#WrestleTallinn

Punia Wins India’s First Junior Gold in 18 Years; Russia Reels in Freestyle Team Title

Wednesday, August 14, 2019 - 19:06 By Eric Olanowski

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TALLINN, Estonia (August 14) – India’s Deepak PUNIA won his nation’s first junior world title in 18 years, while Russia reeled in the freestyle team title 48 points ahead of second-place United States. 

In the 86kg finals, Punia traded takedowns with his Russian opponent Alik SHEBZUKHOV, but it was the Indian wrestlers low-level attack to a takedown in the second period that assisted India in winning their first junior world title since Ramesh KUMAR and Palwinder CHEEMA’s title-winning efforts at 69kg and 130kg, respectively at the 2001 Tashkent Junior World Championships. “It feels very good to win India’s first junior world title in 18 years,” said Punia. His win on Wednesday night is an improvement on his silver-medal finish from last year’s Junior World Championships. 

Punia, who is ranked fifth in the world at 86kg on the senior circuit, is expected to represent India at September’s Nur-Sultan World Championships. “Next up is the big (senior) World Championships where I hope to become world champion again,” said Punia. 

Alan BAGAEV’s (RUS) defeated Lucas DAVISON (USA) 5-4 -- handing Russia their second freestyle gold medalist of the 2019 Junior World Championships. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Meanwhile, the Russian Federation closed out the freestyle team race on the back of Alan BAGAEV’s (RUS) run to a junior world title at 92kg. Though Russia ended with eight freestyle medals, Bagaev joined Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV as Russia’s only gold-medal winners. Tashukhadzhiev won the 79kg title yesterday with a 7-1 win over Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO). 

In his finals match, Bagaev edged Lucas DAVISON (USA), 5-4 after he scored the go-ahead takedown with 12 seconds left in the second period. Prior to picking up the match-deciding takedown, Bagaev gave up three step-outs and an inactivity point and fell behind 4-3. His clutch takedown with under 15 seconds left put an exclamation point on the team title for the Russian Federation, who finished 48 points ahead of the second-place United States and 49 points ahead of third-place Iran. 

David CARR (USA) survived a 4-4 battle against Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN) to win the 74kg gold medal. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

United States Storms to Second-Place Finish 
The United States stormed to a second-place finish after medaling in all five weights – extenuated by David CARR (USA) and Mason PARRIS’ (USA) gold-medal runs at 74kg and 125kg, respectively. 

David Carr snuck past Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN), 4-4 and became the 74kg junior world champion. After the match, when Carr was asked about becoming a world champion, he said, “I’ve been telling myself all summer. I’ve dreamed about; I write it down in my goals every day.” 

Carr scored a low-level attack in the first period, then bulldozed his Japanese opponent over in the second period -- gaining the criteria advantage after he surrendered a takedown and two one-point step-outs.

Mason PARRIS’ (USA) stuck reigning cadet world champion Amir ZARE (IRI) in 80 seconds in the 125kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan) 

Mason Parris was the second American to win a world title on Wednesday. Parris only needed 80 seconds to get to his fireman’s carry and pick up the fall against the reigning cadet world champion Amir ZARE (IRI). “I hit my fireman’s carry that I’ve been hitting since I was five years old and I got him with it. It was awesome,” said Parris while draping the American flag over his shoulders. 

The United States also had an additional trio of medalists on Day 3. Lucas John Davison (92kg) fell in the finals, while Gabriel TAGG (61kg) and Trent HIDLAY (86kg) each won bronze medals – which helped the United State get past third place Iran by one point. 

Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN) scored 12 unanswered points in the second period of the 61kg to defeat Andrii DZHELEP (UKR), 13-2. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Japan’s Yamaguchi Joins Abe as Junior World Champion 
Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN) trailed by one point after the opening period of the 61kg finals, but scored 12 unanswered second-period points against Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) and joined teammate Toshiya ABE (JPN) in the junior world winners circle.

Yamaguchi scored an inactivity point with one minute left in the first period, but quickly surrendered a takedown and trailed 2-1. Before the first period ended, Yamaguchi ducked behind Dzhelep but couldn’t get his Ukrainian opponents' knee down and headed into the final period down by one point. 

Whatever the message was from the Japanese corner during the break clearly hit home with Yamaguchi as he flipped on his offensive switch and scored 12 straight points to close out the match.

His first lead of the second period came when he strung together a high crotch and a leg to regain the lead, 5-2. Soon after, Yamaguchi ended the match when he transitioned from a single leg to a trio of leg laces to win his first international medal -- which just happened to be a world gold. 

Wrestling resumes on Thursday at 10:30 (local time) and will be broadcasted live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 

Final Freestyle Team Scores 
GOLD - Russia  (168 points)
SILVER - United States (120 points)
BRONZE - Iran (119 points)
Fourth - Japan (84 points)
Fifth - India (80 points)

61kg
GOLD - Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN) df. Andrii DZHELEP (UKR), 13-2 
BRONZE - Gabriel Robert TAGG (USA) df. Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO), 15-4 
BRONZE - Alik KHADARTSEV (RUS) df. Asgar MAMMADALIYEV (AZE), 6-0 

74kg
GOLD - David CARR (USA) df. Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN), 4-4 
BRONZE - Abdulvasi BALTA (TUR) df. Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL), via fall 
BRONZE - Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) df. Devid BETANOV (RUS), 7-0

86kg 
GOLD - Deepak PUNIA (IND) df. Alik SHEBZUKHOV (RUS), 2-2 
BRONZE - Trent Niemond HIDLAY (USA) df.  Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT), 9-0
BRONZE - Hunter Jeffery LEE (CAN) vs. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 4-2 

92kg
GOLD - Alan BAGAEV (RUS) df. Lucas DAVISON (USA), 5-4 
BRONZE - Ertugrul AGCA (GER) df. Ali ABDOLLAHI (IRI), 8-6
BRONZE - Viky VIKY (IND) df. Batmagnai ENKHTUVSHIN (MGL), 4-3 

125kg
GOLD - Mason PARRIS (USA) df. Amir ZARE (IRI)
BRONZE - Alen KHUBULOV (RUS) df. Hovhannes MAGHAKYAN (ARM), 14-3
BRONZE - Pasa Ekrem KARABULUT (TUR) df. Vasil KHVISTANI (GEO), 4-1 

#WrestleUlaanbaatar, #OffTheMat

Purevdorj reignites Olympic quest with Ulaanbaatar Open gold

Friday, June 20, 2025 - 09:31 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 18) -- The last time Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) wrestled in front of home crowd in Ulaanbaatar, she was one of the top wrestlers in the world at 62kg.

She was the 2017 world champion and a year before that, she had ended Kaori ICHO's (JPN) 13-year long unbeaten streak at the Ivan Yaryguin Grand Prix. Then in 2018, she won the Asian Championships in Bishkek and the Mongolian Open gold medal in Ulaanbaatar.

Few months later, she failed a dope test at the Asian Games, where she had won the gold medal in 62kg. Her rise turned into a fatal fall and Purevdorj was left to serve the four-year ban. During her long hiatus, Purevdorj focused on personal life.

“I was very sad but I decided to just live and raised my son. I kept myself busy with him,” Purevdorj says. “The most important thing is my mind. It's important to be strong.”

Purevdorj, who still remains Mongolia last world champion in wrestling, made her comeback in 2022 and was part of the Mongolian team to the World Cup. She won silver medal at the Asian Championships in 2023 and qualified for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Seven years since the ban and now in the twilight of her wrestling career, Purevdorj is hoping to reignite the fire to wrestle. She took the first step by winning a gold medal at hte Ulaanbaatar Open. The 31-year-old won in 62kg in front of her family and local fans to once again stamp herself as the best wrestler in Mongolia and even Asia.

"I am wrestling for the second time [first time internationally] this year but it's hard," she says after her gold-medal bout against compatriot and rival Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) who she defeated 11-2 to win the gold medal.

At the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Palace in Ulaanbaatar, Purevdorj is joined by her husband, son and even parents as they watch her wrestle live after a long time. It's not an ideal start for her as she gets hammered 10-0 by Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), a wrestler she has defeated multiple times in her career before.

That's not what Purevdorj or her family expected in the first bout itself. But she runs back to the warm-up hall and prepares for the second bout, this time against Asian champion MANISHA (IND). And Purevdorj looked in form against the Indian, winning via fall. [The 62kg bracket at the Ulaanbaatar Open was a round-robin bracket, hence giving Purevdorj the second chance].

The fall helps Purevdorj get five classification points and a place in the semifinal over Manisha. She will wrestle Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW) for a spot in the final. Her son, six years old, keeps cheering every time he sees his mother on the mat.

Koshkina takes Purevdorj to the limits scoring via counters. Still, Purevdorj led 9-7 at the break and both resumed their dynamic wrestling. Purevdorj managed to defend some of the attacks from Koshkina and ultimately won 15-11.

In a high-affair all-Mongolian final at 62kg, Purevdorj put on a defensive masterclass to beat Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), 11-2, and capture the gold medal.

"I was able to win because I played calmly," she said after the final. "In the first match, I was not good mental state and was not ready. But next match I was better."

Purevdorj celebrated with a few photos with her family and coaches. She looked visibly tired after the four bouts and could use some rest days.

"As I said, it's hard. I am not sure about anything," said Purevdorj, who was wrestling a UWW tournament for the first time since the Paris Games.

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) celebrating after becoming a world champion in 2017. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

When she began wrestling 17 years ago in Ulaanbaatar after her cousins introduced her to the sport, Purevdorj did not think she will reach this level. So being a world champion makes her feel happy and she is proud that she choose this sport.

“I'm seventh child in my family and only I am a wrestler. My cousins were wrestlers but they stopped soon but I never stopped. I really loved it."

But she regrets not having an Olympic medal. She has been on that stage twice but fell short. In Rio 2016, she lost in the repechage while in Paris, she lost to her long-time rival Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) in the bronze-medal bout.

Now, the only motivation to be at the 2028 Los Angeles is to get an Olympic medal which may complete her journey. A medal will make her the third Mongolian wrestler to win a medal in Women's Wresting.

“I'm not sure about wrestling till Los Angeles. But I'm just trying,” she said. “The last Olympics were so hard for me in my career. I'm trying again, and I've started this year. There are many wrestlers in 62kg who are better but I have to train more.”