#Trnava2018

Komarov Chasing Fourth World Title

By Eric Olanowski

TRNAVA, Slovakia (September) - The 2018 Junior World Championships kick off September 17-23 and nearly 265 Greco-Roman wrestlers from 43 nations will make the journey to Trnava, Slovakia with hopes of becoming a Junior World Champion. 

Kamal BEY (USA), Kerem KAMAL (TUR), Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI), and Aleksander KOMAROV (RUS) will all make the trek to Trnava with hopes of defending their titles from last year’s Tampere Junior World Championships. 

Aleksander Komarov, the three-time age-level world champion and most decorated age-level wrestler in the world wasn’t registered to represent Russia’s Greco-Roman Trnava squad at 82kg. Instead, Russia registered Shamil OZHAEV (RUS) at 82kg but has since changed their mind and entered Komarov. 

Komarov is the overwhelming favorite to win the 82kg gold medal, which would make it his fourth age-level world title. 

Since stepping on the World scene in 2015, he’s won every Cadet, Junior, and Senior tournament that he’s entered. In addition to the previously mentioned three age-level world titles, Komarov has won four European championships and four Senior-level tournaments. 

The tall task of handing Komarov his first international loss will be placed on the back of 2017 Cadet World finalist, Istvan TAKACS (HUN). Takacs will be representing Hungary at the age-level World Championships for the third time in as many years. 

Meanwhile, American Kamal Bey will have the toughest road to repeat as Junior World Champion, as every 74kg medalist from last year’s Tampere World Championships is listed alongside Bey at 77kg. 

Of the returning 74kg Tampere medalists, none will be targeting Bey more than 2017 runner-up, Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ). Bey defeated Makhmudov, 16-11 in the epic 27 points gold medal shootout that was voted as United World Wrestling’s No. 2 2017 Greco-Roman Match of the Year.

The reigning Tampere bronze medalists that are enrolled at 77kg are Nasir HASANOV (AZE) and Sajan SAJAN (IND). 

Sajan, India's four-time World representative will be competing for the first time since his gold medal performance at the New Delhi Junior Asian Championships. In the finals, Sajan defeated Iran's Shayan Hossein AFIFI (IRI), 3-0, claiming the 77kg gold medal. 

Rounding out the returning medalists at this weight is Nasir Hasanov who will be looking for his third straight age-level World medal after taking second at the 2016 Cadet World Championships and third a year ago at the Junior World Championships. 

Though the other two returning champions Kerem Kamal and Amin Kaviyaninejad will be tested, no returning Cadet or Junior world medalists are set to compete at 60kg and 72kg respectively. 


Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR) celebrates after winning the 2017 Cadet World Championships. (Photo by Martin Gabor) 

In addition to the four reigning Junior World champions, Cadet World champions Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR) and Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) are also entered into the Trnava field. 

Kuzko will compete at 55kg, while Schultz is registered at 130kg. 

Greco-Roman action will kick off the World Championships on Monday, September 17 and will be wrestled through Wednesday, September 19.


Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR), last year's Junior World runner-up. (Photo by Marion Stein)

Other World Medalists in Action 
63kg
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) - Junior World silver medalist 
Turabek TIRKASHEV (UZB) – Junior World bronze medalist 
Hassan MOHAMED (EGY) - Junior World bronze medalist

67kg
Miakhdi IAKHIAEV (RUS) - Junior World bronze medalist

82kg
Istvan TAKACSHUN (HUN) – Cadet World bronze medalist 

87kg 
Alex SZOKE (HUN) - Cadet World bronze medalist  

97kg
Artur SARGSIAN (RUS) – Junior World silver medalist 
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) - Junior World bronze medalist   
Balint VATZI (HUN) – Cadet World bronze medalist 

130kg
Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) - Junior World bronze medalist      

Reigning Junior World champion, Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI). (Photo by Marion Stein)

SCHEDULE 
Monday (September 17) (Local times) 
10:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg 
18:00 - Semifinal GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Tuesday (September 18)
10:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
10:30 - Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
16:45 - Opening Ceremony 
17:15 - Semifinal GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Wednesday  (September 19)
10:30 - Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg

#WrestleParis

Wrestling at Paris 2024: Tazhudinov wins gold; Kiyooka, Kagami continue Japan's dominance

By Vinay Siwach

PARIS (August 11) -- The final day of wrestling at Paris 2024. Repechages round and then the medal bouts of Freestyle 65kg and 97kg and women's wrestling 76kg.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | PARIS 2024 DAY 6

14:00: Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) is an Olympic champion! The world champion beats Kennedy BLADES (USA) 3-1 in the 76kg weight class and clinches the top medal for Japan. It's first-ever for Japan in the heavyweight.

13:45: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) hangs on! She takes the bronze medal with a 2-1 win over Genesis REASCO (ECU). Colombia's third medal in women's wrestling at the Olympics.

13:30: Cuba won its second women's wrestling medal at this Olympics! Milaimy MARIN (CUB) stuns world silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) 6-0. That is the second Olympic loss for Medet Kyzy in bronze-medal bouts at the Games.

13:10: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) is an Olympic champion! The world champion pins Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) in a minute and 52 seconds to win the gold at 97kg. First-ever Olympic champion for Bahrain in wrestling.

12:55: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) claims the bronze medal at 97kg after he shuts down Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR). He wins the bout 10-0. The second bronze goes to Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) who gets three stepouts in his 4-1 win over Kyle SNYDER (USA). This is the first time Snyder has not won a medal at a World Championships or Olympics since 2015.

12:30: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) is an Olympic champion! What a win for the young star. After beating Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) in the domestic playoff, Kiyooka beats Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) 10-3 in the 65kg final to keep the gold medal with Japan. Amouzad with the first point but Kiyooka goes lace after takedown and makes it 10-1 at the break. A takedown in the second period but Amouzad has nothing left in him to attack. Kiyooka wins gold.

12:15: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) with a buzzer-beating one point to beat world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) 13-12 for the bronze medal at 65kg. Muszukajev fell behind 12-8 but hit a front headlock four to lead 12-12 on criteria. However, Dudaev with a reversal and one point with 3 seconds left.

12:00: The first bronze medal of the day goes to Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)! He comes back in the final 10 seconds to beat Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) 9-8. Tumur Ochir gave up a takedown in the second period and Rivera turned him two times to lead 8-4. Tumur Ochir hit his filthy underhook to headlock four to lead 11-8 on criteria but Rivera with a takedown late. Initially, it is not scored but Rivera wins on challenge. 

11:42: Genesis REASCO (ECU) has given a chance to Ecuador to win two medals in wrestling in Paris. She hangs on to beat Tokyo bronze Yasemin ADAR (TUR) 3-1 in the 76kg repechage. She will take on Tatiana RENTERIA (COL).

11:30: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) sets up a bronze medal bout against Kyle SNYDER (USA) after the Iranian beat Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) 10-0 in the repechage at 97kg

11:20: History was on line had Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) had pulled off one takedown against Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR). De Lange was down 2-2 on criteria but got a leg attack and tried exposing Mchedlidze. The Ukrainian somehow blocked De Lange and threw him off balance to take two points and win 5-3. He will wrestle for bronze

11:10: Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) opened a 4-0 lead over Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) in the 65kg repechage bout but Rivera in the second period puts on 14 points and wins 14-4. He will wrestle Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) for the bronze

11:00: Welcome to the final day of wrestling at the Paris 2024 Olympics. After five repechage bouts, we move into the medal bouts. Zain RETHERFORD (USA) and Catalina AXENTE (ROU) are injured and there will be one fewer repechage bouts in 65kg and 76kg.