U23 Worlds: Reetika wins 76kg gold; Bas repeats

Thursday, October 26, 2023 - 21:12 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 26) -- Perhaps the best was saved for the last. After four snoozefests, Reetika HOODA (UWW) and Kennedy BLADES (USA) wrestled in an action-packed final, ironically at 76kg, at the U23 World Championships on Thursday with the former beating Blades 9-2 and denied the former U20 world champion another world title.

The four finals before that went like this -- injury default at 50kg, 4-2 at 55kg, 1-1 at 59kg and 2-1 at 68kg.

The 76kg final was on unexpected lines as Blades, the clear favorite against Hooda who was jumping to 76kg for the first time after spending two years at 72kg, suffered a rather tame loss. Hooda used a gameplan of counter-offense which completely shut Blades in the final.

The first two points for Hooda were stepouts she got as counters to Blades' attacks. The American was put on the activity clock but managed to hit a double-leg for two points to lead 2-2 on criteria. Blades' tried another attack but Hooda pushed Blades out one more time to lead 3-2 at the break.

REETIKA (UWW) Reetika HOODA (UWW) scores against Kennedy BLADES (USA) in the 76kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hooda, a senior Asian Championships bronze medalist, kept the pressure on and Blades at a distance. Blades desperately tried to attack Hooda's legs but was shot off using underhooks. In one such situation, Hooda got Blades and scored a takedown. A stepout later, she scored another takedown in a similar fashion, before clinching the gold medal with another stepout.

The gold is Hooda's first at a world event and a step towards the Olympic journey at 76kg. Having first stepped on the mat at the age of 14 years, Hooda has earned a considerable name for herself in seven years. She has a U23 Asia title to go with her U20 world bronze and senior Asian bronze.

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Hailing from Rohtak, Haryana in India, she chose to join the CR Stadium, the school that has produced several age-group world medalists including U20 world champion SAVITA, Manshi AHLAWAT, Pooja GEHLOT. In fact, the three UWW medalists on Thursday, Hooda, Neha SHARMA and NITIKA, all hail from the same stadium.

Hooda, pushed by her army veteran father to take up wrestling, will fly directly to Goa for the National Games and try to win another medal at 76kg.

Even Blades will have to quickly regroup and fly to Chile for the Pan-Am Games as she is part of the United States team for the Santiago tournament from November 1.

An estatic Nesrin BAS (TUR) after she won a challenge and the 68kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The 68kg final too was going towards an upset as U20 world bronze medalist Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) clinched the gold medal over defending champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) on 1-1 criteria as both wrestlers had exchanged activity points only to see it go after a challenge.

In the final 10 seconds of the bout, Bas got on a double leg and pushed Shauchuk toward the zone. Shauchuk managed to pressure Bas and keep her from scoring a stepout till the clock expired.

Turkiye however challenged hoping for a miracle and on review, a stepout was confirmed as Shauchuk tried to circle back when Bas tried standing up with her hands on Shauchuk's legs. Shauchuk's body was in the air when her leg foot touched outside the zone which the jury deemed as a stepout, giving an additional point to Bas and the gold medal.

Bas, the U23 European champion and bronze medalist at the senior level, is the first wrestler from Turkiye to win the U23 world title for the second time.

Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) celebrates after winning the 59kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

While Shauchuk failed to hold her 1-1 criteria lead, Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) managed to hold off Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) 1-1 in the 59kg final. Nagamoto never looked convincing in her attacks after trailing and Vynnyk had no trouble to play the time.

Vynnyk gave Ukraine its first gold in Women's Wrestling at the U23 World Championships after the nation drew a blank last year in Pontevedra, Spain where the former European silver medalist had won a bronze medal at 59kg.

Umi IMAI (JPN) won the 55kg gold over Neha SHARMA (UWW). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Japan, the most dominant nation in Women's Wrestling, did win two gold medals as Umi ITO (JPN) won at 50kg and Umi IMAI (JPN) won at 55kg.

Imai wrestled Neha SHARMA (UWW) in the final and opened the scoring in typical Japanese style, hitting an outside single and converting it into a takedown. Despite several efforts by Sharma to get a point on board, Imai was solid in defense and did not allow Sharma to go behind.

The 2022 Asian champion would score another takedown in a similar fashion in the second period to lead 4-0 with a minute and 30 seconds left in the final. Sharma got a counter takedown with 50 seconds left to close the gap to 4-2 but could not score another for the win.

Umi ITO (JPN) added a U23 world title to her U17 and U20 titles. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 50kg, Ito, who has never lost internationally with gold medals at the U17 and U20 World Championships, added the U23 world title after her finals opponent Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) pulled out due to a knee injury.

Ito and Jimenez had wrestled in the U20 World Championships final last year at 50kg with Ito winning 10-0. Even in Tirana, the Japanese wrestler won all three of her bouts via technical superiority.

Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU), second from right, won bronze at 76kg. (Photo: UWW / Ulug Bugra Han Degirmenci)

Lithuania wins bronze

Six years after Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) won Lithuania's last world medal at any level, Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) ended that drought by winning the bronze medal at 76kg in Tirana. Gaucaite was able to see off Patrycja SLOMSKA (POL) 7-3 in the bronze-medal bout.

The second bronze medal at 76kg went to 2021 U23 world champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) who pinned Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) after leading 4-2.

Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) gave Ukraine the second bronze as she defeated Vusala PARFIANOVICH (AIN), 5-3, at 68kg while Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE) rolled to an 11-0 victory over Vanessa KEEFE (CAN) to earn the second bronze at this weight.

European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) bounced back from her defeat to Imai to beat Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 3-1, in a tense bout for the bronze medal. U20 world champion Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN) dug deep to help herself beat Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ), 8-5, and take home a bronze medal.

At 50kg, U23 European champion Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA) blanked Aida KERYMOVA (UKR), 7-0, to win bronze, her first world medal. Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) held off NEELAM (UWW), 8-5, in the other bronze-medal playoff.

Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN) won the bronze medal at 59kg after she defeated Nadzeya BULANAYA (AIN), 6-3, while NITIKA (UWW) pinned Michaela RANKIN (CAN) to claim one for herself as well.

Irina RINGACI (MDA) reached the 65kg final after beating Macey KILTY (USA). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Ringaci, Elor in final

Defending champion Amit ELOR (USA) reached the final after two pins and a 5-0 win at 72kg in Tirana. Elor, chasing a career eighth world title, will take on Jyoti BERWAL (UWW) for the gold medal on Friday.

Elor spent 34 seconds on the mat for her first two pins, the first in 16 seconds and the second in 18 seconds. In the semifinal, she defeated her last year's finals opponent Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), 5-0.

Berwal defeated U20 world silver medalist Bukrenaz SERT (TUR), 7-0, in the other semifinal to set up the gold medal clash against Elor.

At 65kg, Irina RINGACI (MDA) defended everything Macey KILTY (USA) threw at her to win the semifinal 5-4. She also had two pins to begin with but Kilty, world silver medalist, surprised her with a flurry of attacks early in the semifinal

Kilty got the first takedown and worked for others but Ringaci's defense was too much for her as the Moldovan scored from disadvantageous postition to lead 4-2 at the break.

Ringaci scored a stepout to begin the second period and defended a takedown attempt from Kilty using the split. It took a lot out of Ringaci who still had a minute and a half to defend her 5-2 lead.

Kilty would eventually get a takedown with 30 seconds left on the clock but Ringaci held on to beat Kilty 5-4 and head to her first U23 world final. She will take on Amina TANDELOVA (AIN) who defetaed Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT), 6-2, in the other semifinal.

Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) was the second Moldovan to reach the final on Thursday as she defeated Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ), 6-2 at 53kg. She will take on Mako OONO (JPN) who also won her semifinal against Ekaterina VERBINA (AIN) with a similar scoreline.

2022 Asian champion Sara NATAMI (JPN) will take on Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) in the 57kg final after she won her semifinal against Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 8-1. Aliyeva blanked Mia FRIESEN (CAN), 10-0, in the other semifinal.

Iryna BONDAR (UKR) will have a chance to improve her silver from last year to gold as she returned to the final at 62kg. She defeated Bhagyashree FAND (UWW) 10-0 and will take on Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) who won her semifinal over Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), 12-2.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Umi ITO (JPN) df. Audrey JIMENEZ (USA), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. NEELAM (UWW), 8-5
BRONZE: Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA) df. Aida KERYMOVA (UKR), 7-0

55kg
GOLD: Umi IMAI (JPN) df. Neha SHARMA (UWW), 4-2

BRONZE: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN) df. Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ), 8-5

59kg
GOLD: Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN), 1-1

BRONZE: Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN) df. Nadzeya BULANAYA (AIN), 6-3
BRONZE: NITIKA (UWW) df. Michaela RANKIN (CAN), via fall

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN), 2-1

BRONZE: Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE) df. Vanessa KEEFE (CAN), 11-0
BRONZE: Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) df. Vusala PARFIANOVICH (AIN), 5-3

76kg
GOLD: REETIKA (UWW) df. Kennedy BLADES (USA), 9-2

BRONZE: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df. Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN), via fall
BRONZE: Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) df. Patrycja SLOMSKA (POL), 7-3

SEMIFINALS

53kg
GOLD: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) vs. Mako OONO (JPN)

SF 1: Mako OONO (JPN) df. Ekaterina VERBINA (AIN), 6-2
SF 2: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) df. Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ), 6-2

57kg
GOLD: Sara NATAMI (JPN) vs. Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)

SF 1: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Mia FRIESEN (CAN), 10-0
SF 2: Sara NATAMI (JPN) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 8-1

62kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) vs. Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)

SF 1: Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), 12-2
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Bhagyashree FAND (UWW), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Irina RINGACI (MDA) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (AIN)

SF 1: Amina TANDELOVA (AIN) df. Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT), 6-2
SF 2: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Macey KILTY (USA), 5-4

72kg
GOLD: Amit ELOR (USA) vs. Jyoti BERWAL (UWW)

SF 1: Jyoti BERWAL (UWW) df. Bukrenaz SERT (TUR), 7-0
SF 2: Amit ELOR (USA) df. Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), 5-0

#WrestleTirana

U23 Worlds: Tirana triumph for O'Toole, Brooks; Gimri wins Turkiye's first gold

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 - 21:31 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 24) -- When Keegan O'TOOLE (USA) gets to a cradle, it's game over for his opponents.

Many in the United States have witnessed O'Toole win school and college titles on the back of his go-to move. International fans first saw it in 2021 as he stunned a strong 74kg field to win the U20 world title.

Two years since winning his first and only international competition, O'Toole and his cradle were on display and were good enough to win another world title. The American won the 74kg gold medal at the U23 World Championships on Tuesday, leading to a strong performance from the United States as the first set of medals were awarded on the second day of the tournament.

The U.S. won three of the five gold medals on offer on Tuesday while Turkiye crowned its first-ever Freestyle U23 world champion with Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) winning gold at 92kg. The fifth gold of the night was captured by Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN), winning the title at 61kg.

This is also the first time the U.S. has more than one Freestyle world champ at the U23 level. It drew a blank last year despite three finalists.

Keegan O'TOOLE (USA) won the 74kg gold after beating Imam GANISHOV (AIN). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

O'Toole had shown a glimpse of his funkiness on Monday as he made his way to the final using a cradle to pin Hikaru TAKATA (JPN) in the quarterfinals and then got Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR) in the semifinal.

Given his preferred move and crafty wrestling, it was understandable that Imam GANISHOV (AIN) came prepared for the 74kg final and to not get caught in the move. But what he was not prepared for was O'Toole's defense as the American denied Ganishov any points apart from a stepout in the first period. That was the only point O'Toole gave in a 6-1 victory that saw him score three takedowns.

"It feels really good," O'Toole said. "I trained super hard for this. I wasn't sure where I would be as the location got changed. The level is harder at the U23 Worlds but I prepare for challenges and for the worst but I hope for the best."

Keegan O'TOOLE (USA), blue, cradles Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR) in the semifinals on Monday. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Both wrestlers were cautious at the start but O'Toole scored by elevating Ganishov's leg when the latter was attempting a lift. He then caught Ganishov by surprise with a single-leg and though Ganishov defended for some time, O'Toole scored a takedown and led 4-0.

Ganishov did try some duckunders and go-behinds but O'Toole was up for the task, defending with ease. A split defense from Ganishov delayed O'Toole's takedown but when he got it, he led 6-1 with just over a minute remaining in the final. O'Toole was happy to play the clock from there on.

The gold medal also qualifies O'Toole for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for the Paris Games and he is not shying away from giving it a shot despite his NCAA season.

"That [to qualify for OTT] pressure is gone," he said. "I am going to take some time off. I got to heal up my body a little bit and jump into the college season. NCAA season is good preparation for the Olympic trials but in my head, I am always going for "how am I going to win a gold medal? How am I going to make the Olympic team? I am really confident and excited going forward. I have got eight [six] months for the Olympic trials and each day I am going to do something to prove myself."

Aaron BROOKS (USA) defeated defending champion Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN) to win the 86kg gold. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

If cradle was O'Toole's move in Tirana, Aaron BROOKS (USA) was chasing ankle picks all day as he stormed to the 86kg world title beating returning champion Tastsuya SHIRAI (JPN) 11-0 in the final.

Shirai had become the first world champion for Japan in over 80kg weight classes and became the first to return to the final at U23 Worlds in Freestyle. A record second straight, however, wasn't to be.

Brooks was on the offense right in the first minute, using collar ties against Shirai. He got the first takedown just as the clock hit the one-minute mark, catching Shirai in a leg attack. After some attempted leg attacks, Brooks ankle-picked Shirai who fell on his back, giving four points to Brooks. A similar pick and one turn on the lace earned him a 10-0 win in two minutes and 39 seconds.

"I am blessed and fortunate," Brooks said. "I trained hard, keeping my mind and spirit in alignment with God. A lot of stuff goes on in the world that can affect us."

Like O'Toole, Brooks will be going for the Olympic Team Trial with the aim of upsetting world champion David TAYLOR (USA).

"Of course [I will challenge for the team spot]," he said. "Just wrestle and get better every day, focus on that. Not just in wrestling but better in every aspect of life and it transcends into wrestling. Just me being me in the present. If that comes, it comes."

Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) battled an injured knee and Adil MISIRCI (TUR) to win the 125kg title. (Photo: UWW / Ulug Bugra Han Degirmenci)

The U.S. surged further as Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) won the 125kg gold medal after not only battling Adil MISIRCI (TUR) but also an injured knee that "may heel in a long time."

Hendrickson, who could barely walk to the medal ceremony stage, showed extreme courage to beat Misirci 13-3 in the final despite being in clear pain.

He began the final aggressively, almost pinning Misirci, jumping to a 5-0 lead. A scramble saw both wrestlers twist their knees which further made things worse for Hendrickson, before the referee called neutral. The American then decided to keep his injured right leg out of the attack but did not drop his offense.

He scored two takedowns and a gut to build a 12-1 lead when Misirci stopped him in a turn and scored two points to remain in the match as the score became 12-3. Hendrickson, however, continued the scramble and scored a reversal to win 13-3 with 1:34 still left on the clock.

The 125kg wrestler will also join the star-studded superheavyweight line-up at the Olympic Team Trials next year.

Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) became Turkiye's first-ever U23 world champ in Freestyle. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Gimri's historic gold

One of Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) and Ion DEMIAN (MDA) was certain to create history in the 92kg final. Neither Turkiye nor Moldova had won a U23 world title in Freestyle and by the end of the 92kg final, it was Gimri who wrote his name in history books, becoming Turkiye's first-ever U23 world champion in Freestyle. He defeated Demian 4-3 in a tense final.

Demian led 1-0 at the break after Gimri failed to score any point in the 30-second activity period. But the match sprung to life in the second period as Gimri scored a takedown on the edge to take a 2-1 lead. That was short-lived as Demian blocked Gimri's spin and landed on top of him to get two points.

The Moldovan was 20 seconds away from history but Gimri spoiled his party. He shot for Demian's legs and got hold of the left to score a takedown. He tried a lace to kill the remaining time even as Demian smashed his hand on the mat in disappointment.

At 61kg, Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) denied Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) and Kazakhstan a gold medal, winning the final 4-0, with two activity period points and two stepouts.

Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) won the bronze medal at 61kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Bronze results

In the bronze medal bouts, returning silver medalist at 61kg Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) added a bronze medal by beating Akash DAHIYA (UWW) 7-0. Zhumashbek Uulu suffered a 9-7 semifinal loss to Yessengeldi. The other bronze medal at 61kg went to Mezhlum MEZHLUMYAN (ARM) who steamrolled Ivan HRAMYKA (AIN), 11-0.

Hikaru TAKATA (JPN) and Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR), both of whom lost to O'Toole at 74kg, clashed for the bronze medal with Takata beating Santiago 11-0 to capture the gold medal. The other bronze-medal bout was a humdinger with NAVEEN (UWW) scoring a stepout with five seconds left to beat Vasile DIACON (MDA), 7-7, and return home with bronze.

At 86kg, Arslan BAGAEV (AIN) and Joshua MORODION (GER) defeated Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA), 6-1, and Benjamin GREIL (AUT), 9-2, respectively to claim third spots on the podium.

The U.S. also got a bronze medal as Jacob CARDENAS (USA) scored a takedown late in the bout against Pruthviraj PATIL (UWW) and eked out a 4-3 win. Abduljalil SHABANOV (AZE) and Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) were involved in a 25-point bout with the former coming out on top 14-11.

2021 U23 silver medalist Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE) managed to pull off a strong win as he defeated World Championships fifth-placer Abdulla KURBANOV (AIN), 5-4, for the bronze medal at 125kg. Khosonov trains at the same center as world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (AIN).

The other bronze medal at 125kg was won by Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE) was managed to beat Anirudh KUMAR (UWW), 10-0, with ease.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ), 4-0

BRONZE: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Akash DAHIYA (UWW), 7-0
BRONZE: Mezhlum MEZHLUMYAN (ARM) df. Ivan HRAMYKA (AIN), 11-0

74kg
GOLD: Keegan OTOOLE (USA) df. Imam GANISHOV (AIN), 6-1

BRONZE: NAVEEN (UWW) df. Vasile DIACON (MDA), 7-7
BRONZE: Hikaru TAKATA (JPN) df. Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR), 11-0

86kg
GOLD: Aaron BROOKS (USA) df. Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN), 10-0

BRONZE: Joshua MORODION (GER) df. Benjamin GREIL (AUT), 9-2
BRONZE: Arslan BAGAEV (AIN) df. Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA), 6-1

92kg
GOLD: Muhammed GIMRI (TUR) df. Ion DEMIAN (MDA), 4-3

BRONZE: Abduljalil SHABANOV (AZE) df. Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO), 14-11
BRONZE: Jacob CARDENAS (USA) df. Pruthviraj PATIL (UWW), 4-3

125kg
GOLD: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) df. Adil MISIRCI (TUR), 13-3

BRONZE: Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE) df. Anirudh KUMAR (UWW), 10-0
BRONZE: Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE) df. Abdulla KURBANOV (AIN), 5-4

U23 Worlds: Reetika wins 76kg gold; Bas repeats

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U23 Worlds: Tirana triumph for O'Toole, Brooks; Gimri wins Turkiye's first gold