Tokyo 2020-Bound Fumita Regains Greco 60kg Crown from Reigning Champ Emelin

Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - 17:26 By Ken Marantz

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (Sept. 17) --- Having already secured his Olympic cake, Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) added the cherry on top in the form of a second world gold medal.

Fumita, in a clash of current and former world champions, outclassed Sergey EMELIN (RUS) with a 10-5 victory over in the 60kg final at the World Championships as the final three titles in Greco-Roman were decided on Day 4.

By making the final during the qualification rounds the previous day, Fumita had already assured himself of a spot on the team to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics that Japan will host.

The top six finishers in each Olympic weight class secure berths for their country at Tokyo 2020---the Japan federation, however, has gone a step further by deciding that any wrestler that wins a medal automatically fills that berth without any further domestic qualifying process.

“Yesterday, I felt like I was carrying a big burden,” Fumita said. “I always give everything to try to win, but I made sure I was especially stable in winning my matches.

“But today, the burden fell from my shoulders, and I wrestled with the firm determination to go all out and be aggressive.”

Fumita, the 2017 gold medalist who was injured for much of 2018, fell into a 5-point hole against reigning champion Emelin. The Russian gained the par terre advantage first, then twice turned Fumita with a gut wrench for a 5-0 lead.

Fumita, however, did not panic nor get distraught. In fact, he was relieved.

“I thought, ‘I’m glad it was only 5 points,’” Fumita said. “I thought he might have ended it there. But I figured I would get a chance and then I was able to work my lifts for points. The way the match went was close to what I had planned.”

Fumita got onto the scoreboard by getting a headlock on Emelin and twisting him up and over for 4 points, then added a roll and another 4-point throw for a 10-5 lead. That’s how the first period ended, and when Emelin was unable to penetrate Fumita’s defenses in the second, that’s how it ended.

Fumita credited advice he received from senior training partner Shinobu OTA, who ironically he had defeated for the place on Japan’s team at 60kg. Ota moved up to the non-Olympic 63kg and won a gold medal on Monday.

Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) upset reinging world champion Sergey EMELIN (RUS), 10-5, to win his second career world title, and first since the 2017 Paris World Championships. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

“He’s a strong opponent,” Fumita said of Emelin. “He’s great on the ground and good at rolling. Before the match, my senior teammate Ota gave me meticulous advice such as this will work, or don’t do that. He asked for 500,000 yen ($4,600)---that’s a joke—but it would have been worth 500,000 yen.”

With the Olympic shadow hanging over the proceedings, Fumita said the elation from winning this year was different than that he experienced two years ago in Paris.

“Winning the title in 2017 made me really happy, but it was about energy. I felt like I had ridden a wave. To win then was like reaching a goal, an end point. The World Championships is a huge event and that’s how I felt when it ended.

"This time, I was extremely careful and precise about every little detail in preparation as I aimed for the championship. It was, how do I put it, a bigger ‘feeling of accomplishment’ than the last time. It’s like the little things I did built into one mass.”

Meanwhile, Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) will finally take home an elusive gold medal in his 10th trip to the World Championships after winning the 77kg title with an 8-0 technical fall over Alex KESSIDIS (SWE).

Lorincz, a world silver medalist the past two years as well as at the London 2012 Olympics, scored three 2-point exposures during two stints in the par terre position to finish off Kessidis in 2:28.

“I am not the youngest competitor, so I have been waiting very, very long for the first world gold medal, so I’m excited and very happy about that,” said the 32-year-old Lorincz, whose younger brother Viktor won the 87kg silver the previous day.

“The final is never easy. The Swedish guy earned to right to be here in the final and he did very well up to today.”

Riza KAYAALP (TUR) added a fourth world title to his resume after edging Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), 3-1, in the 130kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

While Lorincz was celebrating his first world gold, veteran Riza KAYAALP (TUR) was just as excited about winning a fourth, after topping Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), 3-1, in the 130kg final.

“I’m very happy for this result,” Kayaalp said. “It is something I do as a gift for my nation. The only gold that I am missing is an Olympic gold. I hope to win that next year.”

Dating back to 2009, Kayaalp’s collection also includes two world silvers and two bronzes, an Olympic gold and a silver, and nine European golds.

In the bronze medal matches, Iran had a wrestler in all three weight classes and came away with two victories.

Up-and-coming Alireza NEJATI (IRI) came back from a 5-0 deficit to forge out a 7-5 victory at 60kg over Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB), the 2018 world silver medalist at 63kg. The other bronze went to Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ), who thrilled the home crowd with a 10-0 technical fall over Lenur TEMIROV (UKR).

Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) captured his second career world bronze medal with a 9-6 win over Karapet CHALYAN (ARM). (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Asian champion Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) won a close encounter with Karapet CHALYAN (ARM), holding on for a 9-6 victory at 77kg, while Jalgasbay BURDIMURATOV (UZB) denied the host nation another bronze by edging Ashkat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) 3-1

The third Iranian, Amir GHASEMI (IRI) was disqualified for a third caution while trailing 8-0 in the second period at 130kg against ageless Heiki NABI (EST), who now has five world medals---including two golds---in 11 trips to the worlds. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) defeated Eduard POPP (GER), 5-0, for the other bronze.

In the team standings, Russia was unable to match its six golds from Budapest 2018, but still comfortably topped the standings with 132 points after capturing two golds and three silvers.

Uzbekistan, with a silver, two bronzes and two fifth places, finished second at 90. Georgia, which had two champions and a bronze medalist, was third with 79, just edging Iran with 75.

Iran national team coach Aziz NAGHOUSI said he was neither happy nor sad at missing out on the top three, noting it was quite an improvement from the 11th-place finish in Budapest. He also pointed out that nine of the team members were competing at their first world championships, and six of them are under 23.

“Our coach said finishing third would be good, but I think fourth is better,” Naghousi said. “We must work harder and harder.”

Olympic spot secured, Mukaida now gets chance to avenge loss to Pak in 53kg final
In the women’s semifinals that started the night session, two-time world champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) eased to a victory at 53kg that clinched a place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and earned her a chance to avenge a recent loss.

Mukaida, the 2015 and 2018 world champion at 55kg who dropped to the Olympic weight of 53kg, scored a pair of first-period takedowns and that’s all she needed for a 4-0 victory over Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE).

“My movement wasn’t very good, but I kept my focus up to the end and I was determined to win,” Mukaida said.

Awaiting in the final will be PAK Yong Mi (PRK), who dealt Mukaida a stunning defeat in the final at the Asian Championships in April in Xi’an, China, scoring a takedown in the final seconds for a 4-3 win.

Like Fumita, Mukaida clinched a berth for herself at Tokyo 2020 by making the final, but said that was not her only objective.

“I secured [the place] in the Olympics, but I can’t be satisfied with just that,” Mukaida said. “I have one more match tomorrow, and I want to get revenge and win the title and go home with a smile on my face.”

Pak earned her shot at a world gold by defeating 2018 world bronze medalist PANG Qianyu (CHN) by 12-2 technical fall. Trailing 2-0 in the second period, Pak scored a takedown, secured a lace lock and whipped off five straight rolls to end the match in 4:48.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE) will be making her fifth appearance in the world finals when she wrestles Alina VUC (ROU) on Wednesday night. She'll look to add a second world title to her resume and first since 2009. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

In a high-profile semifinal at 50kg between medalists at both the Rio 2016 and Budapest 2018, Mariya STADNIK (AZE) held on for a 6-4 win over SUN Yanan (CHN), who had stunned Yuki IRIE (JPN) in a 13-12 thriller in the quarterfinals.

Stadnik, the runner-up at Budepest 2018 to Yui SUSAKI (JPN), will get a chance to add to her lone world gold medal---won a decade ago in 2009---when she faces Alina VUC (ROU).

Yuc rallied from a 6-0 deficit to beat Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) 6-6 on criteria.

In the non-Olympic weights, 2015 world junior champion Nanami IRIE (JPN), Yuki’s younger sister, made the final in her senior debut by routing Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) by 10-0 technical fall. In the other semifinal, Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) edged Bediha GUN (TUR) 6-4.

At 72kg, London 2012 Olympic gold medalist and Rio 2016 bronze medalist Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) continued her quest toward a second career world title when she swept aside Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) by 10-0 technical fall.

Aiming to halt the powerful Russian will be European champion Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR), a 7-0 winner over Paliha PALIHA (CHN) in the other semifinal.

Day 4 results

Greco-Roman

60kg (39 entries)
Gold – Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) df. Sergey EMELIN (RUS), 10-5
Bronze – Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ) df. Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 3:17
Bronze – Alireza NEJATI (IRI) df. Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB), 7-5

77kg (38 entries)
Gold – Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) df. Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) by TF, 8-0, 2:28
Bronze –Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) df. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM), 9-6
Bronze – Jalgasbay BURDIMURATOV (UZB) df. Ashkat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ), 3-1

130kg (31 entries)
Gold – Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), 3-1
Bronze –Heiki NABI (EST) df. Amir GHASEMI (IRI) by Disq., 4:35 (8-0)
Bronze – Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Eduard POPP (GER), 5-0

Women’s Wrestling
50kg (29 entries)
Semifinal – Alina VUC (ROU) df. Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ), 6-6
Semifinal – Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. SUN Yanan (CHN), 6-4

53kg (30 entries)
Semifinal – Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), 4-0
Semifinal – PAK Yong Mi (PRK) df. PANG Qianyu (CHN) by TF, 12-2, 4:48

55kg (18 entries)
Semifinal – Nanami IRIE (JPN) df. Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 3:56
Semifinal – Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), 6-4

72kg (12 entries)
Semifinal – Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) by TF, 10-0, 5:00
Semifinal – Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR) df. Paliha PALIHA (CHN), 7-0

#wrestlenursultan

Sidakov Completes Dream Run to 2nd Straight 74kg Title; Petriashvili 3-peats at 125kg

Saturday, September 21, 2019 - 19:16 By Ken Marantz

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (Sept. 21) --- There will be no need for Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) to pinch himself. This world title is as a real as last year’s, even with its haunting similarities.

Sidakov successfully defended his world title in the freestyle 74kg class by defeating Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) 5-2 in the final, one of two titles won by Russia on Day 8 of the World Championships in Nur-Sultan.

“I can't say it's the same because last year was my first title,” Sidakov said. “After I became a world champion [last year in Budapest], I went to sleep and suddenly woke up at 4 a.m. Is it true that I became a world champion? I started looking for the belt.”

When a Russian journalist suggested now he will need to look for two belts, Sidakov laughed and replied, “Yes, but I have already forgot about this result because I have to prepare for the next competition.”

It will be hard to forget how Sidakov defeated both Chamizo and Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), who between them have accumulated six world titles and two Olympic medals, en route to the gold medal for the second straight year.

“Yesterday, my thoughts were there's only one match left, I have to be ready for it,” Sidakov said, referring to his last-second win over Burroughs in Friday’s semifinals at Barys Arena. “[Chamizo] is a very strong athlete and I respect him. The score [between us] is now 3-1.”

In the final, the 23-year-old Sidakov gained a point with Chamizo on the activity clock for the only score of the first period. Early in the second, Chamizo went ahead with a single-leg takedown.

“I never worried at any time during this match,” Sidakov said. “I just kept working.”

Sidakov scored with a single-leg takedown of his own to go ahead, then added a second in the final seconds to put the match away.

“I didn't have a strategy for this final,” Sidakov said. “Actually, I don't prepare a plan for any match. I just go in and do what I can do. I don't pay attention to my breathing. I just switch on my brain and try to win.”

Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) won his third consecutive world title with a 6-6 win over rival Taha AKGAL (TUR). (Photo: Gabor Martin)

In the latest clash of the titans at 125kg, Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) completed a three-peat of world titles when he scored a single-leg takedown with :08 left to edge nemesis Taha AKGAL (TUR) 6-6 on last-point criteria.

Akgal, who won every world and Olympic titles from 2014 to 2016, scored the only points in the first period with a takedown, then doubled the lead with a takedown early in the second.

Midway through the period, Petriashvili got on the scoreboard with a takedown. The two then found themselves with mutual leg holds, then levered each other over in succession, Petriashvili momentarily holding the lead before quickly surrendering it with :39 left.

With the clock ticking down, the Georgian gave it one last shot and came up golden with the winning takedown.

“I didn’t plan anything,” said Petriashvili, who avenged a 7-0 loss to Akgal from the final at the European Championships in April. “The only thing I know is I have to wrestle until the last second.”

J’den COX (USA) defeated Alireza KARAMIMACHIANI (IRI), 4-0, and won his second consecutive world title. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

J’den COX (USA) repeated as 92kg champion when he scored two takedowns in the first period, then put up a wall of defense that Alireza KARAMIMACHIANI (IRI) had no means of penetrating for a 4-0 victory.

“I don’t know why, but it feels better,” Cox said of winning a second gold. “It’s a rare thing when people get to go back-to-back. I knew that coming into this, so to be able to do it, I knew the hard work I put in, the sacrifices I made.

“I wanted to do it better. I came here and didn’t get scored on. Great.”

Cox indicated that he would have liked Karamimachiani, this year’s Asian champion who won a world bronze last year, to have been more aggressive and put up more of a challenge.

“No disrespect to Karami, but the whole match, he didn’t want to come get it,” said Cox, a Rio 2016 bronze medalist at 86kg. “He wanted to keep it close and wanted to play the game.

“I think that’s a testament to both my offense and my defense, and a testament of my abilities that some of the best in the world aren’t willing to try to do their best out on the mat against me, as far as their techniques and stuff. I’m excited and I’m ready to move forward.”

David BAEV (RUS) blew through Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 13-2 in the 70kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

At 70kg, David BAEV (RUS), two years removed from winning a world junior gold, picked up a senior gold in dominating fashion, overwhelming Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) by 14-2 technical fall in 3:46.

Baev was also a world cadet champion in 2014. Only a loss in the 2018 world U23 final to Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) has prevented him from completing the Grand Slam of age-group titles. At 21, he is still eligible to add that gold to his collection.

In the bronze-medal matches, Burroughs assured he would end a World Championships on a winning note for the seventh time when he outclassed unheralded Mao OKUI (JPN) by 10-0 technical fall at 3:30.

The victory gave Burroughs, the London 2012 gold medalist, his third career bronze to go with his four golds in seven appearances at the worlds.

Host Kazakhstan had two chances for medals but was denied in close matches for both. Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ) fell to Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) 4-3 in the other third-place match at 74kg, while Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) beat Nurgali NURGAIPULY (KAZ) 2-1 at 92kg.

Two wrestlers born elsewhere came up short in their bids to give their new homelands---Britain and Syria---their first-ever world medals.

Romanian-born Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR) lost by fall to Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) at 70kg, and Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) was a 5-1 winner over Russian-born Badzha KHUTABA (SYR) at 125kg.

Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) edged Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) at 70kg in a reversal of the 65kg final in Paris in 2017.

The other bronze medalists were Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) at 92kg and Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB), who denied 2018 silver medalist DENG Zhiwei (CHN) a second straight medal.

Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) won the battle of Olympic champions -- taking down Kyle SNYDER (USA), 5-3, in the semifinals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Sharifov spoils Sadulaev-Snyder party, beats American in 97kg semis
In the semifinals in four weight classes that started earlier in the day, Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) played the role of spoiler at 97kg, knocking off former world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) to prevent a highly anticipated rematch between the American and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS).

Sharifov, a two-time Olympic medalist in his own right who moved up from 92kg to the Olympic weight, scored with a single-leg takedown and a counter exposure in the second period to forge out a 5-2 victory.

In the final, he will face champion Sadulaev, who, like Snyder, was a gold medalist at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The Russian advanced to the final with an 8-1 win over Alisher YERGALI (KAZ).

Snyder had won the world and Olympic golds at 97kg from 2015 to 2017 before yielding the world crown to Sadulaev in last year’s final in Budapest. Sadulaev had previously won the 2015 world and 2o16 Olympic golds at 86kg.

“Of course, they are the leaders in the weight category,” Sharifov said of the hype of a Sadulaev-Snyder clash leading up to the tournament. “The last years they have kept the top spot. I prepared myself to meet either of them.”

Sharifov said he studied Snyder’s matches to devise a winning plan. “My strategy was to protect myself against his leg attack and against his counter-attacks. I stuck to this plan.”

Ironically, Sharifov said he had planned to stay at 92kg, “but at the last training camp, the wrestler at 97kg got injured, so the coach said I will wrestle at 97kg.”

Sadulaev and Sharifov have met twice recently in major competitions, with the Russian winning both---8-1 in the semifinals at the Rio 2016 Olympics and 2-1 in the 92kg final at the 2018 European Championships.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will look to win his second world title when he wrestles Deepak PUNIA (IND) on Sunday night. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

At 86kg, Rio 2016 champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), looking to regain the world title he last won in 2017, won within the distance for the fourth straight match, putting away Myles AMINE (SMR) by technical fall in 1:55.

Yazdani will face Deepak PUNIA (IND), an 8-2 winner in the other semifinal over Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI), who still has a chance to become Switzerland’s first-ever freestyle medalist.

A month after winning the world junior title, Punia headed off any hope of a comeback from Reichmuth by scoring a takedown and tilt in the last minute.

Punia got a taste of the strength of Iran at the Asian Championships in April, when he lost by technical fall in the semifinals to eventual champion Kamran GHASENPOUR (IRI) as Yazdani sat out the tournament.

In the non-Olympic weight of 79kg, Kyle DAKE (USA) and Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) set up a rematch of their final in Budapest, which was won by Dake. Dake scored all of his points in the first period and rolled to a 6-1 win over Rashid KURBANOV (UZB), while Hasanov edged Salkazanov 4-3.

Russia will get a chance to add another gold to its bulging tally in the 61kg final, a clash between Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) and 2016 silver medalist Beka LOMTADZE (GEO).

The tournament will conclude Sunday with the repechage and medal matches at 61kg, 79kg, 86kg and 97kg.

Day 8 Results

Freestyle

61kg (25 entries)
Semifinal – Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) df. Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI), 2-2
Semifinal – Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) df. Rahul AWARE (IND), 10-6

70kg (30 entries)
Gold – David BAEV (RUS) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) by TF, 14-2, 3;46
Bronze – Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), 3-2
Bronze – Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) df. Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR) by Fall, 1:12 (8-0)

74kg (39 entries)
Gold – Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) df. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), 5-2
Bronze – Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) df. Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ), 4-3
Bronze – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Mao OKUI (JPN) by TF, 10-0, 3:30

79kg (23 entries)
Semifinal – Kyle DAKE (USA) df. Rashid KURBANOV (UZB), 6-1
Semifinal – Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 4-3

86kg (43 entries)
Semifinal – Deepak PUNIA (IND) df. Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI), 8-2
Semifinal – Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) df. Myles AMINE (SMR) by TF, 11-0, 1:55

92kg (18 entries)
Gold – J’den COX (USA) df. Alireza KARAMIMACHIANI (IRI), 4-0
Bronze – Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) df. Nurgali NURGAIPULY (KAZ), 2-1
Bronze – Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) df. Georgii RUBAEV (MDA), 3-2

97kg (26 entries)
Semifinal – Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) df. Kyle SNYDER (USA), 5-2
Semifinal – Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Alisher YERGALI (KAZ), 8-1

125kg (28 entries)
Gold – Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Taha AKGAL (TUR), 6-6
Bronze – Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) df. Badzha KHUTABA (SYR), 5-1
Bronze – Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) df. DENG Zhiwei (CHN), 6-1

Tokyo 2020-Bound Fumita Regains Greco 60kg Crown from Reigning Champ Emelin

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Sidakov Completes Dream Run to 2nd Straight 74kg Title; Petriashvili 3-peats at 125kg