Books

New Book Released on the Educational Value of Wrestling

Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 13:43 By United World Wrestling Press

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SOFIA, Bulgaria (July 18) -- The Secretary General of the Bulgarian Olympic committee and President of the UWW Ethical and Legal Commission Mr. Beltcho GORANOV  and professor Lozan MITEV presented their book, "The Educational Values of Wrestling" at the National Museum of Archeology in Sofia, Bulgaria.

"You will not find any techniques, tactics or ranking in this book,” said Goranov. "It is about the human qualities and shows how this ancient sport leads you to struggle to overcome yourself and your own fears. If you manage to overcome them, you are the winner!"

The completion of the project has taken almost a year of researching and enhanced work. The idea emerged when Mr. Goranov and Prof. Mitev worked on a study on the occasion of the Bulgarian participation in the First Modern Olympic Games Athens 1896. "Then Prof. Lozan Mitev discovered the first interview of Panayot Belev, leader of the Bulgarian delegation and that is how it all started...", the General Secretary of the Bulgarian Olympic committee added.

The book studies the history of wrestling worldwide and its impact on those who have got in touch with it. It tracks its development as an educational tool during the centuries. Other accents are an overview of the educational systems and the Olympic concept as a part of the modern athlete’s education. The book was published in French, English and now also in Bulgarian and Russian.

“This book is a synthesis of the best in Sport, Art and Pedagogy. It tells us about the moral, human and sport maturing and education of young people as a continuous process, subject to two main factors – Will and Dream. The main merit of this book is that it follows the development of this unity through the centuries as one of the paths of Humanism, as a constant struggle for perfection, development, triumph and unity of will and dream”, Assoc. Prof. Efrem Efremov, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Journalism and Mass communications of the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” said in his speech during the presentation.

The ceremony was attended also by the Minister of Youth and Sport Mr. Krasen Kralev. “The contemporary values that we speak so much about in our United Europe like integrity, morality, tolerance are at the same time core values in Sport and in Wrestling. Therefore, I endlessly admire those researchers who managed to explore in such depth the main processes in the public life and to describe them, and  to narrate them to us,” Minister Kralev said.

He pointed out that the wrestling is not only the most successful Bulgarian sport but also the oldest Olympic sport.

“Our ancient predecessors discovered the magic and values of this sport millennia ago. Wrestling needs people like professor Mitev and Beltcho Goranov. You probably remember how only several years ago the big wrestling family managed to preserve this magnificent sport for the Olympic Family,” Mr. Kralev added. He congratulated the authors on the completion of this project and the enormous effort, as well as their overall contribution to the development of Bulgarian sport.

"This book is another look at the struggle, but also the Sport, based on the human values of the personality. It shows us the fighting of two persons, the sense of self-realization, but also the respect to the opponent. The book presents variants of training and education, and also shows that Sport is a tool of overcoming difficulties and challenges, but also a way of realizing the personality. It is very useful and interesting book", said Mr. Tzeno Tzenov, President of the UWW European Council.

Among the guests of the event were the double Olympic champions in Wrestling Mr. Boyan Radev and Mr. Petar Kirov, the Secretary General of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation Mr. Valentin Raychev, the Rector of the National Sports Academy Prof. Pencho Geshev, sports officials and media.

2026 U17 World Championships

Russia Edges Iran to Claim U17 World Freestyle Team Title

Monday, August 3, 2026 - 09:21 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (August 2) -- Russia claimed its first Freestyle team title at the U17 World Championships in six years after edging Iran by a single point in a dramatic finish to the tournament on Sunday in Baku.

Iran held a narrow 110-106 lead over Russia after three of the five weight classes on the final day. With one gold-medal bout and one bronze-medal bout remaining for each team, Iran needed to win both matches or have Russia lose one to secure the title. Neither scenario unfolded.

Read More: Villafane Denies Wax History, Makes His Own

Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) won the gold medal at 71kg, while Mokhmad BAISULTANOV (RUS) earned bronze, extending Iran's lead to 135-121 heading into the final weight class.

Wrestling Abdurazak SHABANOV (RUS)Abdurazak SHABANOV (RUS) tries to score on Salah TSARNI (USA) during the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

It all came down to the final bout of the tournament at 92kg. After Reza ISAZADEH (IRI) lost his bronze-medal bout, Iran was stuck at 145 points. All Abdurazak SHABANOV (RUS) needed to do was win the 92kg final against Salah TSARNI (USA) to clinch the team title for his country by one point.

Shabanov did not have the best of starts to the final as Tsarni took a 3-0 lead in the opening period. The Russian opened the second period with a stepout before scoring a go-behind and lead 3-3 on criteria.

Tsrani was quick to return to his feet but Shabanov maintained control from behind and executed a four-pointer before giving up a reversal. Tsarni, down 7-4 with 43 seconds remaining, needed at least four points to win. Instead, Shabanov controlled the bout, adding a late stepout along with a point after Tsarni was called for fleeing to seal a 9-4 win.

The win secured Russia the team title with 146 points and broke the hearts of Iran which finished second with 145 points. India finished third with 123 points, followed by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan with 101 and 93 points respectively.

Defending champion the United States finished seventh with 68 points, an uncharacteristically low finish for one of the world's traditional wrestling powers.

Wrestling Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) tries to score on Bohdan KVANTALIANI (GEO) during the 71kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 71kg, Shamsipour survived a tense finish to defeat Bohdan KVANTALIANI (GEO), 5-4, and claim Iran's third Freestyle gold medal of the tournament.

After conceding a passivity point, Shamsipour stormed back with quick takedowns in the second period to build a 4-1 lead. With 19 seconds remaining, he was penalized for fleeing, and then again with two seconds from the end when Kvantaliani forced a stepout. However, Shamsipour held the criteria at 4-4, thanks to his higher-scoring techniques.

Georgia challenged for another fleeing call in the closing seconds, but the challenge was unsuccessful, awarding Shamsipour an additional point and confirming the victory.

Wrestling Benyamin ASHOFTEH (IRI)Benyamin ASHOFTEH (IRI) celebrates after winning the 51kg final against Ibrahim HASANOV (AZE). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Iran's won the gold medal at 51kg as well after U17 Asian champion Benyamin ASHOFTEH (IRI) defeated Ibrahim HASANOV (AZE), 5-1, in the final.

Hasanov was the first to score after Ashofteh failed to score during the activity period, giving a point to the Azerbaijan wrestler. In the second period, Ashofteh took a 1-1 criteria lead after Hasanov was placed on the activity clock.

Soon after, Ashofteh managed to score a takedown with 55 seconds remaining as Hasanov backed away, then transitioned into a gut-wrench for two more points to lead 5-1 with 37 seconds remaining.

Ashofteh would hang on to his lead while Hasanov, the U17 European champion, settled for silver in front of the home crowd, which was again denied a home world champion.

Wrestling SITENDER (IND)SITENDER (IND) using the two-on-one to set up his takedown against Sergei KARMRIAN (RUS). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Sitender Repeats

World champion Sushil KUMAR (IND) had been India's only wrestler to win consecutive U17 world titles, but SITENDER (IND) joined him on Sunday by successfully defending his 60kg crown.

Sitender, who maintains a strong position and powerful defense, never seemed troubled by either U17 European champion Sergei KARMRIAN (RUS) or the pressure of the World Championships final.

The opening period saw little action before Sitender was put on the activity clock. As he failed to score during the 30-second period, Karmrian took a 1-0 lead into the break.

The bout did not change in the second period as well with Karmrian eventually put on the activity clock. During the 30-second window, Sitender capitalized, using a two-on-one grip and a slide-by, to score the decisive takedown for two points.

Karmrian pressed until the final whistle but was unable to produce the takedown he needed, allowing Sitender to retain his world title.

Wrestling Photos

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Nelson VILLAFANE (PUR) df. Rylen WAX (USA), 7-1

BRONZE: Mukhammad RAKHIMJONOV (UZB) df. Luka DOTIASHVILI (GEO), 9-8
BRONZE: Hanumant JADHAV (IND) df. Mahdi DAMERCHELI (IRI), 7-1

51kg
GOLD: Benyamin ASHOFTEH (IRI) df. Ibrahim HASANOV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Islam KURAKHMAEV (RUS) df. Giorgi NARIMANIDZE (GEO), 7-3
BRONZE: Masamune USHIMADO (JPN) df. William SOTO (PUR), 15-13

60kg
GOLD: SITENDER (IND) df. Sergei KARMRIAN (RUS), 3-1

BRONZE: Mardan ORYNBASSAR (KAZ) df. Davit MDZEVASHVILI (GEO), via fall (5-2)
BRONZE: Mykyta KUZMENKO (UKR) df. Bekzodbek IBROHIMOV (UZB), via fall (4-1)

71kg
GOLD: Reza SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) df. Bohdan KVANTALIANI (GEO), 5-4

BRONZE: Mokhmad BAISULTANOV (RUS) df. Vitali HARDZEI (BLR), 10-0
BRONZE: Adilet RYSBAY (KAZ) df. Mekan HUDAYBERENOV (TKM), 6-4

92kg
GOLD: Abdurazak SHABANOV (RUS) df. Salah TSARNI (USA), 9-4

BRONZE: Marshall EVERETT (GBR) df. Nuradin MUSTAFAEV (GEO), 10-6
BRONZE: SAKSHAM (IND) df. Reza ISAZADEH (IRI), 3-2