#WrestleOslo

#WrestleOslo: Sadulaev, Snyder Stay on Course for Final; Tynybekova Closer to 2nd Title

Monday, October 4, 2021 - 12:41 By Vinay Siwach

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OSLO, Norway (October 4) -- The crowd at the Jordan Amfi arena could well witness a rematch of the Olympic final for the second time in three days. After Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) avenged his loss to David TAYLOR (USA) Sunday at 86kg, it looks like Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) will also meet in the final of the World Championships. The two had met in the 97kg final two months ago at the Tokyo Olympics.

Sadulaev and Snyder reached the semifinals at 97kg in Oslo in controlled wins in the quarterfinals. The two can only meet in the final Tuesday as they are on the either side of the bracket being the top two seeds.

Sadulaev survived a small scare in the quarters when Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) threw him for big four after Sadulaev had taken a 6-0 lead with two takedowns and two gut wrenches. But like a calm champion he continued his work and secured a 9-4 win scoring three stepouts in the second period.

Wrestling simultaneously on Mat D, Snyder humbled fellow 2019 World Championships bronze medalist Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD) 11-0. The American continued his workman like style and ended with a comfortable win. He will now face Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) who defeated Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) 6-1 in the other quarterfinal.

Iran's good record in Oslo was only spoiled at 70kg when junior world champion Erfan ELAHI (IRI) suffered a heartbreaking 8-8 loss to Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ). In a seesaw battle which Elahi thought he had won, Akmataliev was called the winner only after they challenged the final call which had the Iran wrestler winning 9-8.

On replays, the jury decided that Akmataliev began the action and scored two points before giving up two. But since Elahi got the last point, the extra point for reversal which was awarded initially was taken away, making the score 8-8 with the Kyrgyzstan wrestler leading on criteria. The two traded takedowns throughout the bout. He will now face Evgenii ZHERBAEV (RWF) who had a comfortable win over Batmagnai BATCHULUUN (MGL) via fall. 

In the other semifinal, Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) will face Azerbaijan's young sensation Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) who defeated two-time world medalist James GREEN (USA) 6-5. Bayramov led 4-1 after a takedown and gut but it was his defence that Green could not penetrate in the first period. He once almost got it but Bayramov scored a go behind to lead 6-1. The only time Green hit a double, he scored four points with 12 seconds remaining. But he could not score one more which would have given him the win.

Gadzhiev and Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) were tied 1-1 with Georgian wrestler leading on criteria but the Poland wrestler used all his experience to score a takedown and a stepout to finish the bout 4-1.

Two women's wrestling weight classes were also in action Monday with Olympic silver medalist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) barely making it to the semifinals. First up for her was two-time cadet world champion and 18-year-old OZAKI (JPN) who led 4-0 early in the bout. But she was not able to finish the third takedown and Tynybekova scored two of her own and then one at the end to win 6-4.

In the quarterfinals, Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) led 6-4 against her and then went for a headlock, looking for four but failed to execute the move and Tynybekova controlled her in that grip and got the fall. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) will be her next opponent as she defeated Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) via fall.

Kayla MIRACLE (USA) will face Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) in the other semifinal after she scored a victory by technical superiority 13-2 against Alina KASABIEVA (RWF). Nunes de Oliveira managed to scrape past Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL) 3-2.

At 55kg, 2019 World bronze medalist Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RWF) defeated Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) 12-2 to set up a semifinal against Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN). The Japanese wrestler defeated Poland veteran Roksana ZASINA (POL) 4-0.

India's PINKI (IND) will wrestle Nina HEMMER (GER) in the semifinal after a victory via fall over Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ). Hemmer was trailing 2-2 on criteria against Andreea ANA (ROU) and tried a takedown. Ana, in defence, grabbed hold of Hemmer's neck which was called a four on review and that gave Hemmer a 3-2 win.

Quarterfinals Results:

FS 97kg
Mahamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR) df Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR), 6-3
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) df Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR), 9-4
Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) df Alisher YERGALI (KAZ), 6-1
Kyle SNYDER (USA) df Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD), 11-0

FS 70kg
Evgenii ZHERBAEV (RWF) df Batmagnai BATCHULUUN (MGL), via fall
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df Erfan ELAHI (IRI), 8-8
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), 4-1
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df James GREEN (USA), 6-5

WW 62kg
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) df Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN), via fall
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df Veranika IVANOVA (BLR), via fall
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) df Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL), 3-2
Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df Alina KASABIEVA (RWF), 13-2

WW 55kg
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RWF) df Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), 12-2
Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) df Roksana ZASINA (POL), 4-0
PINKI (IND) df Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ), via fall 
Nina HEMMER (GER) df Andreea ANA (ROU), 3-2

#WrestleZagreb

Kusaka earns shot at world title; Iran puts 3 in final

Thursday, September 18, 2025 - 15:57 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 18) -- Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN) is a step away from winning his first world title.

After finishing with a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships at 77kg, Kusaka went on to win the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at the same weight. The Olympic champion now wants the tag of world champion.

Returning for the first time since Paris, Kusaka wrestled like is the Olympic champion, beating Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 3-1, in the semifinals. He scored a takedown to open the scoring before getting the par terre advantage. He failed to score but led 3-0. Fritsch was in danger of giving up a four-pointer but he flung Kusaka on counter for a point to make it 3-1.

There was no action in the second period and Kusaka defended his lead till the time expired to earn his first trip to the finals at a World Championships.

"Like at the Olympics, you can't predict what will happen. But a year after the Olympics, I want to show my strength to the world again," Yoshida said after the win. " I always worked out with him, so we know each other well. But to me, it didn't matter if he had a strategy or not."

Earlier in the quarterfinals, he defeated Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 4-2, in a rematch of the Olympic final. Kusaka had to come back as he was down 2-2 on criteria as Zhadrayev launched a counter throw for two points. But Kusaka added two stepouts in the second period to win 4-2.

He will now face Olympic bronze medalist Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) for the gold medal after the Armenian defeated world U20 champion Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) in a one-move semifinal.

Amoyan got the first chance in par terre and he loaded for a suplex on the edge. Abdevali was ready to land on his hands but Amoyan changed his throw and slammed the Iranian in a reverse throw for four and lead 5-0.

Abdevali failed to score from par terre in the second period and dropped the semifinal 5-1 against Amoyan.

Despite Abdevali's loss, Iran managed three other wrestlers in the finals with world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) leading the way. Two World Championships debutants, Payam AHMADI (IRI) and Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) reached the finals at 55kg and 82kg, respectively.

At 130kg, world champion Mirzazadeh had no trouble reaching the final after he defeated Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 3-1, in the semifinals. He got a roll from par terre for two points and despite par terre position in the second period, he won 3-1.

He will face a surprise finalist Darius VITEK (HUN) who denied Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), 1-1, as he got the criteria for the first point in a 1-1 finish.

Farokhi, who won the Zagreb Open this year, powered his way to the 82kg final after denying local star Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-1, in the semifinals. Farokhi led 3-1 at the break after a takedown. He scored another as soon as the second period began before adding two stepouts to win.

He will face Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian denied Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) yet another comeback as he had all day on Thursday. Yoshida began with two stepouts before getting the par terre. He failed to score any points but led 3-0 at the break.

It was all Bolkvadze in the second period as he scored three turns from par terre to take a 7-3 lead. Japan challenged the last turn saying that Yoshida's head was out of bounds before last turn. However, the review showed that it was inside and Bolkvadze got a point for the lost challenge to make it 8-3 with 1:10 remaining. 

Yoshida used an arm drag to takedown and make it 8-5 but he did not have any another action and Georgia got its second finalist of the night.

Ahmadi upsets Azizli

Iran's gamble to switch Pouya DAD MARZ (IRI) with world U20 champion Payam AHMADI (IRI) a week before the World Championships paid off as he denied four-time world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) a record fifth at 55kg.

Ahmadi was subjected to a selection bout against Dad Marz in Iran and he defeated the former world silver medalist with ease thus earning a trip to Zagreb a month after winning the gold at the U20 World Championships.

In the semifinals, Ahmadi got a takedown to put Azizli on the backfoot. He was awarded the par terre position as well but failed to score. However, he led 3-0 at the break. Azizli got his chance in the second period but Ahmadi brought out his top defense to not give up any points and keep his 3-1 lead, a score he went on to win with.

He will face another teenager for the gold medal, Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), who defeated Emin CAKIR (TUR), 2-2, on last point criteria to earn a spot in the final.

Lolua, just 18 years of age, won a bronze medal at 55kg at the U20 World Championships in which Ahmadi was the champion. Lolua and Cakir traded passivity points with the latter holding first-point criteria. Lolua got a third passivity which is without points and only position, but he failed to score from that as well. Georgia challenged for a leg-foul but there was none.

Cakir got a point for lost challenge from Georgia which made it 2-1 with 40 seconds left. However, Lolua got a stepout soon after and got the 2-2 criteria for the last point scored to win.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI (IRI) vs. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)

SF 1: Payam AHMADI (IRI) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Emin CAKIR (TUR), 2-2

77kg
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) vs. Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) df. Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 3-1
SF 2: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI), 5-1

82kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) vs. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)

BRONZE: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 8-5
BRONZE: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-1

130kg
GOLD: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs. Darius VITEK (HUN)

SF 1: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 3-1 
SF 2: Darius VITEK (HUN) df. Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), 1-1