#WrestleNoviSad

Georgia Inserts Four into Day 2 U23 European Finals

Monday, March 4, 2019 - 19:43 By Eric Olanowski

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 4) – Georgia, led by defending U23 world and European champions Nugzari TSURTSUMIA and Zviadi PATARIDZE inserted four wrestlers into Tuesday night’s Greco-Roman U23 European finals. 

At 55kg, Tsurtsumia and his finals opponent Florin TITA (ROU) scored first-period technical superiority victories and will meet in Tuesday night's gold-medal bout.  

Tsurtsumia, the returning 55kg U23 world and European champion, quickly scored the 11-2 victory in his semifinals match to breeze past Russia's Viktor VEDERNIKOV.

His finals opponent Tita pounced Hungary's Bence KOVACS 12-2 and locked up his 55kg finals spot, improving on his bronze-medal finish from the 2018 U23 European Championships.

Zviadi Pataridze, the six-time age-group world champion, easily handled Estonia's Artur VITITIN and picked up the 9-0 technical superiority victory. Pataridze's Monday night win helped insert himself in his second consecutive U23 European finals and gave the Georgian big man his third overall U23 European medal. He also finished with a bronze medal back in 2017.

To win his second straight U23 European gold medal, Pataridze will have to defeat Romania’s Lenard BEREI (ROU) in the 130kg gold-medal match. Berei trailed 3-0 in his semifinals bout against Russia’s Oleg AGAKHANOV but used a four-point throw to reach the finals with the 4-3 advantage.

Georgia’s third finalist Levani KAVIARADZE will meet Armenia's Slavik GALSTYAN for the 63kg gold medal. 

Kavjaradze scored the 7-2 victory over Erik TORBA (HUN) to seal up his spot in the 63kg finals. He’ll wrestle Slavik Galstyan, who trailed 2-0 in his semifinal bout, but outscored Ukraine’s U23 world bronze medalist Oleksandr HRUSHYN 13-2 and locked up his spot in the 63kg finals with a 13-4 victory.  

Gurami KHETSURIANI was the fourth and final Georgian who reached Tuesday’s finals. He did so by stopping Martynas NEMSEVICIUS from becoming the second ever Lithuanian wrestler from reaching the U23 European finals with a 4-0 win.

Khetsuriani will have to defeat Russia’s Gazi KHALILOV in the gold-medal bout if he hopes to walk away as the 87kg champion. Khalilov trailed 6-3 in his semifinals bout against Ivan HUKLEK before catching the Croatian wrestler on his back and picking up the fall. 

The only Day 2 finals matchup that won’t feature a Georgian wrestler is at 77kg, where Russia’s reigning junior world champion Islam OPIEV (RUS) will take on Turkey’s Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) for the gold. 

Opiev was awarded a passivity point in his semifinal bout and edged Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO), 1-1. His finals opponenet Akkoyun used a four-point second period to stop Tamas LEVAI (HUN), 5-1, to reach the 77kg gold-medal bout.  

Wrestling resumes on Tuesday at 11:30 (local time). The Day 2 finals are set to begin at 18:00. 

SCHEDULE
Tuesday (March 5) 
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
9:45 - Medical Examination & Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
14:30 - Draw WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
16:45 - Opening Ceremony
17:15 - Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18: 00 - Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Wednesday (March 6) 
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
9:45 -  Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
14:00 - Draw WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg 
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18: 00 - Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg

Thursday (March 7)
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
14:00 - Draw FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18: 00 - Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg

Friday (March 8) 
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
14:00 - Draw FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
17:15 - Semi Final FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
18: 00 -  Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg

Saturday (March 9) 
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
17:15 - Semi Final FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18: 00 -  Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Sunday (March 10) 
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
16:00 - Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg


RESULTS 
55kg 
GOLD - Florin TITA (ROU) vs. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Florin TITA (ROU) df. Bence KOVACS (HUN), 12-2
SEMIFINAL - Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) df. Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS), 11-2 

63kg
GOLD - Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO) vs. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
SEMIFINAL - Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO) df. Erik TORBA (HUN), 7-2 
SEMIFINAL - Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) df. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR), 13-4 

77kg 
GOLD - Islam OPIEV (RUS) df. Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Islam OPIEV (RUS) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO), 1-1 
SEMIFINAL - Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) df. Tamas LEVAI (HUN), 5-1 

87kg 
GOLD - Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO) vs. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO) df. Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU), 4-0 
SEMIFINAL - Gazi KHALILOV (RUS) df. Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), via fall 

130kg 
GOLD - Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) vs. Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU)
SEMIFINAL -Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) df. Artur VITITIN (EST), 9-0 
SEMIFINAL - Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU) df. Oleg AGAKHANOV (RUS), 4-3 

Esmaeili survives Jafarov shock to win ISG 2025 gold

Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - 18:51 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 18) -- He needed some strong defense to win the world title and on Tuesday, Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) needed some clutch offense to beat Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) for the second time in two one month.

Esmaeili and Jafarov clashed in the final of the 67kg weight class at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Riyad, Saudi Arabi and it seemed that the latter was on his way to upset the Olympic champion and avenge his loss from the World Championships final.

Down 3-3 on criteria, all seemed to be over for Esmaeili as the clock ticked down. In the last 10 seconds, Esmaeili worked on a double-arm lock and then managed to throw Jafarov in danger from standing for four points which changed the result and gave him the win.

Azerbaijan challenged the call but there was no change in the result and Esmaeili defeated Jafarov 8-3, to capture yet another gold medal this year after Asian and World Championships.

Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) throws Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) during their 67kg bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In Zagreb, Esmaeili was put in par terre for third passivity call. Jafarov, down 2-1, needed a point to turn the result but he failed to score any points as Esmaeili defended the par terre position and captured his first world title.

Jafarov blamed a lapse in concentration in the final seconds that costed him the gold medal in Riyadh.

Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) won his fourth gold medal this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran's other world champion from Zagreb, Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) made it seem a little easier as he defeated former world U20 champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 6-0, winning his third gold in one month.

Farokhi, who won gold at 82kg at the World Championships, moved to 87kg for U23 World Championships and won gold without giving up a point in Novi Sad. Just two weeks later, he now gold at 87kg on Tuesday.

Against Yevloyev in the final, Farokhi was awarded both par terre position which gave him a 2-0 lead. From the second par terre, he managed to score a point as he threw Yevloyev for a stepout. The Kazakhstan wrestler was docked two points for defensive foul making it 5-0.

Kazakhstan challenged the foul call but Yevloyev had clearly blocked Farokhi using his elbow on the Iranian's face. The lost challenged made it 6-0 for Farokhi, giving him the win.

Farokhi had a tough match in semifinals against world bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) and needed a takedown in the final minute to win 7-6, first time he has shown some difficulty winning bouts.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) won the 77kg gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Two other gold medals were awarded on Tuesday with former U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) winning the 60kg one and two-time Olympic medalist Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) marking his comeback with gold medal at 77kg.

Makhmudov, who has not wrestled in a full tournament since winning bronze in Paris, was in some form as he made no mistake in his run to the gold medal. In the final, he wrestled Amir ABDI (IRI) and performed a reverse lift throw for five points before securing the fall in the second period.

Abdi got the par terre position in the first period but Makhmudov defended the position, giving only a 1-0 lead to the Iranian. When he got the par terre position, he jumped to the front before performing the lift and holding Abdi on the mat for fall.

Ganiev, who defeated European champion Nihad MAMMADLI (AZE) in the quarterfinal, defeated Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) in the semifinal and humbled Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), 8-0, in the final.

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), 8-0

BRONZE: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE: Sajjad ALBIDHAN (IRQ) df. Fergat ABDELKRIM (ALG), 5-1

67kg
GOLD: Saeid ESMAEILI LEIVESI (IRI) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), 8-3

BRONZE: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT), 5-2
BRONZE: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY), via fall (9-0)

77kg
GOLD: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Amir ABDI (IRI), via fall (6-1)

BRONZE: Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) df. Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE), 2-2
BRONZE: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) df. Sami SLAMA (TUN), via fall (8-1)

87kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 6-0

BRONZE: Sid BACHIR (ALG) df. Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK), 9-0
BRONZE: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 5-1