Dieringer and Diakomihalis earn titles at Yasar Dogu, bringing total gold medal count to three

ISTANBUL, Turkey- Yesterday, Forrest Molinari took gold at the Yasar Dogu. Today, Alex Dieringer and Yianni Diakomihalis joined Molinari, each earning a title. Nick Gwiazdowski added to the medal haul with a runner-up performance.

In the 79 kg finals, Dieringer defeated Akhsarbek Gulaev of Slovakia (formerly Russia), 4-1. Dieringer took a 3-0 lead into the break on the strength of a takedown and a step out. Gulaev could not get anything going against Dieringer’s stellar defense. The pair exchanged step out points in the second period, and Dieringer wrapped up his title. Dieringer went 2-0 yesterday without allowing a point scored against him.

Diakomihalis received a forfeit in the 65 kg finals. He was supposed to wrestle Haji Ali of Brunei. Diakomihalis won three matches yesterday including a 9-5 decision over 2019 World Team member Zain Retherford and a stunning come-from-behind victory against Ismail Muskaev of Hungary (formerly Russia). Muskaev, a 2013 Junior World silver medalist, was winning 9-0 before Yianni put eight points on the board. Muskaev was too tired to return to the center circle and received three cautions, which resulted in his loss by disqualification.

Gwiazdowski dropped a 5-1 decision to Turkey’s Taha Akgul. A 2016 Olympic Champion and two-time World Champion, Akgul scored a step out and two takedowns in the first period. Gwiazdowski was able to reverse one of the takedowns, but that was the only point he scored. To reach the finals Gwiazdowski defeated Sumit Sumit of India, 6-2, in a rematch of last year’s World Championship bronze medal match, which Gwiazdowski also won.

Retherford lost in the opening round to Diakomihalis, but he was pulled into repechage when Diakomihalis made the finals. However, injury forced him to withdraw.

Tomorrow will be the final day of competition. Three Americans, Jordan Burroughs, J’den Cox and Kyle Snyder, will compete for gold, while Pat Downey wrestles for bronze. Action starts at 11 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET), and the finals start at 12:30 (5:30 a.m. ET).

2019 YASAR DOGU INTERNATIONAL

at Istanbul, Turkey, July 11-14

U.S. Men’s freestyle draws
65 kg: Yianni Diakomihalis (Rochester, N.Y./Titan Mercury WC/FLWC)
WIN Zain Retherford (USA), 9-5
WIN Ali Rahimzade (Azerbaijan), 13-2
WIN Ismail Musukaev (Hungary), win by cautions 
WIN Haji Ali (Brunei) win by forfeit

65 kg: Zain Retherford (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC)
LOSS Yianni Diakomihalis (USA), 9-5
FFT Ali Rahimzade (Azerbaijan)

79 kg: Alex Dieringer (Stillwater, /Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC)
WIN Abubakr Abakarov (Azerbaijan), 10-0
WIN Bahman Teymouri (Iran), 4-0
WIN Akhsarbek Gulaev (Slovakia), 4-1