5-0  
Qualification: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Alex Iordache ANECHITEI (ROU) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Ismael BORRERO (CUB) df. Yerbol KONYRATOV (KAZ), 5-0  

71 kg

GOLD: Yunus OZEL (TUR) v. Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS)
BRONZE: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) v. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE)
BRONZE: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) v. Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI)

Semifinal: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) by forfeit, 5-0  
Semifinal: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) by TF, 8-0  

Repechage: Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI) df. Balint KORPASI (HUN), 4-3  
Repechage: Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Ionel PUSCASU (ROU) by TF, 9-1  
Repechage: Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Aleksandar MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 7-2  
Repechage: Ionel PUSCASU (ROU) df. Fernando Vicente GOMEZ (MEX) by TF, 8-0

Quarterfinal: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), 4-1  
Quarterfinal: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) df. Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 2-1  
Quarterfinal: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) df. Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) by FALL, 4-6  
Quarterfinal: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI), 4-0

1/8: Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Justin Dashaun LESTER (USA), 9-7  
1/8: Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) df. Knut Zakarias TALLROTH (SWE) by FALL, 7-3  
1/8: Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI) df. Young-Ha KIM (KOR), 2-0  
1/8: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) df. K.K. YADAV (IND) by TF, 8-0  
1/8: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) df. Kairat TUGOLBAEY (KGZ), 10-2  
1/8: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Ionel PUSCASU (ROU), 3-1  
1/8: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) df. Dilshodjon TURDIEV (UZB) by TF, 10-2  
1/8: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Balint KORPASI (HUN), 2-1  

Qualification: Justin Dashaun LESTER (USA) df. Mindia TZULUKIDZE (GEO), 5-0  
Qualification: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) df. Ridong ZHANG (CHN) by TF, 9-0  
Qualification: Knut Zakarias TALLROTH (SWE) df. Matthias MAASCH (GER), 2-2  
Qualification: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) df. Tomas SOBECKY (CZE) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Fernando Vicente GOMEZ (MEX) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Noritomo ETO (JPN) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Dilshodjon TURDIEV (UZB) df. Kristaps KALNAKARKLIS (LAT) by TF, 8-0  
Qualification: Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) df. Franson Rsei GIBBONS (PLW) by FALL, 4-0  
Qualification: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Aleksandar MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 5-2  
Qualification: Ionel PUSCASU (ROU) df. Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE), 7-0  
Qualification: K.K. YADAV (IND) df. Vojtech JAKUS (SVK) by FALL, 5-3  
Qualification: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) df. Riccardo Vito ABBRESCIA (ITA) by TF, 9-0  
Qualification: Kairat TUGOLBAEY (KGZ) df. Joseph Dominic LOPEZ (GUM) by TF, 9-0  
Qualification: Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Armen VARDANYAN (UKR), 2-0  

98kg

GOLD: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) v. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
BRONZE: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) v. Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU)
BRONZE: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) v. Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR)

Semifinal: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Cenk ILDEM (TUR), 5-0  
Semifinal: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI), 3-1  

Repechage: Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Adam VARGA (HUN), 6-0  
Repechage: Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU) df. Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) by Injury Default, 0-0  
Repechage: Adam VARGA (HUN) df. Arslan SAPARMAMMEDOV (TKM), 5-0  
Repechage: Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU) df. Radoslaw Pawel GRZYBICKI (POL), 3-0

Quarterfinal: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Ardo ARUSAAR (EST), 1-0  
Quarterfinal: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) by Injury Default, 7-2  
Quarterfinal: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR), 1-0  
Quarterfinal: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) df. Marthin Hamlet NIELSEN (NOR), 2-0

1/8: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU), 3-0  
1/8: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Adam VARGA (HUN), 2-0  
1/8: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Timo Antero KALLIO (FIN), 3-1  
1/8: Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) df. Erwin Jose CARABALLO (VEN) by DQ, 4-0  
1/8: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) df. Musa EVLOEV (RUS), 2-1  
1/8: Ardo ARUSAAR (EST) df. Hardeep SINGH (IND), 4-1  
1/8: Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Zhanarbek KABDOLOV (KAZ), 4-2  
1/8: Marthin Hamlet NIELSEN (NOR) df. Caylor Ryan WILLIAMS (USA), 3-0  

Qualification: Timo Antero KALLIO (FIN) df. Karam Mohamed GABER (EGY) by FALL, 2-0  
Qualification: Ardo ARUSAAR (EST) df. Abudurexiti ALIMUJIANG (CHN) by TF, 10-1  
Qualification: Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) df. Dimitriy TIMCHENKO (UKR), 3-2  
Qualification: Zhanarbek KABDOLOV (KAZ) df. Vasil IMERLISHVILI (GEO), 1-0  
Qualification: Musa EVLOEV (RUS) df. Evgeniy ACHKASOV (UZB), 6-0  
Qualification: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Shalva GADABADZE (AZE), 2-0  
Qualification: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Radoslaw Pawel GRZYBICKI (POL), 2-1  
Qualification: Erwin Jose CARABALLO (VEN) df. Spyridon KOUNTOURATZIS (GRE), 3-0  
Qualification: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Arslan SAPARMAMMEDOV (TKM) by TF, 10-1  
Qualification: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) df. Carl Fredrik Stefan SCHON (SWE), 3-1  
Qualification: Hardeep SINGH (IND) df. Akira OSAKA (JPN), 4-1  
Qualification: Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU) df. Daniel GASTL (AUT), 2-0  
Qualification: Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) by TF, 11-0  
Qualification: Adam VARGA (HUN) df. Robert AVANISYAN (ISR), 3-0  

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024: Lopez closer to historic Olympic gold; Fumita, Elor enter finals

Monday, August 5, 2024 - 22:01 By Ken Marantz

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PARIS (August 5) -- Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) continued his quest for an unprecedented place in Olympic history, swatting aside all in his path on Monday. The last man standing in his way is a former compatriot who has already made history of his own.

Lopez earned a chance to become the first-ever athlete in any sport to win five gold medals in the same event at the Summer Olympics when he advanced to the Greco 130kg final on the opening day of the wrestling competition at the Paris Olympics.

"Very happy, very proud," Lopez said. "It's been a sacrifice for a career lasting so many years, and it's beautiful for the next generations so that they have something to aspire to."

Meanwhile, Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) earned a chance to make up for his disappointing silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics at Greco 60kg -- and gained revenge in the process -- while young Amit ELOR (USA) looks poised to complete the "Golden Grand Slam" of titles by making the women's 68kg final.

Lopez, competing for the first time since winning his fourth gold at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, set up his date with destiny in Tuesday's final by defeating 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medalist Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) 4-1 in the semifinals at the Champs de Mars Arena.

The 41-year-old Lopez got the first chance in par terre and made the most of it with a well-executed gut wrench to go up 3-0 in the first period.

Put on the bottom in the second period, Lopez went beyond just putting up stiff resistance. The Iranian-born Shariati, a veteran himself at 35, managed to lift the Cuban off the mat, but when he tried to force a roll, Lopez nimbly stepped over and gained control for a 1-point reversal.

Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI)Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) confirmed Chile's first-ever Olympic medal in wrestling by reaching the 130kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Lopez, who has not lost a match since falling to long-time rival Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the final at the 2015 World Championships, will face Cuban-born Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) for the gold medal.

"It will be beautiful, special, not only for me but for the whole world," Lopez said of facing Acosta. "It's going to be a final between two Cubans, it's going to be spectacular. A result that the world will enjoy but particularly my brothers in Cuba."

Acosta assured Chile of its first-ever Olympic medal in wrestling when he outlasted Lingzhe MENG (CHN) 1-1 on last-point criteria in the other semifinal.

Acosta got the second of the two passivity points awarded, after which neither was able to turn the other. Meng was given a second chance in par terre with a minute to go but was unable to get any points off a front headlock.

Lopez expressed his joy that Acosta has clinched a medal after coming up just short in Tokyo by placing fifth.

"We've always been brothers, we've always been friends in wrestling, it's going to be beautiful for him, to win an Olympic medal and for me," Lopez said. "He deserves a medal. Chile has asked him to win that medal, and they have given him the support and the chance to compete."

Kenichiro FUMITA(JPN)Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) returned to the final after beating Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At Greco 60kg, Fumita advanced to the final by defeating nemesis Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), using a masterful 4-point throw to score a 4-3 victory over the two-time reigning world champion.

The victory avenged a loss to Sharshenbekov in the final at last year's World Championships in Belgrade, when the Kyrgyz star prevailed 11-6 in a thoroughly entertaining throwfest that uniquely featured no passivity points.

On Monday, Fumita, a two-time former world champion himself, held tough on the bottom of par terre to go into the second period trailing 1-0. Early in the second period, he locked onto Sharshenbekov's right arm and hit an elegant back suplex for 4.

Sharshenbekov, who had not lost since June 2022 and had put together a streak of 10 consecutive tournament titles, went on the offensive and used a nice duck under for a takedown to cut the gap to 4-3.

But Fumita stood his ground and conceded nothing to clinch the win and earn a chance to make up for his devastating loss in the Tokyo Olympic final to Luis ORTA (CUB) and become Japan's first Greco gold medalist since Atsuji MIYAHARA (JPN) in 1984.

For Fumita, winning an elusive gold in Paris would be particularly special. "Paris is a special place because I won my first world title here in 2017," he told the Japanese media.

"I think that the wrestling gods are telling me that by making the final, I have to win the gold. I have one more match and I will give everything so that it will be said that Fumita is indeed strong."

Facing him in the final will be world bronze medalist Liguo CAO (CHN), who scored an exposure at the buzzer for a stunning 3-3 win on last-point criteria over Asian Games bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK).

Ri appeared headed to a 3-1 victory after getting a gut wrench from par terre in the first period and holding out on the bottom in the second. But Cao managed to get behind from standing in the waning seconds and, with Ri keeping a solid base and his knees off the mat, Cao pulled him back and over for a 2-point exposure just as time expired. In the final, Cao will look to avenge a 3-1 loss to Fumita in the quarterfinals in Belgrade.

Elor stormed into the women's 68kg final with a 10-0 victory over teenager Sol Gum PAK (PRK) as she looks to join Yui SUSAKI (JPN) as the only wrestlers to add an Olympic gold to titles on all four age-group levels at the World Championships.

Elor, a two-time world champion at 72kg who moved down to the Olympic weight, used a snapdown to get behind Pak for a takedown, then applied a lace lock and reeled off four rolls to end the match at 1:44.

"I've been training a lot with my coach to make sure that after I get a takedown, I don't overlook the thought of getting a turn," the 20-year-old Elor said. "Turns make a huge difference, and I think a lot of times, I'll get a takedown and I'll think, 'Oh, no no, let's just go back to our feet.'

"But it makes a huge difference, and you saw that in a match like that. One takedown, four turns, and the match is over. My immediate thought was, bring her legs together, you have to get at least one lace. And it worked for me."

Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), blue, defeated Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) to enter the semifinal at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Looking to stop Elor will be Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), who won a clash of Tokyo Olympic medalists in the other semifinal to move one win away from becoming Krygyzstan's first-ever Olympic gold medalist in any sport.

Zhumanazarova scored a second-period takedown, then fended off a late attempt by veteran Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) to score a 3-1 victory. That avenged a 3-2 loss to Oborududu in the quarterfinals in Tokyo, where the Nigerian went on to take the silver medal and Zhumanazarova came home with a bronze.

Earlier, Zhumanazarova pulled off a major coup by defeating two-time world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), building up a 6-0 lead before holding on for an 8-6 win.

Elor said she had prepared to face any opponent. "I like to focus on one opponent at a time, but before this competition, I thoroughly watched and analyzed all of my opponents," she said. "I honestly think that each and every opponent has their own challenges, and so however the bracket came out, I knew that I was ready for anybody."

Day 1 Results

Greco-Roman

60kg
SF 1: Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) df. Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), 4-3
SF 2: Liguo CAO (CHN) df. Se Ung RI (PRK), 3-3

130kg
SF 1: Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) df. Sabah SHARIATI (AZE), 4-1
SF 2: Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) df. Lingzhe MENG (CHN), 1-1

Women's Wrestling

68kg
SF 1: Amit ELOR (USA) df Sol Gum PAK (PRK) by TF, 10-0, 1:44
SF 2: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) 3-1