#WrestleBelgrade

Live Blog, U23 World Championships Day 5: FS 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, 97kg

Friday, November 5, 2021 - 08:57 By United World Wrestling Press

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BELGRADE, Serbia (November 5) -- As we move towards the business end of the tournament, freestyle action takes center stage at the U23 World Championships in the Serbian capital. Wrestlers from 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg will be on the mat for their qualification and semifinal Friday.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

The semifinals for freestyle will begin at 1645 local time and we will be back for that. Thank you for following and join us for the next session.

1520: What a bout closing out the session! Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) was down 3-4 with about 15 seconds left and then he scores two points via takedown on the edge. Refs white paddle it but Armenia challenge and win it. 5-4 to Tevanyan with nine seconds left. He wins 5-4

1510: Aliakbar FAZLIKHALILI (IRI) and Akmataliev match each other for attacks but it's the latter who has a 4-2 lead. But Fazlikhalili continues to attack. Akmataliev continues to counter. It's 10-6 Akmataliev with 10 seconds to go. It stays that way and Akmataliev makes his way to the semifinals at 70kg

1505: Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) was trailing 0-2 with just seven seconds left but he scored a takedown and leveled it 2-2 to earn the victory and move into the semifinal of 65kg.

1450: Two big matches coming up as Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) is wrestling on Mat A while Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) in on Mat C. 

1425: Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) led 8-6 against Rezuan KAZHAROV (RUS) when the two arm-locked each other and went out of bounds. The refs called it no points but the Kazakhstan corner challenged it asking for two points. Challenge lost and it became 8-8 with Talgat leading on criteria. Kazharov then scores a final second takedown to win 10-8

1410: Jonathan AIELLO (USA) for the win! He scores a takedown to lead 4-4 on criteria and then hangs on to it to win against Shamil GADZHIALIEV (RUS). He will wrestle in the 97kg semifinals

1400: Strong start from Oslo Worlds silver medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) at 70kg. He gives up two exposure points but has no trouble scoring 12 unanswered points to win 12-2 and reach the quarterfinals

1355: Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) is keeping it simple here. He scores a controlled 4-1 win over PARVINDER (IND). Great defense from the former cadet world champion

1330: The quarterfinals at 97kg are set.

1. Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO) vs Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)
2. Radu LEFTER (MDA) vs Milan KORCSOG (HUN)
3. Shamil GADZHIALIEV (RUS) vs Jonathan AIELLO (USA)
4. Sahil AHLAWAT (IND) vs Danylo STASIUK (UKR)  

1315: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) continues his winning run and moves into the quarters with a 10-0 thrashing of Oktay HASAN (BUL).

1250: Mohammadnezhadjavan with a big four after Glory's exposure but the USA wrestler still leads. A lot of scramble there and it's 11-5 for Glory. The Iran wrestler has less than a minute to win this. He gets a takedown and then a gut to make it 11-9. He is looking for another gut and gets it on the edge. 11-11. 18 seconds to go. He defends the criteria lead

1240: Patrick GLORY (USA) and Ahmad MOHAMMADNEZHADJAVAN (IRI) are in an intense battle but it's Glory who leads at the half way mark 5-1

1220: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) had a tough one to start against Shamil USTAEV (GER) but he hangs on for a 3-1 win. A takedown the difference

1200: Toktogul Uulu with a hard-fought win over Arushanian! They traded a takedown each but the Kyrgyzstan wrestler led 4-3 with ten seconds remaining. Arushanian tries hard to get a step out but Uulu circles back as time expire

1145: Pilidis gave up the lead 2-2 on criteria but he finds a final attack with a double leg and score two points to win 4-2. On the other side on Mat A, junior Euro champion Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) is facing Aibek TOKTOGUL UULU (KGZ).

1130: Junior world silver Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) gets a walkover in his first bout. We have to wait a little more to see him in action on the mat. Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympian Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) is making his way on Mat C

1120: Ibragim ABDURAKHMANOV (RUS) could not have asked for a better World Championships debut as he beats Colin REALBUTO (ITA) 11-0 with a strong leg lace

1110: On Mat B, Asian silver medalist Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) scores four straight points to beat VICKY (IND) 4-4 in the opening round at 79kg. It was a little tense for Iran there

1100: Junior Euro bronze Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO) is up against Saurabh IGAVE (IND). Two points to start for Igave and then he adds a four-point throw. Turmanidze starts the second period with a four-point and then adds a takedown to make it 7-6. Igave has locked a double leg and he will finish leading 8-7. The Georgian with a front headlock for exposure for two. India reversal and it's 10-9 Igave. Georgia challenge

1030: Welcome to day five of the U23 World Championships in Belgrade. The freestyle wrestlers are ready to begin the day. Another rainy day in the Serbian capital. We will have a few repechage bouts before moving to the qualifications.

#development

UWW and Inspire Institute of Sport host first-ever coaching course

Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 13:22 By United World Wrestling Press

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VIJAYANAGAR, India (July 9) -- United World Wrestling hosted a international coaching course at Inspire Institute of Sport in India from June 27 to July 1.

This was the first-ever coaching course held in India under the partnership that UWW signed with IIS in 2024 to help develop wrestling in India. The Level 2 coaching course was led by July and was lead by Ahmed KHEDHRI (TUN).

"The group was distinguished by a wide diversity of experiences and backgrounds, which added a special richness to the discussions and allowed for fruitful exchanges of ideas and practices," Khedhri said. "The coaches’ enthusiasm and commitment to enhancing their knowledge and skills to serve wrestling in their respective countries were clearly evident. This positive interaction added a dynamic and engaging spirit to the course, making it a truly rich and effective educational experience."

The Level 2 coaching course focused on the designing and implementing of practice plans and had nine coaches from three countries namely India, Singapore, and Nigeria that participated in the course.

The course covered various topics including seven basic skills of wrestling, introduction to performance analysis designing effective practice sessions, risk management, mental development, Anti-Doping, environmental impact and included technical sessions. During the course, the coaches actively practiced and developed their skills through practical evaluations.

"The course was very successful and impactful. It was truly excellent, characterized by clarity, depth, and practical application that added real value for all participants. I feel deeply grateful and very excited, as this was our first education clinic, through which we have already seen many promising potentials and future opportunities," Rishabh CHAUHAN, Head of Sports Excellence Program at IIS, said.

INDParticipants at the  Level 2 coaching course work through designing and implementing a wrestling practice plan. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Quotes from some of the participants:

Timothy Loh Yu (SGP)

“Completing the UWW Coaching Course Level 2 was an enriching experience that deepened my technical knowledge and coaching philosophy. The course focused on athlete-centered development, advanced planning, and effective communication. Key takeaways included structuring training cycles, integrating strength and conditioning, and applying sports science for better athlete management. Practical sessions improved my technical instruction and feedback skills. Overall, the course strengthened my confidence and commitment to continuous learning. The venue, facilities, accommodation, and the facilitation by Mr. Ahmed were also excellent and supported the success of the program.”

Gurpreet Kaur (IND)

“I would like to express my gratitude for facilitating the UWW Level 2 Coaches Course. The course was highly informative, engaging, and practical, covering key topics such as basic wrestling skills, training phases and periodization, video analysis, practice planning, nutrition and weight management, and athlete management. It has deepened my perspective as a coach and equipped me with practical tools to use in my training sessions. To further enhance learning, incorporating more case studies, video breakdowns of real matches, and live or recorded athlete demonstrations could strengthen technical and tactical understanding. Overall, the course struck a good balance between theory and real-life application.”

Blessing Oborududu (NGR)

“The UWW Level 2 Coaching Course has been a game-changer for me. I’ve gained practical skills to enhance my coaching, including analyzing and correcting techniques, planning effective training programs, and applying strength & conditioning and nutrition to optimize athlete performance. I’ve also developed leadership and communication skills to foster a supportive training environment. This course has truly elevated my coaching abilities and will help me better support my athletes’ growth and success.”