#Zagreb2018

Japan Advances Five to #Zagreb2018 Semifinals, USA Has Four

By Taylor Miller

ZAGREB, Croatia – Women’s freestyle powerhouse Japan put wrestlers in all five of Thursday night’s Cadet World semifinals in Zagreb, Croatia. USA follows closely behind with four advancing to tonight’s semis.

Other countries to land multiple semifinalists after Thursday morning’s session are China with three and India with two.

At 40 kg, Karin UEMATSU (JPN), who finished 5th at the 2017 Cadet Asian Championships, will face 2018 Cadet Asian champion Muno SAMIEVA (UZB).

On the other side of the bracket, 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist and 2017 European runner-up Luchana BEKBAULOVA (RUS) will face off against 2016 Schoolboy/girl Pan American champion Sterling DIAS (USA).

The 46 kg semifinals feature two Cadet Asian medalists.

Otgonjarga DOLGORJAV (MGL), who won bronze at this year’s continentals, will see Olivia SHORE (USA) in the semis. Shore is making her second Cadet World appearance.

The bottom semi will pit 2018 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Kalmira BILIMBEK (KGZ) against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN).

Cadet Asian champion Zhaojing SHI (CHN) highlights the semifinals at 53 kg. She will take on Mako OONO (JPN) tonight, while Meenakhsi MEENAKHSI (IND), who took fourth at Asian Championships, has Leilah CASTRO (USA) on the opposite side.

At 61 kg, Anshu ANSHU (IND) seeks out her second-straight Cadet World title and third-consecutive World medal after a 2017 gold-medal showing and a 2016 bronze finish. In the semifinals, Anshu will wrestle Qin ZHAO (CHN), the sixth-place finisher at the 2018 Cadet Asian Championships.

In the other semifinal at the weight, Rito TAKAYAMA (JPN) will challenge Antonyna KULAKHINA (UKR), the 2018 Cadet European champion.

Macey KILTY (USA) is back on the World stage after a 2016 medal-winning performance, taking third. Tonight, she’ll take on two-time Asian medalist and 2018 Cadet Asian champion Mengwei ZHANG (CHN) in the 69 kg semis.

Opposite of them, 2017 Cadet Nordic champion and 2018 Cadet European bronze medalist Julia FRIDLUND (SWE) will do battle with Rin TERAMOTO (JPN).

The semifinals will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET, followed by the medal matches from yesterday’s five weights at 12 p.m. ET live on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Semifinals pairings

40 kg
Luchana BEKBAULOVA (RUS) vs. Sterling DIAS (USA)
Karin UEMATSU (JPN) vs. Muno SAMIEVA (UZB)

46 kg
Olivia SHORE (USA) vs. Otgonjarga DOLGORJAV (MGL)
Kalmira BILIMBEK (KGZ) vs. Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)

53 kg
Zhaojing SHI (CHN) vs. Mako OONO (JPN)
Leilah CASTRO (USA) vs. Meenakhsi MEENAKHSI (IND)

61 kg
Qin ZHAO (CHN) vs. Anshu ANSHU (IND)
Antonyna KULAKHINA (UKR) vs. Rito TAKAYAMA (JPN)

69 kg
Rin TERAMOTO (JPN) vs. Julia FRIDLUND (SWE)
Mengwei ZHANG (CHN) vs. Macey KILTY (USA)

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2025 Day 3: Blades dominant, Jafarov injured

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 7) -- Zagreb Open enters day three with four Women's Wrestling weight classes and two Greco-Roman weight class. Paris Games silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA) at 76kg is moving down to 68kg and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), bronze medalist in Paris at 67kg, is in action as well.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

13:30: Further problems for Iran. After Gholami's loss, Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) suffers a 6-1 loss to Valentin PETIC (MDA). Petic led 3-0 a the break but Mohsen Nezhad got two turns from par terre to make it 5-3 in the second period. Iran challenged that Petic committed a leg foul but it was seen on review that Mohsen Nezhad grabbed the singlet during par terre for the turns. The points were cancelled. A bodylock situation resulted in Petic falling on his back outside the zone but Mohsen Nezhad stepped out first make it 4-1. A desperate attempt from Mohsen Nezhad did not come through and gave Petic two more points

13:25: A front headlock throw from Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) gave him a 4-0 lead against Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI). Joergensen got a turn from par terre to make it 7-0 but Gholami scored a stepout to reduce the lead to 7-1. But Norway challenged the call and it was a four-point throw from standing which made it 9-0 and Joergensen reached the final.

13:10: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) with a dominant win in the semifinal against Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) after he blocks the Uzbek in par terre and scores two points, a correct throw for two more and a gut wrench for two more to lead 6-1 at the break. A beautiful four-point throw in the second to finish the match 10-1. He will take on Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) who was quick in a 8-0 win over Ziya BABASHOV (AZE)

13:00: Kennedy BLADES (USA) is the gold medalist at 68kg. She has Round 5 left but as she has drubbed her all opponents, she will most likely remain as the top wrestlers. She just beat Noémi SZABADOS (HUN) 10-0.

12:50: Round 4 bout at 62kg saw Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) pull out a takedown and gut wrench with a second remaining to win 5-2 against Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL). Nwachukwu got one extra point for Dudova's lost challenge. She is the gold medalist at 62kg as she won all four of her bouts in the round-robin bracket.

12:40: An all Azerbaijan final at 59kg! Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) holds off Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA) 3-1 while Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) beats Michaela BECK (USA) 6-0 to enter the final

12:10: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) with a final second desperate move to beat AYTJAN KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) at 63kg. Keshtkar was trailing 2-0 when he got Khalmakhanov in a horizontal lift and brought him down in danger for four points. Khalmakhanov scored a counter for two but Keshtkar's big move gave the Iranian a 4-4 win. One point was added after Uzbekistan lost the challenge.

12:00: Kennedy BLADES (USA) was too quick for Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) at 68kg. She got a single leg for takedown. Blades then catches Hanzlickova in a bar on the edge and gets the fall just before the break. 

11:55: Daniial AGAEV (AIN) and Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI) put on a show in their 67kg quarterfinal. Gholami, who last wrestled internationally at U17 World Championships in 2023 at 55kg, opened up a 5-1 lead at the break. However, Agaev with a takedown but gives up an exposure, giving Gholami a 7-3 lead and the win

11:45: U20 world champion Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) rolls out a top-class gut wrench and beats Nozimjon BOYKUZIEV (UZB) 8-3 and moves into the semifinal at 67kg. With Jafarov out, he is now the favorite to win gold.

11:35: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) was leading 7-0 against Valentin PETIC (MDA) but pulls out injured. Update: Jafarov has peeled his skin behind his ear after a rub with the mat. He is being treated in the hospital

11:25: Trademark double armlock and pin for Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) as she beats Karolina POK (HUN) at 68kg. Hanzlickova trusts that move with her life

11:20: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) with two activity points as she wins 2-0 against Nikolett SZABO (HUN) at 62kg.

11:15: Change in weight classes but no change in Kennedy BLADES (USA). She comes out with a throw and then arm bars Kendra DACHER (FRA) in the Round 2 bout at 68kg.

11:10: Former world champion at 63kg Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Farid KHALILOV (AZE) share a turn each from par terre but Nad does it in the second period and wins 3-3 at 67kg.

11:00: Hasrad JAFAROV (AZE), bronze medalist at the Paris Olympics, was staring at defeated with a minute remaining in his opening bout against Morten THORESEN (NOR) but is awarded a third passivity par terre and he does a reverse lift for four points and wins 5-1

10:55: In Round 1 at 65kg, Dinara KUDAEVA (AIN) pins Milla ANDELIC (CRO) while Eniko ELEKES (HUN) comes back from 4-0 to beat Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) 4-4.

10:50: Two bouts in Round 1 of 59kg and Azerbaijan has a great start. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) got a 5-0 win over Erika BOGNAR (HUN) while Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) pinned Sofia MACALUSO (USA)

10:45: World bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) gave up an early point against Kendra DACHER (FRA) but manages to see her off 6-2 at 68kg. Hanzlickova became the first-ever Czech wrestler to win a world medal when she won bronze at 72kg in Tirana last year. 

10:30: Welcome to day three of the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event. With Freestyle done, we have four women's wrestling weight classes in action today -- 59kg, 62kg, 65kg and 68kg along with Greco-Roman in 63kg and 67kg.