U23 World C'ships

Geno Petriashvili Triumphs to Second World Title in Three Months

By Taylor Miller

BYDGOSZCZ, Poland – Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili bulldozed his way to another World title on Saturday night in Bydgoszcz, Poland, winning the U23 World Championships heavyweight gold.

Petriashvili, who recently stood atop the podium at the 2017 Senior World Championships in Paris France, in August, put together an impressive performance on Saturday, racking up four technical falls to win the 125 kg bracket.

In the finals, he dominated Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS), storming out to a 5-0 lead at the break. He ended the match with a takedown and two gut wrenches for an 11-0 win.

On the day, the Georgian heavyweight outscored his opponents, 45-1.

Also tallying a gold-medal tech fall was 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist Rinya NAKMURA (JPN), who also finished fifth at the Senior World Championships this summer.

Nakamura overpowered Kuat AMIRTAYEV (KAZ) with 10 second-period points after trailing 2-2 on criteria at the break, taking home his first World title.

In his first World championships appearance, Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) rattled off three takedowns late in the 86 kg finals to edge out two-time World medalist Azamat DAULTBEKOV (KAZ), 8-7.

At 57 kg, 2017 Senior Pan American bronze medalist Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) rallied to score six unanswered points in the second period of the gold-medal match to outlast six-time European Championships medalist Mikyay NAIM (BUL).

Tomorrow wraps up the 2017 U23 World Championships with the final four men’s freestyle weights. Action starts at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET).

Finals results
57 kg
Gold - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) dec. Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL), 6-1
Bronze - Parviz IBRAHIMOV (AZE) dec. Zhandos ISMAILOV (KAZ), 2-2
Bronze - Suleyman ATLI (TUR) dec. Wanhao ZOU (CHN), 6-3

61 kg
Gold - Rinya NAKAMURA (JPN) tech. fall Kuat AMIRTAYEV (KAZ), 12-2
Bronze - Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR) dec. Mihai ESANU (MDA), 8-3
Bronze - Islam DUDAEV (RUS) dec. Husein SHAKHBANAU (BLR), 5-0

86 kg
Gold - Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) dec. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), 8-7
Bronze - Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR) dec. Raman CHYTADZE (BLR), 7-4
Bronze - Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) dec. Lazaro Daniel HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB), 6-1

125 kg
Gold - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) tech. fall Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS), 11-0
Bronze - Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI) tech. fall Mihaly NAGY (HUN), 10-0
Bronze - Danylo KARTAVYI (UKR) dec. Zhanxiang HU (CHN), 6-0

Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 Day 2 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 19) — The Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 will enter the second day with two Greco-Roman weight classes, 97kg and 130kg, and three women’s wrestling weight classes — 50kg, 53kg and 57kg.

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13:15: Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) with a fall over Chebila CHEIMA (ALG) in the 50kg semifinal and enter the final in which she will face Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)

13:05: Mohamed ADELLATIF (EGY) scores a takedown in the second period to survive a passivity call and win his semifinal at 130kg against Fatih OZTURK (TUR) 3-0. He will face Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) for the gold medal

12:45: Tekouk ACHOUAK DJAMILA (ALG) with some strong counters after Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) scored the first four points. Djamila made it 6-4 before Suleyman scored a go behind and led 6-6 and a turn to lead 8-6. The Turkiye wrestlers defends the late attacks from Djamila and wins 10-6 to enter the 57kg final.

12:30: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) reaches the final at 130kg after an 8-0 pounding of Roman KIM (KGZ) in the semifinal. He scored four points using a suplex. Kim was called for a leg foul which gave two more points to Hedayati. A takedown and he finishes with technical superiority.

12:05: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) has not trouble in his semifinal against Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA), beating him 9-0 with four turns from par terre and advance to the final at 97kg.

11:45: World bronze medalist Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) gets a solid 5-1 win over Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR) to advance to the final at 97kg. The big question is can Ahmadiyev challenge Saravi?

11:30: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) looks unstoppable at 130kg. He scores a takedown and three turns to beat Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) 8-0

11:25: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) gets another dominant win at 57kg. She pins MIM (BAN) and moves into the semifinal with the top spot in the group.

11:10: World and Olympic champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) was in some trouble when put in par terre and Rouabah FADI (ALG) almost turned him but Saravi manages to defend that. Saravi then scores a takedown, gets par terre and scores two turns to lead 7-1 and also win with that score.

11:00: Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) gets hold of a struggling Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) in Round 2 at 50kg and finishes with a 12-2 win. Mammadova clearly struggling with a knee injury

10:55: Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) began well again Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY), taking a 3-0 lead. However, the Egyptian managed to make a comeback and beat Kandelaki 4-3 at 130kg.

10:40: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) went neck-to-neck before the former stepped up her game and secured a five-point lead 13-8. Suleyman scored a four-point and two counters to score her 8 points while Aliyeva kept coming back every time Suleyman scored. But soon, Aliyeva scored two counter lifts to win the match 15-10 at 57kg.

10:25: Two quick finishes in Round 1 at 57kg in women’s. Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) laces MIM (BAN) for a 10-0 win while Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) beats Veronica AYO (UGA) 10-0 as well.

10:15: World U23 champion Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) squares up against the Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY) in Round 1 at Greco 130kg. He begins with a stepout before securing the first par terre advantage. He scores one more point to win 3-0.

10:05: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) takes little time to secure the fall over Chahd JELJELI (TUN) in the first bout at 57kg. The former world U23 champion is the favorite to win gold here.

10:00: Day two of the Islamic Solidarity Games and we have Olympic and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) among other stars in action.