#WrestleBelgrade

Live Blog, U23 World Championships Day 2: GR 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg

By United World Wrestling Press

BELGRADE, Serbia (November 2) -- After a memorable first day, the U23 World Championships enter day two with five new Greco-Roman weight classes -- 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg. Iran dominated day one and they will like to continue that on the second day but Russia is right behind them.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

That will do for the morning session. Long one but we had some exciting matches and the semifinals are set. We also have the draws of the women's wrestling about now.

1545: A mini upset here! Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) looked good to make the semifinals but he hit a rock named Pavel HLINCHUK (BLR) in the quarters. The Belarusian's top defense and scores give him a 7-3 win

1525: Kamal and Minasyan leave everything on the mat but it's Kamal who wins 2-2 on criteria for his takedown against the Armenian's one and one.

1520: Kamal gets the takedown and the two points. He leads 2-0. Turkey is asking for a point for step out but the referee rules it a push. Turkey challenge the call but lost. 2-1 for Kamal. Minasyan get a point for Kamal's passivity and it's 2-2 but Kamal holds criteria.

1510: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) is up against Tigran MINASYAN (ARM) in the 60kg quarterfinal. A big four to start for Minasyan but Turkey challenge for a leg four. Challenge won. 0-0.

1450: In a turn of events, Jafarov gives no opening and scores eight unanswered points to win 9-2 in the quarterfinals

1440: Big battle between Asian champion Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) and junior world champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE). Assetuly is called passive and Jafarov gets a point. He fails to score from par terre but Azerbaijan challenge. Lost and Kazakhstan lead 1-1 on criteria

1410: Artur SARGSIAN (RUS) continues his quest for a second age-group world title and reaches the quarterfinals at 97kg with an 11-0 win over Nicholas BOYKIN (USA). As usual some big throws in that bout

1350: Sergei KUTUZOV (RUS) gives Iran a taste of their own medicine. He breaks Amir ABDI (IRI) in the 72kg bout and wins 9-1 and advance

1330: Junior world champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) was tested in the first minute but he overcomes Vasile DOSOFTEI (ROU) 10-1 in the second period

1315: Kerem KAMAL is making his way to the mat for his first bout of the competition. He will face Tommaso BOSI (ITA). He gets a point for Bosi's passivity. Three gut wrenches and he leads 7-0. A huge throw and he wins 11-0

1300: Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) keeps Iran rolling with an 8-0 win over Dylan GREGERSON (USA). No Iran wrestler has suffered a loss on day two so far

1230: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) and Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) in a battle! Mukubu had the lead but the constant pressure from Naghousi tires him out. A 7-5 win for the Iranian 

1200: Artur SARGSIAN (RUS) is making his way to the mat! He faces Ondrej DADAK (CZE) at 97kg. He begins as the aggressor and Dadak is called for passivity. Sargasian hits a big four and a roll to lead 7-0. Dadak goes for a headlock but fails to connect. 4 points for Sargsian and an 11-0 win

1145: World silver medalist Sergei KUTUZOV (RUS) has Denis MERTL (CZE) in the opening round at 72kg. But he doesn't spend too much time on the mat as he wins 8-0 thanks to the gut-wrenches

1130: How far will Tigran MINASYAN (ARM) go in this tournament? He starts with an 8-0 win over Hleb MAKARANKA (BLR) 

1115: Junior world champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) begins his quest for a U23 world gold with a controlled 3-1 win against Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX) 

1100: U23 European champion Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) has an easy first round as he beats Rayan B HAWSAWI (KSA) 9-0 to advance at 60kg 

1050: It was back and forth but Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) prevails 5-3 over Karlo KODRIC (CRO) in the opening round at 82kg 

1045: We are done with the repechage bouts. U23 European champion at 82kg Shamil OZHAEV (RUS) takes on Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE). Just effortless from Ozhaev as he wins 9-0

1030: Welcome to day two of the U23 World Championships from the Belexpocentar in Belgrade. Greco-Roman action continues with five new weight categories with Iran and Russia battling for the team title. 

Zhumanarova, Medet Kyzy give Kyrgyzstan double gold at ISG 2025

By Vinay Siwach

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 20) -- Kyrgyzstan was the most successful nation on day three of the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 with three gold medals out of five on offer.

Three weight classes in women's and two in Freestyle were in action in Riyadh at the Games and Kyrgyzstan captured three gold medals with Paris Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) leading the way.

Zhumanazarova powered her way to the 68kg gold medal. Facing Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) in the final, Zhumanazarova hit a counter four-pointer to extend her lead to 7-0 before hitting a takedown and turn to finish the final 11-0.

"It was an easy tournament for me," Zhumanazarova said. "I have not wrestled well since Paris majorly due to the ankle injury I suffered."

Now that she is back to full fitness and winning, Zhumanazarova aims to compete more often year with Asian Championships, World Championships and Asian Games lined up.

"Next year, I will make sure to compete at all three major tournaments," she said.

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) celebrates after beating Damola OJO (NGR) in the 76kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Joining Zhumanazarova on the top of the podium was world silver medalist and Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) who came alive in the second period of the 76kg final against Damola OJO (NGR).

Ojo led 1-1 on criteria when she scored a stepout in the second period but Medet Kyzy scored a takedown and then moved to the legs to lock a lace and turn Ojo four times for an 11-1 technical superiority.

Medet Kyzy's gold medal was the second for Kyrgyzstan in women's wrestling, same as Nigeria. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan finished the competition with one gold each.

Esther KOLAWALE (NGR)Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) defeated Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) with a last-second takedown in the 62kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U23 world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) needed a final-second takedown against Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) to win the 62kg gold medal. She scored a takedown when Mammadova was on the activity clock to lead 3-0 and hoped to run out the clock with that lead.

However, Mammadova got on a single-leg attack in the second period which she converted into a takedown during the Nigerian's activity period. Kolawale tried to open the fingers of Mammadova which made the referees dock on point for caution, making it 4-3 for Mammadova with 16 seconds left. 

Kolawale first scored a stepout with 12 seconds remaining to make it 4-4 but Mammadova had the criteria lead because of the caution against Kolawale. But she then hit a takedown with three seconds on the clock to claim a 6-4 and the win as well.

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) scores on Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Amouzad dominates to gold

World champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) had not trouble in winning the 65kg gold medal after he defeated Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), 12-2, in the final.

Kudiev gave an early scare when he scored a takedown on Amouzad to go 2-0 up but the Iranian gather himself and scored three stepouts before the break to lead 3-2. Kudiev then tried to hit a double-leg but Amouzad countered with a beautiful chest wrap throw for four points to make it 7-2.

Tajikistan challenged, asking for two points but at no point in the exchange did Kudiev manage to expose or control Amouzad who now led 8-2 for the lost challenge. Two stepouts and a takedown later, Amouzad captured the gold medal with a technical superiority win.

Earlier in the day, Amouzad faced world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) in the quarterfinals and came out on top 4-0. The win included three stepout and one point for Jalolov's passivity.

Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ)Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) counters Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) to score four points. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kyrgyzstan won gold medals not only in Women's Wrestling but also in Freestyle as Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) won at 57kg, beating Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 9-3, in the final.

Karachov had a field day in Riyadh as he defeated world and Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) in the quarterfinals before a convincing win in the final.

Bazarganov was down 2-1 with 24 seconds left in the final when he hit a strong snap on Karachov who managed to stay on his feet and countered with a duckunder and get four points.

Bazarganov got one point for reversal but Azerbaijan challenged the call, asking for four points but lost it as Karachov never came in danger. The Kyrgyzstan wrestler then scored a match-ending takedown to win 9-3.

 

Photo

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

62kg
GOLD: Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-4

BRONZE: Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR) df. Rebecca AMONGI (UGA), 
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Aylah MAYALI (PLE), 11-0

68kg
GOLD: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB), 11-0

BRONZE: Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE) df. Halima AKTER (BAN), via forfeit
BRONZE: Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) df. Ndiffo AIMELDA (CMR), via fall (6-0)

76kg
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Damola OJO (NGR), 11-1

BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) vs. Elmira YASIN (TUR), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: Samar HAMZA (EGY) df. Wilita PELAGIE (CMR), 5-1

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 9-3

BRONZE: Ali MOMENI (IRI) df. Sayed ZAZAI (AFG), 11-0
BRONZE: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Ismael CAMARA (GUI), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), 12-2

BRONZE: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 8-3
BRONZE: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) df. Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), 10-0