TBILISI (September 13) – Iran advanced three wrestlers to the finals on Tuesday while Russia and host Georgia each put a pair into the gold medal matches as the Cadet Wrestling World Championships got under way with five Greco-Roman events.

Asia champion Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) led Iran’s charge into the finals at Tbilisi Sports Palace with a 5-4 quarterfinal win over European champion Abdulsamet BASAR (TUR). Mohktari needed a front headlock and turn in the final five seconds of the bout to secure the victory.

In the 58kg final, Mokhtari will face Valentin PETIC (MDA), a bronze medal winner at the European meet in 2014 but who been held off the medals podium in six events until today.

Joining Mokhtari in the Tuesday evening’s finals for Iran will be Yousef HOSSEINVAND (63kg) and Vahid DAKHAH (100kg). Hosseinvand held on for a 3-2 semifinal win over Ryoma ANRAKU (Japan) while Dakhah eased past Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN), 9-2, in the 100kg semifinal.

Meanwhile, Russia and Georgia each advanced a pair of wrestlers to the final – with European champion Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) and Anzor KARAGULOV (RUS), a bronze medal winner last year, meeting in the first final of the evening at 50kg.

Shotadze defeated 2015 world champion at 42kg Poya MARZ (IRI), 4-2, in the quarterfinals and edged European bronze medalist Zaur NURIEV (AZE), 3-0, in the semifinals. Karagulov, meanwile, pinned Kaito INABA (JPN) in the semifinals to stake his own claim on the gold medal.

Leri ABULADZE (GEO), the 2015 European champion at 54kg, tries for a world gold medal against last year’s world silver medalist at 46kg Kerim KAMAL (TUR).

Russia’s second finalist of the evening, European cadet runner-up at 63kg Sergey STEPANOV (RUS) who will meet Hosseinvand for the gold medal.

In the evening’s finale, Dakhah takes on European 100kg silver medalist Gerard KURNICZAK (POL) who upset European champion Sharip ALIKHANOV (RUS), 2-1, in the round of 16 and then pinned Asian runner-up Deepanshu DEEPANSHU (IND) in the semifinals.

Greco-Roman

50kg (16 entries)

Gold – Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) v Anzor KARAGULOV (RUS)
Bronze – Poya MARZ (IRI) v Zaur NURIYEV (AZE)
Bronze – Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) v Kaito INABA (JPN)

Semifinal – Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) df. Zaur NURIYEV (AZE), 3-0
Semifinal – Anzor KARAGULOV (RUS) df. Kaito INABA (JPN) by Fall, 2:44 (8-0)

54kg (20 entries)

Gold – Kerim KAMAL (TUR) v Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Bronze – Sachin RANA (IND) v Anar MASUROV (RUS)
Bronze – Zholaman SHARSHENBEKO (KGZ) v Elnur MUSAYEV (AZE)

Semifinal – Kerim KAMAL (TUR) df. Anar MASUROV (RUS), 5-3
Semifinal – Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df. Elnur MUSAYEV (AZE) by TF, 8-0, 0:35

58kg (25 entries)

Gold – Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) v Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Bronze – Erbol BAKIROV (KGZ) v Jack DAVIS (USA)
Bronze – Hassan Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY) v Abdulvakhab ASAINOV (RUS)

Semifinal – Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) df. Jack DAVIS (USA) by TF, 10-2, 1:08
Semifinal – Valentin PETIC (MDA) df. Abdulvakhab ASAINOV (RUS) by TF, 9-1, 2:29

63kg (23 entries)

Gold – Sergei STEPANOV (RUS) v Yousef HOSSEINVAND (IRI)
Bronze – Ismail GUN (TUR) v Anatolie POPOV (MDA)
Bronze – Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) v Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN)

Semifinal – Sergey STEPANOV (RUS) df. Anatolie POPOV (MDA) by Fall, 1:58 (5-2)
Semifinal – Yousef HOSSEINVAND (IRI) df. Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN), 3-2

100kg (21 entries)

Gold – Vahid DAKHAH (IRI) v Gerard KURNICZAK (POL)
Bronze – Davut OLCAN (TUR) v Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN)
Bronze – Sharap ALIKHANOV (RUS) v Deepanshu DEEPANSHU (IND)

Semifinal – Vahid DAKHAH (IRI) df. Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN), 9-2
Semifinal – Gerard KURNICZAK (POL) df. Deepanshu DEEPANSHU (IND) by Fall, 3:52 (5-3)