MACON, France (August 30) – Vladislav MELNIKOV (RUS) made up for a poor showing in June and Giorgi MELIA (GEO) got a promotion as both wrestlers grabbed gold medals on Tuesday, the opening day of the Junior Wrestling World Championships.

Melnikov, who slumped to seventh place at the European junior meet in June, racked up three technical falls at 50kg – including a 11-2 decision over 2014 Youth Olympic Games gold medalist Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) in the championship final.

Melnikov slipped behind Bakhromov midway through the first period for a takedown and then rolled up three quick gut wrenches for an 11-2 victory at 1:54.

Asian junior champ Bakhromov earlier defeated 2015 junior world silver medalist Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) by technical fall in the semifinals.

At the other end of the scale, Melia worked double-arm trap and back-arching throw for four wins at 96kg, making a four-point throw in the final stand for a 4-3 win over Bopembe-Arsen SYCHEV (BLR).

Sychev defeated European junior champ Ruslan BEKUZAROV (RUS), 5-1, in the round of 16.

Meanwhile, Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ) and Tamerlan SHADUKAEV (KAZ) grabbed the gold medals at 60kg and 74kg, respectively.

Sulaimanov, 10th at last year’s junior world meet, defeated European junior champ Mikhail RAHMANOV (AZE), 10-2, at 3:39 in the semifinals, before edging European junior bronze medal winner Etienne KINSINGER (GER), 2-1, in the final.

At 74kg, Shadukaev broke open a 1-1 match with George Vlad MARIEA (ROU) in the second period with a pair of step-out points and a go-behind takedown for a 6-1 victory.

Shadukaev also defeated Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), 3-3, in the semifinals and assigned the European junior champ to his third bronze medal in a row at the junior world championships.

Results

Greco-Roman

50kg (15 entries)
Gold – Vladislav MELNIKOV (RUS) df. Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) by TF, 11-2, 1:54  

Bronze – Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) df. Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI), 7-2
Bronze – Sergey SIMONYAN (ARM) df. Adilet TAALAIBEKOV (KGZ), 2-1

Semifinals – Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) df. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) by TF, 9-0, 0:49
Semifinals – Vladislav MELNIKOV (RUS) df. Sergey SIMONYAN (ARM), 6-4

60kg (27 entries)
Gold – Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ) df. Etienne KINSINGER (GER), 2-1

Bronze – Taylor LAMONT (USA) df. Aleksander HRUSHYN (UKR), 5-3
Bronze – Seydylla TAZAYEV (TKM) df. Mikhail RAHMANOV (AZE) by Fall, 0:43 (2-2)

Semifinals – Etienne KINSINGER (GER) df. Taylor LAMONT (USA), 2-1
Semifinals – Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ) df. Mihail RAHMANOV (AZE) by TF, 10-2, 3:39

74kg (33 entries)
Gold – Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ) df. George Vlad MARIEA (ROU), 6-1

Bronze – Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) df. Abubakr ALIMOV (UZB), 7-1
Bronze – Akhmed KAYTSUKOV (RUS) df. Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR), 7-2

Semifinals – Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ) df. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), 3-3
Semifinals – George Vlad MARIEA (ROU) v Akhmed KAYTSUKOV (RUS), 6-2

96kg (24 entries)
Gold – Giorgi MELIA (GEO) df. Bopembe-Arsen SYCHEV (BLR), 4-3

Bronze – Tracy HANCOCK (USA) df. Yuta NARA (JPN), 3-0
Bronze – Ruslan BEKUZAROV (RUS) df. Kevin BAUMANN (EST), 2-1

Semifinals – Giorgi MELIA (GEO) df. Tracy HANCOCK (USA), 12-8
Semifinals – Bopembe Arsen SYCHEV (BLR) df. Kevin BAUMANN (EST) by TF, 11-2, 2:25