Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! January 21, 2019

By Eric Olanowski

In a Russia-heavy week, we review the Mindiashvili Grand Prix and Russian Greco-Roman National Championship results. We also review this week's first Ranking Series event of the year, the Ivan Yariguin. 

1. Final Yariguin Qualification Tournament, Mindiashvili Concludes in Krasnoyarsk 
In order to qualify for the Ivan Yariguin as a Russian wrestler, you had to be a 2018 world team member, an Alany Tournament champion or a Mindiashvili finalist. 

This weekend, the final qualification tournament for the Ivan Yariguin, the Mindiashvili Grand Prix, concluded in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, just three days before the first Ranking Series event begins in Siberia. The Mindiashvili finalists locked up their spot at the Yariguin and placed heavy importance on the Ranking Series event later this week, only wrestling four of the ten finals matches. The four matches that were wrestled  were the 61kg, 65kg, 74kg, and 86kg gold-medal bouts. 

Of the four finals matches, the most notable match came at 65kg. Nachyin KUULAR (RUS), the 2017 U23 world champion and 2018 U23 world runner-up, avenged his 2-1 loss Alay loss to Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS) and grabbed the Mindiashvili gold medal with a 3-2 victory. 

RESULTS
57kg – Aryian TYUTRIN df. Amirkhan GUVAZHOKOV, via forfeit 
61kg –  Eduard GRIGOREY df. DONGAK, 6-1 
65kg – Nachyin KUULAR df. Kurban SHIRAEV, 3-2 

70kg – Razambek ZHAMALOV df. Anzor ZAKUEV, via forfeit 
74kg – Nikita SUCHKOV df. Arslan BUDAZHAPOV, 5-3 
79kg – Alan ZASSEEV df. Khalil AMINOV, via forfeit 
86kg – Soslan KTSOEV df. Omar ZIYAUTDIOV, 10-0 
92kg – Alikhan ZHABRAILOV df. Magomed KURBANOV, via forfeit 
97kg – Magomedov df. Tamerlan RASUEV, via forfeit 
125kg – Pavel KRIVTSOV df. Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV, via forfeit 

2. Olympic Champions Vlasov and Chakvetadze win Russian Greco-Roman Nationals 
The Russian Federation wrapped up their 2019 Russian Greco-Roman National Championships in Kaliningrad, Russia, and the pair Olympic champions, Roman VLASOV and Davit CHAKVETADZE, inched closer to regaining their top position on the Russian Greco-Roman ladder after winning the 77kg and 87kg gold medals respectively. 

The six current Greco-Roman world champions, Sergey EMELIN, Stepan MARYANIAN, Artem SURKOV, Alexander CHEKHIRKIN, Musa EVLOEV, and Sergey SEMENOV, were exempt from the Russian Greco-Roman National Championships and will take on last weekend's winners at a later date for a trip to the 2019 World and European Championships. 

For Vlasov to regain the 77kg spot, he’ll have to defeat reigning world champion Alexander Chekhirkin, while 87kg didn’t have a world medalist, so Chakvetadze will represent Russia at the World and European Championship. 

Another interesting note coming out of the Greco-Roman National Championships, Alexander KOMAROV, the four-time age-level world champion, made his domestic debut on the senior-level and beat Vaah MARGARYAN, 8-1 in the 82kg gold-medal bout. 

RESULTS 
55kg – Vitaly KABALOEV df. Victor VEDERNIKOV, 5-1 
60kg – Zambolat Lokyaev df. Dmitry Lyustrickski, 7-3
63kg – Marat GARIPOV df. Alexey TADYKIN, 10-3 
67kg -  Alexey KIANKIN df. Saur KABALOEV, 4-2 
72kg – Abuazid MANCIGOV df. Adam KURAK, 7-1 
77kg – Roman VLASOV df. Islam OPIEV, 8-0 
82kg – Alexander KOMAROV df. Vaah MARGARYAN, 8-1 
87kg – Davit CHAKVETADZE df. Sosruko KODZOKOV, via fall
97kg – Alexander GOLOVIN df. Nikita MELNIKOV, 1-1 
130kg – Vitaly SHCHUR df. Rafael Tsistuashvili, 2-0 

The first Ranking Series event of the year, the Ivan Yariguin, begins Thursday. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

3. Ivan Yariguin Begins Thursday 
The 30th Annual Ivan Yariguin, United World Wrestling's first freestyle and women's wrestling Ranking Series event of the year, begins this Thursday in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. 

This will be the first Ranking Series event where the revamped point structure will be used. This tournament is especially important because the seeding process at the 2019 Astana World Championships takes into account the number of points competitors accumulate from last year's World Championships, along with the Continental Championships and the Ranking Series events.  

2019 Ranking Series Point Structure
GOLD - 8 points  
SILVER - 6 points 
BRONZE - 4
Fifth - 2 

*The number of points awarded at a competition will also be impacted by the number of wrestlers entered in each 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.

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 


China's 2018 world champion RONG Ningning kicked off her year by winning the Ivan Yariguin. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

4. Yariguin Rewind: Chinese Women Claim Five Gold Medals
United World Wrestling's first Ranking Series event of 2019 kicks off in three days with the Ivan Yariguin Grand Prix. While women's wrestling was featured in 2018, it was not a Ranking Series event. Fast forward a year and the 2019 edition will see women's wrestlers competing for sought after ranking points. 

Four different nations claimed a women’s wrestling gold medal at last year’s Ivan Yariguin, but the Chinese women made the best of their trip to Krasnoyarsk and put seven wrestlers in the finals and finished with five champions. Of the five Chinese champions, Asian champion ZHOU Qian was the only Yariguin champion who didn’t represent China at the 2018 World Championships. 

Rising star RONG Ningning captained the Chinese success in Krasnoyarsk. The 2018 Ivan Yariguin was a coming out party for Rong, who was relatively unknown coming into last year’s tournament. Rong, the Yariguin rookie, kick-started her year by knocking off reigning world runner-up Allison RAGAN (USA), 10-0 in the 59kg gold-medal bout. She later dropped down to 57kg and continued her dominance, winning the Asian Championships, the China and Poland Opens, and the 2018 Budapest World Championships. In addition to her title-winning performances at the above-mentioned tournaments, Rong was also a U23 world runner-up and an Alexander Medved Prizes bronze medalist.

Japan, Mongolia, and the United States were the other nations who had at least one wrestler reach the top of the podium at the 2018 Ivan Yariguin. 

Japan, who had five finalists, grabbed gold medals from Yuki IRIE, Yu MIYAHARA, and Andoriahanako SAWA (JPN), while Mongolia's PUREVDORJ Orkhon and the United States' Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK gave their nation a solo gold medalist. 

With just four days left to register, Mensah-Stock is the only returning champion registered to wrestle in Krasnoyarsk, where she'll be looking for her third Ivan Yarigiun title.

2018 WOMEN'S WRESTLING RESULTS 
50kg – Yuki IRIE (JPN) df. Sonhyang KIM (PRK), 9-8 
53kg – Yu MIYAHARA (JPN) df. Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS), 4-4
55kg – Andoriahanako SAWA (JPN) df. Mengyu XIE (CHN), 10-8 
57kg – ZHANG Qi (CHN) df. Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL), 6-4 
59kg – RONG Ningning (CHN) df. Allison Mackenzie RAGAN (USA), 10-0 
62kg – PUREVDORJ Orkhon (MGL) df. Kiwa SAKAE (JPN), 10-0
65kg – TANG Chuying (CHN) df. Yulia PRONTSEVITCH (RUS), 4-1 
68kg – Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) df. HAN Yue (CHN), 3-3 
72kg – WANG Juan (CHN) df. Masako FURUICHI (JPN), 4-1 
76kg – ZHOU Qian (CHN) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), via injury default 

David Taylor was one of three wrestlers to win the Ivan Yariguin and the World Championships. (Photo by Tony Rotundo) 

5. Yariguin Rewind: Six Yariguin Medalists Eventually Won Budapest World Titles
The 30th Annual Ivan Yariguin, United World Wrestling’s first Ranking Series event of the year, begins 8 days from today (on January 24),  in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Seven eventual world champions made the trip to Siberia twelve months ago to compete at the “Toughest Tournament in the World,“ but only six left with a medal.  

The seven Budapest gold medalists who competed at the 2018 Ivan Yariguin were Zaur UGUEV (RUS) (57kg), Yowles BONNE RODRIGUES (CUB) (61kg), Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) (70kg), Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) (74kg), Kyle DAKE (USA) (79kg), David TAYLOR (USA) (86kg), and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) (97kg). 

Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) (65kg), J’den COX (USA) (92kg), and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)(125kg) were the three world champions who missed last year's Yariguin. 

Uguev, Taylor, and Sadulaev were the only three wrestlers to win gold medals at both the Yariguin and World Championships. Uguev and Taylor won their Yariguin titles at their World Championship weights, while Sadualev won his Yariguin title at 92kg and his world title at 97kg.

Zaurbek Sidakov, Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov, and Kyle Dake were the trio of Yariguin silver medalists who traveled to Budapest and claimed world titles. 

On the flip side, Gadzhimurad Rashidov and Kyle Snyder won titles in Krasnoyarsk but fell short in the Budapest World Championship finals.

Cuba’s Yolwes Bonnes Rodrigues was the only 2018 world champion to depart the 2018 Yariguin empty-handed. It should be noted that Bonne competed at 65kg, 4kg heavier than his Budapest World Championship weight of 61kg. 

Bonne went 1-1 and lost to Mongolia’s BATCHULUUN Batmagnai, who fell to Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) and Nachyn KUULAR (RUS) and finished in fifth-place. 

Early registration for the 2019 Ivan Yariguin closed last week but has since reopened. The updated deadline for registrations is January 21.

Results 
57kg -  Zavur UGUEV (RUS) df. Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS), 4-1 
61kg - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS)df. Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS), 3-2 
65kg -  Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS)df. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), 3-3
70kg - Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS)df. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS), 2 - 2
74kg - Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS)df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS), 3-1
79kg - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Kyle DAKE (USA), 8-2
86kg - David TAYLOR III (USA) df. Fatih ERDIN (TUR), via fall. 
92kg - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Anzor URISHEV (RUS), 6-0 
97kg - Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA) df. Rasul Magomedovitch MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 4-1 
125kg - Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS) df. Anzor Ruslanovitch KHIZRIEV (RUS), 1-1 

*2018 world champion are in bold.

Weekly FIVE in Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday -- BONNE Y. (CUB) -- 2018 Ivan Yariguin #wrestling #wrestler #monday #motivation#throw #takedown #mma
2. Yariguin Rewind: Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) used a six-point opening-period and a second-period takedown to defeat eventual world champion Kyle DAKE (USA), 8-2 in the 79kg finals.
3. Thanks for the #SundaySmiles@pascal.eisele.
4. #ScoreThat - Before watching, who do you think comes out on top of this exchange? Was it red or was it blue? ?: @krakatauf
5. Yariguin Rewind: In the All-Russian 74kg finals, 2017 world runner-up Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) stopped eventual 74kg world champion @zaurbek_sidakov from winning his second Yariguin title. 

#WrestleAstana

Asian Championships women's wrestling finals set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (April 12) -- Japan expectedly dominated day three of the Asian Championships with three gold medals out of five and it will be a similar story on Wednesday. Watch out for Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) and Akari FUJINAMI (JPN).

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

The finals for the evening session are set

53kg
ANTIM (IND) vs. Akari FUJINAMI JPN)

57kg
Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) vs. Sae NANJO (JPN)

62kg
Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) vs. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)

65kg
Jia LONG (CHN) vs. Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN)

72kg
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) Sumire NIIKURA (JPN)

14:25: Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) made it 3 for 3 for Japan in the semifinals against India with a nerve-wracking 5-4 win over Reetika HOODA (IND) at 72kg. Hooda gets an activity point in the first period, and Niikura is on the clock when she attempts a fireman's carry that Hooda stuffs for 2 points and a 4-0 lead. With :41 left, Niikura spins behind for a takedown, then gets a lace lock and muscles Hooda over to go ahead 4-4 on criteria. At the end, Hooda very nearly gets a reversal, but Niikura, with her bottom on the mat, clamps down and manages to run out the clock. An Indian challenge is unsuccessful and Niikura is back in the final for a second straight year.

14:21: Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) thought she can better of Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ). Not today. Bakbergenova races to an 11-1 win after a combination of leg and gut laces.  

14:14: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) finally got inside the defenses of MANISHA (IND), and it paid off big time with a spot in the 65kg final. Having given up an activity point in the first period and on the clock again in the second, Yoshitake got in deep with a single, then locked up Manisha's elbow and rolled her onto her back for a fall at 4:08.

14:10: An absolute top ankle pick from Jia LONG (CHN) and she rolls Albina KAIRGELDINOVA (KAZ) using a gut wrench. Long will wrestle for the gold, her first final at the Asian Championships.

14:05: In the featured match of the session, Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) avenges losses in her last two meetings with defending champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), making a 2-point counter lift in the first period hold up for a 2-2 victory in the 62kg semifinals. Ozaki gained an activity point, then Tynybekova fended off everything the Japanese threw at her. Ozaki gets in deep on a single, but Tynybekova holds out to limit it to a stepout. The match ends with Ozaki in on a single, but unable to finish it off as Tynybekova applies a tight whizzer.

14:00: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) still has the ability to win from anywhere. Down 3-0 at the break, she returns to score seven points in the second period and races to a 7-3 win over Xiaojuan LUO (CHN). Purevdorj will wrestle Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), haven't we seen that before?

13:55: Sae NANJO (JPN) is into the final at 57kg with a hard-fought 5-1 victory over Anshu MALIK (IND). Nanjo gets an activity point for the lone score of the first period. Malik gets one herself in the second to go ahead on the criteria. But Nanjo steps up the attack and scores with a sweeping single-leg takedown. Malik's knee was twisted outward as Nanjo goes for back points, and the action stopped with an injury break. Resuming the match in par terre, Nanjo scores an exposure. It was the second meeting between the two -- Nanjo won 10-0 in the semifinals at the 2018 World Junior Championships.

13:45: Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) is moving into the final at 57kg after beating Bermet NURIDIN KYZY (KGZ) via technical superiority. She gets two big throws and exposure to race to 10-0 in just over a minute

13:36: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) looks as unstoppable as ever, putting on a takedown clinic in a 10-0 technical fall in 2:33 over Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) to advance to the 53kg final and get a shot at a second straight gold. Fujinami uses her shrug-and-go to a low single so effectively that Bat Ochir can do little in defense. The win extends the 19-year-old Fujinami's current streak of combined domestic and international wins to 118 dating back to junior high school.

13:30: Semifinals time! ANTIM (IND) gets a quick 4-0 lead against Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB). An excellent counter from Antim when Keunimjaeva was trying to get on her legs. Antim is cautioned for locking fingers and Keunimjaeva is on the board. She tries a headlock but Antim firmly keeps her to the back and secures the fall. Antim gets a shot at gold albeit with Fujinami standing in the way

13:00: World silver medalist Jia LONG (CHN) gets her third takedown, then scores with two exposures for an 11-0 technical fall over MANISHA (IND) in the match to determine the top spot in Group A at 65kg. Long wins the group with three wins, while Manisha finishes second and will face Group B winner Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) in the semifinals.

12:45: Returning silver medalist Anshu MALIK (IND) gets the first point for Qi ZHANG (CHN) passivity and just before the break, she manages a takedown to lead 3-0. A real scare in the second period as Zhang manages a takedown and gut to make it 5-4. But she had only 20 seconds to score more but failed. Malik into the semis with a 5-4 win

12:34: World bronze medalist Sae NANJO (JPN), making her first appearance at the Asian Championships since winning the gold in 2017, cruised into the 57kg semifinals with a 10-0 technical fall in 1:47 over Erdenesuvd BAT ERDENE (MGL).

12:33: Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) was tested by Hyunyoung OH (KOR) but not enough. She beats the Korean 6-0 at 53kg to advance to the semifinal.

12:32: Defending champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) set up a fourth career showdown with Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) -- shall we call it Tynozaki IV? -- in the 62kg semifinals with a quick 10-0 technical fall in the quarterfinals over Hsin PAI (TPE). Ozaki scored a takedown and four lace-lock rolls for a victory in 32 seconds -- 18 more than Tynybekova took in her quarterfinal win.

12:28: Defending champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), who has brought a 116-match winning streak to Astana, added another by putting on a takedown clinic in an 11-0 technical fall over Meng HSIEH (TPE) to secure a place in the 53kg semifinals.

12:23: Wow, blink and you missed it. Superstar Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), prepping for a possible showdown with rival Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), needed just 14 seconds to wrap up Dilfuza AIMBETOVA (UZB) and record a fall to advance to the semifinals at 62kg.

12:18: In a nail-biter on Mat B, world U20 bronze medalist Reetika HOODA (IND) barely pulls out a 6-3 win over Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) in the 72kg quarterfinals. Hooda led 3-1 when Nurtaeva used a counter-lift to turn her over, but the Indian scrambled to get Nurtaeva onto her back --- all in the final seconds. Kyrgyzstan challenged, and the original call of 2 points for each stood, giving Hooda the win.

12:05: Asian U23 champion Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ) brings the home crowd to their feet by snatching a victory from the jaws of defeat over Subeen JO (KOR) to advance to the 62kg quarterfinals with a 5-4 win. Trailing 4-1 with 30 seconds left, Kuznetsova hit a picture-perfect lateral drop that sent Jo to her back.

12:01: Sumire NIIKURA (JPN), the runner-up last year to Bakbergenova at 72kg, spins behind for a takedown, then applies the lace lock for three rolls and an 11-1 technical fall in 4:06 over Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB). Niikura and Bakbergenova are in opposite brackets, so a rematch in the final remains a possibility.

11:53: Defending 72kg champion Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) is into the semifinals after slamming Ping HUNG (TPE) onto her back, then twisting her over like a pretzel to complete a 10-0 technical fall in the first period.

11:51: Anshu MALIK (IND), the losing finalist at 57kg last year, started her bid to regain the Asian title she won in 2021 with an 11-0 technical fall over Danielle LIM (SGP). 

11:46: Meng HSIEH (TPE) gives up a late stepout to Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ), but survives a near takedown in the final seconds and a challenge to the call for a 4-3 win in their qualification round bout at 53kg. Her reward? A quarterfinal clash with teen superstar Akari FUJINAMI (JPN).

11:40: In a clash of medalists in different weight classes from 2022, MANISHA (IND) edges Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) 2-1 in their Group A match at 65kg. Baatarjav was the silver medalist at 59kg last year, while Manisha took home a bronze at 62kg.

11:38: Jia LONG (CHN), a world silver medalist at 65kg, begins her quest for the first Asian title with a 10-0 superiority over Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB). 65kg is a Nelson bracket so we will have three rounds before the semifinals

11:37: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN), the champion at the Ranking Series Zagreb Open and world U20 champion, begins her senior Asian debut in style, rolling to a quick 10-0 technical fall over Dilnaz SAZANOVA (KGZ) at 65kg. The weight class has seven entries and is being competed in the Nordic round-robin group system.

11:30: We're ready to go with the fourth day of the Asian Championships, with the women's competition finishing up with action in five weight classes: 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 65kg and 72kg. Three champions from 2022 -- Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) at 53kg, Nonoka OZAKI at 62kg and Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) at 72kg -- are aiming to defend their titles.