#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships day five semis set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 14) -- An all women's wrestling day at the World Championships in Belgrade. The final four weight classes will be in action with world champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) taking the mat at 57kg. The 68kg is also guaranteed fireworks.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

The semifinals for the evening session are set

57kg
Helen MAROULIS (USA) vs. Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL)
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) vs. Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)

59kg
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) vs. Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) vs. Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)

68kg
Ami ISHII (JPN) vs. Nisha DAHIYA (IND) 
Irina RINGACI (MDA) vs. Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA)

72kg
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) vs. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Masako FURUICHI (JPN) vs. Amit ELOR (USA) 

13:02: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) going back and forth on Mat C. The scrambles have resulted in a 9-7 lead for Kolawole. Challenge from Kolawole against a four-point move. She loses the challenge. They trade four-pointers with Kolawale leading 13-12. A go behind with just 8 seconds remaining as Aliyeva wins 14-13

13:01: Asian bronze medalist Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL) clinches a 4-0 victory with a 2-point takedown to the back in defeating Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) to make the 57kg semifinals.

12:57: Helen MAROULIS (USA), pursuing a fourth career world gold, advances to the 57kg semifinals Anhelina LYSAK (POL) with a 10-0 technical fall. Maroulis scores four takedowns, capping the final one with a lack lock roll to end the match at 3:22.

12:55: Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) and Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) in the 57kg quarterfinals with the Ukraine wrestler leading 2-0 at the break. Excellent defense from Hrushyna so far but Sakurai gets a takedown. She gets on the leg again but Hrushyna is trying to expose her. No points. A 2-2 win for Sakurai as she joins her Ikuei University teammates Ami ISHII (JPN) and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) in the semifinals for the evening session.

12:50: 2021 world U23 bronze medalist Nisha DAHIYA (IND) proves too much for Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL), charging to an 11-0 technical fall to secure a spot in the 68kg semifinals.

12:50: Taymara MENSAH STOCK faces a familiar opponent in Feng ZHOU (CHN) in the 68kg quarterfinals on Mat D. She was looking for the fall but Zhou manages to come out of it. She leads 6-0. No comebacks from Zhou this time as Mensah wins 10-0

12:48: Big 68kg quarterfinal as Irina RINGACI (MDA) is up against Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL). Both wrestlers get four points but it's Ringaci leading 7-4 after a takedown. In the second period, Ringaci hits a five before winning the match 14-4

12:46: Ami ISHII (JPN) fights off her back and comes back to score a fall over former world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) and advance to the 68kg semifinals. Morais uses a barrel roll to put Ishii onto her back, then adds exposure for a 6-2 lead. Ishii shoots in on a double, and Morais uses a counter lift for 2 more. But Ishii keeps the legs, charges ahead and uses a half-nelson to put Morais directly to her back. The fall comes at 2:38.

12:40: Defending world champion Masako FURUICHI (JPN) gives up a takedown against Kendra DACHER (FRA) but answers with a takedown and lace to lead 4-2 at the break. A double from Dacher in the second period to lead 4-4. Furuichi struggling with her defense here. A double leg with 20 seconds remaining and she gets four while looking for the pin. Time runs out but she wins 8-4 at 72kg.

12:36: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) makes the semifinals for the first time in her third appearance at senior worlds with an 11-0 technical fall at 72kg over Shauna KUEBECK (CAN).

12:34: Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), the silver medalist at 72kg a year ago in Oslo, simply overpowers  Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) to make the semifinals with a 10-0 technical fall at 2:50.

12:30: A 40-second fall for U20 world champion Amit ELOR (USA) over Bose TOSUN (TUR) in the 72kg quarterfinals. That got the USA camp excited.

12:27: European silver medalist Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) scores a takedown and exposure in the final minute to rally into the 57kg semifinals with a 5-3 victory over Mansi AHLAWAT (IND).

12:22: On Mat D, Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) and Qi ZHANG (CHN) are involved in a battle on Mat D. Nichita leads 4-2 at the break. Zhang shoots for the leg but is defended by Nichita. Zhange tries to defend against an attack by Nichita but fails. Nichita with another single leg and she is now looking for the fall and it's confirmed.

12:21: Grace BULLEN (NOR), looking for her first world medal in her sixth appearance, gets one step closer by capping a 12-0 technical fall in the 59kg quarterfinals over Erdenesuvd BAT ERDENE (MGL) with a spectacular 5-point throw.

12:20: 59kg quarterfinals with Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) picking up a fall over Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) on Mat C.

12:15: U23 world champion Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) with a fall over Yongxin FENG (CHN) and making her way to the 57kg quarterfinals.

12:11: 2021 world U23 bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE, trailing 2-2 on criteria, scores a stepout with :28 left against European bronze medalist Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) to book a place in the 57kg quarterfinals.

12:03: 55kg world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) and Olympic bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) wrestling on Mat C at 57kg. 1-0 lead for Sakurai at the break for a passivity. A takedown for Sakurai to start the second period, extending her lead to 3-0. Another takedown for her and it's 5-0. Nikolova is in danger of a pin but she lets go of the hold to give up two. 7-0 for Sakurai with one minute remaining. A big four confirmed for Sakurai as she wins 11-0 but Bulgaria challenges the call. Challenge lost and Nikolova will wait if Sakurai can reach the final

12:01: Anhelina LYSAK (POL), the 2021 world U23 champion at 59kg, advanced to the 57kg quarterfinals and a clash with top seed Helen MAROULIS (USA) with a victory by fall over Sarita MOR (IND).

11:56: Olympic champion Taymara MENSAH STOCK (USA) takes the lead against Alla BELINSKA (UKR) with a takedown. She went for another but looks like Bellinska has injured her shoulder. After some medical attention, she will continue but Mensah has the par terre advantage. A fall in the second period for Mensah.

11:54: Two-time European champion Irina RINGACI (MDA), yet another world champion in the stacked 68kg field, rolls to a 10-0 technical fall over Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) to advance to the quarterfinals. Ringaci won the 65kg title in Oslo last year.

11:51: Feng ZHOU (CHN) on Mat C against Ambar GARNICA (MEX) and she takes a 3-0 lead with a takedown and an inactivity point. Garnica on the shot and tries to expose Zhou but exceptional defense from the China wrestler. Zhou gives up two but scores a reversal before hitting a four to lead 8-2. But she hangs on for a 10-4 win.

11:48: Ami ISHII (JPN) sets up an intriguing quarterfinal clash at 68kg with Linda MORAIS (CAN) when the Japanese collegian chalks up a 3-0 win over European silver medalist Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA).

11:47: Defending champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) needs less than 20 seconds to score a fall over Emma TISSINA (KAZ) and advance to the quarterfinals at 57kg.

11:45: Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), a 10-time African champion chasing a first world medal, loses a 2-2 heartbreaker at 68kg to Asian bronze medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL). Oborududu leads 2-0 from a pair of stepouts, but Enkhsaikhan scores a takedown with 1:15 left to win by criteria.

11:34: In a clash of current and former world champions, 2019 titlist Linda MORAIS (CAN) assures that Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) will not be repeating her title run at 68kg in a nail-biter on Mat A. Morais, trailing 3-0 in the second period, goes ahead 4-3 with a takedown and exposure. When Zhumanazarova gets in on a single, Morais executes a lift for exposure for 2, but the Kyzgyz wrestler reverses her to her back to cut the lead to 6-5 with :20 left. Morais then resists a vicious gut wrench attempt to secure the win.

11:30:  Sarita MOR (IND), a 2021 world bronze medalist at 59kg, wins her opening match at 57kg, scoring the decisive takedown midway through the second period for a 4-2 win over world U23 bronze medalist Hannah TAYLOR (CAN).

11:30: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) and Asian champion Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) have been involved in a very close bout. The Kazakhstan wrestler was cautioned twice for grabbing the fingers before Belinska was warned for negative wrestling. But she gets a takedown to lead 5-1. Bakbergenova gets on the leg but Belinska is cautioned again. 5-2 win for the Ukraine wrestler.

11:25: Yongxin FENG (CHN) looks like a contender at 57kg. She gut wrenches her way to a technical superiority win over Bediha GUN (TUR). After not being able to participate in the World Championships last year, the China team has done well this year.

11:20: Ami ISHII (JPN), coming off a victory at the world U20, gets her first senior world campaign off to a good start with a 10-0 technical fall over Grabriela PEDRO (BRA), scoring the 10th point with a stepout at the first-period buzzer to advance to the 68kg quarterfinals. Ishii defeated 2021 world silver medalist Rin MIYAJI (JPN) en route to making the Japan team to Belgrade.

11:13: Defending champion Masako FURUICHI (JPN) survives a first-round scare at 72kg, holding on for a 4-3 victory over QIANDEGENCHAGAN (CHN), a 2016 Asian bronze medalist. Furuichi scores two first-period takedowns, only for the Chinese to come back with a takedown and activity clock point early in the second. Furuichi is one of only two wrestlers to have completed the “grand slam” of world senior, U23, junior and cadet titles.

11:10: Another U20 world champion Amit ELOR (USA) showing her class in her senior-level tournament. She has U23 world champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) but that doesn't matter as she completes a 10-0 win

11:00: U20 world champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) with a quick fall over Ebru DAGBASI (TUR) at 59kg. She moves into the quarterfinals against Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE).

10:55: Qi ZHANG (CHN), a 2019 Asian bronze medalist who returned to international action in Bucharest in July and won the gold, moves into the 59kg quarterfinals with a 10-0 technical fall over Elena BRUGGER (GER).

10:50: Grace BULLEN (NOR) looks to be on a mission. She works on Abigail NETTE (USA) to secure a 13-2 win at 59kg.

10:54: European champion Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) records the fall in the first period against Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) to advance to the quarterfinals at 59kg. 

10:29: Hello to all from sunny Belgrade for Day 5 and another morning session of high drama. Today, the last four women's weights will be up, with competition through the quarterfinals at 57kg, 59kg, 68kg and 72kg.

#WrestleBratislava

Losonczi downs Olympic champ Novikov for 87kg European gold

By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 12) -- David LOSONCZI (HUN) had his task cut out at the European Championships.

Over the years, his performance at different competitions of two-day formats saw a dip on the second day. So Hungary coach Viktor LORINCZ told him to be focused for six minutes.

Losonczi was up against Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) in the 87kg final of the European Championships in Bratislava in Saturday. The two had recently met in the Paris Olympic semifinal which Novikov won.

But the final in European Championships was a different story.

Losonczi wrapped his arm around Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) and scored a takedown in the first 30 seconds to take a 2-0 lead. Novikov locked Losonczi around the chest and tried to shift to a seatbelt position but the Hungarian pushed Novikov out-of-bounds with his head to lead 3-0. Novikov was put in par terre which gave Losonczi one more point but he failed to score from par terre and settled for the 4-0 lead.

Novikov's chance came in the second period when he got the par terre position. He turned Losonczi one time but when he tried the second time, both wrestlers were out of bounds. Losonczi led 4-3 with 1:31 left on the clock.

There was no comeback for Novikov in the final. Earlier in the tournament, Novikov had won two bouts in thrilling fashion, scoring late, one time with only one second left.

"During the break I told him that just three more minute and you can be the European champion. So this pushed him," Lorincz said.

After the loss, Novikov said that he made a few which cost him dearly in the final.

"This is still the beginning of the season and I am not 100 percent, especially after winning the Paris Olympics. I think, mentally I am not ready. Olympics was different," Novikov said. "My goal is the World Championships. I am European champion and Olympic champion. I want to be world champion. More work and hope and I will be world champion. I was much better in the final than yesterday. I gifted him two positions after locking him. I made mistakes and you can't make mistakes at this level. Before the Olympics, I knew that any thing is possible. But after Olympic, I know that everything is possible. All you need is belief in yourself."

At 63kg, Kerem KAMAL (TUR) earned his second European title with big win in the final. Kamal came out with a takedown and suplex for a 6-0 lead. Armenia challenged the call asking for a foul hold below the legs from Kamal but it lost the challenge on review to give Kamal another point.

Aslanyan got one back when Turkiye challenged for a throw which was adjudged a risk action from Aslanyan who got a point for lost challenge. Both wrestlers were without any challenges after that.

In the second period, Aslanyan pushed the pace but failed to break Kamal. A stepout got him the second point which cut the lead to 7-2 with a minute left in the final.

At 55kg, Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) denied Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) his third European title by beating the Azerbaijan wrestler 1-1 in the final.

Sefershaev got the benefit of the new Greco-Roman rule that United World Wrestling is testing at the European Championships which awards the wrestler who got the first point the win if the match ends 1-1.

The former European champion got the first par terre advantage but failed to score any points. However, he defended his par terre position when Azizli got the advantage in the second period and kept his 1-1 lead for the gold, his second at the European Championships.

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) did not need any par terre advantages in his 77kg final against Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) as he scored a arm-drag takedown for two points in the second period and won his fourth straight European title.

This was Amoyan's first tournament since winning a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics and he did not show any sings of being away from the mat.

At 130kg, Sergei SEMENOV (UWW) defended his title with a 1-1 criteria win over Hamza BAKIR (TUR).

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 1-1

BRONZE: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 8-1
BRONZE: Artiom DELEANU (MDA) df. Arnold MEGALY (SVK), 8-0

63kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Karen ASLANYAN (ARM), 7-2

BRONZE: Mairbek SALIMOV (POL) df. Andrii SEMENCHUK (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), via fall

77kg
GOLD: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), 4-3

BRONZE: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Albin OLOFSSON (SWE), via fall
BRONZE: Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) df. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL), 3-1

87kg
GOLD: David LOSONCZI (HUN) df. Semen NOVIKOV (BUL), 4-3

BRONZE: Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR), 2-1
BRONZE: Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) df. Hannes WAGNER (GER), 3-1

130kg
GOLD: Sergei SEMENOV (UWW) df. Hamza BAKIR (TUR), 1-1

BRONZE: Darius VITEK (HUN) df. Dzmitry ZARUBSKI (UWW), 6-0
BRONZE: Jello KRAHMER (GER) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 1-1