Weekly FIVE! February 26, 2019

Monday, February 25, 2019 - 18:47 By Eric Olanowski

Discussing this week's Dan Kolov and Russia's 2019 Freestyle World Cup Rosters. Also reviewing results from the Hungarian and German Grand Prix' and the Cerro Pelado.

1. Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Begins Thursday

Four Olympic gold medalists and four world champions have entered this week’s Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament, United World Wrestling’s second freestyle and women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the 2019 season.

Two-time defending world champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Olympic champions Taha AKGUL (TUR), Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA), and Hassan YAZDANICHARATI (IRI) have each signed up to compete in Ruse.

While on the women’s side defending world champions Petra OLLI (FIN), RONG Ningning (CHN), and Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL) are all scheduled to wrestle.

Winner of the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov will be awarded eight (8) points, with second, third and fifth place grabbing six (6), four (4), and two (2) points respectively.

In addition to the placement points, wrestlers will receive additional points based on the number of participants in their bracket. For weight categories with 10 or fewer entries, an additional six (6) points will be added. For categories with 11-20 wrestlers entered an additional eight (8) points will be added. Ten (10) points will be added to any weight category with more than 20 entries.

The two remaining freestyle and women's wrestling Rankings Series events are the Sassari (May 24), and the Yasar Dogu (July 12).

If you missed the first Ranking Series event, the Ivan Yariguin, click here to view the event hub.

2. Lorincz Lifts Host Nation to Hungarian Grand Prix Title

Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) picked up his second Ranking Series title of the year with a 6-0 shutout victory over Algeria's Ivan LIZATOVIC in the 87kg Hungarian Open finals, catapulting the host nation to the top of the leaderboard, five points above Iran, who led after the first nine weight classes.

In the finals, the Hungarian exposed his Algerian opponent twice with a pair of gut wrenches after the Lizatovic was dinged for passivity, and owned the 5-0 lead. A second period step out gave Lorincz the 6-0 advantage and his second Ranking Series gold of the season. The Hungarian also had a title-winning performance at the Zagreb Open two weeks ago.

Lorincz is quietly building a case to be looked at as one of the most dominate Greco-Roman wrestlers in the world after the first two Ranking Series events. Lorincz has an undefeated 9-0 record this season and has scored six shutout victories while outscoring his opponents 45-8.

The host nation Hungary (91 points), who wasn’t even in the top-five after the opening day of wrestling, edged Iran (86 points) by five points to win the team title. Ukraine (83points), Turkey (68 points) and Korea (65 points) rounded out the top-five, respectively.

FINALS RESULTS
55kg - Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) df. Reza Kheirollah KHEDRI (IRI), 6-4
60kg - Seunghak KIM (KOR) df. Firuz TUKHTAEV (UZB), via inj. def.
63kg - Shinobu OTA (JPN) df. Erbatu TUO (CHN), 6-0
67kg - Hansu RYU (KOR) df. Ruslan KUDRYNETS (UKR), 8-1
72kg - Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Sachino DAVITAIA (GEO), via inj. def.
77kg - Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR), 2-1
82kg - Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN), 7-1
87kg - Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) df. Bachir SID AZARA (ALG), 6-0
97kg - Tracy Gangelo HANCOCK (USA) df. Fatih BASKOY (TUR), 3-3
130kg - Heiki NABI (EST) df. Georgi CHUGOSHVILI (BLR), 2-0

Day One Wrap
Day Two Wrap

3. Russia Releases World Cup Roster
World champions Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (70kg) and Zaurbek SIDAKOV (74kg) lead the Russian Federation’s 20-man roster for the 2019 Freestyle World Cup.

The 2018 freestyle world champions will be without world champions Zaur UGUEV (57kg) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (97kg), and two-time world runner-up RASHIDOV Gadshimurad (61kg), but their lineup will feature 2018 third-place finishers Akhmed CHAKAEV (65kg) and Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (79kg).

For Russia to earn top-billing in 2019, the home side will need to win a Group A side which includes a resurgent Cuban team, Japan, and Turkey.

The United States heads up Group B but faces steep competition from a Georgia squad rife with former world and Olympic champions, including two-time defending heavyweight world champion Geno PETRIASHVILLI. A young Iranian team and ever-improving Mongolia squad fill out Group B.

Group A - RUS (1), CUB (4), JPN (5), TUR (8)
Group B - USA (2), GEO (3), IRI (6), MGL (7)

The 2019 Freestyle World Cup beings on March 16 in Yakutsk, Russia, and will be live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

Russia’s World Cup Roster
57kg - Muslim SADULAEV
57kg - Aryian TIUTRIN
61kg - Eduard GRIGOREV
61kg - Magomedrasul IDRISOV
65kg - Akhmed CHAKAEV
65kg - Nachyn KUULAR
70kg - David BAEV
70kg - Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV
74kg - Zaurbek SIDAKOV
74kg - Magomed KURBANALIEV
79kg - Magomed RAMAZANOV
79kg - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV
86kg - Vladislav VALIEV
86kg - Dauren KURUGLIEV
92kg - Magomed KURBANOV
92kg - Alikhan ZHABRAILOV
97kg - Rasul MAGOMEDOV
97kg - Igor OVSIANNIKOV
125kg - Anzor KHIZRIEV
125kg - Said GAMIDOV

4. Cuba Wins Six Cerro Pelado International Golds
Cuban wrestlers won six of eight freestyle gold medals at last weekend’s Cerro Pelado in Havana, Cuba. United States’ Ben WHITFORD and Brandon SORENSEN won the 61kg and 70kg gold medals respectively and were the only two non-Cubans to win a gold medal.

Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN) was the only wrestlers not from Cuba or the United States to medal at the Cerro Pelado. He won a bronze medal at 57kg.

RESULTS
57kg
GOLD - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB)
SILVER - Alexei ALVAREZ BLANCO (CUB)
BRONZE - Frank PERELLI (USA)
BRONZE - Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN)

61kg
GOLD – Ben WHITFORD (USA)
SILVER - Cory CLARK (USA)
BRONZE - Aleynier HERNANDEZ GUILARTE (CUB)

65kg
GOLD - Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB)
SILVER – Evan HENDERSON (USA)
BRONZE – Dean HEIL (USA)
Cristian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB)

70kg
GOLD – Brandon SORENSEN (USA)
SILVER Lavion MAYS  (USA)
BRONZE - David CARR (USA)
BRONZE Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB)

74kg
GOLD - Geandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB)
SILVER - Thomas GANTT (USA)
BRONZE Joey LAVALLEE (USA)
BRONZE - Dan VALIMONT (USA)

79kg - No competition

86kg
GOLD - Yurieski TORREBLANCE QUERALTA (CUB)
SILVER - Kenneth COURTS (USA)
BRONZE - Brett PFARR (USA)
BRONZE - Lazaro HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB)

92kg - No competition

97kg
GOLD - Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB)
SILVER - Yongen BASTIDAS (CUB)
BRONZE - Kevyn GADSON (USA)

125kg
GOLD - Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVES (CUB)
SILVER - Dominique BRADLEY (USA)
BRONZE - Lazaro SILVA (CUB)
BRONZE - Tanner HALL (USA)

5. Grand Prix of Germany Wraps Up in
Five different nations won a women’s wrestling gold medal at the last weekend’s German Grand Prix, but Canada and the United State were the frontrunners with three gold medalists each.

The host nation Germany had a pair of champions, while Nigeria and Russia each had a solo gold-medal winner.

The most notable championship performance came from Russia’s 2012 Olympic champion Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS). Vorobieva, who made her return to the mat three weeks ago at the Henri Deglane Challenge, made only her second tournament appearance since her runner-up finish at the Rio Olympics. Vorobieva absence was due to the birth of her son shortly after the 2016 Olympic Games.

In the finals, Vorobieva defeated Martina KUENZ (AUT) to win her first gold medal since the 2015 Golden Grand Prix.

RESULTS
50kg
GOLD - Whitney CONDER (USA)
SILVER - Katharina BAUMGARTNER (GER)
BRONZE - Victoria ANTHONY (USA)
BRONZE - Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)

53kg
GOLD - Diana WEICKER (CAN)
SILVER - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE)
BRONZE - Jessica BLASZKA (NED)
BRONZE - Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)

55kg
GOLD - Cameron GUERIN (USA)
SILVER - Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
BRONZE - Jeannie KESSLER (AUT)

57kg
GOLD - Adekuoroye ODUNAYO (NGR)
SILVER - Anna Hella SZEL (HUN)
BRONZE - Elena BRUGGER (GER)
BRONZE - Francesca INDELICATO (ITA)

59kg
GOLD - Andrea GRASRUECK (GER)
SILVER - Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE – Debora LAWNITZAK (GER)

62kg
GOLD - Luisa LIEMESCH (GER)
SILVER - Johanna MATTSSON (SWE)
BRONZE - Marwa AMRI (TUN)
BRONZE - Mallory VELTE (USA)

65kg
GOLD - Braxton STRONE-PAPADOPOULOS (CAN)
SILVER - Amanda HENDEY (USA)
BRONZE - Macey KILTY (USA)
BRONZE - JuliaSALATA (USA)

68kg
GOLD - Olivia DIBACCO (CAN)
SILVER - Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN)
BRONZE - Anna SCHELL (GER)
BRONZE -Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)

72kg
GOLD - Guilford, Dymond GUILFORD (USA)
SILVER - Sennett, Andrea Rose SENNETT (USA)
BRONZE -Molnar, Zsuszanna  MOLNAR (SVK)

76kg
GOLD - Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS)
SILVER - Martina KUENZ (AUT)
BRONZE - Francy RAEDELT (GER)

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1. Big Move Monday -- Ibragim Ilyasov (RUS) -- 2018 U-23 Europe @ilyasov_57
2. RYU Hansu with a nasty front head! Team Korea took two titles on the weekend which was good enough for a 5th place team finish! #grecoromanwrestling #wrestling ? @martin_gabor__
3. Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo ?? gets an early win #hungariangp2019 .
4. Great early action on Day 1 at the #hungariangp2019 #unitedworldwrestling #wrestling #grecoromanwrestling
5. Happy @alliseeisgold Day (2/22)! Счастливого @alliseeisgold дня!

#WrestleBaku, #WrestleParis

Sadulaev leads star-studded line-up for European OG Qualifier

Sunday, March 31, 2024 - 20:48 By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (March 31) -- For the first time in his career, Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) will participate in 'qualifiers' hoping to earn a spot for the Paris Olympics. His previous two appearances at the Olympics, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, came after winning the preceding World Championships in 2015 and 2019, respectively.

Sadulaev, if he qualifies, won't go to Paris as the world champion. Nor would he be the clear pick to win the gold. However, Sadulaev will be the favorite in Baku.

The two-time Olympic champion, who withdrew from his semifinal at the 2023 World Championships due to injury, is set to compete in the European OG Qualifiers in Baku from April 5 to 7, aiming to secure a Paris quota as an Individual Neutral Athlete in the 97kg category. This marks his return to competition following the World Championships and subsequent neck surgery.

The 97kg bracket includes some notable contenders aiming to secure quotas for Paris 2024 including Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), who clinched a bronze medal at the European Championships, veteran Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD), Radoslaw BARAN (POL), and Tokyo Olympian Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN).

Sadulaev is expected to be seeded second, barring any last-minute changes to the entries, while Erik THIELE (GER) is set to receive the top seed, placing him separate from Sadulaev. As a result, Bajcajev is likely to be the third seed, and if the seeds hold, he will meet Sadulaev in the semifinal, with the winner securing the Paris 2024 spot.

Baran is slated to be the fourth seed, positioning him in the top half of the bracket. Hushtyn, Nurov, Radu LEFTER (MDA), and Benjamin HONIS (HUN) will be drawn randomly.

Despite the time away from international competition and being in unfamiliar territory, Sadulaev will look to leave no doubt that he remains an unbeaten force.

Haji ALIYEV (AZE) wrestling at the World Championships where he lost in the quarterfinal. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Another wrestler hoping to earn a Paris 2024 spot is two-time Olympic medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE). When he last competed at a European qualifier, Aliyev had a relatively straightforward path to the final, securing his qualification for the Tokyo Olympics. However, this year may present different challenges.

Aliyev will have to tackle a lot, both on and off the mat, to qualify for his third Olympics. He will be dealing with some additional pressure of leading a formidable Azerbaijan team looking to qualify in five Olympic weight classes in Baku.

The 65kg bracket in Baku will feature the latest European champion, Islam DUDAEV (ALB), European silver medalist Mikyay NAIM (BUL), former European bronze medalist Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), and 2024 European bronze medalist Andre CLARKE (GER), among others.

Dudaev won the gold in February after beating Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (AIN) in the final, throwing his name in the mix to earn a Paris Olympic quota in Baku.

Aliyev will be seeded number three with Maxim SCULTAN (MDA) taking the top seed, Joshua FINESILVER (ISR) at number two and Nino LEUTERT (SUI) at number four.

The weight cut for Aliyev will also be a challenge. Since the Tokyo Olympics, he has participated in six United World Wrestling competitions, wrestling at 70kg in three of them. The Baku tournament will also mark his first competition since the World Championships in September last year, where he exited after suffering a loss to Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the quarterfinals.

Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) is looking to qualify Azerbaijan at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Joining Aliyev in the Azerbaijan team are Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) at 57kg, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) at 74kg, Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) at 86kg and Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) at 125kg.

Rzazade failed to move past the Round of 16 at the World Championships and even lost his cool in that bout. But with Stevan MICIC (SRB), Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) and Zavur UGUEV (AIN) already earning a spot from the World Championships, the European field does offer a huge opportunity for Rzazade.

He will be seeded fourth in a bracket that also has Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), Horst LEHR (GER), Robert DINGASHVILI (GEO), Simone PIRODDU (ITA), Vladimir EGOROV (MKD), Suleyman ATLI (TUR) and Kamil KERYMOV (UKR).

Atli and Egorov, former European champions, will be drawn randomly while Vangelov will be seeded number three after Lehr, who is number two.

Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) is returning since the 2021 World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 86kg, Nurmagomedov will have to repeat his heroics from the 92kg weight class that saw him become a world silver medalist and European champion. Azerbaijan will hope that Nurmagomedov can finish the job in Baku and not leave things to the final qualifiers in Istanbul in May.

But it won't be easy as Tokyo bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) returns for his first competition in three years. He will be among the contenders to claim one of the two spots. A few familiar opponents will greet Naifonov as Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) will turn up for Bulgaria while Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) will turn up for Greece.

Naifonov last wrestled at the World Championships in Oslo in 2021, winning a bronze medal. He will now be in Baku to earn the 86kg spot as an Individual Neutral Athlete.

Kurugliev won the European Championships in February and will start among the favorites to win one of the two spots in Baku. But he has to look out for Naifonov who will be drawn at random in the bracket.

The top seed will be European bronze medalist Osman GOCEN (TUR) who impressed at the European Championships. He will followed by Ramazanov as the second seed and Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) as the third seed. Kurguliev will be fourth, putting him on the same side as Gocen.

Two-time World Championships medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) at 79kg has entered 86kg since the start of the year with hopes of qualifying Georgia. Former world medalists Boris MAKOEV (SVK) and Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) are expected to surprise the field.

The 125kg can throw a few close match-ups with little to predict. European bronze medalists Meshvildishvili and Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) will look to seize this opportunity and earn Paris spots. Joining them is Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) who finished fifth in Bucharest, former Euro medalist Daniel LIGETI (HUN), Tokyo Olympian Abraham CONYEDO (ITA) and Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR).

Ligeti was a win away from getting the spot at the World Championships but he has another chance in Baku. He will be the top seed followed by Meshvildishvili at number two. Khotsianivskyi will be at number three and Khramiankou at number four.

Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) is a silver medalist in the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

74kg minefield

Perhaps the most unpredictable weight class in the world right now. A host of Olympic and World Championships medalists will make their way to Baku to earn Paris 2024 quotas. But many will leave without one.

Tokyo silver medalist Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN), who exited the World Championships after a first-round loss, has some forgetful memories of a European qualifier as he suffered a heartbreaking 4-4 loss four years ago.

However, a European Championships silver medal in February will boost Kadzimahamedau's confidence as he heads to Baku unseeded.

Bayramov, who came agonizingly close to winning a Paris spot in Belgrade before being cautioned out, will lead the Azerbaijan challenge as the top seed. He finished with a bronze medal at the European Championships after dropping his semifinal against Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK).

Both will be separated in Baku as Salkazanov is seeded second and will be on the other side of the bracket. However, he will be drawn with Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), the third seed, and if the seeds hold, both will meet in the semifinals. The two wrestled in the European Championships final and Salkazanov won 5-0.

Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) will be the fourth seed for the competition which leaves Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) and Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) unseeded. They will be roaring after missing out on medals at the World Championships. Chamizo even spent 10 days in Tokyo to prepare for the qualifiers. (Yes, the video if you keep scrolling).

Out of the 22 wrestlers entered at 74kg, only two can earn the spots for the Paris Games. The others will have to give it another shot in Istanbul in May.

Weekly FIVE! February 26, 2019

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Sadulaev leads star-studded line-up for European OG Qualifier