Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! July 23, 2018

Monday, July 23, 2018 - 15:05 By Eric Olanowski

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Taking a look at Japan's seven Asian Junior gold medal performance and India's strong finish. Also looking at the pair of Olympic silver medalists who won the final Greco-Roman Ranking Series event of the year and this weeks freestyle Ranking Series event, the Yasar Dogu. 

1.Japanese Women One-Up Iran, Win Seven Asian Junior Golds 
Japan closed out women’s wrestling at the 2018 Asian Junior Championships with eight finalists, winning seven gold medals and one-upping Iran’s Greco-Roman squad who won six gold medals earlier in the week. 

With their seven gold medals, Japan one-upped the Greco-Roman team champions, Iran. During the Greco-Roam portion of the tournament, nine Iranian wrestlers qualified for the gold-medal bout, but “only” six clutched a gold medal after it was all said and done.

Women's Wrestling Results
Team Scores 
GOLD – Japan (213 points)
SILVER – China (168 points)
BRONZE – India (135 points)
Fourth – Kazakhstan (123 points)
Fifth – Mongolia (113 points) 

The six-time world and Olympic finalist, Riza KAYAALP (TUR). (Photo by Martin Gabor) 

2. Olympic Finalists Show Out at Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan
The fourth and final Ranking Series event of the year, the Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan took place last weekend in Istanbul, Turkey and two Olympic finalists bounced the competition and won gold medals. 

The host nation, Turkey won the team title with four individual champions, which included six-time world and Olympic finalist, Riza KAYAALP (TUR). 

Kayaalp, who coming off winning his eighth European championship outscored his first two opponents 11-0 but was tested in his semifinal and finals match-ups, winning both by a single point. 

In the finals, the three-time world champion outlasted Kiryl HRYSHCHANKA (BLR), 2-1 to win his seventh Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan gold medal. 

Zhan BELENYUK (UKR), the 2015 world champion and Rio Olympic silver medalist, competing in his second tournament of the year also won a gold medal. 

Belenyuk defeated two-time age-level world champion Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 3-1 in the 87kg finals. These two also met in the International Ukrainian Tournament finals, where Belenyuk was also the victor.

Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Results

Team Scores 
GOLD - Turkey (191 points)
SILVER - Belarus (121 points)
BRONZE - Azerbaijan (121 points)
Fourth - Japan (104 points)
Fifth - Kazahkstan (102 points)

Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI), 72kg Asian Junior champion. (Photo by Sachiko Hotaka)

3. Iran Finishes Asian Juniors with Eleven Overall Gold Medals 
Iran wrapped up freestyle action at the Asian Junior Championships by winning five gold medals, bringing their overall tournament total to eleven championship performances. 

After the first day of freestyle wrestling, their squad was on par to match their Greco-Roman countryman’s six gold medal performances from earlier this week but only grabbed two golds on the final day to fall one short in the friendly race with their Greco-Roman team. 

Freestyle Results
Freestyle Team Scores 
GOLD - Iran (189 points)
SILVER - India (173 points)
BRONZE - Uzbekistan (128 points)
Fourth - Japan (126 points)
Fifth - Kazahkstan (125 points)

Sachin RATHI (IND) gave India one of their three Asian Junior gold medals. (Photo by Sachiko Hotaka)

4. India Closes Out Asian Junior C'Ships with Pair of Gold Medals After Seven Straight Runner-Up Finishes
India had to wait until the final day of the 2018 Asian Junior Championships to add to Sajan SAJAN's (IND) gold medal, but they finally got the gold medals they were hoping for. In total, ten Indian wrestlers made the championship finals but seven straight wrestlers failed to come out on top. It all came down to Deepak PUNIA (IND) and Sachin RATHI (IND) to carry the country’s flag one more time, and they did so in significant fashion.

RESULTS 

Olympic champion, Taha AKGUL (TUR). (Photo by Martin Gabor) 

5. Yasar Dogu, the Third Freestyle Ranking Series Event Begins This Weekend 
Istanbul, Turkey is set to host the 46th Annual Yasar Dogu International on July 27-29. 

On June 8, United World Wrestling announced that the tournament has been named a Ranking Series event in men’s freestyle wrestling after the South African Open was canceled due to a lack of early sign-ups. 

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media 

1. Big Move Monday!
2. “Taha Akgul will be back to train for 20 days in August. The #1heavyweight in the world. Thankful we can prepare for the World Championships together ????” @snyderman45
3. @frankchamizo92 practising. Отработки Чамизо. ? @nycrtc
4. We’re 92 days away from the #Budapest2018 World Championships which means we get to highlight three-time world and Olympic champion @sadulaev_abdulrashid (RUS). Sadulaev won the 92kg gold medal at the European Championships in Dagestan, Russia earlier this year. #92on92 ‬
5. Olympic?@zhanbeleniuk playing with ?! ?

#WrestleZagreb

Yousofi wins gold in Zagreb to enter Iran's 130kg race

Sunday, February 9, 2025 - 19:32 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 9) -- Iran has selection headache at 130kg. But it's a good one to have.

With Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) and Fardin HEYDAYTI (IRI) already fighting for the spot, Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) has thrown his hat in the process with gold medal at the Zagreb Open.

The 2021 world champion last competed internationally in the 2023 Budapest Ranking Series but returned as the new Olympic cycle began. And his first victim was European champion Sergey SEMENOV (AIN) who stunned Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the 130kg final to win gold.

Yousofi defeated Sememnov 10-1 in the opening bout, stopped Koppany LASZLO (HUN) 6-1 and won 9-1 against Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE).

In the final, Yousofi was put in par terre first against Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) tried the gut wrench but was blocked by Yousofi for two points. Then came the series of stepouts, a typical Iranian style of wrestling as Yousofi claimed a 9-1 victory the gold medal.

Iran's second gold medal came at 82kg as Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) defeated Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), 6-2, in the final. Szilvassy is a world silver medalist, having lost to Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) in the final in Tirana last year.

Farokhi was too much for Szilvassy who failed to keep up with the force of Farokhi and gave up stepouts as well.

But Iran would be disappointed at the results of 72kg as both Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Danial SOHRABI (IRI) lost to 19-year-old Levente LEVAI (HUN). Geraei suffered a loss in the semifinals while Sohrabi was stunned in the final by the teenager.

The final began in a very untraditional manner with Sohrabi getting cautioned for finger grabbing, which gave Levai a 2-0 lead. He was also put in par terre but Levai failed to score but still enjoyed a 3-0 lead.

Sohrabi came back with two stepouts and one point for par terre to make it 3-3 but he trailed on criteria as he was cautioned for two points early in the bout. Unaware of the criteria winner, Sohrabi was not in any attacking mode but with around a minute remaining, he realized that he is trailing on criteria.

A series of desperate attacks were made including one flying squirrel but Levai managed to defend all of them. Sohrabi asked for a challenge for the flying squirrel but no points were awarded on review, giving an extra point to Levai for lost challenge and a further cushion for victory.

In a weight class which had two world champions from Tirana, none finished on the podium. The 60kg weight class had Edlaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) but both lost to the unheralded Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) who in turn lost to U23 world champion and compatriot Alisher GANIEV (UZB) 9-0 in the semifinals.

From the other side of the bracket, Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) made it to the final against Ganiev who was leading 4-0 when a moment of brilliance from Tibilov changed it all.

In the second period of the match, Tibilov scissor jumped over Ganiev and the spun the Uzbek like a cartwheel for four points. The move gave Tibilov a 4-4 criteria lead and Uzbekistan challenged the call but lost to make the score 5-4. A second passivity further extended his lead to 6-4.

At 55kg, Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) denied Iran a gold medal, blanking Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI), 6-0.

Sargsian beats Khaslakanau

Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) suffered a heartbreaking elbow injury at the World Championships in Belgrade in 2023. After more than a year of being away from action, Sargsian marked his return with a gold medal at 97kg. He defeated former U20 world champion and Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 5-2, in the final.

Khaslakhanau was awarded the first par terre advantage of the final but he failed to score a point from that position. Soon, Sargsian launched a sag bodylock for four points which Khaslakhanau challenged for a leg four. But it was clean move from Sargsian who now led 5-1.

Khaslakhanau was giving another passivity advantage in the second period but he failed to score from that as well as Sargsian defended his 5-2 lead with ease.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) df. Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI), 6-0

BRONZE: Brady KOONTZ (USA) df. Artium DELEANU (MDA), 9-1

60kg
GOLD: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 6-4

BRONZE: Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) df. Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 9-0
BRONZE: Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) df. Huseyn GARIBOV (AZE), 9-1

72kg
GOLD: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Danial SOHRABI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) df. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE), via inj. def.

82kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), 6-2

BRONZE: Mihail BRADU (MDA) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 2-1
BRONZE: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Vasile COJOC (ROU), 9-0

97kg
GOLD: Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) df. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 5-2

BRONZE: Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) df. Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI)
BRONZE: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 7-1

130kg
GOLD: Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI)

BRONZE: Marat KAMPAROV (AIN) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE: Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Koppany LASZLO (HUN), via fall