Dominant Ukraine sweeps U17 World Grappling Championships

Thursday, November 6, 2025 - 11:27 By Vinay Siwach

LOUTRAKI, Greece (November 4) -- There was little competition for Ukraine at the age-group Grappling World Championships in Loutraki, Greece as it swept the U17 team titles in Grappling Gi and Grappling No-Gi in both the men's and women's categories.

In men's, Ukraine were way ahead as it finished with 140 points while Kazakhstan was second with 94 points in Grappling Gi. It scored 132 points in Grappling No-Gi while second placed Armenia managed only 78 points to finish at the second position.

In women's, Ukraine edged past Poland with 97 points to 95 points to finish top of the table in Grappling Gi. It was a similar story in Grappling No-Gi as Ukraine finished first with 103 points while Poland was second with 100 points.

Grappling Gi competition saw Roman SHOSTAK (UKR) beat Nursat BAIKASSOV (KAZ), 6-4, in the 50kg final to kick start the gold rush. Soon after, Zakhar DREMLIUHA (UKR) won 8-3 against Jakub BARDEN (POL) in the 54kg final to earn the second gold for Ukraine. At 63kg, Andrii PERZHAN (UKR) blanked Rafik ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 4-0, to win Ukraine's third gold medal.

At 69kg, Artem SHALAEV (UWW) won via submission against Illes VICTOR (HUN) in the final to win the gold medal while Aigun OMAROV (UWW) denied Ukraine a fourth gold when he defeated Artem DOTSIUK (UKR), 8-2, in the 76kg final.

Kazakhstan won a gold medal through Mansur ZHANTEMIROV (KAZ) who hung on for a close 2-2 victory over Izan RODRIGUEZ ROSA (ESP) in the 69kg final.

Ukraine had another silver medalist in Yaroslav FEDYNA (UKR) who was submitted by Mateusz KUCA (POL) in the 85kg final. Hungary won a gold medal at 110kg as Levente SZABO (HUN) won via submission against Gasan KHASAEV (UWW).

In No-Gi competition, Shostak and Dremliuha doubled up as champions, beating Baikassov and Dawid BALTRUKANIS (POL) respectively in the 50kg and 54kg finals. The third gold medal for Ukraine came through a different grappler, Andrii SHTUNDER (UKR), who defeated Aleksei SKOREV (UWW) via submission after a 6-0 lead in the 76kg final.

Kuca also struck double gold after he defeated Hurhen MKRTCHIAN (UKR), 6-4, in a thrilling 85kg final. He remained the only gold medalist for Poland in both competitions.

Szabo failed to win two golds but the 110kg gold still went to Hungary as Balazs KIS (HUN) managed to win all his bouts in the Nelson bracket to claim the top spot in the rankings and the gold medals. Szabo finished with a silver medal.

At 58kg, Kurbanali MAKHMUDOV (UWW) denied Rafik ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 5-3, in the final as the Armenian collected his second silver. Ramil ZHIROV (UWW) managed to submit Leved GRANER (HUN) in the 63kg final to win the gold medal while Gusein KHASAEV (UWW) stepped up to win a gold medal after silver as he defeated Amir KHABICHEV (UWW), 2-2, in the 69kg final.

Aleksandra PETUKHOVA (UWW) won double golds at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Double champs

In an unprecedented finish in women's competition, all the gold medalists in Grappling Gi also finished as champions in No-Gi. The former had seven weight categories in action while No-Gi had eight.

Ukraine did not win any golds but still managed to emerge as the best team, thanks to two silvers, three bronze and one four place finish.

In Grappling-Gi, Vasilisa SHUTOVA (UWW) defeated Karolina HYRIA (UKR), 10-0, in the 46kg final while Mariia SHMELEVA (UWW) emerged as champion at 49kg after winning all bouts in Nelson bracket.

Shantel AMBRIZ (USA) dominated her way to the 52kg gold medal after winning the Nelson bracket, which occurs when a weight class has three to six participants.

At 56kg, Oliwia GREWLING (POL) submitted Agnes KOSZTA (HUN) with ease to win gold while Aleksandra PETUKHOVA (UWW) submitted Petra SZALAY (HUN) in the 60kg final to win gold.

The gold medal at 65kg went to Anastasiia SHAROVA (UWW) who managed to submit Karolina HRYNIUK (UKR) after building a 6-2 lead. Mercedes GARCIA RODRIGUEZ (ESP) captured the gold medal in the heaviest weight class, 90kg, after winning the Nelson bracket.

In No-Gi, Shutova, Shmeleva, Ambriz, Grewling, Petukhova, Sharova, and Garcia Rodriguez, repeated. Barring these, the 43kg weight class also saw participation and Ailina GALIEVA (UWW) submitted Kateryna SERBOVA (UKR) to win gold.

RESULTS

U17 Men's Grappling Gi

50kg
GOLD: Roman SHOSTAK (UKR) df. Nursat BAIKASSOV (KAZ), 6-4

BRONZE: Ronan PALLARES (FRA) df. Ayoub SI ALI (FRA), 9-3
BRONZE: Rustam KIM (KAZ) df. Georgios TERSENIDIS (GRE), via submission

54kg
GOLD: Zakhar DREMLIUHA (UKR) df. Jakub BARDEN (POL), 8-3

BRONZE: Darrington DE LA CRUZ (ESP) df. Jivan ARAKELYAN (ARM), via submission (15-2)
BRONZE: Julen TRUJILLO HERNANDEZ (ESP) df. Yerkanat NARIMAN (KAZ), via submission (5-6)

58kg
GOLD: Artem SHALAEV (UWW) df. Illes VICTOR (HUN), via submission (6-0)

BRONZE: Vanik SARGSYAN (ARM) df. Artem KULYK (UKR), 9-2
BRONZE: Aleksandr NOVOSELTSEV (UWW) df. Daniel CABRERA PORTELA (ESP), via submission (2-1)

63kg
GOLD: Andrii PERZHAN (UKR) df. Rafik ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 4-0

BRONZE: Leved GRANER (HUN) df. Dimitrios THOMOS (GRE), via submission (1-2)
BRONZE: Danylo TERESHCHENKO (UKR) df. Kalman SAJCZ (HUN), 9-3

69kg
GOLD: Mansur ZHANTEMIROV (KAZ) df. Izan RODRIGUEZ ROSA (ESP), 2-2

BRONZE: Leonard HRUSA (GER) df. Zisis SVANAS (GRE), via submission (6-3)
BRONZE: Gor SAHAKYAN (ARM) df. Baron NELSON (USA), 5-5 (overtime)

76kg
GOLD: Aigun OMAROV (UWW) df. Artem DOTSIUK (UKR), 8-2

BRONZE: Andrii SHTUNDER (UKR) df. Heorhi HLAZKO (UWW), 5-1
BRONZE: Roman NAZAROV (UWW) df. Ivan KUCHYNSKI (UWW), 15-5

85kg
GOLD: Mateusz KUCA (POL) df. Yaroslav FEDYNA (UKR), via submission

BRONZE: Shynggyskhan ABDIROV (KAZ) df. Hurhen MKRTCHIAN (UKR), via disqualification

110kg
GOLD: Levente SZABO (HUN) df. Gasan KHASAEV (UWW), via submission (3-2)

BRONZE: Maksym ILIN (UKR) df. Alexios ALEXOPOULOS (GRE), via submission (3-0)
BRONZE: Artem BIKMURZIN (UWW) df. Amirlan ABAKHANOV (KAZ), 10-2

U17 Women's Grappling Gi

46kg
GOLD: Vasilisa SHUTOVA (UWW) df. Karolina HYRIA (UKR), 10-0

49kg
GOLD: Mariia SHMELEVA (UWW)
SILVER: Sylwia WELC (POL)
BRONZE: Daria HORDIIENKO (UKR)

52kg
GOLD: Shantel AMBRIZ (USA)
SILVER: Daria KHAMETOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Helena ALEKSANDROWICZ (POL)

56kg
GOLD: Oliwia GREWLING (POL) df. Agnes KOSZTA (HUN), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Vladyslava SMILIANSKA (UKR) df. Eirini PAPADOPOULOU (GRE), via submission (13-0)
BRONZE: Sonia RUBIO HERGUIJUELA (ESP) df. Yana PAVLIUK (UKR), (2-2)

60kg
GOLD: Aleksandra PETUKHOVA (UWW) df. Petra SZALAY (HUN), via submission (9-2)

BRONZE: Susana GONZALEZ GONZALEZ (ESP) df. Anastassiya KRASNOLUTSKAYA (KAZ), via submission (7-2)
BRONZE: Mariia SUSKA (UKR) df. Texenery TEJERA GARCIA (ESP), 8-4

65kg
GOLD: Anastasiia SHAROVA (UWW) df. Karolina HRYNIUK (UKR), via submission (6-2)

BRONZE: Anais MORANTA ALBRECH (ESP) df. Zhasmin KAIRAT (KAZ), via submission (6-0)
BRONZE: Malgorzata SALAMON (POL) df. Efthymia PANAGIOTOPOULOU (GRE), 6-3

90kg
GOLD: Mercedes GARCIA RODRIGUEZ (ESP)
SILVER: Karolina KARALUS (POL)
BRONZE: Elena ZAIMIDOU (GRE)

U17 Men's Grappling No-Gi

50kg
GOLD: Roman SHOSTAK (UKR) df. Nursat BAIKASSOV (KAZ), 8-4

BRONZE: Yerkanat NARIMAN (KAZ) df. Ilkin GULIEV (UWW), 7-6
BRONZE: Jivan ARAKELYAN (ARM) df. Oinatz IRUSTA GARCIA (ESP), 8-1

54kg
GOLD: Zakhar DREMLIUHA (UKR) df. Dawid BALTRUKANIS (POL), via submission (14-1)

BRONZE: Jakub BARDEN (POL) df. Julen TRUJILLO HERNANDEZ (ESP), via submission (9-0)
BRONZE: Amir SHURDUMOV (UWW) df. Athanasios TAGKALAKIS TSAKOPOULOS (GRE), 15-0

58kg
GOLD: Kurbanali MAKHMUDOV (UWW) df. Rafik ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 5-3

BRONZE: Lohan DURANDET (FRA) df. Artem KULYK (UKR), via submission (11-0)
BRONZE: Daniel CABRERA PORTELA (ESP) df. Adam KARAMANOLIS (GRE), via submission

63kg
GOLD: Ramil ZHIROV (UWW) df. Leved GRANER (HUN), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Shermat ZHAMALBEK (KAZ) df. Yanis ANGELOSANTO (FRA), 4-4
BRONZE: Danylo TERESHCHENKO (UKR) df. Edgar SIMONYAN (ARM), via submission (3-0)

69kg
GOLD: Gusein KHASAEV (UWW) df. Amir KHABICHEV (UWW), 2-2

BRONZE: Gor SAHAKYAN (ARM) df. Antoni BLACH (POL), 2-1
BRONZE: Mansur ZHANTEMIROV (KAZ) df. Leonard HRUSA (GER), via submission (5-2)

76kg
GOLD: Andrii SHTUNDER (UKR) df. Aleksei SKOREV (UWW), via submission (6-0)

BRONZE: Heorhi HLAZKO (UWW) df. Ivan KUCHYNSKI (UWW), via submission (10-1)
BRONZE: Donat HOLLOSY (HUN) df. Aldiyar KARIMOV (KAZ), via submission (2-1)

85kg
GOLD: Mateusz KUCA (POL) df. Hurhen MKRTCHIAN (UKR), 6-4

BRONZE: Yaroslav FEDYNA (UKR) df. Shynggyskhan ABDIROV (KAZ), 3-2

110kg
GOLD: Balazs KIS (HUN)
SILVER: Levente SZABO (HUN)
BRONZE: Gasan KHASAEV (UWW)

U17 Women's Grappling No-Gi

43kg
GOLD: Ailina GALIEVA (UWW) df. Kateryna SERBOVA (UKR), via submission

46kg
GOLD: Vasilisa SHUTOVA (UWW) df. Karolina HYRIA (UKR), 15-0

49kg
GOLD: Mariia SHMELEVA (UWW)
SILVER: Sylwia WELC (POL)
BRONZE: Tomiris ZAGIDULLINA (KAZ)

52kg
GOLD: Shantel AMBRIZ (USA) df. Daria KHAMETOVA (UWW), 2-1

BRONZE: Helena ALEKSANDROWICZ (POL) df. Amina ZHEKSHENBEKOVA (KGZ), 9-2

56kg
GOLD: Oliwia GREWLING (POL) df. Vladyslava SMILIANSKA (UKR), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Yana PAVLIUK (UKR) df. Vivien SZABO (HUN), 6-2
BRONZE: Safiya UALIAKHMETOVA (KAZ) df. Eleni TOLIA (GRE), 12-8

60kg
GOLD: Aleksandra PETUKHOVA (UWW) df. Petra SZALAY (HUN), via submission (9-3)

BRONZE: Susana GONZALEZ GONZALEZ (ESP) df. Laila DAVIS (GER), via submission (9-1)
BRONZE: Texenery TEJERA GARCIA (ESP) df. Daria HLADUN (UKR), 5-3

65kg
GOLD: Anastasiia SHAROVA (UWW) df. Malgorzata SALAMON (POL), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Anais MORANTA ALBRECH (ESP) df. Sohane EDDAMI (FRA), via submission (14-0)
BRONZE: Efthymia PANAGIOTOPOULOU (GRE) df. Gulzhaina SULTANOVA (KAZ), via submission (9-0)

90kg
GOLD: Mercedes GARCIA RODRIGUEZ (ESP)
SILVER: Karolina KARALUS (POL)
BRONZE: Tetiana TKACHYK (UKR)

2026 U17 World Championships

Russia Edges Iran to Claim U17 World Freestyle Team Title

Monday, August 3, 2026 - 09:21 By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (August 2) -- Russia claimed its first Freestyle team title at the U17 World Championships in six years after edging Iran by a single point in a dramatic finish to the tournament on Sunday in Baku.

Iran held a narrow 110-106 lead over Russia after three of the five weight classes on the final day. With one gold-medal bout and one bronze-medal bout remaining for each team, Iran needed to win both matches or have Russia lose one to secure the title. Neither scenario unfolded.

Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) won the gold medal at 71kg, while Mokhmad BAISULTANOV (RUS) earned bronze, extending Iran's lead to 135-121 heading into the final weight class.

Wrestling Abdurazak SHABANOV (RUS) Abdurazak SHABANOV (RUS) tries to score on Salah TSARNI (USA) during the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

It all came down to the final bout of the tournament at 92kg. After Reza ISAZADEH (IRI) lost his bronze-medal bout, Iran was stuck at 145 points. All Abdurazak SHABANOV (RUS) needed to do was win the 92kg final against Salah TSARNI (USA) to clinch the team title for his country by one point.

Shabanov did not have the best of starts to the final as Tsarni took a 3-0 lead in the opening period. The Russian opened the second period with a stepout before scoring a go-behind and lead 3-3 on criteria.

Tsrani was quick to return to his feet but Shabanov maintained control from behind and executed a four-pointer before giving up a reversal. Tsarni, down 7-4 with 43 seconds remaining, needed at least four points to win. Instead, Shabanov controlled the bout, adding a late stepout along with a point after Tsarni was called for fleeing to seal a 9-4 win.

The win secured Russia the team title with 146 points and broke the hearts of Iran which finished second with 145 points. India finished third with 123 points, followed by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan with 101 and 93 points respectively.

Defending champion the United States finished seventh with 68 points, an uncharacteristically low finish for one of the world's traditional wrestling powers.

Wrestling Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) tries to score on Bohdan KVANTALIANI (GEO) during the 71kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 71kg, Shamsipour survived a tense finish to defeat Bohdan KVANTALIANI (GEO), 5-4, and claim Iran's third Freestyle gold medal of the tournament.

After conceding a passivity point, Shamsipour stormed back with quick takedowns in the second period to build a 4-1 lead. With 19 seconds remaining, he was penalized for fleeing, and then again with two seconds from the end when Kvantaliani forced a stepout. However, Shamsipour held the criteria at 4-4, thanks to his higher-scoring techniques.

Georgia challenged for another fleeing call in the closing seconds, but the challenge was unsuccessful, awarding Shamsipour an additional point and confirming the victory.

Wrestling Benyamin ASHOFTEH (IRI) Benyamin ASHOFTEH (IRI) celebrates after winning the 51kg final against Ibrahim HASANOV (AZE). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Iran's won the gold medal at 51kg as well after U17 Asian champion Benyamin ASHOFTEH (IRI) defeated Ibrahim HASANOV (AZE), 5-1, in the final.

Hasanov was the first to score after Ashofteh failed to score during the activity period, giving a point to the Azerbaijan wrestler. In the second period, Ashofteh took a 1-1 criteria lead after Hasanov was placed on the activity clock.

Soon after, Ashofteh managed to score a takedown with 55 seconds remaining as Hasanov backed away, then transitioned into a gut-wrench for two more points to lead 5-1 with 37 seconds remaining.

Ashofteh would hang on to his lead while Hasanov, the U17 European champion, settled for silver in front of the home crowd, which was again denied a home world champion.

Wrestling SITENDER (IND) SITENDER (IND) using the two-on-one to set up his takedown against Sergei KARMRIAN (RUS). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Sitender Repeats

World champion Sushil KUMAR (IND) had been India's only wrestler to win consecutive U17 world titles, but SITENDER (IND) joined him on Sunday by successfully defending his 60kg crown.

Sitender, who maintains a strong position and powerful defense, never seemed troubled by either U17 European champion Sergei KARMRIAN (RUS) or the pressure of the World Championships final.

The opening period saw little action before Sitender was put on the activity clock. As he failed to score during the 30-second period, Karmrian took a 1-0 lead into the break.

The bout did not change in the second period as well with Karmrian eventually put on the activity clock. During the 30-second window, Sitender capitalized, using a two-on-one grip and a slide-by, to score the decisive takedown for two points.

Karmrian pressed until the final whistle but was unable to produce the takedown he needed, allowing Sitender to retain his world title.

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Nelson VILLAFANE (PUR) df. Rylen WAX (USA), 7-1

BRONZE: Mukhammad RAKHIMJONOV (UZB) df. Luka DOTIASHVILI (GEO), 9-8
BRONZE: Hanumant JADHAV (IND) df. Mahdi DAMERCHELI (IRI), 7-1

51kg
GOLD: Benyamin ASHOFTEH (IRI) df. Ibrahim HASANOV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Islam KURAKHMAEV (RUS) df. Giorgi NARIMANIDZE (GEO), 7-3
BRONZE: Masamune USHIMADO (JPN) df. William SOTO (PUR), 15-13

60kg
GOLD: SITENDER (IND) df. Sergei KARMRIAN (RUS), 3-1

BRONZE: Mardan ORYNBASSAR (KAZ) df. Davit MDZEVASHVILI (GEO), via fall (5-2)
BRONZE: Mykyta KUZMENKO (UKR) df. Bekzodbek IBROHIMOV (UZB), via fall (4-1)

71kg
GOLD: Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) df. Bohdan KVANTALIANI (GEO), 5-4

BRONZE: Mokhmad BAISULTANOV (RUS) df. Vitali HARDZEI (BLR), 10-0
BRONZE: Adilet RYSBAY (KAZ) df. Mekan HUDAYBERENOV (TKM), 6-4

92kg
GOLD: Abdurazak SHABANOV (RUS) df. Salah TSARNI (USA), 9-4

BRONZE: Marshall EVERETT (GBR) df. Nuradin MUSTAFAEV (GEO), 10-6
BRONZE: SAKSHAM (IND) df. Reza ISAZADEH (IRI), 3-2

Dominant Ukraine sweeps U17 World Grappling Championships

Comments

Russia Edges Iran to Claim U17 World Freestyle Team Title

Sitender Repeats

RESULTS