Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! July 09, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Taking a look at Iran doubling up on World Championship team titles and Iakobishvili stealing Tbilisi gold from Olympic champ Ramonov. Also looking at reigning world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) earning her shot at defending her world title in Budapest. 

1. Reigning World Champ Susaki Rallies Past Irie To Earn Second Straight World Team Spot 
Reigning world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) earned a shot at defending her world title after rallying from a four-point deficit, scoring the winning takedown with 15 seconds left to defeat Yuki IRIE (JPN) 6-4 in a special playoff for the women's 50kg spot on Japan's team to the world championships in Budapest in October.

"My feeling right now is that I'm glad I earned the spot on the world championship team and that this year I will win a second straight world title," Susaki said.

This weekend's win comes after the 19-year-old was dealt a stunning loss by technical fall to Irie in the Emperor's Cup semifinals. She avenged that defeat with a victory by fall in the final at the Meiji Cup to set up the featured showdown of the playoffs where she was victorious (6-4) in earning her second straight world team spot. 

JAPAN'S WORLD TEAM ROSTER 

Mohammad NOSRATI (IRI) celebrates after winning the 92kg Greco-Roman gold medal. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

2. Iran Doubles up on Cadet World Team Titles
Iran capped off the 2018 Cadet World Championships in dominant fashion, winning team titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. 

In freestyle, Iran claimed three gold medals from four finalists, including wins from Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) at 48kg and Ali Reza ABDOLLAHI (IRI) at 92kg on the final day, helping the Iraniaseparateate themselves in the team race. 

Iran then followed up their freestyle performance up by capping off the Greco-Roman portion of the tournament with four finalists and two champions, finishing 22-points ahead of the second-place finishers, Russia (108 points).  

News and Highlights 

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) was one of six Japanese female wrestlers to capture a gold medal at the 2018 Cadet World Championships. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

3. Japan Women Collect Six Cadet Gold Medals 
Japan scooped up their eighth-consecutive Cadet World Championship, scoring nearly 100 points more than India who finished in second-place.

The Far East nation pulverized the competition on the opening day of women’s wrestling action, winning four gold medals. They followed that up with two additional gold medals on the second day of competition, bringing their tournament total to an impressive six out of ten possible gold medals. 

Also of note in women’s wrestling, Macey KILTY (USA) and Emily SHILSON (USA) claimed gold medals for the United States, marking the first time in history that two American Cadets have won women’s freestyle world championships. 

Final team results
1. Japan - 210
2. India - 111
3. China - 110
4. Russia - 109
5. USA - 108
6. Ukraine - 99
7. Mongolia - 65
8. Belarus - 63
9. Azerbaijan - 36
10. Hungary – 30

News and Highlights 

4. Iakobishvili Steals Tbilisi Gold from Olympic Champ Ramonov 
Reigning world champion Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) electrified the Georgian crowd, scoring the go-ahead takedown with 15-seconds left over Olympic champion Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) to steal the 70kg Tbilisi Grand Prix gold medal, 3-2. 

Trailing by one-point with under 15-seconds remaining, the Georgian shot a studder-step double, freezing for a split-second before re-attacking with a right-handed high-crotch, scoring the lead-changing takedown and ultimately his first Tbilisi Grand Prix gold medal.

RESULTS

5. India Set to Host Asian Junior Championships July 17-22 
The I.G. Sports Complex in New Delhi, India is set to host the 2018 Junior Asian Championships starting on July 17. 

This is the second junior continental championship (Junior African Championships) but is the first of three that will take place over the next month. 

The Junior European Championships begin July 30 and will be followed by the Junior Pan-American Championships which take place August 17-19.

FULL SCHEDULE

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media

1.  It's Summer! Time to go out and train!?
Лето вошло в полную силу! Пора тренироваться на свежем воздухе! ? @jolaman_sharshenbekov 
#wrestling#training#workout#motivation#coolvideo#кыргызстан#тренировка#лето#борцы#summer#summermood

2. Big Move from Day 6 of the Cadet World C'Ships
فن برتر روز ششم کشتی نوجوانان جهان
#Zagreb2018 !

3. KAZ ?? Defeats GEO ?? in a close match #uww #unitedworldwrestling #wrestling#grecoroman #cadets 

4. Day 6 of Cadet World Championships.................HERE. WE. GO. ? ? ?‍♂️ #uww #unitedworldwrestling #wrestling#grecoroman #cadets

5. Reigning world champion @petro700 explosive second-period start sparked him to a #TbilisiGP2018 gold medal, avenging his February loss to Ukraine's Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSK.

#WrestleAlexandria, #WrestleParis

Samoa, Australia, South Africa end Olympic drought with Paris spots in Alexandria

By Vinay Siwach

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 24) -- Seven nations shared the 12 Paris Olympics Freestyle quotas on the final day of the African & Oceania OG Qualifiers in Alexandria.

Hosts Egypt led the way with four quotas while Australia and Guinea Bissau won two each. Samoa, Algeria, South Africa and Nigeria won one each to complete the line-up.

Samoa qualified for the first time in Freestyle as Gaku AKAZAWA (SAM) dominated his bouts to win the quota. Paris will also mark the first Samoan wrestler at the Olympics since Sydney 2000. Akazawa, a former Japanese high school star who moved to Samoa in 2017, defeated Wotna NDOC (GBS) via fall in the first period of the 65kg semifinal.

Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS) also ended an eight-year wait for Australia as he qualified at 65kg after winning the other semifinal. He defeated Manaceu NGONDA (ANG) 10-0.

A little later, Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS) earned a Paris quota at 86kg with a thrilling 4-4 win over Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR) in the semifinals. 

Onovwiomogbowho scored a takedown, earned another point for Lawrence's passivity and added a stepout to build a 4-0 lead in the semifinal. Lawrence put all his energy into scoring a takedown in the second period but found it difficult. He ultimately hit a cut back which made Onovwiomogbohwo fall on his back, giving Lawrence four points.

Lawrence kept his 4-4 criteria lead for the final two minutes and earned a Paris 2024 quota.

Tokyo Olympian Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) joined him as the qualified wrestler for Paris as he defeated Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR) 7-0 and won the ticket.

South Africa will also be back in the Olympics after 16 years Nicholas de LANGE (RSA) qualified the country at 97kg after he defeated Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN)via fall. The former U20 world medalist convincingly won both bouts.

Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) was surprised by Wali KEBIR (ALG) who scored three points on Elders but the Egyptian never lost his cool and posted an easy 15-3 victory.

Egypt qualified three more weight classes, 57kg, 74kg and 125kg, with Amr REDA (EGY) leading from the front. The ever-consistent Reda took just 33 seconds after the first period to win the quota after beating Rayanne ESSAIDI (MAR), 11-0. His previous two wins of the day were via falls.

At 125kg, Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) survived a scare to beat Modou FAYE (SEN), 3-3, in the semifinals and qualify for the Games. He got a 1-0 lead after Faye was called passive but no additional points were scored in the first period.

Faye was put on the activity clock again in the second period this time he hit a single-leg attack to takedown. Abdelmottaleb was put on the activity clock late in the bout and failed to score, giving one more point to Faye who now led 3-1 with just over a minute left.

Abdelmottaleb scored a takedown using a go-behind to take a 3-3 criteria lead and defended it for the last 28 seconds to qualify for the Olympics.

Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) did not face any troubles as he won the 57kg place with an easy 8-0 win over KHALIL BARKOUTI (TUN) in the semifinal.

Two of the remaining three spots were captured by Guinea Bissau as Tokyo Olympian Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) won at 57kg, rolling to a 10-0 win over Suraj SINGH (NZL) while 74kg African champion Bacar NDUM (GBS) defeated Oyeinkeperemo BRAVEMAN (NGR), 10-2, in his semifinal.

The second 125kg quota was won by Ashton MUTUWA (NGR) who was involved in a high-scoring bout against Justin VAN ZYL (RSA) before winning via fall.

sdfgd

RESULTS

57kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) df. Suraj SINGH (NZL), 10-0
SF 2: Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) df. KHALIL BARKOUTI (TUN), 8-0

65kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Georgii OKOROKOVV (AUS) df. Manaceu NGONDA (ANG), 10-0
SF 2: Gaku AKAZAWA (SAM) df. Wotna NDOC (GBS), via fall (4-2)

74kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Amr REDA (EGY) df. Rayanne ESSAIDI (MAR), 11-0
SF 2: Bacar NDUM (GBS) df. Oyeinkeperemo BRAVEMAN (NGR), 10-2

86kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) df. Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR), 7-0
SF 2: Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS) df. Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR), 4-4

97kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) df. Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN), via fall (5-2)
SF 2: Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) df. Wali KEBIR (ALG), 15-3

125kg Paris Olympic Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) df. Modou FAYE (SEN), 3-3
SF 2: Ashton MUTUWA (NGR) df. Justin VAN ZYL (RSA), via fall (16-8)