#Fortaleza2018

Junior Pan American finale set for Sunday night in Brazil

By Taylor Miller

FORTALEZA, Brazil – The United States put on a show in the first half of the Junior Pan American Championships freestyle tournament, with seven athletes in position to compete for gold tonight at 5 p.m. ET in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Two other U.S. wrestlers, Anthony CASSIOPPI and Cameron CAFFEY, already claimed Junior Pan American freestyle titles to double up on 2018 Pan Am golds after successful morning sessions, with each wrestler going 4-0.

Cassioppi, who won the Golden Boot in Greco-Roman, secured the crown at 125 kg, while Caffey won at 97 kg.

With the highest amount of entrants among the three styles, there are five weights with finals, 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg and 74 kg.

At 57 kg, Kevin CHAVES BETANCUR (COL) will challenge 2017 Cadet South American champion Jonathan PRATA ALAS (ARG) for gold.

Greco champion Dylan GREGERSON (USA) will go up against Marco PALMERO (CAN) for the title at 61 kg.

The 65 kg finals features Andrew ALIREZ (USA) and 2015 Cadet Pan American freestyle champion Cristian SANTIAGO PEREZ (MEX). Alirez outscored his opponents, 20-0, while Santiago outscored his opponents, 20-5.

Emerging from pool play at 70 kg was Jose VALERA GARCIA (GUA) and Austin O’CONNOR (USA). Both athletes bounced back from first-round losses to move on to the finals.

At 74 kg, Junior World representative for Canada Ty BRIDGEWATER won by two technical falls to advance to the finals. Tonight, he will go against Jeremiah MOODY (USA) for gold, who was also dominant.

Anthony MANTANONA (USA) went 3-0 in the morning session at 79 kg to enter tonight as the only undefeated wrestler at the weight. Should he win his match against Miguel ORNELAS REYNOSO (MEX), he will seal the gold medal in the 79 kg bracket.

Ornelas and Phelipe DOS SANTOS (BRA) head into the final round with 2-1 records.

It’s a similar situation at 86 kg, with Kordell NORFLEET (USA) collecting a 3-0 record. He will face Connor PATTISON (CAN) in the fifth round.

In the other 86 kg match, Junior Pan Am Greco-Roman bronze medalists Nicolas BAEZ (ARG) and Jhon CARMONA (COL), who each are 2-1, will go head-to-head.

Should Austin HARRIS (USA) win his third-round match against Emiliano PRADO GUZMAN (MEX) at 97 kg, he will secure the gold medal. Harris won tech falls over Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN) and Guilherme PRADELLA LIMA (BRA) in the morning session.

The finals are set for 5 p.m. ET live on unitedworldwrestling.org.
 

2026 U23 European Championships

Perfect Russia Puts Five Wrestlers in Finals at U23 Euros

By Vinay Siwach

ZRENJANIN, Serbia (March 9) -- Five wrestlers took the mat for Russia on day one of the U23 European Championships in Zrenjanin, Serbia on Monday and all five reached the final.

The first continental championships of 2026 began with Freestyle competition in 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg at the Kristalna Dvorana Arena and Russia emerged as the best team.

Led by Takhir KHANIEV (RUS), fresh off his win against world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) in Tirana, Russian wrestlers dominated on their way to the finals, to be played Tuesday.

Khaniev, a U23 world silver medalist at 92kg, wrestled former U17 world champion Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinals and won 14-4, his second victory via technical superiority of the day.

Petriashvili scored the first point when he blocked a throw from Khaniev and got two points. He then scored exposure points during an exchange to lead 4-2. But Khaniev managed to push Petriashvili and eventually broke the Georgian to complete the victory.

He will face former U20 European champion Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR) for the gold medal after the Ukrainian defeated Zafar ALIYEV (AZE), 6-2. Prymachenko never seemed in danger of losing the bout against Aliyev.

Ismail KHANIEV (RUS)Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) will wrestle for the 79kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Khaniev's brother Ismail also made it to the final at 79kg after he outscored his opponents 30-0 in three bouts. He led 9-0 in his semifinal against Mateusz PEDZICKI (POL) before the Poland wrestler complained of a shoulder injury that forced him to abandon the semifinal.

For the gold medal, Khaniev will face Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE) who secured a close 4-1 victory over Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO) in the other semifinal.

Defending champion at 70kg Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS) booked a final against U20 world silver medalist Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) after the two dominated their way to the final.

Eltermirov scored a 11-0 victory over Marcel WAGIN (GER) while Gaidarli managed to beat Mykyta SARIIEV (UKR), 10-0, in the semifinals. Both are yet to give up a point in the tournament so far.

Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR)Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) squares off against Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM) in the 65kg semifinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In a battle of U20 world bronze medalists at 65kg, Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) defeated Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM), 9-6, and enter the final against Dzhambulat KIZINOV (RUS).

Magamedkhanov fell behind 2-0 early in the bout before he closed the gap to 4-3 at the break. In the second period, he scored from a front chest-wrap twice to lead 7-4. When he attempted it for the third time, Musikyan blocked it and scored two points to cut the lead to 7-6.

The Armenian was close to scoring a takedown which would have given him the lead but Magamedkhanov scrambled out of the hold and countered Musikyan for a takedown in the final 10 seconds to win 9-6.

Kizinov was in more control of his semifinal against Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), blanking the Ukrainian 6-0. He scored a point when Borohan was put on the activity clock before a stepout made his lead 2-0. A takedown and turn made it 6-0 before the break. No points were scored in the second period as the Russian entered the final.

Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE)Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) will wrestle for the 57kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 57kg, former U17 world champion Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) will face Aiandai ONDAR (RUS) for the gold medal.

Baghirov, with his stealthy defense, kept Nikoloz BOTCHRISHVILI (GEO) at a distance and led 3-1 with 15 seconds to go. But the Georgian managed to hit a single-leg takedown and dump him outside the zone. However, it was scored only one point for Botchrishvili.

Georgia challenged the call but lost it to add one more point to Baghirov's score. A late takedown sealed his 6-2 victory.

Ondar took 56 seconds to beat Artsiom PAULIUCHENKA (BLR), 10-0, using a trap-arm gut.

Photo

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) vs. Aiandai ONDAR (RUS)

SF 1: Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) df. Nikoloz BOTCHORISHVILI (GEO), 6-2
SF 2: Aiandai ONDAR (RUS) df. Artsiom PAULIUCHENKA (BLR), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) vs. Dzhambulat KIZINOV (RUS)

SF 1: Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) df. Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM), 9-6
SF 2: Dzhambulat KIZINOV (RUS) df. Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 6-0

70kg
GOLD: Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS) vs. Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA)

SF 1: Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS) df. Marcel WAGIN (GER), 11-0
SF 2: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Mykyta SARIIEV (UKR), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) vs. Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE)

SF 1: Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) df. Mateusz PEDZICKI (POL), via inj. def. (9-0)
SF 2: Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE) df. Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO), 4-1

97kg
GOLD: Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR) vs. Takhir KHANIEV (RUS)

SF 1: Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR) df. Zafar ALIYEV (AZE), 6-2
SF 2: Takhir KHANIEV (RUS) df. Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 14-4