UPDATE: Frank Molinaro wins bronze medal at 65 kg at 2nd World Olympic Qualifier in Turkey
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Video capture from 65 kg freestyle podium ceremony at the 2nd World Olympic Qualifier in Turkey
ISTANBUL, Turkey – U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion Frank Molinaro (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) won a bronze medal at 65 kg, at the 2nd World Olympic Games Qualifier on Sunday.
This was the last opportunity for nations to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The top two place-winners in each weight classes in Istanbul qualify their nations to compete at the Olympic Games.
In his bronze-medal bout, Molinaro defeated Azamat Nurykau of Belarus, 5-2. In a very chippy match, Molinaro scored the only takedown, received a point on a pushout, and got two points when Nurykau was penalized twice for illegally striking Molinaro. The only points Nurykau scored were in the final seconds when Molinaro was hit with caution-and-one penalties for fleeing the hold. Nurykau was fifth in both the 2014 and 2015 World Championships.
Molinaro’s quest for an Olympic berth was halted in the quarterfinals by 2014 European bronze medalist Borislav Novachkov of Bulgaria, a three-time NCAA All-American for Cal Poly
Molinaro got off to a slow start, giving up a step out and shot clock point to trail 2-0 at the break. In the second period, Molinaro gave up two points off his own shot attempt to fall behind 4-0. A late flurry was not enough and Molinaro fell, 5-2.
Novachkov reached the finals, pulling Molinaro back into the repechage. He drew Dauren Zhumagazyyev of Kazakhstan and won 4-1. Molinaro scored a key takedown in the closing seconds of the first period to lead 2-1 and added a pushout and a point from a shot clock violation to finish off the win, moving him into the bronze-medal bout.
Molinaro opened his tournament with razor-thin 3-2 win over 2013 World champion David Safaryan of Armenia. He found himself in another nail biter in round two against 2015 Junior World silver medalist Yuhi Fujinami of Japan, and again, Molinaro found a way to win, 7-6.
"I am proud of the way Frank competed today, five tough matches and he beat some good wrestlers. The match he lost came down to one mistake in the crackdown position but sometimes one mistake at this level can be the game changer. It has been a long tough day but Frank showed a lot of heart getting back up into the fight and finishing third after losing a heart breaker. I can’t thank Cody Sanderson and Mark McNight enough for their support in getting Frank ready. I would also like to thank Dr A.J. Monseau and Dr Fred Roberto for their support," said National Freestyle Coach Bruce Burnett.
Novachkov won the gold medal at 65 kg and qualified for the Olympics. Also winning a gold medal and qualifying for Rio was another top U.S. collegian, Bekzod Abdurakhmanov of Uzbekistan, a two-time All-American for Clarion University, who won the gold medal at 74 kg.
One month ago Molinaro earned the right to attempt qualifying 65 kg for Rio by winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He won a gold medal the Pan American Championships in February and won both the Grand Prix of Spain and Guelph Open in 2015. Molinaro was a NCAA champion for Penn State in 2012.
Five U.S. collegians were in medal matches on Sunday. Also winning a bronze medal at 65 kg was David Habat of Slovenia, an NCAA finalist from Edinboro. Placing fifth at 74 kg was Cornell student Dylan Palacio of Uruguay.
The U.S. will have five men on its 2016 U.S. Olympic Team in men’s freestyle wrestling: Daniel Dennis (57 kg), Jordan Burroughs (74 kg), J’den Cox (86 kg), Kyle Snyder (97 kg) and Tervel Dlagnev (125 kg).
The USA officially qualified 13 athletes for the Olympics Games, five in men’s freestyle, four in Greco-Roman and four in women’s freestyle. Jesse Thielke was the only U.S. athlete to qualify for Rio this weekend.
2nd WORLD OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
At Istanbul, Turkey
U.S. men’s freestyle results
65 kg/143 lbs. – Frank Molinaro, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), bronze medal
WIN David Safaryan (Armenia), 3-2
WIN Yuhi Fujinami (Japan), 7-6
LOSS Borislav Novachkov (Bulgaria), 2-5
WIN Dauren Zhumagazyyev (Kazakhstan), 4-1
WIN Azamat Nurykau (Belarus), 5-2
Men’s freestyle results
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
Gold - Suleyman Atli (Turkey)
Silver - Abbos Rakhmonov (Uzbekistan)
Bronze - Muhammad Bilak (Pakistan)
Bronze - Krzysztof Bienkowski (Poland)
Gold - Suleyman Atli (Turkey) dec. Abbos Rakhmonov (Uzbekistan), 18-12
Bronze - Muhammad Bilak (Pakistan) forfeit over Samat Nadyrbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)
Bronze - Krzysztof Bienkowski (Poland) dec. Hikmatullo Vohidov (Tajikistan), 4-2
65 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Borislav Novachkov (Bulgaria)
Silver - Haislan Varanes Garcia (Canada)
Bronze - Frank Molinaro (USA)
Bronze - David Habat (Slovenia)
Gold - Borislav Novachkov (Bulgaria) inj. dft. over Haislan Varanes Garcia (Canada)
Bronze - Frank Molinaro (USA) dec. Azamat Nurykau (Belarus), 5-2
Bronze - David Habat (Slovenia) dec. George BUCUR (Romania), 11-8
74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold - Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan)
Silver - Taimuraz Friev Naskidaeva (Spain)
Bronze - Krystian Brzozowski (Poland)
Bronze - Amirkhan Visalimov (Austria)
Gold - Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan) forfeit over Taimuraz Friev Naskidaeva (Spain)
Bronze - Krystian Brzozowski (Poland) dec. Dylan Palacio Pintado (Uruguay), 2-2
Bronze - Amirkhan Visalimov (Austria) inj. dft. Saiakbai Usupov (Kyrgyzstan)
86 kg/189 lbs.
Gold - Shengfeng Bi (China)
Silver - Gwanuk Kim (Korea)
Bronze - Armands Zvirbulis (Latvia)
Bronze - Piotr Ianulov (Moldova)
Gold - Shengfeng Bi (China) pin Gwanuk Kim (Korea)
Bronze - Armands Zvirbulis (Latvia) dec. Pool Edinson Ambrocio Greifo (Peru), 4-2
Bronze - Piotr Ianulov (Moldova) inj. dft. over Ibragim Aldatov (Ukraine)
97 kg/213 lbs.
Gold - Albert Saritov (Romania)
Silver - Khuderbulga Dorjkhand (Mongolia)
Bronze - Ivan YANKOUSKI (Belarus)
Bronze - Rustam Iskandari (Tajikistan)
Gold - Albert Saritov (Romania) dec. Khuderbulga Dorjkhand (Mongolia), 4-0
Bronze - Ivan YANKOUSKI (Belarus) tech. fall Dragomir Stoychev (Bulgaria), 11-0
Bronze - Rustam Iskandari (Tajikistan) dec. Mausam Khatri (India), 8-8
125 kg/275 lbs.
Gold - Oleksandr Khosianivskyi (Ukraine)
Silver - Ibrahim Saidau (Belarus)
Bronze - Hitender (India)
Bronze - Rares Daniel Chintoan (Romania)
Gold - Oleksandr Khosianivskyi (Ukraine) inj. dft. Ibrahim Saidau (Belarus)
Bronze - Hitender (India) pin Jere Tapani Heino (Finland)
Bronze - Rares Daniel Chintoan (Romania) pin Alexey Krupnyakov (Kyrgyzstan)
ISTANBUL, Turkey – U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion Frank Molinaro (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) won a bronze medal at 65 kg, at the 2nd World Olympic Games Qualifier on Sunday.
This was the last opportunity for nations to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The top two place-winners in each weight classes in Istanbul qualify their nations to compete at the Olympic Games.
In his bronze-medal bout, Molinaro defeated Azamat Nurykau of Belarus, 5-2. In a very chippy match, Molinaro scored the only takedown, received a point on a pushout, and got two points when Nurykau was penalized twice for illegally striking Molinaro. The only points Nurykau scored were in the final seconds when Molinaro was hit with caution-and-one penalties for fleeing the hold. Nurykau was fifth in both the 2014 and 2015 World Championships.
Molinaro’s quest for an Olympic berth was halted in the quarterfinals by 2014 European bronze medalist Borislav Novachkov of Bulgaria, a three-time NCAA All-American for Cal Poly
Molinaro got off to a slow start, giving up a step out and shot clock point to trail 2-0 at the break. In the second period, Molinaro gave up two points off his own shot attempt to fall behind 4-0. A late flurry was not enough and Molinaro fell, 5-2.
Novachkov reached the finals, pulling Molinaro back into the repechage. He drew Dauren Zhumagazyyev of Kazakhstan and won 4-1. Molinaro scored a key takedown in the closing seconds of the first period to lead 2-1 and added a pushout and a point from a shot clock violation to finish off the win, moving him into the bronze-medal bout.
Molinaro opened his tournament with razor-thin 3-2 win over 2013 World champion David Safaryan of Armenia. He found himself in another nail biter in round two against 2015 Junior World silver medalist Yuhi Fujinami of Japan, and again, Molinaro found a way to win, 7-6.
"I am proud of the way Frank competed today, five tough matches and he beat some good wrestlers. The match he lost came down to one mistake in the crackdown position but sometimes one mistake at this level can be the game changer. It has been a long tough day but Frank showed a lot of heart getting back up into the fight and finishing third after losing a heart breaker. I can’t thank Cody Sanderson and Mark McNight enough for their support in getting Frank ready. I would also like to thank Dr A.J. Monseau and Dr Fred Roberto for their support," said National Freestyle Coach Bruce Burnett.
Novachkov won the gold medal at 65 kg and qualified for the Olympics. Also winning a gold medal and qualifying for Rio was another top U.S. collegian, Bekzod Abdurakhmanov of Uzbekistan, a two-time All-American for Clarion University, who won the gold medal at 74 kg.
One month ago Molinaro earned the right to attempt qualifying 65 kg for Rio by winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He won a gold medal the Pan American Championships in February and won both the Grand Prix of Spain and Guelph Open in 2015. Molinaro was a NCAA champion for Penn State in 2012.
Five U.S. collegians were in medal matches on Sunday. Also winning a bronze medal at 65 kg was David Habat of Slovenia, an NCAA finalist from Edinboro. Placing fifth at 74 kg was Cornell student Dylan Palacio of Uruguay.
The U.S. will have five men on its 2016 U.S. Olympic Team in men’s freestyle wrestling: Daniel Dennis (57 kg), Jordan Burroughs (74 kg), J’den Cox (86 kg), Kyle Snyder (97 kg) and Tervel Dlagnev (125 kg).
The USA officially qualified 13 athletes for the Olympics Games, five in men’s freestyle, four in Greco-Roman and four in women’s freestyle. Jesse Thielke was the only U.S. athlete to qualify for Rio this weekend.
2nd WORLD OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
At Istanbul, Turkey
U.S. men’s freestyle results
65 kg/143 lbs. – Frank Molinaro, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), bronze medal
WIN David Safaryan (Armenia), 3-2
WIN Yuhi Fujinami (Japan), 7-6
LOSS Borislav Novachkov (Bulgaria), 2-5
WIN Dauren Zhumagazyyev (Kazakhstan), 4-1
WIN Azamat Nurykau (Belarus), 5-2
Men’s freestyle results
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
Gold - Suleyman Atli (Turkey)
Silver - Abbos Rakhmonov (Uzbekistan)
Bronze - Muhammad Bilak (Pakistan)
Bronze - Krzysztof Bienkowski (Poland)
Gold - Suleyman Atli (Turkey) dec. Abbos Rakhmonov (Uzbekistan), 18-12
Bronze - Muhammad Bilak (Pakistan) forfeit over Samat Nadyrbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)
Bronze - Krzysztof Bienkowski (Poland) dec. Hikmatullo Vohidov (Tajikistan), 4-2
65 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Borislav Novachkov (Bulgaria)
Silver - Haislan Varanes Garcia (Canada)
Bronze - Frank Molinaro (USA)
Bronze - David Habat (Slovenia)
Gold - Borislav Novachkov (Bulgaria) inj. dft. over Haislan Varanes Garcia (Canada)
Bronze - Frank Molinaro (USA) dec. Azamat Nurykau (Belarus), 5-2
Bronze - David Habat (Slovenia) dec. George BUCUR (Romania), 11-8
74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold - Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan)
Silver - Taimuraz Friev Naskidaeva (Spain)
Bronze - Krystian Brzozowski (Poland)
Bronze - Amirkhan Visalimov (Austria)
Gold - Bekzod Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan) forfeit over Taimuraz Friev Naskidaeva (Spain)
Bronze - Krystian Brzozowski (Poland) dec. Dylan Palacio Pintado (Uruguay), 2-2
Bronze - Amirkhan Visalimov (Austria) inj. dft. Saiakbai Usupov (Kyrgyzstan)
86 kg/189 lbs.
Gold - Shengfeng Bi (China)
Silver - Gwanuk Kim (Korea)
Bronze - Armands Zvirbulis (Latvia)
Bronze - Piotr Ianulov (Moldova)
Gold - Shengfeng Bi (China) pin Gwanuk Kim (Korea)
Bronze - Armands Zvirbulis (Latvia) dec. Pool Edinson Ambrocio Greifo (Peru), 4-2
Bronze - Piotr Ianulov (Moldova) inj. dft. over Ibragim Aldatov (Ukraine)
97 kg/213 lbs.
Gold - Albert Saritov (Romania)
Silver - Khuderbulga Dorjkhand (Mongolia)
Bronze - Ivan YANKOUSKI (Belarus)
Bronze - Rustam Iskandari (Tajikistan)
Gold - Albert Saritov (Romania) dec. Khuderbulga Dorjkhand (Mongolia), 4-0
Bronze - Ivan YANKOUSKI (Belarus) tech. fall Dragomir Stoychev (Bulgaria), 11-0
Bronze - Rustam Iskandari (Tajikistan) dec. Mausam Khatri (India), 8-8
125 kg/275 lbs.
Gold - Oleksandr Khosianivskyi (Ukraine)
Silver - Ibrahim Saidau (Belarus)
Bronze - Hitender (India)
Bronze - Rares Daniel Chintoan (Romania)
Gold - Oleksandr Khosianivskyi (Ukraine) inj. dft. Ibrahim Saidau (Belarus)
Bronze - Hitender (India) pin Jere Tapani Heino (Finland)
Bronze - Rares Daniel Chintoan (Romania) pin Alexey Krupnyakov (Kyrgyzstan)
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