Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! July 01, 2018

Sunday, July 1, 2018 - 18:22 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

Reviewing the Cadet World Championships and the Tbilisi Grand Prix. Also looking at Chamizo's Mediterranean Games championship performance, along with Lamont making his sixth age-level world team.  

1. Cadet World Championships Begin Monday 
The 2018 Cadet World Championships kick off July 2-8 in Zagreb, Croatia and features six returning world champions from the 2017 Athens World Championships. 

Women’s wrestling begins Wednesday and is highlighted by three returning champions, two of which hail from Japan. Freestyle begins on Monday and boasts a pair of champions from a season ago, while Azerbaijan's Gurban GURBANOV closes out the Greco-Roman portion of the Croatian championships.

Returning Champions 
Freestyle 
48kg - Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE)            
110kg - Daniel KERKVLIET (USA) 

Greco-Roman 
45kg - Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) 

Women’s Wrestling 
43kg - Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE) 
65kg - Honoka NAKAI (JPN) 
73kg - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) 

SCHEDULE 
Monday (July 2)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg
6:00 PM - Semi Final FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Tuesday (July 3)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg
5:00 PM - Opening Ceremony
5:30 PM - Semi Final FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg
6:00 PM - Finals FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Wednesday (July 4)
10:30 AM – Qualification rounds WW – WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg
6:00 PM - Finals FS – 45-51-60-71-92kg

Thursday (July 5)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg
6:00 PM - Finals WW – 43-49-57-65-73kg

Friday (July 6)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds FS – 48-55-65-80-110kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final GR – 48-55-65-80-110kg
6:00 PM - Finals WW – 40-46-53-61-69kg 

Saturday (July 7)
10:30 AM - Qualification rounds GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg
5:30 PM - Semi Final GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg
6:00 PM - Finals GR – 48-55-65-80-110kg

Sunday  (July 8)
6:00 PM - Finals GR – 45-51-60-71-92kg

Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) won the 2018 Mediterranean Championships, making it his third gold medal performance of the year. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

2. Chamizo Wins Third Gold of the Year at the Mediterranean Games
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), the two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist defeated Samy MOUSTAFA (EGY) in the Mediterranean Games finals, capturing the 74kg gold medal.

Chamizo’s first-place finish in Tarragona, Spain added another championship to his winning performances at the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament and International Ukrainian Tournament. 

He also grabbed a bronze medal at the 2018 European Championships in Dagestan, Russia after dropping his semifinal bout to Turkey’s eventual champion, Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR). 

Mediterranean Games RESULTS 

Roman VLASOV (RUS), the two-time Olympic champion is set to compete at the Tbilisi Grand Prix. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

3. Ten Olympic Medalists Set to Compete at Tbilisi Grand Prix
Tbilisi, Georgia will host United World Wrestling’s second freestyle Ranking Event of the year, the Tbilisi Grand Prix July 3-5 and ten former Olympic medalists from both freestyle and Greco-Roman will share the stage at the New Sports Palace.

Though loads of Freestyle and Greco-Roman talent take the mat this Tuesday in Tbilisi, only those placing in Freestyle will be awarded Ranking Series points. 

Olympic Medalists in Action 
GR 77kg - Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) – 2012 Silver 
GR 77kg - KIM Hyeon-woo (KOR) – 2012 Gold and 2016 Bronze 
FS 92kg - Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – 2012 Bronze 
FS 125kg – Davit MODZMANASHVILI (UZB) – 2012 Silver 
FS 70kg - Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) – 2016 Bronze 
FS 125kg - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) – 2016 Bronze 
FS 74kg - Kumar SUSHIL (IND) – 2008 Bronze and 2012 Silver 
GR 82kg - Roman VLASOV (RUS) – 2012 and 2016 Champion 
FS 86kg - Selim YASAR (TUR) – 2016 Silver 
GR 130kg - Heiki NABI (EST)  – 2012 Silver 

Tbilisi Grand Prix Schedule 

Taylor LAMONT (USA) became the first American to make six straight age-level world teams. (Photo by Justin Hoch) 

4. Lamont Makes Record Sixth Age-Level World Team 
Taylor LAMONT (USA), the 2016 junior world bronze medalist made his third straight junior Greco-Roman world team and sixth straight age-level world team after Benji PEAK (USA) failed to miss weight for their special wrestle-off.

According to USA Wrestling,” It is believed that he is the first athlete to make the U.S. World Team at his age-group for six straight years.”

RONG Ningning (CHN) won her third gold medal of the year after winning the China Open. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

5. New Rankings To Be Released This Week 
The seventh installment of United World Wrestling’s point-based rankings will be released later this week.

The biggest leaps in this month's rankings will be seen in Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling as June featured the Hungarian Grand Prix (Greco-Roman) and the Mongolia and China Opens (women's wrestling). 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 


1.Unexpectedly? Would you try it with your friend? Неожиданно? Повторишь со своим другом? 
Video from @alpadastanov #coolvideo#wrestling#sport#kazakhstan#wrestlers#vacation#summer#supplex#uww#beach#борьба#борцы#пляж#отдых#прогиб#неожиданно

2. Wrestling is my passion!  Борьба - моя страсть!

3. 2018 Cadet Worlds Start in 1 Day in #zagreb #croatia

4. Official Teaser Video Of The 2018 Cadet Worlds 
تیزر رسمی مسابقات نوجوانان جهان در کرواسی
| #zagreb #croatia #hrvatska #olympic#wrestling

5. Be the best version of yourself! 
Будь лучшей версией себя! ? @kadircaliskan 
#wrestling#motivation#sport#спорт#мотивация#борьба

#WrestleZagreb

Motoki leads Japanese trio to Worlds finals

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 - 15:47 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 17) -- After a slightly subdued start to its Women's Wrestling, Japan managed to show up at the World Championships.

Japan put three wrestlers in the final out of the four weight classes that were in action on Wednesday in Zagreb. Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) remained on course for her first world title at 62kg while Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) and Ami ISHII (JPN) will look to add to their world titles at 53kg and 68kg.

Motoki was up against former world champion Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) in the semifinals and she began with a four-pointer. Purevdorj got a reversal but that was all she managed in the match as Motoki kept coming up with different ways to score the takedowns. At 10-1, she scored another four-pointer to win 14-1 and enter her second world final.

For the elusive gold, she will face Ok Ju KIM (PRK) who pinned Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) in the other semifinal after building a 14-3 lead.

Murayama, a three-time world champion, will wrestle for her fourth world title after she won a close semifinal against Hyogyong CHOE (PRK). Both traded activity points but Murayama had a stepout which proved to the be difference as she won 2-1.

On Thursday, she will face Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) in the final after the Ecuadorian defeated world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND), 5-3, majorly with four-pointer in the first period and protecting her lead.

Yepez hit a duck under to throw Antim for four and gave up a reversal to lead 4-1 in the break. The Indian tried to find the opening but she only got one in the final 10 seconds after giving up a takedown. Yepez was happy to give up that final takedown as it did not affect her win and only changed the score to 5-3.

Ecuador, a country which did not have a world finalist till Tuesday, now has two. Yepez is the second on consecutive day after Genesis REASCO (ECU) entered the 76kg final to create history.

World 72kg champion Ishii, who dropped down to 68kg this year, took a step closer to her second world title after she bullied through two Olympic medalist in quarterfinals and semifinals.

Ishii dominated silver medalist from Paris Kennedy BLADES (USA), 12-2, and had a similar match against bronze medalist against Buse TOSUN (TUR) in the semifinals.

Ishii was straight to work in the semifinal with a four-pointer as Tosun landed on her back despite controlling Ishii's legs. Turkiye challenged that scoring but lost it, giving one more point to Ishii.

She scored three different takedowns to finish the match 11-0 inside the first period and enter her second world final.

Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) will look to stop Ishii from winning the gold medal after she upset world 65kg champion Jia LONG (CHN) in the semifinal. Yaneva fell behind 1-1 on criteria but scored a takedown with around one minute and 30 seconds on the clock to lead 3-1.

From there on, Long was on the backfoot and a win seemed further away as she was cautioned for a point for locking fingers. As she tried to trip Yaneva, the Bulgarian blocked her and got the winning takedown for a 6-1 win.

At 72kg, multiple age-group world medalist Nesrin BAS (TUR) managed to reach her first-ever senior world final after she won a thrilling semifinal against Zelu LI (CHN), 9-6.

Bas scored a four-pointer using a whizzer to lead 4-1 at the break. Li scored a takedown to begin the second period but Bas elevated her leg from the front to score two points and lead 6-3. Turkiye challenged the call and the scored for reversed to 8-4. Li tried to mount a comeback from there but she managed only two points while Bas scored a reversal to win 9-6.

For her first world title, she will face Alla BELINSKA (UKR) who used a whizzer to pin Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) vs. Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN)

SF 1: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) df. Hyogyong CHOE (PRK), 2-1
SF 2: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) df. ANTIM (IND), 5-3

62kg
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Ok Ju KIM (PRK)

SF 1: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) df. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW), via fall
SF 2: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), 14-1

68kg
GOLD: Ami ISHII (JPN) vs. Yuliana YANEVA (BUL)

SF 1: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Jia LONG (CHN), 6-1
SF 2: Ami ISHII (JPN) df. Buse TOSUN (TUR), 11-0

72kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Alla BELINSKA (UKR)

SF 1: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Zelu LI (CHN), 9-6
SF 2: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ), via fall