#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)

#development

Buenos Aires hosts 2022 More Than Medals camp

By United World Wrestling Press

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (July 8) -- Aligned with the UWW strategy that focuses on youth development, 2022 More Than Medals Buenos Aires U20 was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from June 27 to July 3.

For seven days, 50 wrestlers and coaches from 10 countries took part in the camp, allowing young athletes to exchange experiences and create good memories.

Three gold medalists, seven silver medalists, and eleven bronze medalists from the U17 Pan-American Championships participate in this camp.

An anti-doping seminar was also conducted by Silvina Valoppi from the national anti-doping agency. The seminar was centered on general anti-doping rules, the rights & responsibilities of athletes & coaches (rules for minors and adults), testing procedures, clean sports values, and ethics.

The training sessions were dictated by each national coach, giving a chance to wrestlers to experience other countries' training styles and learn new ways.

ARGMore Than Medals participants share a laugh during a training session at the camp in Argentina. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) and Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) joined the camp as ambassadors and shared their techniques and experience with the youngsters and encouraged them to pursue their dreams in wrestling.

A fun activity day was organized with the support of the Argentina Wrestling Federation with sightseeing in the traditional Buenos Aires neighborhood Caminito, in La Boca, and also the traditional emblem of the city El Obelisco.

This camp once again marked the success of the continued More than Medals program that United World Wrestling has been offering to young athletes since 2017.