Kayaalp beats Nabi to claim third World title, Russia is top Greco-Roman team at World Championships
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Riza Kayaalp of Turkey flashes three fingers while celebrating with the national flag, after his victory at 130 kg at the World Championships in Paris. Photo by Robbert Wijtmann.
PARIS, France - In a battle of two-time World champions and Olympic medalists, Turkey’s Riza Kayaalp claimed his third World title with a tight 2-1 victory over Heiki Nabi of Estonia at 130 kg/286 lbs. on the final day of Greco-Roman at the World Championships on Tuesday.
Neither athlete could score a technical point on the other. Kayaalp led at the break 1-0 after a passivity point against Nabi. Both athletes were penalized for passivity in the second period, giving Kayaalp the final edge.
Kayaalp won World titles in 2011 and 2015, plus an Olympic silver medal in 2016 and an Olympic bronze in 2012. He also won a pair of World silver medals (2013 and 2014) and a pair of World bronze medals (2009 and 2010).
Nabi’s career has included World titles in 2006 and 2013, and Olympic silver medal in 2012, and a World bronze medal in 2014.
Winning his second career World title was Han-Soo Ryu of Korea who edged young 2016 European U23 champion Mateusz Bernatek of Poland, 2-1 at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. The match was tied at 1-1 at the break, and Bernatek was hit for a passivity penalty in the second period, the margin of victory for Ryu in the bout. Ryu was also a 2015 World silver medal and placed fifth in the 2016 Olympics.
In a final with no past World medalists, 2013 World University Games Maksim Manukyan of Armenia used a strong first period to shut out 2017 European silver medalist Radik Kuliev of Belarus, 5-0. All of Manukyan’s points came in the opening stanza, with a passivity point, followed by a takedown and a gut wrench turn.
In a rematch of the 2017 Asian Championships finals, Kenichiro Fumita of Japan edged Mirambek Ainagulov of Kazakhstan, 2-1 in the 59 kg/130 lbs. finals. It was the same score which Fumita beat Ainagulov in the Asian finals. Ainagulov led 1-0 at the break, but Fumita added his two points in the second period for the win. Neither wrestler had a previous World medal.
Russia won the team title with 46 points, followed in second by Iran with 36 points and Turkey in third with 34 points.
The United States finished with one team points, scored by 10th-place heavyweight Robby Smith, finishing in a tie for 30th place.
Chile had its first World medalist in any style at any age level, as Yasmani Acosta Fernandez defeated Nikolai Kuchmiy of Ukraine, 2-0 in the bronze-medal match. Acosta began his career with Cuba, but emigrated to Chile. Ironically, the other bronze medal went to a Cuban, Oscar Pino Hinds.
United World Wrestling announced its 2016 Greco-Roman Wrestlers of the Year in Greco-Roman prior to the finals, honoring Zhan Beleniuk of Ukraine and Davor Stefanek of Serbia. Each received $10,000 U.S. for the award.
Wednesday, the women’s freestyle competition begins with its first day of action. All of the action can be viewed live on Trackwrestling, for the incredible price of just $9.99 for the entire week.
WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Paris, France, August 22, 2017
Greco-Roman results
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – Kenichiro Fumita (Japan)
Silver - Mirambek Ainagulov (Kazakhstan)
Bronze –Stepan Maryanyan (Russia)
Bronze – Seung-Hak Kim (Korea)
5th - Kanybek Zholchubekov (Kyrgyzstan)
5th - Dmitriy Tsymbaliyuk (Ukraine)
7th - Taleh Mammadov (Azerbaijan)
8th - Mehrdad Abdmohammad Mardani (Iran)
9th - Gyanender (India)
10th - Erik Torba (Hungary)
Gold – Kenichiro Fumita (Japan) dec. Mirambek Ainagulov (Kazakhstan), 2-1
Bronze –Stepan Maryanyan (Russia) tech. fall Kanybek Zholchubekov (Kyrgyzstan), 10-1
Bronze – Seung-Hak Kim (Korea) dec. Dmitriy Tsymbaliyuk (Ukraine), 8-3
66 kg/145 lbs.
Gold – Han-Soo Ryu (Korea)
Silver - Mateusz Bernatek (Poland)
Bronze – Artem Surkov (Russia)
Bronze –Atakan Yuksel (Turkey)
5th - Karen Aslanyan (Armenia)
5th - Mohammad Elyasi (Iran)
7th - Almat Kebispayev (Kazakhstan)
8th - Danijel Janecic (Croatia)
9th - Denys Demyankov (Ukraine)
10th - Flavio Freuler (Switzerland)
Gold – Han-Soo Ryu (Korea) dec. Mateusz Bernatek (Poland), 2-1
Bronze – Artem Surkov (Russia) dec. Karen Aslanyan (Armenia), 2-1
Bronze –Atakan Yuksel (Turkey) dec. Mohammad Elyasi (Iran), 2-1
80 kg/176 lbs.
Gold – Maksim Manukyan (Armenia)
Silver - Radik Kuliev (Belarus)
Bronze –Patrick Eisele (Germany)
Bronze – Elvin Mursaliev (Azerbaijan)
5th - Zurabi Datunashvili (Georgia)
5th - Daniel Aleksandrov (Bulgaria)
7th - Zied Ait Ouagram (Morocco)
8th - Michael Wagner (Austria)
9th - Alex Michel Bjurberg Kessidis (Sweden)
10th - Askhat Dilmukhamedov (Kazakhstan)
Gold – Maksim Manukyan (Armenia) dec. Radik Kuliev (Belarus),5-0
Bronze –Patrick Eisele (Germany) pin Zurabi Datunashvili (Georgia), 5:20
Bronze – Elvin Mursaliev (Azerbaijan) dec. Daniel Aleksandrov (Bulgaria), 2-1
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold – Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) dec. Heiki Nabi (Estonia), 2-1
Bronze – Oscar Pino Hinds (Cuba) dec. Kiril Grishchenko (Belarus), 3-1
Bronze – Yasmani Acosta Fernandez (Chile) dec. Nikolai Kuchmiy (Ukraine), 2-0
7th - Levan Arabuli (Georgia)
8th - Shahab Morteza Ghourehjili (Iran)
9th - Eduard Popp (Germany)
10th - Robby Smith (USA)
Team Scores
1 Russia, 46
2 Iran, 36
3 Turkey, 34
4 Georgia, 30
5 Germany, 29
6 Armenia, 28
7 Hungary,
8 Kazakhstan, 24
9 Azerbaijan, 22
10 Korea, 21
11 Belarus, 21
12 Ukraine, 20
13 Serbia, 12
14 Cuba, 12
15 Japan, 10
16 Estonia, 9
16 Poland, 9
18 Chile, 8
19 Bulgaria, 8
19 Kyrgyzstan, 8
21 France, 7
22 Moldova, 6
22 Uzbekistan, 6
24 Morocco, 4
25 Austria, 3
25 Croatia, 3
25 Lithuania, 3
28 India, 2
28 Sweden, 2
30 United States, 1
30 China, 1
30 Egypt, 1
30 Greece, 1
30 Switzerland, 1
U.S. Greco-Roman performances
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ildar Hafizov, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), dnp/19th
LOSS Vazgen Khachatryan (Armenia), 8-3
66 kg/145 lbs. - Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), dnp/12th
WIN Diego Ribeiro Romanelli (Brazil), tech. fall 8-0
LOSS Mate Nemes (Serbia), 3-1
80 kg/176 lbs. - Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/OTC), dnp/26th
LOSS Laszlo Szabo (Hungary), pin 5:37
130 kg/286 lbs. - Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/OTC), 10th
WIN Tamas Soos (Slovakia), 1:54
LOSS Yasmani Acosta Fernandez (Chile), 3-1
PARIS, France - In a battle of two-time World champions and Olympic medalists, Turkey’s Riza Kayaalp claimed his third World title with a tight 2-1 victory over Heiki Nabi of Estonia at 130 kg/286 lbs. on the final day of Greco-Roman at the World Championships on Tuesday.
Neither athlete could score a technical point on the other. Kayaalp led at the break 1-0 after a passivity point against Nabi. Both athletes were penalized for passivity in the second period, giving Kayaalp the final edge.
Kayaalp won World titles in 2011 and 2015, plus an Olympic silver medal in 2016 and an Olympic bronze in 2012. He also won a pair of World silver medals (2013 and 2014) and a pair of World bronze medals (2009 and 2010).
Nabi’s career has included World titles in 2006 and 2013, and Olympic silver medal in 2012, and a World bronze medal in 2014.
Winning his second career World title was Han-Soo Ryu of Korea who edged young 2016 European U23 champion Mateusz Bernatek of Poland, 2-1 at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. The match was tied at 1-1 at the break, and Bernatek was hit for a passivity penalty in the second period, the margin of victory for Ryu in the bout. Ryu was also a 2015 World silver medal and placed fifth in the 2016 Olympics.
In a final with no past World medalists, 2013 World University Games Maksim Manukyan of Armenia used a strong first period to shut out 2017 European silver medalist Radik Kuliev of Belarus, 5-0. All of Manukyan’s points came in the opening stanza, with a passivity point, followed by a takedown and a gut wrench turn.
In a rematch of the 2017 Asian Championships finals, Kenichiro Fumita of Japan edged Mirambek Ainagulov of Kazakhstan, 2-1 in the 59 kg/130 lbs. finals. It was the same score which Fumita beat Ainagulov in the Asian finals. Ainagulov led 1-0 at the break, but Fumita added his two points in the second period for the win. Neither wrestler had a previous World medal.
Russia won the team title with 46 points, followed in second by Iran with 36 points and Turkey in third with 34 points.
The United States finished with one team points, scored by 10th-place heavyweight Robby Smith, finishing in a tie for 30th place.
Chile had its first World medalist in any style at any age level, as Yasmani Acosta Fernandez defeated Nikolai Kuchmiy of Ukraine, 2-0 in the bronze-medal match. Acosta began his career with Cuba, but emigrated to Chile. Ironically, the other bronze medal went to a Cuban, Oscar Pino Hinds.
United World Wrestling announced its 2016 Greco-Roman Wrestlers of the Year in Greco-Roman prior to the finals, honoring Zhan Beleniuk of Ukraine and Davor Stefanek of Serbia. Each received $10,000 U.S. for the award.
Wednesday, the women’s freestyle competition begins with its first day of action. All of the action can be viewed live on Trackwrestling, for the incredible price of just $9.99 for the entire week.
WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Paris, France, August 22, 2017
Greco-Roman results
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – Kenichiro Fumita (Japan)
Silver - Mirambek Ainagulov (Kazakhstan)
Bronze –Stepan Maryanyan (Russia)
Bronze – Seung-Hak Kim (Korea)
5th - Kanybek Zholchubekov (Kyrgyzstan)
5th - Dmitriy Tsymbaliyuk (Ukraine)
7th - Taleh Mammadov (Azerbaijan)
8th - Mehrdad Abdmohammad Mardani (Iran)
9th - Gyanender (India)
10th - Erik Torba (Hungary)
Gold – Kenichiro Fumita (Japan) dec. Mirambek Ainagulov (Kazakhstan), 2-1
Bronze –Stepan Maryanyan (Russia) tech. fall Kanybek Zholchubekov (Kyrgyzstan), 10-1
Bronze – Seung-Hak Kim (Korea) dec. Dmitriy Tsymbaliyuk (Ukraine), 8-3
66 kg/145 lbs.
Gold – Han-Soo Ryu (Korea)
Silver - Mateusz Bernatek (Poland)
Bronze – Artem Surkov (Russia)
Bronze –Atakan Yuksel (Turkey)
5th - Karen Aslanyan (Armenia)
5th - Mohammad Elyasi (Iran)
7th - Almat Kebispayev (Kazakhstan)
8th - Danijel Janecic (Croatia)
9th - Denys Demyankov (Ukraine)
10th - Flavio Freuler (Switzerland)
Gold – Han-Soo Ryu (Korea) dec. Mateusz Bernatek (Poland), 2-1
Bronze – Artem Surkov (Russia) dec. Karen Aslanyan (Armenia), 2-1
Bronze –Atakan Yuksel (Turkey) dec. Mohammad Elyasi (Iran), 2-1
80 kg/176 lbs.
Gold – Maksim Manukyan (Armenia)
Silver - Radik Kuliev (Belarus)
Bronze –Patrick Eisele (Germany)
Bronze – Elvin Mursaliev (Azerbaijan)
5th - Zurabi Datunashvili (Georgia)
5th - Daniel Aleksandrov (Bulgaria)
7th - Zied Ait Ouagram (Morocco)
8th - Michael Wagner (Austria)
9th - Alex Michel Bjurberg Kessidis (Sweden)
10th - Askhat Dilmukhamedov (Kazakhstan)
Gold – Maksim Manukyan (Armenia) dec. Radik Kuliev (Belarus),5-0
Bronze –Patrick Eisele (Germany) pin Zurabi Datunashvili (Georgia), 5:20
Bronze – Elvin Mursaliev (Azerbaijan) dec. Daniel Aleksandrov (Bulgaria), 2-1
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold – Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) dec. Heiki Nabi (Estonia), 2-1
Bronze – Oscar Pino Hinds (Cuba) dec. Kiril Grishchenko (Belarus), 3-1
Bronze – Yasmani Acosta Fernandez (Chile) dec. Nikolai Kuchmiy (Ukraine), 2-0
7th - Levan Arabuli (Georgia)
8th - Shahab Morteza Ghourehjili (Iran)
9th - Eduard Popp (Germany)
10th - Robby Smith (USA)
Team Scores
1 Russia, 46
2 Iran, 36
3 Turkey, 34
4 Georgia, 30
5 Germany, 29
6 Armenia, 28
7 Hungary,
8 Kazakhstan, 24
9 Azerbaijan, 22
10 Korea, 21
11 Belarus, 21
12 Ukraine, 20
13 Serbia, 12
14 Cuba, 12
15 Japan, 10
16 Estonia, 9
16 Poland, 9
18 Chile, 8
19 Bulgaria, 8
19 Kyrgyzstan, 8
21 France, 7
22 Moldova, 6
22 Uzbekistan, 6
24 Morocco, 4
25 Austria, 3
25 Croatia, 3
25 Lithuania, 3
28 India, 2
28 Sweden, 2
30 United States, 1
30 China, 1
30 Egypt, 1
30 Greece, 1
30 Switzerland, 1
U.S. Greco-Roman performances
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ildar Hafizov, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), dnp/19th
LOSS Vazgen Khachatryan (Armenia), 8-3
66 kg/145 lbs. - Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), dnp/12th
WIN Diego Ribeiro Romanelli (Brazil), tech. fall 8-0
LOSS Mate Nemes (Serbia), 3-1
80 kg/176 lbs. - Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/OTC), dnp/26th
LOSS Laszlo Szabo (Hungary), pin 5:37
130 kg/286 lbs. - Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/OTC), 10th
WIN Tamas Soos (Slovakia), 1:54
LOSS Yasmani Acosta Fernandez (Chile), 3-1
