Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! April 23, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing next weeks European Championships, the Burroughs and Chamizo super match-up and Pan-American line-up release date. 

1. Burroughs, Chamizo Match-Up Set for May 17
Last week, Beat the Streets New York announced that the colossal match-up between reigning superstar world champions Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), and Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) has been set for May 17 in New York City. 

Burroughs, the 29-year-old offensive juggernaut is a five-time world medalist and the reigning world champion at 74kg. Since stepping on the international scene in 2011, the 2012 London Olympic champion has dominated the 74kg weight category, winning four gold medals at the World Championships. 

Chamizo, the 25-year-old defensive wizard and reigning world champion at 70kg has since moved up to 74kg in preparation for the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungry.  Since moving up this season, Chamzio has produced 74kg gold medals at the International Ukrainian Tournament where he beat 2011 world silver medalist, Franklin GOMEZ (PUR) and the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament where he bested reigning European Champion, Soener DEMIRTAS (TUR). 

 

Two-time Olympic champion, Roman VLASOV (RUS). Photo by Tony Rotundo. 

2. European Championships – Greco-Roman Begins Next Monday
Steered by the duo of Olympic champions in Roman VLASOV (RUS) and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), the Greco-Roman field at the European Championships is littered with Olympic medalists.

Rio finalist Riza KAYAALP (TUR), the three-time world champions from Turkey will be looking for his seventh European title. Other medalists from the Rio Game include bronze medalists Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR), Cenk ILDEM (TUR)Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), Denis Maksymilian KUDLA (GER) and Sabah SHARIATI (AZE).

April 30 - 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg, and 130kg
May 1 - 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg, and 97kg

LINE-UPS: uww.io/Zm1A3 

2017 world champion, Yasemin ADAR (TUR). Photo by Tony Rotundo.

3. European Championships – Women’s Wrestling Starts Next Wednesday
The women’s wrestling field is guided by returning world and European champions, Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) and boasts entries from seven of the eight defending champions. Last year’s 60kg champion, Lyubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) is the singular 2017 titleholder who will not be competing next week in Dagestan, Russia. 

Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the Olympic silver medalist and 2011 world champion will be looking for her seventh European championship. Stadnik hasn't suffered a defeat at the European championships during her time at the senior-level. 

The four remaining defending champions are Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS), Grace BULLEN (NOR), Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) and Monika MICHALIK (POL). 

May 2 - 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg, and 76kg
May 3 - 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 65kg, and 72kg

LINE-UPS: http://uww.io/jLeYc 

Olympic champion, Taha AKGUEL (TUR). Photo by Tony Rotundo. 

4. European Championships – Freestyle Actions Opens up Next Friday
Headed by the trio of Olympic gold medalists, Taha AKGUEL (TUR), Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS), freestyle features seven of the eight returning champions. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) is the lone champion who does not return from the 2017 Novi Sad European Championships.

Other notable wrestlers that'll be competing in Dagestan are returning champions, Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS), Frank Chamizo, Soner Demirtas, Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) and Riza YILDIRIM (TUR). 

In addition to the returning champions, Azerbaijan's three Olympic medalists in Haji ALIYEV (AZE), Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE), and Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) are expected to be in the hunt for a gold medal. 

May 4 - 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, and 97kg
May 5 - 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg, and 125kg

LINE-UPS: uww.io/b3kNR 

Three-time world and Olympic champion, Kyle SNYDER (USA). Photo by Tony Rotundo. 
5. Pan-American Championship Rosters to be Released Tuesday
The Pan-American championships preliminary line-ups which feature the threesome of Olympic champions in Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB), Jordan Burroughs and Kyle SNYDER (USA) will be released on Tuesday, April 24. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 
1. 2018 European C'ships - Official Teaser #kaspeuro2018@wrestrus_ru @wrestrus.ru@dagestan.wrestling @wrestdag_rd@wrestling.dagestan

2. 7 Days To Go #kaspeuro2018 
@sadulaev_abdulrashid @sadulaev_86@wrestling.dagestan @dagestan.wrestling@wrestdag_rd @wrestrus.ru @wrestrus_ru 
#dagestan #russia #freestyle #wrestler#olympic #champion #wrestling

3. @alliseeisgold and @frankchamizo92 set to headline @beatthestreets on May 17.

4. When you love wrestling too much?
TAP WITH WHO YOU WANNA TRY IT
Когда ты сильно любишь борьбу?
ОТМЕТЬ ТОГО С КЕМ ХОТЕЛ БЫ ПОВТОРИТЬ 
Video by @kazwrestlingonline @amonya65

5. ?“Endure the hardships
 When you succeed
Have a fantastic story to define 
سختی ها رو تحمل کن
وقتی به موفقیت رسیدی
یه داستان فوق العاده برا تعریف داری 
#greco_roman #77 #wrestling#Tokyo2020” @aligaraii ?

#WrestleIstanbul

Stars to follow in Women's Wrestling at World Qualifier

By Vinay Siwach

ISTANBUL, Türkiye (May 6) -- Mariya STADNIK (AZE) has endured quite a few heartbreaks in her 16-year-long career. The most recent was her fall against Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in the final five seconds of the match. A win would have confirmed a fifth trip to the Olympics for her.

The four-time Olympic medalist will now be in Istanbul for the World OG Qualifier -- the last chance -- in a bid to earn a Paris 2024 quota. It will also put her one step closer to winning an unprecedented fifth Olympic medal, a feat no one has achieved in wrestling.

But Stadnik isn't the only one with so much to fight for in Istanbul.

Two-time European champion Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) was also seconds away from earning a spot for Paris when Tokyo silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) scored a takedown to beat her. Hrushyna missed the Tokyo flight after suffering an injury two months before the Games.

Now, she will be in Istanbul along with Tokyo bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) who is not yet qualified at 57kg. Both will compete for the three spots available along with other top wrestlers like Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), Giullia PENALBER (BRA), Aurora RUSSO (ITA), Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL), Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU), Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN) and Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR).

In each Olympic weight class, the winner of the semifinals will earn a berth for the Paris Games for their respective countries. The third spot will be earned by the winner of the playoff between the two bronze medalists of the weight class.

This provides an extra opportunity to the wrestler who lost to the two best wrestlers of their respective weight classes. The repechage, bronze-medal bouts and the playoff will be held the next day.

China, which managed three quotas at the Asian OG Qualifier, will be hoping to claim all six spots for Paris as Jia LONG (CHN) and Feng ZHOU (CHN) compete in the 62kg and 68kg respectively.

Ziqi FENG (CHN), Qianyu PANG (CHN), Kexin HONG (CHN) and Juan WANG (CHN) clinched the 50kg, 53kg, 57kg and 76kg spots with the last three coming at the Asian OG Qualifier in Bishkek last month.

For Long, who was in Tokyo, the field at 62kg will be strong. Veranika IVANOVA (AIN), Lais NUNES (BRA), MANSI (IND), Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA), Kriszta INCZE (ROU) and Nesrin BAS (TUR) are a few wrestlers who can trouble Long.

Bas is an interesting choice by Turkiye as she regularly competes in the 72kg weight class. She was a U23 world champion in the same. But with the 68kg qualification by world champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) and 76kg by European champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR), Bas decided to move down.

At 68kg, Feng will have to raise her game if she wants to represent China in Paris. The weight has 23 wrestlers including the likes of Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL), Linda MORAIS (CAN), Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), NISHA (IND) and Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU).

Hristova would be doubly motivated to win a quota in Istanbul after she missed it in Baku. Leading 8-0 against Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) in the quarterfinal, she got put on the mat by Skobelska and the Ukrainian secured a fall, leaving Hristova heartbroken.

A few European stars have not managed to earn a Paris spot at 53kg. Two-time Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) will be a strong contender to claim one of the three spots at 53kg.

Annika WENDLE (GER), Sztalvira ORSOS (HUN), Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) and Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) will be fighting it out for the quotas as well.

Karla GODINEZ (CAN), the favorite at the Pan-Am OG Qualifier, suffered a loss and failed to qualify Canada. But she will be in Istanbul to earn that spot and join her sister Ana who qualified at 62kg. Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) will be a strong contender as well.

Among the big names at 76kg, Martina KUENZ (AUT), Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN), Yuliana YANEVA (BUL), Samar HAMZA (EGY), Epp MAE (EST), Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) and Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR) are taking the trip to Istanbul.

Despite all the stars assembling in Istanbul, Stadnik will be the center of attraction. How does a 36-year-old bounce back from her first-ever loss in Europe? Is she still good enough to compete against some of the best in the world? Is she a medal threat for Paris 2024?

A win in Istanbul will answer those questions.