Russians show strength in Greco-Roman world rankings

By Tim Foley

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 15) – The grand old man of Greco-Roman , Mihaly DEAK BARDOS (HUN),  returned to the FILA World Rankings with a bronze medal in the Waclaw Pytlasinski Memorial tournament in early August.

Most of the upper ranks were stable as wrestlers turned their attention to the Senior Wrestling World Championships, September 16-22, in Budapest.  But, there was some churn in the middle and lower ranks as some wrestlers jockeyed for positions on their national teams and a trip to Hungary.

DEAK BARDOS, 38, who has competed internationally for 20 years, turned away London 2012 silver medalist Heike NABI (EST) in an early 120kg bout at the Pytlasinski summer classic and went on to claim a bronze medal and a No.13 ranking.

In addition the bronze medal for DEAK BARDOS, Hungarian wrestlers won three of the weight categories in Warsaw.  Brothers Tamas LORINCZ (HUN, 66kg) and Viktor LORINCZ (HUN, 84kg) were champions in the same tournament for the first time in their young careers.

Balasz KISS (HUN, 96kg), the world champion in 2009, won his second tournament title of the year and made his third visit to a finals. KISS came from behind to defeat 2011 junior world champ Islam MAGOMEDOV (RUS) to kick off his title run in Warsaw.

The only change at the top of the rankings this month occurred at 55kg, where leader Elbek TAZHYIEV (BLR) fell to Japanese veteran Kohei HASEGAWA in the Pytlasinski semifinals, opening the door for Universiade champion Ivan TATARINOV (RUS) to claim the No.1 position.

TATARINOV gives Russia four wrestlers at the top of the Greco-Roman rankings, including world and Olympic champion Roman VLASOV (RUS) at 74kg, along with two more wrestlers on the second rung.

Turkey has two of the rankings leaders before the world championships with Riza KAYAALP (TUR) leading all the way at 120kg and Selcuk CEBI (TUR) taking over the No.1 spot at 84kg in July from European champion Alexej MISHIN (RUS).

Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) has led all the way at 66kg and said he is looking forward to wrestling in front of family and friends at Papp Laszlo Arena in Budapest.

The rankings are listed by name, country code, most recent or most notable result of the year, and the wrestler’s ranking the previous month.

> See the Greco-Roman world rankings (September 2013)