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Live Blog: World Championships Day 7 - GR 60kg, 97kg and 130kg

Friday, October 8, 2021 - 07:33 By Vinay Siwach

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OSLO, Norway (October 8) -- Greco-Roman continues into second day with three more weight classes in action. 60kg, 97kg and 130kg wrestlers will try to reach the semifinal on day seven of the senior World Championships at the Jordan Amfi arena. Two Tokyo Olympic medalists and two former world champions will be in action. If you missed day six, here's a wrap -- Japan wins WW team title

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE | ALL PHOTOS

1340: Results of quarterfinal of the GR 97kg weight class

Alex SZOKE (HUN) df Peter OEHLER (GER), 4-1
Tracy HANCOCK (USA) df Kiril MILOV (BUL), 6-0
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) df Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU), 4-0
Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df Giorgi MELIA (GEO), 9-1

1330: Results of quarterfinals of the GR 60kg weight class
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) df Ayata SUZUKI (JPN), 5-1
Victor CIOBANU (MDA) df Stepan MARYANYAN (RWF), 7-6
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) df Mehrdad MARDANI (IRI), 7-0
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) df Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO), via fall

1320: Results of quarterfinals of the GR 130kg weight class
Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) df Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU), 1-1
Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI) df Oskar MARVIK (NOR), 2-1
Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RWF) df Osman YILDIRIM (TUR), 3-1
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 5-1

1300: We will begin our quarterfinals shortly. All four bouts will take place simultaneously on the four mats. We will begin with 130kg

1235: Saravi with a slip to back and gets the takedown. He will roll as well. 4-3 for Saravi. Sargsian with a reversal but Saravi holds criteria 4-4. A minute passes. Saravi has another takedown. He takes a clear 6-4 lead now

1230: Saravi is called passive in the first period and will go in par terre. Sargsian, known for his big throws with his loud scream, lifts Saravi and launches. Two for Sargsian. He leads 3-0 at the break

1225: Both Sharshenbekov and Hancock win their respective bouts and the focus now shifts to the biggest match of the morning. Tokyo bronze medalist Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) is wrestling RWF's young star Artur SARGSIAN (RWF) at 97kg

1210: Tokyo Olympian Victor CIOBANU (MDA) wins 11-4 over Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR) and is moving on to the next round. Continuing on mat B, world silver medalist Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) up against Maksim KAZHARSKI (BLR). On Mat C, Gangelo HANCOCK (USA) is wrestling Ibrahim TIGCI (TUR)

1200: World champion Stephan MARYANYAN (RWF) has an great first round win over Ahmet UYAR (TUR). RWF has been great this morning.

1150: Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) delights the crowd here! At 77kg repechage, he wins 10-1 with a five point throw Ranet KALJOLA (EST). Simultaneously, Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) also advances to the bronze medal bout at 77kg

1140: Norway has their first win! Oskar MARVIK (NOR) defeats Radoslav GEORGIEV (BUL) 5-0 to win the first bout Norway. The crowd got behind him there

1130: Olympic silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) had a tough challenge from former cadet world champion Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) but he hangs on for a 5-2 win. Schultz has a big chance of making it back to the repechage

1125: Tokyo Olympian Kiril MILOV (BUL) silenced the home fans after he beats Marcus WORREN (NOR) with ease at 97kg. The crowd is getting bigger and bigger here

1115: Asian silver medalist Ayata SUZUKI (JPN) begins his campaign at the World Championships with a win. He beats Helary MAEGISALU (EST) 11-2. On Mat A, Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) had World bronze medalist Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) in trouble for the pin but could not finish it. But he managed to win 5-3 with that move.

1100: Two-time junior world champion Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) with a big win over Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN). That will take him to the pre-quarterfinals at 60kg after that 3-0 win

Two styles of wrestling are done and now Greco-Roman enters day two with a lot of support from the fans. Fans from Norway, Sweden, Lithuania, Turkey, Russia and even Kyrgyzstan are here. 

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Berg Among Four Who Announced Retirement in Oslo

Thursday, October 14, 2021 - 12:41 By Vinay Siwach

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OSLO, Norway (October 14) -- The Oslo World Championships witnessed a special moment on the penultimate day of the competition when Norway's Olympic medalist Stig BERGE (NOR) announced his retirement from the sport in front of his home fans. The Jordal Amfi arena saw a sea of fans bid farewell to the Greco-Roman wrestler who won a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics 2016. 

In his final tournament, Berge was looking good for a medal but his run was cut short when he suffered a loss in the quarterfinals. The hopes of a repechage round were also dashed when lost in the semifinal of the 67kg weight class.

President Lalovic welcomed King of Norway HARALD V to the '21 World Championshipns in Oslo. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

On the special occasion, the King of Norway HARALD V was also present in the arena and was greeted by the president of United World Wrestling Nenad LALOVIC. The two were given a grand reception in the arena and both watched the bouts on Saturday.

The 38-year-old, who left his singlets on the mat Sunday, brought his son to the mat as the crowd gave him standing ovation for a career which included a bronze medal at the Olympics, bronze at World Championships and three silver medals at European Championships.

He was not the only wrestler to retire in Oslo. Three other wrestlers also hanged their bouts from the sport.

Rio Olympian Chakir ANSARI (MOR) signaled his retirement by leaving his shoes on the mat at the '21 Oslo World Championships. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Freestyle wrestler Chakir ANSARI (MOR), Egypt women's wrestling legend Samar HAMZA (EGY) and Japan's Greco-Roman wrestler SHIYOMADA (JPN) also ended their careers with Ansari being the first of the lot.

Ansari wrestled on the first day of the competition and after his loss to Arman ELOYAN (FRA), he left his shoes on the mat, a mark of retirement in wrestling. Incidentally, the two-time Olympian wrestled for France until 2014 before moving to Morocco.

Hamza had a fairytale ending to her career, etching her name in history books as she became her country's first-ever female wrestler to win a medal at the annual event. She defeated Kiran GODARA (IND) in the 76kg bronze medal bout to return home with the bronze. Hamza has previously wrestled at two Olympics and finished 10th in Tokyo.

Shiyomada could have shocked the world when he led Olympic champion 6-1 in their opening round bout. He then tried a big body-lock throw but ended on his back, a position Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) held and secured a pin for the win. In the repechage round, Shiyomada lost to Hasart JAFAROV (AZE).