#WrestleTunis

Turkey, India share spoils on Zouhaier Sghaier Day 1

Thursday, July 14, 2022 - 19:53 By Vinay Siwach

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TUNIS, Tunisia (July 14) -- Junior world champion Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) put on a clinical display to lead Turkey's charge on day one of the Zouhaier Sghaier Ranking Series event, the fourth and final of the year.

On the first day, six Greco-Roman gold medals were on offer and Turkey and India snagged three each with close to perfect performances at the Sports Hall of Rades.

Bakir's performance highlighted Turkey's depth at the superheavyweight in Greco-Roman with Riza KAYAALP (TUR) and Osman YILDRIM (TUR) already there.

He wrestled two bouts in the day and won both without much trouble. In the morning, he was up against NAVEEN (IND) and after being given the advantage of Naveen's passivity, Bakir got a roll from par terre to make the score 3-0, a lead which he kept till the clock expired.

In the evening session, he was up against Amine GUENNICHI (TUN) in a virtual gold medal match. Guennichi had also defeated Naveen 5-3 in their bout. 

Bakir was once again the aggressive wrestler of the two and was given a point for Guennichi's passivity. Despite his strong defense, Guennichi gave up two turns to Bakir who was up 5-0.

The positions were reversed in the second period but Bakir was stronger in defense and did not give up any turns. Ultimately, he won the bout and gold 5-1.

Muhutdin SARICICEK (TUR)Muhutdin SARICICEK (TUR), blue, dominated the 97kg weight in Tunis. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Men Mrad)

The second gold for Turkey came at 97kg as Muhutdin SARICICEK (TUR managed to win all three of his bouts. While he defeated Mohamed JABRI (TUN), 12-0, in the Round 3 bout, it was the morning bout against DEEPANSHU (IND) that all but confirmed his gold.

Saricicek and Deepanshu were involved in a tense battle and the Turkey wrestler managed to pull off a 2-1 win in the end.

Deepanshu rallied back to beat Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG), 1-1, in Round 3 in the evening to confirm a silver medal for himself in the Nordic bracket.

Veteran Ayhan KARAKUS (TUR) gave Turkey its third gold when he began the evening session with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Arjun HALAKURKI (IND).

Using the arm-trap after par terre, Karakus finished the bout in just 1:58 to claim the gold at 60kg.

Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND)Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND) won the 67kg gold via classification points. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

At 67kg, Asian Championships bronze medalist NEERAJ (IND) was coming into Round 3 against Volkan CAKIL (TUR) unbeaten. A win against the Turkey wrestler would secure the gold medal for him.

But Cakil surprised Neeraj with a big four early in the bout. Neeraj cut the lead to 4-3 with a takedown which Cakil challenged but lost. The second period also began with a four-pointer from Cakil which made his lead 8-3.

As time progressed, Neeraj continued his attacks against a tiring Cakil and got a stepout, stepout and caution and a takedown to mount a comeback. But Cakil had got another two points when he used Neeraj's momentum for an arm throw in the second period.

A tiring Cakil managed to hang on for an 11-8 win but that did not get him the gold which went to Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND).

Neeraj had defeated Sahrawat in the morning session while Sahrawat had won against Cakil 8-0. With three wrestlers tied with two wins each, the classification points came into play.

Sahrawat collected a total of nine points after his 10-1 win over Koussay MELKI (TUN). Neeraj finished with eight classification points while Cakil had seven.

The two other gold medals for India came with much clearer results.

Former Asian champion Sunil KUMAR (IND) struggled against Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN) but managed to win 2-1 in the only bout at the 87kg weight class.

The two exchanged passivity points but Kumar had a stepout point which proved to be crucial in the end. Mussaoui got the third passivity as well but he failed to turn Kumar from par terre.

At 60kg, Gyanender DAHIYA (IND) dominated Oussama NASR (TUN) for a 9-0 in the lone bout at the weight class.

After getting the par terre advantage, Dahiya scored via gut wrench and finished the bout with 4:06 still remaining on the clock.

Friday, the second day, will witness the remaining three Greco-Roman weight classes and four women's weights will be in action in Tunis.

Day 1 Results

60kg
GOLD: Ayhan KARAKUS (TUR) df. Arjun HALAKURKI (IND), 9-0

BRONZE: Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) df. Salim HAMDI (TUN), 10-4

63kg
GOLD: Gyanender DAHIYA (IND) df. Oussama NASR (TUN), 9-0

67kg
Round 3: Volkan CAKIL (TUR) df. NEERAJ (IND), 11-8 
Round 3: Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND) df. Koussay MELKI (TUN), 10-1

Final standings
GOLD: Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND)
SILVER: NEERAJ (IND)
BRONZE: Volkan CAKIL (TUR)

87kg
GOLD: Sunil KUMAR (IND) df. Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN), 2-1

97kg
Round 3: Muhutdin SARICICEK (TUR) df. Mohamed JABRI (TUN), 12-0
Round 3: DEEPANSHU (IND) df. Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG), 1-1

Finals standings
GOLD: Muhutdin SARICICEK (TUR)
SILVER: DEEPANSHU (IND)
BRONZE: Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)

130kg
Round 3: Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) df Amine GUENNICHI (TUN), 5-1

Final standings
GOLD: Muhammet BAKIR (TUR)
SILVER: Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)
BRONZE: NAVEEN (IND)

#WrestleParis

Wrestling at Paris 2024: Tazhudinov wins gold; Kiyooka, Kagami continue Japan's dominance

Sunday, August 11, 2024 - 08:59 By Vinay Siwach

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PARIS (August 11) -- The final day of wrestling at Paris 2024. Repechages round and then the medal bouts of Freestyle 65kg and 97kg and women's wrestling 76kg.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | PARIS 2024 DAY 6

14:00: Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) is an Olympic champion! The world champion beats Kennedy BLADES (USA) 3-1 in the 76kg weight class and clinches the top medal for Japan. It's first-ever for Japan in the heavyweight.

13:45: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) hangs on! She takes the bronze medal with a 2-1 win over Genesis REASCO (ECU). Colombia's third medal in women's wrestling at the Olympics.

13:30: Cuba won its second women's wrestling medal at this Olympics! Milaimy MARIN (CUB) stuns world silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) 6-0. That is the second Olympic loss for Medet Kyzy in bronze-medal bouts at the Games.

13:10: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) is an Olympic champion! The world champion pins Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) in a minute and 52 seconds to win the gold at 97kg. First-ever Olympic champion for Bahrain in wrestling.

12:55: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) claims the bronze medal at 97kg after he shuts down Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR). He wins the bout 10-0. The second bronze goes to Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) who gets three stepouts in his 4-1 win over Kyle SNYDER (USA). This is the first time Snyder has not won a medal at a World Championships or Olympics since 2015.

12:30: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) is an Olympic champion! What a win for the young star. After beating Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) in the domestic playoff, Kiyooka beats Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) 10-3 in the 65kg final to keep the gold medal with Japan. Amouzad with the first point but Kiyooka goes lace after takedown and makes it 10-1 at the break. A takedown in the second period but Amouzad has nothing left in him to attack. Kiyooka wins gold.

12:15: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) with a buzzer-beating one point to beat world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) 13-12 for the bronze medal at 65kg. Muszukajev fell behind 12-8 but hit a front headlock four to lead 12-12 on criteria. However, Dudaev with a reversal and one point with 3 seconds left.

12:00: The first bronze medal of the day goes to Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)! He comes back in the final 10 seconds to beat Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) 9-8. Tumur Ochir gave up a takedown in the second period and Rivera turned him two times to lead 8-4. Tumur Ochir hit his filthy underhook to headlock four to lead 11-8 on criteria but Rivera with a takedown late. Initially, it is not scored but Rivera wins on challenge. 

11:42: Genesis REASCO (ECU) has given a chance to Ecuador to win two medals in wrestling in Paris. She hangs on to beat Tokyo bronze Yasemin ADAR (TUR) 3-1 in the 76kg repechage. She will take on Tatiana RENTERIA (COL).

11:30: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) sets up a bronze medal bout against Kyle SNYDER (USA) after the Iranian beat Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) 10-0 in the repechage at 97kg

11:20: History was on line had Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) had pulled off one takedown against Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR). De Lange was down 2-2 on criteria but got a leg attack and tried exposing Mchedlidze. The Ukrainian somehow blocked De Lange and threw him off balance to take two points and win 5-3. He will wrestle for bronze

11:10: Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) opened a 4-0 lead over Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) in the 65kg repechage bout but Rivera in the second period puts on 14 points and wins 14-4. He will wrestle Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) for the bronze

11:00: Welcome to the final day of wrestling at the Paris 2024 Olympics. After five repechage bouts, we move into the medal bouts. Zain RETHERFORD (USA) and Catalina AXENTE (ROU) are injured and there will be one fewer repechage bouts in 65kg and 76kg.