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. 

#WrestleBudapest

As World Championships approaches, Tynybekova wins #WrestleBudapest gold

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 14) - Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) suffered a shocking defeat at the 2022 Yasar Dogu Ranking Series tournament against Lais NUNES (BRA), the last time they wrestled. This loss came three months after Tynybekova won her second world title in Oslo.

Following her world title victory, she lost in the final of the Asian Championships and sustained a foot injury that required surgery. At the World Championships in Belgrade, she placed fifth and at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in February of this year, Tynybekova finished 13th. It seemed that Tynybekova's prime, during which she won two world titles, an Olympic silver medal, and multiple Asian titles, was behind her.

But as the World Championships approach, Tynybekova seemed to have regained her lost form. And on Friday, she won her second Ranking Series gold of the year in Budapest, a run which included a victory over Nunes.

"Last year, I couldn't win the Asian championships and I also lost at the World Championships and I couldn't compete at most of the international tournaments," she said. "This year began unsuccessfully but from the second international tournament, I was back on top. Then I won the gold at the Asian Championships, defeating the Japanese wrestler, to whom I lost twice last year [at the Asian and World Championships]."

At the Budapest Ranking Series, Tynybekova pinned Nunes in the 62kg semifinal and followed that up with a 2-1 victory over European champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL).

This victory, along with her Asian title in Kazakhstan and Ranking Series gold in Alexandria, secured her a top-two seed at 62kg for the World Championships, where she aims to qualify for the Paris Games.

Tynybekova was denied gold at the Tokyo Olympics by Yukako KAWAI (JPN) who beat her in the final. Kawai did not qualify for the 2023 World Championships after losing in Japan's domestic qualifiers.

"I am satisfied with my performance [today]," Tynybekova said. "People know that I am in bad shape now. Even in such conditions, I made it to the final and won it. So, I want to thank all those people, who believe and support me."

In the final, Tynybekova scored a takedown and stuck to her defense to deny Dudova any opening. She was called for activity but that cost her only one point.

"You have witnessed how I became a winner of the Ranking Series in Budapest," she said. "Even though my physical condition is not good, I was able to win. Now we start the preparation for the World Championships, where I can win the Olympic quota."

To prepare for World Championships, Tynybekova will be training at home. She did not rule out wrestling at the Asian Games in October.

"Before the World Championships, we will have a training camp back home in Issyk-Kul," she said. "We may also go to the international training camp in Poland and 10 days after the World Championships, we might also go to the Asian Games."

In other significant results at 62kg, Viktoria VESSO (EST) executed a perfect headlock for four points to pin two-time world silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) in the pre-quarterfinals. However, she lost to Dudova 9-0 in the quarterfinal.

At 57kg, Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), the reigning 59kg world champion, secured gold in the Ranking Series. This victory marked the beginning of her journey toward the Paris Olympics in Budapest.

Nichita, who wrestled at 57kg in Tokyo, has been a constant at 59kg but has decided to return to the 57kg category in her quest for an Olympic medal. Her performance in Budapest indicates that she is on the right track.

Opening her day with a 7-0 win over Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER), Nichita secured a fall over Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN) in the quarterfinals and then over Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) in the semifinal.

In the final, Kexin HONG (CHN) score two points on the European champion but Nichita held on for a comfortable 8-2 win.

In the 53kg category, Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL), an Olympic bronze medalist, won the gold medal in Budapest after Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) injury defaulted.

Both Bat Ochir and Yepez had impressive victories on their way to the finals. Yepez pinned Vivien MATYI (HUN) in her opening bout and defeated Min ZHANG (CHN) 9-5 to reach the semifinals. Meanwhile, Bat Ochir received a bye in the first round and won 10-0 against Diana WEICKER (CAN) to secure a spot in the semifinals.

Yepez went on to defeat Olympic silver medalist Qianyu PANG (CHN) 3-1 in a surprising victory, while Bat Ochir dominated her matches, including a technical superiority win, on her path to the final.

Zhou FENG (CHN), another experienced wrestler, clinched the gold medal in the 68kg category after a 2-1 victory over Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) in the final. Oborududu had previously defeated Forrest MOLINARI (USA) in the semifinals, while Feng won 10-0 against Xinru ZHOU (CHN) in her semifinal match.

Nokhodi confirms Belgrade spot

Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), a two-time World Championships silver medalist, won the gold medal in Budapest at 79kg, earning him a spot on the world team.

Iran entered two wrestlers at 79kg to determine their representative. Nokhodi and Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) were on a collision course to meet in the quarterfinals.

Nokhodi defeated Chandler MARSTELLER (USA) 10-0 in his first bout, while Savadkouhi lost 5-4 to Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) after giving up exposure in the dying moments., denying a direct match against Nokhodi.

Nokhodi secured a 6-2 victory over Kentchadze in the semifinals and went on to win 3-0 against Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) in the final.

Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) also secured his place on Iran's world team at 70kg despite not winning the gold medal.

In the 70kg quarterfinals, Joseph MC KENNA (USA) defeated Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) to set up a semifinal against Yazdani who won his quarterfinal 7-7 against Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ).

On the other side of the bracket, Amr HUSSEN (EGY) defeated Mohammad BAKHSHISHIRKOLAEI (IRI) 11-7, and Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR) secured a fall against Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ).

Yazdani looked comfortable in the semifinal after taking a 6-0 lead but McKenna stormed back with a big four-pointer. Yazdani scored a two to lead 8-4. But the final 40 seconds saw McKenna get five points, two via challenges, to win 9-8.

Nykyforuk pinned Hussen in the semifinal and went on to win the gold with a 4-2 victory over McKenna.

Yazdani lost his bronze medal bout but Iran's coaching staff decided to conduct a wrestle-off between Yazdani and Bakshishirkolaei which the former won to confirm his spot for Belgrade.

At 61kg, Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), the world champion at 57kg, won the gold with a 4-1 victory in the final over Ossimzhan DASTANBEK (KAZ).

RESULTS

Women's wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Ziqi FENG (CHN), 4-2

BRONZE: Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) df. Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN), 16-5
BRONZE: Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR) df. Jiang ZHU (CHN), via inj. def.

53kg
GOLD: Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) df. Lucia YEPEZ (ECU), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Diana WEICKER (CAN) df. Dominique PARRISH (USA), 10-0
BRONZE: Qianyu PANG (CHN) df. Min ZHANG (CHN), 10-0

57kg
GOLD: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Kexin HONG (CHN), 8-2

BRONZE: Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) df. Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER), 11-2
BRONZE: Qi ZHANG (CHN) df. Giullia OLIVEIRA (BRA), 11-0

62kg
GOLD: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), 2-1

BRONZE: Alina KASABIEVA (AIN) df. Lais NUNES (BRA), 7-0
BRONZE: Xiaojuan LUO (CHN) df. Viktoria VESSO (EST), via fall (9-1)

68kg
GOLD: Feng ZHOU (CHN) df. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), 2-1

BRONZE: Forrest MOLINARI (USA) df. Olivia DI BACCO (CAN), 8-7
BRONZE: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Xinru ZHOU (CHN), via fall

Freestyle

61kg
GOLD: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) df. Ossimzhan DASTANBEK (KAZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO), 19-9
BRONZE: Vitali ARUJAU (USA) df. Vladimir KUDRIN (KAZ), via inj. def.

70kg
GOLD: Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR) df. Joseph MC KENNA (USA), 4-2

BRONZE: Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ) df. Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI), 5-0
BRONZE: Amr HUSSEN (EGY) df. Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), 9-8

79kg
GOLD: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 3-0

BRONZE: Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ) df. Nurdaulet KUANYSHBAY (KAZ), 7-4
BRONZE: Chandler MARSTELLER (USA) df. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 4-3