MINSK (March 6-7) – Reigning world champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) made short work of four opponents in his return to international competition and claimed his first title of 2015 at the Alexander Medved Prizes men’s freestyle wrestling tournament.
Sadulaev, who outscored five opponents 42-0, was forced to go the distance only once before pinning 2012 junior European champion Aleksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) only 50 seconds into the final.
Meanwhile, former world champions Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and Khetag GAZUMOV (AZE) got back on track after falling short of the top step of the medals podium at the world championships last September in Tashkent.
Burroughs, a bronze medalist at 74kg in Tashkent, struggled with Asian Games champion Rashid KURBANOV (UZB), 6-5, and Ali SHABANOV (BLR), 8-6, before picking up a technical fall in the final against 2013 Ali Aliev bronze medalist Yakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO).
World silver medalist at 97kg Gazumov did not allow any points in his five bouts, but had his hands full with teammate and London 2012 gold medalist at 84kg Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) in a 5-0 decision.
Sharifov was one of five world champions to stumble in Minsk and was joined by fellow London 2012 gold medalist at 60kg Togrul ASGAROV (AZE), who won two bouts at 70kg before withdrawing in the quarterfinals.
Current world champions Haji ALIEV (AZE) and Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) also advanced to the quarterfinals of 65kg and 70kg, respectively. Aliev, the winner at 61kg in Tashkent, lost to Alexander KONTOEV (BLR), 6-4, while Ramonov did not continue.
Two-time world champion Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) dropped his opening bout at 61kg, while 2013 world champ Bekhan GOYGEREEV (RUS) made it to the finals at 61kg. There, Goygereev fell, 6-2, to Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM), a former junior world bronze medalist looking to make his mark at the senior level.
Medal Match Results:
57kg (38 entries)
Gold – Vladislav ANDREEV (BLR) df. Samat NADYRBEK UULU (KGZ), 4-4
Bronze – Tamerlan KARAEV (RUS) df. Nodirjon SAFAROV (UZB) by TF, 13-3
Bronze – ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) df. Frank PERELLI (USA), 10-1
61kg (40 entries)
Gold – Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) df. Bekhan GOYGEREEV (RUS), 8-2
Bronze – Valdimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) df. LKHAMGARMAA Narmandakh (MGL), 12-10
Bronze – Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) df. Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR), 5-2
65kg
Gold – Azamat NURIKOV (BLR) df. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) by FF, 0:00
Bronze – Sayatpek OKASOV (KAZ) df. Ruslan PLIEV (UZB), 2-2
Bronze – Alexander KONTOEV (BLR) df. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL), 6-1
70kg (42 entries)
Gold – Magomed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Zhan SAFYAN (BLR) by TF, 14-4
Bronze – Ildus GINIYATULLIN (RUS) df. David SUYNYUCHKHANOV (RUS), 4-1
Bronze – Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Sharap GITINOV (RUS), 3-0
74kg (43 entries)
Gold –Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Jakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) by TF, 12-1
Bronze – Rasul TIKHAEV (BLR) df. Khabib BATYROV (RUS), 2-2
Bronze – Ali SHABANOV (BLR) df. Khalil AMINOV (RUS), 3-1
86kg (36 entries)
Gold – Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Aleksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) by Fall
Bronze – Amarhadshi MAGOMEDOV (BLR) df. Umidjon ISMANOV (UZB) by FF, 0:00
Bronze – Richard PERRY (USA) df. Haji ALIJANOV (AZE), 4-1
97kg (27 entries)
Gold – Khetag GAZYUMOV (AZE) df. Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE), 5-0
Bronze – Omar GUSOSHVILI (GEO) df. Nicolai CEBAN (MDA), 8-6
Bronze – Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR) df. Pavlo OLIYNIK (UKR), 2-0
125kg (22 entries)
Gold – David MODZMANASHVILI (GEO) df. Alen ZASEEV (UKR), 4-2
Bronze – Giorgi SAKANDELIDZE (GEO) df. Arslanbek ALIEV (RUS), 3-0
Bronze – Zach REY (USA) df. Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ), 6-6
