#WrestleOslo

#WrestleOslo: USA, Japan Put Three in WW Semifinals as Gray Eyes 6th Title

Tuesday, October 5, 2021 - 12:01 By Vinay Siwach

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OSLO, Norway (October 5) -- Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) lived up to the hype. The 17-year-old from Japan outscored her opponents 21-0 in the two bouts and reached the semifinal of the 53kg weight class at the senior World Championships in Oslo, Norway.

The two-time cadet world champion defeated POOJA (IND) 11-0 and then former World Championships medalist Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) 10-0 in the quarterfinals. Her win took her to the semifinal and she will face Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) who defeated junior world champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE) via fall in the quarterfinal.

Fujinami's overall wrestling with defense and offense combined made it almost impossible for her opponents to score on her and ultimately giving up points. She won the All Japan Championships to book her ticket to Oslo. Japan's 53kg Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) decided to sit out of the tournament.

The other final at 53kg will be between Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) and Iulia LEORDA (MDA). Bereza defeated Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) 6-3 while Leorda overcame Samantha STEWART (CAN) 10-4.

Tokyo Olympic silver Adeline GRAY (USA) and fifth-place Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) are on course for a finals meeting after they reached their respective semifinals. Gray was once again in her elements as she won both her bouts on Tuesday via first-period fall. She beat KIRAN (IND) in the quarterfinals.

Medet Kyzy also took no time to move past Marina SUROVTSEVA (RWF) 10-0 and set up a meeting with Tokyo Olympian and European champion Epp MAEE (EST). The Kyrgyzstan wrestler wrestled Gray in the Olympic semifinal and lost 3-2 in a nail-biting finish. 

Samar HAMZA (EGY) beat Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) 4-2 to set up a semifinal against Gray. Hamza was trailing 2-2 on criteria but a pushout in the final three seconds gave her a point. Japan challenged the call but lost, adding one more point to Hamza's score.

Sarah HildebrandtSarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) reached the 50kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) also remained on course for her second Worlds final as she leg-laced her way to the semifinal. Losa ERSEL (GER) tried to put up a challenge but the USA wrestler was too strong for her. She will wrestle Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RWF) in the semifinal after the latter made short work of Hanny KUMARI (IND) in a 10-0 win.

In the other semifinal, two-time world silver medalist Emilia VUC (ROU) will face young star Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) who beat Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) via fall. Vuc was up against Madison PARKS (CAN) and was in a bit of trouble early but then got a takedown and four exposures to win 13-3. A lost challenge from Canada added one more point to her score.

A third wrestler for USA reached the semifinal after Forrest MOLINARI managed to pull off a late takedown for a 3-3 criteria win over Koumba LARROQUE (FRA). The France wrestler led 3-1 going into the final ten seconds but was exposed to her back by the American to give up the lead.

Molinari will face Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) in the semifinal after the Japan wrestler defeated Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ) 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

Junior world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) was also in top form when she beat Malin MATTSSON (SWE) 6-2 and reached the semifinal against Tokyo Olympian Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL). The Bulgarian wrestler struggled a bit but finally overcame Asli DEMIR (TUR) 7-2.

#WrestleIstanbul

U17 Worlds: AIN, India put 2 wrestlers each in Greco finals

Monday, July 31, 2023 - 17:34 By Vinay Siwach

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ISTANBUL (July 31) -- Team Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) and India put two wrestlers each in the Greco-Roman finals on day one of the U17 World Championships in Istanbul on Monday.

Six other nations managed a finalist each including host nation Turkiye which has 110kg defending champion Cemal BAKIR (TUR) going for back-to-back gold medals.

For India, SURAJ (IND), who became the country's first Greco-Roman world U17 champion in 32 years, made it to his second straight final, this time at 55kg. RONAK (IND) joined him at 110kg and the U17 Asia silver medalist will try to upset home favorite Bakir on Tuesday.

AIN rode on Zaur BESLEKOEV (AIN) and Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN) who made it to the gold medal bouts at 65kg and 80kg respectively.

Shakhzod RUZIOKHUNOV (UZB)Shakhzod RUZIOKHUNOV (UZB) defeated Edgar PETROSYAN (ARM) 4-1 in the semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Defending team champions Iran put one finalist at 48kg as Payam AHMADI BALOOTKI (IRI), who was a bronze medalist at 45kg last year, made it to the final against Shakhzod RUZIOKHUNOV (UZB) who is a silver medalist at 45kg from last year.

Balootki will be extremely pleased with his performance as he handed U17 European champion Murat KHATIT (AIN) a 3-2 loss to enter the final. Ruziokhunov was clearly the better wrestler against Edgar PETROSYAN (ARM) who suffered a 4-1 loss.

SURAJ (IND)Returning world champion SURAJ (IND) reached the 55kg final after beating Halil CANIR (TUR) in the semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 55kg, Suraj was on track for a U17 Asia final rematch against Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI) as both reached their respective semifinals. However, Ghomali suffered a heartbreaking loss to Jordyn RANEY (USA).

Ghomali led 5-1 with less than 20 seconds on the clock when Raney got a headlock for four, giving the US wrestlers a 5-5 criteria lead. Raney and Gholami exchanged danger positions in the following sequence but it was Raney's which was last, earning him a 7-7 win. A lost challenge from Iran made it 8-7.

Suraj, banking on his experience from last year's gold-medal run, blanked home wrestler Halil CANIR (TUR) in the other semifinal, using a correct throw and his trademark arm throw to win 6-0.

Yusif AHMADLI (AZE)Yusif AHMADLI (AZE), blue, will face Zaur BESLEKOEV (AIN) in the 65kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Beslekoev will face Yusif AHMADLI (AZE) in the 65kg final after he defeated Giorgi TCHIKAIDZE (GEO) 5-1 in the semifinal. Tchikaidze was giving the first advantage when Beslekoev was called passive. But the Georgian failed to get any turn from par terre. Beslekoev managed to score a takedown before the break to lead 2-1.

When Tchikaidze was called passive in the second period, Beslekoev managed to get a turn from par terre and score a 5-1 victory.

Ahmadli was up against Islambek KARIMJONOV (UZB) for a place in the final and the bout was even poised when the wrestlers exchanged four-point throws. But Ahmadli got a headlock for four and added two turns to make it 12-4 and claim the victory.

At 80kg, Shkarin toyed around with Eleftherios PAPPAS (GRE) in the semifinal and won 9-0 to book a place in the final. He was awarded the passivity in the first period and managed to turn Pappas twice before launching a perfect throw for four.

Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN)Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) reached the 80kg final after beating Uladzislau DUBROUSKI (AIN). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

He will face Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) in the final after the Japanese wrestler stopped Uladzislau DUBROUSKI (AIN) in the semifinal. Yoshida began the bout with a four as he drove Dubrouski toward danger before throwing him back first. The AIN team challenged the call but lost, giving Yoshida a 5-0 lead.

A headlock attempt from Dubrouski did not yield any points but gave Yoshida two points as the Japanese used a gut wrench to turn Dubrouski, who managed to pull things back a little when a bearhug ended in a correct throw for two points.

Yoshida, however, kept the pressure in the second period and scored a stepout to lead 8-2 and then added another to make it 9-2. He clinched the victory with another stepout.

Camil BAKIR (TUR)Camil BAKIR (TUR) reached second straight U17 Worlds final after beating U17 Asia champion Amirhossein ABDEVALI (IRI). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Bakir, with his hometown's support behind him, rallied to beat U17 Asia champion Amirhossein ABDEVALI (IRI) 4-2 in a heated semifinal. The defending champion scored a hard-fought turn from par terre to lead 3-0 at the break before defending when he was put in par terre.

Iran challenged for a block from Bakir but lost the challenge which added another point to Bakir's score to make it 4-1.

Abdevali had Bakir in danger for a second when he wrapped his around his waist and was about to launch him for a big throw. However, Bakir managed to keep his feet on the mat and gave up only a stepout as the score changed to 4-2. He defended his two-point lead to claim a victory over Abdevalo, one of the five brothers.

He will now face U17 Asia silver Ronak who impressed in a 6-3 victory over Eldar EMIROV (AIN) in the other semifinal. He was behind 3-0 after Emirov scored a turn from par terre.

Ronak need a turn from par terre against Emirov in the second period and he did exactly that. He scored two gut wrenches over Emirov to make it 5-3 in his favor. He survived a score when he tried throwing Emirov in the final two seconds but fell on his back. Emirov challenged for two points but it was clear on review that the time had expired, giving Ronak a 6-3 win.

 

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RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Shakhzod RUZIOKHUNOV (UZB) vs. Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI)

SF 1: Shakhzod RUZIOKHUNOV (UZB) df. Edgar PETROSYAN (ARM), 4-1
SF 2: Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI) df. Murat KHATIT (AIN), 3-2

55kg
GOLD: SURAJ (IND) vs. Jordyn RANEY (USA)

SF 1: SURAJ (IND) df. Halil CINAR (TUR), 6-0
SF 2: Jordyn RANEY (USA) df. Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI), 8-7

65kg
GOLD: Yusif AHMADLI (AZE) vs. Zaur BESLEKOEV (AIN)

SF 1: Yusif AHMADLI (AZE) df. Islombek KARIMJONOV (UZB), 12-4
SF 2: Zaur BESLEKOEV (AIN) df. Giorgi TCHIKAIDZE (GEO), 5-1

80kg
GOLD: Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN) vs. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN)

SF 1: Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN) df. Eleftherios PAPPAS (GRE), 9-0
SF 2: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Uladzislau DUBROUSKI (AIN), 10-2

110kg
GOLD: RONAK (IND) vs. Cemal BAKIR (TUR)

SF 1: RONAK (IND) df. Eldar EMIROV (AIN), 6-3
SF 2: Cemal BAKIR (TUR) df. Amirhossein ABDEVALI (IRI), 4-2