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Kamal Eases into Sixth Straight World Final

Saturday, August 17, 2019 - 16:56 By Eric Olanowski

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TALLINN, Estonia (August 17) -- Kerem KAMAL (TUR) eased into his sixth consecutive world finals match and will be looking to be strapped with a junior world title belt for the third straight year. He’s now made it to back-to-back cadet world finals and a trio of junior world gold-medal bouts.

The reigning two-time junior world champion locked up his sixth consecutive trip to the age-group world finals with three imposing wins on the day – capped off with a 7-4 victory over Talastan KANZHARBEK UULU (KGZ) in the semifinals. For the Turkish superstar to win his third consecutive junior world title, he’ll have to get through Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM), who shutout Georgii TIBILOV (RUS), 6-0. 

Meanwhile, Armenia and Russia will each have two wrestlers jockeying for a world gold on Sunday night. 

In addition to Hovhannisyan, who’ll wrestle Kamal for the gold medal at 60kg, Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) will also represent Armenia in Sunday night’s finals. In his junior-level debut, the Armenian went 4-0 and cemented his spot in the world finals with a 15-5 demolishing victory over Abdul BASAR (TUR). He’ll take on Georgia’s a three-time age-group European champion Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO), who blanked Peyton OMANIA (USA), 7-0 en route to his first world title bout. 

Russia will also have a pair of gold-medal hopefuls lacing up on Sunday night. They are Sergei STEPANOV and Aues GONIBOV, who’ll compete at 72kg and 82kg, respectively. Setpanov reached the finals at a junior-level tournament for the first time in his career with an 8-0 victory against Ihor BYCHKOV (UKR). The two-time European bronze medalist is set to trade blows with Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) in the 72kg gold-medal match. The Azeri locked up his second world finals appearance and his third overall world medal with a 4-1 semifinal win against Ismail GUN (TUR). 

At 82kg, Aues Gonibov stuck Dogan KAYA (TUR) to make the finals, where he'll be awaited by Istvan TAKACS (HUN). The Hungarian trailed 5-0 in his semifinal’s bout against Hosein FOROUZANDEH GHOJEHBEIGLOU (IRI) but outscored the Iranian 16-2 and inserted himself in the finals.  

The final day of wrestling at the 2019 Junior World Championships kick off at 16:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwretling.org. 

RESULTS 
60kg
GOLD - Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM) df. Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM) df. Georgii TIBILOV (RUS), 6-0 
SEMIFINAL - Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Talastan KANZHARBEK UULU (KGZ), 7-4 

67kg
GOLD - Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) vs. Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
SEMIFINAL - Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) df. Peyton OMANIA (USA), 7-0
SEMIFINAL - Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) df. Abdul BASAR (TUR), 15-5 

72kg
GOLD - Sergei STEPANOV (RUS) vs. Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Sergei STEPANOV (RUS) df. Ihor BYCHKOV (UKR), 8-0 
SEMIFINAL - Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) df. Ismail GUN (TUR), 4-1  

82kg
GOLD - Istvan TAKACS (HUN) vs. Aues GONIBOV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Istvan TAKACS (HUN) df. Hosein FOROUZANDEH GHOJEHBEIGLOU (IRI), 16-7 
SEMIFINAL - Aues GONIBOV (RUS) df. Dogan KAYA (TUR, via fall

97kg
GOLD - Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) vs. Patrick NEUMAIER (GER)
SEMIFINAL - Patrick NEUMAIER (GER) df. Gerard Cyprian KURNICZAK (POL), 5-3
SEMIFINAL - Gabriel Alejandro ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) df. Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR), 9-0 

Iran strikes three golds to close ISG 2025

Friday, November 21, 2025 - 17:17 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 21) -- World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) led an inspiring performance from Iran which captured three out of four gold medal on the final day of the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Riyadh on Friday.

Zare, who won gold medal at 125kg in Zagreb in September, dominated his way to the gold in Riyadh outscoring his opponents 28-0 in three bouts.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) scores a takedown on Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) during the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Facing Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) in the final, Zare combined his skills to score stepouts at win and also scored two takedowns to finish the match 10-0, capturing his fourth gold medal of the season.

Sharipov reached the final after securing a shocking win over world silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) 7-6 in the semifinal. Meshvildishvili had to mount a comeback in the second period after he was down 5-1 in the match. He managed to make it 6-6 but trailed on criteria and as he tried to score a stepout in the final 10 seconds, Sharipov managed to remain inside the zone to survive attack.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) tries to control Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) during the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 97kg, a rematch between Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) and world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) was on the cards but Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) denied that as he defeated Tazhudinov 14-3 in the semifinals.

Azarpira and Aitmukhan faced each other in the final but the former was clearly the better wrestler as he blanked Aitmukhan 5-0 to win the gold medal. He scored three stepouts and Aitmukhan was cautioned when aggressively pushed Azarpira. One more stepout was enough for Azarpira to win the gold medal.

Tazhudinov declared himself injured in the bronze medal bout which gave Olympic bronze medalist Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) the medal.

Younes EMAMI (IRI)Younes EMAMI (IRI) reaches for the leg of Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) during the 74kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran's gold rush began when former Asian champion Younes EMAMI (IRI) completed a 5-0 victory over Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) at 74kg. Emami scored a takedown to take a 2-0 lead against Novruzov before pushing the Azerbaijan wrestler out of bounds twice before the break.

With a lead of 4-0, Emami began the second period on the aggressive and Novruzov was called passive. He failed to score in the 30-second period and Emami got another point to lead 5-0 which remained the winning score.

To reach the final, Emami had to go through 2024 world 70kg champion Norkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals. The Iranian defeated the Kazakhstan wrestler 6-5 in a thriller.

With the three golds, Iran finished the tournament with four gold medal while Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan won one each.

Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) celebrates after beating Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) in their opening bout at 86kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Dzhioev's impressive gold

One of Iran's favorite to win gold medal, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), suffered a heartbreaking loss at 86kg to Arsenii DIZHOEV (AZE) who capped off an incredible day with gold after beating Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) 5-1 in the final. 

The win over Ghasempour was quite impressive from Dzhioev. Down 3-0, he scored two takedowns and one point for Ghasempour's passivity to win the bout 5-3.

In the final against Saipudinov, he opened scored a takedown in the opening period after being called passive and giving up a point. He scored two stepouts and one point for passivity in the second period to win the final.

Ghasempour returned to win the bronze medal by beating Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 7-0, in the bronze-medal bout.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Younes EMAMI (IRI) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 5-0

BRONZE: Orozbek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 4-2
BRONZE: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) df. Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR), 4-3

86kg
GOLD: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN), 5-1

BRONZE: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 7-0
BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Bekzat RAKHIMOV (KGZ), 10-2

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), 5-0

BRONZE: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Muhammad GULZAR (PAK) df. Rifat GIDAK (TUR), via fall (4-5)

125kg
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), 10-0

BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ), 14-3
BRONZE: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Abdelrahman SHEYATAN (EGY), 5-0