#WrestleAlmaty

Zare returns with eyes on world domination

By Vinay Siwach

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (May 31) -- As he celebrated winning his first world title in Oslo last year, Amir ZARE (IRI) held up a virtual crown over his head, symbolizing that he is now the king of the heavyweight class.

This was two months after Gable STEVESON (USA) had left the world in awe by winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. He claimed that he was the king of the weight category after beating Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) en route to the gold.

Zare did the same in Oslo a bout between him and Steveson would settle the debate. But unfortunately, that is unlikely in the near future as Steveson chose professional wrestling.

For now, it’s Zare’s world.

He returns to competition after winning the title in Oslo at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in Almaty with an eye to win his second world title. Zare is aware of what it takes to make the Iran team and being pitched as the favorite to win the gold. But a confident start in Almaty can pave way for a fruitful year.

"Almaty is not everything," Zare said. "We have to return to Iran and be selected to the national team. I have to train harder."

Amir ZARE (IRI)Amir ZARE (IRI) dominated his opponents in Oslo en route to gold. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Long before he won the world title and the Olympic bronze in the same year, the U20 world champ made splashes in the wrestling world when he pinned Petriashvili in the Iran league in 2019. Fans wondered if Iran has found a world-beating heavyweight to replace Komeil GHASEMI (IRI).

Zare was young and had already won the U20 world title. But like most wrestlers, he had odd results that stopped fans from taking his name in the same breath as Hassan YAZDANI (IRI). At the Youth Olympics, he got pinned by Sergey KOZRIEV (RWF) in the final which gave rise to doubts about his potential.

But as the Tokyo Games approached, Zare became the dark horse and returned home with a bronze medal after losing to Petriashvili in the quarters. He avenged that along with beating Akgul at the Worlds.

Now as a world champion, he will be part of Iran's golden trio in Almaty. Initially doubtful for the tour due to injury, he is expected to win the 125kg weight class.

The weight has a three Kazakh wrestlers in Alisher YERGALI (KAZ), Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ) and Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ). He will also have Oslo bronze medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) apart from Batmagnai ENKHTUVSHIN (MGL), Mohit GREWAL (IND), Salim ERCAN (TUR) and Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB).

After skipping the Asian Championships, this is an opportunity for the third-ranked Zare to close in on the top two wrestlers — Akgul and Petriashvili and claim the top seed for the September World Championships.

"It's important to win and return," he said. "I will train under the best coaches and hopefully that will help me win the gold medal again at the World Championships."

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) returns to competition for the first time since winning the World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Yazdani and Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) are the other two world champions who will be in action in Almaty.

At 86kg, Yazdani will be looking to overtake Taylor as the top wrestler in the weight class. The American Olympic champ has 88000 points while the Iranian is 1600 points behind.

He may have a rematch from the 2017 World Championships against Boris MAKOEV (SVK) in Almaty. But there are other challenges as well in Fatih ERDIN (TUR), Olympic bronze at 74kg Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB), and local favorite and Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) among others.

Ghasempour has Deepak PUNIA (IND) and Viky CHAHAR (IND) at 92kg along with Islyambek ILYASSOV (KAZ), Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ), Abdimanap BAIGENZHEYEV (KAZ) and Orgilokh DAGVADORJ (MGL).

Bajrang PUNIA (IND)Bajrang PUNIA (IND) will compete at his first Ranking Series event. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Strong FS field

Bajrang PUNIA (IND) would look to move on from the loss of his Asian Championships as he won a silver at 65kg. He faces a familiar for in Tulga TUMUR-OCHIR (MGL) as the two are expected to fight for the gold in Almaty.

But Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) will look to replicate his 61kg performances at 65kg as he continues to get familiar with the Olympic weight. Another young star is Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). The former U17 world champ won a bronze in Istanbul and now has a chance to upgrade it.

Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) is the reigning European champion. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Expect some fireworks at 74kg as World silver and European champion Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) is making a trip to Almaty. He had come back from 5-0 to win 6-5 against Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) in the European final in March.

Uzbekistan veteran Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) will try to stop him but given his recent struggles, Salkazanov should find it easy.

Kazakhstan will be pinning its hopes on Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) and Kanat MUSSABEKOV (KAZ). Mongolia has also entered three wrestlers in Byambadorj BAT-ERDENE (MGL), Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) and Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL).

In an interesting move, U20 world champion at 92kg Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) is moving up to 97kg in a bid to challenge Asian champion Mohammadhossein MOHAMADIAN (IRI). He won the Asian championships as well at 92kg last month.

But to be successful he needs to go through Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL) and veteran star Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB). Ulziisaikhan won silver in Ulaanbaatar while Ibragimov, 40, is making a comeback after missing out on a medal in Tokyo.

Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) may finally claim the top rank at 70kg after missing out in Istanbul and Ulaanbaatar. He failed to win the gold at both events keeping him below Zurabi IAKOBASHVILI (GEO)

Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI)Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) will be competing at 72kg in Almaty. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

GR stars ascend in Almaty

Iran also has a strong Greco-Roman team in Almaty as Olympic and world champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) will compete at the 72kg weight. He had won both titles at 67kg. Despite the change, it looks unlikely that he will return home without the gold.

He is replaced by another world champ at 67kg in Meysam DALKHANI (IRI). The 63kg gold medalist will try to replicate Geraei’s results at 67kg with an eye on the World Championships. It will interesting to see young Asian champion Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ).

Another Iran match-up is at 60kg as both Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) and Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI) are entered in the weight. In what is virtually the World Championships team trial, both are wrestling to be on the flight to Belgrade.

Trying to stop them will be Kazakhstan twins Yernar FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) and Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ), Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) and Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB).

At 63kg, a huge match-up is brewing between world silver and Asian champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR).

After struggling with injuries throughout last year, Kamal return with a golden performance in Budapest. If he can win in Almaty, it may well be the beginning of Kamal finally rising to his potential at the senior level.

Almaty will witness the wrath of Olympic silver medalist Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) once again as he wrestles at 82kg. It was in Almaty last year that a high-flying Makhmudov qualified for the Olympics. He also enjoys a huge fan base in the neighboring nation.

But he will have to cope up with the challenges of 82kg and also face regulars in Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) and world silver medalist Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR).

A star-studded line-up at 130kg made this weight class UWW weight-to-watch at this tournament.

Women’s wrestling Almaty will feature strong teams from Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and India. For our complete women’s wrestling preview, click here.

#WrestleAlmaty

Zorigt thwarts Indian gold rush as Tynybekova rues missing rivals in regaining 62kg title

By Ken Marantz

Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) stopped an Indian gold rush on the final day of the women's competition at the Asian Championships with a stunning victory at 65kg on Friday that propelled Mongolia to victory in the team standings.

Zorigt, a three-time bronze medalist, moved to the top of the podium for the first time and denied Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Sakshi MALIK (IND) her first-ever Asian gold with a first-period fall in the final at Almaty's Baluan Sholak Palace of Culture and Sports.

Even with India getting gold medals from Vinesh VINESH (IND) at 50kg, Anshu ANSHU (IND) at 57kg and Divya KAKRAN (IND) at 68kg, Zorigt's victory proved the difference as Mongolia edged India for the team title, 173 points to 168. A gold is worth 25 points and a silver 20.

"I didn’t know that we can be champions because of my gold medal," said Zorigt, who was noticeably smiling beneath her mask as she received her well-earned gold during the medal ceremony in the crowdless arena. "Now I know and I can’t explain how happy I am."

Host Kazakhstan, which picked up a silver and two bronzes, finished third with 156 points.

World champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) captured the other gold at stake, cruising to victory at 62kg to regain the Asian title heading into the Tokyo Olympics and later acknowledging that the absence of her top rivals from the tournament took the luster off winning a fourth career gold.

Zorigt's victory showed just how quickly and wildly the tide can change in this sport. Zorigt had just worked out of a single leg attempt and, as the two came face to face, caught Malik with lightning-quick headlock throw to her back.

As Malik squirmed to break the grip and get loose, Zorigt abandonded the hold and flipped over to go chest-to-chest, and that was it for the Indian with the match ending at 1:51.

"It was a good final and the move is one of my favorites and I have used that before," Zorigt said. "It’s like my go-to move."

For Malik, the loss relegated her to a second straight silver medal and third overall, giving her a total of six Asian medals without a gold.

If any tournament was the one to finally strike gold, this was it, as powerhouses China and Japan, as well as the Democratic Republic of Korea, did not participate for pandemic-related reasons.

Vinesh and Anshu seized the opportunity by winning their maiden golds.

Vinesh, coming off a victory at last month's Matteo Pellicone tournament, made her eighth Asian medal a gold with a solid victory by fall over Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE) in the 53kg final.

Leading 4-0, Vinesh ran down a retreating Hsiech and bulled her to her back to end the match at 2:21.

"Everyone knows this is an Olympic year and it’s already my third competition so I am feeling good," said Vinesh, who earned a berth at the Tokyo Olympics by winning a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships in Nursultan.

"I have participated in, I think, eight Asian championships, and for the first time I am winning a gold medal. I had waited for this moment."

Inspired by her senior compatriot's victory, the 19-year-old Anshu relegated Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) to a silver medal for the third year in a row by scraping together a 3-0 victory in the 57kg final.

"Vinesh won a gold, then you also feel like winning it because one needs to understand the feeling of being a champion," Anshu said.

Anshu scored all of her points in the first period, notching an early takedown with a snap down and spin behind before adding a stepout. That was it for the scoring, as neither wrestler could penetrate the other's defenses.

"In the final, I was not looking to attack much because I had wrestled the same girl before," said Anshu, who defeated Altantsetseg in a round-robin group match earlier in the day.

Altantsetseg had finished second at 59kg in both 2019 and 2020. She also won a bronze at 57kg in 2018, a year after winning a silver at the world U-23.

Anshu's victory came in the wake of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics at the Asian Olympic qualifier held at the same venue last week, which led her to play it safe as she was also nursing injuries that caused her to default in Rome last month.

"I had a knee problem," she said. "The hamstring is also not good right now. I have been struggling with it since last month. So I just thought to not push much."

Despite the wear and tear, Anshu said she was able to wrestle relaxed, with the pressure of Olympic qualifying no longer a burden.

"In the qualifiers, my body was not responding nicely as there was a lot of travel fatigue and the weight cut was not planned," she said. "It was a tough week.

"In the championship, I was much more relaxed and I was wrestling freely. There was no pressure of qualifying for the Olympics as well. My father had advised me to wrestle how I wrestle in practice," she added.

Missing her absent rivals

Tynybekova was in control throughout the 62kg final, in which she methodically piled up points against Dolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) before scoring an 11-0 technical fall as time expired.

In the final, Tynybekova scored a stepout and a pair of takedowns in the first period. In the second, she used an unpenetrable defense to add to her tally, scoring four points on a pair of counter lifts after Khurelkuu shot in on a single leg, then nonchalantly ended it by scoring a 2-point exposure off a Khurelkuu takedown attempt as the clock ran out.

She later revealed that she had been battling an illness and was only operating at "30 percent" physical capacity.

"At the end of the last week I was ill and I had some problems with my throat," said Tynybekova, who will aim for the gold in Tokyo after finishing fifth at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

"For the last week, I could not train because of my illness. I began training only in Almaty and I think the result is better than my expectations. It could have been worse because my condition was not good."

But what Tynybekova acknowledged was just as debilitating was the absence of the Japanese and Chinese wrestlers -- which meant missing out an another possible clash with rival Yukako KAWAI (JPN), who had planned to be in Almaty to defend her title.

The Japanese women's team withdrew just before flying to Almaty after suspected exposure to someone infected with the coronavirus. The Chinese could not participate because they had to undergo coronavirus testing arranged by the Chinese embassy.

"Before the Asian Championships, we were preparing for the bouts against Japan and China," she said. "They are the best and we had only them in mind. To be honest, this doesn't feel like the Asian Championships without them. It is only like some international tournament for Asian teams.

"The emotions are not the same when they are not here. When I go to the mat, I know can beat them, so the emotions are not that strong as they would have been against Japan and China. None of the opponents were as strong as those countries and it was not that enjoyable for me to wrestle."

AIsuluu Tynybekova

Kakran, who had already clinched the 72kg title after winning her first two matches in the early session, capped her run to the top of the medal podium with a quick and creative victory by fall over Sujin PARK (KOR) in their final round-robin match.

Kakran used a barrel roll to flip Park onto her back, then kept her back to Park's chest while keeping an arm locked to secure the fall in just 27 seconds. The 2020 champion at 68kg, Kakran became the second two-time Asian women's champion in Indian history -- a day after SARITA (IND) became the first with a victory at 57kg.

Following Kakran's win, dethroned defending champion Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) won a battle for the silver medal with a 9-2 victory over Tsevegmed ENKHBAYAR (MGL), who will take home the bronze medal.

It was a less-dominant repeat of Bakbergenova's 10-0 win over the Mongolian in the semifinals at last year's Asian Championships en route to the gold.

Altynay SATYLGAN (KAZ) picked up her second straight Asian bronze medal when she scored with a counter and a takedown in the second period for a 4-1 victory over Shinhye LEE (KOR) at 57kg.

Rushana ABDIRASULOVA (UZB) pulled a rabbit out of the hat to claim the 62kg bronze, using an underhook throw with a minute to go to flip over Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ) for 4 points and a 4-4 victory on criteria.

At 65kg, Hanbit LEE (KOR) added to the bronze she won in 2018 by beating Hsin Ping PAI (TPE) 6-1, while Assylzat SAGYMBAY (KAZ) won the 53kg bronze by default.

Next up on the schedule is freestyle, with competition Saturday in the 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg weight classes. The finalists from two weight classes -- Ravi KUMAR (IND) and Hikmatullo VOKHIDOV (TJK) at 57kg and fierce rivals Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) and Bajrang PUNIA (IND) at 65kg -- are entered this year and in opposite brackets, meaning potential clashes for the title again.

Day 4 Results Women's Wrestling

Finals

53kg (6 entries)
GOLD - Vinesh VINESH (IND) df. Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE) by Fall, 2:21 (6-0)
BRONZE - Assylzat SAGYMBAY (KAZ) df. Hyunyoung OH (KOR) by Default

57kg (7 entries)
GOLD - Anshu ANSHU (IND) df. Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL), 3-0
BRONZE - Altynay SATYLGAN (KAZ) df. Shinhye LEE (KOR), 4-1

62kg (7 entries)
GOLD - Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Dolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) by TF, 11-0, 6:00
BRONZE - Rushana ABDIRASULOVA (UZB) df. Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ), 4-4

65kg (6 entries)
GOLD - Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) df. Sakshi MALIK (IND) by Fall, 1:51 (4-0)
BRONZE - Hanbit LEE (KOR) df. Hsin Ping PAI (TPE), 6-1

72kg (4 entries)
GOLD - Divya KAKRAN (IND) 3-0
SILVER - Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) 2-1
BRONZE - Tsevegmed ENKHBAYAR (MGL) 1-1
Key match: Divya KAKRAN (IND) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), 8-5, in Round 2