#WrestleKrasnoyarsk

Sunday's Ivan Yariguin FS and WW Finals Set

By Russian Wrestling Federation

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 29) -- The third day of action at the '22 Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin just wrapped up. The stage is set for Sunday's finals matchups 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 97kg, as reported by www.wrestrus.ru.

The 74kg bracket turned out to be a real "meat grinder." Two-time world champion Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) beat Nikita SUCHKOV (RUS) and David BAEV (RUS), but then lost to Chermen VALIEV (RUS), who reached the final. In the gold-medal bout, he will be opposed by Jason NOLF (USA), who in the semi-final knocked out the winner of the World and European Championships Timur BIZHOEV (RUS) in 45 seconds.

At 86kg, world medalist Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) could not overcome the first round opponent. He lost to the representative of Kazakhstan Azamat DAULETBEKOV. Amanula RASULOV (RUS) made it to the finals from the top of the competition, where he will face Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS), who had no equal today.

In the 92kg bracket, it was not easy to single out one of the wrestlers. Tamerlan TAPSIEV (RUS) and Azamat ZAKUEV (RUS) will compete for the gold of the Yarygin tournament. They broke the resistance of Alan BAGAEV (RUS) and Azamat ZAKUEV (RUS), respectively, in equal fights in the semifinals.

Finally, at 97 kg, Kyle SNYDER (USA) confidently reached the final, and in the main fight he will compete with Shamil MUSAEV (RUS), who defeated the world Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) in the semifinals. Note that Musaev has already won the Yarygin tournament - in 2019, while Snyder won in '17 and '18.

On the women's side of the competition, Sunday's finals were set for 72kg and 76kg.

Sunday's Freestyle Finals:
74kg.- Jason NOLF (USA) vs. Chermen VALIEV (RUS)
86kg - Amanula RASULOV (RUS) vs. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS)
92kg - Tamerlan TAPSIEV (RUS) vs. Guram CHERTKOEV ( RUS)
97kg - Kyle SNYDER (USA) vs. Shamil MUSAEV (RUS)

Sunday's Women's Wrestling Finals:
72kg - ERKH AMAR (Davaanasan (MGL) - Ksenia BURAKOVA (RUS)  
76kg - Ksenia DZIBYUK (BLR) - Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)

Freestyle Final Results (After Day Three):
57kg. Ramiz GAMZATOV (RUS) df. Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS), 5-2
61kg - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df.Fedor BALTUEV (RUS), 9-8
65kg - Shamil MAMMADOV (RUS)  df. Ramazan FERZALIEV (RUS), 8-6
70kg - Victor RASSADIN (RUS) df. Anzor ZAKUEV (RUS), 9-4
79kg - Radik VALIEV (RUS) df. Malik SHAVAEV (RUS), 3-1
125kg - Anzor KHIZRIEV (RUS) df. Vitaly GOLOEV (RUS), 8-7

For up-to-date news, highlights results from this year's Ivan Yariguin, visit www.wrestrus.ru.

Obituary

Habibi, Iran's first Olympic champion, dies aged 94

By United World Wrestling Press

TEHRAN, Iran (August 24) -- Emamali HABIBI (IRI), Iran's first-ever Olympic gold medalist and United World Wrestling Hall of Fame member, passed away Sunday aged 94.

Habibi was born Babol in 1931 and won the first Olympic gold medal for Iran in 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. Facing Alimbeg BESTAEV in the final round to decide the gold medalist, Habibi secured a fall in the 67kg final and etched his name in history, became first Olympic champion for Iran.

It was a rare feat in those times as he had never wrestled at an international event before the Olympics. He would make his World Championships debut in 1959, winning gold medal at 73kg. He defended his title in 1961 and added a third gold medal in 1962 at 78kg.

Emamali HABIBI (IRI)Emamali HABIBI (IRI) with his World Championships gold medal.

He participated in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome at 73kg and finished fourth. Habibi also has a gold medal at the 1958 Asian Games, held in Tokyo, Japan.

Habibi's legacy also includes his diverse wrestling techniques and speed on the mat which allowed him to win bouts with domination. He is widely considered one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of his times. He was included in the UWW Hall of Fame in 2007 for his contribution to wrestling.

UWW offers its condolences to Iran Wrestling Federation and the Habibi family.