Hidlay to go for gold, Jimenez eliminated in Polyak & Varga Memorial Ranking Event in Hungary

BUDAPEST, Hungary - 2024 Senior National Team member Trent Hidlay was dominant in his first two matches and has qualified for the gold-medal finals at 86 kg at the Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial, a UWW Senior Ranking Series event, on Friday.

Hidlay, a two-time age-group World medalist, opened with a 10-0 technical fall victory over Bobur Islomov of Uzbekistan, a three-time age-group World Team member.

In the semifinals, Hidlay met 2022 European U23 silver medalist Evsem Shvelidze of Georgia. Hidlay led 4-0 at the break, after scoring four first-period step out points. Hidlay opened up his offense in the second period, scoring a late four-point takedown and adding two other takedowns for a 13-3 technical fall victory.

Hidlay, who has starred for NC State, has drawn 2016 Olympic champion and three-time World champion Hassan Yazdanicharati of Iran in the finals.

2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up Audrey Jimenez was defeated in her opening bout at 50 kg by Individual Neutral Athlete Nadezhda Sokolova, in a 10-0 technical fall. Sokolova, who hails from Russia, was a 2021 World bronze medalist and is expected to compete in the Paris Games. Jimenez is a four-time age-group World medalist.

Sokolova won her next match, then faced three-time Senior World medalist Otgonjargal Dolgorjav of Mongolia in the semifinals. Dolgorjav broke a tie and opened it up in final minute, for a 12-8 decision, which eliminated Jimenez from the tournament. Only athletes who lose to a finalist are eligible for repechage.

The finals will be held at 5:00 p.m. local time in Budapest, which is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone (11:00 a.m.). All of the action is broadcast live on FloWrestling.

https://flosports.link/4aj4gCf

POLYAK IMRE & VARGA JANOS MEMORIAL

At Budapest, Hungary, June 7

Men’s freestyle medal match pairings

74 kg

Gold – Murad Kuramagomedov (Hungary) vs. Ramambek Jamalov (Uzbekistan)

Bronze – Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan) vs. Orozobek Tokomambeto (Kyrgyzstan)

Bronze – Ali Abbas Rezeiaghouzgeleh (Iran) vs. Giorgi Elbakidze (Georgia)

86 kg

Gold – Trent Hidlay (USA) vs. Hassan Yazdanicharati (Iran)

Bronze – Evsem Shvelidze (Georgia) vs. Bobur Islomov (Uzbekistan)

Bronze – Azamat Dauletbekov (Kazakhstan) vs. Hayato Ishiguro (Japan)

92 kg

Four athlete round-robin

Gold – Miriani Maisuradze (Georgia) dec. Iuza Tsertsvadze (Georgia), 7-2

Bronze – Balasz Juhasz (Hungary) vs. Krisztian Angyal (Hungary)

U.S. Men's Freestyle results

86 kg: Trent Hidlay (Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC), in gold-medal match

WIN Bobur Islomov (Uzbekistan), tech fall 10-0

WIN Evsem Shvelidze (Georgia), tech fall 13-3

Vs. Hassan Yazdanicharati (Iran)

Women’s freestyle medal match pairings

50 kg

Gold – Otgonjargal Dolgorjav (Mongolia) vs. Ziqi Feng (China)

Bronze –Nadezhda Sokolova (Individual Neutral Athlete) vs. Yu Zhang (China)

Bronze – Jiang Zhu (China) vs. Madison Parks (Canada)

53 kg

Gold – Emma Malmgren (Sweden) vs. Antim (India)

Bronze – Lucia Yepez Guzman (Ecuador) vs. Zeynep Yetgil (Turkey)

Bronze – Katarzyna Krawczyk (Poland) vs. Sakibjamal Esbosynova (Uzbekistan)

57 kg

Gold – Kexin Hong (China) vs. Anshu (India)

Bronze –Giulia Oliveira (Brazil) vs. Anhelina Lysak (Poland)

Bronze – Qi Zhang (China) vs. Anastasia Nichita (Moldova)

59 kg

Five-athlete round robin, final round 5 match

Irina Kuznetsova (Kazakhstan) vs. Diana Kayumova (Kazakhstan)

72 kg

Gold – Zhamila Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan) vs. Noemi Szabados (Hungary)

Bronze – Iryna Zablotska (Hungary) vs. Ghulmaral Yerkebayeva (Kazakhstan)

U.S. Women’s Freestyle results

50 kg – Audrey Jimenez (Tucson, Ariz./Titan Mercury WC), eliminated

LOSS Nadezhda Sokolova (Individual Neutral Athlete), tech. fall 10-0