#WrestleSofia

Iran wins two individual championships for the Greco-Roman team title at #WrestleSofia

By Taylor Miller

SOFIA, Bulgaria – The 2019 Cadet World Championships came to a close with the last five gold-medal matches in Greco-Roman on Sunday night in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Reza SAKI (IRI), a 2019 Cadet Asian silver medalist, defeated Stepan STARODUBTSEV (RUS), who was second at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, for the crown at 71 kg.

Starodubtsev led, 1-0, at the break, but just moments into the second period, Saki scored on a four-point arm throw. He held onto the lead for the remainder of the bout, winning gold with a 4-1 victory.

For the title at 51 kg, Saeid ESMAEILI LEIVESI (IRI) used a first-period takedown to give him an eventual 2-1 win over Elmir ALIYEV (AZE). It was both wrestlers’ first World Championships.

At 92 kg, 2019 European silver medalist and 2018 European bronze medalist Lachin VALIYEV (AZE) outlasted 2017 Cadet World silver medalist Muhammed EVLOEV (RUS) for the title.

After a scoreless first period, Valiyev scored an early takedown. Evloev could only respond with a pair of step outs. Valiyev held on for the 2-2 win on criteria.

In the title match at 60 kg, 2019 Cadet European champion Maksim SKURATOV (RUS) faced two-time Cadet European medalist Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) in a rematch of the European Championships finals.

Last time they wrestled, Skuratov claimed an 11-0 victory. This time, Aliyev kept the bout more competitive; however, it was not enough. Skuratov won the Cadet World title with a 5-0 win.  

To open the night, 2019 Cadet Asian champion Samatbek IZIMGALI (KAZ) spent only 59 seconds on the mat to claim the gold medal at 45 kg, defeating Asadbek BAKHRAMAOV (UZB) by fall.

Securing two individual champions on Sunday, Iran won the team title with 148 points, followed by Azerbaijan with 123 points and Russia with 99 points.

Finals matchups
45 kg
GOLD - Samatbek IZIMGALI (KAZ) df. Asadbek BAKHRAMAOV (UZB), fall 1:00
BRONZE - Tamazi GLONTI (GEO) df. Vladyslav KURKURIN (UKR), 4-0
BRONZE - Farid SADIKHLI (AZE) df. Mahdi Kioumars AHADI ZENAB (IRI), 8-1

51 kg
GOLD - Saeid ESMAEILI LEIVESI (IRI) dec. Elmir ALIYEV (AZE), 2-1
BRONZE - Volodymyr VOITOVYCH (UKR) df. Denis MIHAI (ROU), 12-9
BRONZE - Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL) df. Arshad ARSHAD (IND), fall 2:56

60 kg
GOLD - Maksim SKURATOV (RUS) df. Mert ILBARS (TUR), 5-0
BRONZE - Arman VARDANYAN (ARM) df. Zhanbolot TURATBEKOV (KGZ), 6-0
BRONZE - Nika BROLADZE (GEO) df. Seyed Danial Seyed Shamsollah SOHRABI (IRI), 8-6

71 kg
GOLD - Reza SAKI (IRI) df. Stepan STARODUBTSEV (RUS), 4-1
BRONZE - Furkan TAS (TUR) df. Aliaksei PIAKHOTA (BLR), 7-0
BRONZE - Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Rauf Abdulla ALIYEV (AZE), 6-0

92 kg                           
GOLD - Lachin VALIYEV (AZE) dec. Muhammed EVLOEV (RUS), 2-2
BRONZE - Oktay DEMIR (TUR) df. Maik HAIMOV (ISR), 8-0
BRONZE - Richard KARELSON (EST) df. Laszlo Csaba VARSANYI (HUN), 3-0

Team results
1. Iran – 148
2. Azerbaijan – 123
3. Russia – 99
4. Kazakhstan – 73
5. Armenia – 73
6. Turkey – 70
7. India – 63
8. Georgia – 63
9. Ukraine – 62
10. Uzbekistan – 49

 

#WrestleSofia

Amouzadkhalili wins second-straight men's freestyle Cadet World title

By Taylor Miller

Photo of Rahman Mousa AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI).

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Rahman Mousa AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) won his second-straight Cadet World title, winning the 48 kg bracket on Tuesday evening in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Amouzadkhalili completed the feat with a dramatic 4-4 win on criteria against 2019 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Kamronbek KADAMOV (UZB) in the finals.

Last year, Amouzadkhalili claimed gold at 45 kg. He is also a 2018 and 2019 Cadet Asian champion.

Also winning gold for Iran was Amirhossein Biglar FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI), who added to his 2019 Cadet Asian championship from earlier this year.

In the 80 kg finals, Firouzpourbandpei dominated Arslan BAGAEV (RUS), using two takedowns and two leg laces for an 8-1 victory.

2018 Youth Olympic Games champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) won his second Cadet World medal in as many attempts. In 2017, he won a silver medal at 42 kg.

A two-time Cadet Asian champion, Jalolov earned a spot atop the podium with a 3-1 decision over two-time Cadet Asian bronze medalist Mahdi Mehrdad VEISI (IRI) in the 55 kg gold-medal finals.

Azerbaijan and Russia also picked up gold medals on Tuesday.

At 65 kg, Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) met up with Batyrbek TSKHOVREBOV (RUS) in a rematch of the 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival finals. The last time they wrestled, Gadzhiev defeated the Russian for the EYOF gold medal.

This time, Gadzhiev notched another victory against Tskhovrebov with a 6-4 decision for the Cadet World title.

For the gold medal at 110 kg, Arsamag ZASSEEV (RUS) picked up a 10-0 tech fall in less than a minute over Giorgi CHIKHRADZE (GEO) to win his first international tournament.

Finals matchups
48 kg
GOLD - Rahman Mousa AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) dec. Kamronbek KADAMOV (UZB), 4-4
BRONZE – Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) dec. Stevo POULIN (USA), 8-6
BRONZE – Udit UDIT (IND) dec. Javid JAVADOV (AZE), 11-2

55 kg
GOLD - Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) dec. Mahdi Mehrdad VEISI (IRI), 3-1
BRONZE – Aman AMAN (IND) dec. Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR), 10-6
BRONZE – Riku SUGANUMA (JPN) dec. Robert HOWARD (USA), 5-4

65 kg
GOLD – Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) dec. Batyrbek TSKHOVREBOV (RUS), 6-4
BRONZE - Manish GOSWAMI (IND) dec. Kudratbek NURULLAEV (UZB), 5-2
BRONZE - Ryosuke KERA (JPN) dec. Davit PATSINASHVILI (GEO), 3-1

80 kg
GOLD – Amirhossein Biglar FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI) dec. Arslan BAGAEV (RUS), 8-1
BRONZE - Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) dec. Emre CIFTCI (TUR), 6-1
BRONZE - Denys SAHALIUK (UKR) dec. Ion DEMIAN (MDA), 10-4

110 kg
GOLD - Arsamag ZASSEEV (RUS) TF Giorgi CHIKHRADZE (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE - Adil MISIRCI (TUR) dec. Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM), 3-2
BRONZE - Kumar ANIRUDH (IND) dec. Salar Saeid HABIBIEHSANI (IRI), 8-1