Howe Wins Silver

Andrew Howe took silver at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix in Russia at 74kg flexing the Americans' depth at the weight class. Howe lost 2-2 in his final match to Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov (Russia). The Yarygin is known as one of the toughest tournaments in the world and the USA has not had a gold medal at the even since Steve Mocco in 2009. 

The 2-2 loss has already sparked a lot of outrage towards the tie-breaker criteria system that was implemented with the rule changes. Imagine the rage when it decides an Olympic team spot or much worse a medal match. Something needs to change as this seems like a complex system that is not good for the competitors or the fans. 

Men’s freestyle results

57 kg/125.5 lbs.
GOLD: Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) df. Ismail MUSUKAYEV (RUS), 7-1
BRONZE: Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) df. Artyom GEBEKOV (RUS), 2-1
BRONZE: Nurgun SKRYABIN (RUS) df. Tcogtbaatar DAMDINBAZAR (MGL), 3-0
Semifinal: Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) df. Nurgun SKRYABIN (RUS), 6-2
Semifinal: Ismail MUSUKAYEV (RUS) df. Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) byt TF, 11-1

74 kg/163 lbs.
GOLD: Ahmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Andrew HOWE (USA), 2-2 (highest value)
BRONZE: Alexander ZELENKOV (RUS) df. Shamil OSMANOV (RUS), 8-5 
BRONZE: Isa DAUDOV (RUS) df. Boris MAKOYEV (RUS), 13-11
Semifinal: Andrew HOWE (USA) df. Boris MAKOYEV (RUS), 5-2
Semifinal: Ahmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Shamil OSMANOV (RUS), 5-1

U.S. placements on Friday

57 kg/125.5 lbs – Tony Ramos, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), dnp

57 kg/125.5 lbs – Matt McDonough, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), dnp

74 kg/163 lbs – Andrew Howe, Norman, Okla. (New York AC), 2nd

Women’s freestyle results

53kg/116.5 lbs.
GOLD: Olga HOROSHAVETSEVA (RUS) df. Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN), 8-3
BRONZE: Nadezzhda SUSHKO (BLR) df. Irina KUROCHKINA (BLR) by FALL
BRONZE: DAAVASUH (MGL) df. Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ) by default
Semifinal: Olga HOROSHAVETSEVA (RUS) df. Nadezzhda SUSHKO (BLR), 2-2
Semifinal: Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ), 7-4

58kg/128 lbs.
GOLD: Shoovdor BAATARZHAV (MGL) df. Aysuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), by Inj. Def. (5-0 at time of injury)
BRONZE: Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ) df. Daria BOGDANOVA (RUS) by FALL
BRONZE: Michelle FAZARI (CAN) df. Yukako KAWAI (JPN) by TF, 14-4
Semifinal: Aysuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Aiym ABDILDINA (KAZ), 5-0
Semifinal: Shoovdor BAATARZHAV (MGL) df. Michelle FAZARI (CAN), 3-2

60kg/132 lbs.
GOLD: Anastasia GUCHOK (BLR) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) by FALL
BRONZE: Natalia FEDOSEEVA (RUS) df. Angela FOMENKO (RUS), by FALL
BRONZE: Zhargalma TSIRENOVA (RUS) df. Kharuka SATO (JPN), 3-2
Semifinal: Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) df. Natalia FEDOSEEVA (RUS), 2-2 (last score)
Semifinal: Anastasia GUCHOK (BLR) df. Zhargalma TSIRENOVA (RUS) by FALL, 6:00

69kg/152 lbs.
GOLD: Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) df. Odonchimeg BADRAK (MGL) by FALL
BRONZE: BURAKOVA (RUS) df. Anastasia SHAVLINKSAJA (RUS), 4-3
BRONZE: Dorothy YEATS (CAN) df. Masako FURUICHI (JPN), 8-6
Semifinal: Odonchimeg BADRAK (MGL) df. Valeriya SUVOROVA (RUS) by TF, 10-0
Semifinal: Natalia VOROBIEVA (RUS) df. Dorothy YEATS (CAN) by FALL