Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! December 24, 2018

Monday, December 24, 2018 - 03:38 By Eric Olanowski

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Reviewing the new Ranking Series point structure and tournament locations. Also taking a look at Icho's win over Kawai, the #UWWAwards, and the 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup. 

1. Wrestling Revamps Ranking Series System, Names 2019 Host Locations
The United World Wrestling Bureau has approved new regulations for the 2019 Ranking Series. The recommendations were brought forward by the Technical Commission at a meeting last week in Belgrade.

The most important changes to the 2019 Ranking Series centered around the allocation of points at world championships, continental championships, and Ranking Series events. The points were rebalanced to emphasize participation, and success, at the world and continental championships.

New worldwide rankings have been updated on the United World Wrestling website. The 2018 World Championships results are the basis of the rankings, as each year the world championships results will be the first points for the following year.

The seeding process for the World Championships and Olympic Games will now also include a field of the top four wrestlers in each weight category with lower seeded athletes bumping up, should one of the top four not participate in the world championships. The previous version of the world championships did not replace top seeds when they were absent of the competition.

Click HERE to see locations for the freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling Ranking Series events. 

 

2. Icho Pulls Off Dramatic Win over Kawai to Move Step Closer to Shot at Olympic 5-peat
Adding another chapter to her bulging legend, Kaori ICHO pulled off a dramatic last-second victory over the new titan on the block, and moved a step closer to gaining a shot at winning a historic fifth Olympic gold medal in her home country.

Icho scored a takedown with 10 seconds left to clinch a 3-2 victory over fellow Rio 2016 Olympic champion Risako KAWAI in a nationally televised women’s 57kg final that brought a close to the All-Japan Championships in Tokyo.

Icho’s stunning victory came a day after Kawai, this year’s world champion at 59kg, edged the four-time Olympic champion 2-1 in a preliminary round-robin group match, handing Icho her first loss to a Japanese opponent since 2001.

I knew it was going to be a tough match, but I’m happy I could pull it off,” said Icho, who let out a short scream of joy and clenched her fists after the victory. “It’s been awhile since I’ve felt this nervousness, so I thought to just try and stay relaxed.”

The 34-year-old Icho won her first national title since 2015 and 13th overall dating back to 2002, despite spending more than two years away from the mat after winning the gold in Rio, which made her the first woman in Olympic history to win four straight titles in a single event.

She returned to competition in September as a prelude for the All-Japan Championships, also referred to as the Emperor’s Cup and which was serving as the first stage in the qualifying process for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Click HERE to read the full recap of the final day of wrestling at the Emperor’s Cup. 
Day One: Emperor's Cup Wrap 
Day Two: Emperor's Cup Wrap 
Day Three: Emperor's Cup Wrap 

3. Bonne, Bacsi and Gray Named Comeback Athletes of the Year

United World Wrestling named Yowls BONNE-RODRIGUEZ (CUB), Peter BACSI (HUN), and Adeline GRAY (USA) the 2018 Comeback Athletes of the Year.

In freestyle, Cuba’s Yowls Bonne-Rodriguez won his first world title just days before his 35th birthday. Bonne finally obtained the elusive world gold medal after three previous attempts, scoring come-from-behind wins in the quarterfinals and finals.

In the quarterfinals, Bonne trailed Iran’s Mohammadbagher YAKHKESHI by two points with five seconds left when he hit a four-point inside trip and stole the match, 10-8.

Then, in the finals, Bonne trailed Russia’s Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV  2-0 before scoring a massive five-point move, which ultimately catapulted him to the top of the podium with a 5-5 criteria win.

This was Bonne's third world medal, previously finishing up the 2014 and 2017 World Championships with bronze medals.

Peter Bacsi, the 35-year-old Hungarian, won his first world championship since 2014 earning himself this year's Greco-Roman Comeback Athlete of the Year.

Basci trailed Turkey’s Emrah KUS 3-0 in the 82kg gold medal bout but scored four unanswered points to give the host nation their first and only gold medal of the Budapest World Championships.

The 2018 World Championships were rumored to be Bacsi’s last, but after his surprise victory he didn't rule out the 2019 Astana World Championships, though he did confirm he will not be making a run for Hungary’s 2020 Tokyo Olympic team.

Adeline Gray (USA) was named the women’s wrestling Comeback Athlete of the Year after returning from a year absence to win her fourth world title.

The American’s impressive road to her fourth world title went through reigning Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN), and reigning world champion, Yasmin ADAR (TUR).

In the semifinals, Gray edged Wiebe, 3-1, and wrapped up the gold-medal bout early with a 13-1 win over Adar, winning the gold medal in a weight class that featured eight previous world champions.

4. Burroughs and Chamizo, Snyder and Sadulaev Headline Biggest Rivalries of the Year

United World Wrestling has named four of the Biggest Rivalries of the Year. There were two in freestyle, and one in Greco-Roman and women's wrestling.

The freestyle season saw more than one top-level rivalry, so a pair were selected for this category. The first freestyle rivalry selected was the 74kg showdown between Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), and the second was Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) and Kyle SNYDER (USA).

Perhaps no weight category was more competitive in 2018 than women’s wrestling’s 76kg. Lead by reigning world champion, Yasmin ADAR (TUR), four-time world champion, Adeline GRAY (USA), and Rio Olympic champion, Erica WIEBE (CAN). It was the American Adeline Gray who prevailed and won her fourth world title.

In Greco-Roman, Kyrgyzstan’s Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) was looking for redemption coming into the Junior World Championships the American Kamal Ameer BEY (USA) was victorious in the 2017 junior world finals. Makhmudov dominated the bronze-medal bout at the Junior World Championships and picked up the 8-1 win.

5.  Iran Team Wins GR World Clubs Cup, Azizli & Kayaalp Remain Undefeated
Iran's Team Bimeh Razi Ardabil defeated Team Russia to capture 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup title in Ardabil city of Iran. 

The Iranian team, lifted by Eldaniz AZIZLI and Sergey SEMENOV, the pair of reigning world 2018 world champions, defeated Russia, 8-2 to claim the 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup team title. 

Azerbaijan’s 55kg world champion Eldaniz Azizli gave Bimeh Razi their first win of the finals with a technical fall victory over Vitalii Kabaloev (RUS). 

Bimeh Razi added wins from Mehrdad MARDANI and Saman ABDEVALI (Bimeh) and took a three match lead into the 67kg matchup between Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Mohammad ELYASI (Bimeh). Surkov put Russia on the board with a 1-1 criteria win, and closed the scored to 3-1. Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) gave Russia their second and final win of the night with a 10-8 win over Boroumand ASLAN. 

Bimeh Razi closed out the gold-medal bout on a five match win steak, including two 5-0 shutout wins at 82kg and 87kg, and a fall from Russia’s reigning 130kg world champion, Sergey Semenov, who was competing for the Iranian side. 

In the bronze medal match, Iran’s Sina Sanat Izeh narrowly defated Turkey, 6-4. 

In the fifth-place match, Georgia defeated Iran’s Shohadaye Modafe Haram, 6-4, while Ukraine beat Serbia, 8-2 in the seventh-place bout. 

Click HERE for full results of the final day of the 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup.

Day One: Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup Wrap 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. REPOST: @usawrestling you don’t wanna miss this one! ???@btslosangeles#wrestlelikeagirl
2. Over the next two weeks @unitedworldwrestling will share our most popular videos and photos from 2018. 
#FrankChamizo VS  #JordanBurroughs
? @beatthestreets 
В течении следующих двух недель мы будем делиться с вами лучшими публикациями 2018 года. 
#ФрэнкЧамизо VS  #ДжорданБарроуз
#thebestof2018
#лучшееиз2018
3. Over the next two weeks @unitedworldwrestling will share our most popular videos and photos from 2018. 
#DavidTaylor ? @kadircaliskan
В течении следующих двух недель мы будем делиться с вами лучшими публикациями 2018 года. 
#ДэвидТэйлор
#thebestof2018
#лучшееиз2018
4. Best photos of 2018 GR World Clubs Cup in Iran, Ardabil city.

Phtos by @alireza_akbari_62 
بهترین تصاویر از مسابقات کشتی فرنگی باشگاه های جهان در اردبیل
5. Check out the 2019 Ranking Series events! Link in stories!

#WrestleRome

Japan, India share 2 WW golds at U17 Worlds

Thursday, July 28, 2022 - 18:58 By Vinay Siwach

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ROME, Italy (July 28) -- In the history of women's wrestling at the U17 World Championships dating back to 1998, India never won a medal in the highest weight class 73kg; earlier 70kg.

Priya MALIK (IND) now has changed that record. She broke the jinx in 2021 by winning the gold at the U17 World Championships in Budapest.

The 17-year-old on Thursday defended her world title with a clinic display, to become a two-time U17 world champion, only the third Indian wrestler to achieve the feat in women's wrestling.

Malik entered this competition with only one loss in her entire career, a 3-3 defeat against Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) at the U20 Asian Championships just 20 days back.

Priya MALIK (IND)Priya MALIK (IND) defeated Mariia ZENKINA (UKR) in the 73kg final. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

But she put that behind and wrestled like a pro throughout the tournament. After warming up with a 3-1 win over Kaiulani GARCIA (USA) in the opening round, she scored 10-0 on Dominika POCHOWSKA (POL) before pinning Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ) in the semifinals, replicating the result from the U17 Asian Championships final.

In the gold medal bout, she wrestled European bronze medalist Mariia ZENKINA (UKR) and gave no chance to even score a point. A single leg attack opened the scoring for her and then she added one more takedown using the same attack as Zenkina tried to escape the hold.

Malik mixed it up with a double leg attack and go behind in the second period before securing the 10-0 win with 55 seconds remaining.

The Haryana-native has now joined Sonam MALIK (IND) and Komal PANCHAL (IND) as the only two-time U17 world champions in women's wrestling.

Ritika MALIK (IND)Ritika KATARIA (IND) defeated world champion Erica PASTORIZA (USA) in the 43kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Another U17 Asian champion, Ritika KATARIA (IND), added a world title to her name. In the 43kg final, she defeated returning gold medalist (40kg) Erica PASTORIZA (USA) via fall after leading 9-0.

Kataria and Pastoriza were arguably the top two wrestlers of the weight classes as they dominated their way to the finals. But Pastoriza could not get going in the gold bout, failing to attack Kataria once. 

The 15-year-old Indian tried to cradle Pastoriza early but the American survived the attempt. She again locked her arms in front and pressed Pastoriza's head for another cradle but once again the American defended but could not stop Kataria from a go behind. A takedown in the zone added two more to Kataria's score as she led 5-0 at the break.

It was a similar story in the second half as Kataria opened with a takedown before a headlock worked out well and she pinned Pastoriza to claim her first world gold.

Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN)Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) pinned Gerda TEREK (HUN) in 55 seconds to win 57kg gold. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Japan also won two gold medals as Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) capped off a dominant display in Rome with a fall over European champion Gerda TEREK (HUN) in the 57kg final. She took only 55 seconds to get the pin.

A product of the JOC Elite Academy which has produced the likes of Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Asian champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) among other stars, Uchida showed glimpses of the trademark Japanese wrestling style.

Keeping a low stance, she was lighting quick to attack the front leg of the opponents and finished her bouts well before the time, majorly using a leg lace.

Anju SATO (JPN)Anju SATO (JPN) became the U17 world champion at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

The second gold for Japan came at 65kg as Anju SATO (JPN) held on for a nervy 5-2 win over Maria PANTIRU (ROU) in the final. 

Pantiru was called passive first and Sato shot for the leg soon after but the Romanian wrestler scored an exposure to lead 2-1. Sato continued her snap downs and during one such snap, Pantiru lost her balance and Sato was quick to go behind and score a takedown to lead 3-2 at the break.

A late takedown was the only other action in the bout as Sato kept her distance from Pantiru.

Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE)Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) upgraded her '21 silver to gold in Rome. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Japan's missed a chance to win a third gold medal of the night as Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) won a thrilling 49kg final against Mihoko TAKEUCHI (JPN), 5-3.

The victory was even sweeter as Mammadov had to make a comeback in the second period after trailing 3-0. Warned for passivity, Mammadova gave up a takedown after conceding the point for passivity.

Takeuchi had to hold her lead but was warned for inactivity and she then gave up a takedown in the activity period as Mammadova took a 3-3 criteria lead with 15 seconds remaining.

As Takeuchi tried to find her final attack, Mammadova used an arm throw to score two more points and seal the gold medal with a 5-3 win.

The European champion had fallen short at the last U17 World Championships as she suffered a 7-2 loss to Komal in the 46kg final.

A clearly improved Mammadova showed up in Rome as she went past U20 European champion Sevval CAYIR (TUR) 3-2 in the quarterfinals as well.

She is now only the fourth wrestler from Azerbaijan to win the U17 world title in women's wrestling.

Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN)Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN) will wrestle in the 69kg final on Friday. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Japan, India dominate, again

Japan and India shared seven spots out of 10 in the finals on Thursday. Japan managed to send four wrestlers into the gold medal bouts while India managed three. The USA entered two while Ukraine managed a finalist.

In a repeat of the U17 Asian Championships final, MUSKAN (IND) set up the 40kg gold medal bout against Mona EZAKA (JPN). Both were class apart in the eight-wrestler field and will now wrestle for gold. In the Asian final, Muskan had pinned Ezaka.

At 46kg, Gabriella GOMEZ (USA) came from behind to beat European champion Kornelia LASZLO (HUN), 3-3, in the semifinals. She will now wrestle for gold against Koko MATSUDA (JPN) who managed to scrape past SHRUTI (IND) 4-0 with some solid defense.

India manage to beat a Japanese wrestler when SAVITA (IND) pinned Suzu SASAKI (JPN) in the 61kg semifinal by locking up a cradle. She will now face Valerie HAMILTON (USA) in the final after the USA wrestler made it past Sevinch SULTONOVA (UZB) with ease.

Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR)Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) will wrestle Sakura ONISHI (JPN) in a bid to win her second U17 world title. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

At 53kg, one of the two finalists is destined to suffer their first-ever international loss. Sakura ONISHI (JPN) overpowered Ya CHEN (TPE) in the semifinal while returning world champion Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) pinned Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL) in the other semifinal.

Both Onishi and Yefremova have never lost a bout on the international stage but that record will hold one more day for one of them.

HARSHITA (IND)HARSHITA (IND) secured her first U17 world medal after missing out in 2021. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)
    
The final pair at 69kg includes HARSHITA (IND) and Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN). Harshita gave no chance to Veronika VILK (CRO) to get her double arm lock and won 8-1 while Yoshida had to recover from 4-2 down to score a takedown Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and then score another clumsy one with seven seconds remaining.

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RESULTS

43kg
GOLD: Ritika KATARIA (IND) df. Erica PASTORIZA (USA), via fall (9-0)

BRONZE: Elvina KARIMZADA (AZE) df. Arina ABDULLINA (KAZ), via fall (8-0)
BRONZE: Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) df. Gulnura RUSLANOVA (UZB), 5-3

49kg
GOLD: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Mihoko TAKEUCHI (JPN), 5-3

BRONZE: Sevval CAYIR (TUR) df. Aiymgul ABYLOVA (KAZ), 13-0
BRONZE: Fabiana RINELLA (ITA) df. Reka HEGEDUS (SVK), 7-0

57kg
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Gerda TEREK (HUN), via fall (6-0)

BRONZE: Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) df. Shelby MOORE (USA), 4-2
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Liza TOMAR (IND), 7-0

65kg
GOLD: Anju SATO (JPN) df. Maria PANTIRU (ROU), 5-2

BRONZE: Zharkynai NURLAN KYZY (KGZ) df. Sydney PERRY (USA), 7-0
BRONZE: Reka VAN OS (NED) df. Viktoria FOELDESIOVA (SVK), via fall (4-0)

73kg
GOLD: Priya MALIK (IND) vs. Mariia ZENKINA (UKR)

BRONZE: Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ) df. Kaiulani GARCIA (USA), via fall (2-6)
BRONZE: Lotta ENGLICH (GER) df. Makoto KOMADA (JPN), 11-0

Semifinals

40kg
GOLD: Mona EZAKA (JPN) vs MUSKAN (IND)

SF 1: Mona EZAKA (JPN) df. Yagmur KARABACAK (TUR), 11-0
SF 2: MUSKAN (IND) df. Diana VOICULESCU (ROU), 10-0

46kg
GOLD: Koko MATSUDA (JPN) vs Gabriella GOMEZ (USA)

SF 1: Koko MATSUDA (JPN) df. SHRUTI (IND), 4-0 
SF 2: Gabriella GOMEZ (USA) df. Kornelia LASZLO (HUN), 3-3

53kg
GOLD: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) vs Sakura ONISHI (JPN)

SF 1: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) df. Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL), via fall
SF 2: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Ya CHEN (TPE), 10-0

61kg
GOLD: SAVITA (IND) vs Valerie HAMILTON (USA)

SF 1: SAVITA (IND) df. Suzu SASAKI (JPN), via fall
SF 2: Valerie HAMILTON (USA) df. Sevinch SULTONOVA (UZB), 5-0

69kg
GOLD: Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN) vs. HARSHITA (IND) 

SF 1: Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UZB), 6-4
SF 2: HARSHITA (IND) df. Veronika VILK (CRO), 8-0