#WrestleTokyo: Aleksanyan, Evloev Remain on Collison Course

Monday, August 2, 2021 - 04:26 By Vinay Siwach

CHIBA, Japan (August 2) --- If there was a manual about how to wrestle at Olympic Games, performances of Musa EVLOEV (ROC) and Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) on Monday would be the top ones in it.

On the second day of wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics, the two reached the semifinals at 97kg Greco-Roman weight classes as expect on either side of the bracket. While world champion Evloev will wrestle Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) in the semifinal, Saravi faces defending Olympic champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM). It will be a rematch of the 2019 Worlds quarterfinal which the Armenian won 4-3.

The morning session at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba was highlighted with stunning throws, lifts and some quick techniques as Greco-Roman 77kg and 97kg and women's wrestling 68kg weight classes got their semifinalists.

Evloev was in different as he wrestled at will, controlling most of the action even if he did not close out the bouts with technical superiority.

He began the day with a 3-1 win over Giorgi MELIA (GEO) and then Alex SZOKE (HUN) was dumped 6-2 in the quarterfinals. His opponent in the semifinal, Saravi was more dominant as he began with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) before securing a 6-0 win over Kiril MILOV (BUL).

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) reached the semifinal at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Aleksanyan had some hiccups on the way but he was clinical in the 4-1 opening round win over Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ). His strategy to begin slow against Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) played out perfectly and he won 5-1. He decided to give up the passivity point in the first half but got one in the second. He used two guts from par terre for the win.

Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) reached the semifinal after a hard-fought win over Tracy HANCOCK (USA). Hancokc will rue the challenge that his corner throw looking at the final scoreline of 4-3.

Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) won his quarterfinal. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

At 77kg, world champion Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) had a quite morning as he won his first bout via forfeit while the second was an easy 3-1 win over Shohei YABIKU (JPN). But the Hungarian will need to be at the top of his game as he faces World bronze medalist Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) in the semifinal.

Geraei was training 5-1 against Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) but he kept the pressure and forced a pushout which was scored fleeing by the referees giving two points to Geraei. With less than 25 seconds left, Geraei went for his trademark jump over the head move and landed Starcevic in exposure position to get two points. At 5-5, he held the criteria for the last point scored.

On the other side of the bracket, young star Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) is looking to become his country's only third Greco-Roman Olympic finalist as he reached the semifinal against Karapet CHALYAN (ARM).

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) will wrestle in the 77kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Makhmudov made a mess of Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) in the quarterfinal, launching him for a big throw and two exposure to win 9-1. He won his first bout 11-0.

Chalyan upset 2018 world champion Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (ROC) 2-1 after he humbled Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) 5-0 in the first bout.

In the women's section, world champion Taymra MENSAH STOCK (USA) in on her way to the final at 68kg as he made her way through a minefield to reach the semifinal against 2018 world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR).

Mensah Stock began her day with a 10-0 shutout of defending Olympic champion Sara DOSHO (JPN). In a rematch of the 2019 World Championships quarterfinal which the American won, she used her double-leg takedowns to leg lace to great affect. She then avenged her Matteo Pellicone final loss to Feng ZHOU (CHN) with another 10-0 win.

Taymra MENSAH STOCK (USA) reached the semifinal at 68kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Cherkasova has also not given up a single point in her two bouts, beating Agnieszka WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL) 11-0 and a victory via fall over Anna SCHELL (GER).

Mongolia had a semifinalist as Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) set up a clash against Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR). The two had tough quarterfinals but hung in there to come out as winners.

Soronzonbold handed Khanum VELIEVA (ROC) a 8-5 defeat in the quarterfinal but it was her opening round bout against Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) where she had to come up with a big four in the final moments and win via fall. The French wrestler was leading 3-0 at that time.

Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) will wrestle in the 68kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Oborududu also put on a show as she first handed Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) a 13-2 thrashing before carving a tough 3-2 win over Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) in the semifinals.

Wrestling will return for the evening session at 1815 hours local time here in Japan.

#WrestleBucharest

Ahmadiyev stuns Szoke as Azerbaijan wins 3 golds at U23 Euros

Wednesday, March 15, 2023 - 19:25 By Vinay Siwach

BUCHAREST, Romania (March 15) -- Led by U23 world champion Gurban GURBANOV (AZE), Azerbaijan won three gold medals on Wednesday at the U23 European Championships.

As the Greco-Roman competition drew to a close, Azerbaijan crowned champions in Gurbanov, Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) and Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) at 72kg, 60kg and 97kg.

While the three gold medals were not enough for Azerbaijan to claim the team title, they helped it jump to a fourth-place finish behind Turkiye, Ukraine and Georgia.

In a nail-biting team race, Turkiye claimed the team title with 127 points, Ukraine finished second with 126 points and Georgia was third with 125 points. Azerbaijan ended with 123 points.

While Gurbanov and Aliyev were cautious in their wins, it was Ahmadiyev who stunned everyone with a victory via fall over world silver medalist and U23 world champion Alex SZOKE (HUN) in the final.

A stunned Szoke argued with the officials and even tried to challenge the call but to no avail as the pin was called by the referees.

Ahmadiyev was called for passivity in the first period and when Szoke was trying to score a gut wrench, both wrestlers went up on their feet with Szoke still holding Ahmadiyev in a bodylock.

At this point, Ahmadiyev threw his arm around Szoke's head and brought him down with his back on the mat and held him there. The referee was about to call for a pin when Szoke jumped out of the hold.

However, the referee delegation intervened and announced that the pin was already called by the referees and it will stand, giving Ahmadiyev a stunning victory and his first major medal at any competition.

Szoke was agitated over the decision but was cooled down by his coach and Olympic champion Viktor LORINCZ (HUN).

Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) won the 72kg gold medal in Bucharest. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 72kg, Gurbanov followed his U20 and U23 world titles with gold in Bucharest after a solid display of defense over the two days. In the semifinal, he defeated defending champion Girogi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) 1-1 after the two wrestlers exchanged passivities.

In the final, he faced Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), an opponent he defeated 7-1 in the semifinal of U23 Worlds. Mirzoiev used different tactics but the result remained the same. Gurbanov claimed an 8-0 win over the Ukrainian.

Gurbanov, who scored an early stepout, ran to a 6-0 lead at the break after getting the par terre position. He scored two turns from that. In the second period, Mirzoiev never came close to troubling Gurbanov who scored a takedown with just under two minutes remaining in the final.

Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) scored a 5-3 win over Melkamu FETENE (ISR) to win the 60kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 60kg, Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) denied Melkamu FETENE (ISR) a historic gold medal as the Azerbaijan youngster defeated Fetene 5-3 in the 60kg final.

Fetene was hoping to become the first wrestler from Israel to become a European champion since Stepan DUBOV (ISR) won the 2001 U17 European title.

The U23 World bronze medalist did have his chances in the final when he led 1-0 after the break and later managed to score two points on Aliyev. But Aliyev scored a stepout, a point for passivity and snapped Fetene for a takedown.

Fetene used a toss in the same sequence but challenged the call, asking for four. He lost the challenge and gave up another point which gave Aliyev a 5-3 win.

Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) defeated U23 world champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) 6-0 in the 82kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Finland wins second gold

Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) could have been another U23 world champ to win gold but he suffered a shocking 6-0 loss to Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) in the 82kg final.

Sarkkinen joined teammate Tino OJALA (FIN) as Finland's gold medalist at the event as the country which had only one U23 European champion so far added two more in two days.

The U20 European silver medalist Sarkkinen used his counter-attacking style to frustrate Mukubu and scored points when Mukubu thought he had the momentum.

After locking Sarkkinen's arms twice, Mukubu tried forcing a stepout but Sarkkinen had cleverly forced Mukubu to step out first, a point he won after a challenge.

In a similar move, Sarkkinen unleashed an arm throw when Mukubu was about to push him out of bounds. That got him four points and a surprise for Mukubu.

It was always difficult to come back from 5-0 down and then Mukubu conceded another stepout to make things even worse for himself. Sarkkinen managed to stay calm and defend against all other attacks and claim the gold.

Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) defend his U23 European title in Bucharest. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 67kg, defending champion Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) went back-to-back after beating Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR) in a tight gold medal bout.

Chkhikvadze has continued to impress since winning the U20 European title in 2021. He has added a U20 world silver medal, U23 European gold and U23 world bronze since then.

In the final against Yildirim, Chkhikvadze had to work harder than in his previous bouts as he managed to win 2-1. Both wrestlers got a passivity each but Chkhikvadze got a stepout late in the bout which was the difference between the two and the gold medal.

On Tuesday, Chkhikvadze did not give up a single point in three bouts, winning 7-0 against Shon NADORGIN (ISR), 9-0 against Maksym LIU (UKR) and 11-0 against Ashot KHACHATRYAN (ARM).

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) df. Melkamu FETENE (ISR), 5-3

BRONZE: Mert ILBARS (TUR) df. Dimitri KHACHIDZE (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR) df. Georgios SCARPELLO (GER), 7-1

67kg
GOLD: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR), 2-1

BRONZE: Ivo ILIEV (BUL) df. Hasan MAMMADLI (AZE), 10-8
BRONZE: Shon NADORGIN (ISR) df. Ashot KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 5-5

72kg
GOLD: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 8-0

BRONZE: Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Igor BOTEZ (ROU), 7-0
BRONZE: Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) df. Krisztofer KLANYI (HUN), 5-0

82kg
GOLD: Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) df. Exauce MUKUBU (NOR), 6-0

BRONZE: Adam GARDZIOLA (POL) df. Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE), 2-2
BRONZE: Saba MAMALADZE (GEO) df. Branko KOVACEVIC (SRB), 5-1

97kg
GOLD: Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) df. Alex SZOKE (HUN), via fall

BRONZE: Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER) df. Oleksandr YEVDOKIMOV (UKR), 5-0
BRONZE: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) df. Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU), 6-0

#WrestleTokyo: Aleksanyan, Evloev Remain on Collison Course

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Ahmadiyev stuns Szoke as Azerbaijan wins 3 golds at U23 Euros