#WrestleSofia

Nakai wins third Cadet World title, Ozaki and Sakurai claim second gold at #WrestleSofia

Friday, August 2, 2019 - 19:30 By Taylor Miller

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SOFIA, Bulgaria – Honoka NAKAI (JPN), Nonoka OKAZI (JPN) and Hanano SAKURAI (JPN) repeated as World champions on Friday night to help Japan to the team title at the 2019 Cadet World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Nakai won her third-consecutive World title, winning the 69 kg bracket. A tough match for gold, Nakai outlasted 2019 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Cun LIU (CHN) with a 3-0 decision to cap off the night for Japan.

Her teammate Ozaki, also a 2018 Youth Olympic Games champion, wrapped up her second Cadet World title in just >>> seconds, defeating 2019 Cadet European champion Yulia LESKOVETS (UKR), 10-0.

Winning her second Cadet World title and first since 2017 was Sakurai, who edged out Xueing LIANG (CHN), 6-4, in the gold-medal match at 46 kg.

Overall, Japan claimed six World champions and won the team title with 195 points. China finished second with 127 points and also earned a World champion on Friday.

Zhaojing SHI (CHN), a 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist, topped the podium at 53 kg with a dominating performance over 2018 fifth-place finisher Kalmira BILIMBEK (KGZ).

Shi came out and ended the match in 37 seconds, recording a pin.

The other World champion came at 40 kg as Komal KOMAL (IND) mounted a comeback over 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist Sterling DIAS (USA) for the crown.

Trailing 2-0 at the break, Komal, a 2018 Cadet Asian runner-up, tallied two second-period takedowns for a 4-4 win on criteria.

USA finished third in the team race with 106 points. Rounding out the top-five was Russia in fourth and India in fifth.

Finals matchups
40 kg
GOLD: Komal KOMAL (IND) dec. Sterling DIAS (USA), 4-4
BRONZE: Mushtariy TOLIPBEKOVA (UZB) dec. Alina KURYLENKA (BLR), 4-2
BRONZE: Miu OBATA (JPN) df. Michela CHESSA (ITA), 10-0

46 kg
GOLD: Hanano SAKURAI (JPN) dec. Xueing LIANG (CHN), 6-4
BRONZE: Kumari HANNY (IND) df. Adriana HERNANDEZ SANCHEZ (USA), forfeit
BRONZE: Sitora TOLIPBEKOVA (UZB) df. Serena Rosa DI BENEDETTO (CAN), 11-0

53 kg
GOLD: Zhaojing SHI (CHN) df. Kalmira BILIMBEK (KGZ), fall 0:37
BRONZE: Seira NEMOTO (JPN) dec. Polina LUKINA (RUS), 4-3
BRONZE: Alesia HETMANAVA (BLR) dec. Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ), 6-1

61 kg
GOLD: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Yulia LESKOVETS (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Eva FORSBERG (SWE) dec. Bhagyashree FAND (IND), 5-0
BRONZE: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB), fall 0:58

69 kg
GOLD: Honoka NAKAI (JPN) dec. Cun LIU (CHN), 3-0
BRONZE: Amit ELOR (USA) df. Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN), 10-0
BRONZE: Alina MAKSIMAVA (BLR) dec. Anastasia KOZLOVA (RUS), 3-1

Team rankings
1. Japan – 195
2. China – 127
3. USA – 106
4. Russia – 101
5. India – 95
6. Uzbekistan – 71
7. Belarus – 70
8. Ukraine – 66
9. Kyrgyzstan – 44
10. Turkey - 43

 

#Grappling

Alshinbay defends crown in Grappling Gi; Poland wins team title

Friday, October 17, 2025 - 14:09 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 16) -- Coming into the World Grappling Championships, Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ) had one goal -- two become a two time world champ.

But he had disappointing start to competition, losing the No-Gi semifinal in Novi Sad, Serbia. He later bounced back to win the bronze medal but his goal was still not achieved.

Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ)Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ) celebrates after winning the 58kg final in Grappling Gi. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A day later on Thursday, Alshinbay began his title defense at 58kg in Grappling Gi and won his first bout via submission Samir BEN BELKACEM (FRA) to take step closer to the final.

Next up was Joseph DIEHL (USA) in the semifinals but Alshinbay, unbothered, controlled the match from the start and defeated the American grappler 9-3 to book a spot in the final against former U20 world champion ABYLBEKOV (KGZ).

Using his experience, Alshinbay made the final one-sided and used a bow-and-arrow choke to defeat Abylbekov via submission in just three minutes. He claimed his second straight gold medal in Grappling Gi, having won the 2024 world title in his home country Kazakhstan.

At 62kg, after dropping a close final in No-Gi Grappling, Magomedbek TEMEEV (UWW) bounced back and made sure he did not make any mistakes in Grappling Gi. Temeev was facing Rafayel KOSTANYAN (ARM) in the final and got the opening control when Kostanyan decided to start in grounding. The control gave Temeev two points.

Temeev decided to keep his control on top even as Kostanyan tried various moves. The referees called Temeev passive twice which costed him two points but he held a 2-2 criteria lead and won the final.

Two more UWW grapplers, Abduragim MAGOMEDOV (UWW) and Idris OMAROV (UWW), won gold medals on Thursday. MAgomedov defeated Jakub NAJDEK (POL), 5-0, in the 77kg final while Omarov defeated Christian FRILLICI (ITA), 5-2, in the 84kg final.

Youngster Giovanni SUAREZ ARTILES (ESP), who had a disappointing outing in 2024, made amends and defeated Magomed MAGOMEDOV (UWW), 5-3, at 66kg to win the gold medal.

The final began with Magomedov scoring a stepout in standing for one point before Saurez hit a throw to get Magomedov out in standing to make it 1-1 and lead on criteria. Magomedov kept getting control of Saurez who kept stepping out in standing and Magomedov's lead swelled to 3-1.

In the last 30 seconds, Saurez managed to come in a back mount and score via a rear-naked-choke. Though Magomedov did not submit, Saurez got four points for his control which made him a 5-3 winner.

At 92kg, Mateusz MAZUR (POL) was crowned world champion after Ruslan ISRAILOV (KAZ) submitted three minutes into the final.

RESULTS

Men's Grappling Gi

58kg
GOLD: Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ) df. Zhyldyzbek ABYLBEKOV (KGZ), via submission (6-0)

BRONZE: Razmik MISAKYAN (ARM) df. Jerzy IZDEBSKI (POL), 2-0
BRONZE: Joseph DIEHL (USA) df. Samir BEN BELKACEM (FRA), via submission (1-0)

62kg
GOLD: Magomedbek TEMEEV (UWW) df. Rafayel KOSTANYAN (ARM), 2-2

BRONZE: Ruslan RADZHABKHANOV (UWW) df. Kiryl AHEIKA (UWW), 1-0
BRONZE: Asher URBAN HOYER (USA) df. Mark BODO (HUN), via submission

66kg
GOLD: Giovanni SUAREZ ARTILES (ESP) df. Magomed MAGOMEDOV (UWW), 5-3

BRONZE: Adlan ASUEV (KAZ) df. Giorgi RAZMADZE (GEO), via submission
BRONZE: Artur AGASHIRINOV (UWW) df. Mayis NERSESYAN (ARM), via submission (2-2)

77kg
GOLD: Abduragim MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Jakub NAJDEK (POL), 5-0

BRONZE: Hector SEPULVEDA PALMA (ESP) df. Darkhan TOLYBAYEV (KAZ), 6-4
BRONZE: Dumitru CEBAN (MDA) df. Pavlo MAKSYMCHUK (UKR), 8-4

84kg
GOLD: Idris OMAROV (UWW) df. Christian FRILLICI (ITA), 5-2

BRONZE: Cristian TUGULEA (MDA) df. Kacper ROT (POL), 5-2
BRONZE: Dzhabrail ISRAPILOV (UWW) df. Adlan MADAYEV (KAZ), 5-2

92kg
GOLD: Mateusz MAZUR (POL) df. Ruslan ISRAILOV (KAZ), via submission (1-3)

BRONZE: Alibek SULEIMANOV (UWW) df. Mantas DAUBLYS (LTU), 3-2
BRONZE: Pablo ESTEPA NIETO (ESP) df. Antonio SALTUPS CARETTO (ITA), 6-2

Women's Grappling Gi

58kg
GOLD: Alina KOPEIKINA (UWW) df. Magdalena GIEC (POL), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA) df. Tetiana ASTAKHOVA (UKR), 2-0
BRONZE: Rachel GUTIERREZ (USA) df. Minerva MONTERO PEREZA (ESP), 6-0

64kg
GOLD: Mia MONTESINOS PERDOMO (ESP) df. Alsu IANSHINA (UWW), 5-2

BRONZE: Sheliah LINDSEY (USA) df. Adrianna MAZUR (POL), 9-0
BRONZE: Sylwia WIERZBOWSKA (POL) df. Renata IAKUBOVA (UWW), 3-2

71kg
GOLD: Alycia QUENEE (FRA) df. Maja SALAMON (POL), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Anna REMNEVA (UWW) df. Christina HANSEN (USA), via submission (0-2)
BRONZE: Valentina PAVLOVA (UWW) df. Sandra TRIEBEL (GER), 2-1