#WrestleTokyo

Lopez-Kayaalp Setup Semifinal Showdown at #WrestleTokyo

By Vinay Siwach

In what will be their third meeting at the Olympics, Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) and Riza KAYAALP (TUR) set up a semifinal clash on the first day of wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics Sunday.

Three-time Olympic champion Lopez is in a quest to become the first male wrestler to win four gold medals at the Olympics but he has to beat three-time world champion Kayaalp in the semifinal at 130kg in the evening session at the Makuhari Messe Hall A, Chiba.

Sunday, the first day of wrestling at this Olympics, saw Greco-Roman wrestling at 60kg and 130kg while women's wrestling began with 76kg.

Lopez marked a return to international wrestling after a gap of two years with a stunning 9-0 win over Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) and followed that with another technical superiority win over Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI). Both his bouts ended before the allotted six minutes.

Kayaalp was little slower to begin with. He took his time in the first bout against Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU), winning 5-1 after six minutes. Eduard POPP (GER) scored two points against Kayaalp but that was not enough as the Turkey wrestler won 6-2.

In the other semifinal, Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) booked up a bout against Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO), who stunned Sergei SEMENOV (ROC) 3-1 in the quarterfinals.

Both wrestler got one point each for passivity but Kajaia managed to score two points from the par terre position while Semenov did not.

Acosta handed a 2-0 defeat to Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) in the quarterfinal and will now look to book his first-ever Olympic final spot later in the evening.

More upsets followed at the 60kg weight class as former world champion Sergey EMELIN (ROC) suffered a tight 4-3 loss to Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) in the quarterfinals.

He will face Victor CIOBANU (MDA) in the semifinal. Ciobanu was in some serious form Sunday as he took out U23 world champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) 8-0 in the first bout. He followed that up with a 9-0 thrashing of another U23 world champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) in the quarterfinal.

Home favorite Kenchiro FUMITA (JPN) made it to the semifinal as well and will face Lenur TEMIROV (UKR). Fumita had a close 1-1 win over Sailike WALIHAN (CHN) in the quarterfinal, winning on criteria as he had the last point.

Temirov defeated Armen MELIKYAN (ARM) 8-4 in the quarters after a powerful back-arch throw which gave him four points. Melikyan's loss ended the Olympics for second seed Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI).

In the women's matchups, five-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) is on her path for her first Olympic gold medal as she overcame Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) with a first-period fall and survived a scare against Yasemin ADAR (TUR) in the quarters. Gray had three takedowns to lead 6-0 but gave up a takedown and leg lace which made it 6-4. Adar went for another lace but the referee called it out of bouds. Gray will face Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) in the semifinal.

Medet Kyzy had a dominant first session as he beat Rio Olympic medalist Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) 8-1 and then humbled Rio silver medalist Natalia VOROBIEVA (ROC) 12-0 in the quarterfinal with three four-point throws.

Vorobieva began her day with 16-12 win over Samar HAMZA (EGY) which left bout wrestlers out of breath. It need the ROC athlete a big four with less than 30 seconds left to win the bout.

On the other side of the bracket, defending Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) will go home withouta medal from Tokyo as Epp MAEE (EST) defeated her in the opening round before losing to world silver medalist and local wrestler Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) 0-3 in the quarterfinal.

Minagawa will face Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) in the semifinal as she put on a clinical performance to reach the last four. Focken used a takedown to win 2-1 against Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) in the first round before handing an 8-3 defeat to Qian ZHOU (CHN).

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships 2025 Women's Wrestling Live Blog

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 19) -- The U20 World Championships enter day five with all Women's Wrestling action. The four weight classes in action are 55kg, 62kg, 65kg and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

13:00: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) with her second 10-0 win of the day and this time it's at the expense of So TSUTSUI (JPN). Three takedowns and two lace turns for Leydecker in her technical superiority win. She will face Tuba DEMIR (TUR) in the 55kg semifinals.

12:50: YANGZHEN (CHN) with that strong Chinese gut-wrench to end Neevis  RODRIGUEZ (MEX) journey with a 10-0 win and reach semifinals at 62kg. She will face Shirin TAKEMOTO (JPN) who held on to a 5-2 win over Ekaterina RADYSHEVA (UWW).

12:45: Daniella NUGENT (USA) pulls off another close win! After trailing 6-5 and less than a minute left, Nugent scores takedown and then pins Saga SVENSSON (SRB) reach the semifinals at 65kg.

12:40: A huge double-leg and throw from Tuba DEMIR (TUR) for five points and as destroys Lilya COHEN (FRA) and wins her quarterfinals 11-0

12:35: Serbia has semifinalist in Women's Wrestling! Evelin UJHELJI (SRB) pins Sevinchoy POLVONOVA (UZB) and reaches the semifinals at 76kg.

12:30: Gerda TEREK (HUN), the European U20 champion at 55kg, has no answers to REENA (IND) who uses her power to score three takedowns in a 8-2 win and advance to the semifinals at 55kg.

12:22: PRIYA (IND) has no trouble in seeing off Diana TITOVA (UWW) with a 4-0 victory. A couple of takedowns in that win for the Indian.

12:08: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), the champion at European U20s, posted a controlled 5-2 win over European bronze medalist Elmira YASIN (TUR) and advance at 76kg.

11:50: Daniella NUGENT (USA) with one of those surviving wins. Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB) scored a takedown and turn to lead but Nugent manages to keep the score 12-10 and win at 65kg.

11:35: REENA (IND), the Asian U20 and U23 champion, brings down returning silver medalist Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL) 11-6 and advance to the quarterfinals at 55kg. Byambasuren did score a big four-pointer but Reena just more solid in her takedown finishes

11:25: Gerda TEREK (HUN), European U20 champion, with a first-period 11-0 technical superiority win over Amelia TOMALA (POL) at 55kg

11:15: Former world U20 champion Ayano MORO (JPN) is left in tears as she has a back injury in her bout against Diana TITOVA (UWW) who gets a 4-3 victory to book a quarterfinals against PRIYA (JPN)

11:00: Momoko KITADE (JPN) scores a stepout to lead 3-2 against Beyza AKKUS (TUR) in a bout which had only stepouts. Akkus can't find one more to win the bout and Kitade advances at 65kg

10:40: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) pins Jing HONG (CHN) and then Neevis RODRIGUEZ (MEX) gets the fall over ANJLI (IND) and win at 65kg.

10:35: Returning bronze medalist Naomi SIMON (USA) gets the fall over Rupinder JOHAL (CAN) at 76kg. Simon over powering Johal in that bout.

10:25: European U20 champion Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) with a quick fall over Cancan LIU (CHN) at 76kg. In next match, former world U20 champion PRIYA (IND) leg laces Veronika NYIKOS (HUN) to win 10-0.

10:00: It will be all Women's Wrestling morning session in Samokov. 55kg, 62kg, 65kg and 76kg in action.