#Trnava2018

Three Reigning Greco-Roman Junior World Champions Registered for #Trnava2018

Friday, August 31, 2018 - 02:31 By Eric Olanowski

TRNAVA, Slovakia (August 31) - The 2018 Junior World Championships kick off September 17-23 and each participating nation has summited their final entries to United World Wrestling. Nearly 265 Greco-Roman wrestlers from 43 nations will make the journey to Trnava, Slovakia with hopes of becoming a Junior World Champion.

Three reigning champions in Kamal BEY (USA), Kerem KAMAL (TUR) and Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) are registered to defend their titles from last years Tampere Junior World Championships.

Aleksander KOMAROV (RUS), the three-time age-level world champion and most dominant age-level wrestler in the world was expected to compete for Russia at 82kg but is not registered for the Junior World Championships. Instead, Russia has entered Shamil OZHAEV (RUS) at GR 82kg.

Greco-Roman wrestling begins on September 17 and will be wrestled through September 19.

ROSTERS
ALG
60kg - Mourtada NAANAA
72kg - Amar MOUMENE

ARM
55kg - Tigran MINASYAN
60kg - Ararat MANUCHARYAN
63kg - Hrachya POGHOSYAN
67kg - Malkhas AMOYAN
77kg - Vahe POGHOSYAN
82kg - Erik ELOYAN
87kg - Hakob BAGHDASARYAN
97kg - Razmik KHACHATRYAN
130kg - David OVASAPYAN

AUT
97kg - Markus RAGGINGER

AZE
55kg - Zulfigar ALIYEV
60kg - Hasan MAMMADLI
63kg - Elnur MUSAYEV
67kg - Mahammadali HASANOV
72kg - Ulvu GANIZADE
77kg - Nasir HASANOV
82kg - Nazarshah FATULLAYEV
130kg - Sarkhan MAMMADOV

BLR
55kg - Aliaksandr NIAHODA
60kg - Ihar DROZD
63kg - Maksim NEHODA
67kg - Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK
72kg - Martun BADALIAN
77kg - Yauheni YUROU
82kg - Kiryl MASKEVICH
87kg - Ihar YARASHEVICH
97kg - Uladzislau PUSTASHYLAU
130kg - Ilya YUDCHYTS

BRA
67kg - Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR

BUL
60kg - Ivo ILIEV
63kg - Nikalas SULEV
67kg - Krasimir DORMUSHEV
72kg - Krasimir KRUMOV
77kg - Zahari ZASHEV
82kg - Svetoslav NIKOLOV
97kg -Delian ALISHAHI
130kg - Ignat MILENOV

CHI
130kg - Diego ALMENDRAS RODRIQUEZ

2016 Junior World Championship arena shot. Photo by Justin Hoch.

CHN
55kg - Liguo CAO
60kg - Libin DING
63kg - Delin WANG
67kg - Xin HUANG
72kg - Chuan ZHANG
77kg - Yilana YILANA
82kg - Wentao SU
87kg - Maimaiti KAISAIER
97kg - Yiming LI
130kg - Lingzhe MENG

CRO
72kg - Pavel PUKLAVEC
82kg - Karlo KODRIC
87kg - Filip SMETKO
130kg - Ante MILKOVIC

CZE
67kg - Denis MERTL
72kg - Jakub BIELESZ
77kg - David PRUSA / Daniel VARGA
87kg - Jakub KROCAK
130kg - Ondrej DADAK

Mohamed ELSAYED, 2016 Cadet World Champion. Photo by Justin Hoch.

EGY
63kg - Hassan MOHAMED
67kg - Mohamed ELSAYED
72kg - Gamal MARZOUK
130kg - Youssef ISSA

EST
63kg - Denis BOLUNOV
67kg - Kristo VIIDAS
72kg - Andris PENT
77kg - Hans Uku LEITHAM
82kg - Ranet KALJOLA
87kg - Ardo PAJUR
97kg - Hendrik KALME

FIN
67kg - Elmer Joakim MATTILA
72kg - Akseli Elias YLI HANNUKSELA
77kg - Waltteri Harri Kristian LATVALA
97kg - Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN

GEO
55kg - Ramaz SILAGAVA
60kg- Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI
63kg - Leri ABULADZE
67kg - Joni KHETSURIANI
72kg - Nikoloz TCHIKAIDZE
77kg - Beka GURULI
82kg - Aivengo RIKADZE
87kg - Temuri TCHKUASELIDZE
97kg - Nika LOMIDZE
130kg - Beka MAKARIDZE

GER
60kg - Andrej GINC
63kg - Chlovelle Van MEIER
72kg - Anthony Ezra SANDERS
87kg - Nikolaos PAPADOPOULOS
130kg - Franz RICHTER

HUN
60kg - Tamas TOEROEK
63kg - Krisztian Istvan VANCZA
67kg - Tibor Sandor GYUERKY
72kg - Gergely BAK
77kg - Moric KISMONI
82kg - Istvan TAKACSHUN
87kg - Alex SZOKE
97kg - Balint VATZI
130kg - Roland VATZI

Vijay VIJAY (IND), 2018 Junior Asian Championship runner-up. Photo by Sachiko Hotaka.

IND
55kg - Vijay VIJAY
60kg - Sachin RANA
63kg - Manjeet MANJEET
67kg - Malkit HOODA
72kg - Kuldeep MALIK
77kg - Sajan SAJAN
82kg - Sanjeet SANJEET
87kg - Kumar SUNIL
97kg - Viresh KUNDU
130kg - Aryan PANWAR

IRI
55kg - Pouya NASERPOUR
60kg - Ali NEJATI
63kg - Bahram MAROUFKHANI IMCHEH
67kg - Yousef HOSSEINVAND FATHI
72kg - Amin KAVIYANINEJAD
77kg - Shayan AFIFI
82kg - Hosein FOROUZANDEH GHOJEHBEIGLOU
87kg - Mohammadhadi SARAVI
97kg - Vahid DADKHAH GHASEM ABADI
130kg - Amin MIRZAZADEH

ISR
67kg - Shamil ALAEV

ITA
55kg - Giovanni FRENI
60kg - Jacopo SANDRON
67kg - Ignazio SANFILIPPO
77kg - Mirco MINGUZZI
97kg - Luca SVAICARIITA

JPN
55kg - Shota OGAWA
60kg - Kazuki YABE
63kg - Harushi SHIMAYA
67kg - Taishi HORIE
72kg - Minto MAEDA
77kg- Rai HAYASHI
82kg - Yudai SASAKI / Masao TANAKA
87kg - Ryohta NASUKAWA
97kg - Akira YAMANAKA / Naoki MATSUMOTO
130kg - Sota OKUMURA

Merey BEKENOV (KAZ), 2018 Junior Asian Champion. Photo by Sachiko Hotaka.

KAZ
55kg - Alpamys DASTANBEK
60kg- Galym KABDUNASSAROV
63kg - Madiyar MALTEKBAYEV
67kg - Merey BEKENOV
72kg - Daulet LARIONOV
77kg - Temirlan YESPENBET
82kg - Stanislav RYLSKIY
87kg - Sanzhar TEMIRBEK
97kg - Islam UMAYEV
130kg - Anton SAVENKO

KGZ
55kg - Nurtazin KERIMBERDI UULU
60kg - Dastan KADYROV
63kg - Erbol BAKIROV
67kg - Khalmurat IBRAGIMOV
72kg - Ilim BILIMOV
77kg - Akzhol MAKHMUDOV
82kg - Ilgiz BILIMOV
87kg - Amankeldi TALANTBEK UULU

KOR
55kg - Doohoon KIM
60kg - Seongmin KIM
63kg - Kyoungsub KIM
67kg - Unho HAN
72kg - Jueun JEONG
77kg - Boseong KANG
82kg - Inseob KIM
87kg - Junyeop PARK
97kg - Jeongbin KWON
130kg - Taeho YIM

KSA
55kg - Tuorki Ali M HAZOAZI
60kg - Hassan M WADDAN

LTU
60kg - Gytis KULEVICIUS
77kg - Titas KERSEVICIUS
97kg - Arnoldas BARANOVAS

MDA
67kg - Valentin PETIC
72kg - Anatolie POPOV

NOR
67kg - Haavard JOERGENSEN
77kg - Per Anders KURE

POL
60kg - Sebastian NOWICKI
63kg - Mateusz SZEWCZUK
67kg - Filip PETRONCZAK
72kg - Gracjan GLOGIEWICZ
82kg - Piotr DUK
87kg - Michal DYBKA
97kg - Gerard KURNICZAK
130kg - Patryk KAMINSKI

POR
55kg - Andre CARDOSO OLIVEIRA SILVA
63kg - Daniel DE MATOS OLIVEIRA DE MORAIS CA

ROU
55kg - Florin TITA
60kg - Razvan ARNAUT
82kg - Nicu Samuel OJOG
130kg - Lenard Istvan BEREI

Oleg AGAKHANOV, 2018 Junior European Champion. Photo by Max Rose-Fyne.

RUS
55kg - Emin SEFERSHAEV
60kg- Abu AMAEV
63kg - Azamat KAIROV
67kg - Miakhdi IAKHIAEV
72kg - Sergei STEPANOV
77kg - Islam OPIEV
82kg - Shamil OZHAEV
87kg - Ilia ERMOLENKO
97kg - Artur SARGSIAN
130kg - Oleg AGAKHANOV

SRB
55kg - Sebastian KOLOMPAR
67kg - Adam KATONA
72kg - Sava MIJOKOVIC
77kg - Andrija Luka MALETIN
82kg - Branko KOVACEVIC

SUI
55kg - Dimitar SANDOV
87kg - Ramon BETSCHART
97kg - Damian VON EUW

SVK
63kg - Istvan SLUKA
67kg - Nikolas HULMAN
72kg - Gergely BUERSOELY
77kg - Bence HOLOCSI
82kg - Zoltan MEGALY

SWE
67kg - Elias ANDERSSON
72kg - Mats AHLGREN
77kg - Per OLOFSSON
82kg - Anders OLSSON
130kg - Jacob LOGAARD

TJK
67kg - Faridun AKHMEDOV
72kg - Bakhtovar KHASANOV
77kg - Daler REZA ZADE
130kg - Azmuddin VAKHOBOV

TKM
63kg - Seydylla TAZAYEV

TUR
55kg - Cihat Ahmet LIMAN
60kg - Kerem KAMAL
63kg - Abdullah TOPRAK
67kg - Ismail GUN
72kg - Erkan ERGEN
77kg - Alper Murat ERDURAN
82kg - Muhutdin SARICICEK
87kg - Bedirhan TAN
97kg - Beytullah KAYISDAG
130kg - Fatih BOZKURT

UKR
55kg - Vladyslav KUZKO
60kg- Ihor KUROCHKIN
63kg - Oleksandr HRUSHYN
67kg - Parviz NASIBOV
72kg - Ihor BYCHKOV
77kg - Dmytro GARDUBEI
82kg - Vitalii ANDRIIOVYCH
87kg - Dmytro KIIASHOK
97kg - Oleksandr YEVDOKIMOV
130kg - Vladyslav KOVALENKO

Kamal BEY (USA), 2017 Junior World Champion. Photo by Marion Stein.

USA
55kg - Brady KOONTZ
60kg - Taylor LA MONT
63kg - Alston NUTTER
67kg - Peyton OMANIA
72kg - Tyler DOW
77kg - Kamal BEY
82kg - Andrew BERREYESA
87kg - Barret HUGHES
97kg - Chad PORTER
130kg - Cohlton SCHULTZ

UZB
63kg - Turabek TIRKASHEV
67kg - Kamol KUZIEV
72kg - Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV
82kg - Alijon KHUSEYNOV
97kg - Abubakr ALIMOV
130kg - Temur Mirzo MAMAJANOV

#WrestleAmman

Asian Championships 2025 Preview

Thursday, March 20, 2025 - 15:58 By United World Wrestling Press

AMMAN, Jordan (March 20) -- The 2025 Asian Championships will be held in Amman, Jordan from March 25 to 30. More than 370 wrestlers from across the continent will compete in Amman, a city which is hosting the Asian Championships for the first time in its history.

The Asian Championships will be live on uww.org and UWW+. Follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook and TikTok.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL PREVIEW HERE | Asian Championships 2025 Entries

Text version:

While Iran has dominated the Asian scene for a long time in wrestling, Japan has emerged as the new challenger to its dominance. The Asian Championships in Amman will provide more insight into Japan's ever-improving wrestling program which helped it win eight gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Undoubtedly, Japan is the supreme power in Women's Wrestling. But for the 2025 Asian Championships, it is bringing strong teams in Freestyle and Greco-Roman as well. Iran, on the other hand, is banking on young stars in Freestyle and mixing youth and experience in Greco-Roman.

Another big talking point of the tournament is the return of Olympic champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) after his shoulder surgery. He has won the Asian, World and Asian Games and Olympic gold medals over the last two years.

Olympic champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) is is the defending 67kg champion at Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

With two Olympic champions and several age-group and senior world champs, Iran's juggernaut in Greco-Roman is set to continue at the Asian Championships. Led by Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) and Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) at 67kg and 97kg respectively, Iran will be hoping to win at least five gold medals.

Add to the list the phenom Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) at 130kg, who is quickly rising to be the best Greco-Roman in the super heavyweight class.

Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) at 55kg, Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) at 60kg, Danial SOHRABI (IRI) at 72kg, Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) at 77kg, Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) at 82kg and Yasin YAZDI (IRI) at 87kg complete the line-up expected to dominate at the Asian Championships.

Kaito INABA (JPN) is the returning 60kg silver medalist. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The big question is -- can Japan, or any other country, challenge Iran?

Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) at 67kg, Kaito INABA (JPN) at 60kg, and Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) at 82kg are among the favorites to win the gold medals. Yoshida is the returning champion at 82kg and one of the biggest prospects of the Nippon Sports Science University (NSSU) that produced five out of eight Japanese gold medalists in Paris. Endo and Inaba, both from NSSU, have past experience and can go all the way on their day.

In total, six of the 10 Japanese Greco-Roman wrestlers train at NSSU. [High-school student Yoshida will formally join NSSU on April 1].

A few other challengers to these two countries include returning champion Yu Chol RO (PRK) and bronze medalist Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ) at 55kg, Paris bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK), and U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) will be the key names at 60kg.

Kyrgyzstan is without its three Paris medalists Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) and Uzur DZHUZUPBEOKV (KGZ) but the likes of Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ), Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ), Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ), Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) will be hoping to climb the podium as a few of them did at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 2025.

Kazakhstan is clearly trying to rebuild its team as it has Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ) and Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) and also veterans Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) and Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) among others.

Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) is looking for his first Asian Championships gold medal at 125kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Freestyle

Another style which Iran dominates at the Asian level. While it is not bringing its first team to Amman, Iran still has its young stars in Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI), Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), Sina KHALILI (IRI) and a few others.

Masoumi at 125kg is looking to win his first Asian medal that he missed in 2023, losing to world silver medalist Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) and later to BUHEEERDUN (CHN). For Firouzpour, the road to gold should not have many hurdles.

Iran's bench strength will be tested in the other weight classes as it hopes to win medals with Khalili at 70kg, Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) at 61kg, Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) at 65kg, Mohammad Reza SHAKERI (IRI) at 74kg, Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) at 79kg, Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) at 86kh and Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI) at 97kg.

Despite a relatively depleted squad, Japan still boasts of Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN) at 57kg, 2025 Muhamet Malo Ranking Series winner Takara SUDA (JPN) at 61kg, returning silver medalist at 70kg Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), former world U20 silver Ryunosuke KAMIYA (JPN) at 79kg, former world U23 champion at 86kg Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN), Paris Olympian Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) at 92kg and former champion Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), who recently defeated Kyle SNYDER (USA) in Tirana, at 97kg.

Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) will look to upgrade his silver medal at 97kg this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kazakhstan's two world champs in Freestyle -- Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) and Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) -- will be in action. Aitmukhan, an Asian silver medalist, will once again challenge Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) who he lost to.

Kaipnov will be challenging the 74kg field, a category one weight up. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) will be moving to 92kg for the Asian Championships.

World U23 champion CHIRAG (IND) will lead India's challenge at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

India has won the 57kg gold medal four times out of the last five but the weight class is stacked for this year. Paris bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) entered will be the favorite to win the gold medal. He will be challenged by Milad VALIZADEH (IRI), Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN), Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ), Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ), Chong Song HAN (PRK) and Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK) among others.

While India's Paris medalist AMAN (IND) has skipped the tournament, world U23 champion CHIRAG (IND) will be leading the charge at 57kg. 2024 57kg silver medalist UDIT (IND) will be at 61kg while world U20 medalist SUJEET (IND) at 65kg. At 92kg, Deepak PUNIA (IND) is returning to action after missing the Paris berth.

Other than aforementioned stars, other big names include Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) and Kum Chol RI (PRK) at 61kg, Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) and Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) at 65kg, and Feng LU (CHN) and Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) at 79kg.

Battle at 70kg

While defending champion Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) is not entered at 70kg, returning silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) will have his hands full.

Former world U23 champion Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ) will hope to put aside a forgetful Muhamet Malo Ranking Series and start afresh in Amman. Another world medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) is long due for a rocking performance and Asian Championships offers the perfect platform to announce his return to the podium.

Add to the mix Asian Games champion and Asian silver medalist Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) who is not reducing his weight to fit into 65kg this edition. Then there is returning 74kg silver medalist Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) who is at 70kg as well, making this weight class the deepest in Freestyle.

Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) is the 2022 and 2023 Asian champion at 50kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

As the Women's Wrestling powerhouse, Japan has entered seven world champions in 10 weight classes. In the remaining weight categories, it has two age-group world champs.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) at 62kg, the lone Paris medalist from Japan entered, will lead the charge along with 2024 world champs Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) at 55kg and Ami ISHII (JPN) at 68kg. Former world champion at 50kg Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) at 55kg, world U23 champion Sara NATAMI (JPN) at 57kg, world U20 champion at 59kg Sakura ONISHI (JPN), former world champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) at 65kg, former world champion Masako FURUICHI (JPN) at 72kg, and Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) at 76kg complete the line-up.

The possibility of all 10 returning with a medal is extremely high. China is likely to offer some resistance to this line-up and DPR Korea may surprise in some weight classes like it did at the 2022 Asian Games.

China is banking on world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN) who is now at 65kg, Paris bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN) at 57kg, world silver medalist Jin ZHANG (CHN) and U20 world champ Yu ZHANG (CHN). Former Asian champion Mengyu XIE (CHN) is wrestling at 59kg.

DPR Korea will spice up Asian Championships in Women's Wrestling as it is likely to cause some disruptions. Its first medalist in Olympics, Hyo Gyong CHOE (PRK) is making her Asian Championships debut and will lead a team that consists of Myong Gyong WON (PRK) at 50kg, returning silver medalist at 55kg Kyong Ryong OH (PRK), World Military Championships gold medalist Il Sim SON (PRK) and Paris 5th placer Sol Gum PAK (PRK) among others.

World bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) is wrestling for the first time after a disappointing Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

India, however, will have a young line-up to challenge Japan and China led by Paris Olympian world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND). Former world U23 champion REETIKA (IND) will be at 76kg and world U17 champion Mansi LATHER (IND) made it to her first senior team at 68kg.

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), Elmira SYDYZKOVA (KAZ), Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB), Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) and Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) are a few other stars entered for the women's competition.

Three Reigning Greco-Roman Junior World Champions Registered for #Trnava2018

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Asian Championships 2025 Preview