#GRWorldClubsCup

Iran and Russia in Final of GR World Clubs Cup, Kayaalp Beats Semenov

By Ali Feizasa

ARDABIL, Iran (December 23) -- Iranian and Russian teams advance to the final match of 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup in Ardabil, Iran’s Hossein Rezazadeh Sports Hall.

The nine teams were split into two groups. In group A, Iranian team Bimeh Razi Ardabil finished 3-0 to qualify for the final match. The most important match of group A was between Bimeh Razi Ardabil and Turkey, which Iranian side won, 8-2.

The first win for the Iranian side came with 2018 World Champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)  from Azerbaijan who defeated Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) by technical fall, 8-0.

After four wins by Bimeh Razi team, Ahmet YILMAZ gave Turkey their first win by defeating Boroumand ASLAN (Bimeh) in 72kg.

In 77kg, Pejman PASHTAM had great performance as he beat U23 gold and bronze medal winner Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 6-3.

Former world champion and 2016 Olympics bronze medal winner Saeid Abdevali secured the victory of his side. Abdevali downed 2017 U23 world champion Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), 5-0.

Although the 130kg bout was not important for team results, it was a match between two titled wrestlers. nine-time Olympic and world medalist Riza Kayaalp (TUR) met 2018 world champion Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) which was in Bimeh Razi line up. Kayaalp which failed to win a medal in 2018 World Championships, succeed to earn a narrow 3-3 victory over world champion Semenov.

Despite the heavyweight result, Bimeh Razi Ardabil downed Turkey team 8-2, advancing to the final match with three consecutive victories.

In group B, Russia's team came strong by defeating another Iranian team, Sina Sanat Izeh  

Lead by former world silver medalist Evgeni Saleev, Russian team won the match 6-4.

The Iranian side started with two wins but Russia came from behind with three victories from Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (63kg), Maksim SURKOV(67kg) and Denis MURTAZIN (72kg).

Keyvan REZAEI (77kg) tied the team score, 3-3 by defeating Dmitrii PETAIKIN, 9-2 but three victories in a row by Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (82kg), Evgeny SALEEV (87kg)and Murat LOKYAEV (97kg), made the Russian team the winner of the match, 6-4 and advanced to the final match.

 

Second day program:
Final match:Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) VS Russia
Third place match:Turkey VS Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI)
Fifth place match:Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI) VS Georgia
Seventh place match:Ukraine VS Serbia

Group Standings

Group A: 1- Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) 2-Turkey 3- Shohadaye Modafe Haram(IRI) 4- Serbia
Group B: 1- Russia 2- Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) 3- Georgia 4- Ukraine 5- Kyrgyzstan

Group stage results of 2018 Greco-Roman World Clubs Cup:

Round 1

Group A

Turkey df. Serbia, 9-1
55kg-Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) df. Kristijan GAZDAG (SRB), 8-1
60kg- Hammet RUSTEM (TUR) – No wrestler
63kg- Abdurahman ALTAN (TUR) df. Tamas NAD (SRB), 6-1
67kg- Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Atakan YUKSEL (TUR), 2-1
72kg- Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 3-3
77kg- Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) df. Viktor NEMES (SRB), 4-3
82kg- Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Oliver TOT (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0
87kg- Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Nikolai DOBEREV (SRB), 7-5
97kg- Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0 
130kg- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0

Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) df. Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI), 9-1
55kg- Eldaniz AZIZLI (Bimeh) df. Mosayeb AKBARI (Shohadaye Modafe) by Tech Fall, 10-0
60kg- Mohammad NOURBAKHSH (Bimeh) df. Alireza NEJATI (Shohadaye Modafe), 7-2
63kg- Meysam DELKHANI (Bimeh) df. Shirza BEHESHTI TALA (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
67kg- Hossein ASADI (Bimeh) df. Mohammad Saeid AZIZI (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
72kg- Erfan SAADATIFAR (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Azim GARMSIRI (Bimeh), 9-4
77kg- Pejman PASHTAM (Bimeh) df. Mohammad SORKHENEJAD (Shohadaye Modafe), 4-4
82kg- Mahdi EBRAHIMI (Bimeh) df. Mehdi MOHAMMADZADEH (Shohadaye Modafe), 4-4
87kg- Ramin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Iman ANSARI (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
97kg- Aliakbar HEYDARI (Bimeh) df. Mohammad BEYRANVAND (Shohadaye Modafe), 3-2
130kg- Amir GHASEMI MONJAZI (Bimeh) df. Mohsen FATAHI (Shohadaye Modafe), 4-0

Group B

Georgia df. Ukraine, 7-3
55kg- Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR), 6-3
60kg- Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) df. Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) df. Hevorh ARZUMANIAN (UKR), 7-6
67kg- Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR), 7-2
72kg- Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Saaino DAVITAIA (GEO) by Tech Fall, 11-2 
77kg-Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0
82kg- Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df. Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR), 8-3
87kg- Serhii OMELIN (UKR) df. Lasha DEVIDZE (GEO), 8-4
97kg-Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) df. Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR), 4-1
130kg- Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO) df. Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) by FALL

Russia df. Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI), 6-4
55kg- Pouya NASSERPOUR (Izeh) df. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS), 5-2
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS), 4-4
63kg- Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) df. Shahin BODAGHI (Izeh), 6-1 
67kg- Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (Izeh), 5-5
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Ramaz Zoidze (Izeh), 7-4
77kg- Keyvan REZAEI (Izeh) df. Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS), 9-2
82kg- Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS) df. Mehdi HODAEI (Izeh), 6-2
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Saman AZIZI (Izeh) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Murat LOKYAEV (RUS) df. Edris EBRAHIMI by FALL
130kg- Behnam MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS), 2-0

Round 2

Group A

Turkey df. Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI), 7-3
55kg-Mehdi GHORBANI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Muslim ALINLI (TUR), 11-8
60kg- Alireza NEJATI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Ahmet UYAR (TUR) by Tech Fall, 11-0
63kg- Shirzad BEHESHTI TALA (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Altan ABDURAHMAN (TUR) by Tech Fall, 11-2
67kg- Atakan YUKSEL (TUR) df. Bahram MAROOFKHANI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-6
72kg- Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Milad NEDAYI (Shohadaye Modafe) by Tech Fall, 10-0
77kg- Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR) df. Ali NOROUZI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-0
82kg- Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Hadi ALIZADE POURNIA (Shohadaye Modafe), 7-3
87kg- Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Reza MOHAMMAD ALIPOUR (Shohadaye Modafe), 2-1
97kg- Fatih BASHKOY (TUR) df. Mohammad BEYRANVAND (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-1
130kg- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Parsa NAZARI (Shohadaye Modafe), 6-0

Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) df. Serbia, 8-2
55kg- Kristijan GAZDAG (SRB) df. MoslemNADERI KHADEM (Bimeh), 5-1
60kg- Mohammad NOURBAKHSH (Bimeh) – No wrestler
63kg- Saman ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Tamas NAD (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0
67kg-Mohammad ELYASI (Bimeh) df. Mate NEMES (SRB), 7-2
72kg- Boroumand ASLAN (Bimeh) df. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 4-3
77kg- Viktor NEMES (SRB)df. Rasoul GARMSITI (Bimeh), 5-0
82kg- Saeid ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Oliver TOT (SRB) by FALL
87kg- Mehdi FALLAH (Bimeh) df. Nikolai DOBEREV (SRB) by FALL
97kg- Mehdi ALIYARI (Bimeh) df. Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0 
130kg- Amir GHASEMI MONJAZI (Bimeh) df. Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB), 6-0

Group B

Russia df. Georgia, 7-3
55kg- Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO)by Tech Fall, 9-0
60kg- Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) df.  Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS), 6-3
63kg- Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) df. Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO), 7-1
67kg- Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Maksim SURKOV (RUS), 7-2 
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Tornike JANGAVADZE (GEO), 8-4
77kg- Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) by Tech Fall, 12-3
82kg- Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df.  Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS) by Tech Fall, 12-2 
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0 
97kg- Murat LOKYAEV (RUS)df. Irakli KAJAIA (GEO), 1-1
130kg- Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS) df. Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO), 7-3

Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Kyrgyzstan, 8-2
55kg-Reza KHEDRI (Izeh) df. Abdykarim KUTTUBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Ermek KANYBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
63kg- Mohammad Javad REZAEI (Izeh) df. Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
67kg- Manas USONOV (KGZ) df. MMajid KHALILI (Izeh) by Tech Fall, 9-0
72kg- Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ) df. Mohammad Amin AHMADPOUR (Izeh), 4-3
77kg- Keyvan REZAEI (Izeh) df. Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ) by FALL
82kg- Abbas MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
87kg- Saman AZIZI (Izeh) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) byTech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Mohammad YEGANEH (Izeh) df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-1
130kg- Masoud NEMAT CHEKANI (Izeh) df. Murad OMAROV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0

Round 3

Group A

Shohadaye Modafe Haram (IRI) df. Serbia, 7-3
55kg- Mehdi GHORBANI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Kristijan GAZDAG (SRB) , 5-2
60kg-Alireza NEJATI (Shohadaye Modafe) – No wrestler
63kg- Shirzad BEHESHTI TALA (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Tamas NAD (SRB) by Tech Fall, 8-0
67kg- Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Mohsen TAHERI (Shohadaye Modafe) by FALL
72kg- Erfan SAADATIFAR (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Aleksander MAKSIMOVIC (SRB) by FALL
77kg- Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Ali NOROUZI (Shohadaye Modafe), 2-0
82kg- Hadi ALIZEDH POURNIA (Shohadaye Modafe) – No wrestler
87kg- Reza Mohammad ALIPOUR (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Oliver TOT (SRB) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg- Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) df. Mohammad BEYRANVAND (Shohadaye Modafe), 2-1 
130kg- Parsa NAZARI (Shohadaye Modafe) df. Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB), 11-4

Bimeh Razi Ardabil (IRI) df. Turkey, 8-2
55kg-Eldaniz AZIZLI (Bimeh) df. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
60kg- Mehrdad MARDANI (Bimeh) df. Hammet RUSTEM (TUR), 6-2
63kg- Saman ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Altan ABDURAHMAN (TUR), 3-1
67kg- Mohammad ELYASI (Bimeh) df. Atakan YUKSEL (TUR), 3-1
72kg- Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) df. Boroumand ASLAN (Bimeh), 7-4
77kg- Pejman PASHTAM (Bimeh) df. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 6-3
82kg- Saedi ABDEVALI (Bimeh) df. Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), 5-0
87kg- Ramin TAHERI (Bimeh) df. Metehan BASAR (TUR), 5-0
97kg- Mehdi ALIYARI (Bimeh) df. Cenk ILDEM (TUR), 3-1
130kg- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Sergey SEMENOV (Bimeh), 3-3

Group B

Russia df. Kyrgyzstan, 9-1
55kg- Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Abdykarim KUTTUBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0
60kg- Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS) df. Ermek KANYBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ) df. Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) by Tech Fall, 8-0
67kg- Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Manas USONOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0 
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ), 3-0
77kg- Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS) df. Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ), 6-1
82kg- Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-0
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) by FALL
97kg- Murat LOKYAEV (RUS)df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
130kg- Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS) df. Murad OMAROV (KGZ) by FALL

Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Ukraine, 6-4
55kg- Pouya NASERPOUR (Izeh) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Mohammad Javad REZAEI (Izeh) df. Hevorh ARZUMANIAN (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
67kg- Majid KAHLILI (Izeh) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
72kg- Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Mohammad Amin AHMADPOUR (Izeh), by FALL 
77kg-Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR) df. Asghar Aali MOHAMMADI (Izeh) by Tech Fall, 8-0
82kg- Abbas MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR) , 4-0
87kg- Serhii OMELIN (UKR) df. Saman AZIZI (Izeh), 3-1
97kg- Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR) df. Mohammad YEGANEH (Izeh), 3-3
130kg- Masoud NEMAT CHEKANI df. Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) by Tech Fall, 9-0

Round 4

Group B

Ukraine df. Kyrgyzstan, 9-1
55kg- Abdykarim KUTTUBEK (KGZ) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR), 7-6
60kg- Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR) df. Ermek KANYBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
63kg- Hevorh ARZUMANIAN (UKR) df. Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ), 5-3
67kg-Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR) df. Manas USONOV (KGZ), 11-10
72kg- Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 11-2
77kg-Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR) df. Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 10-1
82kg- Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by FALL
87kg- Serhii OMELIN (UKR) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ)
97kg- Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR) df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 8-0
130kg- Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) df. Murad OMAROV (KGZ) by FALL

Sina Sanat Izeh (IRI) df. Georgia, 8-2
55kg- VReza KHEDRI (Izeh) df. Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO), 5-4
60kg- Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (Izeh) df. Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0
63kg- Mohammad Javad REZAEI (Izeh) df. Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 9-0
67kg- Shmagi BOLKVADZE (Izeh) df. Otar ABULADZE (GEO), 4-0 
72kg-Ramaz ZOIDZE (Izeh) df. Tornike JANGAVADZE (GEO), 6-1
77kg- Keyvan REZAEI (Izeh) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO), 5-0
82kg- Abbas MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO), 7-5
87kg- Lasha DEVIDZE (GEO) df. Saman AZIZI (Izeh) by forfeit 
97kg- Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) df. Edris EBRAHIMI (Izeh) by forfeit
130kg- Behnam MEHDIZADEH (Izeh) df. Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO) by Tech Fall, 8-0

Round 5 

Group B

Russia df. Ukraine, 8-2
55kg- Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) df. Sergii DZIUBA (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
60kg- Ildus YAMUKOV (RUS) df. Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR),4-0
63kg- Zhambolat LOKAYAEV (RUS) df. Hevroh ARZUMANIAN (UKR), 4-0
67kg- Maksim SURKOV (RUS) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR), 5-5 
72kg-Denis MURTAZIN (RUS) df. Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) by Tech Fall, 8-0
77kg- Dmitrii PETAIKIN (RUS) df. Oleksanr KUKHTA (UKR) by FALL
82kg- Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR) df. Gadzhimurad DZHALALOV (RUS), 4-1
87kg- Evgeny SALEEV (RUS) df. Serhii OMELIN (UKR), 5-1
97kg- Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR) df. Murat LOKYAEV (RUS)by forfeit
130kg- Vasilii PARSHIN (RUS) df. Andrii VOZNIUK (UKR) by forfeit

Georgia df. Kyrgyzstan, 8-2
55kg- Nodari OKROMTCHEDLISHVILI (GEO) – no wrestler
60kg- Ramaz SURMANIDZE (GEO) – no wrestler
63kg- Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) df. Talastan KANZHARBEK (KGZ), 8-5
67kg- Otar ABULADZE (GEO) – no wrestler
72kg- Saaino DAVITAIA (GEO) df. Bek KONURBAEV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
77kg- Erlan CHOPBAI (KGZ) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) by forfeit
82kg- Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df. Baiaman MAKSATBEK (KGZ) by FALL
87kg- Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) df. Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
97kg-Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) df. Elmirlan ARSTANBEK (KGZ) by Tech Fall, 9-0
130kg- Murad OMAROV (KGZ) df. Sulxani BUIDZE (GEO) b

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds: Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan put two each in Greco finals

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 28) -- Athens and Olympics are incomplete without each other. The Olympic flame is lit in Athens, as a mark of ancient Olympics and modern Olympic restarting in Athens in 1896.

So as the World U17 Championships kicked off in Athens on Monday, the opening ceremony had to be about the fire of the flame. The wrestlers too were fired up in action on the mat.

Wrestlers from seven different countries made it to the Greco-Roman finals on day one of the tournament which began with 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia entered two wrestlers each in Tuesday's finals.

Kazakhstan's run began with 48kg as Asian U17 champion Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ) earned himself a chance to win a world title after he defeated Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN), who was 12th last year at the World U17 Championships, in a back-and-forth semifinal at 48kg.

Yamamoto led 2-0 but Kumaruly hit a headlock throw for four points on the edge and got a 4-2 lead. But the Japanese was not one to give up. He scored a takedown and turn to reclaim the lead, 6-4. Kazakhstan challenged the scoring and won it as the first throw from Yamamoto was not considered as control.

Kumaruly led 4-4 on criteria and then executed a similar throw for four points and won the semifinal 8-4. He will face Asian U17 bronze medalist Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) in the final after the Uzbekistan wrestler defeated Baris SOYLU (TUR) in the semifinal.

Soylu began with a two-pointer counter to get on the scoreboard but failed to turn Hasanov from par terre. He led 3-0 going into the break and then defended his par terre position in the second period to give himself a good chance to reach the final.

However, Hasanov mounted a comeback with a front headlock throw four points to lead 5-3, and later added a takedown and a turn to win 11-3.

Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ)Asian U17 champion Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) reached the World U17 Championships final at 55kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Another Asian U17 champion reached the final in Athens as Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) defended a pushing Aditya GUPTA (IND) in the 55kg semifinals. He booked a place in the final against Nurali ASKAR (KAZ), who finished fifth at the Asian U17 Championships, in what will be a rematch of the semifinal from Vietnam.

Abdirasulov had a big four-point throw and raced to a 6-0 lead in the semifinal against Gupta who managed to get one on board with a stepout. Gupta then got lucky as Abdirasulov tried an arm-spin but landed on his back and Gupta completed the control for four points. However, Abdirasulov kept his 6-5 lead for the remaining 90 seconds to win the semifinal.

Aksar turned Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) from par terre to lead 3-0 in the other semifinal and gave up just a stepout when he was put in par terre to win 3-2. Barotov was hoping to becoming just the second wrestler from Tajikistan to reach a World Championships final in Greco-Roman.

Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO)Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO), European U17 champion, reached the 65kg final in Athens and will taken on Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), an opponent he defeated in Euro final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A rematch of the European U17 Championships will be played at 65kg after Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) and Janes NAZARYAN (ARM) made it to Tuesday's gold-medal bout. Tavberidze had humbled Nazaryan 9-0 in the final in Skopje in June.

Tavberidze outperformed ANUJ (IND) in the semifinal, scoring eight points from gut-wrench in the semifinal period to win 9-1 while Nazaryan had to work a little harder against Yehor TARASENKO (UKR) in the other semifinal.

He got the first par terre position and scored a drop on Tarasenko for four but Ukraine challenged and the call was overturned. With a 1-0 lead, Nazaryan defended the position from par terre in the second period. As Tarasenko let off of the hold, Nazaryan scored a takedown and won 3-1.

Tavberidze took out Dosbol SHAMIL (KAZ) in his opening bout 5-3 before beating Maxim DAMASCHIN (MDA) in the 1/8 final. He blanked Shohijahon BOBOEV (TJK) in the quarterfinals.

Nazaryan had an equally good run to the final as he defeated Pan-American U17 champion Arseni KIKINOU (USA), Huseyn ISGANDAROV (AZE) and Kyliane EDDOUH (FRA).

Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB)Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) pinned Nurislam OSKONBAEV (KGZ) in the 80kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) showed why he is one of the top upcoming wrestlers as he slammed Nurislam OSKONBAEV (KGZ) with a bodylock four and then secured the fall in the 80kg semifinal. He is now one win away from winning the world title.

But standing between him and gold medal is Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) who needed a late stepout to beat Ismail BEREKET (TUR), 2-1 in the other semifinal. The Georgian finished fifth at the European U17 Championships but in 92kg.

In what turned out be a poor day for Iran, the defending team champions, Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) gave it something to cheer about after making the 110kg final. That was the finalist for Iran on Monday.

Taking on Temuri SIMSIVE (GEO) in the semifinals, Delrouz had a takedown sandwiched between his two par terre points to win 4-0.

HARDEEP (IND)Asian U17 champion HARDEEP (IND) defeated Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR) in the 110kg semifinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

He will take on Asian U17 champion HARDEEP (IND) who denied Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR) another chance to be in the final. The Turkiye wrestler had finished fifth last year.

Capkan got the 1-0 lead in the semifinal but Hardeep bounced back with a stepout. Capkan managed to get one back and take a 2-1 lead but that was the last point he scored.

Hardeep came back with a takedown and then got the par terre point in the second period and won the semifinal 4-2.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ) vs. Bunyod HASANOV (UZB)

SF 1: Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) df. Baris SOYLU (TUR), 12-3
SF 2: Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ) df. Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN), 8-4

55kg
GOLD: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) vs. Nurali ASKAR (KAZ)

SF 1: Nurali ASKAR (KAZ) df. Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK), 4-2
SF 2: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) df. Aditya GUPTA (IND), 6-5

65kg
GOLD: Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) vs. Janes NAZARYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Janes NAZARYAN (ARM) df. Yehor TARASENKO (UKR), 3-1
SF 2: Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) df. ANUJ (IND), 9-1

80kg
GOLD: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) vs. Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB)

SF 1: Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) df. Nurislam OSKONBAEV (KGZ), via fall (4-2)
SF 2: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) df. Ismail BEREKET (TUR), 2-1

110kg
GOLD: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) vs. HARDEEP (IND)

SF 1: HARDEEP (IND) df. Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR), 4-2
SF 2: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) df. Temuri SIMSIVE (GEO), 4-0