#WrestleNoviSad

Georgia Wins Quartet of Golds at U23 Euros

By Eric Olanowski

NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 6) – Georgia (115 points) went 5-0 in medal matches on the second day of wrestling at the U23 European Championships, grabbing four golds and a bronze and took the commanding 38 point lead over second-place Russia (77 points) into the third day of wrestling in Novi Sad, Serbia. 


Georgia’s quartet of champions were Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO), Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO), and Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO). 

At 55kg, Nugzari Tsurtsumia shutout Romania’s Florin TITA, 9-0, and won his second straight U23 European title. 

The returning U23 world champion earned two early step-outs and a takedown before the first period ended and took the 4-0 lead into the closing frame. A second takedown, followed by a right side gut wrench gave Tsurtsumia the 8-0 advantage and his second consecutive 55kg U23 European title. 

In the 63kg finals, Levani Kavjaradze gassed Armenia’s Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) and scored the 10-8 come-from-behind win in a match that saw four different lead changes. 

After a back and forth first period, Kavjaradze trailed 8-4 heading into the final three minutes of the gold-medal bout. The Georgian stayed offensive early in the second period and wore down the noticeably taller Armenian. Kavjaradze scored a takedown and a pair of step outs and controlled the 8-8 lead on criteria. With under a minute left, Kavjaradze scored the match-deciding takedown and won his first U23 European title. 

In the 87kg finals, Gurami Khetsuriani used his four-point lateral drop to break the 1-1 tie with Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), giving Georgia their third gold medal of the day. 

Georgia’s fourth and final gold medalist came at 130kg when six-time age-group world champion Zviadi Pataridze defeated Lenard BEREI (ROU), 5-0, and won his second consecutive U23 European title. 

The lone non-Georgia champion was Russia’s 2018 junior world champion Islam OPIEV (RUS), who trailed 3-0 with under two minutes to go, in the 77kg gold-medal bout, but scored a passivity point and a correct throw to defeat Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR), 3-2. 

Georgia owns the commanding 38 point lead over Russia into the third day of competition. Turkey (65 points), Romania (65 points), and Hungary (40 points) round out the top five respectively. 


The third day of wrestling in Novi Sad resumes tomorrow morning at 11:30 and can be watched live on www.unitdworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 

Team Scores 
GOLD - Georgia (115 points)
SILVER - Russia (77 points)
BRONZE - Turkey (65 points)
Fourth - Romania (48 points)
Fifth - Hungary (40 points)
 

55kg 
GOLD - Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) df. Florin TITA (ROU), 9-0 
BRONZE - Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS) df. Ziyad ZEYNALOV (AZE), 11-2  
BRONZE - Artium DELEANU (MDA) df. Bence KOVACS (HUN), 12-4 

63kg
GOLD - Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO) df. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM), 10-8
BRONZE - Erik TORBA (HUN) df. Nikalas Petrov SULEV (BUL), 9-0
BRONZE - Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) df. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR), 6-3

77kg 
GOLD - Islam OPIEV (RUS) df. Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR), 3-2 
BRONZE - Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) df. Nasir HASANOV (AZE), 3-0 
BRONZE - Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df. Paulius GALKINAS (LTU), 5-1

87kg 
GOLD - Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO) df. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), 5-1
BRONZE - Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) df. Toni METSOMAEKI (FIN), 6-2
BRONZE - Ali CENGIZ (TUR) df. Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU), 10-0 

130kg 
GOLD - Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) vs. Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU), 5-0 
BRONZE - Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) df. Artur VITITIN (EST), via fall 
BRONZE - Oleg Kahaberovitch AGAKHANOV (RUS) df. Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB), 6-4 

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 Day 3 Live: Sukhee vs Purevdorj in WW, Yazdani vs Emami at 74kg

By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 31) -- The Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 continues on day three with five Women's Wrestling and three Freestyle weight classes will be in action.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

14:05: Yones EMAMI (IRI) will wrestle for gold against Amirhommad YAZDANI (IRI) at 74kg. Emami humbles JAIDEEP (IND), 5-3, in the semifinal. Emami scored a bodylock takedown and then a turn to lead 4-0. In the second period, Jaideep gets stepout but is also warned for finger-grabbing which give Emami another point. A late takedown for Jaideep but he can't turn Emami and he goes down 5-3 to book a place in final against Yazdani.

14:00: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) gets his first action of the day in the 74kg semifinal against Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) and it's a thrilling display of wrestling. Yazdani hits a double and turn for 4-0 before a reversal for Toktomambetov for a point. Yazdani tries to chest wrap and throw but Toktomambetov has control and gets the two points to cut the lead to 4-3. Both wrestlers in in par terre but Yazdani gets out first and it's a point for Toktomambetov. Yazdani leads 4-4 on criteria at the break. Yazdani tries to score a takedown but fails to control his opponent who scores a stepout. Iran challenge but it's only a point and challenge is lost, making it 6-4 for Toktomambetov. Yazdani with a burst of attack in the final 15 seconds and Toktomambetov tries to avade but Yazdani manages to go-behind and a turn just on the edge to get two points. He leads 6-6 on criteria and wins the bout. He had three actions of two point each while Toktomambetov was two actions of two points each and two of one point which makes Yazdani's scoring higher, hence the win.

13:46: Osman GOCEN (TUR) with a pin in the semifinal at 86kg against Dayanbileg GAN OCHIR (MGL)! Gocen got on a single leg attempt before Gan Ochir threw himself on the mat and Gocen was happy to keep Gan Ochir on the back secure the fall.

13:43: In the first 86kg semifinal, Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) with a fall in the second period over Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL) to secure his place in the final.

13:30: We will see an all-Mongolian final at 62kg as Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) wins a wild 15-11 bout against Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW) while Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) pins Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) in their respective semifinals.

Purevdorj kept coming at Koshkina who countered her attacks as well. At one point, Purevdorj was lead 9-7 before a series of attacks saw her make it 15-9 but Koshkina also got exposure point but fell short.

In other semifinal, Sukhee was down 5-0 but got Kasabieva in on a leg attack and then put her on the mat before securing the fall.

The semifinals begin now.

13:07: In the final match before the semifinals, Yones EMAMI (IRI) closes out the session with a tense win over Tugsjargal ERDENEBAT (MGL) that was ultimately a pin. Emami needed a takedown in the second period to lead 3-1 as a tiring Erdenbat failed to keep up with the Iranian and faded away. Emami used a duck under for another takedown before Erdenebat did not try to defended and gave up the fall. Emami to face Jaideep in the 74kg semifinal. 

12:56: Gantsetseg BATSUKH (MGL) with some solid counterattacking wrestling as she beats MONIKA (IND) 14-3 in the 68kg Round 4 bout. Top moves from the Mongolian

12:51: Noorali ABOUZARI (IRI) gets on a single leg attack and finishes it with a leg lace during activity lock time for JAIDEEP (IND) to lead 5-0 at the break in their 74kg quarterfinal. Jaideep begins the second period with scramble and comes out with two points to cut the lead to 5-2. Another single leg attack but Jaideep defends and then cradles a tiring Abouzari for the fall and enter the semifinal.

12:47: Asian silver medalist Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) takes his time to pull off a 10-0 technical superiority win over Deleg SHINEBAYAR (MGL)  and enter the semifinal.

12:45: What could have been the big match of the tournament between Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) and Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) at 74kg is not happening as the Turkish wrestler pulls out injured. Yazdani into the semifinals at 74kg.

12:30: Osman GOCEN (TUR) was tested by Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) but the European medalist keeps his calm and wins 15-4 at 86kg. He will wrestle in the semifinal now against Dayanbileg GAN OCHIR (MGL).

12:15: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) may have done herself a huge favor by pinning MANISHA (IND) in the Round 3 bout. Purevdorj, who lost to Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), gets five classification points, Kasabieva has four and Manisha has three which means Asian champion Manisha is out of semifinal contention.

11:50: Deepak PUNIA (IND) has to work hard for his next win over Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL). Punia trailed 1-0 at the break but he gets two passivity points and a takedown in the second to win 4-1 at 92kg.

11:45: PUSHPA (IND), who had earlier lost in her group bout, makes sure to win by technical superiority Dulguun BOLORMAA (MGL) at 55kg and improve her chance to be in the semifinals from the group.

11:40: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) with stunning win over Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) at 62kg. She first hits a four-pointer over Purevdorj before turning her for two points. When Purevdorj tries a big throw, Kasabieva with a cutback to get four and win. Purevdorj is not eliminated though as it is round-robin category.

11:15: World silver medalist Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) pins compatriot Tselmuun OTGONBAT (MGL) inside the first period to start with a win at 68kg, a weight class she is favorite to win here.

11:10: Askhab SAADULAEV (UWW) with a crafty whizzer for four points to deny Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) any chance of a comeback and he wins 7-2 at 92kg. 

11:05: Dayanbileg GAN OCHIR (MGL) gets ASHISH (IND) in a tangle and then secures the fall to win at 86kg. The 86kg weight class also has Nelson bracket and will be wrestled in two groups.

11:00: Asian silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) with his typical forward pressure wrestling and scores 10 points to Demchigdorj TUMURBAATAR (MGL) zero win 10-0 at 92kg.

10:50: Asian champion MANISHA (IND) scores two takedowns in her 5-0 win over  Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) begin with a win at 62kg. As it is Nelson bracket, the two can meet again in the final

10:40: Great start to the day for Mongolia as Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) pins PUSHPA (IND) at 55kg and Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) wins 11-0 against Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW) at 62kg.

10:30: The Ulaanbaatar Open will see Freestyle from today and Women's Wrestling will continue in the Mongolian capital. Freestyle will be in 74kg, 86kg and 92kg while WW will be 55kg, 62kg, 65kg, 68kg and 76kg.