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Thursday's Matteo Pellicone finals set

Thursday, June 23, 2022 - 08:18 By Eric Olanowski

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ROME, Italy (June 23) -- After Azerbaijan dominanted day one action, winning four Greco-Roman gold medals, the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series enters day with the remaining three Greco-Roman and four women's weight in action. A titanic clash of world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) and Olympic silver Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) awaits in the 68kg semifinal.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

Thursday's final matches (as they come in):

Women's Wrestling 
57kg - Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) vs. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) 
62kg - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) vs. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) 
68kg -  Alla BELINSKA (UKR) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA) 
76kg - Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) vs. Yelena Ivanovna MAKOYED (USA) 

Greco-Roman
72kg - Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) vs. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) 
77kg - Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) vs. Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) 
82kg - Rasoul Sadegh GARMSIRI (IRI) vs. Mihail BRADU (MDA) 

1:15: Ana Paula GODINEZ just let a late second-period lead slip for a second time today. She was beating Olympic bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) by two points but gave up a headlock and trails 7-6 with short time left.

12:45: Are you serious? What a statement!

Ringaci stopped an Oborududu head-outside single with her judo-esk whip over and picked up the 33 second fall. She just pinned the reigning Olympic silver medalist in 33 seconds. 

12:40: Here. We. Go! It's Oborududu and Ringaci on Mat C.

12:15: The headlining matchup between world champ Ringaci and Olympic silver medalist Oborududu just got assigned to Mat C. They'll wrestle in four matches (Bout 148) 

12:11: The Hungarian 77kg world team wrestle off between Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN) vs. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) will take place next on Mat B.

12:05: Two of the biggest women's wrestling stars are on the Mat now. European champion Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) is wrestling now on Mat B and Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) is on Mat C.

Keep in mind: if Oborududu wins, it'll set up a match against world champ Ringaci in the 68kg semifinals.

11:55: We're already calling semifinals matches to Mat B. We still have a few matches on Mats A and C, but we'll roll right into the semifinal once these quarterfinal and pool-play matches wrap up.

11:44: What is happening? Who is Yelena Makoyed and where did she come from?

Makoyed beat world bronze medalist Kuenz in the first round and just took down European champ Mae twice in 25 seconds to win, 8-6.

11:29: World No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) is up on now on Mat B. He's wrestling Turkey's two-time Matteo Pellicone runner-up, Selcuk CAN (TUR).

11:05: Reigning world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) will be up in six matches on Mat B. She'll wrestle Grabriela PEDRO DA ROCHA (BRA) this round, and if she wins, she'll likely have Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) in the 68kg semifinals.

11:03: Similar to the scenarios that we had yesterday with the Hungarian wrestle offs at 87kg and 97kg, Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN) and Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) will be wrestling for the world team spot at 77kg.

10:58: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) hasn't wrestled since the Tokyo Olympic Games, when she defeated Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) to win Tokyo bronze. She'll re get acclimated to the wrestling scene today against Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE).

*She did attend the European Championships in Budapest as a coach.

10:51: Welcome to the senior-level, Yelena Ivanovna MAKOYED (USA). The American just made her international debut, announcing her presence with a shocking 10-2 win over world bronze medalist Martina KUENZ (AUT).

Her next test: European champion Epp MAE (EST).

10:37: Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) just stole an Round One win against U23 world champion Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) late in the second period. The Ukrainian wrestlers picked the perfect time to strike, scoring a takedown and a turn to win the match, 6-4.

Zhumanarova, Medet Kyzy give Kyrgyzstan double gold at ISG 2025

Thursday, November 20, 2025 - 17:27 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 20) -- Kyrgyzstan was the most successful nation on day three of the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 with three gold medals out of five on offer.

Three weight classes in women's and two in Freestyle were in action in Riyadh at the Games and Kyrgyzstan captured three gold medals with Paris Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) leading the way.

Zhumanazarova powered her way to the 68kg gold medal. Facing Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) in the final, Zhumanazarova hit a counter four-pointer to extend her lead to 7-0 before hitting a takedown and turn to finish the final 11-0.

"It was an easy tournament for me," Zhumanazarova said. "I have not wrestled well since Paris majorly due to the ankle injury I suffered."

Now that she is back to full fitness and winning, Zhumanazarova aims to compete more often year with Asian Championships, World Championships and Asian Games lined up.

"Next year, I will make sure to compete at all three major tournaments," she said.

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) celebrates after beating Damola OJO (NGR) in the 76kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Joining Zhumanazarova on the top of the podium was world silver medalist and Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) who came alive in the second period of the 76kg final against Damola OJO (NGR).

Ojo led 1-1 on criteria when she scored a stepout in the second period but Medet Kyzy scored a takedown and then moved to the legs to lock a lace and turn Ojo four times for an 11-1 technical superiority.

Medet Kyzy's gold medal was the second for Kyrgyzstan in women's wrestling, same as Nigeria. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan finished the competition with one gold each.

Esther KOLAWALE (NGR)Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) defeated Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) with a last-second takedown in the 62kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U23 world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) needed a final-second takedown against Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) to win the 62kg gold medal. She scored a takedown when Mammadova was on the activity clock to lead 3-0 and hoped to run out the clock with that lead.

However, Mammadova got on a single-leg attack in the second period which she converted into a takedown during the Nigerian's activity period. Kolawale tried to open the fingers of Mammadova which made the referees dock on point for caution, making it 4-3 for Mammadova with 16 seconds left. 

Kolawale first scored a stepout with 12 seconds remaining to make it 4-4 but Mammadova had the criteria lead because of the caution against Kolawale. But she then hit a takedown with three seconds on the clock to claim a 6-4 and the win as well.

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) scores on Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Amouzad dominates to gold

World champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) had not trouble in winning the 65kg gold medal after he defeated Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), 12-2, in the final.

Kudiev gave an early scare when he scored a takedown on Amouzad to go 2-0 up but the Iranian gather himself and scored three stepouts before the break to lead 3-2. Kudiev then tried to hit a double-leg but Amouzad countered with a beautiful chest wrap throw for four points to make it 7-2.

Tajikistan challenged, asking for two points but at no point in the exchange did Kudiev manage to expose or control Amouzad who now led 8-2 for the lost challenge. Two stepouts and a takedown later, Amouzad captured the gold medal with a technical superiority win.

Earlier in the day, Amouzad faced world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) in the quarterfinals and came out on top 4-0. The win included three stepout and one point for Jalolov's passivity.

Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ)Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) counters Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) to score four points. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kyrgyzstan won gold medals not only in Women's Wrestling but also in Freestyle as Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) won at 57kg, beating Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 9-3, in the final.

Karachov had a field day in Riyadh as he defeated world and Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) in the quarterfinals before a convincing win in the final.

Bazarganov was down 2-1 with 24 seconds left in the final when he hit a strong snap on Karachov who managed to stay on his feet and countered with a duckunder and get four points.

Bazarganov got one point for reversal but Azerbaijan challenged the call, asking for four points but lost it as Karachov never came in danger. The Kyrgyzstan wrestler then scored a match-ending takedown to win 9-3.

 

Photo

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

62kg
GOLD: Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-4

BRONZE: Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR) df. Rebecca AMONGI (UGA), 
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Aylah MAYALI (PLE), 11-0

68kg
GOLD: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB), 11-0

BRONZE: Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE) df. Halima AKTER (BAN), via forfeit
BRONZE: Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) df. Ndiffo AIMELDA (CMR), via fall (6-0)

76kg
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Damola OJO (NGR), 11-1

BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) vs. Elmira YASIN (TUR), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: Samar HAMZA (EGY) df. Wilita PELAGIE (CMR), 5-1

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 9-3

BRONZE: Ali MOMENI (IRI) df. Sayed ZAZAI (AFG), 11-0
BRONZE: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Ismael CAMARA (GUI), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), 12-2

BRONZE: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 8-3
BRONZE: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) df. Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), 10-0