Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! December 3, 2019

Tuesday, December 3, 2019 - 14:10 By Eric Olanowski

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Previewing the Canadian Wrestling Trials and Alans Tournament. Also looking at the results from the Alrosa Cup and Indian National Championships. 

1. Russia Dominates Alrosa Cup, Takes Down World, 11-1 
Russia’s star-studded squad closed out the Alrosa Cup in Moscow by winning 11 of 12 matches against an all-star world team that featured wrestlers from seven different nations. 

Roman VLASOV (RUS) edged his London Olympic finals opponenet Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM), 3-2, in the headlining match of the dual, which came at 77kg (Greco-Roman). 

Vlasov, the two-time Olympic champion, scored his three points from an inactivity then tacked on two additional points with a right-side gut wrench and commanded the 3-0 lead. Julfalakyan made it a match with under a minute left, as he picked up a late second-period takedown and closed the Russian’s lead to one point. But, it wasn’t enough to avenge his Olympic finals loss, as Vlasov hung on to edge the Armenian, 3-2.

On the freestyle side of the dual, arguably the most impressive performance of the night came at 97kg when Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) scored a 5-2 upset victory over Olympic champion, Sharip SHARIPOV (AZE). 

In addition to Zhabrailov’s win, another significant victory for the Russian Federation came at 125kg, where Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) continued his quest to improve his Olympic silver medal with a 2-0 shutout win over an undersized Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), who was wrestling up from his Nur-Sultan weight of 97kg. 

Azerbaijan’s three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE) was the lone non-Russian wrestler to seize a win in the 12-match dual. Aliyev scored a last-second takedown to move past Nachyin KUULAR (RUS), 5-4, in the 65kg matchup. 

Russia df. World, 11-1
Freestyle (5-1)
57kg – Ramis GAMZATOV (RUS) df. Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE), 8-4
65kg – Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Nachyin KUULAR (RUS), 5-4 
74kg – Timur BIZHOEV (RUS) df. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 2-1
86kg – Magomed RAMAZANON (RUS) df. Ahmad BAZRI (IRI), 3-2 
97kg – Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) df. Sharip SHARIPOV (AZE), 5-2 
125kg – Bilyal MAKHOV (RUS) df. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), 2-0 

Greco-Roman (6-0)
60kg – Sergey EMELIN (RUS) df. Victor CIOBANU (MDA), 7-0
67kg – Artem SURKOV (RUS) df. Atakan YUEKSEL (TUR), 6-1 
77kg – Roman VLASOV (RUS) df. Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM), 3-2 
87kg – Alexander KOMAROV (RUS) df. Metehan BASAR (TUR), 2-1 
97kg – Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS) df. Ibrahim TIGCI (TUR), 8-3
130kg – Vitali SCHUR (RUS) df. Nurmakhan TINALIEV (KAZ), 3-1 

2. Wiebe’s Quest for Second Olympic Gold Kicks off Friday at Canadian Wrestling Team Trials
Erica WIEBE (CAN) has been on the record saying she thought chasing her first Olympic gold was the hardest thing she’d ever do. But after winning gold in Rio, the Canadian’s tone changed, saying pursuing her second Olympic title is a more difficult task. 

The future hall of famer’s quest to become the first non-Japanese woman to win two Olympic gold medals officially begins this Friday at the two-day Canadian Wrestling Team Trials in Niagara, Ontario, Canada. 

The process for Wiebe to make it to the Tokyo Olympic Games is relatively simple, but it'll be no easy task to do so. First, she has to win the Canadian Wrestling Team Trials. Then, she has to qualify the weight at the Pan-American Olympic Qualifier (March 13-15). 

Wiebe's first step in repeating her run to an Olympic gold begins this week in Ontario, where she’s entered at 76kg. Her weight class will feature five other wrestlers, including Canada’s last two world team representatives at 72kg, who are moving up to the Olympic weight of 76kg. 

Wiebe’s strongest competition this week will be 2019 Pan-American champion Dejah SLATER and her biggest domestic rival, Justina DI STASIO, a 2018 world champion.

Wiebe and Di Stasio met earlier this year in the finals of the Canada Cup in Calgary, where Wiebe scored the 7-5 come-from-behind win. In that June meeting, Wiebe trailed 3-2 heading into the closing period, but the Olympic champion outscored the world champion, 5-2, and secured the gold medal with the 7-5 victory.

Outside of the massive storyline at 76kg, another weight to follow will be 57kg. Linda MORAIS, the reigning world champion at 59kg, will make her descent down to the Olympic weight with hopes is chasing Olympic gold in Tokyo. Morais will be met at 57kg by Hannah TAYLOR and Alexandra TOWN. Taylor is fresh off a bronze-medal finish at the U23 World Championships, while Town is a year removed from handing Canada their first-ever women's wrestling U23 world gold medal.

The Canadian Wrestling Team Trials begin Friday and can be followed live on www.wrestling.ca and CBC Sports! You can also follow Wrestling Canada Lutte on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for live updates.

Kyle SNYDER (USA) will lead Team USA to Vladikavkaz, Russia, for the Alans International Tournament. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

3. Snyder Leads Experienced USA Squad Headed to Russia for Alans International Tournament
Kyle SNYDER (USA) is set to lead a highly experienced American team to Vladikavkaz, Russia, for the Alans International Tournament. The Menezh Sports Palace will host the three-day tournament from December 5-8. 

Thomas GILMAN, James GREEN and Nick GWIAZDOWSKI are the trio of world medalists that'll join Snyder, the two-time world and Olympic champion, in Vladikavkaz over the weekend. In total, the American team that's entered combines for nine world medals and an Olympic title. 

Gilman, a 2017 world silver medalist, will wrestle in Russia for the third time in the last three months. In October, Gilman went 5-0 and won the 57kg gold medal at the Yusup Abdulsalamov Tournament in Dagestan, Russia. He followed that up a week later with a bronze-medal finish at the Intercontinental Cup in Khasavyurt, Russia. 

Green, a two-time 70kg world medalist, will try to improve his bronze medal from last year’s Alans Tournament. But, he won’t be doing so at his normal weight of 70kg. Green will make his first appearance at the Olympic weight of 74kg, where he’ll look to challenge teammate Jordan BURROUGHS for the Tokyo Olympic spot. 

The fourth world medalist on USA’s team is two-time world bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI, who’ll wrestle at 125kg. 

Zain RETHERFORD and Mike MACHIAVELLO round out the six-man roster for the United States.  Retherford, a two-time world team representative, will compete at 65kg, while Machiavello will wrestle at 92kg. 

USA Alans Teams 
57kg – Thomas GILMAN ('18 silver)
65kg – Zain RETHERFORD 
74kg – James GREEN ('17 silver, '15 bronze)
92kg – Mike MACHIAVELLO 
97kg – Kyle SNYDER ('15 and '17 gold, '18 silver, '19 bronze) ('16 Olympic gold)
125kg – Nick GWIAZDOWSKI ('17 and '18 bronze)

Prize Money
GOLD - $5000 $ + $1000 to the coach
SILVER - $2000 
BRONZE - $1000 (each bronze medalist)

Vinesh VINESH (IND) (Photo: Tony Rotundo) 

4. Vinesh and Malik Shine at Tata Motors Indian National Championships
Indian stars Vinesh VINESH and Sakshi MALIK shined bright over the weekend, winning gold medals in their respective weight classes at the 64th Annual Tata Motors Indian National Championships in Punjab’s northern city, Jalandhar. 

Vinesh, India’s most prominent women’s wrestling star, followed up her bronze-medal finish at the World Championships with a gold medal at the Indian National Championships. Vinesh, who qualified India for the Olympic Games at 53kg, downed Anju ANJU, 7-3, in the 55kg gold-medal match. 

Sakshi Malik was the second superstar to win a national title over the weekend. Malik, the Rio Olympic bronze medalist, got back to her winning ways after a disappointing 17th-place finish at the World Championships. Malik defeated Radhika RADHIKA, 4-2, in the finals at 62kg. 

In freestyle, India’s two 2019 world medalists, Bajrang PUNIA and Deepak PUNIA, elected to sit out of the competition. Bajrang, who medaled at his second straight World Championships, is preparing for the 2020 Toyko Olympics, while Deepak, the world silver medalist at 86kg, is nursing the same injury that kept him from wrestling Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) in the 86kg world finals. 

The winners of the Tata Motors Indian National Championships will now travel to Nepal to compete in the South Asian Games. Wrestling at the South Asian Games begins on December 6. 

Women’s Wrestling 
50kg – Sheetal TOMAR df. Nirmal NIRMAL, 7-3 
53kg – Pinki PINKI df. Ankush ANKUSH, 7-3 
55kg – Vinest VINESH df. Anju ANJU, 7-3 
57kg – Sarita MOR df. Neetu NEETU, via default
59kg – Anshu ANSHU df. Lalita SHERAWAT, 4-4
62kg – Sakshi MALIK df. Rashika RADHIKA, 4-2 
65kg – Nisha DAHIYA df. Navjot KAUR, 4-1 
68kg – Anita Sheoran df.  Divya KAKRAN, 5-1 
72kg – Kiran KIRAN  df. Naina NAINA, 4-1 
76kg – Gursharan PREET KAUR df. 4-2 POOJA, 4-2 

Freestyle 
57kg – Rahul RAHUL df. Abasaheb ABASAHEB, 7-6
61kg – RAVINDER Sonaba df. Tanaji TANAJI, 12-2
65kg – Amit KUMAR df. Rahul RAHUL, 12-2
70kg – Naveen NAVEEN df. Vishal VISHAL, 2-1 
74kg – Gourav BALIYAN df. Praveen RANA, 5-3
79kg – Sandeep MANN df. Jutender JITENDER, 7-4
86kg – Pawan KUMAR df. Deepak SAROHA, 4-1 
92kg – Monu MONU df Sunil SUNIL, 10-2
97kg – Satyawart KADIAN df. Kapil Chaudhary, 9-0
125kg – Sumit MALIK df. Abhijut ABHIJIT, 5-0 

Shinobu OTA (JPN) (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

5. Rio Silver Medalists Ota, Higuchi Take Drastic Measures in Quest to Make Tokyo 2020
A pair of Japanese silver medalists from the Rio 2016 Olympics, denied during their preferred routes to Tokyo 2020, will be trying desperate measures in last-ditch efforts to make Games in their host country---which presents a weighty problem for both.

Shinobu OTA, the Rio 2016 silver medalist at Greco-Roman 60kg, has moved up to two divisions to 67kg for the upcoming All Japan Championships, which will serve as the final qualifier for either filling an Olympic berth that Japan has already secured, or earning the chance to win a spot at the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in March.

Conversely, Rei HIGUCHI, who failed to gain an Olympic ticket at freestyle 65kg, has gone the other way, dropping two weight classes down to 57kg, the division in which he won the silver in Rio, according to the list of entries recently released by the Japan federation for the tournament to be held Dec. 19-22 in Tokyo.

Click here for Ken Martantz' full breaks down of the All Japan Championships. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media
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2. Mijain LÓPEZ is a three-time Olympic champion, is on a quest to become the first-ever male to win four Olympic titles.
3. The most dominant wrestling nation in the world, Russia ??.
4. Happy Friday, wrestling fans! ‬
5. World Champion Spotlight: Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) outscored his four #WrestleNurSultan opponents 29-0 and captured his first world title. The 26-year-old scored a 53 second 9-0 technical superiority victory over Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) in the finals.

#WrestleAmman

Medet Kyzy pulls off late miracle for 3rd Asian gold

Thursday, March 27, 2025 - 19:00 By Ken Marantz

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AMMAN, Jordan (March 27) -- Winning the tight ones is a sign of a true champion, and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) couldn't have cut it any closer in retaining her Asian crown and becoming a three-time champion.

Medet Kyzy thwarted an upset bid from REETIKA (IND) with a takedown and gut wrench in the dying seconds for a 7-6 victory in the 76kg final at the Asian Championships on Thursday as women's wrestling took the stage on the third day in Amman, Jordan.

"I prepared for the Asian Championships really well," said Medet Kyzy, who will turn 26 on Sunday. "In the last 20 seconds, I said to myself, 'Aiperi, you have to win.'"

Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) also became a three-time champion at 50kg, while young compatriot Sakura ONISHI (JPN) had a miracle victory of her own at 59kg as the powerful Japanese squad was limited to two of the five titles at stake, albeit they lost a world champion to a last-minute withdrawal due to injury.

The two other finals were match-ups between wrestlers from China and the DPK Korea, which they split as Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) and Zelu LI (CHN) became first-time champions at 55kg and 68kg, respectively.

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) scores the winning turn against REETIKA (IND) in the 76kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the 76kg final, Medet Kyzy, a two-time world medalist, was facing an opponent bent on avenging a close 1-1 loss in the quarterfinals at last year's Paris Olympics.

And for much of the match, it looked like it was payback time for 2023 world U23 champion Reetika, an Asian bronze medalist a year ago in Bishkek.

After Medet Kyzy opened with a counter for a takedown, Reetika scored a single-leg takedown to go into the break up 2-2 on criteria. In the second period, Reetika twisted Medet Kyzy over in a scramble for a 2-point exposure, then added a double-leg takedown to make it 6-2.

It looked bleak for Medet Kyzy when, in the final seconds, she managed to get behind for a takedown, then barely muscled Reetika's shoulders past the 90-degree point with a gut wrench with :02 left on the clock. The 2-point exposure was upheld on challenge.

Medet Kyzy said she was inspired by her Kyrgyzstan teammates, including Greco-Roman brothers Zholaman and Tynaar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) cheering her on from the stands.

"They cheered so badly for me I couldn’t lose," she said. "I worked till the very end." Medet Kyzy said that she and her coaches have been working on improving her quickness on the mat, which paid off on Thursday.

"After the Olympics, I sat down with the coaches and we did a full analysis of my wrestling," she said. "Now I’m more efficient compared to before."

Medet Kyzy, who finished fifth at the Paris Olympics, had also previously struck gold in 2022 and now has a total of eight Asian medals, along with a gold and bronze from the Asian Games.

"The Olympics were half a year ago," Medet Kyzy said. "It was very hard for me, because I ended up being fifth. All this time my friends, family, and coaches supported me a lot. Now we have started preparation for the 2028 Olympics."

At 50kg, Yoshimoto, taking advantage of a chance to compete internationally with high-profile rival Yui SUSAKI (JPN) still on hiatus, put on a takedown clinic in an 8-0 victory over world U20 champion Yu ZHANG (CHN).

Yoshimoto chalked up two takedowns in each period with a combination of single-leg attacks and counters to outclass the Chinese teen and add to her previous Asian golds from 2022 and 2023 -- she also has gold from the 2023 Asian Games.

"I didn't make the team last year, but I went into my third [Asian Championships] with a new feeling and not thinking about it too deeply," said Yoshimoto, the 2021 world champion in Susaki's absence. "I feel like the opponents came up with a strategy against me, so it wasn't so easy.

"I wasn't looking to win in any particular way, but I wasn't moving like I wanted. It was different from the first and second times and there is much I need to reflect on."

Yoshimoto has not lost to a non-Japanese opponent since 2019, when she was defeated by Chun LEI (CHN) at the test event for the Tokyo Olympics. Her only other international loss was to two-time Olympic medalist Yun SUNAN (CHN) in the final of the Klippan Lady earlier that year.

Next up for Yoshimoto is the Meiji Cup in June, the second of two domestic qualifiers for this year's World Championships where she will likely have to encounter Susaki, who has not competed since taking a bronze at the Paris Olympics.

Onishi, one of Japan's brightest rising stars, looked to be headed to just her second defeat in seven international tournaments when she pulled off a last-second 6-4 victory over Pyol HONG (PRK) in the 59kg final, thanks to a favorable call.

"This is my first time at the senior Asian Championships, and I knew it would not be easy to win," Onishi said. "That's exactly how it was. The final was a tough match. There was a moment when I thought I was going to lose. But I stayed strongly determined to win."

The reigning world U20 champion took a 3-0 lead with a single-leg takedown, to which a 1-point penalty was tacked on for grabbing the wrists.

In the second period, all of Onishi's tackle attempts were well thwarted by Hong, who spun behind after one counter for a takedown, after which she added a gut wrench to go up 4-3.

With the clock ticking down, Onishi launched a desperate surge forward that forced Hong over the edge for a stepout with :02 left that, by itself, would not have been enough. But the referee signaled an additional point for fleeing that was upheld by the side judges, leaving Hong stunned and Onishi elated.

"There was only a little time left, but I thought I had to do something and just go for it," the 19- year-old Onishi said. "All I thought was that I wanted to win. I have no recollection of what I actually did."

The match marked Onishi's first encounter with an opponent from the DPR Korea. "She was very powerful and she was able to keep me from doing my usual winning pattern. I couldn't get in on a tackle, and honestly speaking, I was panicking a little. But it was a good experience."

Onishi, the world U17 champion at 53kg in 2023, prepped for Amman by winning the Tirana Ranking Series event in February. She was dealt her lone international loss in the final at the 2022 U17 worlds to Maria YEFREMOVA (UKR).

Oh, the losing finalist at 55kg last year, moved up to the top of the medal podium by grinding out an 8-1 victory over Yuxuan LI (CHN), who finished third in Tirana.

Oh gained a takedown off a counter, then went to a lace lock, but was limited to one roll through by Li to make it 4-0. In the second period, Oh padded her lead with a single-leg takedown and added another lace lock roll. As she tried another, Li managed to execute a switch and scored a reversal for her lone point.

Oh had earned her place in the final for the second year in a row by knocking off three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) with a nail-biting 6-5 win in the semifinals. Last year, she lost in the final to Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), who will be going for the 53kg gold on Friday.

Zelu LI (CHN)Zelu LI (CHN) works a cradle against Sol Gum PAK (PRK) in the 68kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

The 68kg final was a quick affair when Zelu Li defeated Sol Gum PAK (PRK) by fall in just 35 seconds.

Li forced in a half-nelson from the standing position, then slammed Pak directly to her back and clamped down for the fall.

Li finished second at the Tirana Ranking Series to world 72kg champion Ami ISHII (JPN), who was entered at 68kg in Amman but withdrew prior to the competition due to a knee injury she suffered a week ago in training.

Murayama Okuno bounces back to take bronze

In the bronze-medal matches, Murayama Okuno assured she would not leave her first Asian Championships empty-handed, while two Indian teenagers made it onto the medal podium in their international senior debuts.

Murayama Okuno bounced back from her semifinal loss to Oh by shutting out Dilshoda MATNAZAROVA (UZB) 8-0 at 55kg.

Murayama Okuno jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a takedown and a stepover exposure. In the second period, she broke through Matnazarova's defenses to get a late takedown off a counter and a gut wrench for her final points.

The other 55kg bronze went to two-time Asian U23 champion Otgontuya BAYANMUNKH (MGL), who got behind countering a takedown attempt by NISHU (IND), applied a chicken wing and turned her over for a fall in 2:13.

At 50kg, Myonggyong WON (PRK), last seen on the continental stage winning a bronze at the Asian juniors (U20) in 2019, now has a senior medal after overwhelming Miran CHEON (KOR) 10-0.

Won twice went out the back door for a takedown, and after the second one, secured a high- thigh lock and executed one roll, then moved down to the laces and ripped off two more to end the match at 2:01.

Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL), in her second appearance at the Asian Championships five years after placing fifth, came away with the other 50kg bronze after scoring a deep double-leg takedown late in the first period and making that hold up in a 3-0 victory over Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ).

At 59kg, teenager MUSKAN (IND), a 2024 world U17 bronze medalist at 53kg, received two activity points and scored a late takedown to defeat Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) 4-0.

Mengyu XIE (CHN) made short work of Guldana BEKESH (KAZ), storming to a 10-0 technical fall in :48 to add the other 59kg bronze to the gold she won back in 2019.

Xie, a 2022 world bronze medalist at 55kg, opened with a takedown-gut wrench combination, then did it again, adding a second roll to finish off Asian U23 bronze medalist Bekesh.

In a battle between last year's bronze medalists at 68kg, 2023 world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) added to her extensive collection of Asian medals by finishing off Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) 14-2 with a driving 4-point takedown in the final seconds.

Enkhsaikhan scored three takedowns in the first period to lead 6-2, then added two more and looked headed for a 10-2 win. But she got in deep on a double-leg, lifted up and drove Tashtanbekova to the mat for a 4-pointer.

Enkhsaikan now has five Asian medals, all bronze save for a silver from 2021.

The second Indian teen, world U17 champion Mansi LATHER (IND), used a snap-down, spin-behind attack to maximum effect to rout Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) 12-2 for the other bronze at 68kg.

In an entertaining bout at 76kg, YANGLA (CHN) twice threw Mi Hyang KIM (PRK) to her back, only to be reversed to her own back, but scored a late takedown to clinch an 8-5 victory. Yangla got the big move of the match with a back suplex for 4.

Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) added to the Japanese medal tally, showing surprising speed and agility for a heavyweight in charging to a 10-0 win over Seoyeon JEONG (KOR) for the other 76kg bronze.

Yamamoto opened with a single-leg takedown and two gut wrenches, added a snap-down, go-behind takedown, then finished things off at 2:00 with a single-leg takedown at the edge.

Photo

Day 3 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg (13 entries)
GOLD: Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) df. Yu ZHANG (CHN), 8-0

BRONZE: Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) df. Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ), 3-0
BRONZE: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Miran CHEON (KOR) by TF, 10-0, 2:01

55kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Yuxuan LI (CHN), 8-1

BRONZE: Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) df. Dilshoda MATNAZAROVA (UZB), 8-0
BRONZE: Otgontuya BAYANMUNKH (MGL) df. NISHU (IND) by Fall, 2:13 (4-0)

59kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Pyol HONG (PRK), 6-4

BRONZE: MUSKAN (IND) df. Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL), 4-0
BRONZE: Mengyu XIE (CHN) df. Guldana BEKESH (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, :48

68kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Zelu LI (CHN) df. Sol Gum PAK (PRK) by Fall, :35 (4-0)

BRONZE: Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) df. Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) by TF, 14-2, 6:00
BRONZE: Mansi LATHER (IND) df. Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) by TF, 12-2, 4:43

76kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. REETIKA (IND), 7-6

BRONZE: YANGLA (CHN) df. Mi Hyang KIM (PRK), 8-5
BRONZE: Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) df. Seoyeon JEONG (KOR) by TF, 10-0, 2:00