ZAGREB, Croatia – Elman MUKHTAROV (AZE) unseated the defending world champion as Azerbaijan won three gold medals on the first day of Greco-Roman competition at the Junior Wrestling World Championships in Zagreb.

Mukhtarov, a bronze medal winner one year ago in Sofia, maintained a tight defense against 2013 world champion Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) and fashioned a 4-1 decision in the 60kg final on a pair of counter takedowns.

In other finals, Ibrahim NURULLAEV (AZE) opened with a win at 50kg for Azerbaijan and Orkhan NURIEV (AZE) completed the Azeri trifecta with two force-outs to win the 96kg crown.

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The fourth gold medal on offer went to European junior bronze medalist Furkhan BAYRAK (TUR) who converted in par terre for two points and then flattened Asia junior champion Payam BOUYERI (IRI) for the fall at 5:58 of the 74kg final.

Even though Aslanyan finished with the silver, Armenia was the only other country to win more than one medal on Tuesday, receiving bronze medals from Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) at 50kg and Sarkis KOUCHARYAN (ARM) at 74kg.

In all, 12 countries shared in the 16 medals handed out in the first half of the Greco-Roman competition.

Wrestling in the “classic” style continues Wednesday at 10:00 with action in the 55kg, 66kg, 84kg and 120kg categories.  The medal finals and award ceremonies begin at 18:00.

Greco-Roman 50kg

European champion Ibrahim NURULLAEV (AZE) kept the pressure on challenger Olexii ZHABSKYY (UKR), scoring with bodylock takedowns and go-behind points for a 9-2 win.

In the bronze medal matches Zoltan LEVAI (SVK) roared from behind with six points in the second period for an 8-5 win over Nedyalko PETROV (BUL). Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) rolled up a 10-2 technical fall at 4:15 over Kanagat AKYLBEK (KAZ) for his second world bronze medal in a row – as a cadet in 2013 and now a junior.

Greco-Roman 60kg

Elman MUKHTAROV (AZE), a bronze medal winner one year ago, maintained a solid defensive position and countered late with a takedown going out of bounds and then a late counter takedown for 4-1 to unseat defending world champion Karen ASLANYAN (ARM).

In the bronze medal matches, European silver medalist Yasin OZAY (FRA) got rolling with a back arching throw in the second period for four points and went on to claim a 14-8 win over Lauri MAHONEN (FIN). Sergey EMELIN (RUS) rode a pair of gut wrenches in the second-period for to a 10-8 win over Mihai MIHUT (ROU).

Greco-Roman 74kg

European bronze medalist Furkhan BAYRAK (TUR) and Asia champion Payam BOUYERI (IRI) traded tilts in par terre with Bayrak enjoying the tie-break advantage. Bouyeri attempted a late front headlock turn and was trapped on his back for the fall.

In the bronze medal finals, Sarkis KOUCHARYAN (ARM) converted with gut wrench in par terre in the first period and held on for a 3-0 win over Hannes WAGNER (GER). European champion Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) scored with three gut wrenches for a 9-0 technical fall at 2:48 against local favorite Filip SACIC (CRO).

Greco-Roman 96kg

Orkhan NURIEV (AZE), a bronze medalist at 84kg in 2013, scored with a pair of simple force-outs for a 2-0 win over last year’s 10th-place finisher KIM Seung-Jun (KOR).

In the bronze medal bouts, 2013 European junior silver medalist Zsolt TOROK (HUN) scored out-of-bounds twice in a 4-0 win over Africa junior champion Omar Ahmed ABDEL LATIF (EGY). European champion Felix BALDAUF (NOR) got a 4-2 exchange on an arm throw and went on to a 5-3 win over ALIMUJIANG Abdurexiti (CHN).

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50kg
GOLD: Nurullayev IBRAHIM (AZE) df. Oleksii ZHABSKYY (UKR), 9-2
BRONZE: Zoltan LEVAI (SVK) df. Nedyalko PETROV (BUL), 8-5
BRONZE: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) df. Kanagat AKYLBEK (KAZ) by TF, 10-2

Semifinal: Oleksii ZHABSKYY (UKR) df. Zoltan LEVAI (SVK) by TF, 12-0
Semifinal: Nurullayev IBRAHIM (AZE) df. Kanagat AKYLBEK (KAZ) by TF, 13-2 

60kg
GOLD: Elman MUKHTAROV (AZE) df. Karen ASLAYAN (ARM), 4-1
BRONZE: Yacin OZAY (FRA) df. Lauri MAHONEN (FIN), 14-8
BRONZE: Sergey EMELIN (RUS) df. Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU), 10-8

Semifinal: Elman MUKHTAROV (AZE) df. Yacin OZAY (FRA), by TF, 8-2  
Semifinal: Karen ASLAYAN (ARM) df. Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU), 4-3

74kg
GOLD: Furkan BAYRAK (TUR) df. Payam BOUYERI (IRI) by FALL, 4-2
BRONZE: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Filip SACIC (CRO) by TF, 9-0
BRONZE: Sarkis KOCHARYAN (ARM) df. Hannes WAGNER (GER), 3-0

Semifinal: Payam BOUYERI (IRI) df. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 1-0
Semifinal: Furkan BAYRAK (TUR) df. Hannes WAGNER (GER), 2-1

96kg
GOLD: Orkhan NURUYEV (AZE) df. Seungjun KIM (KOR), 2-0
BRONZE: Zsolt TOROK (HUN) df. Abdellatif AHMED (EGY), 4-0
BRONZE: Felix BALDAUF (NOR) df. Abudurexiti ALIMUJIANG (CHN), 5-3

Semifinal: Seungjun KIM (KOR) df. Abdellatif AHMED (EGY), 7-5
Semifinal: Orkhan NURUYEV (AZE) df. Felix BALDAUF (NOR), 8-4