#BuchaWrestU23

Japan Snags Three Champions in Final Day of #BuchaWrestU23 Women’s Action

Friday, November 16, 2018 - 21:19 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) by Martin Gabor. 

BUCHAREST, Romania – Japan won three more World titles in women’s freestyle on Friday night at the U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, to win the team title with 188 points.

Winning for Japan tonight was Momoka KADOYA at 53 kg, Yukako KUWAI at 62 kg and Ayana GEMPEI at 65 kg, bringing Japan’s gold-medal total to five in women’s freestyle.

It was an emotional ending at 53 kg as it appeared that Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) won 5-4 with a late takedown. However, Kadoya’s corner challenged and won, giving Japan its third World champion of the week with a 4-3 decision.

Making her second World finals in less than a month, 2018 Senior World runner-up Yukako KAWAI (JPN) defeated Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) in the 62 kg gold bout with a dominant 14-3 performance.

The final champion from Japan came at 65 kg as Gempei won her second-consecutive U23 World title. To earn gold, Gempei put up a decisive 7-3 decision against two-time Junior World bronze medalist Elis MANOLOVA (AZE).

Photo of Buse TOSUN (TUR) by Martin Gabor. 

The other two golds up for grabs tonight went to Canada and Turkey.

At 57 kg, Alexandria TOWN (CAN) stopped Japan from another gold medal, defeating 2018 Junior Asian champion Akie HANAI (JPN) with a 7-4 win.

To close out the night, 2018 Senior World bronze medalist Buse TOSUN (TUR) finished off fast 10-0 technical fall over host country’s Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), ending the bout in 1:35.

This is Tosun’s third World medal as she also has a 2013 Junior World silver medal.

Finishing behind Japan in the team race was Russia in second with 113 points and China in third with 106 points.

The 2018 U23 World Championships continue tomorrow with men’s freestyle action.

Finals results

53 kg
GOLD - Momoka KADOYA (JPN) df. Milana DADASHEVA (RUS), 4-3
BRONZE - Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) df. Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB), fall
BRONZE - Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) df. Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL), 5-3

57 kg
GOLD - Alexandria TOWN (CAN) df. Akie HANAI (JPN), 7-4
BRONZE - Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 11-3
BRONZE - Alexandra ANDREEVA (RUS) df. Qi ZHANG (CHN), 2-1

62 kg
GOLD - Yukako KAWAI (JPN) df. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), 14-3
BRONZE - Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df. Kayla MIRACLE (USA), 6-3
BRONZE - Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) df. Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU), 4-2

65 kg
GOLD - Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) df. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), 7-3
BRONZE - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL), fall
BRONZE - Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS) df. Moa NYGREN (SWE), 10-0

72 kg
GOLD - Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 10-0
BRONZE - Xiaoqian WANG (CHN) df. Nomin Erdene PURVEE (MGL), 8-3
BRONZE - Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Naina NAINA (IND), fall

Team scores      
1. Japan – 188
2. Russia – 113
3. China – 106
4. Ukraine – 81
5. USA – 76

#BuchaWrestU23

Cartaraga and Pataridze Return to U23 World Finals in #BuchaWrestU23

Monday, November 12, 2018 - 17:08 By Taylor Miller

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BUCHAREST, Romania – The first day of the 2018 U23 World Championships have come to a close, but not before two wrestlers earned their second-consecutive U23 World finals bids.

2017 U23 World champion at 71 kg Daniel CARTARAGA (MDA) made his second-straight U23 World finals, this time at 77 kg, pinning 2018 Junior World silver medalist and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Sajan SAJAN (IND) in the first period.

In the finals, Cartaraga will meet 2018 U23 European champion Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN), who knocked off reigning U23 World champion Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) with a 4-1 decision.

Also advancing to his second U23 World finals was Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), who is a five-time age-group World champion, winning three Junior World titles and two Cadet World titles.

To earn a spot in the finals, the Georgian finished off 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) with an 8-0 technical fall in 56 seconds.

Pataridze looks to improve on his silver-medal finish from last year. To do so, he will have to go through 2016 Junior World silver medalist and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) in the 130 kg finals.

Securing his second World medal of the year was Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, two weeks ago. Tsurtsumia edged out 2012 Cadet World bronze winner Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) in a 2-1 battle.

Waiting for him in the finals is 2018 Russia Nationals champion Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS).

The Russian sailed to the finals after a 9-1 technical fall over 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ). This is Kabaloev’s first World tournament.

At 63 kg, Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) knocked off 2016 Junior World bronze medalist Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) with a decisive 6-3 win.

The other 63 kg semifinal featured another 6-3 decision as Alexandru BICIU (MDA) silenced the Romanian crowd, defeating 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Mihai MIHUT (ROU).

Katsuaki and Biciu will face-off tomorrow for the 63 kg World crown.

The 87 kg finals will feature 2018 Senior Pan American champion Daniel Gregorich of Cuba and Semen NOVIKOV (UKR).

Gregorich defeated U23 European bronze medalist Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), 7-1, while Novikov stunned three-time age-group World champion Islam ABBASOV (AZE) in an 8-5 decision.

Tuesday’s action begins at 10:30 a.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET). Fans can watch live on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Finals matchups

55 kg: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)
63 kg: Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) vs. Alexandru BICIU (MDA)
77 kg: Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
87 kg: Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) vs. Daniel GREGORICH (CUB)
130 kg: Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) vs. Osman YILDIRIM (TUR)

Semifinals results

55 kg
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) dec. Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ), 2-1
Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) tech. fall Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ), 9-1

63 kg
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) dec. Meysam DALKHANI (IRI), 6-3
Alexandru BICIU (MDA) dec. Mihai MIHUT (ROU), 6-3

77 kg
Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) dec. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 4-1
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) win by fall Sajan SAJAN (IND), 2:28

87 kg
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) dec. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 8-5
Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) dec. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), 7-1

130 kg
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) tech. fall Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN), 8-0
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) dec. Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), 5-1