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Tynybekova Grabs Historic Gold for Kyrgyzstan at Women’s 62kg; Russia Rakes in 2 Freestyle Titles

Friday, September 20, 2019 - 17:25 By Ken Marantz

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NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (Sept. 20)---The Olympic berth was secondary. This was the time and place for Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) to accomplish a more historic moment for her Central Asian nation.

Tynybekova earned a place in Kyrgyzstan's sporting history as the first wrestler to win a senior world title when she captured the women’s 62kg gold medal with a 5-3 victory over defending champion Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) on Day 7 at the World Championships.

“When I started wrestling, it was just a dream for me to become world champion,” the 26-year-old Tynybekova said. “But today, the dream came true.”

Since Kyrgyzstan made its debut at the world championships in 1994, the former Soviet republic had won nine medals---including Tynybekova’s bronze in 2017---but no one had made it to the top of the podium.

Until Friday night at the Barys Arena in the capital of neighboring Kazakhstan, where a large contingent of compatriots had made the trip and were witness to this moment of national glory.

“Last year, I couldn’t participate in the world championships [in Budapest] because of an injury,” said Tynybekova, who returned to action to win the gold at the Asian Championships in April. 

“It was a serious injury and I missed six months of training. At that time, it was hard watching [the World Championships] because I wanted to be there so badly.”

Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) scored a takedown with 10 seconds left to knock off reigning world champion Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), 5-3.(Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

In the final, Tynybekova gave up a point on the activity clock, then scored a takedown to lead 2-1 going into the second period. She added a stepout point, but fell behind 3-3 on criteria when Yusein scored 2 with a stepover with a minute to go.

“It was important for me to control the match from the first second to the last,” Tynybekova said. “That was the strategy of my coach. When the score was 3-3 and there was just 40 seconds, I didn’t panic. I knew I could score 2 points more.”

Indeed she did, tackling the Bulgarian to her back with about 10 seconds to go to secure the historic victory. 

“Everyone on my team, my coach and the federation believed in me, and that gave me the power to win,” Tynybekova said. 

Tynybekova was a relative late-comer to the sport, only taking it up when she was in her mid-teens. She explained that the countryside where she grew up did not have wrestling clubs. When she became aware of women’s wrestling, she knew that was the sport for her, and made a drastic life decision.

“I was 16 when I started wrestling,” she said. “Before that, I tried many kinds of sports. I was always searching for something interesting.…When I heard there was women’s wrestling in the capital [Bishkek], I gathered all my clothes and moved there.”

Along with the gold medal, Tynybekova also clinched a place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The top six finishers in each of the Olympic weight classes secure berths for their countries. But that was never the main objective.

“My coach said to me that Olympic qualifying is not the main thing,” Tynybekova said. “He was confident I could get the Olympic license. 

“He said I have to make history for Kyrgyzstan. It’s not only my victory. It’s a victory of my team, of my country. This medal is not only from my effort. Many people contributed.”

After a pair of runner-up finishes, Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) finally got his long-awaited gold medal. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Meanwhile, Russia captured the two freestyle golds at stake, with Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) triumphing in his move up to the Olympic weight of 65kg, and Zavur UGUEV (RUS) successfully defending his title 57kg. Both won by technical falls.

Rashidov, a silver medalist at 61kg the past two years, overwhelmed Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) 11-0 in just 1:42, capping the victory with a spin-behind takedown for the final points.

It was by far Rashidov’s easiest match of the tournament, after he had to emerge from a demolition-derby bracket that included victories over defending champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) and three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE).

“I took a very long road to reach this title,” Rashidov said. “My side of the draw was more difficult to get to the final, so that was why the final was easy.”

For Rashidov, the Olympic ramifications made finally taking a gold even more special.

“This victory means a lot for me because this championship is before the Olympic year,” he said. “Tokyo 2020 is waiting for us.” 

Uguev broke open a close match with European champion Suleyman ATLI (TUR) when he scored a takedown in the second period to take a 5-3 lead, then racked up a combination of tilts and rolls to complete a 13-3 victory in 4:40

Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) celebrates after dominating Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), 8-2, in the 68kg finals. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) gave the United States its third gold medal in women’s wrestling in Nur-Sultan when she grinded out an 8-2 victory over veteran Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) in the 68kg final.

The effervescent Mensah Stock, a bronze medalist a year ago who is unbeaten this year, reeled off three takedowns in the first period. Even when she got caught in a headlock for 2 in the second period, she slipped out of the hold for a reversal, and later got an additional point for an unsuccessful challenge. 

Mensah Stock, like 65kg champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) a first-time world champion, became the ninth woman in U.S. wrestling history to win a world gold.

In the bronze-medal matches, Japan had three wrestlers in action, but only one---Yukako KAWAI (JPN) at women’s 62kg---came out with a victory. That is significant because the Japanese federation had decreed that a wrestler winning a medal would automatically fill the Tokyo 2020 berth without further domestic qualifying.

Kawai joined older sister and 57kg champion Rikako on the Japan Olympic team when she rolled to a 12-1 technical fall of KIM Jong Sim (PRK). Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) took the other 62kg bronze by beating Marianna SASTIN (HUN) 4-1.

Rio 2016 Olympic champion Sara DOSHO (JPN) suffered a surprising 4-1 loss at women’s 68kg when Anna SCHELL (GER) scored a 2-point stepover early in the second period and won 4-1. 

Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) defeated 2018 champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) 2-2 on last-point criteria for the other 68kg bronze.

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) defeated reigning world champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), 5-3 in the bronze-medal bout at 65kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

In freestyle 65kg, Otoguro’s bid to add a bronze to his 2018 gold fell short when he lost 5-3 to Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) in a testy but high-energy bout. 

Otoguro had to play catch-up late in the match, but a caution for head-slapping meant he did not have the advantage of last-point criteria when he tied the match with :24 left. His desperate attempt for the winning points resulted in Muszukajev gaining a medal-clinching takedown.

In the other third-place playoff, 2018 silver medalist Bajrang PUNIA (IND) rallied from an early deficit and a precarious few seconds on his back to edge Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 8-7.

At 57kg, the host country picked up a medal when Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) edged Stevan MICIC (SER) 4-3. Kumar RAVI (IND) took home the other bronze with a 6-3 win over Reza ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI).

In the women’s team competition, Japan, which was surprisingly limited to just one gold medal, had six medalists overall to top the standings with 137 points. 

Russia, with two golds, a silver and a two bronzes, placed second with 108 points, edging the United States by 3 points. China finished another 3 points behind the Americans in fourth place. 

Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) scored a stepout with under two seconds left for the second consecutive year to defeat four-time world and Olympic champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Deja vu all over again: Sidanov stops Burroughs for 2nd year in row
Earlier in the night, defending champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) scored with one tick left on the clock for the second year in a row to end a bid by Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) for a fifth world title at 74kg

This year, Sidakov’s late point for a stepout came one round later than in Budepest, giving him a 4-3 victory in the semifinals. He will face two-time world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) in the final on Saturday.

“The one thing that helps me during the match is I really believe and hope that I will win,” Sidakov said. “I know Jordan Burroughs very well and respect him. But I can say my desire to win was even stronger than last year.”

Sidakov went ahead 2-1 with a takedown in the second period, only to see Burroughs, who pulled off two come-from-behind victories in the qualification rounds, go ahead with a go-behind takedown with :45 left. 

As he did in Budapest, Sidakov desperately went on the attack, shooting for a double-leg tackle that Burroughs countered with a sprawl as he was pushed toward the edge. The two tumbled out of bounds together, and Sidakov was awarded a stepout point to clinch the win on criteria. An unsuccessful challenge accounted for the final score. 

“This year, I prepared better,” Sidanov said. “There were 12 training camps before this championships, and I trained for seven straight months. Last year, I didn’t have a world title, so I just went out onto the mat and wrestled.”

In regard to Chamizo, who defeated Zelimkhan KHADIEV (FRA) 4-1 in the other semifinal, Sidanov commented: “When me meet on the mat, it doesn’t matter who is older or younger or who has more titles. Opponents compete win me different than last year. The other wrestlers use all their power against me.”

Reigning two-time world champion Geno PETRAIASHIVILI (GEO) will take on rival Taha AKGAL (TUR) in the gold-medal bout at 125kg on Saturday night. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

As expected, the 125kg final will feature the latest clash between Geno PETRAIASHIVILI (GEO) and Taha AKGAL (TUR), who both advanced with untroubled wins.

Petraishivili, the two-time defending champion, defeated Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) 6-2, while three-time former champion Akgal scored all of his points in the first period to sweep away 2018 silver medalist DENG Zhiwei (CHN) 5-0.

The final will be a rematch of the gold-medal match at the European Championships in April, which Akgal won 7-0.

At 92kg, J’den COX (USA) earned a shot at a second straight world gold by making the final, where he will face Asian champion Alireza KARAMIMACHIANI (IRI) in a rematch of the semifinals from 2018. 

Cox, a Rio 2018 bronze medalist topped Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) 3-0 and Karamimachiani stormed to a 10-0 technical fall over Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) in the semifinals.

The host nation will get another chance for a gold medal after Asian champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) edged Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) 7-6 in the 70kg semifinals. He will face David BAEZ (RUS), a 5-2 winner over Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL).

Day 7 Results

Freestyle

57kg (34 entries)
Gold – Zavur UGUEV (RUS) df. Suleyman ATLI (TUR) by TF, 13-3, 4:40 
Bronze – Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) df. Stevan MICIC (SER), 4-3
Bronze – Kumar RAVI (IND) df. Reza ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI), 6-3 

65kg (44 entries)
Gold – Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) df. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) by TF, 11-0, 1:42 
Bronze – Bajrang PUNIA (IND) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 8-7 
Bronze – Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) df. Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), 5-3 

70kg (30 entries)
Semifinal – David BAEZ (RUS) df, Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), 5-2 
Semifinal – Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) df. Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI), 7-6 

74kg (39 entries)
Semifinal – Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df. Zelimkhan KHADIEV (FRA), 4-1 
Semifinal – Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), 4-3

92kg (18 entries)
Semifinal – J’den COX (USA) df. Irakli MTSITURI (GEO), 3-0 
Semifinal – Alireza KARAMIMACHIANI (IRI) df. Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) by TF, 10-0, 4:16

125kg (28 entries)
Semifinal – Geno PETRAIASHIVILI (GEO) df. Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR), 6-2
Semifinal – Taha AKGAL (TUR) df. DENG Zhiwei (CHN), 5-0

Women’s Wrestling 

62kg (34 entries)
Gold – Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), 5-3
Bronze – Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) df. Marianna SASTIN (HUN), 4-1
Bronze – Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df KIM Jong Sim (PRK) by TF, 12-1, 4:03

68kg (32 entries)
Gold – Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) df. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), 8-2 
Bronze – Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) df. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), 2-2
Bronze – Anna SCHELL (GER) df. Sara DOSHO (JPN), 4-1 

#WrestleTirana

World Championships: Azizli wins record fourth title, leads Azerbaijan's golden run

Tuesday, October 29, 2024 - 22:17 By Ken Marantz

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TIRANA, Albania (October 29) -- In leading a golden night for Azerbaijan, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) became the country's most successful wrestler on the world stage.

Azizli won his fourth consecutive world title at Greco 55kg, one of three golds won by Azerbaijan on the first night of finals at the Non-Olympic Weight Categories World Championships on Tuesday in Tirana.

Azerbaijan also got golds from Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) at 63kg and Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) at 72kg, while Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) took the other Greco title at stake at 82kg to claim an elusive world gold after having previously settled for three bronzes.

In the 55kg final, Azizli defeated 2023 bronze medalist Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) for the fourth time in four career meetings, but this one was the closest as he won 1-1 on last-point criteria after each received a passivity point.

"I have met the Iran wrestler before and we know each other well," Azizli said. "That is why it was close. I have beaten him four times and but this time it was closer."

It was an ironic defeat for Dad Marz, who had been on the winning end of the same scoreline in his two previous matches. In their most recent encounter at the Budapest Ranking Series in June, Azizli had bested the Iranian 6-1.

By winning his fourth world title, the 32-year-old Azizli eclipsed the national record of three held by freestyle great Haji ALIYEV (AZE), who won golds in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Aliyev also has two Olympic medals, a prize that Azizli is unable to attain on the current Olympic program.

Looking ahead, Azizli said he would like to win his fifth world Greco gold, a milestone reached by 16 wrestlers, topped by the 12 of Russian legend Aleksandr KARELIN (RUS).

"I don't know what the future holds, but I would like to win five world gold medals," he said. "I will not be at the Europeans [next year], but I will try to win a fifth world title and finish my career."

In a battle of reigning continental champions, Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) took advantage of some impatience on the part of Yerzhet ZHARLYKASSYN (KAZ), scoring twice by stopping throw attempts for a 6-1 victory in the 63kg final.

After keeping Asian champion Zharlykassyn from scoring from par terre in the first period, Mammadli, the European 60kg champion, went ahead by stuffing a back suplex attempt, adding a roll to go ahead 4-1.

When Zharlykassyn tried a front headlock throw at the edge, Mammadli pressed forward and sent him tumbling back for another 2 to put the match out of reach.

At 72kg, Ganizade kept the Azeri juggernaut going and improved on his silver medal from 2022 by dethroning defending champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) 3-2.

Ganizade had won a 7-7 nail-biter over Ghanem in the final at the 2023 European Championships, and Tuesday's clash was just as tense. Ganizade was put on the bottom of par terre in the first period, but grabbed Ghanem's head and stopped a roll attempt for a 2-point exposure.

Ghanem received a second passivity point in the second period to make it 2-2, but remained behind on criteria. Perhaps learning a lesson from the first period, he chose to remain standing instead of taking another shot at par terre.

In the end, he could not break down the defenses of Ganizade, who gained a third point when Ghanem unsuccessfully challenged for what he claimed was a grabbed singlet.

In the 82kg final, Geraei was not to be denied in his first chance at world gold, as he stormed to a 9-0 victory over a shell-shocked Erik SZILVASSY (HUN).

"After eight years, I finally got to experience the world finals," Geraei said. "I’m truly happy from the bottom of my heart because I could make my fans and family happy, especially my dear wife 
who stood by me in tough times and understood me, as well as my parents and all my fans.

"I'm grateful to them; they have always been there for me and supported me, and I dedicate this medal to them."

Geraei, normally a 77kg wrestler who was competing at the heaviest weight of his career, encountered no problems handling the extra bulk against Szilvassy, a winner of international tournaments this year in Zagreb and Budapest.

After a quick stepout, Geraei stopped an attempted throw by Szilvassy for a takedown, then transitioned immediately to a gut wrench. An unsuccessful challenge by the Hungary side padded Geraei's lead to 6-0 just a minute into the match.

Geraei, who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics but missed the Paris Games due to a suspension, then completed a snap-down, go-behind takedown to finish the match in 1:35 and add the world gold to the bronzes he won at 71kg in 2017 and at 77kg in 2019 and 2021.

"I thought this competition would be really tough, but thank God it ended up being easy," Geraei said. "These past two or three years have been difficult for me, and due to certain circumstances, I couldn't participate in the Olympics and missed out on it. But I hope with this medal I won, I can pave my way to the [next] Olympics and achieve the best medal and my dream."

Serbia's Arsalan takes bronze in 30-point thriller

In the bronze-medal matches, Iranian-born Ali ARSALAN (SRB) picked up his third straight world medal, and he certainly earned it when he rallied to a wild 16-14 win over Hayk MELIKYAN (ARM) at 72kg.

In a thriller filled with big throws and slick counters, Arsalan fell behind 10-5 in the first period. But the 2021 world champion came back in the second with a pair of 4-pointers, the second with 12 seconds to go that was enough for the victory even after Melikyan reversed him for 2.

The other 72kg match was not as high-scoring but was just as entertaining, as Otar ABULADZE (GEO) connected on a pair of 4-point headlock hip throws to defeat Asian bronze medalist Ji LENG (CHN) 9-5 for his first major medal since winning a world cadet bronze in 2017.

Two-time European bronze medalist Denis MIHAI (ROU) added a world bronze by holding on to defeat Haifeng ZHANG (CHN) 8-5 at 55kg. Mihai scored two stepouts and two rolls from par terre for a 7-0 lead, then survived a second-period surge from the Chinese.

Emin SEFERSHAEV (AIN), a silver medalist in 2021, picked up the other 55kg bronze after scoring six points in the first period and holding on for a 7-5 victory over European bronze medalist Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM).

At 63kg, Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) sent Abu AMAEV (BUL) flying all over the mat before he knew what hit him, throwing him four times with a front headlock for an 8-0 victory in 30 seconds. A challenge negated one throw but revised two others to 4-pointers to produce the same result.

Aslanyan, who defeated reigning champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) and newly crowned world U23 champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) before losing to Mammadli in the semifinals, had seen little international action since placing ninth at 67kg at the Tokyo Olympics. But now he has a world bronze to go with three European ones he won from 2018 to 2020.

Sadyk LALAEV (AIN), a European bronze medalist at 60kg, took home the other 63kg bronze without a fight as Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) was forced to default due to injury.

At 82kg, Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) prevented Azerbaijan from medaling in every weight class, denying two-time European U23 champion Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) a senior world bronze with a solid 8-1 victory.

Yilmaz, who normally competes at 77kg, started off with three stepouts before clinching the deal with a classic 4-point throw from par terre for his first major medal on any level.

European bronze medalist Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) gave Japanese teenager and senior Asian champion Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) a lesson on the big stage, rolling to a 10-2 victory for the other 82kg bronze.

Yoshida, the 2023 world U17 champion, got an opening takedown, but could offer little resistance when Bolkvadze got behind for a takedown and added a gut wrench. The Georgian then used an arm drag for another takedown, and two gut wrenches ended the match at 2:40.

Greco-Roman Results

55kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df. Poya DAD MARZ (IRI), 1-1

BRONZE: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df. Haifeng ZHANG (CHN), 8-5
BRONZE: Emin SEFERSHAEV (AIN) df. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 7-5

63kg (21 entries)
GOLD: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. Yerzhet ZHARLYKASSYN (KAZ), 6-1

BRONZE: Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Abu AMAEV (BUL) by TF, 8-0, :30
BRONZE: Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) df. Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) by Inj. Def.

72kg (28 entries)
GOLD: Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) df. Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), 3-2

BRONZE: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df. Hayk MELIKYAN (ARM), 16-14
BRONZE: Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Ji LENG (CHN), 9-5

82kg (28 entries)
GOLD: Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) df. Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) by TF, 8-0, 1:35

BRONZE: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Gurban GURBANOV (AZE), 8-1
BRONZE: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) by TF, 10-2, 2:40