Junior Asian Championships

Iran Adds 4 Golds at Junior Asian C'ships to Cap Off Dominant Greco Performance

Wednesday, July 10, 2019 - 14:31 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

CHON BURI, Thailand (July 10) - Iran capped off a dominant performance in Greco-Roman at the Junior Asian Championships on Wednesday by claiming four more gold medals, bringing their total gold-medal haul in Greco-Roman to seven over two days. 

Iran finished the Greco-Roman competition with 218 points, which was enough to win the team title by 72 points over runner-up Kazakhstan. India finished third in the team standings, one point behind Kazakhstan. 

Bahram MAROUFKHANI IMCHEH (67kg), Mohammadreza ROSTAMI (72kg), Hosein FOROUZANDEH GHOJEHBEIGLOU (82kg) and Hamed ABDOVALI (97kg) won gold medals for Iran on the final day of the Greco-Roman competition in Chon Buri, Thailand.

Maroufkhani Imcheh, a Takhti Cup silver medalist, earned his second straight gold at the Junior Asian Championships by shutting out Nurzhigit KENESHBEK UULU (KGZ) 6-0 in the finals at 67kg. The Iranian went up 4-0 in the first 35 seconds of the match after a takedown and throw. He would add another takedown 10 seconds into the final period. 

Rostami, a multiple-time medalist at the Cadet Asian Championships, lit up the scoreboard in his finals match against Alijon KHUSEYNOV (UZB), scoring 12 first-period points on his way to a 13-5 technical superiority to earn gold at 72kg. After going up 6-0 on the strength of a takedown and two gut wrenches, Rostami nearly ended the match early with another gut wrench, but Khuseynov defended, reversed the action and then scored with a gut wrench of his own, which made the score 8-5 in favor of the Iranian. Rostami controlled the action the rest of the way, scoring five straight step-out points to earn the technical superiority in the second period. 

Forouzandeh Ghojehbeiglou, like Maroufkhani Imcheh, won his second consecutive gold medal at the Junior Asian Championships. He was dominant in the 82kg finals, picking up a 10-0 technical superiority over Tesshin HIGUCHI (JPN). Forouzandeh Ghojehbeiglou scored first with a step out before using a four-point throw to build his lead to 6-0. He closed out the victory with a four-point, feet-to-back takedown late in the first period. 

Abdovali topped Jeongyul KWON (KOR) 4-2 to win the gold medal at 97kg. The Iranian scored with a gut wrench in the first period and added a takedown early in the second period. Kwon scored two points late in the match, but Abdovali held on for the win. 

At 60kg, Mukhammadkodir YUSUPOV (UZB) captured the gold medal with a 3-2 victory over Sachin RANA (IND). Yusupov scored all three of his points in the opening period. After going down 1-0, he picked up a reversal and then scored with a gut wrench. Rana scored a late step out, but it was too little, too late. 

The women's wrestling competition at the Junior Asian Championships begins on Thursday. Action is set to begin at 10 a.m. local time.

RESULTS

Final Greco-Roman Team Scores 
GOLD - Iran (218 points)
SILVER - Kazakhstan (146 points)
BRONZE - India (145 points)
Fourth - Uzbekistan (137 points)
Fifth - Japan (101 points)

60kg
GOLD - Mukhammadkodir YUSUPOV (UZB) df. Sachin RANA (IND), 3-2
BRONZE - Olzhas SULTAN (KAZ) df. Alamusi ALAMUSI (CHN), 11-0
BRONZE - Milad Ali REZANEZHAD (IRI) df. Yun Bin SHIN (KOR), 11-2

67kg
GOLD - Bahram MAROUFKHANI IMCHEH (IRI) df. Nurzhigit KENESHBEK UULU (KGZ), 6-0
BRONZE - Saurabh SAURABH (IND) df. Guotao ZHANG (CHN), 2-1
BRONZE - Umidjon AKHROROV (UZB) df. Minseong PARK (KOR), 8-0

72kg
GOLD - Mohammadreza ROSTAMI (IRI) df. Alijon KHUSEYNOV (UZB), 13-5
BRONZE - Rahul RAHUL (IND) df. Xin HUANG (CHN), 7-7
BRONZE - Daler REZA ZADE (TJK) df. Almazbek BEGALIEV (KGZ), 5-0

82kg
GOLD - Hosein FOROUZANDEH GHOJEHBEIGLOU (IRI) df. Tesshin HIGUCHI (JPN), 10-0
BRONZE - Eli MAGOMADOV (KAZ) df. Sanjeet SANJEET (IND), 8-0
BRONZE - Toyly ORAZOV (TKM) df. Danuson ARRICHUAI (THA), 8-0

97kg
GOLD - Hamed ABDOVALI (IRI) df. Jeongyul KWON (KOR), 4-2
BRONZE - Deepanshu DEEPANSHU (IND) df. Houzhi HAO (CHN), 5-4
BRONZE - Aday KURMANSEITOV (KAZ) df. Daniiar SHERIMBEKOV (KGZ), 3-0
 

#USAWrestling

Paris Olympic Champ Elor Makes Winning Return After Child Birth

Saturday, May 16, 2026 - 11:49 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

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)