U23 World C'ships

Petriashvili Looks for Second World Title in 2017

Thursday, November 23, 2017 - 07:35 By Andrew Hipps

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The U-23 Wrestling World Championships concludes with freestyle competition on Saturday and Sunday. One of the shining stars of the Paris World Championships, Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), is on the freestyle entry list. Petriashvili, an Olympic bronze medalist, stunned Taha AKGUL (TUR) in Paris to claim the world title at 125kg.

Saturday, Nov. 25: 57kg, 61kg, 86kg, 125kg

The 57kg weight class includes three junior world champions: Suleyman ATLI (TUR), Khasankhusein BADRUDINOV (RUS) and Daton FIX (USA). Atli, a 2016 Olympian, won the European U-23 Championships and finished with a bronze in the European Championships on the senior level. He won the Yasar Dogu title in March. Badrudinov won gold, silver and bronze medals at the Junior World Championships. Fix won a junior world title this year after winning a junior world bronze in 2016. Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) won a world bronze medal in Paris this year. Another wrestler to keep an eye on is Ivan ZAMFIROV (MDA). 

Iman SADEGHIKOUKANDEH (IRI), a two-time junior world champion, is entered at 61kg. He won the Asian Indoor Games this year. Mitchell MCKEE (USA) reached the junior world finals this year, finishing with a silver. Dimitar IVANOV (BUL) was a junior world bronze medalist in 2015. Rinya NAKAMURA (JPN) was a fifth-place finisher at the World Championships in Paris. Other notable wrestlers in this weight class include Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), Husein SHAKHBANAU (BLR), Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO), Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) and Islam DUDAEV (RUS).

The favorite at 86kg is Olympian Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI). He won a world bronze medal in 2015 at the senior level, and is a past junior world champion. Deepak PUNIA (IND) was a cadet world champion in 2016, and Ivan Kostadinov STEFANOV (BUL) reached the cadet world finals in 2015. Raman CHYTADZE (BLR), Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) and Sam BROOKS (USA) will look to contend. 

The 2017 senior world champion Petriashvili is a strong favorite to win gold at 125kg. He has won four-world level medals, including a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games. Amin TAHERI (IRI) is a two-time junior world silver medalist. Umar ISRAILOV (AZE) won a junior world silver medal in 2016. Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS) is a two-time European junior champion. Others to watch at 125kg: Vitali PIASNIAK (BLR), Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN), Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) and Kamil Tomasz KOSCIOLEK (POL).

Sunday, Nov. 26: 65kg, 70kg, 74kg, 97kg

At 65kg, there are several wrestlers with world and continental medals. Top contenders include Asian champion Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), junior world bronze medalist Yones EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI), junior world silver medalist Joseph MCKENNA (USA), multiple-time world military champion Nachyn KUULAR (RUS), European silver medalist Haydar YAVUZ (TUR) and European bronze medalist Iveriko JULAKIDZE (GEO).

Gadzhimurad OMAROV (AZE) is among the favorites at 70kg. He was the champion at the European U-23 Championships. Nobuyoshi TAKOJIMA (JPN) placed fifth at the World Championships in 2016. Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) is a past cadet world silever medalist. Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) and Csaba VIDA (HUN) have won European medals. Magoma DIBIRGADZHIEV (RUS) and Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL) won medals at the Alexander Medved Prizes event. 

Junior world champ Gadzhi NABIEV (RUS) is among the entries at 74kg. He was a silver medalist at the Russian Championships. Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (IRI), a junior world bronze medalist, should contend in this weight class. Alberts JURCENKO (LAT) is a multiple-time cadet world bronze medalist. There are a handful of European medalists in this weight class who could challenge for titles, including Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE), Henri Aleksi SELENIUS (FIN), Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) and Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK). Yajuro YAMASAKI (JPN) was fifth at the Junior World Championships this year, and is past cadet world bronze medalist. 

Multiple-time junior world medalists Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE) and Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) are among the six wrestlers on the entry list at 97kg with junior world medals. Other junior world medalists in the weight class include Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), Erik THIELE (GER), Vasile CARAS (ROU) and Yunus Emre DEDE (TUR). Others to watch at 97kg include Yarygin Grand Prix silver meedalist Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS), Golden Grand Prix bronze medalist Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI), 2016 Cadet world bronze medalist Viky VIKY (IND) and European junior silver medalist Simone IANNATTONI (ITA). 

#WrestleTirana

Mirzazadeh dominates his way to Tirana gold; Shiotani impresses

Monday, March 3, 2025 - 04:03 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (March 2) -- There is nothing extraordinary in the 130kg Greco-Roman final in Tirana. World champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) controls the proceedings for six minutes and wins the gold medal.

In Tirana for the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, Mirzazadeh returned to the mat for the first time since winning bronze medal at the Paris Olympics at 130kg where he lost only to eventual champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB).

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) defends a par terre position against Hamza BAKIR (TUR). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

On Sunday, all four matches Mirzazadeh wrestled followed a similar pattern. He will get the first passivity and score the turn from par terre before defending the par terre in the second period. His winning score in quarterfinal, semifinal and final read 3-1. Only in his first match against Heiki NABI (EST) did Mirzazadeh get both par terre advantages to win 4-0.

Wrestling Paris Olympian and Turkiye's next big hope at 130kg Hamza BAKIR (TUR), Mirzazadeh turned Bakir from par terre for a 3-0 lead before defending the lead and winning 3-1.

While beating Bakir, who has all three age-group world titles, did not take a toll on Mirzazadeh, the same cannot be said about another age-group world champion that Mirzazadeh is preparing domestically.

Although he will not feature in the Asian Championships, Mirzazadeh will be keen on defending his world title in Zagreb in September.

In his path for that are Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) and Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI). Hedayati has been rising in the ranks and seen as the biggest threat to Mirzazadeh's place on the Iran team.

Yousofi, the 2021 world champion, returned after a sabbatical and won the Zagreb Open gold medal three weeks ago to enter the selection process. Now, teh Iran team will be clear by the third Ranking Series in Mongolia in June.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) performing his signature reverse lift move. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), a world bronze medalist from 2022, returned to international wrestling after three years and secured the gold medal at 60kg.

"It's been a long time since I last competed, but I'm happy that we were able to finish with gold [today]," Shiotani said.

In his elements, Shiotani launched massive reverse lift throws in all his bouts, barring the final. And he only gave up points in his first bout -- against U20 and U23 world champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI).

"I wasn't moving much," he said of the match against Ahmadi Vafa. "I think that's why the match turned out like that. I was probably a little nervous. Of course, the opponent was also strong, but I think I was a little nervous and couldn't play the match as well as I wanted."

Shiotani wrestled Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO) in the final and did not wait for any passivity warnings. He scored a takedown and went for his signature reverse left, exposing Shavadze's back on the mat for two more points. Just before the break, he scored a takedown to make it 6-0.

Just over a minute in the second period, Shiotani pressured Shavadze who stepped backwards till he was out of the zone. One point for stepout and another for fleeing resulted in Shiotani winning 8-0. Georgia challenged the fleeing but lost, giving one more point to Shiotani.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) defeated Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) in the opening bout at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In his first match against Ahmadi Vafa, Shiotani was in forced par terre in the first period but he didn't let give up any points. The referees were about to give Ahmadi Vafa the second par terre as well but Shiotani scored a takedown.

A reversal in the same sequence was scored one point for Ahmadi Vafa. But Shiotani with a big lift and throw for two points. Shiotani challenges and gets two more points for a foul from Ahmadi Vafa to lead 6-2. From par terre, Shiotani would score three more points and lead 9-4 with 35 seconds on the clock.

Shavadze was one of the five wrestlers to reach the finals Sunday but only one -- Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) -- managed to win the gold medal.

Lomadze wrestled four bouts and never looked in any trouble. In his first match, he defeated former world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) 5-1, before a 13-2 win over Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU).

Lomadze then defeated fellow countryman Otar ABULADZE (GEO) 6-3 in the semifinals, the win more or less confirming his European Championships spot on the Georgian team.

In the final, Lomadze got the better of Mehmet SAHIN (TUR), beating him 6-3 for the gold medal.

Former European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL) denied Georgi MELIA (GEO) and Georgia another chance to win a gold medal after he defetaed the Georgian 4-0 in the 97kg final bout.

Milov scored a beautiful takedown and transitioned into a gut wrench to get a 4-0 lead. There were no par terre positions in the match and Milov's move remained as the only scoring action.

Turkiye won two gold medals as Emre MUTLU (TUR) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) finished on the top at 55kg and 82kg.

Mutlu denied Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), 7-4 in the 55kg final while Akbudak won the gold medal after Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) injury defaulted in the 82kg final.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Emre MUTLU (TUR) df. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), 7-4

BRONZE: Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ) df. Andi MUCA (ALB), 9-0
BRONZE: Yersin ABYIR (KAZ) df. Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ), via fall (9-1)

60kg
GOLD: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) df. Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO), 9-0

BRONZE: Haodong TAN (CHN) df. Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ), 9-0 
BRONZE: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ), 12-3

72kg
GOLD: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Mehmet SAHIN (TUR), 8-3

BRONZE: Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ) df. Ivo ILIEV (BUL), 10-0
BRONZE: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df. Otar ABULADZE (GEO), 4-3

82kg
GOLD: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Svetoslav NIKOLOV (BUL) df. Beksultan NAZARBAEV (KGZ), 10-1
BRONZE: Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) df. Ramon BETSCHART (SUI), 3-2

97kg
GOLD: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df. Giorgi MELIA (GEO), 4-0

BRONZE: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER), 8-2
BRONZE: Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) df. Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Hamza BAKIR (TUR), 3-1

BRONZE: Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Yuta NARA (JPN), 4-1 
BRONZE: Heiki NABI (EST) df. Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 2-2