Beach wrestling

Rudulov Wins Gold at Odessa Beach Wrestling World Series, Earns 'Best Throw' Award

Monday, August 12, 2019 - 15:34 By United World Wrestling Press

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ODESSA, Ukraine (August 12) - Competing in his home country, 2017 beach wrestling world champion Semen RADULOV (UKR) turned in a strong performance at the Odessa Beach Wrestling World Series, winning gold and picking up the award for "Best Throw" of the competition.

Radulov, a 2016 European bronze medalist in freestyle wrestling, claimed the gold medal at 70kg with a with a 3-1 victory in the finals over Timothy BOX (USA). He was a silver medalist at last year's Beach World Championships, as well as a silver medalist at the Rio Beach Wrestling World Series in May.


Semen RADULOV (UKR) executing another flying fireman's carry in the event quarterfinal. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

The 29-year-old Ukrainian won the award for "Best Throw" in his semifinal match with a high amplitude, flying fireman’s carry.  By winning the award, Rudulov earned 1000 CHF. It marks the second straight time he has won the award. In Rio, Rudulov won the award after scoring with a blast double leg on the opening day of the competition.

Ukraine ran away with the team title in the men's competition on the strength of two champions and seven medalists. Joining Rudulov as a champion for Ukraine was Serghii PONOMARENKO at 80kg.

Moldova crowned a champion as Piotr IANULOV shut out Viktor SOLOVIOV (UKR) at 90kg.


Moldova's Piotr IANULOV (r) shut out Viktor SOLOVIOV (UKR) at 90kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE) edged Roman DOVHALIUK (UKR) to earn the title in the +90kg weight category.

In the women's competition, Ukraine won three of the four gold medals and captured the team title by 68 points.

Ukraine's gold medalists in the women's competition were Kateryna MASHKEVYCH (50kg), Valeriia SEMONKINA ZLATOVA (60kg) and Anna MAZURKEVYCH (70kg).

Champion aleriia SEMONKINA ZLATOVA (60kg) of Ukraine. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Aikaterini PITSIAVA (GRE) won the gold medal at +70kg.

The fourth and final Beach Wrestling World Series event will take place September 7-8 in Zagreb, Croatia.

RESULTS

Men's Beach Wrestling

70kg

GOLD: Semen RADULOV (UKR)
SILVER: Timothy BOX (USA)
BRONZE: Yehor MURADYAN (UKR)

80kg

GOLD: Serghii PONOMARENKO (UKR)
SILVER: Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
BRONZE: Georgios KOULOUCHIDIS (GRE)

90kg

GOLD: Piotr IANULOV (MDA)
SILVER: Viktor SOLOVIOV (UKR)

+90kg

GOLD: Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE)
SILVER: Roman DOVHALIUK (UKR)
BRONZE: Mahamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)

Team Standings

1. Ukraine 90
2. Greece 27
3. Azerbaijan 25
4. Moldova 25
5. United States 20

Women's Beach Wrestling

50kg

GOLD: Kateryna MASHKEVYCH (UKR)
SILVER: Mariia HEORHIIEVA (UKR)
BRONZE: Kristina BERMAN SHNYPKO (UKR)

60kg

GOLD: Valeriia SEMONKINA ZLATOVA (UKR)
SILVER: Yana KUZMINA POLTAVSKA (UKR)
BRONZE: Valeriia ODINTSOVA (UKR)

70kg

GOLD: Anna MAZURKEVYCH (UKR)
SILVER: Olha CHALIUK (UKR)
BRONZE: Yevheniia FOKINA (UKR)

+70kg

GOLD: Aikaterini PITSIAVA (GRE)
SILVER: Halyna KOVALSKA (UKR)
BRONZE: Cathrine FRILSETH (NOR)

Team Standings

1. Ukraine 95
2. Norway 27
3. Greece 25
4. United States 10

Iran strikes three golds to close ISG 2025

Friday, November 21, 2025 - 17:17 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 21) -- World champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) led an inspiring performance from Iran which captured three out of four gold medal on the final day of the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Riyadh on Friday.

Zare, who won gold medal at 125kg in Zagreb in September, dominated his way to the gold in Riyadh outscoring his opponents 28-0 in three bouts.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) scores a takedown on Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) during the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Facing Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) in the final, Zare combined his skills to score stepouts at win and also scored two takedowns to finish the match 10-0, capturing his fourth gold medal of the season.

Sharipov reached the final after securing a shocking win over world silver medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) 7-6 in the semifinal. Meshvildishvili had to mount a comeback in the second period after he was down 5-1 in the match. He managed to make it 6-6 but trailed on criteria and as he tried to score a stepout in the final 10 seconds, Sharipov managed to remain inside the zone to survive attack.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) tries to control Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) during the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 97kg, a rematch between Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) and world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) was on the cards but Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) denied that as he defeated Tazhudinov 14-3 in the semifinals.

Azarpira and Aitmukhan faced each other in the final but the former was clearly the better wrestler as he blanked Aitmukhan 5-0 to win the gold medal. He scored three stepouts and Aitmukhan was cautioned when aggressively pushed Azarpira. One more stepout was enough for Azarpira to win the gold medal.

Tazhudinov declared himself injured in the bronze medal bout which gave Olympic bronze medalist Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) the medal.

Younes EMAMI (IRI)Younes EMAMI (IRI) reaches for the leg of Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) during the 74kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran's gold rush began when former Asian champion Younes EMAMI (IRI) completed a 5-0 victory over Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) at 74kg. Emami scored a takedown to take a 2-0 lead against Novruzov before pushing the Azerbaijan wrestler out of bounds twice before the break.

With a lead of 4-0, Emami began the second period on the aggressive and Novruzov was called passive. He failed to score in the 30-second period and Emami got another point to lead 5-0 which remained the winning score.

To reach the final, Emami had to go through 2024 world 70kg champion Norkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals. The Iranian defeated the Kazakhstan wrestler 6-5 in a thriller.

With the three golds, Iran finished the tournament with four gold medal while Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan won one each.

Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) celebrates after beating Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) in their opening bout at 86kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Dzhioev's impressive gold

One of Iran's favorite to win gold medal, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), suffered a heartbreaking loss at 86kg to Arsenii DIZHOEV (AZE) who capped off an incredible day with gold after beating Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN) 5-1 in the final. 

The win over Ghasempour was quite impressive from Dzhioev. Down 3-0, he scored two takedowns and one point for Ghasempour's passivity to win the bout 5-3.

In the final against Saipudinov, he opened scored a takedown in the opening period after being called passive and giving up a point. He scored two stepouts and one point for passivity in the second period to win the final.

Ghasempour returned to win the bronze medal by beating Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 7-0, in the bronze-medal bout.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Younes EMAMI (IRI) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 5-0

BRONZE: Orozbek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 4-2
BRONZE: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) df. Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR), 4-3

86kg
GOLD: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN), 5-1

BRONZE: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 7-0
BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Bekzat RAKHIMOV (KGZ), 10-2

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), 5-0

BRONZE: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Muhammad GULZAR (PAK) df. Rifat GIDAK (TUR), via fall (4-5)

125kg
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), 10-0

BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ), 14-3
BRONZE: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Abdelrahman SHEYATAN (EGY), 5-0