#YasarDogu

USA Stars Pick up Pair of Freestyle Titles; Akgul Locks up #WrestleNurSultan Third Seed

Saturday, July 13, 2019 - 16:47 By Eric Olanowski

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ISTANBUL, Turkey (July 13) --- John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) and Alexander DIERINGER (USA) won a pair of gold medals on the third day of wrestling at the Yasar Dogu and helped the United States close Turkey’s lead to 40 points heading into the closing day of wrestling in Istanbul. 

Diakomihalis, who defeated and ultimately outplaced the United States’ current world team member Zain RETHERFORD (USA), won his gold medal in anticlimactic fashion -- picking up the title after Haji ALI (BRN) forfeited out of the 65kg finals, while “Ringer” scored the 4-1 win over Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) in the 79kg gold-medal bout. 

With his win on Saturday, Dieringer now has a pair of 2019 Ranking Series titles to his name. He also won Dan Kolov earlier this year. In addition to his pair of Ranking Series titles, Dieringer finished in third place at the Ivan Yariguin. 

Dieringer’s focus now moves to August 17, when he takes on reigning world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) for the United States’ 79kg Nur-Sultan world team spot.

Olympic champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) won the 125kg gold medal and locked up the No. 3 seed at the World Championships. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan) 

Olympic champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) halted Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI'S (USA) quest to give America their third gold medal of the day – scoring the 5-1 victory in the 125kg finals. 

Akgul picked up a pair of low-level takedowns and an inactivity point in the finals and locked up a top-four seed at the World Championships. The Turkish big man brought 50 Ranking Series points into Istanbul and only needed one point to ensure he was on the opposite side of the bracket at the World Championships of his nemesis Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO). Coming into the Yasar Dogu, Taha and Russia's third-ranked Anzor KHIZRIEV were tied, but the Russian held the criteria advantage (highest World Championships placement) because of his fifth-place finish at the Budapest World Championships. 

Taha broke that tie by earning 14 Ranking Series and will now be the third-seeded wrestler at the World Championships behind Petriashvili and DENG Zhiwei (CHN), who are ranked first and second, respectively. 

Also of note at 125kg, Gwiazdowski claimed 12 Ranking Series points and overthrew Khizriev for the fourth seed at the World Championships. He’ll be on the top-side of the bracket in Nur-Sultan with reigning two-time world champion Geno Petriashvili. 

Vinesh VINESH (IND) won the 53kg gold medal and helped Indian win their third women's wrestling title. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan) 

Meanwhile, Vinesh VINESH (IND) joined fellow Indian wrestlers Seema SEEMA (IND) and Kumari MANJU (IND) in the winner’s circle after stopping Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS), 9-4 in the 53kg gold-medal bout. 

Vinesh put the match's first point on the board with an inactivity point but quickly fell behind after giving up a takedown. She returned the favor with a double leg and regained the lead, 3-2. The seven-time Asian medalist worked down to Poleshchuk’s ankles after a slick double-leg and leg laced three times. She commanded the 9-2 advantage after the first period. 

The Indian wrestler failed to score in the second period, and conceded a takedown and a step out, but hung on to win her first Ranking Series title, 9-5. Vinesh's gold medal at the Yasar Dogu was an improvement on her placement from the Dan Kolov, where she fell in the gold-medal bout and had to settle for a silver medal. 

Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) won the 57kg Yasar Dogu title and moved into the top four of the world rankings. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Adekuoroye Ascends to Top-Four After Winning Gold at 57kg 
Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) picked up the opening period technical superiority victory over European silver medalist, Tetyana KIT (UKR) in the 57kg finals. The Nigerian Paris world runner-up was leading 2-0 when she shot an open double and transitioned into three leg laces -- ending the match, 10-0. Unfortunately, after the third lace, Kit immediately grabbed her left laced and was grimacing in pain and had to be carried off the mat. 

Adekuoroye entered the Yasar Dogu as the fifth-ranked wrestler in the world at 57kg, but after collecting the 16 first-place points, she’ll move into a top-four seed in Nur-Sultan. 

Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) defeated Marianna SASTIN (HUN) and won her third Ranking Series title of the season. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Johansson Wins Third Ranking Series Title; Mamashuk Outlasts Lappage in 68kg Finals
Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) won her third Ranking Series gold medal of the year with a 2-0 victory over Marianna SASTIN (HUN) in the 62kg finals, while Rio bronze medalist Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR) outlasted world runner-up Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN), 1-1 in the 68kg finals. 

The final day of wrestling begins tomorrow at 12:30 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 

Freestyle
65kg 
GOLD - John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) df. Haji Mohamad ALI (BRN), via injury default
BRONZE - Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 8-0
BRONZE - Cengizhan ERDOGAN (TUR) df. Sonba GONGANE (IND), 10-0       

79kg
GOLD - Alexander David DIERINGER (USA) df. Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
BRONZE - Bahman Mohammad TEYMOURI (IRI) df. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), 7-4
BRONZE - Muhammet KOTANOGLU (TUR) df. Abdulkadir OZMEN (TUR), 5-2 

125kg
GOLD - Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA), 5-1
BRONZE - Daniel LIGETI (HUN) df. Yadollah MOHEBI (IRI), 10-1
BRONZE - Sumit SUMIT (IND) df. Fatih CAKIROGLU (TUR), via forfeit  

Women’s Wrestling 
53kg
GOLD - Vinesh VINESH (IND) df. Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS), 9-4 
BRONZE - Annika WENDLE (GER) df. Liliya HORISHNA (UKR), via fall
BRONZE - Nina HEMMER (GER) df. Iryna HUSYAK (UKR), 9-2

57kg
GOLD - Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR) df. Tetyana KIT (UKR), 10-0 
BRONZE - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) df. Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU), 4-2
BRONZE - Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) df. Emese BARKA (HUN), via injury default 

62kg
GOLD - Henna Katarina JOHANSSON (SWE) df. Marianna SASTIN (HUN), 2-0 
BRONZE - Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS) df. Anzhela FOMENKO (RUS), 3-1 
BRONZE - Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) df. Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA), 9-7

68kg
GOLD - Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR) df. Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN), 1-1 
BRONZE - Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) df. Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR), 10-0 
BRONZE - Anna Carmen SCHELL (GER) df. Rihem AYARI (TUN),  via fall 

Pan-American Championships Day 3 Highlights

Saturday, May 9, 2026 - 15:13 By Eric Olanowski

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CORALVILLE, United States (May 9) -- The third day of wrestling at the Pan-American Championships will welcome in freestyle, while also closing out the final four weights in women's wrestling. The freestyle weights that'll take the mat today are 61kg, 74kg and 86kg, with the final women's weight being 53kg, 59kg, 65kg and 76kg.

12:28: We're going to start 30 minutes earlier than expected. The updated start time is 12:30 (local time)

12:13: That does it for the quarterfinals. We're expected to start at 13:00 but I imagine that'll change. I'll quickly run to see what they plan on doing then post an update shorty.

12:07: Welker just nearly took the roof off this place, scoring three takedowns, two turns and a stepout against Renteria to move into the semifinals. She'll wrestle another Paris 2024 bronze medalist in Marin in the semifinals as the Cuban picked up a 12-2 win in her quarterfinals.

11:53: A lot going on right now. Yepez Guzman just picked up a dominant 11-0 win over Cristelle Noelle RODRIGUEZ DOBLER (USA) and moved into the semifinals at 53kg. Also, Welkeer and Renteria are wrestling now on Mat A. The American is up 5-0 with a stepout and two counter-offenseive go behinds.

11:29: Paris 2024 Olympian Ethan Adrian RAMOS (PUR) is up now on Mat A. He's wrestling Angel Eduardo CORTES BONILLA (PAN).

11:23:  Zahid VALENCIA (USA) just made quick work of Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL), picking up the 10-0 first-period tech fall. The reigning world champion awaits the winner of Pedro Samuel GONCALVES DA SILVA (BRA) and Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG).

11:08: Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN) was just down 4-4 on criteria against Alexis GOMEZ (MEX) but stole the match with a double leg with 2.2 seconds left. Since 65kg is a smaller bracket, that win will give the Canadian at least a silver medal.

11:06: Iowa's own Austin James DESANTO (USA) is coming up next on Mat A. He'll take on Irie Alexander JACKSON (JAM).

10:56: On a side note, we're following the 76kg weight class for a mini documentary so make sure you stayed tuned into UWW+ over the next few weeks to watch the behind the scenes doc on the premier weight class of these Continental Championships.

10:50: Nestor TAFUR BARRIOS (COL) just picked up a win over on Mat A, which means he'll take on reigning world champion Valencia in seven matches on Mat A.

10:45: It's funny how things work. The two women's wrestlers who attended the opening press conference were world bronze medalist Kylie Renee WELKER (USA) and Tatiana RENTERIA (COL). Those two will will wrestle in the first round, 13 matches away (bout 180) on Mat A.

10:25: Today's action will feature two reinging world champions in Zahid VALENCIA (USA) and Genesis REASCO (COL), and three Paris 2024 Olympic medalists in Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU), Milaimy MARIN (CUB) and Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL).