#WrestleTallinn

Kamal Eases into Sixth Straight World Final

By Eric Olanowski

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 

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships 2025 Day 7 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 23) -- With four Greco-Roman weight classes, the U20 World Championships come towards the end. 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg wrestlers will be in action in Samokov, Bulgaria.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

13:55: In the final match of the morning session, former world U17 champion Yusuf BAKIR (TUR) needed a stepout with 40 seconds remaining to beat Mazaim MARDANOV (AZE), 4-3 at 130kg. Bakir with a 3-0 lead after he scored a turn from par terre, Mardanov takes criteria lead with a exposure from par terre and he tries to defend his criteria lead. However, Bakir manages a pushout to win 4-3.

13:45: Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI), the returning silver medalist, is not troubled by a Hungarian wrestler as he beats Koppany LASZLO (HUN) in the 130kg semifinal. Fathitazangi scored three stepouts while Laszlo had two as the Iranian wins 4-2.

13:25: Elias LYYSKI (FIN) stops world U17 champion Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) in the 87kg quarterfinal with a 6-4 win. After he led 6-0 in the first period, Lyyski holds on to it and only gives four points in the second period.

13:15: Senior Asian champion Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) lets out a huge scream as he down European U20 champion Igor PUNCHENKO (UWW) in the 63kg quarterfinal. Khalmakhanov got his defense in the second period and defended his lead to win 6-4.  

13:05: Damir IBRASHOV (KAZ) needed a challenge to beat Tural AHMADOV (AZE), 1-1, at 63kg. Ibrashov had the criteria from first par terre but was cautioned for fleeing but Kazakhstan challenged the call and won it to win 1-1.

12:50: Returning world champion from 72kg Zaur BESLEKOEV (UWW), who is now at 77kg, has no trouble in seeing off Petro SHAFRANSKYI (UKR), 8-0. Beslekoev is looking to win his second straight title.

12:40: Abdurakhman ABDULKADYROV (UWW), the European silver medalist at U20s, pins Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE) and advance at 87kg.

12:32: Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO), European U20 champion and former world U17 champion, enters the 77kg quarterfinals with a 5-3 win over Asian U23 champion Akzhan YKYLASSOV (KAZ)

12:30: Martin LJOSAAK (NOR) will be ruing the chances he missed as he drops his 87kg bout 11-9 against world U17 champion Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI). was down 10-7 but Mohammadi was cautioned for blocking but Ljosaak can't finish the match

12:20: Ilias LAAOUINA (NED) is on a hot run here in Samokov. He now beats European U20 bronze medalist Bende OLASZ (HUN) at 63kg and into the quarterfinals.

12:17: Igor PUNCHENKO (UWW) with a technical superiority 9-0 victory over Al Bara CHOPALAEV (EST) and reach the 63kg quarterfinals. Punchenko looking to complete the world and continental double.

12:15: Tural AHMADOV (AZE) with a first par terre advantage and he keeps it until the end of the bout to win 1-1 against GAURAV (IND) at 63kg and advance to the quarterfinals.

12:10: Senior Asian champion AYTJAN KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) with a first-period fall over Manato NAKAMURA (JPN) at 63kg and wins his opening bout. Khalmakhanov is a 2022 world U17 champion

11:45: No problems for returning silver medalist at 130kg Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI) as he pins Saba PURTSELADZE (GEO), a former world U17 champion.

11:35: Big match between European U20 silver medalist Davud MAMMADOV (AZE) and bronze medalist Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM) at 77kg. Both wrestlers can't turn from par terre but Terteryan got the first point and he holds on to his criteria lead to win win 1-1.

11:20: Luka KOCHALIDZE (GEO), European U20 champion at 87kg, with a close 2-1 victory over Branko DUKIC (SRB).

11:12: Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI), who was recently crowned world U17 champion in Greece, is tested by Antonio LUKAC (CRO) in his first 87kg bout but Mohammadi wins 3-1. Perhaps he is feeling the difference in strength in the upper age-group.

10:55: Returning world U20 bronze medalist at 87kg Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ) looked a little rusty but manages to see off Wojciech IWANOWSKI (POL), 3-2.

10:40: Ilias LAAOUINA (NED) with an upset win over Asian U20 champion Emirlan DUISHENALIEV (KGZ). He manages to score 8 points from par terre and win 9-0 at 63kg.

10:30: European U20 champion Igor PUNCHENKO (UWW) faces William EKEROT (SWE), a European U20 bronze medalist. After a slow start Punchenko finishes the match in the second period with a fall and advance at 63kg.