Boltukaev Stops World, Olympic Champs on Final Day of Yarygin Grand Prix

By William May

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 31) – Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) notched wins against the reigning world champ and Olympic Games gold medalist in back-to-back bouts Sunday, the final day of the Yarygin Grand Prix international freestyle wrestling tournament.

It was a performance that would likely have made world and Olympic Games champion Ivan YARYGIN (URS) -- the namesake of this midwinter wrestling classic -- proud.

Boltukaev, a bronze medalist at the 2013 world championships, controlled the ties with world champion Kurt SNYDER (USA) in the semifinals at 97kg, scoring a chest-lock and tilt in the first period and gaining another point off the activity clock in the second for a 3-0 triumph.

The best was still to come as the 29-year-old grappler from Grozny spotted London 2012 gold medalist Jakob VARNER (USA) a two-point lead in the first period of the tourney’s finale at Yarygin Sport Palace.

Boltukaev then opened the second with a takedown to gut wrench for a 4-2 lead and, as the final buzzer neared, he added a double-leg attack that drove[[{"fid":"8797","view_mode":"wysiwyg","type":"media","attributes":{"height":800,"width":1200,"style":"width: 300px; height: 200px; float: right;","class":"media-element file-wysiwyg"},"link_text":null}]]Varner to his back for the final score of 8-2.

“I welcomed the chance to wrestle the Olympic champion and he was every bit as tough as I thought he would be,” Boltukaev said. “But, somehow, I still managed to win.”

Boltukaev said that he hoped to keep improving, suggesting a challenge for a berth on Russia’s team for Rio 2016.

“You have to keep moving forward, or you might as well stay home.” 

Despite the losses, Varner and Snyder collected silver and bronze medals, respectively, while Adlan IBRAGIMOV (RUS) grabbed the other bronze after finishing 11th in last year meeting in Krasnoyarsk.

Other action on the final day of competition ended abruptly as defending champion at 65kg Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) and the winner of the Golden Grand Prix Final in November, Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS), were injured late in the morning session and defaulted in the medal round.

Kurbanaliev forfeited to 2014 Yarygin champion at 70kg, Israil KASUMOV, in the gold medal final at 65kg. Kasumov was, nevertheless, gracious in victory.

“I appreciate the honor of competing against these participants and hope that, if I’m lucky, to have the chance to represent us at the European championships (March 8-13 in Riga),” said Kasumov. 

“My dream is to wrestle at the Olympic Games and I will try my best to achieve that dream,” added the 26-year-old from Krasnoyarsk.

At the non-Olympic weight category of 70kg, junior world bronze medalist Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) scored a single-leg takedown midway through the second period and held on for a 2-2 victory on criteria over Khusey SUYUNCHEV (RUS).

Results of the semifinals and medal finals on Sunday:

Freestyle

65kg (20 entries)
Gold – Israil KASUMOV (RUS) df. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) by injury default, 0:00
Bronze – GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) df. Viktor STEPANOV (RUS), 6-2
Bronze – Alibeggadzhi EMEEV (RUS) df. Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) by injury default, 0:00
 
Semifinals – Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) df. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL), 8-3
Semifinals – Israil KASUMOV (RUS) df. Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) by injury default, 3:46 (7-0)

70kg (21 entries)
Gold – Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Khusey SUYUNCHEV (RUS), 2-2
Bronze – Rasul ARSANALIEV (RUS) df. Nadirbek KHIZRIEV (RUS), 8-2
Bronze – Atsamaz SANAKOEV (RUS) df. Alibek AKBAEV (RUS), 5-0

Semifinals – Khusey SUYUNCHEV (RUS) df. Rasul ARSANALIEV (RUS) by TF, 10-0, 1:27
Semifinals – Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Atsamaz SANAKOEV (RUS), 1-1

97kg (20 entries)
Gold – Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) df. Jakob VARNER (USA), 8-2
Bronze – Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Zainulla KURBANOV (RUS), 8-2
Bronze – Adlan IBRAGIMOV (RUS) df. Yuri VLASKO (RUS), 2-1
 
Semifinals – Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) df. Kyle SNYDER (USA), 3-0
Semifinals – Jakob VARNER (USA) df. Adlan IBRAGIMOV (RUS), 4-2

رده بندی پایانی جام یاریگین به ترتیب زیر است:

* 57 کیلوگرم: 1. الکساندر بوگومویف 2. رستم آمپار 3. آرتم گبکوف و حاجی مراد رشیداف 5. نریمان اسرافیلوف و ولادمیر فلگنتوف (همگی از روسیه)

* 61 کیلوگرم: 1. نی یورگان اسکوروبین 2. امام آدژیف 3- احمد چاکایف و ویکتور لبدف 5. خژیک چیمبا و مرشید متالیموف(همگی از روسیه)

* 65 کیلوگرم: 1. اسرائیل کاسموف (روسیه) 2. ماگومد قربانعلی اف (روسیه) 3. مانداخناران (مغولستان) و علی بیگ آژی امیف (روسیه) 5. ویکتور استپانوف (روسیه) و الیاس بکبولاتف (روسیه).

* 70 کیلوگرم: 1. زائوربک سیداکوف (روسیه)، 2. سویان چف (روسیه) 3. رسول ارسان علی اف (روسیه) و آتماز سانانکویف (روسیه) 5. نادر بیک خیزریف (روسیه) و علی بیک آکبایف (روسیه)

* 74 کیلوگرم: 1. زائور ماکیف 2. مسلم دودایف 3. احمد حاجی ماگمدوف و کاخابر خوبژتی (همگی از روسیه) 5. آندرو هاو (آمریکا) و حبیب باتیروف (روسیه)

* 86 کیلوگرم: 1. شامیل کودیا ماگموداف 2. آرسن علی موسی علی یف 3- دوران کوراگولیف و ولادیسلاو والیف 5- احمد ماگامایف و احمد ماگموداف(همگی از روسیه)

* 97 کیلوگرم:1. آنزور بولتوکایف (روسیه) 2. جیک وارنر (آمریکا) 3. کایل اسنایدر (آمریکا ) و عدلان ابراگیموف (روسیه) 5. زین الله قربان اف (روسیه) و یوری ولاسکو (روسیه)

* 125 کیلوگرم: 1. ولادیسلاو بایتسایف 2 . آلن خوگایف 3. آنزور خزریف و بالادان تسی ژیپوف 5. کازبیک خوبولوف و (همگی از روسیه) و رابرت تلفورد (آمریکا)