WRESTLING – BAHRAIN’S reigning Olympic champion and former world champion Akhmed Tazhudinov narrowly missed out on a podium finish yesterday in the ultra-competitive men’s 97kg category in the freestyle wrestling programme at the Senior World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Tazhudinov came one victory away from bronze after losing in his concluding classification contest to Hassan Yazdani of Iran, who shared third place with Russian wrestling legend Abdulrashid Sadulaev, a two-time Olympic gold-medallist and six-time world champion.
Winning gold in the weight class was American Kyle Snyder, who came away with the fifth world title of his career to go along with one Olympic crown.
Tazhudinov had to settle for his fight for bronze after losing to eventual silver-medallist Arash Yoshida from Japan in the semi-finals.
Earlier, the Bahraini superstar won against Magomedkhan Magomedov from Azerbaijan in the quarters, after defeating Pengfei Shao from China in the round of 16.
Also yesterday in the Kazakh capital, Bahrain’s Khidir Saipudinov lost to Arsenii Dzhioev from Azerbaijan in the men’s 86kg round of 32 but still has a chance today in the repechage stage, where he will take on Pushpender Dalal from India.
Alibeg Ali bowed out of the men’s 65kg class after losing in the last 16 to Abdulmazhid Kudiev of Tajikistan after earlier defeating Oussama Laribi of Algeria in the round of 32; while fellow-Bahraini Shamil Sharipov was also eliminated from the men’s 125kg category after losing in the qualifying phase to Wyatt Hendrickson from the US.
Also set to hit the mat today for Bahrain in freestyle wrestling at the Senior World Championships, Magomedrasul Asluev will be going for gold in the men’s 74kg category and Magomed Sharipov will be battling in the men’s 92kg division.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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