ATHENS, Greece (Sept. 4) – Day two of the Cadet World Championships concluded with the first five champions of the tournament being crowned in the Greco-Roman discipline.

A 20-year drought was ended in the 100kg final when Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) defeated current Cadet European champion Balint VATZI (HUN), 3-1, to deliver the first U.S. gold medal at this event since 1997. Schultz secured the match-clinching takedown with under 30 seconds remaining in the bout.

The first final of the evening saw Ken MATSUI (JPN) fend off a ferocious comeback attempt from Cadet European champion Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) to claim the 50kg title. It was a tale of two periods as Matsui rang up seven points in the first frame, highlighted by a four-point high dive finish. Aliyev returned in the second to score six points off a takedown and four-point lift, but it wasn’t enough to topple Matsui.

The award for most dominant finals performance goes to 58kg champion Mohsen Fathollah MADHANI (IRI). After surrendering the first takedown to Sonu SONU (IND), Madhani opened up a relentless attack, scoring points in bunches, to win by 14-3 technical fall. 

Madhani’s countryman Mostafa KAYED KHORDEH (IRI) was not so fortunate in the 63kg final against Dmytro MIROSHNYK (UKR). With points coming at a premium, the deciding factor in a 3-1 win for Miroshnyk was a defensive leg foul called on Kayed Khordeh midway through the match.

A banner day for Russia ended with German DOEV (RUS) collecting the 54kg championship in a controlled 7-5 victory over Nursultan BAZARBAYEV (KAZ). Things were knotted at two apiece after the first period, but Doev struck with a four-point toss from rear standing early in the second frame to separate himself.

Russia ended the day with four total medalists. In addition to Doev’s gold, Vladimir ZABEYVOROTA (RUS), Sergey Aleksandrovitch CHIGIREV (RUS) and Artem EROKHIN (RUS) were able to battle back for bronze. The powerhouse country has also pushed three wrestlers into tomorrow’s medal round, with the opportunity to land another pending repechage results. 

Prior to this evening’s medal matches, semifinal contests were held in the remaining five Greco-Roman weight categories.

Ukraine proved its mettle with a splendid showing in the semifinal round that saw three wrestlers push through to tomorrow’s finals. Hennadii ZAVERTAILO (UKR), Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR) and Vladyslav KRAVCHENKO (UKR) gave Ukraine a 3-0 mark in the semis, preceding two medal match wins for the nation.

The only other country with multiple wrestlers going for gold tomorrow is Azerbaijan. Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) and Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) managed semifinal wins at 50kg and 54kg, respectively. They will both see a Ukrainian foe in the finals.

The Greco-Roman tournament wraps up on Wednesday with the remaining repechage matches at 10:30 local time, followed by the medal rounds at 18:00. Additionally, the women’s wrestling tournament kicks off in the morning with qualification rounds at 38kg, 43kg, 49kg, 56kg and 65kg.

Continue following the Cadet World Championships with a live stream, brackets and updated results found on the United World Wrestling event page.

Greco-Roman Finals (50-54-58-63-100kg)

50kg (25 entries)

Gold – Ken MATSUI (JPN) df. Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) by VPO1, 7-6

Bronze – Vladimir ZABEYVOROTA (RUS) df. Manuel STOICA (ROU) by VSU, 8-0

Bronze – Hayk ASATRYAN (ARM) df. Niklas Jan Olov Pontus OEHLEN (SWE) by VPO1, 3-2

54kg (20 entries)

Gold – German DOEV (RUS) df. Nursultan BAZARBAYEV (KAZ) by VPO1, 7-5

Bronze – Beka GURULI (GEO) df. Miguel Angel UGALDE AGUILAR (MEX) by VSU, 8-0

Bronze – Aliaksandr PECHURENKA (BLR) df. Sunao SHIMAYA (JPN) by VPO1, 3-2

58kg (27 entries)

Gold – Mohsen Fathollah MADHANI (IRI) df. Sonu SONU (IND) by VSU1, 14-3

Bronze – Sergey Aleksandrovitch CHIGIREV (RUS) df. Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER) by VPO, 2-0

Bronze – Kosei TAKESHITA (JPN) df. Ivo Krasimirov ILIEV (BUL) by VPO1, 8-4

63kg (27 entries)

Gold – Dmytro MIROSHNYK (UKR) df. Mostafa KAYED KHORDEH (IRI) by VPO1, 3-1

Bronze – Artem EROKHIN (RUS) df. Nikalas Petrov SULEV (BUL) by VPO1, 6-4

Bronze – Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Rakhat SAGYMBAY (KAZ) by VSU, 9-0

100kg (21 entries)

Gold – Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) df. Balint VATZI (HUN) by VPO1, 3-1

Bronze – Seyedmojtaba Seyedmostafa HOSSEINI (IRI) df. Kantemir SHIBZUKHOV (RUS) by VPO1, 6-2

Bronze – Oleksandr YEVDOKIMOV (UKR) df. Ciprian Ilie TRUFAN (ROU) by VFA, 4-1

Greco-Roman Results (42-46-69-76-85kg)

42kg (15 entries)

Gold – Hennadii ZAVERTAILO (UKR) vs. Gurban GURBANOV (AZE)

Semifinal – Hennadii ZAVERTAILO (UKR) df. Arshad ARSHAD (IND) by VPO1, 8-1

Semifinal – Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Aleksei VLASOV (RUS) by VPO1, 6-1

46kg (16 entries)

Gold – Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR) vs. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)

Semifinal – Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR) df. Nurzat KABDYRAKHIMOV (KAZ) by VPO, 7-0

Semifinal – Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) by VPO1, 6-2

69kg (25 entries)

Gold – Vladyslav KRAVCHENKO (UKR) vs. Ashu ASHU (IND)

Semifinal – Vladyslav KRAVCHENKO (UKR) df. Duran TOSUN (TUR) by VPO1, 2-1

Semifinal – Ashu ASHU (IND) df. Davit SOLOGASHVILI (GEO) by VPO1, 3-2

76kg (25 entries)

Gold – Mehran Seyed Jafar SAADATIFARD (IRI) vs. Istvan TAKACS (HUN)

Semifinal – Mehran Seyed Jafar SAADATIFARD (IRI) df. Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ) by VPO, 2-0

Semifinal – Istvan TAKACS (HUN) df. Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO) by VPO, 7-0

85kg (28 entries)

Gold – Muhammed Furkan DURSUN (TUR) vs. Mukhammad EVLOEV (RUS)

Semifinal – Muhammed Furkan DURSUN (TUR) df. Juho Matias PAHIKAINEN (FIN) by VPO1, 6-6

Semifinal – Mukhammad EVLOEV (RUS) df. Luka ZAKARIADZE (GEO) by VPO1, 7-4