World Combat Games: Ukraine dominates Pankration with six golds

Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - 17:37 By United World Wrestling Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (October 25) -- Five months ago, they led Ukraine’s march at the Pankration World Championships. On Wednesday, they continued the European powerhouse’s fine run at the World Combat Games in Riyadh as Ukraine grabbed six out of the 10 possible gold medals across men's and women's categories.

Ukrainian athletes reigned supreme in four out of the five categories in the men’s event, with Oleksandr HULIAIEV (71kg), Kyrylo HOROBETS (84kg), Roman KIZIUK (92kg), Bohdan HNIDKO (100kg) winning gold medals.

Ali GULIYEV (AZE) was the only non-Ukrainian to win a gold medal on Wednesday. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

World champion Ihor ZHOVNIR (UKR) suffered a shock defeat in the semifinals to eventual silver medallist Sabit ZHUSSIP (KAZ), which dented Ukraine’s hopes of winning all six gold medals in the men’s section. Ali GULIYEV (AZE) won the gold medal in the 66kg weight class by beating Zhussip.

In the women’s event, Anna BEZHENAR (53kg) and Daria CHIBISOVA (65kg) finished on top of the podium on a memorable day for the country’s athletes at the World Combat Games.

Huliaiev hardly broke a sweat during his three bouts in which he did not concede a single point. He began with a submission win over Ali SHARIFOV (AZE) in the quarterfinals and followed it up with a 5-0 verdict against Zhassulan AKIMZHAN (KAZ) in the semifinals. In the final, Huliaiev defeated Marvin BELECCIU (ROU) via submission after a 10-1 lead to win the gold medal.

Kyrylo HOROBETS (UKR) won the 80kg final 4-2 against Khasan NAFULLAEV (UZB). (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

It wasn’t as easy for Horobets, who began with a 14-5 win over Turkman MAMMADLI (AZE) before conjuring a 10-3 win against Samat SHAGYRAYEV (KAZ) – whom he had beaten in the World Championship final – in the last four. In the final, Horobets beat Khasan NAFULLAEV (UZB) 4-2.

Kiziuk, too, was dominant on his way to the top of the podium as he won all his bouts via superiority. He began by overcoming Daniel GOREA (MDA) 13-1 in the quarterfinals before beating Islom BALTAEV (UZB) 15-1 in the semis. In the final, Kiziuk defeated Duman BALMUKHANOV (KAZ) 13-1.

In another rematch of the World Championship title bout, Hnidko beat Diyar NURGOZHAY (KAZ) 13-1 technical superiority to complete a double over his opponent and win another gold medal.

Anna BEZHENAR (UKR) won the 53kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Meanwhile, in the women’s bouts, Bezhenar was quick off the blocks as she downed Dimitra PAFRA (GRE) via submission in her opening match before defeating Danielle LENTINI (CAN) 11-2 in the semifinals. In the title round, the Ukrainian defeated world championship bronze medallist Mukhlisa NABIJONOVA (UZB) 10-3.

Ukraine’s final gold medal of the day came from Chibisova in the 65kg category. Chibisova defeated Alessia AMENDOLA (ITA) and Esmira MAMMADOVA (AZE) in the early rounds before beating Meruyert IBRAYEVA 9-3 to win the gold.

Khilola SOBIROVA (UZB) earned the 57kg gold medal at the World Combat Games. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Uzbekistan, the United States and Germany were other countries that won gold medals in the women’s events.

Khilola SOBIROVA (UZB) defeated Viktoriia SYNIAVINA (UKR) 6-3 to give Uzbekistan a memorable title in the 57kg category while Lorena CUBERO (GER) gave Germany their first gold medal, beating Vincenza AMENDOLA (ITA) 5-1 in the 70kg final.

The four medalists at 80kg with Madeline SCHELLMAN (USA) with the gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The long gold medal for the U.S. was won by Madeline SCHELLMAN (USA) as her opponent Mereke ZHUNUSSOVA (KAZ) was called unfit to continue and injured after Schellman had built a 10-1 lead in the final. Schellman won the gold in the 80kg category.

#WrestleAmman

History at U17 Worlds: India wins first title, Canada crowns champion

Friday, August 23, 2024 - 18:14 By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 22) -- The country had been pushing towards the top of the podium in Women's Wrestling at the U17 World Championships for many years but it finally took an impressive 2024 batch for India to claim the women's team title.

India has consistently placed in the top five starting in 2016 and come particularly close to winning the title in 2021 in the absence of Japan. But the United States had sealed the title with the final bout of the competition.

India finished the women's competition at the U17 Worlds in Amman with five gold medals, one silver, two bronzes and a fifth-place finish to win the title with 185 points. Japan finished second with 146 points and Kazakhstan took the third spot with 79 points.

India India won the team title in women's wrestling at the U17 World Championships in Amman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The country won four gold medals on Thursday and KAJAL (IND) added a fifth by winning the final at 69kg against Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR). After taking a 5-0 lead at the break using a big counter throw for four, Kajal added two more takedowns in the second period to win 9-2.

The other Indian in the final, Shrutika PATIL (IND), failed to go past the Japanese hurdle in Yuu KATSUME (JPN). The Japanese dominated the final and won 11-0, becoming the first and only gold medalist in women's wrestling for Japan, an odd sentence to write.

India's impressive victory as a team follows a good show at the U17 Asian Championships in which it claimed the crown over China and Japan. Last year, it had won its first U20 World Championships team title as well, incidentally, in Amman.

Kaura COLES (CAN) pins Nana KOZUKA (JPN) in the 53kg final to win the gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

More history was created in Amman as Canada crowned its first-ever world champion in women's wrestling at this level. Kaura COLES (CAN) won the 53kg gold medal with an impressive fall over Nana KOZUKA (JPN) in the final.

Coles took the opening lead but Kozuka answered with a big four to make it 4-2. An exposure from Coles gave criteria to Kozuka who was constantly finding openings for attacks. In the second period, Coles came up with a four-pointer using headlock to take an outright lead. At one point, Kozuka cut the lead to 9-7 but Coles hit another headlockk for four and secured the fall to win the final.

The Canadian has been impressive over the two days, winning three of her five bouts via fall. Only MUSKAN (IND) and Isabelle GONZALES (USA) were able to stop her from pinning them.

Historically, no Canadian had reached the final in women's wrestling and Coles' medal is only the second in the tournament's history. Canada has had a world champion in all other World Championships.

Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) celebrates after winning gold at 61kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The United States crowned a champion as well. Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) pinned Sae NOGUCHI (JPN) in the 61kg final to make sure the U.S. goes home with at least one gold in women's wrestling. Her tournament run of four wins included three falls and one technical superiority win and only one bout -- the final -- going into the fourth minute of the match.

The final began with Fernandez getting the first point for Noguchi's passivity. The American added a stepout and takedown to make it 4-0. Fernandez got the fall with 38 seconds remaining in the match.

At 40kg, Aleksandra FEDOROVA (AIN) won the gold in a low-scoring final against Kamila KUCHMA (UKR). She won 4-1.

Iran, Kyrgyzstan best in FS semis

Freestyle action began at the U17 World Championships with five weight classes. The United States had four wrestlers in the semifinals but only one made it to the finals. Iran had three and two made it to the gold medal bouts. Kyrgyzstan also shone as it put two wrestlers in the final.

Uzbekistan, Puerto Rico, Georgia and Kazakhstan also had a finalist each while one Individual Neutral Athlete made it to the final.

All 10 women's wrestling world champions in Amman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

RESULTS

40kg
GOLD: Aleksandra FEDOROVA (AIN) df. Kamila KUCHMA (UKR), 4-1

BRONZE: Raj BALA (IND) df. Monaka UMEKAWA (JPN), 11-5
BRONZE: Nazrin AHMADLI (AZE) df. Vivien SZENTPAL (HUN), 11-6

46kg
GOLD: Yuu KATSUME (JPN) df. Shrutika PATIL (IND), 11-0

BRONZE: Morgan TURNER (USA) df. Jessica TUOMINEN (FIN), via fall (8-0)
BRONZE: Medina KUANYSHBEK (KAZ) df. Yevheniia DRUZENKO (UKR), via fall (6-5)

53kg
GOLD: Kaura COLES (CAN) df. Nana KOZUKA (JPN), via fall (11-7)

BRONZE: MUSKAN (IND) df. Isabella GONZALES (USA), 12-2
BRONZE: Lisette BOETTKER (EST) df. Olesia MALAKHOVA (AIN), via fall (2-4)

61kg
GOLD: Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) df. Sae NOGUCHI (JPN), via fall (6-0)

BRONZE: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. RAJNITA (IND), via fall (6-2
BRONZE: Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR) df. Zhaidar MUKAT (KAZ), 4-0

69kg
GOLD: KAJAL (IND) df. Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR), 9-2

BRONZE: Ako UCHIYAMA (JPN) df. Rahma BEDIWY (EGY), via fall (9-1)
BRONZE: Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE) df. Ilayda CIN (TUR), 6-4

Freestyle Semifinals

48kg
GOLD: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) vs. Amirabbas ALIZADEH (IRI)

SF 1: Amirabbas ALIZADEH (IRI) df. Henry ASLIKYAN (USA), 6-4
SF 2: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) df. Chingis SARYGLAR (AIN), 7-5

55kg
GOLD: Joseph BACHMANN (PUR) vs. Kursantbek ISAKOV (KGZ)

SF 1: Kursantbek ISAKOV (KGZ) df. Keanu DILLARD (USA), 10-2
SF 2: Joseph BACHMANN (PUR) df. Huseyn HUSEYNOV (AZE), 5-2

65kg
GOLD: Ramazan ABDULKADYROV (AIN) vs. Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ)

SF 1: Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ) df. Bakdaulet AKIMZHAN (KAZ), 12-5
SF 2: Ramazan ABDULKADYROV (AIN) df. Umut USLU (TUR), 4-4

80kg
GOLD: Reza AFSHAR (IRI) vs. Nikoloz MAISURADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Nikoloz MAISURADZE (GEO) df. Artur KOSTIUK (UKR), 4-0
SF 2: Reza AFSHAR (IRI) df. Emmitt SHERLOCK (USA), 8-0

110kg
GOLD: Michael MOCCO (USA) vs. Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ)

SF 1: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) df. Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI), 4-3
SF 2: Michael MOCCO (USA) df. Gigia LUKUNIDZE (GEO), 10-0

World Combat Games: Ukraine dominates Pankration with six golds

Comments

History at U17 Worlds: India wins first title, Canada crowns champion