The Russian record for the number of medals at the world wrestling championships for one season has been unshakably since 1993. Then, on the carpets of Toronto, Stockholm and Stavern, the athletes of the young country managed to win 17 medals in 29 weight categories, while then only one athlete was awarded bronze, and not two, as now. Since then, the national team has experienced falls and take-offs, could win a double-digit number of gold medals, but the 1993 result did not reach all the merits.
After 26 years, this achievement has finally been repeated. By the penultimate day of the World Championships in Nur-Sultan, 12 medals had already gone to the piggy bank, and two more wrestlers David Baev and Zaurbek Sidakov secured themselves, reaching the finals in the weight categories up to 70 and 74 kg. On Saturday, their results following the results of the morning preliminary bouts were repeated by two more athletes.
For Abdulrashid Sadulayev, the path to any ending is an absolute formality. Throughout his career in official tournaments, he was only twice deprived of the opportunity to fight for gold. This time the world champion in the weight category up to 97 kg again did not experience big problems. Sadulaev had three exits to the carpet and victories over Nicolae Cheban from Moldova, Magomedgadzhi Nurov from Northern Macedonia and Alisher Ergali from Kazakhstan to secure silver.
In the battle for gold, the 23-year-old Russian will have an unexpected rival. The second finalist was determined in the battle between two Olympic champions - American Kyle Snyder and Azerbaijani representative Sharif Sharifov. The naturalized Dagestani won, so Sadulaev will not meet with Snyder in the World Cup finals for the third time in a row.
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Published by Olympic Wrestling (@unitedworldwrestling) Sep 21, 2019 at 2:21 am PDT
In the weight of up to 61 kg, the world championship debutant Magomedrasul Idrisov will fight for gold. He, too, walked confidently through the tournament bracket until in the semifinals he experienced serious resistance from the Iranian Behnam Ehsanpur. The fight was not replete with beautiful tricks, and by the end of both wrestlers scored only two points. The last action was on the account of the Russian, so he needed to restrain the attacks of the Asian champion with all his might. Idrisov coped, but he had to be carried away in the hands of the head coach of the freestyle wrestling team Dzambolat Tedeev personally.
Two of the four guaranteed silver immediately transformed into gold. The evening session of the final bouts was opened by David Baev, who in the non-Olympic weight category up to 70 kg was opposed by the host of the competition Nurkozha Kaipanov. A few seconds after the whistle, the referee Bayev almost suffered a defeat - the opponent started the fight so famously that only millimeters separated him from the carcass. Bayev was able not only to escape, but also to respond with a counter-move and go forward thanks to the reel. Immediately he organized a transfer to the stalls, valued at four points. By the break, a native of Vladikavkaz took the score 10: 2 and in the second period brought the matter to victory. For the Russian team, its gold was already the seventh.
“Now the emotions are stronger than after winning the world championships among young men and juniors. This is my first significant result, this victory means a lot to me. I am grateful to God for every victory, for every training without injuries, for every defeat that has benefited. I didn’t look at the tournament grid, it’s easier for me not to know with whom I will fight. If you are going to win, it doesn’t matter if the grid is good or bad, ”Bayev said after the victory.
Following to defend the world title came Zaurbek Sidakov. After defeating the four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs, he had to meet no less formidable Cuban Frank Chamiso, who plays for Italy and trains in Dagestan. The final of the two favorites began gradually, and Sidakov could only score a point for the passivity of the opponent. Only after that the rivals opened up and exchanged tricks. In the second period, the Russian went on the defensive, waiting for Chamiso’s attack in the last seconds, and when she did follow, he managed to respond with a throw to the floor. Sidakov became the world champion for the second time in a row, and he did it in the Olympic weight category.
“Two-time champion, wow! I was not very tired, although there was a very intense battle. I respect my opponent, he is very experienced and strong. I gave all my best to the last fight, as to war, and with God's help I won. Last year I was very happy, woke up at four in the morning, looked at my championship belt and calmed down. But now I have already forgotten about my victories, we must move on. When I lost in the finals, there was no excitement, I just tried not to get involved and listen to my coaches. I dedicate the victory to the victims of the terrorist attack in Beslan, because I trained there myself and got out of there. In those days, we worried a lot, and then I decided for myself that I would dedicate the victory to the dead, ”Sidakov said.
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Published by Olympic Wrestling (@unitedworldwrestling) Sep 21, 2019 at 6:37 am PDT
The medal for the Russian national team was obtained by Alikhan Zhabrailov. His father Luckman and uncle Elmadi were prominent fighters in the 90s, fought with each other a lot and became world champions. The younger representative of this wrestling dynasty so far has only a bronze medal in its asset. In the duel for the third place in the weight category up to 92 kg, Zhabrailov met with Moldavian Georgi Rubaev. With two passes to the legs, the Russian was able to score three points, but his advantage after the break was reduced to one point. The debutant of the world championships still retained an advantage in his favor and celebrated the victory, and the national team helped to repeat the record for the number of medals.
Arthur Naifonov weighing up to 86 kg and Haji Nabiev in the category up to 79 kg will try to exceed the 1993 achievement on Sunday. On the penultimate day of the World Cup, they could not reach the final, but received invitations to the consolation tournament for bronze medals.