TAMPERE, Finland (August 5) – Kamal BEY (USA) stormed to five victories for the 74kg title in Greco-Roman as events in the classic style got under way with a bang Saturday at the Junior Wrestling World Championships.
Bey outscored his five opponents by a combined score of 61-23, including his 16-11 triumph over Asian junior champion Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) in the championship final at Tampere Exhibition and Sport Center.
“It was great wrestling (Makhmudov); he wrestles like me,” Bey said after the awards ceremony. “Every time I thought I had cleared one situation with him, he was back in with another.”
“I think I’ve come full circle since finishing in eighth place last year (at the junior world championships). But, tonight we can go out and celebrate the win, celebrate our team and celebrate Greco-Roman.”
Some observers explained that Bey’s statement was probably referring to Greco-Roman in the United States where a new program under national team coach Matt LINDLAND (USA) is beginning to bear fruit.
But, it also seems that his remark may have a broader meaning for the classic style internationally. After Bey’s match, one could hear the excitement of the voices of fans, coaches and officials in the arena, expressing their approval of the performance they had just seen – in remarks like “Now that’s Greco-Roman!”
Meanwhile, in other bouts Saturday evening, Iranian Asia champion Poya DAD MARZ (50kg) and runner-up Keramat ABDEVALI (60kg) grabbed the first two gold medals of the evening.
Dad Mraz kept the pressure on last year’s Pan American bronze medal winner Cevion SEVERADO (USA) throughout their six minute bout for a 6-0 win, followed by Abdevali who raced out to a 7-0 lead in the first period of his gold medal pairing with Oleksander HRYUSHYN (UKR) and held on for a 7-5 victory.
In the bronze medal match at 50kg, Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) scored with a front headlock and turn in the first period on his way to an 8-0 technical fall over Maksym VYSOTSKYI (ISR). Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) scored a late duck-under and turn for a 10-7 win over ZHANG Haifeng (CHN).
At 60kg, Magomed MAGOMEDOV (RUS) scored with a step-out point and a passivity point and made it stand for a 2-1 win over Taylor LAMONT (USA). Hassan Hassan Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY) uncorked a headlock in the final 30 seconds for a 4-3 win over Manish MANISH (IND).
And, prior to the free-for-all between Bey and Makhmudov, Asian bronze medalist Sajan SAJAN (IND) pulled away in the second period for a 6-1 win over Ali Osman ERBAY (TUR) in the first match. Nasir HASANOV (AZE), a cadet world runner-up last year, broke open a close match with a chest lock takedown and a duck-under for a 7-1 over Per OLOFSSON (SWE).
In the evening’s finale at 96kg, two-time European bronze medalist Vladen KOZLIUK (UKR) took former cadet world champion Artur SARGSIAN (RUS) to his back for four points in the first period, then held on a 4-4 victory on criteria.
In the bronze medal matches, Jan ZIRN (GER) marched to a 4-2 win over Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE) and hometown favorite Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) won the replay of the European championship bout with Suleyman ERBAY (TUR) by technical fall, 10-2, at 5:54 after Erbay attempted a leaping over-the-head attack that ended up on his back.
Results of Gold and Bronze Medal Matches
Greco-Roman
50kg (17 entries)
Gold – Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) df. Cevion SEVERADO (USA), 6-0
Bronze – Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) df. Maksym VYSOTSKYI (ISR) by TF, 8-0, 4:20
Bronze – Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) df. ZHANG Haifeng (CHN), 10-7
60kg (28 entries)
Gold – Keramat ABDEVALI (IRI) df. Oleksander HRUSHYN (UKR), 7-5
Bronze – Magomed MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Taylor LAMONT (USA), 2-1
Bronze – Hassan Hassan Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY) df. Manish MANISH (IND), 4-3
74kg (32 entries)
Gold – Kamal BEY (USA) df. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), 16-11
Bronze – Sajan SAJAN (IND) df. Ali Osman ERBAY (TUR), 6-1
Bronze – Nasir HASANOV (AZE) df. Per OLOFSSON (SWE) by TF, 10-1, 6:00
96kg (26 entries)
Gold – Vladen KOZLIUK (UKR) df. Artur SARGSIAN (RUS), 4-4
Bronze – Jan ZIRN (GER) df. Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE), 4-2
Bronze – Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) df. Suleyman ERBAY (TUR) by TF, 12-2, 5:54
