#WrestleSofia

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

Sunday, August 4, 2019 - 16:55 By Taylor Miller

Share this article

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

 

#WrestleAmman

U17 Worlds: Iran, Ukraine, Kazakhstan earn two spots in finals

Monday, August 19, 2024 - 20:29 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

AMMAN, Jordan (August 19) -- Three different countries managed to send two wrestlers to the finals on the first day of the U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan. The four other finalists were from Uzbekistan, the United States, Hungary and an Individual Neutral Athlete.

Iran, Ukraine and Kazakhstan were the only countries with multiple finalists on day one of the tournament, the first World Championships of 2024.

Iran was led by Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) at 48kg as he rolled into finals without conceding a single point in three bouts. With two technical superiorities before the semifinals, Shamsipour added another when he defeated Yedige TOLEUTAYEV (KAZ) 10-0.

U17 Asian champion Khusniddin ABDUKARIMOV (UZB) will look to stop the Iranian in the final as he also has three technical superiority wins. He beat Laszlo SZUROMI (HUN), 8-0, in the semifinal to set up a final between two of the best wrestlers on day one.

The second Iran wrestler to reach the final was Amir Mahdi SAEIDI (IRI) at 65kg. While his semifinal 1-1 win over Narek GRIGORIAN (ARM) was actionless, Saeidi defeated Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB) 9-1 in the quarterfinals. He thus avenged his loss from the U17 Asian Championships final at the same venue.

Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR)Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR) defeated Emil ABDULLAYEV (AZE) in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

He will take on U17 European champion Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR) for the gold medal. Pokotylo was at his best in the quarterfinals and semifinals, beating Dzhabrail UMKHADZHIEV (AIN) 3-1 and Emil ABDULLAYEV (AZE), 4-1, respectively.

For Ukraine, Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR) will also look to win the gold medal after he reached the 110kg final. The U17 European champion posted three technical superiority wins with the third coming against Aliasghar DADBAKHSH (IRI) in the semifinals.

Zoltan CZAKO (HUN), a surprise finalist, will try to stop Yankovskyi from winning the gold medal on Tuesday. In the semifinals, Czako was up against last year's silver medalist RONAK (IND) who tried an arm-spin but Czako blocked it and held Ronak on the mat to secure a fall in 17 seconds.

Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ)Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ) reached the 55kg final in Amman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Kazakhstan managed two finalists in Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ) at 55kg and Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ) at 80kg. This is the first time since 2019 U17 World Championships that Kazakhstan has a finalist in Greco-Roman.

Bolatuly, who finished 12th last year, put on a show in the semifinal against Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), winning the bout 13-8. His earlier wins included a 10-1 win over Amirali HEYDARI (IRI) in the quarterfinals and an 8-0 win over Yuki HIROHASHI (JPN) in the 1/8 finals.

For the gold, Bolatuly will face Jayden RANEY (USA) who pulled a classic in the semifinal. Down 6-0 against Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), Raney stopped the attack from Zhytovoz and pinned him just before the break. That was Raney's fourth win of the day.

Raney will look to become the fourth Greco-Roman wrestler from the United States to win gold since the tournament restarted in 2011. Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) won in 2017, Joel ADAMS (USA) won the title in 2022 and Jordyn RANEY (USA) won gold last year. 

U17 Asian silver medalist Anapiya was tested in the semifinal by Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE) but the Kazakh wrestler came out on top 8-6 to enter the final. He will now face returning silver medalist and U17 European champion Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN).

Shkarin handed Emad Reza MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) a 9-0 thrashing in the semifinal to set up the gold medal bout against Anapiya. Emad is one of the four Mohsen Nejad brothers. Mehdi is a multiple-time Asian medalist and finished fifth at the Paris Olympics while Ahmad won the U20 World Championships gold last year. Yasin is also a Greco-Roman wrestler.

Greco-Roman Semifinal Results

48kg
GOLD: Khusniddin ABDUKARIMOV (UZB) vs. Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)

SF 1: Khusniddin ABDUKARIMOV (UZB) df. Laszlo SZUROMI (HUN), 8-0
SF 2: Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) df. Yedige TOLEUTAYEV (KAZ), 10-0

55kg
GOLD: Jayden RANEY (USA) vs. Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ)

SF 1: Jayden RANEY (USA) df. Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), via fall (3-6)
SF 2: Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ) df. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), 13-8

65kg
GOLD: Amir Mahdi SAEIDI (IRI) vs. Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR)

SF 1: Amir Mahdi SAEIDI (IRI) df. Narek GRIGORIAN (ARM), 1-1 
SF 2: Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR) df. Emil ABDULLAYEV (AZE), 4-1

80kg
GOLD: Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ) vs. Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN)

SF 1: Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ) df. Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE), 8-6
SF 2: Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN) df. Emad Reza MOHSENNEJAD (IRI), 9-0

110kg
GOLD: Zoltan CZAKO (HUN) vs. Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR)

SF 1: Zoltan CZAKO (HUN) df. RONAK (IND), via fall
SF 2: Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR) df. Aliasghar DADBAKHSH (IRI), 8-0