#WrestleNoviSad

Georgia Wins Quartet of Golds at U23 Euros

Tuesday, March 5, 2019 - 20:07 By Eric Olanowski

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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 

#BeachWrestling

Asian Champs Long, Xie Shine for Hosts China at 6th Asian Beach Games

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 - 15:47 By United World Wrestling Press

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SANYA, China (April 28) -- Just two weeks ago, Jia LONG (CHN) and Mengyu XIE (CHN) were winning Asian Championships gold medals on mat in Bishkek.

Now on the beach in home country, Long and Xie entered the Beach Wrestling finals at the 6th Asian Beach Games that are underway in Sanya, China.

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Apart from China, India and Vietnam also entered two wrestlers each in the gold medal bouts while Sri Lanka and Mongolia managed one each.

In men's, Iran has a chance to sweep the gold medals after all four its wrestlers reached the final. Pakistan was the most successful country after Iran with two wrestlers in the final whereas India and China made one final each.

Beach WrestlingBeach Wrestling at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Beach Wrestling got underway at the Games on April 28, Tuesday, with knockout rounds, group round-robin bouts, quarterfinals and semifinals in eight weight categories -- four men's and four women's.

Also Read: Inam Reaches For Beach Wrestling Glory

Asian champion at 72kg Long reached making the 70kg final in Sanya. Long defeated Beibit SEIDUALY (KAZ), 3-1, in the semifinals. She will now face Thi Linh DANG (VIE) for the gold medal after the Vietnam wrestler pinned Jaspreet KAUR (IND) in the other semifinal.

The host country's chances of gold were further boosted when Asian champion at 59kg Xie reached the final in 60kg. She had to battle it out against Thi My Hanh NGUYEN (VIE) but prevailed 3-2. She will now take on Pushpa YADAV (IND) who claimed a 3-1 win over Asian bronze medalist Youngjin KWON (KOR).

PRIYA (IND)PRIYA (IND) defeated Wenji LI (CHN) in the +70kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Former U17 and U20 world champion PRIYA (IND) reached the final at +70kg after a close 2-0 win over Asian bronze medalist Wenji LI (CHN). She will now face Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) who defeated Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ), 3-0, in the other semifinal.

At 50kg, Nipuni HEWA PEDIGE (SRI) has put her country within reach of its first gold medal of the Games after making the final with fall over Funa YANO (JPN). She will now have to beat Thi Kim Oanh DOAN (VIE) for the historic gold. The Vietnam wrestler made it to the final after beating Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND), 3-0, in the other semifinals.

Seyedamirreza SAHRAEMAHALI (IRI)Seyedamirreza SAHRAEMAHALI (IRI) defeated world bronze medalist Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) in the +90kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Iran Puts 4 in Finals

Iran's first finalist came at 70kg as Aliakbar ZAROUDI (IRI) defeated Adis RAKHAT UULU (KGZ), 2-0, in a close semifinal. He will face SIDDARTH (IND) who defeated Muhammad ABDULLAH (PAK), 1-0 to advance.

At 80kg, winner of Katerini World Series in 2025 Ali GHOLAMI (IRI) had no trouble beating Yermakhan KOSHKINBAYEV (KAZ) via fall in the semifinals. He will take on Muhammad Asad ULLAH (PAK) for the gold medal after the Pakistan wrestler confirmed a 4-0 victory over world bronze medalist Feng LU (CHN).

Muhammad INAM (PAK)Muhammad INAM (PAK) reached the 90kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling File)

A mouth-watering final is set in 90kg after former Asian Championships bronze medalist and Katerini World Series gold medalist Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) secured the spot in last two against former Beach Wrestling world champion Muhammad INAM (PAK).

While Kavousi secured a 3-0 win over Peilong LI (CHN), Inam defeated Turbold GANBOLD (MGL) by 1-0 to enter the finals.

The +90kg category will see Seyedamirreza SAHRAEIMAHALI (IRI) take on Da LU (CHN) in the final. Sahraeimahali stunned Asian Championships silver medalist Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) by pinning him to enter the final. Lu also won via fall, pinning Muzafar ZHAPPUEV (KGZ).

Da LU (CHN)Da LU (CHN) reached the +90kg final at the 6th Asian Beach Games. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

RESULTS

Men's Beach Wrestling

70kg
SF 1: SIDDHARTH (IND) df. Muhammad ABDULLAH (PAK), 1-0
SF 2: Aliakbar ZAROUDI (IRI) df. Adis RAKHAT UULU (KGZ), 2-0

80kg
SF 1: Muhammad Asad ULLAH (PAK) df. Feng LU (CHN), 4-0
SF 2: Ali GHOLAMI (IRI) df. Yermakhan KOSHKINBAYEV (KAZ), via fall

90kg
SF 1: Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) df. Peilong LI (CHN), 3-0
SF 2: Muhammad INAM (PAK) df. Turbold GANBOLD (MGL), 1-0

+90kg
SF 1: Seyedamirreza SAHRAEIMAHALI (IRI) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), via fall
SF 2: Da LU (CHN) df. Muzafar ZHAPPUEV (KGZ), via fall

Women's Beach Wrestling

50kg
SF 1: Nipuni HEWA PEDIGE (SRI) df. Funa YANO (JPN), via fall
SF 2: Thi Kim Oanh DOAN (VIE) df. Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND), 3-0

60kg
SF 1: Mengyu XIE (CHN) df. Thi My Hanh NGUYEN (VIE), 3-1
SF 2: Pushpa YADAV (IND) df. Youngjin KWON (KOR), 3-1

70kg
SF 1: Thi Linh DANG (VIE) df. Jaspreet KAUR (IND), via fall
SF 2: Jia LONG (CHN) df. Beibit SEIDUALY (KAZ), 3-1

+70kg
SF 1: PRIYA (IND) df. Wenji LI (CHN), 2-0
SF 2: Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) df. Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ), 3-0