U23 World C'ships

Petriashvili to Wrestle for Second World Gold of 2017 and Third of Career

By Taylor Miller

BYDGOSZCZ, Poland – Heavyweight power Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) is on track to win his second World title of the year, advancing to the 125 kg finals of freestyle competition at the U23 World Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Petriashvili, a six-time World medalist and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, sailed to the finals, collecting three wins by technical fall and surrendering only one point in the first session.

The 2017 Senior World champion and 2013 Junior World champion will face two-time Junior European champion Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS) in the gold-medal bout.

Dibirov impressed, knocking off two-time Junior World champion Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI) in the semifinals, 12-1.

The other three finals are set up to be entertaining as well.

At 57 kg, six-time European Championships medalist Mikyay NAIM (BUL) will go up against 2017 Senior Pan American Championships bronze medalist Reineri Andreu ORTEGA (CUB).

2017 Senior World fifth-place finisher Rinya NAKAMURA (JPN) seeks his second World medal and first World title at 61 kg. Nakamura, a 2011 Cadet World bronze winner, will face Kuat AMIRTAYEV (KAZ), a 2017 Medved International bronze medalist.

2014 Junior World silver medalist and 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) advanced to the 86 kg finals, looking for his third World medal at three different age groups.

He’ll go head-to-head with Intercontinental Cup champion Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS).

The finals are set to begin at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. U.S. ET).

Finals matchups

57 kg
Gold - Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL) vs. Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB)
Bronze - Zhandos ISMAILOV (KAZ) vs. Parviz IBRAHIMOV (AZE)
Bronze - Wanhao ZOU (CHN) vs. Suleyman ATLI (TUR)

61 kg
Gold - Rinya NAKAMURA (JPN) vs. Kuat AMIRTAYEV (KAZ)
Bronze - Mihai ESANU (MDA) vs. Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR)
Bronze - Husein SHAKHBANAU (BLR) vs. Islam DUDAEV (RUS)

86 kg
Gold - Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) vs. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Bronze - Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR) vs. Raman CHYTADZE (BLR)
Bronze - Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) vs. Lazaro Daniel HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB)

125 kg
Gold - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) vs. Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS)
Bronze - Mihaly NAGY (HUN) vs. Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI)
Bronze - Zhanxiang HU (CHN) vs. Danylo KARTAVYI (UKR)

#WrestleNice

WATCH LIVE: Henri Deglane Grand Prix

By United World Wrestling Press

NICE, France (January 19) -- The prestigious Henri Delgane Grand Prix begins Friday in Nice, France. This will be the 50th edition of the tournament.

It will be the second tournament of the international wrestling season after the Zagreb Open Ranking Series.

The competition will open with women's wrestling on Friday followed by freestyle on Saturday and end with Greco-Roman on the final day.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Ravi KUMAR (UWW) will be returning to the international scene for the first time since the 2022 World Championships. European champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) will be in action in women's 53kg while Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) is also returning from injury in Greco-Roman 87kg.

Women's wrestling will see teams from France, the USA, Canada, Poland and Germany among others.

The Henri Deglane Grand Prix can be watched here.