#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

World Combat Games: Abdellatif leads Egypt’s golden hat-trick in GR

By United World Wrestling Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (October 24) -- Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY) can’t stop his medal-winning spree this season.

The 27-year-old has won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Belgrade, was crowned the African champion in May and reigned supreme at the Ibrahim Moustafa tournament on home soil. 

On Tuesday, Abdellatif added another medal after he won gold in the 130kg Greco-Roman category at the World Combat Games in Riyadh. Abdellatif was in red-hot form as he raced to the top of the podium without conceding a single point in the three bouts he competed in.

He began his campaign with a technical superiority win over Tunisia’s Mehdi BEN MOHAMED (TUN) and followed it up with a win by an identical margin over Morocco’ Anas LAMKABBER (MAR).

In the final, the Olympian was up against Ahmed TAMEEMI (IRQ). However, he wasn’t troubled much as he romped to another 9-0 win to claim the title.

Ghazi BIN BAKR (KSA) won one of the bronze medals, defeating compatriot Rayan MOHAMMED (KSA), 5-0, while Lamkabber beat Ben Mohamed to win the other bronze on offer.

Abdellatif was one of the three Egyptians who won the gold medal on the second day of competition at the World Combat Games, where Greco-Roman bouts took place. Mohamed GABR (EGY) was the winner in the 97kg while U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) won the gold medal in the 67kg weight class.

Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) won the 67kg gold in Riyadh. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari) 

Like his compatriot Abdellatif, Alameldin, too, did not concede a single point en route to the title as he defeated Faisal ALDOSSARY (KSA) via technical superiority in the final.

In an all-Saudi Arabia bronze medal bout, Saud ALSUBAIE (KSA) defeated Mesfer ALSUBAIE (KSA).

Meanwhile, in the 97kg category, Gabr beat Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) via fall in another lopsided final to win gold. Tunisia’s Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN) overcame Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA) to win one bronze medal, with Musaad SIBAEE (KSA) beating Faisal ALAMOUDI (KSA) to claim the other bronze medal.

Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR)Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR) emerged as the 60kg champion at World Combat Games. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the 60kg category, Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR) defeated two home favorites in his three bouts before cruising to gold.

Ettalibi first defeated Ryan HAWSAWI (KSA), 5-3, in the quarterfinals before beating another wrestler from Saudi Arabia, Munthir JANDU, 8-3, in the last-four encounter. Ettalibi faced Yacine DRIDI (ALG) in the final, which he won, 8-3, to clinch the gold medal. Bajram SINA (ALB) and Hawsawi won the bronze medals.

Hosts Saudi Arabia had two wrestlers on the podium once again in the 77kg category but endured another heartbreak after Hassan BARNAWI (KSA) lost in the final to gold medallist Kevin KUPI (ALB) by a margin of 8-0.

While Barnawi won the silver, the bronze went to Bandar BAIHGY (KSA), who defeated Abdullah FALLATAH (KSA) 10-4 in the bronze-medal bout.

There was more heartbreak in store for the home nation after Sanad ALSIBYANI (KSA) also lost the gold-medal bout to African champion Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) 8-0 in the 87kg category.

However, in one more all-Saudi affair for the bronze medal, Abdullah ALDOSARRY (KSA) defeated Ammar HAWSAWI (KSA) 5-1 to finish on the podium.