#Yariguin2019

Host Russia Wrestles Eight into Day One Finals of Ivan Yariguin

By Eric Olanowski

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 24) - The Russian Federation dominated the opening day of the “Toughest Tournament in the World,” Ivan Yariguin, and qualified eight wrestlers for the finals at each of the opening day’s three freestyle and four women’s wrestling weight categories. 

The reason the Yariguin is often referred to as the “Toughest Tournament in the World” is that the road to the finals often travels through a world medalist or sees several Russian-on-Russian showdowns. 

That was the case for two-time world champion Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS), who will square off against Mongolia’s two-time world bronze medalist and Rio Olympian GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) for the 70kg gold medal. 

To make it to Ganzorig, Gazimagomedov shutout a young but hard-nosed 2018 world runner-up Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS), 6-0, in his opening round match. He then breezed past America’s Jason CHAMBERLAIN (USA), 10-0, before running into the buzzsaw that is U23 world runner-up David BAEV (RUS). 

Baev, the Alans champion, fought the reigning world champion for everything that he had and nearly picked up the upset victory, but Gazimagomedov squeaked out the 2-2 criteria win. 

It wasn’t easy, though. Baev scored an inactivity point in the opening period and controlled the narrow 1-0 lead heading into the final 3 minutes. Gazimagomedov struck first in the closing period and gained the 2-1 advantage. With under a minute to go, Gazimagomedov knew that he could not give up a takedown, but could risk giving up a step out and still win on criteria, which he did and put himself into the finals for a second straight year. 

Though he does have two world titles, Gazimagomedov has yet to win a Yariguin title.


Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) defeated two world medals on the opening day of the Yariguin to make the 57kg finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

At 57kg, Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) stunned back-to-back world medalists on his way to the finals.

In the quarterfinals, Magomedov commanded a 12-6 lead over 2017 Thomas GILMAN (USA) before planting him on his back for the fall.

It was in the second period when Gilman scored a takedown to cut Magomedov’s lead to 10-6. The American tried to score an another two with a gut wrench, but the Russian stopped him in his tracks and scored the fall with under 30 seconds left in the final period. 

Magomedov then upset two-time world bronze medalist ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL), 3-3, to reach the Yariguin finals for the first time in his career. 

Erdenbat, a 2016 Olympian, ended the first period with a step out and a takedown and led 3-0 heading into the second period. 

The final period is when Magomedov jump-started his motor and increased his attack rate. Mogomedov cut the lead to 3-1 with a step out and later scored the match-winning takedown with under a minute left to win the match on criteria, 3-3. 

He’ll wrestle fellow Russian Muslim SADULAEV (RUS) in tomorrow night’s finals. 


Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) will wrestle one of two non-Russian freestyle finalists, Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU), for the 65kg gold medal. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

At 61kg, U23 world champion Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) bounced back to his winning ways and made the Yariguin finals after a disappointing fifth-place finish at December’s Alans. 

Idrisov, the reigning Russian National champion at this weight, was one match away from representing Russia at the world but fell to eventual world runner-up Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) in a special wrestle-off at the Poland Open. 

Idrisov’s picked up a 5-2 quarterfinals win over Ramazan FERZALIEV (RUS) and an 8-2 thrashing over Mongolia’s GANSUKH Otgonbaatar (MGL) to set up a finals meeting with Romania’s Nikolai OKHLOPKOV, who is one of only two non-Russian freestyle wrestlers to make the day two finals. 

A quick side-note regarding Idrisov, he’s the older brother of 2018 junior world champion Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS). 

 
Japan will meet Russia for each of the four gold medals on the second day of competition at the Ivan Yariguin. (Photo: Sachko Hotaka) 

In women’s wrestling, Japan and Russia will go toe-to-toe for all four of the day two gold medals. 

There were traditional brackets at 50kg and 65kg, and round-robin brackets at 55kg and 59kg. 

In the first traditional bracket at 50kg, after her seventh Yariguin appearance, Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS) finally broke down the barrier and made it to her first Yariguin finals. The two-time Yariguin bronze medalist will take on Japan’s four-time age-level world champion Kika KAGATA (JPN) in the 50kg gold-medal bout. 

Tomorrow’s finals are Kagata’s fifth straight finals appearance at a senior-level competition, but she’s looking to reach the top of the podium for the first time since winning the 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial. She has very few blemishes on her record, but most of them come within the past year after dropping the finals of the Beat the Streets, World University Championships, and the Japan Championship. 

The finals of the second tradition bracket, 65kg, will feature Yariguin rookies, Misuzu ENOMOTO (JPN) and Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS). 

In the round-robin bracket finals, Nao TANIYAMA (JPN) and Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS), who both went undefeated, will fight for the 55kg gold medal, and undefeated wrestlers Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) and Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) will meet in the 59kg gold-medal bout. 

Freestyle 

57kg 
GOLD - Muslim SADULAEV (RUS) vs. Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
BRONZE - Wanhao ZOU (CHN) vs. Lkhangarmaa NARMANDAKH (MGL)
 BRONZE - Winner 101 vs. Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL)

61kg 
GOLD - Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) vs. Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
BRONZE - Ramazan FERZALIEV (RUS) vs. Otgonbaatar GANSUKH (MGL)
BRONZE - Winner 84 vs. Eduard GRIGORIEV (RUS)

70kg 
GOLD - Mandakhnaran GANZORIG (MGL) vs. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
BRONZE -  Byambadorj ENKHBAYAR (MGL) vs. Askhat SLYAMKHANOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Winner 68 vs. David BAEV (RUS)


Women’s Wrestling 

50kg 
GOLD - Kika KAGATA (JPN) vs. Anzhelika VETOSHKINA (RUS) 
BRONZE - Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB) vs. Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL)
BRONZE - Elena VOSTRIKOVA (RUS) vs. Victoria Lacey ANTHONY (USA)

55kg
GOLD - Nao TANIYAMA (JPN) vs. Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS)
BRONZE - Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) vs. Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS)

59kg 
GOLD - Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) vs. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS)
BRONZE - Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL) vs. SADRADDINOVA Zelfira (RUS)

65kg
GOLD - Misuzu ENOMOTO (JPN) vs. Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS)
BRONZE - SALIKHOVA Dinara (RUS) vs. Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL)
BRONZE - Yulia PRONTSEVITCH (RUS) vs. Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships 2025 Day 5 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 20) -- The U20 World Championships will continue with Women's Wrestling in 50kg, 53kg and 72kg. Greco-Roman will begin with 60kg and 82kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

The semifinals will begin at 16:45 hours local time

14:00: SHRUTI (IND) with another tough defense in the final 20 seconds to claim a 4-0 win over Anna YATSKEVYCH (POL) and reach the semifinals at 50kg. She will face Audrey JIMINEZ (USA).

13:50: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) with a reverse throw for four from par terre for a 5-0 lead against Martin SHISHEKOV (BUL) in the 82kg quarterfinal. Yoshida finishes the bout with a 6-0 win.

13:45: Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) with a takedown masterclass as she beats Na HU (CHN) 10-0 to enter the semifinals at 50kg. She will take on Diana RYSOVA (UKR) for a place in the gold-medal bout. 

13:40: European U20 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) gives nothing away and has an easy 8-2 win over Omer ALTAS (TUR) as Javadov enters the 60kg semifinals. He will take on Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO).

13:36: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW), 2024 world U17 champion, with his serious gut-wrench hands Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) an easy defeat and enters the 82kg semifinals.

13:31: 2024 world U17 bronze medalist Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) with two four-pointers in his 11-2 victory over Maksut SULTANOV (UKR) at 60kg. He will face SURAJ (IND) in the semifinals.

13:30: Former world U17 champion and Asian U20 champion SURAJ (IND) with a 3-1 victory over returning bronze medalist Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) at 60kg. Suraj with a correct throw for two points from par terre to win the bout.

13:28: Returning silver medalist at 72kg Yuqi LIU (CHN) gets a 10-0 victory over Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) and reach the semifinals in which she will face Haticenur SARI (TUR)

13:27: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) with a fall over Songul KAVAK (TUR) in 22 seconds to reach the 50kg semifinals. Ogawa is looking to add a U20 world title to her 2023 world U17 gold.

13:24: Asian U20 champion Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) gets the par terre advantage in the first period and turns PRINCE (IND) three times from par terre to win 8-0 and advance to the 82kg semifinals

13:20: Martik PETROSYAN (ARM) gets a huge headlock throw for four points in the second period to beat Seyed AZARSHAB (IRI) 7-3 and enter the semifinal at 82kg. Second loss for Iran in Greco-Roman 

13:13: KAJAL (IND) earns herself a place in the 72kg semifinals against defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) after a 7-0 victory over Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ).

13:05: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) gets a stepout with 30 seconds left on the clock to beat Kubanych ARINOV (KGZ) 4-4 on criteria at 60kg. Lolua was down 4-3 with more than one minute left in the match but managed to score the match-winning stepout.

13:02: 2023 world U17 champion Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) has little trouble in seeing off  Kseniya KOSTSENICH (UWW), the European U20 champion at 50kg. Just a takedown masterclass to win 10-2

12:58: A 16-second 10-0 technical superiority win for Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) over Adriana DANISEVICIUTE (LTU) at 50kg. Jiminez is a multiple time age-group world medalist but is still searching for the gold medal.

12:56: A second fall in three bouts for defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) as she jumps over Veronika VILK (CRO) and keeps her back on the mat to secure the fall and enter the 72kg semifinals.

12:55: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) and Josephine WRENSCH (GER) had to wait three hours since the start of the action today. Ogawa had built a 9-0 lead before securing the fall over Wrensch and win at 50kg

12:50: Rematch of European U20 Championships final at 53kg as gold medalist Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) clashes with Ilona VALCHUK (POL). Valchuk is the first to strike with a takedown on the edge for two points. But Polska scores a takedown and turn for 4-2 lead. Valchuk cautioned and bout restarts in par terre and Polska turns her two more times for a 9-2 lead. Just before the break, a takedown and another turn for 13-2 victory for Polska. 

12:35: Na HU (CHN) with a huge under-over arm throw to plant Sviatlana KATENKA (UWW) and gets the fall to enter 50kg quarterfinal.

12:22: At 60kg, European U20 champion and 2024 U17 world champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Kacper SOBCZYK (POL). He used the gut-wrench to turn him

12:20: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) with an 9-0 technical superiority win over Omer ILDES (TUR) at 82kg. He controls Ildes and plants him on the mat for four outside the zone. He scores a takedown and turn to win 8-0. Turkiye challenge only to lose one more point.

12:17: European U20 champion Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) with a technical superiority win over Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) at 82kg. Shkarin looked in complete control.

12:15: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), a senior European bronze medalist at 55kg, gets three turns from par terre and he downs Danila CHARAPENKA (UWW) 8-0, at 60kg in Samokov.

12:12: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW), a returning bronze medalist at 60kg, hands Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) a 8-5 defeat. Cortez was a silver medalist at 55kg last year but cannot match Dzhavadian in this bout

12:05: Omer ALTAS (TUR) with a takedown in the final minute after being down 2-1 to beat Amin ABDEVALI (IRI) at 60kg. First loss for Iran in Greco-Roman.

11:55: Pedro DE SOUZA (BRA) fails to hold on to his 6-1 lead in the second period against SURAJ (IND) and drops his 60kg Greco-Roman 1/8 bout 8-6. Suraj did not get any par terre but scored a takedown and got four when De Souza tried to throw him.

11:50: At 50kg, European U20 champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) pins Liliana KAPUVARI (HUN) and advances to the quarterfinals in which she will face Ilona VALCHUK (POL)

11:45: SAARIKA (IND), Asian U20 champion, works to an controlled 10-0 win against European U20 bronze medalist Sevval CAYIR (TUR) at 53kg and enter the quarterfinals.

11:40: A 15-4 victory for KAJAL (IND) after she survives a big four-point throw from Emili APOSTOLOVA (BUL) at 72kg. Kajal managed to compose herself and worked for a technical superiority win. Kajal is a former world U17 champion and won silver medal at 73kg at this year's World U17 Championships.

11:35: Veronika VILK (CRO), the country's first-ever world champion in Women's Wrestling at any level, starts with a fall over Meiramgul MAKSOT (KAZ) at 72kg.

11:25: Yuqi LIU (CHN), the returning silver medalist at 72kg, begins her campaign with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE). Leg lace for the win.

11:20: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) with a 34-second fall over Ai SAKAI (JPN) at 72kg as she moves into the quarterfinals. Sakai with a double-leg but Robinson with a lat drop and fall. Robinson is looking even more dominant than last year.

11:00: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) starts his run for a U20 world title with a victory over Szabolcs SZINAY (HUN). Yoshida is a former U17 world champion and senior Asian champion but finished with a bronze at the World U20 Championships last year. Yoshida and Szinay scored stepouts but the Japanese scored a takedown and side suplex for four points. Hungary challenge for a foul but there is non. A stepout in the second period and Yoshida wins 9-1.

10:45: Amin ABDEVALI (IRI) with a takedown and six three turns to win 8-0 against Dragos DRAGA (ROU) at 82kg.

10:35: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) gets both par terre advantages in his opening bout against Takuma NAKASHIMA (JPN) at 60kg and scores from both to win 5-0.

10:30: Returning silver medalist Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) with a big headlock and four against Kristin PETROV (BUL) to secure the fall at 60kg.

10:20: Defending champion at 72kg Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) wastes no time in finishing her opening bout against Elvira ERSSON (SWE) with a lace and a double-leg for four. She is the favorite to win gold again

10:15: In the first bout at Greco-Roman 60kg, Asian U20 champion and former world U17 champion SURAJ (IND) rallies in the second period to score six turns after a takedown to beat Salamat MURATULY (KAZ)