Five of Six Rio 2016 Gold Medalists in FS Still Ranked No.1 after Continental C’ships

By William May

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (June 5) – As the dust settles from the five continental championships in April and May, five of the six freestyle gold medalists from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games still find themselves atop their respective categories in the United World Wrestling rankings for June.

Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) and Taha AKGUL (TUR) won the 61kg and 125kg titles, respectively, at the European championships in Serbia while Kyle SNYDER (USA) took the Pan American crown at 97kg in Brazil to reassert their status as kings of the hill.

Khinchegashvili, the Rio 2016 gold medalist at 57kg, repeated as European champion at 61kg and was moved to the top spot at the heavier category after reigning world champion Logan STIEBER (USA) was stung with a 13-10 semifinal loss in the Pan American championships, slipping to No.3 at super bantamweight.

Rio silver medalist at 57kg Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), meanwhile, has been less successful at 61kg in 2017 – taking bronze medals at the Yarygin Grand Prix in January and the Asian championships in May and slumping to No.5 in the heavier class.

With Khinchegashvili and Higuchi now ranked at 61kg, former world champion and Rio bronze medalist Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) takes over the top spot at 57kg, giving Iran a new No.1 after Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) moved to No.2 at 86kg behind fellow Rio gold medalist Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS).

Meanwhile, Sadulaev and the other members of Russia’s top-ranked quartet have largely been missing in action, leading to speculation about who will be on the mats for Russia in Paris.

Two names being bandied about are Ilyas BEKBULATOV (65kg) and Dauren KURUGLIEV (86kg), who rolled to titles at the European championships and have settled in at No.3 in their respective categories for June.

Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) defeated defending champion Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) in the 70kg final to edge up to No.2 behind Rio gold medalist Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) with his second European title.

Another Rio bronze medalist Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) also snared a repeat title in Novi Sad with a win in the 74kg final over Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) to climb to No.2 in the rankings with Rio silver medalist Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) holding onto the top spot.

Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, their most notable or most recent result over the last 12 months and their position in the previous rankings.

57kg – Former world bronze medalist ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) won a pair of events in April, including the Dan Kolov tourney in Bulgaria, to reclaim a position on the rankings at No.5.

1. Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) – Rio OG No.3 (3)
2. Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) – Europe No.1 (11)
3. Suleyman ATLI (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (9)
4. Zaur UGUEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (9)
5. ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (Not Ranked)
6. Andrei DUKOV (ROU) – Europe No.2 (nr)
7. Makhir AMIRASLANOV (AZE) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (12)
8. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) – Asia No.1 (nr)
9. Andrey YATSENKO (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (11)
10. ZANDANBUD Zanabazar (MGL) – Asia No.2 (nr)
11. Sandeep TOMAR (IND) – GGP Final No.3 (7)
12. JONG Hak-Jin (PRK) – World Military No.1 (8)
13. YANG Kyong-Il (PRK) – Rio OG No.8 (5)
14. Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) – Rio OG No.9 (6)
15. Artyom GEBEKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (13)
16. Tyler GRAFF (USA) – Pan America No.1 (17)
17. Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) – European U23 No.2 (18)
18. Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (nr)
19. Reza ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI) Asia No.3 (nr)
20. Sezer AKGUL (TUR) – World Cup No.1 (15)

61kg – Rio 2016 silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) was saddled with the bronze medal at the Asian championships after being pinned in the semifinals by KIM Han-Song (PRK) while leading 14-7. Higuchi slips from No.2 at 57kg to No.5 at 61kg after his second bronze medal of 2017.

1. Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.1 (1@57)
2. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) – Europe No.2 (3)
3. Logan STIEBER (USA) – Pan America No.3 (1)
4. Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) – Asia No.1 (6)
5. Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) – Asia No.3 (2@57)
6. Haji ALIEV (AZE) – World Cup No.1 (4@65)
7. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – Cerro Pelado No.1 (5)
8. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) – World No.2 (2)
9. Davian QUINTANA JAIME (CUB) – Pan America No.1 (nr)
10. KIM Han-Song (PRK) – Asia No.2 (nr)
11. Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) – European U23 No.1 (9)
12. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) – Asia No.3 (10)
13. Masoud ESMAEILPOUR (IRI) – World Cup No.2 (7)
14. Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE) – World No.3 (4)
15. Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) – Ali Aliev No.1 (11)
16. Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) – Europe No.3 (nr)
17. Andrei PERPELITA (MDA) – Europe No.3 (nr)
18. Viktor RASSADIN (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (8)
19. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) – European U23 No.3 (12)
20. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) – Paris GP No.1 (14)

65kg – Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) won his first Asian championships title in May after a runner-up showing at the Dan Kolov tourney in April to bound to No.6 after tumbling out of the rankings in March.

1. Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) – Europe No.1@70 (3)
3. Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (7)
4. Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) – Asia No.2@70 (4)
5. Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) – Europe No.2 (15)
6. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) – Asia No.1 (nr)
7. Meysam NASIRI (IRI) – Asia No.3 (9)
8. Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB) – Pan America No.1 (nr)
9. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) – Buryatia Cup No.3 (5)
10. Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE) – Dan Kolov No.3 (12)
11. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) – Pan America No.2 (14)
12. Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) – GGP Final No.2 (8)
13. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.3 (16)
14. David HABAT (SLO) – Europe No.3 (nr)
15. LEE Seung-Chul (KOR) – Asia No.2 (nr)
16. Bernard FUTRELL (USA) – Paris Int’l No.3 (10)
17. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (17)
18. George BUCUR (ROU) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (nr)
19. Gor OGANESYAN (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.2 (nr)
20. Gitinomagomed GADZHIEV (AZE) – GGP Final No.2 (17@70)

70kg – London 2012 bronze medalist Akzurek TANATAROV (KAZ) won his first-ever Asian championships crown. Tanatarov defeated regional rival and Rio 2016 bronze medal winner Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) to go from unranked to No.6.

1. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)
2. James GREEN (USA) – Pan America No.1 (4)
3. Israil KASUMOV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (3)
4. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) – Europe No.2 (9)
5. Moustafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) - World No.3 (2)
6. Akzurek TANATAROV (KAZ) – Asia No.1 (nr)
7. Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) – World No.2 (5)
8. Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (6)
9. Elaman DOGDURBEK UULU (KGZ) – World No.3 (7)
10. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Dan Kolov No.1 (13)
11. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (9)
12. Ildus GINIYATULLIN (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (12)
13. Ruslan DIBIRGADZHIYEV (AZE) – Europe No.3 (nr)
14. Gadjimurad OMAROV (AZE) – European U23 No.1 (14)
15. Nikolay KURTEV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.2 (nr)
16. Hamed RASHIDI (IRI) – Asia No.3 (18)
17. Evgeni ZHERBAEV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (19)
18. Alexander SEMISOROW (GER) – Dan Kolov No.3 (nr)
19. Adrian MOISE (ROU) – Europe No.5 (nr)
20. Nobuyoshi TAKOJIMA (JPN) – World No.5 (10)

74kg – Muslim EVLAEV (KGZ) kicked off 2017 with a win over former world champion Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) to win the Yasar Dogu crown in March, then added silver and gold medals at the Asian championships and Islamic Solidarity Games in May to climb 11 places to No.8.

1. Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) – Rio OG No.2 (1)
2. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) – Europe No.1 (4)
3. Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) – Rio OG No.3 (2)
4. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) – World Cup No.1 (3)
5. Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (7)
6. Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) – Asia No.1 (6)
7. Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (8)
8. Muslim EVLAEV (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (19)
9. Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (nr)
10. Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS) – Dan Kolov No.1 (9)
11. Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) – Cerrado Pelado Int’l No.1 (7)
12. Grigor GRIGORYAN (ARM) – Europe No.3 (nr)
13. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) – European U23 No.1 (14)
14. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) – European U23 No.2 (15)
15. Peyman YARAHMADI (IRI) – World Cup No.3 (11)
16. Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ) – Dan Kolov No.3 (16)
17. Atsamaz SANAKOEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (12)
18. Sosuke TAKATANI (JPN) – Yarygin GP No.6 (9)
19. Alex DIERINGER (USA) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (17)
20. Reza AFZALI PAEMAMI (IRI) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (18)

86kg – Aleksander GOSTIEV (AZE) took the silver medal at the European championships for the second year in a row to regain No.8 in the rankings after slipping out of the poll in March.

1. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) – Rio OG No.1@74 (2)
3. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (6)
4. Selim YASAR (TUR) – Europe No.3 (4)
5. J’den COX (USA) – Rio OG No.3 (5)
6. David TAYLOR (USA) – World Cup No.1 (6)
7. Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (12)
8. Aleksander GOSTIEV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (nr)
9. Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Dan Kolov No.2 (7)
10. Istvan VEREB (HUN) – Europe No.3 (16)
11. Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO) – World Cup No.2 (9)
12. Sharif SHARIPOV (AZE) – Rio OG No.3 (8)
13. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) – Pan American No.1 (nr)
14. Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) – Pan America No.2 (11)
15. PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) – Asia No.3 (nr)
16. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (nr)
17. Adilet DAVLUMBAEV (KAZ) – Dan Kolov No.3 (nr)
18. Anzor URISHEV (RUS) – GGP Final No.2 (14)
19. Murat ERTURK (TUR) – European U23 No.1 (17)
20. Arsen-Ali MUSALALIEV (RUS) – European U23 No.3 (19)

Kyle Snyder (USA)

97kg – Riza YILDIRIM (TUR) found his way to the medals podium in back-to-back events for the first time in three years, winning the Dan Kolov tourney and European championships in April and May to make the biggest leap in the rankings this month – going from unranked to No.3 at heavyweight.

1. Kyle SNYDER (USA) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) – Asia No.1 (4)
3. Riza YILDIRIM (TUR) – Europe No.1 (nr)
4. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) – Europe No.3 (5)
5. Arslanbek ALBOROV (AZE) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (7)
6. Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) – Europe No.2 (13)
7. Aleksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) – Europe No.3 (17)
8. Magomedgadzhi NUROV (MKD) – Dan Kolov No.3 (nr)
9. Hossein SHAHBAZIGAZVAR (IRI) – Asia No.2 (nr)
10. Yuri BELONOVSKI (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.2 (10)
11. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) – Cerro Pelado Int’l No.1 (9)
12. Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) – GGP Final No.1 (8)
13. Fatih YASARLI (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.2 (19)
14. Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (11)
15. Mikhail GANEV (BUL) – Ukraine Int’l No.2 (nr)
16. Amir MOHAMMADI (IRI) – World Cup No.3 (14)
17. Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) – Paris GP No.1 (16)
18. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (18)
19. Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ) – Asia No.3 (nr)
20. SEO Min-Won (KOR) – Asia No.3 (nr)

125kg – World and Olympic Games champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) won his fifth European crown, avenging a loss last year to Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) with a technical fall in the quarterfinals.

1. Taha AKGUL (TUR) – Rio OG No.1 (1)
2. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) – Europe No.3 (2)
3. Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) – Rio OG No.2 (3)
4. Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (11)
5. Alen ZASIEIEV (UKR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (5)
6. Levan BERIANIDZE (ARM) – Europe No.3 (12)
7. Daniel LIGETI (HUN) – Dan Kolov No.3 (9)
8. Baldan TSYSHIPOV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (7)
9. Alan KHUGAEV (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (4)
10. Robert BARAN (POL) – Yasar Dogu No.3 (10)
11. Yadollah MOHEBBI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (17)
12. Muradin KUSHKOV (RUS) – Kunaev Int’l No.1 (6)
13. Muhamadgazi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.2 (14)
14. Vitali PIASNIAK (BLR) – European U23 No.2 (13)
15. Dominique BRADLEY (USA) – Pan America No.1 (18)
16. Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVES (CUB) – Pan America No.2 (nr)
17. Sakir BOKZURT (TUR) – Dan Kolov No.3 (nr)
18. NATSAGSUREN Zolboo (MGL) – Asia No.3 (nr)
19. Yermukambet INKAR (KAZ) – Dan Kolov No.2 (nr)
20. Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) – Africa No.1 (nr)

سونر دمیرتاش قهرمانی اش در مسابقات اروپایی نویساد در وزن 74 کیلوگرم را با برتری مقابل مراد سلیمانوف آذربایجانی تکرار کرد تا به جایگاه دوم رنکینگ این وزن و پشت سر آنوار گدویف روس صعود کند.

جدیدترین رده بندی برترین آزادکاران جهان  به ترتیب زیر است

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