#Trnava2018

India Inserts Trio into #Trnava2018 Greco-Roman Semifinals

By Eric Olanowski

TRNAVA, Slovakia (September 17) – The biggest surprise of the opening round at the #Trnava2018 2018 Junior World Championships was India inserting three wrestlers into tonight’s Greco-Roman semifinals. 

Led by last year’s Tampere bronze medalist Sajan SAJAN (IND), along with Vijay VIJAY (IND) and Sagar SAGAR (IND), India wrap up the first session that saw seven wins and only two defeats. 

Sajan, one of four returning 74kg Junior World medalists, will compete against Dmytro GARDUBEI (UKR) in the 77kg semifinals. The winner of that bout will have the opportunity to wrestle against the winner of reigning world champion Kamal BEY (USA) and Russia’s Islam OPIEV for the gold medal. 


Kamal BEY (USA), reigning World champion looks for a life in the opening round of the 2018 Junior World Championships. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

Bey, arguably the most electrifying Junior wrestler in the world, made the semifinals with an opening round technical superiority victory that was followed by two falls. 

Opiev, one of three Russians to make the semifinals stunned the Trnava crowd, upsetting reigning World runner-up Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ), 1-1 in the 77kg quarterfinals. Opiev’s win stopped the potential 74kg rematch of last year’s Tampere World Championships between Bey and Makhmudov, a match that United World Wrestling voted as the No. 2 Greco-Roman match of the year. 

Iran became the third nation to insert three wrestlers into semifinals with quarterfinal wins from Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) (55kg), Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) (130kg), and Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) (87kg). 

Semifinal action will resume tonight at 18:00. 

SEMIFINALS 
55kg
Nurtazin KERIMBERDI UULU (KGZ) vs. Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) 
Vijay VIJAY (IND) vs. Tigran MINASYAN (ARM)

63kg
Azamat KAIROV (RUS) vs. Erbol BAKIROV (KGZ) 
Sagar SAGAR (IND) vs. Hassan Hassan MOHAMED (EGY)

77kg
Kamal Ameer BEY (USA) vs. Islam OPIEV (RUS) 
Dmytro GARDUBEI (UKR) vs. Sajan SAJAN (IND)

87kg 
Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) vs. Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) 
Nazarshah FATULLAYEV (AZE) vs. Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)

130kg 
Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA) vs. David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Beka MAKARIDZE (GEO) vs. Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)

#WrestleZagreb

Lalovic presents UWW Order of Merit to Croatian Prime Minister

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (April 20) -- United World Wrestling (UWW) President Nenad LALOVIC presented the UWW Order of Merit to Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, on Thursday.

The ceremony was held in Zagreb, Croatia, and Vladimir Bregovic, Croatian Wrestling Federation President, was also present for the same.

The Order of Merit was presented in recognition of the successful organization of the European Championships, which is being held in Zagreb, Croatia. The tournament runs from April 17 to 24 in the Croatian capital.

"I am very pleased to present the UWW Order of Merit to Prime Minister Plenkovic and to witness the success of the 2023 European Championships organization," Lalovic said. 

Lalovic also praised the efforts of the Local Organizing Committee, Croatian Wrestling Federation and the Croatian government in ensuring the event is well-organized and a success.

In addition, they discussed the possibility of hosting other high-level wrestling competitions in Croatia in the future. Lalovic expressed his confidence in Croatia's ability to host world-class events and praised the country's rich sporting culture and tradition.