CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland – European champions took control of the FILA World Rankings for Greco-Roman as world champions YUN Won-Chol (PRK) and RYU Han-Soo (KOR) were upset in the Asian championships in April.
Aleksandar KOSTADINOV (BUL) and Adam KURAK (RUS) moved into the top spots vacated by Yun and Ryu at 59kg and 66kg, respectively, with championship runs in Helsinki.
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) was the only other new No.1, winning his third European championship title in a row (96kg, 98kg) and moving ahead of 2013 world champion Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS).
Wrestlers from Europe now top six of the eight Greco-Roman weight categories, while world champions KIM Hyeon-Woo (KOR) and Taleb Nariman NEMATPOUR (IRI) represent Asia. Kim roared to the Asian title at 75kg in Astana while Nematpour won the 85kg crown in Hungary in March.
Hungary is the only country with more than one wrestler on top of the rankings this month as Tama LORINCZ (HUN) and Peter BACSI (HUN) won at the European titles at 71kg and 80kg, respectively.
In the rankings, wrestlers are listed by name, country code, their most notable or most recent result, and their position in the previous rankings.
59kg – Aleksander KOSTADINOV (BUL) edged Poddubny tournament winner Ivan KUYLAKOV (RUS), 4-3, in the quarterfinals and then rolled over Universiade runner-up Victor CIOBANU (MDA) in the final to win his first European championship title in six tries.
With losses suffered by world champion YUN Won-Chol (PRK) and runner-up CHOI Gyu-Jin (KOR) in the Asian championships, Kostadinov moves to the top of the rankings ahead of Kuylakov and London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist Hamid SORYAN (IRI).
Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB), who defeated Choi in the quarterfinals of the Asia meeting, won in Asia for the second year in a row and breaks into the 59kg rankings at No.4 after being ranked No.6 at 66kg.
1. Aleksandar KOSTADINOV (BUL) – Europe No.1 (7)
2. Ivan KUYLAKOV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (3)
3. Hamid SORYAN (IRI) – Hungarian GP No.1 (5)
4. Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) – Asia No.1 (6@66)
5. Rahman BILICI (TUR) – Hungarian GP No.2 (6)
6. Shinobu OTA (JPN) – Asia No.2 (12)
7. Kamran MAMMADOV (AZE) – Europe No.3 (not ranked)
8. YUN, Won-Chol (PRK) – Asia No.3 (1)
9. Kanybek ZHOLCHUBEKOV (KGZ) – Asia No.3 (20)
10. Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) – Vehbi Emre No.1 (4)
11. Victor CIOBANU (MDZ) – Europe No.2 (nr)
12. CHOI, Gyu-Jin (KOR) – Asia No.7 (2)
13. Kristijan FRIS (SRB) – Europe No.5 (19)
14. Mohsen HAJIPOUR (IRI) – Yadegar Imam No.1 (14)
15. Soslan DAUROV (BLR) – Vehbi Emre No.2 (13)
16. Jani HAAPAMAEKI (FIN) – Europe No.7 (nr)
17. Stig Andre BERGE (NOR) – Hungarian GP No.3 (11)
18. Hatham MAHMOUD FAHMY (EGY) – Africa No.1 (nr)
19. Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) - Nikola Petrov No.2 (9)
20. Radoslav VASILEV (BUL) – Nikola Petrov No.3 (10)
66kg – Two-time Ivan Poddubny champion Adam KURAK (RUS) won the European championship title with a last-second disqualification of 2010 world champion Hasan ALIYEV (AZE) and earned the No.1 ranking when 2013 world champion RYU Han-Soo (KOR) lost in Asia.
Ryu lost in the semifinals of the Asian championships, 2-4, to 2013 Asia junior champion Khusrav OBLOBERDIEV (TJK), but recovered for a bronze medal and the No.4 ranking.
1. Adam KURAK (RUS) – Europe No.1 (3)
2. Hasan ALIYEV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (nr)
3. Frank STAEBLER (GER) – Europe No.3 (4)
4. RYU Han-Soo (KOR) – Asia No.3 (1)
5. Islambek ALBIEV (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.2 (2)
6. Istvan LEVAI (SVK) – Europe No.3 (18)
7. Revaz LASHKHI (GEO) – Europe No.5 (12)
8. Davor STEFANEK (SRB) – Hungarian GP No.1 (7)
9. Omid NOROOZI (IRI) – Hungarian GP No.3 (8)
10. Aram JULFALAKYAN (ARM) – Nikola Petrov No.1 (11)
11. Atakan YUKSEL (TUR) – Vehbi Emre No.1 (5)
12. Ruslan TSAREV (KGZ) – Asia No.1 (nr)
13. Khusrav OBLOBERDIEV (TJK) – Asia No.2 (nr)
14. David KARECINSKI (POL) – Europe No.5 (nr)
15. Sachino DAVITAIA (GEO) – Hungarian GP No.2 (13)
16. Marius THOMMESEN (NOR) – Hungarian GP No.3 (14)
17. Dominik ETLINGER (CRO) – Hungarian GP No.5 (15)
18. Asker ORSHOKDUGOV (RUS) – Nikola Petrov No.2 (9)
19. Abdusamelt GUNAL (TUR) – Nikola Petrov No.3 (11)
20. Luis LIENDO (VEN) – CAC Games No.1 (20)
71kg – London 2012 silver medalist Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) launched Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) from par terre for the fall to win his third European championship title and solidify his grip on the No.1 ranking at 71kg.
Athens 2004 gold medalist at 60kg JUNG Ji-Hyun laced up his shoes for the first time in 20 months and raced out for two quick technical falls. The 31-year-old veteran then edged past two-time Asian bronze medalist Maksat YEREZHEPOL (KAZ) on criteria in the final for his first-ever Asian title.
1. Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) – Europe No.1 (1)
2. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (3)
3. Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) – Europe No.5 (5)
4. Abuyazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) – Nikola Petrov No.1 (2)
5. Manukhar TSKHADAIA (GEO) – Hungarian GP No.2 (4)
6. Mindia TSULUKIDZE (GEO) – Vehbi Emre No.2 (6)
7. Mohammad KARIMI (IRI) – Hungarian GP No.3 (11)
8. Aleksander DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) – Europe No.3 (nr)
9. Yunus OZEL (TUR) – Europe No.3 (13)
10. Armen VARDANYAN (UKR) – Europe No.5 (9)
11. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB) – Lj.I. Gezda No.1 (8)
12. JUNG Ji-Hyun (KOR) – Asia No.1 (nr)
13. Maksat YEREZHEPOL (KAZ) – Asia No.2 (nr)
14. Ionel PUCASU (ROU) – Nikola Petrov No.3 (11)
15. Mathias MAASCH (GER) – Nikola Petrov No.3 (10)
16. Bromand ASLANGHAREDAGHI (IRI) – Yadegar Imam No.2 (12)
17. Rustam ALIEV (AZE) – Vehbi Emre No.3 (14)
18. Alexi BELL CABALLERO (CUB) – Granma Cup No.1 (15)
19. Franck HASSLI (MON) – Paris GGP No.1 (16)
20. Demev SHADRAEV (KAZ) – Paris GGP No.2 (17)
75kg – World and Olympic champion KIM Hyeon-Woo (KOR) forced a disqualification on 2011 world champion Saeid Mourad ABDVALI (IRI) in the semifinals and pinned 2012 Asia runner-up Takehiro KANAKUBO (JPN) in the final to firm up his position atop 75kg.
Aleksander CHEKHIRKIN (RUS), who defeated another world and Olympic gold medalist Roman VLASOV (RUS) for the Ivan Poddubny crown in January, rolled world bronze medalist Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) in the European final and held on for his second major title of the year and the No.2 ranking.
1. KIM Hyeon-Woo (KOR) - Asia No.1 (1)
2. Aleksander CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) – Europe No.1 (5)
3. Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) – Europe No.2 (3)
4. Roman VLASOV (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.2 (2)
5. Mark MADSEN (DEN) – Europe No.3 (6)
6. Saeid Mourad ABDVALI (IRI) – Asia No.3 (7)
7. Emrah KUS (TUR) – Vehbi Emre No.1 (4)
8. Elvin MURSALIYEV (AZE) – Europe No.3 (nr)
9. Robert ROSENGREN (SWE) – Europe No.5 (11)
10. Takehiro KANAKUBO (JPN) – Asia No.2 (nr)
11. Laszlo SZABO (HUN) – Europe No.5 (nr)
12. Viktor NEMES (SRB) – Hungarian GP No.3 (10)
13. Seref TUFENK (TUR) – Europe No.7 (nr)
14. Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (GEO) – Hungarian GP No.3 (9)
15. Nikolai DARAGAN (UKR) – Nikola Petrov No.3 (8)
16. Ilian GEORGIEV (BUL) – Nikola Petrov No.2 (12)
17. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) – Nikola Petrov No.3 (13)
18. Mateusz WOLNY (POL) – Paris GGP No.2 (15)
19. Neven ZUGAJ (CRO) – Zagreb Open No.1 (19@80)
20. Zied AYT OKRAME (TUN) – Africa No.1 (nr)
80kg – Peter BACSI (HUN) outscored four opponents 34-0 on his way to the final at the European championships, then hammered out a 1-0 decision over former world champion Selcuk CEBI (TUR) for his first continental crown since 2008.
Unranked Yanarbek KENYEEV (KGZ) pinned 2012 junior world silver medalst Yousef GHADERIAN (IRI) in the final of the Asian championships to win his first title since the junior world meet in 2005. The Bishkek wrestler breaks into the rankings at No.8.
1. Peter BACSI (HUN) – Europe No.1 (1)
2. Selcuk CEBI (TUR) – Europe No.2 (15)
3. Bekhan OZDOEV (RUS) – Europe No.5 (2)
4. Viktor SASUNOVSKI (BLR) – Vehbi Emre No.1 (3)
5. Imil SHARAFEDINOV (RUS) – Nikola Petrov No.1 (4)
6. Aleksander SHYSHMAN (UKR) – Europe No.3 (8)
7. Giorgi TSIREKIDZE (GEO) – Europe No.3 (13)
8. Yanarbek KENYEEV (KGZ) – Asia No.1 (nr)
9. Yousef GHADERIAN (IRI) – Asia No.2 (9)
10. Azamat KUSTUBAEV (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (6)
11. Zakarias BERG (SWE) – Europe No.5 (nr)
12. Rafik HUSEYNOV (AZE) – Hungarian GP No.3 (10)
13. Habibollah AKHLAGHI (IRI) – Hungarian GP No.1 (11)
14. Artur OMAROV (CZE) – Zagreb Open No.1 (nr)
15. Hrach HOVHANNISYAN (ARM) – Europe No.7 (nr)
16. Michael WAGNER (AUT) – Lj.I. Gedza No.2 (16)
17. Petar BALO (SRB) – Lj.I. Gedza No.1 (17)
18. Pascal EISELE (GER) – Nikola Petrov No.2 (7)
19. Evgeni BOGOMOLOV (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.3 (12)
20. KIM Jun-Hyung (KOR) – Asia No.3 (nr)
85kg – World University Games bronze medalist Zhan BELENYUK (UKR) pinned former world and Olympic champion Alexej MISHIN (RUS) in the semifinals and faced down hometown favorite Rami HIETANIEMI (FIN) for his first senior-level European championships crown.
Belenyuk won his third straight tourney of the season and leaps to No.2 in the rankings behind reigning world champion Taleb Nariman NEMATPOUR (IRI)
Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ), who lost to Belenyuk in the Universiade bronze medal final, wrapped up defending champion Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) with a technical fall in the Asian championships final for No.12 in the rankings.
1. Taleb Nariman NEMATPOUR (IRI) – Hungarian GP No.1 (1)
2. Zhan BELENYUK (UKR) – Europe No.1 (8)
3. Rami HIETANIEMI (FIN) – Europe No.2 (12)
4. Damian JANIKOWSKI (POL) – Europe No.3 (7)
5. Alexej MISHIN (RUS) – Europe No.5 (5)
6. Amer HRUSTANOVIC (AUT) – Europe No.3 (nr)
7. Jan FISCHER (GER) – Europe No.5 (nr)
8. Javid HAMZATOV (BLR) – Vehbi Emre No.1 (3)
9. Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) – Hungarian Open No.3 (4)
10. Hassan Saman TAHMASEBI (AZE) – Vehbi Emre No.3 (2)
11. Asamat BIKBAEV (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.2 (6)
12. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) – Asia No.1 (nr)
13. Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) – Asia No.2 (nr)
14. Mojtaba KARIMFAR (IRI) – Asia No.3 (11)
15. Robert KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.7 (13)
16. Shariar MAMMADOV (AZE) – Vehbi Emre No.2 (10)
17. Ahmet YILDIRIM (TUR) – Nikola Petrov No.3 (9)
18. Laimutis ADMAITIS (LTU) – Paris GGP No.2 (18)
19. Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) – Nikola Petrov No.3 (17)
20. Nenad ZUGAJ (CRO) – Lj.I. Gedza No.1 (15)
98kg – World silver medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) posted a 5-0 win over 2011 world bronze medalist CENK ILDEM (TUR) for his third European championship in a row and the No.1 ranking at 98kg.
Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ) racked up four technical falls with a combined score of 36-4 for his first Asian championship title, joining the rankings at No.12.
1. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) – Europe No.1 (2)
2. Cenk ILDEM (TUR) – Europe No.2 (6)
3. Balasz KISS (HUN) – Yadegar Imam No.1 (3)
4. Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.2 (1)
5. Marthin NIELSEN (NOR) – Europe No.3 (7)
6. Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA) – Europe No.5 (16)
7. Aleksander HRABOVIK (BLR) – Ivan Poddubny No.3 (13)
8. Fredrik SCHOEN (SWE) – Europe No.3 (nr)
9. Felix RADINGER (GER) – Europe No.5 (nr)
10. Musa EVLOEV (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.1 (5)
11. Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ) – Asia No.1 (nr)
12. Ali ALIYARI FEYZABADI (IRI) – Asia No.3 (nr)
13. Yasmany Daniel LUGO CABRERA (CUB) – CAC Games No.1 (15)
14. Alin ALEX-CIURARIU (ROU) – Vehbi Emre No.2 (8)
15. Daigoro TIMONCINI (ITA) – Hungarian GP No.3 (9)
16. XIAO Di (CHN) – Asia No.3 (nr)
17. Vladimir VASILEV (UKR) – Nikola Petrov No.2 (10)
18. Ardo ARUSAAR (EST) – Nikola Petrov No.3 (11)
19. Vasil IMERLISHVILI (GEO) – Paris GGP No.3 (12)
20. Erwin CARABALLO CABRERA (VEN) – CAC Games No.2 (18)
130kg – World silver medalist Riza KAYAALP (TUR) blanked four opponents, outscoring the challengers 23-0, to claim his fourth European championships title and his third tourney triumph of the year.
Two-time Olympic Games gold medalist Mijain LOPEZ NUNEZ (CUB) won his second title of the year at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Juan. Lopez Nunez, who has been missing in action since the London 2012, is a four-time world champion, but finished second to Kayaalp in Istanbul in 2011.
1. Riza KAYAALP (TUR) – Europe No.1 (1)
2. Mijain LOPEZ NUNEZ (CUB) – CAC Games No.1 (5)
3. Johan Magnus EUREN (SWE) – Europe No.3 (2)
4. Attila GUZEL (TUR) – Nikola Petrov No.1 (3)
5. Mindaugas MIZGAITIS (LTU) – Hungarian GP No.3 (4)
6. Bashir Asgiri BABAJANZADEH – Hungarian GP No.2 (6)
7. Lyubomir DIMITROV (BUL) – Nikola Petrov No.3 (17)
8. Behnam MEHDIZADEH (IRI) – Asia No.1 (nr)
9. Murat RAMONOV (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (19)
10. Vasily PARSHIN (RUS) – Europe No.3 (20)
11. Aleksander CHERNETSKI (UKR) – Europe No.5 (nr)
12. Balint LAM (HUN) – Europe No.5 (14)
13. Saba SHARIATI (AZE) – GGP Final No.1 (13)
14. Kiril GRYSHCHENKO (BLR) – Vehbi Emre No.3 (13)
15. Heiki NABI (EST) – Europe No.11 (7)
16. Vitali ILNITSKI (RUS) – Ivan Poddubny No.1 (10)
17. Miloslav METODIEV (BUL) – Nikola Petrov No.2 (9)
18. Radhouane CHEBBI (TUN) – Africa No.1 (nr)
19. Ramon Antonio GARCIA (DOM) – CAC Games No.3 (nr)
20. Robert SMITH (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (15)
