USA Team Trials

United States Finalizes Olympic Team, Maroulis Completes Comeback as Steveson Shines

By United World Wrestling Press

FORT WORTH, United States (April 3) – Helen Maroulis, two-time world champion and 2016 Olympic champion, defeated Jenna Burkert in their best-of-three series to make the United States starting squad for Tokyo 2021.

“I’m so blessed that I was able to come back, I honestly didn’t know if there was going to happen,” said Maroulis. “I’m just so grateful they are having the Games still.”

On the men’s side Gable Steveson wowed the audience with a dominating performance at 125kg, defeating two-time world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski in straight matches. Steveson, who did a full back layout after winning, told reporters that he “was coming for the world,” and was prepared to take gold in Tokyo.

Kyle Dake, a two-time world champion at 79kg, secured the starting Olympic spot at 74kg defeating Olympic champion and four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs in straight matches. 

In Greco-Roman a number of top seeds held their position, including 2017 world silver medalist Adam Coon who won his spot on Saturday, but will now focus on preparing to qualify the 130kg for the USA squad in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Interviews can be found, here.

The full list of winners for the 2021 US Olympic Team Trials: 

Men’s Freestyle

57kg: Thomas Gilman

Bout One – Gilman pin Arujau, 5:42
Bout Two – Gilman dec. Arujau, 2-2

*65kg: Jordan Oliver

Bout One – Oliver dec. McKenna, 3-0
Bout Two – Oliver dec. McKenna, 5-2

74kg: Kyle Dake

Bout One – Dake dec. Burroughs, 3-0
Bout Two – Dake dec. Burroughs, 3-2

86kg: David Taylor

Bout One – Taylor dec. Nickal, 4-0
Bout Two – Taylor dec. Nickal, 6-0

97kg: Kyle Snyder

Bout One – Snyder tech. fall Moore, 10-0
Bout Two – Snyder dec. Moore, 5-1

125kg: Gable Steveson

Bout One – Steveson tech. fall Gwiazdowski, 10-0
Bout Two – Steveson dec. Gwiazdowski, 10-4

Women’s Wrestling

50kg: Sarah Hildebrandt

Bout One – Hildebrandt tech. fall Anthony, 12-2
Bout Two – Hildebrandt tech. fall Anthony, 10-0

53kg: Jacarra Winchester

Bout One – Winchester dec. Heaton, 7-4
Bout Two – Winchester tech. fall Heaton, 12-2

57kg: Helen Maroulis

Bout One – Maroulis dec. Burkert, 5-3
Bout Two – Burkert dec. Maroulis, 6-5
Bout Three – Maroulis pin Burkert, 0:24

62kg: Kayla Miracle

Bout One – Miracle dec. Kilty, 8-4
Bout Two – Kilty dec. Miracle, 4-3
Bout Three – Miracle inj. dft. Kilty, 0:32

68kg: Tamyrah Mensah-Stock

Bout One – Mensah-Stock dec. Blades, 12-4
Bout Two – Mensah-Stock dec. Blades, 8-1

76kg: Adeline Gray

Bout One – Gray tech. fall Welker, 10-0
Bout Two – Gray tech. fall Welker, 11-0

Greco-Roman

60kg: Ildar Hafizov

Bout One – Hafizov dec. Mango, 7-0
Bout Two – Hafizov tech. fall Mango, 8-0

67kg: Alejandro Sancho

Bout One – Sancho dec. Coleman, 2-0
Bout Two – Sancho dec. Coleman, 3-1

*77kg: Jesse Porter

Bout One –Porter dec. Walsh, 8-1
Bout Two – Porter dec. Walsh, 7-7

87kg: John Stefanowicz

Bout One – Stefanowicz dec. Rau, 6-5
Bout Two – Stefanowicz dec. Rau. 2-1

97kg: G”Angelo Hancock

Bout One – Hancock tech. fall Amos, 8-0
Bout Two – Hancock tech. fall Amos, 8-0

*130kg: Adam Coon

Bout One –Coon tech. fall Schultz, 10-0
Bout Two – Coon dec. Schultz, 3-3

*Denotes weight categories yet to be qualified by the United States. The United States team trials are an almost certain indicator of the team to be presented in Tokyo, but is not official until the United States submits their entry list to the International Olympic Committee.

 

 

#WrestleBucharest

European Championships Day 2 GR semis set

By United World Wrestling Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (February 13) -- The European Championships enters its second day with five more Greco-Roman weight classes. Wrestlers in 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg will be on the mat Tuesday and try to make a place in the final.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 REPORT

Here are the semifinals for Tuesday

60kg
SF 1: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) vs. Sadyk LALAEV (AIN)
SF 2: Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) vs. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)

67kg
SF 1: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) vs. Morten THORESEN (NOR)
SF 2: Murat FIRAT (TUR) vs. Ruslan BICHURIN (AIN)

72kg
SF 1: Selcuk CAN (TUR) vs. Narek OGANIAN (AIN)
SF 2: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) vs. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE)

82kg
SF 1: Alperen BERBER (TUR) vs. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
SF 2: Islam ALIEV (AIN) vs. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)

97kg
SF 1: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) vs. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
SF 2: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)

15:15: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) with a 8-0 technical superiority win over Georjig TIBILOV (SRB) and he moves into the 60kg semifinal. He will now take on Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) for a place in the gold-medal bout.

15:00: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) rolls into the semifinal at 72kg with a 9-0 win over Matias LIPASTI (FIN). On the other side of the bracket, Selcuk CAN (TUR) will be up against Narek OGANIAN (AIN) after both posted comprehensive wins.

14:45: A big semifinal at 97kg as Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) faces Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN). Aleksanyan scored a 7-3 win over Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) while Khaslakhanau defeated Anton VIEWEG (GER) 9-0 in the quarterfinal.

14:30: Returning silver medalist Kiril MILOV (BUL) will fall to U23 world champion Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) 4-0 as the Individual Neutral Athlete continues to impress in the new weight class.

14:25: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) got thrown for a big four Abu AMAEV (AIN) but that didn't trouble him in beating Amaev 15-4 and moving into the semifinals of the 67kg weight class.

14:15: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) is finally on the mat for his first bout, almost four hours since the session started. Viktor PETRYK (UKR) gets the first par terre advantage and he scores the turn to lead 3-0. Petryk then tries an arm-spin which is blocked by Ciobanu and he gets a takedown after a challenge. Another takedown and turn as he races to a 10-3 lead at the break. A quick takedown after the break and Ciobanu wins 12-3 at 60kg. He moves into the quarterfinals

14:00: The first quarterfinals are beginning in 97kg. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) is up against Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) and he gets a par terre advantage. Savolainen with stepouts on either side of the breaks and a second par terre advantage as well to win 4-0 and enter the semifinal.

13:40: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) continues his winning run. Up against world bronze medalist Mate NEMES (SRB), who has moved up to 72kg for this tournament, Nasibov scores two stepouts in a 3-1 win over Nemes

13:05: 82kg world champion Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE) is up against U20 and U23 world silver medalist Alperen BERBER (TUR). Huseynov put in par terre but no score for him. But Berber with a bodylock for four and a turn which is not scored. Turkiye asked for a challenge but the action was outside the zone. Berber led 5-1 at the break. Hyseynov is cautioned for finger locks and Berber gets two more points to lead 7-1. That's how the match will end. What a big win for the young gun from Turkiye.

12:45: Defending champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) defends from par terre in the first period against Sebastian NAD (SRB) and then scores a takedown, and adds a beautiful throw to win 6-1 in the 67kg bout.

12:30: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) warms up with a 9-1 win over Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR). The next match in 97kg saw Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) with a big throw against Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE) and win 9-0.

12:15: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) looks in solid form as he takes out world bronze medalist and top seed Artur OMAROV (CZE) 9-0 at 97kg. He got four rolls from par terre to win the bout. Kiril MILOV (BUL) also moves into the next round with an 8-0 win.

12:05: In a repechage bout in 87kg, Zhan BELENUIK (UKR) rolls back the day and holds off Istvan TAKACS (HUN) 1-1 and makes it to the bronze medal bout

11:55: Drama in the 60kg Kerem KAMAL (TUR) vs Georgij TIBILOV (SRB)! Tibilov seemed to have pinned Kamal but Turkiye challenged and on review, there was a stepout. Tibilov led 3-3 on criteria when Kamal tried to push him out. But as Tibilov was evading, he got behind Kamal who was penalized for a singlet foul. Turkiye again challenged but lost which gave Tibilov a 7-3 lead. Kamal, desperate for a four-point throw, jumped over Tibilov who grabbed him and pin. Tibilov suggested that Kamal may have tried to bite him. Both wrestlers were separated by the referee.

11:35: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) survives a touch opening bout. He got a 3-0 lead at the break and managed to stop Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (AIN) from scoring any points in the second period from par terre. Nasibov scored a stepout in the second period to lead 4-1. Towards the end of the bout, Nasibov was cautioned for headbutting, thus giving Liavonchyk two points. But Nasibov held on for a 4-3 win.

11:20: Former U23 European champion Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) is still trying to find the same success at the senior level. He has a bronze medal at the European Championships. He starts his campaign at 67kg with a big 9-0 win over Andrea SETTI (ITA). A five-point throw as well.

10:55: U23 world champion at 87kg Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) decided to move to 97kg and faced Tamas LEVAI (HUN) first up. But no troubles for Murtazaliev at the new weight class. He wins his first bout 6-0 and sets up a 1/8 final against world bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE).

10:30: The first day of the European Championships saw Riza KAYAALP (TUR) reach the final at 130kg whereas Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) lost his semifinal at 63kg after beating world champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO). Ali CENGIZ (TUR) and Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB) set up a final at 87kg

10:15: Second day at the European Championships and we are going in with five weight classes. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) are going to defend their titles.