Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! January 14, 2019

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing the Indian Pro League and Turkey's freestyle World and European Championships team. Also looking at Russia's upcoming Greco-Roman National Championships, the Ivan Yariguin and the passing of a Greco-Roman legend. 

1. Indian Pro Wrestling League Begins Monday  
The Mumbai Maharathis and NCR Punjab Royals kick off the opening night at one of the world’s most popular professional wrestling leagues, the Indian Pro League (PWL). The daily matches from India last three weeks and go from January 14-31. 

The PWL features six teams comprised of five men and four women. Each team will have five wrestlers from India and four international wrestlers.

Click here to watch the action from the PWL. 

ROSTERS

DELHI SULTANS
Women's Wrestling 
53kg - Pinki PINKI (IND) 
57kg - Katherina ZHYDACHIVSHA (ROM)
62kg - Sakshi MALIK (IND)
76kg - Shustova ANASTASIA (UKR)

Freestyle
57kg - Rahul AWARE (IND)
65kg - Andrey KVIATKOVSKI (UKR)
74kg - Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) 
84kg - Praveen PRAVEEN (IND)
125kg - Sumit Malik (IND) 

HARYANA HAMMERS
Women's Wrestling 
53kg - Seema SEEMA (IND) 
57kg - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) 
62kg - Tayana OMELCHENKO (AZE) 
76kg - Kiran KIRAN (IND) 

Freestyle
57kg - Ravi KUMAR (IND) 
65kg – Rajneesh RAJNEESH (IND) 
74kg - Parveen RANA (IND) 
86kg - Ali SHABANOV (BLR) 
125kg - Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (UKR) 

MUMBAI MAHARATHI
Women's Wrestling 
53kg - Vinesh PHOGAT (IND)
57kg - Angelica BETZABETH (VEN)
62kg - Shilpi YADAV (IND)
76kg - Zsaneet NEMETH (HUN)

Freestyle
57kg - Ibragim ILYASOV (RUS)
65kg – Harphool HARPOOL (IND)
74kg - Sachin RATHI (IND)
86kg - Deepak PUNIA (IND)
125kg - Vladislav BAITSEEV (RUS) 

NCR PUNJAB ROYALS
Women's Wrestling 
53kg - Anju ANJU (IND)
57kg - Mimi HRISTOVA (BGR)
62kg - Anita ANITA (IND)
76kg -  Alina STADNIK(UKR)

Freestyle
57kg - Nitin RATHI (IND)
65kg - Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
74kg - Amit DHANKAR (IND)
86kg - Dato MARSAHISHVILI (GEO)
125kg - Korey JARVIS (CAN) 

UP DANGAL
Women's Wrestling 
53kg - Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR)
57kg – Sarita SARITA (IND)
62kg - Navjot Kaur (IND)
76kg - Epp MAE (EST)

Freestyle
57kg - NaveenNAVEEN (IND)
65kg - Pankaj RANA (IND)
74kg - Jitender JITENDER (IND)
86kg - Irakli Misituri (GEO)
125kg - Georgi SAKANDELIDZE (QAT)

MP YODHA
Women's Wrestling 
53kg - Ritu PHOGAT (IND) 
57kg - Pooja DHANDA (IND) 
62kg - Elise MANOLOVA (AZE) 
76kg- Andrea CAROLINA (COL) 

Freestyle
57kg - Sandeep TOMAR (IND) 
65kg - Haji ALIYEV (AZE) 
74kg - Vasil MIKHAILOV (URK) 
86kg - Deepak DEEPAK (IND) 
125kg - Akash ANTIL (IND)


Taha AKGUL (TUR), the two-time world and Olympic champion won the 125kg Turkish Freestyle National title this past weekend. He also confirmed that he'll compete at the first Ranking Series event of the year, the Ivan Yariguin. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

2. Turkey's Freestyle Team Set for World and European Championships
The Çorum Hittite University Sports Hall in Corum, Turkey welcomed over 450 of the best Turkish wrestlers for the 2019 Freestyle National Championships. Similar to last week’s Turkish Women’s Wrestling National Championships, the winners of the Freestyle National Championships cemented their spot on Turkey’s World and European Championship teams. 

Taha AKGUL, the two-time world and Olympic champion, was among the wrestlers who punched their ticket to the World and European Championships. Akgul, who missed out medaling at the World Championships for the first time since 2013, confirmed to United World Wrestling that he’ll be traveling to Krasnoyarsk, Russia to compete at the first Ranking Series event of the year, the Ivan Yariguin. He’ll compete at 125kg. 

The biggest surprise of the tournament came at 86kg where Osman GOCEN earned his World and European Championship trip by defeated reigning world silver medalist, Fatih ERDIN in the gold-medal bout. Gocen also finished ahead of Selim YASAR, the Rio Olympic silver medalist.  

Turkey is expected to bring their first team to the Ivan Yariguin, which begins on January 24. 

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD - Ahmet DUMAN  
SILVER - Ahmet PEKER 
BRONZE – Barıs KAYA 
BRONZE - Ali KARABOGA 

61kg 
GOLD - Recep TOPAL  
SILVER - Sedat OZDEMIR 
BRONZE -  Munir AKTAS  
BRONZE - Cabbar DUYUM 

65kg 
GOLD - Mehmet OGUT  
SILVER - Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN
BRONZE - Cengizhan ERDOGAN  
BRONZE - Ali PINE 

70kg 
GOLD - Mustafa KAYA 
SILVER - Serhat ARSLAN 
BRONZE - Mehmet KARACA  
BRONZE - Enes USLU  

74kg
GOLD - Yakup GOR
SILVER - Fazlı ERYILMAZ  
BRONZE - Muhammed AKDENİZ 
BRONZE - Nazım KARA  

79kg
GOLD - Muhammed KOTANOGLU  
SILVER -  Ender COSKUN 
BRONZE - Musa GURBUZ 
BRONZE - Abdulkadir OZMEN 

86kg
GOLD -  Osman GOCEN  
SILVER - Fatih ERDIN 
BRONZE - Selim YASAR  
BRONZE - Arif OZEN  

92kg 
GOLD - İbrahim BOLUKBASI  
SILVER -  Erhan YAYLACI  
BRONZE -  Samet OZARSLAN
BRONZE - Süleyman KARADENİZ 

97kg  
GOLD -  Fatih YAŞARLI  
SILVER -  Baki SAHIN 
BRONZE - Ali BONCEOGlU 
BRONZE -  Feyzullah AKTURK  

125kg  
GOLD -  Taha AKGUL  
SILVER -  Fatih CAKIROGLU 
BRONZE -  Huseyin CIVELEK
BRONZE - Abdullah OMAC


Roman VLASOV (RUS), the two-time Olympic champion will make his return to the mat after suffering a knee injury two weeks prior to the 2018 World Championships. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

3. Russian Greco-Roman Nationals Set to Begin on January 18
The Russian Federation has moved the competition date for the 2019 Russian Greco-Roman National Championships. The Greco-Roman National Championships will now take place this weekend, from January 18-24 in Kaliningrad, Russia. 

Sergey EMELIN, Stepan MARYANIAN, Artem SURKOV, Alexander CHEKHIRKIN, Musa EVLOEV, and Sergey SEMENOV, the six current Greco-Roman world champions, are exempted from the Russian Greco-Roman National Championships. But this does not make the upcoming competition less interesting, largely due to the fact that Olympic champions, Roman VLASOV and Davit CHAKVETADZE, will strive to regain their former positions.

Here are seven storylines you need to follow at the Russian National Championships! 


Kyle SNYDER (USA), two-time world champion and Olympic champion is set to compete at the first Ranking Series event of the year, the Ivan Yariguin. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

4. The Ivan Yariguin Just 10 Days Away  
United World Wrestling’s first Ranking Series event of the year, the Ivan Yariguin begins 10 days from today in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. 

Turkey's Taha AKGULl and America's Kyle SNYDER (USA) are two Olympic champions that have confirmed that they'll be competing in Krasnoyarsk.

Shortly after it was announced that London Olympic champion Jordan BURROUGHS will make his first career trip to the Ivan Yariguin, USA Wrestling confirmed that Burroughs would no longer be competing in Siberia. Burroughs was expected to take the place of America's reigning 79kg world champion Kyle DAKE (USA), who is expected to miss some time after the birth of his daughter, EllaJo Rose, on December 12. 

On the women's wrestling side of the first Ranking Series event of the year, Norway's reigning U23 world champion Grace BULLEN has confirmed that she'll be in attendance in Krasnoyarsk. To win her 2018 U23 world title, Bullen knocked off China's reigning senior-level world champion and reigning Yariguin champion, RONG Ningning. 

SCHEDULE (Local time) 

January 23 (Wednesday)
08.00 - Arrival of delegations
15.30 - Referees clinic
15.30 - Press conference with the Organizing Committee representatives, main referees body, team leaders and coaches
16.30 - Draw: Women: cat: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: cat: 57,61,70 kg

January 24 (Thursday)
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh-in cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
11.00 - Elimination rounds cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
16.00 - Draw cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
17.00 -1⁄2 finale cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg

January 25 (Friday)
08:15 - Weigh-in cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh-in cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
11.00 - Elimination rounds and 1⁄2 finale cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg  - Repechage cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg
16.30 - Draw cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
16.00 - Opening ceremony
17.00 - Finals cat: Women: 50,55,59,65 kg Men: 57,61,70 kg

January 26 (Saturday)
08:15 - Weigh-in cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
08:30 - Medical examination and weigh-in cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
11.00 - Elimination rounds and 1⁄2 finale cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg - Repechage cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg
18.00 - Finals cat: Women: 53,57,62,68 kg Men: 65,79,125kg

January 27 (Sunday)
09:00 - Weigh-in cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
11.00 - Repechage cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg
13.00 - Finals cat: Women: 72,76 kg Men: 74,86,92,97 kg

January 28 (Monday)
Until 12.00 - Departure of delegations 

5. Vadim Psarev, Hall of Fame Greco-Roman Coach, Dies at 86
Legendary Greco-roman wrestling coach Vadim PSAREV passed away Saturday, January 12 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He was 86.

During his long career, Psarev coached five Olympic medalists, including three Olympic gold champions. The native Russian also coached 12 gold medalists at World Championships and World Cups. 

Psarev was recognized by United World Wrestling in 2014 with his selection to the organization's Hall of Fame. He was also awarded as an "Honored Coach of USSR" (1969) for his work with the USSR in the 40's, 50's and 60's. 

Psarev later became the head Greco-Roman coach for the Kazakhstan national team and was later given the title of "Honored Coach of Kazakhstan."

Click here to read more about Vadim Psarev. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1 . #mondaymotivation#wrestling #wrestler #suplex #grecoroman@musaevloev1
2. @tahakgul, the two-time world and Olympic champion will wrestle at the first Ranking Series event of the year, the Ivan Yariguin. He’s entered at 125kg.
3. Sunday smiles ?!
4. “The 2019 season has started. It’s time to make history!” ?: @swedewrestling .#teamSweden #swedewrestling #sweden#worldchampionship #2019 #wrestling
5. Happy Friday, wrestling fans.

#WrestleBaku

Hasanli, Babashov star to give Azerbaijan two golds at U23 Euros

By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (May 21) -- Khasay HASANLI (AZE) won the gold medal – Azerbaijan’s second of the night. But he didn't immediately celebrate, and neither did his corner.

Instead, in an incredible show of sportsmanship, he first put an arm around his opponent Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) and checked on his well-being.

Seconds before, Saricicek attempted in vain to evade Hasanli’s speedy attack but in the process, it seemed, he hurt himself. It was a double blow for the former U20 World Championship silver medallist as he also conceded a couple of points in addition to a single point for an unsuccessful challenge, which turned the bout decisively in Hasanli’s favor.

The home favorite knew the outcome was sealed. But instead of erupting in joy, he made sure his opponent was doing okay and in a gesture of kindness, raised his arm in the air. Hasanli won by technical superiority but knew and respected Saricicek's quality.

Once Saricicek was off the mat, Hasanli draped his country’s flag around his shoulder and took a lap of honor around the mat as the local fans cheered on for their rising star. A silver medallist from last year’s edition of the U23 European Championship, Hasanli upgraded the color of his medal to gold with a 10-1 win in the 77kg Greco-Roman final.

Hasanli didn’t give Saricicek even a sniff at gold. He got the par terre advantage in the first period and executed a four-pointer. Hasanli did not lose his grip and followed up with a two-pointer, adding to his 1-0 advantage earlier. At 7-0, Saricicek scored a stepout but Hasanli then locked his arms around Saricicek and executed a headlock throw. Hasanli did not manage to land Saricicek in danger but managed to get two points by completing a go-behind to seal the tie inside the first three minutes.

It was the host country’s second gold medal of the night as minutes before, Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) beat Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) in a thrilling 63kg final in which Eriomenco, the U23 World and European bronze medallist, could barely stand on his feet.

Babashov got the early lead after Eriomenco was put in par terre but the Moldovan fought back to cut the deficit to just one point, 3-2, and went all out in the closing seconds of the gold medal bout. Babashov, however, did just enough to stay away from Eriomenco and clinch the biggest title of his nascent career.

Eriomenco walked to the edge of the mat in disappointment as his jelly-like knees nearly gave up because of exhaustion due to his last-minute attack.

There were no such problems for Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), who ended the second day of the championship with a song and dance.

Vyshnyvetskyi, who reached the 130kg final after defeating his biggest rival Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) in a last-four bout on Monday, needed only 61 seconds to win the gold medal for the second time in a row.

In the final, Vyshnyvetskyi was up against Koppany LASZLO (HUN). He was the favourite but few would have guessed it would be so one-sided.

Within seconds of the referee blowing his whistle to start the encounter, Vyshnyvetskyi wrapped his arms around Laszlo and slammed him to the floor for a four-pointer. He didn’t stop there as the defending champion pinned Laszlo, who didn’t even get time to settle on the mat, even as the 18-year-old Hungarian desperately tried to escape his grip.

But Vyshnyvetskyi proved too strong for Laszlo and after one minute and one second, the umpires stopped the bout and declared the U23 World Championship silver medallist the winner.

While Laszlo buried his head in his face while lying on the mat, unable to fathom what had hit him, Vyshnyvetskyi broke into an impromptu dance as he celebrated another U23 continental title.

In the 87kg category, Aues GONIBOV (AIN) won the gold medal, denying U20 World and European champion Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) a title in the U23 category. The defending champion didn’t give his young opponent much chance as he raced to a 7-0 win for back-to-back gold medals.

Georgia did claim a gold medal as Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO) won his maiden title in the 55kg weight class as he overpowered Rashad MAMMADOV (AIN) 8-0 in the final, thus denying the home country a third gold medal of the night.

Blockbuster 97kg final set

Meanwhile, the 97kg final on Wednesday will feature two of the biggest stars in the weight category after defending champion Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) and 2023 U20 European Championship gold medallist Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) reached the title round.

Murtazaliev, who won the silver medal at the senior European Championship earlier this year, didn’t concede a single point in the early rounds as he overwhelmed his opponents from Moldova and Serbia en route to the gold medal match. Anton VIEWEG (GER) tried to make a match of the semifinals by nicking three points in the second period, but Murtazaliev proved too strong, winning via fall after a 10-3.

Khaslakhanau, who won the bronze at the senior continental championship, too was largely untroubled, conceding only four points as he gave himself a shot at winning his maiden U23 title. He also pinned his semifinal opponent Aapo VIITALA (FIN) after a 6-2 lead.

The host nation Azerbaijan gave themselves a strong chance to win the team title as two of their wrestlers, Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) and Nihad GULUZADE (AZE) reached the finals of the 82kg and 60kg categories respectively.

 

df

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO) df. Emre MUTLU (TUR), 9-0

BRONZE: Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Ivan STEFANSKYI (UKR), 7-0
BRONZE: Adam ULBASHEV (AIN) df. Leonid MOROZ (MDA), 7-1

63kg
GOLD: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 3-2

BRONZE: Bekir ATES (TUR) df. Aleksandr ANDREEV (AIN), 6-5
BRONZE: Mairbek SALIMOV (POL) df. Abere FETENE (ISR), 6-2

77kg
GOLD: Khasay HASANLI (AZE) df. Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR), 10-1 

BRONZE: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Ismail BARAKHOEV (AIN), 3-2
BRONZE: Attila Tamas TOESMAGI (HUN) df. Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 5-1

87kg
GOLD: Aues GONIBOV (AIN) df. Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO), 7-0

BRONZE: Lachin VALIYEV (AZE) df. Ilya MIALESHCHYK (AIN), 4-1
BRONZE: Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) df. Samet YALDIRAN (TUR), 10-0

130kg
GOLD: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Koppany LASZLO (HUN), via fall

BRONZE: Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) df. Marcel ALBINI (CZE), 4-1
BRONZE: Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO) df. Dmitrii BABORYKO (AIN), 9-1 

Semifinals

60kg
GOLD: Mert ILBARS (TUR) vs. Nihad GULUZADE (AZE)

SF 1: Nihad GULUZADE (AZE) df. Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN), 9-4
SF 2: Mert ILBARS (TUR) df. Georgios SCARPELLO (GER), 3-1

67kg
GOLD: Azat SARIYAR (TUR) vs. Daniial AGAEV (AIN)

SF 1: Daniial AGAEV (AIN) df. Oleg KHALILOV (UKR), 7-5
SF 2: Azat SARIYAR (TUR) df. Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), 3-3

72kg
GOLD: Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) vs. Vilius SAVICKAS (LTU)

SF 1: Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE), 5-4
SF 2: Vilius SAVICKAS (LTU) df. Giovanni ALESSIO (ITA), 2-1

82kg
GOLD: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) vs. Islam ALIEV (AIN)

SF 1: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Leon RIVALTA (ITA), 8-0
SF 2: Islam ALIEV (AIN) df. Deni NAKAEV (GER), 8-2

97kg
GOLD: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) vs. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)

SF 1: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) df. Aapo VIITALA (FIN), via fall (6-2)
SF 2: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) df. Anton VIEWEG (GER), via fall (10-3)