#YasarDogu2018

Burroughs and Chamizo Set to Clash in Yasar Dogu Finals, Alborov Beats Two Olympic Champs on Road to Finals

Friday, July 27, 2018 - 18:42 By Eric Olanowski

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ISTANBUL, Turkey (July 27) - The second installment of Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and Frank CHAZMIO (ITA) is scheduled for tomorrow’s 74kg Yasar Dogu finals after both wrestlers finished the opening day with three solid performances apiece.

This time around, expect the conditions to be a little more conducive to wrestling, as they will compete indoors at the Bağcılar Olympic Sport Hall on a dry mat.

The two superstars who combine for ten world and Olympic medals met outdoors in May’s highly anticipated Beat the Streets finale, now known as “Slip Gate,” due to lack of footing which stemmed from the condensation build up on the mat.

In that Beat the Streets match-up, Burroughs “slipped” past Chamizo and scored the 6-5 come-from-behind victory.

Chamizo, the two-time world champion, and Rio Olympic bronze medalist commanded the 4-0 lead after a pair of first-period takedowns from a slide-by and a counter-offensive high-crotch. But, with short time remaining in the opening period, Burroughs, the London Olympic champion picked up his first two points and closed the Italian wrestlers lead to 4-2.

The second period belonged to America's four-time world champion, as he capped off the match by blasting through Chamizo with his patented double leg, ultimately winning the bout, 6-5.

After the match, both wrestlers admitted that the mat conditions were not ideal and caused a lot of issues.  Burroughs ended  the interview by looking at Chamzio and saying “Go back down to 70kg.”

In addition to Burroughs, fellow American's Thomas GILMAN (USA) and David Morris TAYLOR (USA) made the finals in their respective weight classes.   

 Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE) defeated two Olympic champions on his way to the 97kg gold-medal bout. (Photo by Max Rose Fyne)

Meanwhile, Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE), the 2017 world bronze medalist went 3-0 and beat a 2017 European champion and two Olympic champions on his way to making the 97kg finals.

Alborov opened his day against fellow countryman, Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) who is a two-time Olympic medalist, winning the gold in London and bronze in Rio.

The 2017 world bronze medalist came out on top 1-0 in a match-up that likely determined who is going to represent Azerbaijan in October at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest.

Alborov continued his run into the quarterfinals, picking up the dominant 9-2 win over 2017 European Champion, Riza YILDIRIM (TUR).

Moving to the semifinals, Alborov avenged his 2017 World Championship semifinals loss to 2016 Rio Olympic champion, Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA), picking up the 3-3 win on criteria. 

In the gold-medal bout, Alborov will wrestle U23 world champion and Asian runner-up, Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI). 

The finals are scheduled to take place on Saturday at 5:30 PM local time.  

RESULTS 
Freestyle 
57kg 
GOLD -  Thomas GILMAN (USA) vs. Dzmichyk RYNCHYNAU (BLR) 

BRONZE - Winner 251 vs. Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) 
BRONZE - Winner 252 vs. Vicky VICKY (IND) 

65kg
GOLD -  Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) vs. Mehran NASIRIAFRACHALI (IRI) 

BRONZE - Winner 253 vs. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) 
BRONZE - Winner 186 vs. Hassan MORADGHOLIEI (IRI) 

74kg
GOLD - Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) vs. Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA) 

BRONZE - Winner 185 vs. Saeid DADASHPOURKERIKALAEI (IRI) 
BRONZE - Winner 233 vs. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) 

86kg
GOLD - David Morris TAYLOR (USA) vs. Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) 

BRONZE - Winner 214 vs. Ahmet BILICI (TUR) 
BRONZE - Winner 232 vs. Fatih ERDIN (TUR) 

97kg
GOLD -  Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE) vs. Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) 

BRONZE - Winner 235 vs. Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR) 
BRONZE - Winner 215 vs. Kyle Frederick SNYDER (USA) 

Women's Wrestling 
50kg 
GOLD - Sarra HAMDI (TUN) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) 

BRONZE - Winner 254 vs. Semkiv ILONA (UKR) 
BRONZE - Georgina Suzana SEICARIU (ROU) vs. Ciricu EMILIA (MDA) 

55kg
GOLD -  Pinki PINKI (IND) vs. Olga SHNAIDER (UKR) 

BRONZE - Siwar BOUSETTA (TUN) vs. Nurufe NURUFE (TUR) 

59kg
GOLD - Sofiia BODNAR (UKR) vs. Olena KREMZER (UKR) 

BRONZE -  Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR) vs. Sangeeta BALALI (IND) 

65kg 
GOLD - Netreba IRYNA (AZE) vs. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) 

BRONZE -  Mariia ILCHYSHYN (UKR) vs. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) 
BRONZE - Winner 213 vs. Geeta GEETA (IND) 

72kg 
Round 3 -  Rajni RAJNI (IND) vs. Beste ALTUG (TUR) 

#WrestleIstanbul

Spencer Lee one step closer to Olympic dream

Friday, May 3, 2024 - 12:37 By Vinay Siwach

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ISTANBUL, Turkiye (May 3) -- The world will finally see the return of Spencer LEE (USA) on a big stage. The one-time phenom is coming to Istanbul in a bid to qualify the United States for the Paris Olympics at 57kg.

Lee is a former U17 and U20 world champion and was primed to be the next superstar from the U.S. However, he could never get going at the international stage and only participated in an international tournament in 2024, eight years after his U20 world title. At the Pan-Am Championships this year, Lee won the gold medal at 57kg.

Despite his three NCAA titles and a college record a few can dream of, Lee hasn't returned to the international scene partly due to injuries and partly due to his college commitments. After two surgeries, battles with health, a heartbreaking loss in NCAAs, a long return and wins over former Iowa teammate Thomas GILMAN (USA) at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Lee is finally here.

"I’ve had such a tough time trying to stay healthy and trying to compete to the best of my ability,” Lee said after winning the trials. "I’m still not healthy but I’m healthy enough to wrestle hard against really, really good opponent.”

That's what he will have to do in Istanbul. In the 57kg bracket, Lee will be unseeded and can be drawn against any of the big names in the first round. Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), former U23 world champion AMAN (IND), world silver medalist Alireza SARLAK (IRI) and local star Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR) are a few names he will have to keep an eye on.

The field also includes world bronze medalists Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) and Horst LEHR (GER) along with former European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MGL), Asian Games silver medalist Chong Song HAN (PRK) and Andrii YATSENKO (UKR).

If his opponents need a form check, Lee won four bouts at the trials, outscoring his opponents 35-11 with wins over Tokyo bronze medalist Gilman and Zane RICHARDS (USA). And his attacks are solid as ever as Gilman found out in the best-of-three series.

Three wrestlers in each Olympic weight class will receive Paris 2024 quotas in Istanbul, two being the winners of the semifinals and the third will be decided with a playoff between the two bronze medal winners. Lee would hope to secure it as the winner of the semifinal and avoid going, if fortunate, through repechage.

Apart from qualifying the U.S. in Istanbul, there is extra motivation for Lee to win in Istanbul. Lee's mother, Carry, is from France where she met Lee's father, Larry, both judokas. And, he can become the first Olympic champion for the U.S. in the lowest weight class since 2008.

Lee is aware that the road to Paris is still 'long and hard'. But the 25-year-old is ready.

"I have work to do."