#WrestleTokyo

Tokyo 2020 Venue to Get 1st Test Run with Women's Tournament Featuring 5 World Medalists.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - 15:39 By Ken Marantz

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CHIBA, Japan (Oct. 2)---The wrestling venue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will get its first dry run with a three-day competition in the six women's Olympic weight classes, part of the organizing committee's "Ready Steady Tokyo" series of test events.

Makuhari Messe, an expansive international convention complex located down the coast from Tokyo in the western part of neighboring Chiba city, will host the Tokyo 2020 wrestling competition less than a year away. When a dedicated Olympic road is used during the Games, it is expected to be a 20-minute drive from the Olympic Village.

Coming so close to the World Championships in Kazakhstan and with a big domestic women's competition looming in a few weeks, the organizing committee had to scramble to fill the minimum eight places in each weight classes. But they managed to pull it off, as four of the weight classes have eight entries and two have nine.

And even under the circumstances, they have put together an impressive field, with no less than five medalists---all Chinese---and 11 wrestlers overall who participated at Nur-Sultan.

No members of the Japanese team, which won one gold and secured five of six places at Tokyo 2020 are entered, but there are a number of "next generation" wrestlers who have earned an abundance of world and continental laurels on the age-group level.

The objective of the tournament, of course, is to test technical and logistical aspects and work out any glitches before the Games. The Atos and Omega computer scoring systems will also be put to the test.

Makuhari Messe will be the host venue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. But first, it'll host this week's test event.

"The test event is mainly for technical operations and to have the staff operate and communicate with each other," said Akiko Takeda, a Japan Wrestling Federation spokesperson who is serving as the international service manager for the venue.

Takeda pointed out that at Japan's major national competitions, the Japan federation completely handles the organizing and execution. But in the case of the test event, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee is the organizer, and must coordinate between various local and international entities.

"The people come from many positions, big companies, the Metropolitan Tokyo Government, other prefectures," Takeda said. "To communicate is difficult. The organizational structure is isolated, and we need horizontal communication [between everyone]."

The wrestling competition will be held in the International Exhibition Hall of Makuhari Messe, which has a total floor space of nearly 80,000 square meters. For the test event, only Hall 5 will be used; for the Olympics, the dividers will be taken out and the space expanded into the two adjacent halls, allowing for spectator seating with a capacity of 10,000.

While the layout of the three mats, on connected octagonal stages, will be the same as for the Olympic event, there will be no spectators. Which is somewhat of a shame, as the quality of the wrestling will be quite high.

RONG Ningning (CHN) looks to finish a single-leg in the 57kg world finals against Risako KAWAI (JPN). (Photo: Gabor MARTIN) 

Heading the field will be RONG Ningning (CHN), a 2018 world champion who won the silver medal in Nur-Sultan after losing in the 57kg final to Risako KAWAI (JPN). The Asian champion's toughest test could come in a possible semifinal with compatriot ZHANG Qi (CHN), who was third at the Asian Championships at 59kg and was the 2018 world junior silver medalist.

On the other side of the draw are Hanako SAWA (JPN), the 2018 world junior champion, and Alina AKOBIIA (UKR), this year's world junior silver medalist.

At 53kg, Nur-Sultan bronze medalist PANG Qiangyu (CHN) could have a rematch of her Klippan Lady loss to 2018 world junior champion Umi IMAI (JPN). But Pang would first have to get past compatriot LUO Lannan (CHN), a 2018 Asian bronze medalist, and possibly Saki IGARASHI (JPN), the 2018 world junior and U23 champion at 55kg.

Also in the field are European champion Liliya HORISHNA (UKR) and 2018 European U23 gold medalist Nina MENKENOVA (RUS).

Olympic bronze medalist SUN Yanan (CHN), who deprived Japan an Tokyo 2020 berth at 50kg by topping Yuki IRIE (JPN) in a 13-12 second-round thriller in Nur-Sultan before finishing fifth, appears to be the one to beat in the lightest weight class.

Others entered include 2018 Asian champion LEI Chun (CHN), world junior bronze medalist Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) and up-and-coming Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), the Asian junior champion and Klippan Lady runner-up this year.

The 68kg division could feature a clash of current and former world bronze medalists in the semifinals, as WANG Xiaoqian (CHN), a third-place finisher in Nur-Sultan at 65kg, was drawn into the same half of the bracket at 2018 bronze medalist Feng ZHOU (CHN).

Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), a junior world champion, will wrestle at 68kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

World junior champion Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN) is in the bottom half along with Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR) and Alexandria GLAUDE (USA), who were world junior and U23 bronze medalists, respectively, in 2018.

At 62kg, another all-Chinese semifinal looms, this one between PEI Xingru (CHN), a world bronze medalist at 59kg, and LUO Xiaojuan (CHN), the Asian champion at 65kg. Pei will open against Mallory VELTE (USA), a 2018 world bronze medalist.

The other half of the draw features European U23 champion Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) and a pair of 2018 world junior champions, Atena KODAMA (JPN) and Miyu IMAI (JPN).

The Chinese favorites at 76kg were drawn into separate brackets, making a gold-medal showdown possible between Paliha PALIHA (CHN), a bronze medalist at 72kg in Nur-Sultan, and ZHOU Qian (CHN), a two-time former world bronze medalist.

Looking to topple the great walls will be world junior bronze medalist Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN), who is Naruha's twin sister; Justina DI STASIO (CAN), the 2018 world champion at 72kg; and European junior bronze medalist Romana VOVCHAK (UKR).

For the tournament, there is a weight allowance of 2 kilograms.

Schedule
Thursday, October 3
11:00-13:00  Qualification rounds WW - 76-68-62kg
18:15-19:15    Semifinals WW - 76-68-62kg

Friday, October 4
11:00-11:20   Repechage WW - 76-68-62kg
11:20-13:20   Qualification rounds WW - 57-53-50kg
18:15-19:15    Semifinals WW - 57-53-50kg
19:15-21:45    Finals WW - 76-68-62kg

Saturday, October 5
10:30-10:50   Repechage WW - 57-53-50kg
11:20-13:50    Finals WW - 57-53-50kg

#WrestleBratislava

European Championships Day 2: Sidakov beats Salkazanov 4-2

Monday, April 7, 2025 - 21:37 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 8) -- The European Championships enters day two with five Freestyle weight 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg. Olympic champions Zavur UGUEV (UWW), Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) and Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) will be in action.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS | SAITIEV TRIBUTE

Semifinals

61kg
SF 1: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) vs. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
SF 2: Dzmitry SHAMELA (UWW) vs. Zavur UGUEV (UWW)

74kg
SF 1: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) vs. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE)
SF 2: Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) vs. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW)

86kg
SF 1: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) vs. Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
SF 2: Artur NAIFONOV (UWW) vs. Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW)

92kg
SF 1: Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) vs. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
SF 2: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) vs. Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)

125kg
SF 1: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) vs. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW)
SF 2: Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) vs. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL)

14:05: In the final match of the session, Artur NAIFONOV (UWW) beats European U23 silver Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA). Naifonov is given a par terre advantage after Magamadov is cautioned for fleeing out-of-bounds on his knees. But Magamadov stunningly escapes from par terre with no damage. He is put on the activity clock and Naifonov gets another point for a 2-0 lead. Naifonov seems to have hit Magamadov in the head as he tried escaping a leg-attack. Magamadov calls for a medical timeout. In the second period, Naidonov gets a stepout and takedown to lead 5-0 and wins. He will face Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) in the semifinals.

13:56: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) puts in the work and beats Benjamin HONIS (HUN) 12-2 to enter the 92kg semifinal and will face Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) for the place in the final. 

13:48: Zavur UGUEV (UWW) had to wait three hours for his first bout at 61kg but he makes sure to not get any surprises from Andrii DZHELEP (UKR). Uguev wins 11-1 to enter the 61kg semifinal.

13:46: Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) books his spot in the 86kg semifinal with a 10-0 victory over Matthew FINESILVER (ISR).

13:40: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) got Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE) in a lace and led 9-0 at the break in their 61kg quarterfinal. Novruzov tried getting back with a takedown but Abakarov sails through with an 11-2 win. He will face Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) for a place in the final.

13:30: No problems for Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) as he laces Leomid COLESNIC (MDA) and wins 12-2 to enter the semifinal at 61kg.

13:25: Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) pulls off a 4-2 win over four-time European champion Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK). The 74kg marquee match saw Salkazanov begin with a bodylock but Sidakov was quick and defended it. Only a stepout for Salkazanov. Sidakov hits the leg attack which Salkazanov tries to defend with a chestwrap. Sidakov breaks it for takedown and two points. Sidakov leads 2-1 at the break. Second period is off to a flyer -- a leg-attack from Salkazanov, Sidakov with the defense. Both in a tangle and referee calls for the center. After dull phase, Sidakov hits a single leg attack and drives Salkazanov out of bounds which is called par terre but Sidakov challenges and get the stepout point for a 3-1 lead with a minute left.

Sidakov defends his lead but Salkazanov pushes his opponent towards the zone and gets a stepout as the time runs out. He challenges for fleeing but it's a normal defense. Sidakov gets a point for lost challenge and he wins 4-2 to enter the semifinal at 74kg.

13:17: Olympic bronze medalist and the favorite to win gold at 125kg Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) blanks Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN) 5-0 and moves on to the semifinals.

13:10: Olympic bronze medalist Chermen VALIEV (ALB) scores a quick 10-0 technical superiority win over Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) at 74kg. We now have the big match between Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) and Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK).

13:05: Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW) takes out Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (UWW) 7-2 at 125kg. This weight class will have a champion not named Taha AKGUL (TUR) or Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) for the first time since 2012. 

12:50: Former European champion Artur NAIFONOV (UWW) is up against European  U23 champion Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE). Naifonov gets the 1-0 lead after Dzhioev is put on the clock and he fails to score. Dzhioev is put on the clock in the second period as well and Naifonov's lead swells to 2-0. Dzhioev gets a point when Naifonov is put on the clock in the final minute. With 18 seconds remaining, Dzhioev tries to get a move on but Naifonov defends well and scores a 2-1 win.

12:35: Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA) stuns Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) with an arm-throw for four at the start of the bout but Kadzi throws him off for exposure and two points in the same scramble. Kadzimahamedau seems a little hurt from Mihalcean throw and comes out blazing with a takedown and turn. He then adds a crafty throw for four to lead 10-4 at the break. A takedown and turn to finish the bout 14-4 and he moves into the 86kg quarterfinals.

12:20: Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) defends and defends to beat Benjamin GREIL (AUT) 4-2 at 92kg. Viskhanov must thank Greil who challenged for an extra exposure from takedown but lost which put the French wrestler in a safe position of two-point lead in the final minute.

12:17: Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) and Osman GOCEN (TUR) go head-to-head in the 86kg pre-quarterfinals. Ramazanov gets the first point as Gocen fails to score when put on the activity clock in the first period. Ramazanov was about to be hit with passivity call in the second period but he scores a takedown just on time to stretch his lead to 3-0. Gocen slowly slips in keeping up with Ramazanov and gives up a takedown before going down 5-0.

12:15: World silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) takes his own time but wins 11-0 against Cezary SADOWSKI (POL) to advance at 92kg.

12:11: Olympic 86kg bronze medalist Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) at his best in defense he opens his European campaign with an 5-0 win over Ahmed BATAEV (BUL). He scored a stepout and point for activity in the first period. A stepout and takedown in the second period and won 5-0 at 92kg.

12:10: Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) with a beautiful suplex for five against Besir ALILI (MKD) and quickly rolls Alili to win 10-0 at 61kg. We will get the video of the move soon.

12:07: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) is brutal when it comes to the lace. He marches on at 61kg with a 11-0 victory over Stilyan ILIEV (BUL).

12:00: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), a world 92kg silver medalist in 2023, starts off with a 11-0 victory over Denys SAHALIUK (UKR) and moves into the quarterfinals.

11:50: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) is at his first European Championships up at 86kg and faces Theodoros SINGIRIDIS (GRE) in first bout. Despite giving up a takedown, Kadzimahamedau looked strong at the weight as he gut wrenched Singridis for a 9-2 lead at the break. He made to work for the rest of the points but he manages to finish 13-2 for a technical superiority win.

11:42: In the first match at 61kg, former world champion Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) rolls to a 10-0 win over Nils LEUTERT (SUI) in just two minutes.

11:30: Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), world champion at 74kg in 2023 and wrestling only at his second European Championships, begins with a 11-0 technical superiority win over Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD). He gets on the board with a point from activity clock and scored a takedown to lead 3-0 at the break. He needed only a minute in the second period to finish the match. He shoots deep and laces Shapiev for an three turns to win 11-0.

11:22: Mohsen SIYAR (GER) holds his head in his hands but he falls 8-8 to Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (UWW) at 125kg despite a resounding comeback and crash into the digital scoreboard. Khizriev led 5-2 and Siyar had him struggling for conditioning. Siyar scored a stepout and both wrestlers crashed into the scoreboard which delayed the action. That proved to be a lifeline for Khizriev who bounced back, scored a out-of-bounds point, a takedown and held on to his 8-8 criteria lead for the win.

11:10: Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) brings down Azamat ZAKUEV (UWW) in the 92kg opening round. Viskhanov got countered every time he scored a takedown but he hangs on for a 7-6 win, thanks to two successful challenges.

11:00: Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), a mainstay at 97kg, has moved up to 125kg for the European Championships. He begins with a 8-2 victory over European U23 champion Gerogi IVANOV (BUL).

10:30: Welcome to the second day of European Championships. We have three Olympic champions wrestling. After the morning session, the semifinals will begin at 16:45 local time and then the medal bouts will begin at 18:00 local time.