Weekly FIVE!

Weekly FIVE! March 26, 2018

By Eric Olanowski

Reviewing dominating performances by Russia at the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov and Cuba at the Central American and Caribbean Championships. Also looking at Chamizo's second gold at 74kg and the women's development camp in Tokyo. 

1. Russians Win Seven Golds at Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov
With the third continental championship of the year, the European Championships looming, some of Europe’s best wrestlers traveled to Sofia, Bulgaria to compete in the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament. This tournament was the final competition for those who will be heading to Dagestan, Russia next month for the European Championships.

Russian wrestlers left Bulgaria with seven gold medals and Bulgaria, Georgia and Italy each departed with a single champion.

In addition to Olympic champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS), the Russian gold rush was led by four other wrestlers who won the first freestyle ranking event of the season, the Ivan Yarygin. Those five Yarygin champions who captured gold at this weekend’s Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov were Zaur UGUEV (RUS), Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS), Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS), Ahmed GADJIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) and Abdulrashid Sadulaev.

FINAL RESULTS
57 kg - Zaur UGUEV (RUS) df. Zoheir El OURRAQE (FRA), 6-5
61kg - Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) df. Shingo ARIMOTO (JPN), 6-0
65 kg - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) df. Vasily SHUPTAR (UKR), 9-1
70 kg -  Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) df. Haydar YAVUZ (TUR), 5-4
74 kg - Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), via forfeit
79 kg - Ahmed GADJIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Alan ZASEEV (RUS), 7-5
86 kg -  Arthur NAIFONOV (RUS) df. Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP), via forfeit
92 kg - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Irakli MITSURI (GEO), 10-0
97 kg - Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS) df. Riza YILDIRIM (TUR), via forfeit
125 kg - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS), 5-0

2.Cuba Dominates Central American and Caribbean Championships
Although three-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) did not compete at last weekends Central American and Caribbean Championships as expected, 2016 Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) did, picking up where he left off on his gold medal run at the Cerro Pelado.

Photo: Ismael BORRERO (CUB). 

Borrero outscored his opponents 28-0, including the defeat of Luis DE LEÓN (DOM), 8-0 in the gold-medal bout on his way to capturing his third Central American and Caribbean title.

The Cuban wrestlers went on to take first place in five of the six weight categories that were wrestled. Luigi PÉREZ (VEN) was the lone champion that did not hail from Cuba. In the finals, he stopped Cuba from winning their sixth gold medal by beating Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB), 4-0.

It was the Columbian’s who captured half of the women’s wrestling gold medals, winning three of the possible six gold medals. For Jackeline RENTERIA (COL) and Carolina CASTILLO (COL), it was their third Central American and Caribbean Championship gold medal.

Venezuela’s Betzabeth ARGUELLO and Mexico’s Alejandra ROMERO each won their second gold medals, and Andrea OLAYA (COL) and Soleimy CARABALLO (VEN) won their first Central American and Caribbean Championship gold medals.

In Freestyle, Cuba swept the tournament, going six-for-six in the gold-medal bouts. Each of the six Cubans who won Central American and Caribbean Championships titles this weekend will head to Iowa to compete in the 2018 World Cup.

Cuba's World Cup Line-Up (*Notes the Central American and Caribbean Champions)
57kg - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA*
61kg -Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ
65kg - Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER*
70kg - Franklin MAREN CASTILLO*
74kg - Livan LOPEZ AZCUY
74kg -Yoan Adrian ZULUETA MORALES
86kg -Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA*
86kg - Lazaro Daniel HERNANDEZ LUIS
97kg - Reineris SALAS PEREZ*
125kg - Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVEZ*

3. Post Women’s World Cup Development Training Camp Held in Tokyo
The 2018 Women’s World Cup wrapped up in Takahashi, Japan last weekend with host nation Japan winning their fourth straight title

After the conclusion of the World Cup, over 160 athletes from 21 nations took to Japan’s AJINOMOTO National Training Centre to participate in a four-day camp.

For behind-the-scenes photos and videos from the developmental camp, see our Weekly FIVE! In Social Media - Tokyo Edition! 

4. Chamizo wins second 74kg gold
For the second time this year, Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), the reigning 70kg world champion not only competed up at 74kg but walked away unscathed with a gold medal.

Last weekend, Chamizo bumped up a weight and went 4-0 and captured the 74kg Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament gold medal. Chamizo went 3-0 on the day before receiving a forfeit in the finals over Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR). The Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament gold is his second gold medal of the year at 74kg, as he also won the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial where he defeated 2011 world silver medalist, Franklin GOMEZ in the finals, 4-0.

After the tournament, Chamizo said “I didn’t think it was going to be easy to win this competition, but this will be the last time I compete until the European Championships” which will be held in Dagestan, Russia April 30 - May 6.

5. Freestyle World Cup
United World Wrestling released the schedule for Freestyle World Cup which kicks off April 07-08. The dual-meet based events is an annual highlight of the international wrestling calendar which will take place next weekend in Iowa City, Iowa, United States.

The eight participating teams have been separated into two pools with the top-two teams, the United States and Russia leading groups A and B.

Also of note, NBC has announced that television coverage will be provided for multiple World Cup duals throughout the weekend. Coverage of the first dual begins Saturday, April 7, at 2:30 p.m. for the dual between defending world champions, the United States and the third-place finishers at the 2017 World Championships, Georgia. Additionally, NBC will air the gold medal bout on Sunday, April 8, at 4:00 p.m.

SCHEDULE
Session I - Saturday, April 7 - 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM (CST) 
10:00 AM: United States v. Japan (Mat A) // Russia v. Cuba (Mat B) 
11:15 AM: Georgia v. ____  (Mat A) // Azerbaijan v. Kazakhstan (Mat B)

Session II - Saturday, April 7 - 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM (CST) 
2:00 PM: Opening Ceremonies
2:30 PM: United States v. Georgia (Mat A)
4:30 PM: Russia v. Azerbaijan (Mat B)
5:45 PM: Japan v. ____ (Mat A) // Cuba v. Kazakhstan (Mat B)

Session III - Sunday, April 7 - 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (CST) 
10:00 AM: United States v. ____ (Mat A) // Russia v. Kazakhstan (Mat B)
11:15 AM: Georgia v. Japan (Mat A) // Azerbaijan v. Cuba (Mat B)
12:30 PM: 7th Place Match (Mat A) // 5th Place Match (Mat B)
2:15 PM: 3rd Place Match (Mat A)
4:00 PM: Gold Medal Match (Mat A)

Weekly FIVE! In Social Media - Tokyo Edition 

1. Train Hard, Play Hard // Things are getting very strange at the Women's Development Camp in Tokyo, Japan // We have so much great footage to share! // @mensahtamyrastock @adelinegray
@__malpal__ @yui106301susaki@jennyfransson @eweebz @m.miwa0722

2. Japan training camp ??

3. No shoes, no problem! Defending world champion @yui106301susaki poses for a photo after this mornings workout at the women’s wrestling development camp in Tokyo! ?: @tr.foley

4.Meet one of China’s up-and-coming stars of women’s wrestling, Paliha! She’s a 76kg grappler from western China with an outgoing personality and great work ethic. Also, a bit of a comedian. #wrestlelikeagirl ? @tr.foley

5. More images from the 2018 UWW Women’s Wrestling Development Clinic. More than 160 wrestlers from 21 countries showed up to the camp! #wrestlelikeagirl

#WrestleBudapest

Which wrestlers can move in rankings before Paris Olympics?

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 3) -- The final Ranking Series before the 2024 Paris Olympics will begin this week in Budapest. With Paris 2024 qualified countries entering their wrestlers, the tournament will see a change in ranking and eventually in the seeds for the Games in August.

Freestyle, Women's Wrestling and Greco-Roman have six Olympic weight classes with ranking points awarded to wrestlers competing in these weights in Budapest. Since it's a Level C event, gold medalists will get 8000 points, silver medalists will get 6400 points and bronze medalists will be awarded 5200 points. If it's a Nordic system with only one bronze medalist, the fourth-placed wrestler will receive 4640 points. For details of how the Ranking Series points system works, click here.

Ranking points will also awarded based on the number of participants in a weight class. If a weight category has between two and five participants, the points will be reduced in half and only the first three wrestlers will be awarded. If a weight class has six to 12 participants, no additional point will be given.

Furthermore, if a weight class has 13 to 16 participants, 3000 additional points will be given to all wrestlers except those who were not ranked previously. If a weight class has more than 16 wrestlers, 5000 additional points will be given to all wrestlers barring the ones who did not have ranking points previously.

Here's a breakdown of which wrestlers can improve their ranking in Budapest.

Freestyle

57kg (9 entries)

World Championships silver medalist and currently ranked third in rankings Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) will have a chance to move to the second spot by winning the gold medal in Budapest. He currently has 37000 points and will be tied with number one ranked and world champion Stevan MICIC (SRB) at 45000 points. However, Micic's gold will keep him at the top spot.

Another big mover can be AMAN (IND) who is currently eighth with 20000 points. A bronze medal will push him to sixth spot pushing Zavur UGUEV (AIN) down. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), currently ninth with 18200 points, can also jump to sixth by winning gold. Any lower position will only take him to the seventh spot.

65kg (7 entries)

Only world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), and Haji ALIYEV (AZE) have a chance to move up the ladder. Muszukajev, ranked fourth with 45000 points, can jump all the way to the top with a gold medal. A silver, bronze or fourth-place finish in Budapest will make him second-ranked. Any other result for Muszukajev will take him to the third spot.

Aliyev will only move from 10th place to ninth, irrespective of where he finishes in the tournament.

74kg (11 entries)

With certainty that he will win gold, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) will remain at his current third rank even if he does win. His 36500 points will become 44500 if he wins gold, still 500 less than second-ranked Zaurbek SIDAKOV (AIN).

A top-eight finish from Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), currently ranked 13th with 20200 points, will disrupt the other ranked wrestlers and eventually the seeds at the Olympics.

86kg (12 entries)

Top-ranked Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) can be relieved that he will go into the Olympics as the number one-ranked wrestler. With 52500 points, no other wrestler can replace him even by winning gold medal in Budapest.

Third-ranked Myles AMINE (SMR) is the closest with 44000 points but a gold medal in Budapest will only take him to 52000 points. But he will move to second spot with a 10th place or better finish. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will remain fourth even if he wins the gold medal in Budapest.

No other wrestler entered at 86kg will affect the seedings.

97kg (10 entries)

Third-ranked Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) is all set to become the top-ranked wrestler at 97kg heading into the Olympics. He will achieve that rank by finishing on the podium irrespective of the color of his medal.

Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR), currently ranked fifth with 44700, can move to third spot with a gold medal in Budapest. However, he is set to be fourth irrespective of his result in Budapest.

Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) will also move up in the rankings. Currently ranked 11th, Yergali can move to eighth with a bronze medal or better finish. Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) can also break into the top 10 with a medal but is unlikely to change the seeds for the Olympics.

125kg (12 entries)

With world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) locking up the top spot with 68000 points, the battle will be between Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Mason PARRIS (USA) for the second spot. Petriashvili is currently second with 57000 points while Parris is third with 54200 points.

To be second, Parris will have to win gold and hope that Petriasvili finishes outside the podium. If Parris wins gold and Petriasvili wins bronze, both wrestlers will be tied at 52200 points but Petriashvili will remain second due to his silver medal at the World Championships to Parris' bronze.

Nao KUSAKA (JPN)Nao KUSAKA (JPN) has a chance to become the top ranked wrestler at 77kg in Budapest. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

60kg (11 entries)

Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) currently sits fourth with 37000 points but is expected to be third with a medal of any color in Budapest. He, however, cannot overtake the top two -- Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Ligua CAO (CHN).

Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) may not be going to Paris 2024 but he will certainly change the current rankings. With 29025 points, he is seventh but any medal will put him at fifth. Ninth-ranked Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) will also improve his ranking but cannot move above seventh even if he wins the gold medal.

67kg (12 entries)

Not much will change at 67kg as Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) has locked up the top spot. He is entered for the Budapest tournament at 72kg. That means world champion and second-ranked Luis ORTA (CUB) will have a chance to close the gap but cannot overtake Jafarov whose lead is 17200 points.

Fourth-placed Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) will jump to third spot with a fifth-place finish or better as he is currently fourth with 31000 points.

Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) and Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA) will move up as well if they finish on the podium which eventually with affect the Olympic seeds.

77kg (18 entries)

World champion silver medalist and top-ranked Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) and Asian champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN), currently ranked third, will be battling for the top rank at 77kg. Suleymanov has 58100 points while Kusaka has 54200 points. For Kusaka to overtake Suleymanov, he will have to win the gold medal and hope that the Azerbaijan wrestler does not finish on the podium or finish three places better than Suleymanov.

Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) is set to improve his rank from sixth to fifth unless Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) wins a medal and Lomadze loses in the first round. Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) will also move up from seventh if he can finish better than Lomadze.

Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) can also be a top-five ranked wrestler if he can finish on the podium. It will depend on where Zhadrayev, Levai and Robert FRITSCH (HUN) finish in the tournament.

87kg (18 entries)

The shared world champions Ali CENGIZ (TUR) and David LOSONCZI (HUN) are set to consolidate the top two spots in the rankings. Cengiz has 58000 points and Losonczi has 45000 points with no chance of the latter overtaking the former.

Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) and Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) are currently ranked sixth and seventh with 33000 points and 31000 points. Both will certainly take the fourth and fifth spots at the end of the tournament but can be third as well. Tursynov will have to win a medal to be third while Novikov will have to win the gold medal and hope that Tursynov doesn't reach the final.

Bachir SID AZARA (ALG), currently 13th with 15800 points will finish in top ten by the end of this tournament and depending on his finish, can reach as high as the eighth spot.

97kg (11 entries)

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) is ranked fourth with 41000 points and can only improve to third with a bronze medal or better finish. But he will have to also hope that Artur OMAROV (CZE), ranked fifth with 39520 points, doesn't finish better than him. 

130kg (14 entries)

Second-ranked Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is set to overtake Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) and move to the top spot. Kayaalp has 50000 points and needs to finish 10th or better to get more than Mirzazadeh's 55000 points. A medal for Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) will move him from fifth place to third.

Sixth-placed Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) will keep his spot unless eighth-ranked Heiki NABI (EST), 10th-ranked Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) or Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) win gold medal.

Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)Grace BULLEN (NOR) and Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) will look to improve their rankings at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Women's Wrestling

50kg (16 entries)

Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) is ranked second with 55200 points but Ziqi FENG (CHN), third ranked with 53400 points, will hope to overtake her. Feng will have to finish better than Dolgorjav especially if both win medals. Feng has to finish on the podium if she hopes to overtake Dolgorjav.

Fourth-ranked Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) has 45000 points but is unlikely to move up just like Alisson CARDOZO (COL) who is fifth with 27000 points.

53kg (11 entries)

Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) will have her eyes on the top spot as she tries to jump from the second spot. Yepez, who has 46100 points, will have to finish fifth or better to overtake Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN).

Jonna MALMGREN (SWE), who has 46013 points at the fourth spot, can be third if she wins a bronze medal or a better finish. She can also be second by winning gold and Yepez finishes ninth or lower.

ANTIM (IND), ranked seventh with 31000 points, can jump to fifth if she wins the gold or silver medal.

57kg (10 entries)

Third-ranked with 47200 points, Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) will be eyeing the top spot. All she has to do is reach the final of the Budapest tournament. This will help her overtake Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), the top-ranked wrestler with 53000 points. 

Anhelina LYSAK (POL), ranked fourth with 42700 points, is unlikely to improve but Helen MAROULIS (USA), with 41000 points, is all set to overtake Lysak.

62kg (13 entries)

In the most closely contested weight class, Grace BULLEN (NOR) will have a chance to change her rank. She is ranked third with 44000 points but a gold medal can help her get 11000 points and move past Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) who is ranked second with 54000 points.

Fourth-ranked Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), fifth-ranked Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) and sixth-ranked Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) will have a chance to move around in rankings. Dudova, at 36575 points, leads Niemesch by only 575 points while Koliadenko has 39520 points.

Kayla MIRACLE (USA) is seventh with 28000 points but will have to be careful as Ana GODINEZ (CAN) with 24400 points, Lais NUNES (BRA) with 23500 points and Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) with 23400 points can overtake her.

68kg (11 entries)

Buse TOSUN (TUR), who is ranked number one with 68200 points, will consolidate her position as will Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) who is second with 52500 points.

There will not be a change of position for third-ranked Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) but she can gain more points. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) can move from sixth spot to fourth by reaching the final and to fifth by winning a bronze medal.

76kg (7 entries)

Three Pan-American wrestlers will be looking to improve their rankings. Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) can gain the most as the fourth-ranked wrestler has 39000 points and can be third by winning gold or silver. Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) can also improve on her sixth spot. She can move to fifth by reaching the medal matches.

Justina DI STASIO (CAN), ranked 11th with 22075 points, can move as high as seventh by reaching the final.