#WrestleZagreb

China sweeps Zagreb Open; Abuladze, Nasibov win Greco golds

Sunday, January 14, 2024 - 01:21 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (January 13) -- Out of the six Olympic weight classes, China won medals in five including three golds.

That was the level of domination China showed as Women's Wrestling closed at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series on Saturday, the penultimate day of the competition.

After Feng ZHOU (CHN) won the gold medal in 68kg and Ziqi FENG (CHN) finished with a silver medal in 50kg on Friday, Qianyu PANG (CHN) won gold at 53kg, Kexin HONG (CHN) won gold at 57kg, and Juan WANG (CHN) won a silver medal at 76kg.

Pang was on a mission as she began with a fall and continued to dominate her next bouts. In the semifinals, Pang pinned Min ZHANG (CHN) to confirm a spot on the Chinese team for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek in April. Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN) injury defaulted in the final to give Pang the gold.

Joining her on the team is Asian Games bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN) who also had to beat compatriot Qi ZHANG (CHN) to clinch a spot and the gold medal.

World bronze medalist at 59kg Qi ZHANG (CHN) tried to challenge Hong in the final but Zhang failed break through and dropped the final 7-2. Hong had earlier beaten Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) 3-1 to reach the final and make a statement.

Juan WANG (CHN) failed to win the gold medal at 76kg after dropping the final 2-1 against world silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ). Wang was called passive twice while Medet Kyzy was wanred only once.

Medet Kyzy, who suffered a knee injury in the World Championships final, showed no signs of discomfort throughout the day. She pinned Rita TALISMANOVAAA (AIN) in the opening bout followed by another pin over Justina DI STASIO (CAN) to set up a quarterfinal against Adeline GRAY (USA).

Unfazed by the six-time world champion Medet Kyzy got to work and scored a four-pointer to open hte scoring. She then got a lace and won 10-0. A 5-0 win over Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) in the semifinals saw her reach the final.

Gray returned to win the bronze medal like Kennedy BLADES (USA) who defeated Kylie WELKER (USA) via fall to win the second gold medal.

Nasibov makes golden return

Tokyo silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) punched above his weight on Saturday to stun the wrestling world. He defeated world silver medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) via fall in the 67kg semifinal. Jafarov got the third par terre advantage with Nasibov lead 2-2 on criteria. As soon as Jafarov tried to score a gut wrench, Nasibov caught him during the turn and pinned him.

In the final, Nasibov defeated Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA) 4-3 and clinch the gold medal.

63kg world champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) is unbeaten since last year's European Championships and continued his streak in Zagreb as he won the title over Virgil BICA (SWE).

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RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Qianyu PANG (CHN) df. Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) df. Dominique PARRISH (USA), via fall
BRONZE: Annika WENDLE (GER) df. Min ZHANG (CHN), 5-3

57kg
GOLD: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Qi ZHANG (CHN), 7-2

BRONZE: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE), 14-4
BRONZE: Yongxin FENG (CHN) df. Hannah TAYLOR (CAN), 10-0

72kg
GOLD: Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR) df. Fanni NAGY NAD (SRB), 5-0

76kg
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Juan WANG (CHN), 2-1

BRONZE: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Kylie WELKER (USA), via fall
BRONZE: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), 3-0

Greco-Roman

63kg
GOLD: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df. Virgil BICA (SWE), 9-0

BRONZE: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT), 9-1
BRONZE: Jacopo SANDRON (ITA) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), via inj. def.

67kg
GOLD: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA), 4-3 

BRONZE: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY), 5-1 
BRONZE: Aslan VISAITOV (AIN) df. Sebastian NAD (SRB), 4-3 

Saravi, Hedayati win gold to cap Iran's dominance at ISG 2025

Wednesday, November 19, 2025 - 17:36 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 19) -- If there was battle for the most dominant wrestler among the Iranian wrestlers, it would be a close one. Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) won Asian and World Championships and a Ranking Series gold before winning the gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 on Tuesday.

Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) won gold at Zagreb Ranking Series, gold at senior and U23 World Championships and like Esmaeili, gold at ISG 2025.

On Wednesday, Olympic and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) also joined that list as he won gold medal at 97kg at ISG in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Saravi has been unstoppable this year, just like Esmaeili and Farokhi, winning Ranking Series gold, and gold medals at the Asian and World Championships. In Riyadh, he showed why he has been so good this year.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) turns Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) from par terre in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In one of the marquee matches of the night, Saravi held his own to beat world bronze medalist Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) in the 97kg final.Saravi and Ahmadiyev were clearly a notch up the field in Riyadh in their weight class and reached the final with ease. But when the two clashed, Saravi clearly had a gameplan to not get caught in any upset.

Ahmadiyev had pinned Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) at the World Championships after a block when the Armenian was trying a gut wrench. So when Saravi got the chance in par terre in the final, he only tried a gut wrench once and then let the referee call neutral.

Saravi went into the break leading 3-0. He was called passive in the second period and put in par terre but he defend the position and gave only one point. As Ahmadiyev struggled with his conditioning, Saravi managed to score two stepouts and win the gold medal with a 5-1 score.

The Iranian has now not lost since the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade, extending his winning run to over two years.

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) prepares to throw Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY) during the 130kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 130kg, rising star Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) too has a great winning run. Since his U20 World Championships final loss in 2022, Hedayati has not lost an international bout and capped his 2025 season with gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025.

Placed in Group A of the Nelson bracket, Hedayati topped his group before winning the semifinal with ease. In the final, he faced Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), who the Iranian defeated in the first group bout 3-0.

If that was a warm-up win, Hedayati showed what he is capable of, winning the final in just 35 second via fall against Abdellatif. He began with a four-point throw which was challenged by Egypt only to lose the challenge.

Leading 5-0, Hedayati hit an arm-throw for two points before dragging Abdellatif for another takedown with his back on the mat. Hedayati held the Egyptian in that position and secured the fall to end the match and capture the gold medal.

Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) celebrates after winning the 50kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Three women's wrestling weight classes were also in action on Wednesday in Riyadh and three different countries won gold medals.

At 50kg, Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) needed a hip-toss in the last 30 seconds to score four points against Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) and take a 5-1 lead. The Uzbekistan wrestler led 1-0 at the break after Geneisi's passivity. But the Nigerian took an 1-1 criteria lead in the last minute when Keunimjaeva was called passive.

Desperate to find an opening, Keunimjaeva locked both of Geneisis' arms and tossed her for four points, taking a 5-1 lead and defending it to win the gold medal.

Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR)Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) won the gold medal at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The winning country was reversed in the 53kg final as Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) defeated Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB), 11-1, to win the gold medal.

Akhmedova failed to match the power of Ogunsanya who kept scoring with counter takedowns. She scored a takedown and a turn using lace to win the bout 11-1.

The final gold medal of the night went to former U23 world champion Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) who defeated European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) in the 57kg final.

Aliyeva, who had defeated Suleyman in Round 1 bout as well, faced the Turkish wrestler again and kept it simple. She scored three takedown before giving up one in the final few seconds. She managed to hold on to her 6-2 lead for the win.

Photo

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

97kg
GOLD: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR) df. Mohamed GABR (EGY), 3-1
BRONZE: Rouabah FADI (ALG) df. Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), via fall (9-0)

BRONZE: Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) df. Roman KIM (KGZ), 11-2

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) df. Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR), 5-1

BRONZE: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Chebila CHEIMA (ALG), 7-0

53kg
GOLD: Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) df. Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB), 11-1

BRONZE: Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ) df. Yusma DESWITA (INA), via fall (3-0
BRONZE: Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) df. Vatansulton SHAKARSHOEVA (TJK), 14-3

57kg
GOLD: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR), 6-2

BRONZE: Tekouk ACHOUAK DJAMILA (ALG) df. Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), via fall (14-3)