Forrest Molinari wins bronze medal on final day of Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia

Forrest Molinari of the USA with her bronze medal and awards at the 2020 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix. Photo courtesy of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club’s Twitter.


KRASNOYARSK, Russia – Two-time World Team member Forrest Molinari (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) recovered from a first-round loss on Saturday to battle through the repechage rounds and secure a bronze medal at 68 kg on the final day of the respected Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix on Sunday.


Molinari won two bouts, including a stunning comeback in her bronze-medal bout against Erbakheti Er Well Talasin of China. Trailing in the match 4-1, Molinari was then put in danger by Talasin in a cradle, but reversed the tight hold and secured a fall with just 46 seconds left in the match.


Earlier in the day, Molinari secured a dominant 9-3 victory over Tatyana Kolesnikova-Morozova of Russia in her first repechage match. Her only loss in the tournament was in the first round to Rin Miyaji of Japan, a 2019 Asian Junior runner-up.


Molinari became the second U.S. women’s freestyle star to medal at Yarygin, joining two-time World Team member Victoria Anthony, who won a 50 kg bronze medal on Friday.


One U.S. men’s freestyle wrestler competed in repechage on Friday, Brett Pfarr (Minneapolis, Minn./Gopher WC RTC), who did not win a medal but finished with a 2-2 record in the 86 kg weight class.


Pfarr opened his Sunday with a victory over Shinetur Narmanhah of Mongolia in repechage, then was beaten in his next repechage match by Zaur Makiev of Russia.


Pfarr went 1-1 on Saturday, opening his tournament with a win over Orgilokh Dagvadorj of Mongolia, then losing to Artur Naifonov of Russia. When Naifonov powered into the finals, Pfarr was brought back into repechage.


There were two other U.S. wrestlers at 86 kg this weekend.


Sammy Brooks (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) finished with a 1-1 record, beating European Junior bronze medalist Azamat Zakuev of Russia, then falling to Whitumen Orgodol of Mongolia. 2019 World Team member Pat Downey, Princeton, N.J. (Titan Mercury WC/NJRTC) lost his only match to 2010 World bronze medalist Soslan Ktsoev of Russia.

IVAN YARYGIN GRAND PRIX

At Krasnoyarsk, Russia, January 26, 2020


Women's freestyle medalists


68 kg

Gold - Khanum Velieva (Russia)

Silver - Rin Miyazhi (Japan)

Bronze - Nasanburmaa Ochirbat (Mongolia)

Bronze – Forrest Molinari (USA)


72 kg

Gold - Ksenia Burakova (Russia)

Silver - Zhamilya Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan)

Bronze - Davaanasan Enkh Amar (Mongolia)

Bronze - Kristina Dudaeva (Russia)


76 kg

Gold - Juan Wang (China)

Silver - Burmaa Ochirbat (Mongolia)

Bronze - Yanuan Huang (China)

Bronze - Gulmaral Erkebaeva (Kazakhstan)

U.S. women’s freestyle performances


68 kg – Forrest Molinari, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), bronze medal

LOSS Rin Miyaji (Japan)

WIN Tatyana Kolesnikova-Morozova (Russia)

WIN Erbakheti Er Well Talasin (China), pin

Men’s freestyle medalists


74 kg.

Gold - Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (Russia)

Silver - Razambek Zhamalov (Russia)

Bronze - Magomed Kurbanaliev (Russia)

Bronze - Khetik Tsabolov (Russia)


86 kg.

Gold - Artur Naifonov (Russia)

Silver - Dauren Kurugliev (Russia)

Bronze - Magomedsharif Biyakayev (Russia)

Bronze - Arsenali Musalaliev (Russia)


Up to 92 kg.

Gold - Batyrbek Tsakulov (Russia)

Silver - Alikhan Zhabrailov (Russia) –

Bronze - Radik Nartikoev (Russia)

Bronze - Anzor Urishev (Russia)


97 kg

Gold - Vladislav Baytsaev (Russia)

Silver - Magomedkhan Magomedov (Russia)

Bronze - Georgy Gogaev (Russia)

Bronze - Shamil Musaev (Russia)

U.S. men’s freestyle results


86 kg: Pat Downey, Princeton, N.J. (Titan Mercury WC/NJRTC)

LOSS Soslan Ktsoev (Russia)


86 kg: Brett Pfarr, Minneapolis, Minn. (Gopher WC RTC)

WIN Orgilokh Dagvadorj (Mongolia)

LOSS Artur Naifonov (Russia)

WIN Shinetur Narmanhah (Mongolia)

LOSS Zaur Makiev (Russia)


86 kg: Sammy Brooks, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)

WIN Azamat Zakuev (Russia)

LOSS Whitumen Orgodol (Mongolia)