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Pataridze, Kawai Highlight End-of-the-Year Age-Group Awards

Thursday, December 13, 2018 - 12:30 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 13) -- United World Wrestling has awarded a pair of cadet, junior and U23 wrestlers the 2018 Age-Group Wrestlers of the Year.

The U23 age-group wrestlers of the year went to the duo of Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) and Yukako KAWAI (JPN).

Pataridze won his sixth overall Greco-Roman age-group world title, scooping up the 2018 U23 world title at 130kg in Bucharest, Romania. The Georgian big-man has two cadet golds, a trio of junior titles, and a U23 world championship.

Kawai, the sister of the three-time world and Olympic champion, Risako KAWAI (JPN), won the 62kg gold medal at the U23 World Championships after falling in the finals of the Senior World Championships. Kawai’s gold and silver medal performances at the World Championships are improvements from a season ago when she took eighth-place at the Senior World Championships and ninth-place at the Junior World Championships.

The Russian twosome of Aleksander KOMAROV (RUS) and Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) earned the junior age-group wrestlers of the year after obtaining gold medals in Trnava, Slovakia at the 2018 Junior World Championships.

Komarov, one of the most dominant Greco-Roman age-group wrestlers in the world, remained undefeated in his international career and won his second junior world title. Komarov’s resume is now chalked up with a pair of cadet and junior world titles, totaling four overall age-group world titles.

Komarov’s Russian partner, Khanum Velieva, who is still eligible to compete at the junior level, also won her fourth overall age-group world title. In the 68kg finals, Velieva picked up her fourth shutout victory of the World Championships and knocked off reigning cadet world champion, Macey  KILTY (USA), 6-0.

The cadet age-group wrestlers of the year are Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE) and Yuka KAGAMI (JPN). Amirli and Kagami each departed Zagreb, Croatia with their second straight cadet world titles.

Azerbaijan's Amirli rebounded from a bronze medal finish at the European Championships to win back-to-back cadet world titles. He wrapped up his 48kg gold medal performance at the World Championships with a 6-1 finals victory over the United States’ Richard FIGUEROA (USA).

For the second year in a row, Japan’s Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) blanked her opponents on her way to a world title. Over two years, Kagami outscored her eight world championship opponents 83-0. In 2017, she outscored her Athens opponents 41-0, and shutout her Zagreb counterparts 42-0.

The next award that will be released by United World Wrestling will be the 2018 History Makers. The History Makers for 2018 will be coming out this Sunday.

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series 2026 Day 4 Highlights

Saturday, July 18, 2026 - 08:27 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 18) -- The fourth day of the Budapest Ranking Series will see four Women's Wrestling - 53kg, 57kg, 72kg and 76kg and two Greco-Roman weight classes - 72kg and 87kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

GR 87kg semifinals - An all Russian final is set at 87kg after Islam ALIEV (RUS) beats Beka MELELASHVILI (USA), 6-1, and Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) gets a walkover from injured Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ).

GR 72kg semifinals - Rabil ASKEROV (RUS) starts with a stepout and then an arm-throw for four points gives him a 5-0 lead against Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO). Askerov then adds a takedown to lead 7-0 which he defends till the end of the clock and advance to the final. He will face another Georgian in the final after Nika BROLADZE (GEO) beats compatriot Mishiko ALEKSANDRIA (GEO), 4-2.

WW 76kg semifinals - Dymond GUILFORD (USA) scored a takedown and then turned Wenji LI (CHN) three times to win 8-0, a scoreless second period. Guilford will take on KAJAL (IND) after she defeated Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU). Kajal got the lead when Anghel was called passive before she scored two takedowns and extend it to 5-0. A feet-to-back for four points gave her a 9-0 win.

WW 57kg semifinals - Kexin HONG (CHN), the Asian champion, takes no time in completing a 10-0 technical superiority over Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE). Due to the long challenge review on Mat C, the other semifinal was delayed. Neha SHARMA (IND) scores two takedowns in the first period against Giullia PENALBAR (BRA) and then holds on to that lead for the win.

WW 53kg semifinals - Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) comes back in the second period with a big throw and pins Andreea ANA (ROU) to reach the final. On the other mat, Asian champion Jin ZHANG (CHN), down 6-0 against ANTIM (IND) also tried a fall but Antim defends for two points and then reverses the position for a point. When the time finishes, Antim leads 7-4 for the win but China challenges. On review, they add a point for Zhang's reversal but Antim still a 7-5 winner

Semifinals will begin at 13:30 hours local time

13:15: Asian champion Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) and Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) both score turns from par terre but the former scores it after Huklek to take the last-point criteria to complete a 3-3 win and enter the 87kg semifinals.

12:55: KAJAL (IND) with a snap and go-behind for a takedown against Shuiyan CHENG (CHN) after the China wrestler was put on activity clock. With a 3-0 lead, Kajal plays out the second period to win the 76kg bout 3-0

12:42: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) with a sweet pin over Madison PARKS (CAN) at 53kg. Malmgren witha takedown and then holds Parks on the mat with a turn to secure the fall.

12:33: ANTIM (IND) with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) at 53kg. She scores all of her takedowns by pressuring the U.S. wrestlers out of position. Rodriguez fails to find any answers to Antim.

12:27: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) advances to the 87kg quarterfinals after a 7-0 win over Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ). Levai's par terre in the second period gave him a 3-0 lead from which he scored two turns to complete the win

12:25: After a long challenge review, Islam ALIEV (RUS) is the winner against Ali CENGIZ (TUR) at 87kg. Aliev with a takedown and turn to lead 4-0 and then gets par terre in the second period to make it 5-0. He throws Cengiz out of bounds for one points. Cengiz locks Aliev around the waist but the Russian counters with a front headlock throw for two points. Turkiye challenge that but lose and Aliev wins 9-0   

12:15: Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) with three points in the second period to beat Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB), 4-3, in a tough 87kg bout. He got the par terre and a turn to build his lead in the match.

12:02: World and Asian silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) tried to hold on to her 1-1 criteria lead against Wenji LI (CHN) but the China wrestler gets to her legs, elevates it and pushes out Medet Kyzy with 2 seconds left and complete a 2-1 victory at 76kg.

11:58: Excellent pressure wrestling from ANTIM (IND) and she scores five takedowns with ease against Yuxuan LI (CHN) to complete a 10-0 technical superiority win and advance to the quarterfinals at 53kg in which she will face Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA)

11:50: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA), who will be the United States representative at the World Championships, completes a 6-0 win over Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE) with four points in first period and two in the second at 53kg.

11:37: Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) is looking solid as ever. The former European champion hits a double leg blast for four points and complete a 12-1 victory over Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) at 57kg

11:35: Asian champion Jin ZHANG (CHN) pins Asmar JANKURTARAN (AZE) after building an 8-0 lead and enter the quarterfinals at 53kg. Zhang uses both her leg lace and gut-wrench to score her points

11:30: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) chips away with three takedowns against NISHU (IND) to complete a controlled 6-2 victory and advance at 53kg.

11:20: Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) got the first par terre against Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) and then defended the par terre position when Bolkvadze got it in the second period. Down 1-1 on criteria, Bolkvadze challenged for a foul from Huklek during defense but none was confirmed on review, making Huklek a 2-1 winner at 87kg

11:05: In a Hungarian wrestle-off at 87kg, Istvan TAKACS (HUN) hangs on for a 2-1 victory over Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and takes a step towards making the team for the World Championships.

11:00: Tokyo Olympic medalist and former European champion Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) blanks Asian champion Mengyu XIE (CHN), 5-0, at 57kg.   

10:50: Asian champion at 67kg Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) falls to Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) after a 1-1 criteria loss. Khetsuriani with an escape when Beishekeev was working on par terre.

10:40: Early fireworks in Budapest. NISHU (IND) and Natia SVANIDZE (RUS) in a 21-point barn-burner. Svanidze raced to a 10-3 lead but Nishu with a stepout to add one point. Nishu then hits a four-pointer to close it to 10-7. With 14 seconds remaining, she adds a takedown on the edge before conforming an 11-10 with double-leg takedown in  last 5 seconds.