From: Tim Foley [email protected] Subject: “Bolt” Brings the Thunder in Russian Nationals, Claims No.1 in Freestyle World Rankings Date: May 31, 2016 at 5:55 PM To: [email protected] “Bolt” Brings the Thunder in Russian Nationals, Claims No.1 in Freestyle World Rankings By William May CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (May 31) – European champion Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) brought the thunder to five-time world champion Khadshimurad GATSALOV (RUS) over the weekend and claimed the top spot at 97kg in the United World Wrestling Freestyle Rankings for May. Boltukaev, who came to the Russian nationals ranked No.4, struck with a quick double-leg takedown 40 seconds into the tourney finale. Then, as top-ranked Gatsalov squirmed to get away, Boltkaev locked in a cross-ankle grip to wrap up a technical fall in only 62 seconds. Boltukaev’s win was a bolt of lightning as the qualification events for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games came to an end in Istanbul and many wrestlers turned their attention to the next phase of preparations for Rio de Janeiro. Another group of wrestlers, meanwhile, saw their path to Rio come to a dead end after testing positive for traces of meldonium at the Asian and European Olympic Games qualifying events -- most notably European champion Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL). In line with these developments, the wrestlers in question have also been dropped from the United World Wrestling rankings. Boris NOVACHKOV (BUL) Meanwhile, 2014 European bronze medalist Boris NOVACHKOV (BUL) made the biggest jump in the freestyle rankings for May, going from unranked to No.11 at 65kg, with a win in the “last chance” Olympic Games qualifying tournament in Istanbul. Also joining the rankings for action in May, Albert SARITOV (ROU) and Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (UKR) qualified for Rio 2016 with victories in Istanbul at 97kg and 125kg. Saritov climbs to No.13 while Khotsianivski comes in at No.14. Saritov follows fellow Russian world team member Georgi KETOEV (ARM) onto the rankings by qualifying a new country for Rio 2016. Ketoev won the Ulaanbaatar qualifier at 97kg at the end of April. Ketoev, one of six freestyle world champs of Russia in 2007, earned a bronze medal at Beijing 2008. Saritov took the bronze medal at the 2011 world meet in Istanbul but was subsequently replaced by Anzor URISHEV (RUS) for London 2012. Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, most notable or most recent result over the last 12 months, and their position in the previous rankings. Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) 57kg – 2013 junior world champ Suleyman ATLI (TUR), buoyed by a boisterous hometown crowd in Istanbul, rolled to four wins in the “last chance” Rio 2016 qualifier to climb seven rungs to No.10 in the rankings. 1. Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) – World No.1 (1) 2. Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) – World No.2 (2) 3. Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) – World No.3 (3) 4. JONG Hak-Jin (PRK) – Asia No.2 (4) 5. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – Pan Am OG Qualifier No.1 (5) 6. ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) – Mongolia Open No.1 (6) 7. Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) – GGP Final No.1 (7) 8. Artas SANAA (KAZ) – World No.5 (8) 9. Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (9) 10. Suleyman ATLI (TUR) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.1 (17) 11. Reza ATRANAGHARCHI (IRI) – Medved Prizes No.1 (10) 12. Ivan GUIDEA (ROU) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.1 (13) 13. Tomar SANDEEP (IND) – Asia No.1 (14) 14. Mirjalal HASANZADE (AZE) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (16) 15. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) – Europe No.3 (11) 16. DAMDINBAZAR Tsogtbaatar (MGL) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (12) 17. Andrey YATSENKO (UKR) – Europe No.2 (15) 18. Andrei DUKOV (ROU) – Europe No.3 (18) 19. Adama DIATTA (SEN) – Africa No.1 (19) 20. Garnik MNATSAKANYAN (ARM) – European OG Qualifier No.2 (20) Haji ALIEV (AZE) 61kg – World bronze medalist Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) slips to No.10 at this non-Olympic weight category after early exits at 57kg from the qualifiers in Zrenjanin and Istanbul. 1. Haji ALIEV (AZE) – Europe No.3 (1) 2. Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (2) 3. Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) – European OG Qualifier No.1 (3) 4. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) – Asia No.1 (4) 5. Imam ADZHIEV (RUS) – European U23 No.1 (5) 6. Georgi KALIEV (BLR) – Europe No.2 (6) 7. Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (8) 8. Nyurgun SKRYABIN (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (9) 9. Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) – Ukraine Int’l No.3 (10) 10. Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) – World No.3 (7) 11. TUMENBILEG Tuvshintulga (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.1 (11) 12. Bekhan GOIGEREEV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.2 (12) 13. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (13) 14. Mehran NASIRIFRANCHALI (IRI) – Ukraine Int’l No.1 (14) 15. Masakazu KAMOI (JPN) – World No.5 (15) 16. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) – Ziolkowski Memorial No.3 (16) 16. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) – Ziolkowski Memorial No.3 (16) 17. Coleman SCOTT (USA) – Pan America No.1 (17) 18. Muenir Recep AKTAS (TUR) – Europe No.8 (18) 19. Mathiouthi CHEDLI (TUN) – Africa No.1 (19) 20. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) – European U23 No.3 (20) Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) 65kg – Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) forged four wins in Istanbul, including an 8-4 semifinal victory over European bronze medalist Azamat NURIKOV (BLR), to qualify the weight for Bulgaria. The win returned Novachkov to the rankings at No.11. 1. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) – Europe No.1 (1) 2. Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (2) 3. Meysam NASIRI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (7) 4. Israil KASUMOV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (8) 5. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (6) 6. Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) – World No.2 (3) 7. Sayed Ahmad MOHAMMADI (IRI) – World No.3 (4) 8. Togrul ASGAROV (AZE) – European Games No.1 (5) 9. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (10) 10. BATCHULUUN Batmagnai (MGL) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (9) 11. Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.1 (Not ranked) 12. Yogeshwar DUTT (IND) – Asian OG Qualifier No.1 (16) 13. David SAFARYAN (ARM) – European OG Qualifier No.3 (17) 14. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (11) 15. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.3 (15) 16. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) – Europe No.2 (13) 17. BATBOLD Nomin (MGL) – Mongolian Open No.2 (12) 18. Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) – Pan Am OG Qualifier No.2 (18) 19. YEERLANDIEKE Katal (CHN) – Asian OG Qualifier No.2 (19) 20. Daniel AMAS (NGR) – Africa-Oceania OG Qualifier No.1 (20) Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) 70kg – Asia champion Adam BATIROV (RUS) moved up to No.2 as Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) tumbled out of the rankings after testing positive for traces of meldonium at the Rio 2016 qualifier in Zrenjanin. 1. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – World No.1 (1) 2. Adam BATIROV (BRN) – Asia No.1 (3) 3. Yakup GOR (TUR) – World No.3 (4) 4. Azamat NURIKOV (BLR) – Europe No.3 (6) 4. Azamat NURIKOV (BLR) – Europe No.3 (6) 5. James GREEN (USA) – World No.3 (5) 6. David TLASHADZE (GEO) – Europe No.2 (7) 7. BUYANJAV Batzorig (MGL) – Asia No.3 (8) 8. Rasul ARSANALIEV (RUS) – European U23, No.1 (11) 9. Gadjimurad OMAROV (AZE) – European U23 No.2 (12) 10. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (9) 11. Miroslav KIROV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.3 (10) 12. Nikolay KURTEV (BUL) – Europe No.3 (13) 13. Evgeni ZHERBAEV (RUS) – Buryatia Cup No.1 (14) 14. Khabib MAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.3 (16) 15. Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ) – Asia No.2 (17) 16. Muhammad NADERI – Takhti Cup No.1 (18) 17. Aaron PICO (USA) – Medved Prizes No.3 (15) 18. Adrian Ionut MOISE (ROU) – Europe No.5 (19) 19. Maher GHANMI (TUN) – Africa No.1 (20) 20. Khusey SUYUNCHEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr) Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) 74kg – Asian Games gold medalist Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) notched falls in three of four bouts in Istanbul to qualify Uzbekistan for Rio 2016 at welterweight and earn a No.10 in the rankings. 1. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) – World No.1 (1) 2. Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) – World No.3 (2) 3. Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.1 (3) 4. PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) – World No.2 (4) 5. Narasingh YADAV (IND) – World No.3 (5) 6. Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) – Pan Am OG Qualifier No.1 (6) 7. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) – Europe No.1 (8) 8. Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (9) 9. Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) – Medved Prizes No.2 (10) 10. Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) – Istanbul OG No.1 (15) 11. Zaur MAKIEV (RUS) – Europe No.3 (11) 12. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (7) 13. Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.3 (12) 14. Yakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) – European OG Qualifier No.2 (14) 15. Moustafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) – Asia No.1 (16) 16. Sosuke TAKATANI (JPN) – Asian OG Qualifier No.2 (17) 17. Galimzhan USSERBAEV (KAZ) – Asian OG Qualifier No.1 (18) 18. Taymuraz FRIEV NASKIDEAVA (ESP) – Istanbul OG Qualifier No.2 (nr) 19. Georgi IVANOV (BUL) – Ulaanbaatar OG Qualifier No.2 (19) 20. Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) – Medved Prizes No.3 (13) Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) 86kg – BI Shenfeng (CHN), whose best showing in major international competition was a seventh at the 2015 Asian championships, stunned 2013 world champ Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR) by technical fall in Istanbul and debuts in the rankings at No.17. 1. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) – World No.1 (1) 2. Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Europe No.1 (2) 3. Aleksander GOSTIEV (AZE) – Europe No.2 (3) 4. Selim YASAR (TUR) – World No.2 (4) 5. Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) – World No.3 (6) 6. Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO) – World No.3 (5) 7.