U23 World C'ships

Japan Lands Four Finalists in Women’s Freestyle

Thursday, November 23, 2017 - 14:04 By Taylor Miller

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BYDGOSZCZ, Poland – Japan rolled all four of its wrestlers to the first day of women’s freestyle finals at the U23 World Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Among the eight competitors, there are 13 World medals, including seven gold.

Leading the pack for Japan is Haruna OKUNO at 55 kg, who aims for her third World gold, after claiming top prize at this year’s 2017 Senior World Championships in Paris, France, and winning her bracket at the 2016 Cadet World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Okuno will face 2017 Senior World bronze medalist and U23 European champion Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR).

Two-time Junior World champion Yuzuru KUMANO (JPN) also seeks her third World title and second gold for the year. She was victorious earlier this summer at the Junior World tournament in Tampere, Finland.

In the 58 kg finals, she’ll battle Battseteg ALTANTSETEG (MGL), who makes her third trip to the World finals. In 2014, Altantseteg won the 2014 Junior World title, and in 2011, she walked away with Cadet World silver.

The 63 kg and 75 kg finals will feature Japan vs. Canada.

Earning a spot in the 63 kg finals, Braxton STONE (CAN) guaranteed herself a fourth World medal. Stone has two Junior World medals, silver in 2015 and bronze in 2013, and a Cadet World bronze medal from 2012.

She’ll take on Ayana GEMPEI (JPN), who won a 4-3 thriller in the semifinals against Tatiana SMOLIAK (RUS) to advance to the finals. Gempei is a 2016 Junior World champion.  

In her fifth trip to the World Championships, Gracelynn DOOGAN (CAN) heads to the finals at 75 kg, promising herself the first World medal of her career. She owns a Junior Pan American silver medal from 2014.

Opposite of Doogan will be two-time World medalist Yashua MATSUYUKI (JPN), 2016 Junior World champion and 2017 Junior World silver medalist.

The finals are set to begin at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. U.S. ET).

Finals matchups
55 kg
Gold - Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) vs. Haruna OKUNO (JPN)
Bronze - Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) vs. Bediha GUN (TUR)
Bronze - Nina MENKENOVA (RUS) vs. Simona PRICOB (ROU)

58 kg
Gold - Yuzuru KUMANO (JPN) vs. Battsetseg ALTANTSETSEG (MGL)
Bronze - Elin Johanna NILSSON (SWE) vs. Xiaosen WANG (CHN)
Bronze - Tetyana KIT (UKR) vs. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)

63 kg
Gold - Braxton Rei STONE (CAN) vs. Ayana GEMPEI (JPN)
Bronze - Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) vs. Tatiana SMOLIAK (RUS)
Bronze - Luzie MANZKE (GER) vs. Moa Lena Maria NYGREN (SWE)

75 kg
Gold - Gracelynn DOOGAN (CAN) vs. Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN)
Bronze - Francy RAEDELT (GER) vs. Mabelkis CAPOTE PEREZ (CUB)
Bronze - Pooja POOJA (IND) vs. Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR)

Esmaeili survives Jafarov shock to win ISG 2025 gold

Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - 18:51 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 18) -- He needed some strong defense to win the world title and on Tuesday, Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) needed some clutch offense to beat Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) for the second time in two one month.

Esmaeili and Jafarov clashed in the final of the 67kg weight class at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Riyad, Saudi Arabi and it seemed that the latter was on his way to upset the Olympic champion and avenge his loss from the World Championships final.

Down 3-3 on criteria, all seemed to be over for Esmaeili as the clock ticked down. In the last 10 seconds, Esmaeili worked on a double-arm lock and then managed to throw Jafarov in danger from standing for four points which changed the result and gave him the win.

Azerbaijan challenged the call but there was no change in the result and Esmaeili defeated Jafarov 8-3, to capture yet another gold medal this year after Asian and World Championships.

Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI)Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) throws Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) during their 67kg bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In Zagreb, Esmaeili was put in par terre for third passivity call. Jafarov, down 2-1, needed a point to turn the result but he failed to score any points as Esmaeili defended the par terre position and captured his first world title.

Jafarov blamed a lapse in concentration in the final seconds that costed him the gold medal in Riyadh.

Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) won his fourth gold medal this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran's other world champion from Zagreb, Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) made it seem a little easier as he defeated former world U20 champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 6-0, winning his third gold in one month.

Farokhi, who won gold at 82kg at the World Championships, moved to 87kg for U23 World Championships and won gold without giving up a point in Novi Sad. Just two weeks later, he now gold at 87kg on Tuesday.

Against Yevloyev in the final, Farokhi was awarded both par terre position which gave him a 2-0 lead. From the second par terre, he managed to score a point as he threw Yevloyev for a stepout. The Kazakhstan wrestler was docked two points for defensive foul making it 5-0.

Kazakhstan challenged the foul call but Yevloyev had clearly blocked Farokhi using his elbow on the Iranian's face. The lost challenged made it 6-0 for Farokhi, giving him the win.

Farokhi had a tough match in semifinals against world bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) and needed a takedown in the final minute to win 7-6, first time he has shown some difficulty winning bouts.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) won the 77kg gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Two other gold medals were awarded on Tuesday with former U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) winning the 60kg one and two-time Olympic medalist Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) marking his comeback with gold medal at 77kg.

Makhmudov, who has not wrestled in a full tournament since winning bronze in Paris, was in some form as he made no mistake in his run to the gold medal. In the final, he wrestled Amir ABDI (IRI) and performed a reverse lift throw for five points before securing the fall in the second period.

Abdi got the par terre position in the first period but Makhmudov defended the position, giving only a 1-0 lead to the Iranian. When he got the par terre position, he jumped to the front before performing the lift and holding Abdi on the mat for fall.

Ganiev, who defeated European champion Nihad MAMMADLI (AZE) in the quarterfinal, defeated Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) in the semifinal and humbled Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), 8-0, in the final.

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), 8-0

BRONZE: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE: Sajjad ALBIDHAN (IRQ) df. Fergat ABDELKRIM (ALG), 5-1

67kg
GOLD: Saeid ESMAEILI LEIVESI (IRI) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), 8-3

BRONZE: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT), 5-2
BRONZE: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY), via fall (9-0)

77kg
GOLD: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Amir ABDI (IRI), via fall (6-1)

BRONZE: Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) df. Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE), 2-2
BRONZE: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) df. Sami SLAMA (TUN), via fall (8-1)

87kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 6-0

BRONZE: Sid BACHIR (ALG) df. Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK), 9-0
BRONZE: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 5-1