Greco-Roman, asia championships, Taiwan, Iran, Korea, Iran wrestling junior, Turkemenistan, Uzbekistan, Rezaei

Turkmenistan Grabs Historic Gold, Iran Wins Three

Thursday, June 15, 2017 - 14:06 By Tim Foley

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Tazayev Thrills En Route to Turkmenistan First-Ever Greco-Roman Gold

Turkmenistan’s Seydilla TAZAYEV made history Thursday night in Taipei, winning his country’s first continental gold medal since 1997, and its first-ever gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the continental or world level.

The youngster had a tough road to the 60kg Greco-Roman finals, wrestling back from an early deficit in his quarterfinal and finals match. In the quarterfinals Tazayev was trailing by four points early, but came back to score 17 points on his way to a 17-10 victory.

In the finals Tzayev was trailing Keremat ABDEVALI (IRI) by three points with less than ten seconds remaining in the match, but found his way to a high dive takedown for four points and the gold medal.

FACT: Nadeshda JELTAKOVA was Turkmenistan’s last gold medalist winning the 68kg weight category in 1997. That tournament was also held in Taiwan.

Iran’s Kaviyaninejad and Balihamzehdeh Toss Their Way to 66kg, 84kg Titles

Trailing Kaviyaninejad 4-0 early in the night’s 66kg finals, Merey BEKENOV (KAZ) challenged a what would have been a match-ending four-point throw by Kaviyaninejad. The challenge was accepted and Bekenov, feeling renewed, led a spritied attack on the restart. But Kaviyaninejad would not be denied his spectacular throw -- after finding a quick takedown Kaviyaninejad immediately lifted Bekenov, repeated his original throw and took the gold medal via technical fall, 12-0.

Not to be outshined, teammate Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH capped an impressive performance with a five-point throw and eventual fall over Kalidin ASYKEEV (KGZ) in the 84kg gold medal finals. The Iranian champion had early pinned Ermatbek SHERMATOV (UZB) in the semifinal.

Rezaei Also Snags Top Spot

Iran’s Mohammad REZAEI (IRI) bested Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), 4-4  in the 55kg finals to give his home country their first of three gold medals of the night.

Four Falls Gives Makhmudov First Junior Gold 

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) wasted no time in pinning Uzbekistan’s Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV in the 74kg finals Thursday night in Taiwan. The most impressive wrestler on day one of wrestling in Tawian, Makhmudov’s overpowering, brutish style earned him four pins in four matches as well as the adoration of fans.

The Asian Championships were Makhmudov’s first junior-level tournament, having won the Cadet Asian Championships in 2015 and 2016 as well as the 2016 Cadet World Championship at 68kg.

Uzbekistan’s Mamajanov Claws to 96kg Gold

In the night’s final bout Uzbekistan’s Temur MAMAJANOV fought his way past Iran’s Amirmohammad NOROOZIPASAND, 2-0 to capture his first international medal. The Uzbek big man defeated India’s Sagar SAGAR (IND) 6-2 in the semifinals.

Obituary

Franz Beckenbauer, football legend and wrestling's friend, passes away

Wednesday, January 10, 2024 - 14:33 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (January 10) -- Franz BECKENBAUER was a football pioneer, a World Cup legend and one of the world’s biggest sporting heroes. A true global star, he was worshipped by millions across the globe. And it wasn’t just the football fans for whom he was a hero.

Beckenbauer, who passed away on Monday aged 78, held a special place in the wrestling family for his immense contribution to popularising the sport and bringing it back into the Olympic fold.

When the wrestling fraternity was leaving no stone unturned to return to the Olympics back in 2013, Beckenbauer famously lent his unwavering support. Fondly known as The Kaiser, he shared his thoughts on the future of wrestling, met UWW President Nenad LALOVIC to discuss ways to improve the sport’s visibility and campaigned for its inclusion in the Olympics after it was removed from the program 11 years ago.

For this, Beckenbauer was awarded wrestling’s highest honor, the Golden Necklace. It’s an award usually given to the heads of state.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lalovic had said: “Franz said he grew up wanting to be a wrestler but his coaches told him he was too skinny and to try another sport.  The world is pretty glad that he did.”

Indeed, world football is richer and in a better place today because of Beckenbauer.

FRANZFranz Beckenbauer was awarded wrestling’s highest honor, the Golden Necklace, by UWW Bureau Member Rodica YAKSI.

Gifted with grace that he combined with steely determination, the player who started as a forward before dropping back and starting as a defender until he eventually created an altogether new role – the libero - redefined football.

He is one of the three men to have won the FIFA World Cup as a player and a coach. On both occasions, he masterminded wins over two players hailed as the greatest to ever grace football.

At the 1982 World Cup, the West Germany team captained by Beckenbauer defeated the legendary Netherlands side led by Johan Cruyff, the father of ‘total football’ philosophy. Then, as a coach of the German team at Italia 1990, Beckenbauer halted Diego Maradona’s Argentina.

At club level, too, he tasted incredible success with Bayern Munich, whom he led to three consecutive European titles as a player before taking them to further heights as a manager and later as the club’s president.

In the later stages of his career, Beckenbauer had a successful spell with Bundesliga side Hamburger SV and went on to win three North American Soccer League titles with New York Cosmos.

The Kaiser had an oversized impact on world football. But his influence reached far beyond the football field, as the sport of wrestling experienced in 2013.

UWW mourns the passing away of one of the true sporting icons spanning generations and expresses its deepest sympathies to the Beckenbauer family.