U23 World C'ships

Semenov Avenges 2015 Loss, Kawana and Emelin Deliver Fireworks

By Taylor Miller

BYDGOSZCZ, Poland - Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) won his fifth World championship on Wednesday night at the U23 World Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Semenov knocked off three-time Junior World champion and two-time Cadet World champion Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) in the 130 kg finals. Pataridze led 3-3 on criteria at the break but was hit with caution and two, giving Semenov the advantage and eventually the win.

The two have history as Pataridze kept Semenov from winning three Junior World titles, defeating him in the 2015 Junior World finals.

At 59 kg, Masuto KAWANA (JPN) defeated Sergey EMELIN (RUS) in a high-flying match that featured four lead changes and 29 points scored.

24 of those points came in the second period, which was full of gut wrenches, head locks, throws and challenges. A late second-period feet-to-back move from Masuto gave him the advantage that he was able to hold onto in the final seconds despite a hard-fighting Russian.

Kawana won the bout, 15-14.

2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2014 Junior World champion Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) pulled out a 2-0 win over 2017 Russian Championships bronze winner Alen MIRZOIAN (RUS) in the 66 kg gold-medal match. The bout consisted of two passivity points, which were in favor of the Georgian.

At 80 kg, Burhan AKBUDAK (Turkey) knocked off 2015 World silver medalist Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) with a 2-1 win. Akbudak, a 2015 Junior World silver medalist, was awarded two second-period passivity points en route to his first World title.

Greco-Roman final results
59 kg
Gold - Masuto KAWANA (JPN) dec. Sergey EMELIN (RUS), 15-14
Bronze - Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) tech. fall Avgustin Boyanov SPASOV (BUL), 8-0
Bronze - Sakit GULIYEV (AZE) tech. fall Przemyslaw PIATEK (POL), 8-0

66 kg
Gold - Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) vs. Alen MIRZOIAN (RUS), 2-0
Bronze - Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) dec. Abylaikhan AMZEYEV (KAZ), 5-1
Bronze - Gaoquan ZHANG (CHN) dec. Roman PACURKOWSKI (POL), 2-1

80 kg
Gold - Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) dec. Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), 2-1
Bronze - Rosian Ognyanov DERMANSKI (BUL) dec. Stanislau SHAFARENKA (BLR), 3-2
Bronze - Andrii ANTONIUK (UKR) dec. Alex Michel BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE), 6-1

130 kg
Gold - Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) dec. Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), 5-3
Bronze - Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) dec. Amin Mohammadzaman MIRZAZADEH (IRI), 3-1
Bronze - Jello KRAHMER (GER) dec. Arata SONODA (JPN), 3-1

 

#WrestleTirana

UWW Europe Concludes General Assembly in Tirana

By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (April 19) — The United World Wrestling European Council held its General Assembly in Tirana on Sunday, on the eve of the European Championships.

The Assembly was chaired by Europe Council President Karl Martin DITTMANN. It was attended by UWW President Nenad LALOVIC, the Council members as well as Secretary General Carlos ROY. Representatives from 30 National Federations were also registered. 

Dittmann presented the annual report of UWW Europe along with finance, budget and program reports.

Lalovic addressed the Assembly and focused on the aspects of developing wrestling and increasing the visibility of the sport.

“We are trying to be one of the most interesting sport to be followed by spectators on television, social media and our platform where we have achieved good results,” Lalovic said. “We believe that we can do much better and we are focused on that”

From the annual report of European Council, a special report was presented on the promotional program for Women’s Wrestling Europe.

Started in 2023, the project was continued in 2024 and 2025 with 11 countries selected for promotion last year. 

These countries were Austria, Croatia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Switzerland and Sweden.

The postponed project for GBR from 2024 was implemented in 2025.

UWW Europe also developed its own website to achieve better visibility. The new website is - uww-europe.eu.