#Zagreb2018

Gold Medal Wealth Spread Among Five Nations on First Night of #Zagreb2018 Greco Finals

By Taylor Miller

ZAGREB, Croatia – Five different national anthems rang on Saturday night as five countries collected gold medals in the first night of the Greco-Roman finals at the Cadet World Championships in  Zagreb, Croatia.

At 48 kg, Abror ATABAEV (UZB), who took bronze at this year’s Asian Championships, came out on top, defeating Asian gold medalist Sajjad ABBASPOURRAGANI (IRI), 4-4.

Put down for passivity, Atabaev maneuvered his way to a front headlock for a four-point throw, which ultimately gave the Uzbek the win on criteria.

Atabaev became only the third wrestler from Uzbekistan to win a Cadet Greco World title.

2018 Asian bronze medalist Amirhossein KHOUNSARI (IRI) scored seven points in his shutout win over Giorgi PERTAIA (GEO) in the 55 kg finals.

Khounsari only led 2-0 at the break but separated himself in the last minute with a takedown and also capitalizing on an attempted throw by Pertaia for exposure en route to his first World title.

Russia won a World title at 65 kg when 2018 European champion Muslim IMADAEV (RUS) defeated 2016 European champion Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) in a 3-0 match.

Imadaev scored on a gut when Khachatryan was put down in par terre. It was an early lead that the Russian held on to for the gold.

At 80 kg, Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM) got behind European champion Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO) in the first 30 seconds for a takedown, which would be all he needed to win a Cadet World title.

Khachatryan redeems a fifth-place finish from Euros earlier this year.

To close out the night, European champion Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) dominated in the 110 kg final over two-time European bronze medalist Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE).

En route to his 9-0 tech fall, Bakir scored on two takedowns and a gutwrench.

The 2018 Cadet World Championships wrap up tomorrow, starting with repechage action at 10 a.m. ET, followed by medal matches at 12 p.m. ET live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Greco-Roman team scores going into final day (top 10)
1. Iran – 75
2. Georgia - 54
3. Russia - 51
4. Uzbekistan - 50
5. Armenia - 45
6. Turkey - 33
7. Azerbaijan - 32
8. Kazakhstan - 32
9. Belarus - 25
10. Moldova - 20

Finals results

48 kg
GOLD - Abror ATABAEV (UZB)
SILVER - Sajjad ABBASPOURRAGANI (IRI)
BRONZE - Arshad ARSHAD (IND)
BRONZE – Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ)

1st - Abror Atabaev (Uzbekistan) dec. Sajjad Abbaspourragani (Iran),4-4
3rd - Arshad Arshad (India) fall Leonid Moroz (Moldova), 1:09
3rd - Iskhar Kurbayev (Kazakhstan) dec. Islam Aliev (Russia), 4-2

55 kg
GOLD - Amirhossein KHOUNSARI (IRI)
SILVER - Giorgi PERTAIA (GEO)
BRONZE - Amirbek SULTONOV (UZB)
BRONZE – Din KOSHKAR (KAZ)

1st - Amirhossein Khounsari (Iran) dec. Giorgi Pertaia (Georgia), 7-0
3rd - Amirbek Sultonov (Uzbekistan) dec. Manuel Stoica (Romania), 8-7
3rd - Din Koshkar (Kazakhstan) dec. Niklas Oehlen (Sweden), 6-0

65 kg
GOLD - Muslim IMADAEV (RUS)
SILVER - Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
BRONZE - Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER)
BRONZE – Hossein GHASEMI (IRI)

1st - Muslim Imadaev (Russia) dec. Shant Khachatryan (Armenia), 3-0
3rd - Samuel Bellscheidt (Germany) dec. Bin Xu (China), 8-2
3rd - Hossein Ghasemi (Iran) dec. Khvicha Ananidze (Georgia), 7-0

80 kg
GOLD - Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
SILVER - Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO)
BRONZE - Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI)
BRONZE – Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN)

1st - Karen Khachatryan (Armenia) dec. Giorgi Tsopurashvili (Georgia), 2-1
3rd - Mohammad Naghousi (Iran) dec. Bekzod Akhmedov (Uzbekistan), 6-1
3rd - Turpan Bisultanov (Denmark) dec. David Zhytomyrsky (Israel), 7-1

110 kg
GOLD - Muhammet BAKIR (TUR)
SILVER - Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE)
BRONZE - Tomasz WAWRZYNCZYK (POL)
BRONZE – Mikita KAVALSKI (BLR)

1st - Muhammet Bakir (Turkey) TF Sarkhan Mammadov (Azerbaijan), 9-0
3rd - Tomasz Wawrzynczyk (Poland) dec. Marcel Albini (Czech Republic), 7-1
3rd - Mikita Kavalski (Belarus) dec. Aleksandr Shaposhnikov (Russia), 3-1

 

#USAWrestling

Paris Olympic Champ Elor Makes Winning Return After Child Birth

By United World Wrestling Press

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, United States (May 15) -- Three months after giving birth, Paris 2024 Olympic champion Amit ELOR (USA) returned to competition at the United States World Team Trials Challenge tournament in Louisville.

The 22-year-old Elor pinned her way to win the tournament and book her stop for the Final X, the U.S. tournament, to be held on June 19, to select its team for the 2026 World Championships.

The two-time world champion wrestled Pan-American champion Precious WIESER (USA) in the 72kg final and pushed her lead to 11-0 before converting her final takedown into a fall with 29 seconds left.

This was Elor's first appearance since the same this tournament a year ago. She pulled out of the 2025 Final X due to health issues and later announced her pregnancy.

In other bouts, two-time world medalist Macey KILTY (USA) also pinned her way to Final X. Following a technical fall in the semifinals, Kilty pinned Claire DI CUGNO (USA) 66 seconds into final at 62 kg. With the victory, Kilty now sets up a rematch of the U.S. Open final against recent Pan-Am champion Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) at Final X.

At 53kg, Elena IVALDI (USA) secured a technical superiority win over Sydney PETZINGER (USA) in a high-scoring, 23-12, contest. Ivaldi, leading 15-12 at one point, put the match away with eight-straight points to seal the win.

Two-time U17 world champion Morgan TURNER (USA) needed a late takedown to confirm her 10-8 win over Felicity TAYLOR (USA) at 50kg. In a back-and-forth battle, Taylor grabbed an 8-7 lead with seven seconds to go with a takedown on the edge of the mat. On the ensuing restart, Turner scored two points off an ankle pick, and a lost challenge sealed the 10-8 victory.

The 55kg spot went to Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA) who won 6-0 over Alexandra HEDRICK (USA) while at 65kg, 2023 world bronze medalist Jennifer PAGE (USA) outlasted Emma BRUNTIL (USA), 4-2.

Alexis JANIAK (USA), a age-group world medalist, secured her Final X spot at 59kg as she edged out two-time age-group world medalist Amani JONES (USA), 4-1.

Each winner of the tournament is paired against the U.S. Open champion in a best-of-three series at Final X to determine the representative for the U.S. at the 2026 World Championships. Final X will take place on June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Three Final X matchups were already determined in women’s freestyle, 57kg, 68kg and 76kg.

In Freestyle, Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) made it to Final X after winning the World Team Trials Challenge tournament. Lee scored a 13-3 win over Anthony KNOX (USA) at 57kg. Lee’s victory sets up a rematch against three-time age-group world champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA), who beat Lee at the U.S. Open last month.

In the 61 kg final, U23 world champion Jaxen FORREST (USA) won against Benjamin DAVINO (USA), 11-1. Forrest previously beat Davino in the finals at the NCAA National Championships, 4-2, and Davino came back to beat Forrest in the U.S. Open semifinals, 8-4.

Paris 2024 Olympian Zain RETHERFORD (USA) made his return to the mat in style and won the 70kg tournament title. In low-scoring bouts, Retherford won his semifinal match on Thursday, 3-2, then edged Caleb HENSON (USA) in the final, 2-1.

At 125kg, after what was ruled a pin early on, Mason PARRIS (USA) rallied and claimed the victory. An early scramble ended with Isaac TRUMBLE (USA) initially being rewarded with a fall. However, after a challenge, the call was overturned after being called for a choke. After the challenge, the match was all tied at 2-2, and Parris bounced back to take a 14-6 lead. He held off a late rally from Trumble to secure the 14-12 victory.

David CARR (USA) won at 74 kg after he defeated Jayden JAMES (USA), holding off a late charge from James to secure the 9-7 decision and advance to Final X.

Final X Match-Ups

Women's Wrestling

50kg: Katie GOMEZ (USA) vs. Morgan TURNER (USA)
53kg: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) vs. Elena IVALDI (USA)
55kg: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) vs. Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA)
57kg: Helen MAROULIS (USA) vs. Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)
59kg: Abigail NETTE (USA) vs. Alexis JANIAK (USA)
62kg: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) vs. Macey KILTY (USA)
65kg: Kayla MIRACLE (USA) vs. Jennifer PAGE (USA)
68kg: Kennedy BALDES (USA) vs. Isabella MIR (USA)
72kg: Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) vs. Amit ELOR (USA)
76kg: Kylie WELKER (USA) vs. Dymond GUILFORD (USA)

Freestyle

57kg: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) vs. Spencer LEE (USA)
61kg: Marcus BLAZE (USA) vs. Jaxen FORREST (USA)
65kg: Real WOODS (USA) vs. Bowen BASSETT (USA)
70kg: Ridge LOVETT (USA) vs. Zain RETHERFORD (USA)
74kg: James GREEN (USA) vs. David CARR (USA)
79kg: Levi HAINES( USA) vs. Chance MARSTELLER (USA)
86kg: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) vs. Kyle DAKE (USA)
92kg: Trent HIDLAY (USA) vs. Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA)
97kg: Kyle SNYDER (USA) vs. Stephen BUCHANAN (USA)
125kg: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) vs. Mason PARRSI (USA)