Junior World Preview

Friday, August 9, 2019 - 15:48 By Eric Olanowski

TALLINN, Estonia (August 9) --- With the lineup Japan has inserted into the Junior World Championships, you’d think they were gearing up to make a run at a team title in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, at the Senior World Championships. They are led by a pair of young guns who have not only been exposed to veteran competition -- but surpassed expectations when it comes to competing with those greats. The Japanese women’s team will follow the lead of Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Yui SUSAKI (JPN), who are both two-time reigning senior world champions that fell in their wrestle-off and won’t compete in September at the Nur-Sultan World Championships.

Okuno wrestled twice at the Cadet World Championships but skipped the junior level on her way to capturing a pair of world titles on the senior circuit. Japan’s second two-time reigning world champion Yui Susaki returns to the Junior Worlds for the second consecutive year with hopes of striking her seventh overall world title since stepping onto the international scene just five short years ago.

Last year, Susaki, who was months shy from defending her Paris world title, shocked the wrestling world by using the Junior World Championships as a tune-up tournament for the Budapest World Championships. The Japanese superstar didn’t break a sweat at junior worlds, then bulldozed the competition in Hungary and won her second consecutive senior world title -- bringing her grand total to six world golds. In total, through the junior and senior World Championships, Susaki won all eight of her matches and outscored the opposition 78-0 en route to her pair of 2018 world titles.

But this year is much different for Susaki, who failed to make Japan’s senior-level world team for the first time since she took over the weight class from 2016 Rio Olympic champion Erie TOSAKA (JPN) at the Paris World Championships. The queen of the 50kg weight class lost her starting spot in early June to her arch-nemesis Yuki IRIE (JPN) and won’t make the trip to Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, for the senior World Championships.

Though she won’t be heading to Kazakhstan, Susaki comes to Estonia heavily favored to win a 50kg weight class that lacks a returning junior world medalist but does have a pair of 2018 cadet world podium finishers in Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE) and Natallia VARAKINA (BLR). Nazarova finished in second place and Varakina finished in third place at the 2018 Cadet World Championships.

Okuno, who has four world titles on her resume, lost her 53kg starting spot to Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) who was a two-time 55kg world champion but dropped down to the Olympic weight of 53kg with hopes of making a gold-medal run at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Okuno doesn’t have much to worry about in the 53kg weight class as the weight lacks any returning cadet or junior world medalists.

Velieva on the Verge of Winning Fifth World Title
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) is on the verge of winning her fifth age-group world title. The two-time defending junior world champion and United World Wrestling’s 2018 Junior Female Wrestler of the Year enters the World Championships riding an undefeated streak that spans over three years. She hasn’t lost a match at the junior level since the 2016 European Championships where she finished in third place.

At her most recent Junior World Championships, Velieva bolstered her resume with a second consecutive junior world title. Her two biggest tests were expected to come in the opening round against Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) and in the finals against Macey KILTY (USA) – but she passed both of those tests with flying colors.

The Russian wrestler scored a convincing 6-2 win against Morikawa, Japan’s three-time age-group world medalist in the opening round. Then, she added a 10-0 win over Rihem AYARI (TUN) and a fall against PARK Hyeonyeong (KOR) to set up an all-star finals matchup against the then reigning cadet world champion Macey Kilty. In the finals, Velieva throttled the American, shutting her down offensively en route to an easy 7-0 shutout victory.

Velieva will again compete at 68kg, but Kilty and Morikawa have since dropped down to 65kg. Although the weight loses those two returning world medalists, it’ll be replenished with a pair other returning world medalists in ENKHSAIKHAN Delgermaa (MGL) and Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN). Enkhsaikhan was a 2018 junior world runner-up at 65kg and Matsuyuki was last year’s junior world bronze medalist at 72kg.

Two Others Looking to Defend 2018 Women’s World Titles
Susaki and Velieva will be joined by Saki IGARASHI (JPN) and Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), who are also trying their hand at winning at least a second consecutive junior world title.

Igarashi is set to compete at 55kg where she’s the defending world champion. Last year in Trnava, the Japanese wrestler had four matches and finished all of them in dominant fashion. She wrapped up her first run to a world title outscoring her opponents 28-0 – which included a fall and two wins via technical superiority. Two months after winning her junior world gold, Igarashi added a U23 world title to her resume with a gold-medal performance in Bucharest, Romania.

At this year’s Junior World Championships, Igarashi’s toughest tests are expected to be BATBAATAR Enkhtsetseg (MGL) and Anna SZEL (HUN). Both are returning world bronze medalist, but Batbaatar’s bronze came at the junior level, while Szel won hers at the cadet level.

Anastasia Nichita is the fourth returning world gold medalist who’ll be looking to claim at least her second consecutive world title. Nichita, last year’s 59kg world champion, comes into Tallinn riding a 10 tournament stretch where she’s finished on the podium. And that streak doesn’t pertain to just the junior level. Nichita made her senior-level debut earlier this year in Bucharest, Romania, at the European Championships where she finished in third place. Then, she tacked on another continental bronze medal at the European Games in Minsk, Belarus.

Nichita will be joined by Sae NANJO (JPN) and Anshu ANSHU (IND) at 59kg. Nanjo is a returning junior world finalist and Anshu was last year’s cadet world bronze medalist.

Trio of World Champs Headline Freestyle Competition.
On the freestyle side of the competition, the entry list is littered with world-level talent, but it’s headlined by Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI), Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) and Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) – all of which are returning world champs.

This’ll be Foroutanrami’s first competition back down at the junior level since he won the 92kg world title a year ago. Since winning that world title, he’s made the jump up to the U23 and senior level where he’s continued to find success.

At the U23 level, Foroutanrami went 4-0 and captured an Asian title. This was his first time reaching the top of the continental podium. And at the senior level, he finished in second place at the final Ranking Series event of the year, the Sassari City Tournament. His only loss on the Italian island of Sardinia came from age-group world and continental champion Hamed Talebizarrinkamar (IRI).

Foroutanrami will wrestle at 97kg where he’s the lone returning world medalist from the cadet or junior level.

Gadzhiyev, last year’s 70kg junior world champ, will also be making his first appearance back down at the junior level since claiming gold in 2018. Since grabbing his Trnava world title, Gadzhiyev has been representing Azerbaijan at 74kg and is expected to be their world team representative at the Nur-Sultan World Championships. That is, if he’s able to defeat London Olympic champion Togurl ASGAROV (AZE) for the spot.

This season, the Azeri won the Takhti Cup and has a pair of continental top-five finishes on the senior circuit. He finished in fifth place at the European Championships but improved to a third-place finish at the European Games.

Akhmed Idrisov is the third freestyle world champion that’ll compete in Tallinn next week. Idrisov will wrestle at 57kg where he be joined by Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO) and Vitali ARUJAU (USA). Gegelashvili was last year’s cadet world bronze medalist while Arujau was a 2016 cadet world finalist.

Kamal Chasing Third Junior World Title
The Turkish highlight reelKerem KAMAL (TUR) will be looking to throw his way to a third junior world title. Kamal, who frequents the U23 and senior scene, will be stepping back down to the junior level for the first time since winning a second consecutive junior world title last year in Slovakia. While at the junior level, Kamal has only faced defeat once and has stacked up an impressive resume filled with a Balkans and European title and a pair of world gold medals.

In addition to his success at the junior level, Kamal has also been a fixture on the U23 and senior level for Turkey’s Greco-Roman squad for the past few years. He’s ranked seventh in the world at 60kg thanks to his title-winning effort at the first Ranking Series event of the year, the Grand Prix of Zagreb, and a bronze-medal finish at the European Championships. Kamal’s only loss came in Bucharest at the European Championships which was against defending world champion Sergey EMELIN (RUS).

Earlier this year, Kamal, who is the reigning U23 European champion, said that he expects to represent Turkey at the Junior, U23 and Senior World Championships.

Japan’s Kazuki YABE is Kamal’s biggest threat at stopping a three-peat. Last year, Yabe finished with a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships.

Macey KILTY (USA) is one of eight 2018 cadet world champions looking to add a junior world title to their resume. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Eight Cadet World Champions Make Leap to Junior Level
The seven reigning junior world champions will be outnumbered by 2018 cadet world champions in Estonia. There are eight cadets who won a world title last year that are competing next week. Freestyle houses four of those worlds champions, while Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling reach have a pair of reigning cadet world gold medalists.

Here are the eight cadets looking to add a junior world title to their resume:

Freestyle
65kg - Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
79kg - Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO)
92kg - Ali ABDOLLAHI(IRI)
125kg - Amir ZARE (IRI)

Greco-Roman
82kg - Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
130kg - Muhammet Hamza BAKIR (TUR)

Women’s Wrestling
65kg - Macey KILTY (USA)
72kg - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)

SCHEDULE
Sunday (August 11)
17.00 - Draw FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Monday (August 12)
8.30 –Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
14.15 – Draw FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18.00 – Final FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Tuesday (August 13)
8.30 – Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
8.45 – Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
10.30 – Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
14.15 – Draw WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
16.45 – Opening Ceremony
17.15 – Semi Final FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18.00 – Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Wednesday (August 14)
8.30 – Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
8. 45 – Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
10.30 – Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
13.45 – Draw WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
17.15 – Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18.00 – Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg

Thursday (August 15)
8.30 – Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
8.45 – Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
10.30 – Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
13.45 – Draw GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
17.15 – Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18.00 – Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg

Friday (August 16)
8.30 – Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
8.45 – Medical examination & Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
10.30 – Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
15.15 – Draw GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
17.15 – Semi Final GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
18.00 – Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg

Saturday (August 17)
8.30 – Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
8.45 – Medical Examination & Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
10.30 – Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
10.30 – Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
16.00 – Entertainment for the audience
17.15 – Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18.00 – Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Sunday (August 18)
8.30 – Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
16.00 – Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18.00 – Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
21.00 – Final banquet

#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships day six semis set

Thursday, September 15, 2022 - 08:00 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 15) -- The freestyle action in men's begins on day six of the World Championships in Belgrade with superstars competing in 70kg, 79kg, 86kg and 125kg at the Stark Arena.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

The semifinals for the evening session

70kg
Zain RETHERFORD (USA) vs. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) vs. Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN)

79kg
Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) vs. Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) vs. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)

86kg
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) vs. Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) vs. David TAYLOR (USA)

125kg
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) vs. Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)
Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) vs. Taha AKGUL (TUR)

14:38: Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL) trailed Yudai TAKAHASHI (JPN) 3-2 till the final five seconds when he got Takahashi's knee touching the mat to win 4-3. Japan challenges the call but there is a clear touch. Umarpashaev wins 5-3.

14:36: Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), the winner of the Rome tournament in June, plows into the 79kg semifinals with a 10-0 technical fall over Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE). After a first-period takedown, Mykhailov gets a takedown and two exposures in the second period and then ends the match with a third takedown.

14:35: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) puts on a takedown clinic, scoring four in a 10-5 victory over Olympic bronze medalist Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) to make the 79kg semifinals.

14:30: Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), chasing his sixth world title, looks as good as ever. He makes it look so easy as he did against Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ), steamrolling to an 11-0 win.

14:25: Amir ZARE (IRI) and Taha AKGUL (TUR) set up a mouth-watering semifinal at 125kg with similar one-sided victories on adjacent mats. Zare uses a spin-behind takedown to finish up a 10-0 technical fall over Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR). About a minute later, Akgul defeats Amarveer DHESI (CAN) 8-2. The only difference was a nifty ankle pick that Dhesi used to score a takedown against Akgul.

14:25: Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) led Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ) 4-2 in the 125kg quarterfinals but Boltin kept the pressure on. Munkhtur, however, manages to keep the score and win. He will face Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO).

14:23: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) is moving into the semifinals at 125kg as he beats Hayden ZILLMER (USA) 9-4 in a very controlled bout.

14:13: Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) gets a stepout in the first period and an activity point in the second, and that's all the scoring in a tense 70kg quarterfinal victory over Servet COSKUN (TUR).

14:11: Zain RETHERFORD (USA) keeps his gold-medal hopes alive with a solid 5-0 victory over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) to make the 70kg semifinals. After getting an activity point in the first period, Retherford stays on the attack and scores a takedown and three stepouts for the win.

14:07: Ernazar AKMATELIEV (KGZ) completes a technical superiority win as well. Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) did try some tricks but Akmataliev keeps the counters coming and wins 11-0. He will face Narikuni in the semifinals, a rematch of the Asian Championships final which was won by Narikuni.

14:06: Asian champion Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) with an anti-climatic technical superiority win over Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB). He goes for a big four exposure and then a chest wrap gut for a 10-0 win at 70kg.

13:56: Boris MAKOEV (SVK) got a 4-0 lead against Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO) but the Georgian has since bounced back with two takedowns and a stepout to lead 5-4. Slovakia challenge the call and the two points are taken off. 4-3 lead for Makoev. He got a takedown but Maisuradze changed the direction and got the two. He is awarded two more but Slovakia challenges asking for two and two. The review takes out two from Maisuradze. 5-4 lead for the Georgian. But Makoev with a two in the final second to win 6-5.

13:53: Asian champion Azamat DAULETBEKOV gets a 4-point cradle to the back in the second period against Olympic bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) and he's into the 86kg semifinals with a 9-1 victory.

13:48: David TAYLOR (USA) looks just awesome in his quest for a second world title, putting away Ethan RAMOS (PUR) by technical fall 11-0 in 1:34. A takedown and two gut wrenches, then another takedown and another gut wrench finished the job. A capricious challenge at the end was unsuccessful, adding another point.

13:45: The quarterfinals begin at 86kg Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) taking on Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) on Mat C. He gets a stepout to start. Takedown and gut to make it 5-0. Yazdani keeps the pressure and wins 11-0 within three minutes.

13:38: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) is through to the 79kg quarterfinals with a 10-0 technical fall over Aulguun ALTANZUL (MGL), much to the delight of the horn-honking, chanting Iranian fans at Stark Arena.

13:36: Yudai TAKAHASHI (JPN), who went to his first senior worlds while still in high school in 2021, makes it to the quarterfinals this time at 79kg when he scores a stepout with :28 left to defeat Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) 7-6. Takahashi was trailing on criteria at the time.

13:27: Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) hits those doubles like no one else. He moves into the 79kg quarterfinals with a 12-1 win over Dejan MITROV (MKD).

13:26: Taha AKGUL (TUR), going for his third world title and seventh medal overall, gets a pair of takedowns near the edge in the first period and that was enough for a 4-0 victory over DANIEL LIGETI (HUN) and place in the 125 quarterfinals.

13:19: European champion and returning bronze medalist Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) encounters stiff resistance from Temuulen EHKHTUYA (MGL) to start his campaign at 70kg. An activity point gives him a 2-1 lead, and that's how it ends to put Iakobishvili into the quarterfinals.

13:14: Olympic silver medalist Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) warms up with a fall over DINESH (IND) and moves into the quarterfinals at 125kg. His match is followed up by Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) against Zhiwei DENG (CHN). Zare leads 2-0 at the break. A passivity against Deng in the second period makes it 3-0. That will be the final score of the bout.

13:09: Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) gets the fall on Mat A over Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) to make the 70kg quarterfinals, but not without some drama. Narikuni is trailing 4-2 in the second period when he gets in on a tackle. Talgat gets on top to defend, but Narikuni rises up and rolls forward. He is awarded 2, but Kazakhstan challenges—and the call is changed to 4! With the lost challenge point, now it's 7-4. Narikuni gets a takedown, a roll, then stacks up Talgat for the fall with :38 left.

13:09: At 125kg, Hayden ZILLMER (USA) hangs on for a 3-2 win over European bronze medalist Robert BARAN (POL). That means the USA will get team points at 125kg, a huge aspect in the team race.

13:02: Olympic champion David TAYLOR (USA) needs just 51 seconds to get a takedown, lock up an arm and roll back and forth four times to defeat Aron CANEVA (ITA) by 10-0 technical fall and advance to the 86kg quarterfinals.

13:00: Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO) goes into the break at 86kg against 2021 bronze medalist Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) leading 3-1 after giving up a takedown and a fleeing penalty. Abakarov gets in on leg late in the second period, but Maisuradze defends and comes away with the win and a spot in the quarterfinals.

12:56: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) gives up a takedown against Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) but remains unfazed. In the second period, Sacultan tries to trip Akmataliev who counters with a four and gut wrenches to a 13-2 win.

12:50: Russian-born Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU) gets the early takedown against Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), the returning silver medalist from 2021 at 79kg. Nokhodi spins behind for 2, then adds a pair of rolls to go up 6-2. A counter lift by the bearded Shikhdzhamalov and a Nokhodi reversal makes it 7-4 at the break. Shikhdzhamalov gets behind to cut the gap to 1 midway through the second period, but Nokhodi holds on for a 7-6 win.

12:48: Olympic bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) up against Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT) and he takes the 2-0 lead with a takedown. He adds one more in the second period and will hold on for a 4-0 win.

12:43: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is walking out and you know that as the Iran fans cheer him. He is facing Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA) at 86kg. A slow start from the defending world champion but he works more in the second period for a 10-0 technical superiority win.

12:32: Arman AVAGYAN (ARM), a 2021 world U23 bronze medalist, wins points on both offense and defense in beating Adam THOMPSON (CAN) by 11-0 technical fall at 79kg.

12:25: Big match at 79kg as Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB), who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics at 74kg, facing Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR). Abdurakhmonov went up to 86kg but has come back to 79kg for this tournament. He is up 1-0 at the break. A scramble gives two points for Abdurakhmanov and one for Akdeniz. A second scramble results in a four-pointer for Akdeniz but Uzbekistan and it's only two. Turkey leads 3-3 on criteria. A double from Abdurakhmonov and he takes the lead. An attack from Akdeniz but he gives up points. Challenge from Turkey as Akdeniz suffers a 7-3 loss. A lost challenge and Abdurakhmonov wins 8-3

12:21: 2020 Asian champion Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) leaves it late but gets a double-leg takedown with :25 left to defeat 2021 European silver medalist Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA) 2-2 on criteria at 79kg.

12:20: European champion Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) could not have asked for a tougher start to his World Championships. Facing Alans AMIROVS (LAT) at 79kg, he scores a stepout a point for passivity and another stepout to win 3-1.

12:11: A 7-0 victory on Mat B by Daniel LIGETI (HUN) over Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN) at 125kg earns him a date in the round of 16 with former world and Olympic champion Taha AKGUL (TUR).

12:05: Five-time world champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) is coming up on Mat C against Sahergeldi SAPARMYRADOV (TKM). Burroughs gives up a stepout but comes back to hit the iconic double to complete a 12-1 win

12:00: World bronze medalist Zhiwei DENG (CHN) up on Mat C against Aydin AHMADOV (AZE) and he keeps it moving for six minutes and completes a 5-0 win over Ahmadov.

11:58: Two-time world medalist Reineris SALAS (CUB), a Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist at 97kg who has moved up to 125kg, falls behind on criteria when he gives up a takedown to Pan Am champ Amarveer DHESI (CAN) with two minutes left in the second period. Dhesi, with Salas on the activity clock, adds a stepout. With a minute to go, Dhesi is up 4-2, then squirms out of a takedown attempt for the win.

11:45: Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM) got the opening arm-spin four against Hayden ZILLMER (USA) but the American rallied back to win 15-4 at 125kg.

11:39: Asian champion Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN), whose mother Akiko IIJIMA was a two-time world champion and his coach as a youth, took the first step in emulating his mom in his senior world debut with a 6-1 victory over Naveen MALIK (IND) at 70kg.

11:35: Zain RETHERFORD (USA), a big favorite to win the gold medal at 70kg, shows why is it so. He rocks and roll Kevin HENKEL (GER) for a technical superiority win.

11:28: A bit of bad blood on Mat A. Fati VEJSELI (MKD) gives European bronze medalist Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) a shove as the two are on the mat at the end of their 70kg match, which was won 7-4 by Ramazanov.

11:20: Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB), making his debut at the World Championships, wins his opening match via technical superiority against Anthony WESLEY (CPV) at 70kg. Bekbulatov has been wrestling for Uzbekistan since 2019.

11:18: Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), coming off a gold-medal run at last month's World U20, storms out to an 8-point lead at 86kg against Ethan RAMOS (PUR), only to see his opponent come back with six of his own, all in the first period. Magamadov gets a takedown and roll, but Ramos comes back with a takedown. Then the ceiling falls on the Frenchman, as Ramos muscles him over for a fall as if to say, welcome to the big league.

11:09: At 86kg, European champion Myles AMINE (SMR), the U.S.-raised star who became a hero in his grandfather's homeland of San Marino when he won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, comes out the back door to score a 2-point exposure against Zushen LIN (CHN) and go-ahead 2-2 on criteria. He does the same move in the second period, then gives up a stepout. An unsuccessful challenge gives him a 5-3 win.

11:08: Returning bronze medalist Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) against Khasan ZAKARIIEV (UKR) on Mat D. He gives up four early points but then bounces back in the second period with two takedowns to lead 4-4. He scores a stepout as the time expires to win 5-4

11:03: Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO) trailed for most of the bout but he scored a takedown with 34 seconds remaining to pick up a 4-4 win over Sanjeet KUNDU (IND) at 86kg.

10:54: Fatih ERDIN (TUR) gets a takedown and gut against Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) to lead 6-0 but the Poland wrestler returns to secure a 16-6 technical superiority using a lace.

10:49: Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA) gets a couple of rolls in defeating Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) 7-0 at 86kg in the opening match on Mat A. That sends him into the next round, where he will be the opening opponent for formidable three-time world champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI).

10:29: Greetings from Belgrade for another great day of wrestling (what day isn't?) In today's morning session, the men return to the mat for the qualification rounds in freestyle at 70kg, 79kg, 86kg and 125kg. You can expect the action to be hot and heavy.

Junior World Preview

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World Championships day six semis set