Freestyle World Cup, Los Angeles, Iran, Turkey, Belarus, Azerbaijan

Iran Looks to Upend Talented Azerbaijani Squad at Freestyle World Cup

Thursday, April 9, 2015 - 17:39 By Tim Foley

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Men’s Freestyle World Cup: Group B Preview

LOS ANGELES (April 9) –Defending champions Iran will be the heavy favorite in Group B when the 2015 United World Wrestling freestyle World Cup kicks off Saturday afternoon at the Forum in Los Angeles, California.

Iran defeated Russia 6-2 in last year’s gold-medal match and this year the Iranians will face Group B competition that includes World power Azerbaijan and the always-formidable nation of Belarus.

While Los Angeles remains thousands of miles from Tehran, the Iranians might feel at home as the American city is home to one of the largest Persian communities in North America. Iranian fans from across Southern California have already bought tickets in expectation of their team’s inclusion in the gold medal match on Sunday. 

On the mat, the Iranian squad has a foursome of talented World and Olympic medalists leading their championships charge. Though missing a few key names, the Iranians will bring World No.2 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and 2014 World silver medalist Komeil GHASEMI (125kg) along with two-time World champion Reza YAZDANI (97kg), who ranks fourth in the world. 

World No.8 Hassan RAHIMI (57kg) brings another title to the favored Iranian side, having won a 2013 World gold. World No.2 and 2014 world silver medalist Sayed Ahmad MOHAMMADI (65kg) rounds out the Iranian squad’s sterling lineup.

The Azerbaijan side will be led by 2012 Olympic gold medalist Togrul ASGAROV (70kg) and last year’s 61kg world champion Haji ALIEV, who ranks No.12 at 65kg. Two-time World bronze medalist and ninth-ranked Yabrail HASANOV (74kg) rounds out an formidable Azerbaijani lineup, one they hope can carry them past their Iranian rival.

Though not originally favored in the group, the team from Belarus brings a surprising and competitive lineup to Los Angeles. The team will be led by World No.7 and 2011 world champion Alexei SHEMAROV (125kg), 2013 and 2014 World bronze medalist Ali SHABANOV (74kg), who comes in ranked No.4, and 2014 World bronze medalist Vladislav ANDREEV (57kg), who currently sits at No.7.

World No.12 Ibragim SAIDOV (97kg), who won the respected Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in 2015, is also expected to bring a significant contribution to Belarus’ title hunt.

Turkey brings a limited side with only ten wrestlers on the roster and will without world No.1 and defending Taha AKGUL (125kg). The Turks will be led by two-time World medalist Sezer AKGUEL (57kg), who was a 2009 World silver medalist and a 2013 World bronze medalist. Joining Akguel will be 2012 World University champion Mustafa KAYA (70kg). Kaya was fifth in the 2014 World Championship, and was a silver medalist at the 2010 Junior European Championships and is currently ranked 13th in the world. 

The Turkish side is rounded out by 2014 European bronze medalist Soener DEMIRTAS at 74kg.


Competition Schedule (All Times are Pacific; GMT -7)
Saturday, April 11 
Session I
3:00 p.m. – Mat A: USA vs. Cuba; Mat B: Iran vs. Belarus
4:30 p.m. – Mat A: Russia vs. Mongolia; Mat B: Azerbaijan vs. Turkey
 
Session II
6:15 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
6:30 p.m. – Mat A: USA vs. Russia; Mat B: Iran vs. Turkey
8:00 p.m. – Mat A: Mongolia vs. Cuba; Mat B: Belarus vs. Azerbaijan
 
Sunday, April 12
Session III
11:00 a.m. – Mat A: USA vs. Mongolia; Mat B: Turkey vs. Belarus
12:30 p.m. – Mat A: Azerbaijan vs. Iran; Mat B: Cuba vs. Russia
2:00 p.m. – Mat A: Fifth Place Dual; Mat B: Seventh Place Dual
 
Session IV
4:15 p.m. – Mat A: Third Place Dual
5:45 p.m. – Mat A: Championship Dual

#WrestleAmman

U17 Worlds: Another Petriashvili rises; U.S. beats Iran for FS team title

Sunday, August 25, 2024 - 21:04 By Vinay Siwach

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AMMAN, Jordan (August 25) -- A new Petriashvili is on the block. The younger brother of the newly crowned Olympic champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), Konstantine, became the U17 world champion on Sunday in Amman.

The younger Petriashvili showed exceptional wrestling, identical to Geno, over two days to win the 92kg weight class and win his first world title.

Last year, he finished with a bronze medal in the 80kg weight class but jumped to 92kg this year. He won the U17 European Championships in Novi Sad in July and now has both the continental and world titles. Petriashvili is set to compete at the U20 World Championships next week in Pontevedra, Spain.

In other finals, the United States won two gold medals, Iran captured one while Kyrgyzstan, which won two golds on Saturday, added another on Sunday.

The United States won the team title with 152 points, 20 more than second-place Iran. Kyrgyzstan finished third with 104 points, its first-ever podium finish at the U17 World Championships.

In the final, Petriashvili was up against Rodion SANAKOEV (AIN) and constantly hit the double-leg attack. He scored no success using that attack and was put on the activity clock in the first period.

As Sanakoev built an attack, Petriashvili defended well and scored exposure for two points. He led 2-0 at the break and defended every attack from Sanakoev to keep the two-point lead. Petriashvili got a takedown in the final 30 seconds after Sanakoev failed to defend using chest wrap. He scored two turns to extend his lead to 8-0 as the clock expired.

Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO)Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) defeated Rodion SANAKOEV (AIN) 8-0 in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I am Konstantine. U17 world champion. Last year I won the bronze medal," a jubilant Petriashvili said after the final. "The final was very difficult. I was tired in the middle."

After winning the final, Konstantine broke out in a celebration similar to Geno's, punching his fist in the air with a roar.

"My brother is the best and king of wrestling," he said. "I have no pressure. I think its good when they tell me I am Geno's brother."

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA)Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) celebrates after winning the 45kg gold medal at the U17 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U.S. wins title

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) had to come from behind and Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) won his second U17 world title to held the United States win the team title over Iran, its second in three years.

Sanchez was down 5-0 against Amirabbas RAMEZANI (IRI) after the first period in the final but came back strongly in the second period. He cut the lead to two points after Ramezani was penalized for a singlet pull and he gave up a takedown.

Ramezani defended most of the period but Sanchez hit a smart go-behind and exposure to make it 7-5. A turn using trap-arm gave him a 9-5 lead which he defended till the clock expired.

Domenic MUNARETTO (USA)Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) defeated Frederick BACHMANN (PUR) in the 51kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Munaretto, who won 45kg gold at the 2022 U17 Worlds, added another by beating Frederick BACHMANN (PUR), 3-1, in the 51kg final.

Bachmann, who was trying to become the first Puerto Rican to win gold at U17 Worlds in 49 years, fell short, a day after his brother Joseph met with the same fate in the 55kg final.

Both wrestlers were put on activity clocks but it was Munaretto who got the advantage as Bachmann was on the clock in the second period. This gave Munaretto a 1-1 criteria lead. Bachmann tried his best to score a point but failed and a desperate attempt in the final second saw him fall on his back, which gave Munaretto another two points.

With a clean record in the final, Munaretto completed an incredible run in the tournament in which he did not given up a takedown for any points.

"I have been wrestling a lot," Munaretto said. "I have control of my ties."

Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) won the gold medal at 71kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran crowned a champion at 71kg after U17 Asian champion Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) defeated returning bronze medalist Manuel WAGIN (GER), 1-1 in the final. Shamsipour denied Germany its first-ever U17 world champion in Freestyle.

The final was decided after Shamsipour was awarded a point for Wagin's passivity, in the second period, giving the Iranian a 1-1 criteria lead. There were no more points in the match and Shamsipour won 1-1.

Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ)Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) gave Kyrgyzstan its third gold of the U17 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kyrgyzstan added a gold and a bronze medal to its two golds from Saturday and finished third in the team race. After Kursantbek ISAKOV (KGZ) at 55kg and Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ) at 65kg won gold medals, Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) won the gold medal at 60kg while Marlen ABDRAIMOV (KGZ) won bronze at 51kg.

Asan  Uluu was up against Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) in the final and at no point he was in any sort of trouble in the match. He scored a takedown and stepout in the first period to lead 3-0. He went for a bear hug throw but Ismayilov slipped out of the grip and Asan Uulu fell out of bounds to give one point to the Azerbaijan wrestler.

A stepout made it 4-1 for Asan Uulu and a point at the end of the bout gave him the 5-1 lead and the gold medal.

df

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) df. Amirabbas RAMEZANI (IRI), 9-5

BRONZE: Dzhamal BAKAEV (AIN) df. Mher HAKOBYAN (ARM), 11-0
BRONZE: Ravan HASANZADE (AZE) df. Bekzat AMANGELDY (KAZ), via fall (4-6)

51kg
GOLD: Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) df. Frederick BACHMANN (PUR), 3-1

BRONZE: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) df. Akhmed ATANGERIEV (AIN), 7-4
BRONZE: Marlen ABDRAIMOV (KGZ) df. Ozodbek ALIJONOV (UZB), 17-6

60kg
GOLD: Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ) df. Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Hayk AVANESYAN (ARM) df. Danoush JOWKAR (GBR), 5-2
BRONZE: Itsuki YONASHIRO (JPN) df. Jordyn RANEY (USA), via inj. def.

71kg
GOLD: Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) df. Manuel WAGIN (GER), 1-1

BRONZE: Fatih AYDIN (TUR) df. Mark LAPOSA (HUN), 6-5
BRONZE: Kairi ITO (JPN) df. Melvin MILLER (USA), 7-2

92kg
GOLD: Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Rodion SANAKOEV (AIN), 8-0

BRONZE: Elijah DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) df. Aliaksei KHADUNOU (AIN), 8-3
BRONZE: Amir Reza ALI POUR (IRI) df. Michealjeet Singh GREWAL (CAN), 10-5