2026 U17 World Championships

U17 World Championships 2026 Day 5 Freestyle Video Highlights

Friday, July 31, 2026 - 06:20 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (July 31) -- The U17 World Championships enters day five with five Freestyle weight class -- 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg. The matches will go on till semifinals before the Women's Wrestling medal bouts at 18:00 hours.

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WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

Freestyle semifinals will begin at 17:00 hours local time

14:50: Amirhossein ESMALI (IRI) needed a four-pointer to steer clear of Behruz ASHIROV (UZB) and win 7-4 at 110kg and advance to the semifinals.

14:35: A 10-0 blanking of Hanto HAYASHI (JPN) by Magomed OMAROV (RUS) as he moves into the 110kg semifinals. Can the U17 European champion double up with a U17 world title?

14:30: AARYAN (IND) with another comeback at 48kg to beat Kooper DEPUTY (USA) in the quarterfinals. Deputy led 4-2 before Aaryan with a duckunder for four and then two more for exposure to lead 8-4. He got another exposure for two more points but Deputy was working on an armbar for a fall. But Aaryan managed to defend it and win 10-7

14:10: Jakhongir TULKUNOV (UZB) downs U17 Asian champion Arman ELAHI (IRI) at 55kg. Elahi, who had beaten Tulkonov, 9-6, at the U17 Asians failed to find any openings and Tulkunov was right in it to win 5-1

13:58: Amirhossein ESMALI (IRI) storms past Sergko CHOUTSISVILI (GRE) at 110kg after a 10-0 win. No issues for Esmali. He will face Behruz ASHIROV (UZB) in the quarterfinals.

13:40: First quarterfinal and Sam ARSHAD (IRI) comes from behind to beat Tymur ABUMISLIMOV (UKR) 13-6 at 65kg. Abumislimov just could not match Arshadgh in his pace

13:20: High stake match at 48kg as U17 European champion Huseyn RZAZADE (AZE) and AARYAN (IND) square off. Rzazade with an early takedown before a stepout from Aaryan. Rzazade leads 2-1 at the break. He continues to add stepouts in the second period and even got a point for lost challenge to lead 5-1. But Aaryan continued the pressure and got a stepout and point for fleeing, making it 5-3 with 18 seconds left. He goes a duckunder for his last move and gets the takedown for a 5-5 criteria lead and the win. Azerbaijan challenges to find its saviour but there is none. Aaryan moves on with a 6-5 win

13:10: Amirali FERASATI (IRI) in complete control of his 80kg bout against Kantemir ELMESOV (RUS). He scores a takedown on edge before getting an activity point. He scored a stepout to lead 4-0. Elmesov missed his attack which gave Ferasati chances to jump over for takedowns. The Iranian wins 8-2

12:52: Arsenii KIKINIOU (USA), who won silver and bronze medals last year in Greco-Roman and Freestyle, has lost his 65kg bout against Jovani SOLIS (PUR). Solis got a takedown and turn to get a 5-1 lead in the second period which changed the match. The U.S. challenged the two and two call but lost it which gave Solis a 6-1 win. Kikiniou did not win a medal in Greco-Roman this year but still has a chance to win bronze in Freestyle if Solis reaches the final

12:50: Chase KARENBAUER (USA) with a very tactical match against Kyosuke IKEDA (JPN) for a 6-4 win at 55kg. He got a takedown and turn in the second period and despite giving up a takedown, he comes out as a winner

12:45: Arman ELAHI (IRI) wrestles till the last second and is rewarded with a thrilling win against Temirlan MURAT (KAZ) at 55kg. Murat led 3-1 thanks to two stepouts and one passivity point. But Elahi scored a stepout to make it 3-2 with around 30 seconds left. He then caught Murat but failed to bring him down so went the other way to throw Murat and get two points for the win. Kazakhstan challenges and on review, the two is changed to four with a reversal for Murat. Elahi wins 6-4

12:35: Magomed IBRAGIMOV (RUS) with another second period show to beat Erik PAPIKYAN (ARM), 8-1, at 65kg. Papikyan led 1-0 at the break but Ibragimov with two takedowns to lead 4-1. He then launches Papikyan for a four

12:10: Returning bronze medalist Hakim TAGHIYEV (AZE) falls 3-2 against Behruz ASHIROV (UZB) at 110kg. Ashirov was up 2-1 when he got put on activity clock. The one point gave Taghiyev a 2-2 criteria but Ashirov with a stepout with 5 seconds left to win 3-2

12:00: Returning bronze medalist at 80kg Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK) completes an 8-6 victory over Jayden OFARRILL (USA). He was leading 5-2 at the break but was struggling with his conditioning. However, he still managed to defend the late attacks from Ofarrill

11:58: AARYAN (IND) with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Amirali RAGHEB (IRI) at 48kg. Aaryan with some beautiful duckunders to score his takedowns as Ragheb looked clueless in that bout

11:48: Deepanshu KHOKHAR (IND) was down 6-1 until the final 15 seconds against Layden ACEVEDO (PU). But he scores a four-pointer to make it 6-5 with 9 seconds left. Using all he got, Khokhar gets a stepout with less than two seconds left and wins 6-6 on criteria at 80kg

11:42: Chase KARENBAUER (USA) uses cradles to score exposure points on Valentin DELEANU (MDA) and completes a 10-0 win in the first period at 65kg.

11:33: KRISHAN (IND) and Magomed IBRAGIMOV (RUS) with an electric bout at 65kg. Leading 6-2, Krishan gave up a stepout. Ibragimov then hit a headlock throw which was initially scored two point, then a headpinch for two more before Krishan got the reversal making the score 7-7 on criteria. But India challenged perhaps because of all the confusion on the scoreboard. On review, the two for headlock was changed to four and Ibragimov got a 9-7 lead with 16 seconds left. Ibragimov got a double-arm lock and two rolls in that time to win 11-7

11:30: Saba MINDIASHVILI (GEO) with a 3-2 victory over Mustafa BERSANUKAEV (RUS) at 55kg. It needed a challenge from Mindiashvili to remove the a takedown that was awarded to Bersanukaev. With 3-1 lead and 36 seconds left, Mindiashvili gave up a stepout but held on to win the match.

11:10: Erik PAPIKYAN (ARM) was called passive in the first period Rashid NAZAROV (AZE) got one point. But in the second period, Papikyan scored a takedown on a missed shot from Nazarov, turned him three times using the gut-wrench and take an 8-1 lead. He also scored a stepout and in 9-1 and advance at 65kg.

10:55: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) opens his Freestyle campaign at 65kg with a 7-0 blanking of Bidzina JINTCHARADZE (GEO). While he won't be a medalist in both styles this year, he can still repeat as Freestyle medalist

10:30: Freestyle will take centrestage in Baku with five weight classes. Russia, Iran and the U.S. will be eyeing the team title as well with hosts Azerbaijan also in with an outside chance.

'I Wanted to Change My Life': Nouri's Story of Resilience on World Refugee Day

Saturday, June 20, 2026 - 16:31 By Vinay Siwach

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LONDON (June 20) -- "I wanted to change my life."

Farhad NOURI doesn't mince words when explaining his decision to compete as a refugee since 2026.

Born in Tehran, Nouri is one of the 17 new refugee athletes supported by the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) and United World Wrestling, with hopes of competing at the LA28 Olympic Games.

Nouri began wrestling when he was 13 and competed for Iran in the early stages of his career. He even won a silver medal at the U23 Asian Championships in 2019. But then, he wanted to change his life.

Back in 2022, Nouri competed at the British National Championships, an open tournament that does not require a wrestling licence, and won gold. His skill and success surprised everyone, and British wrestling became interested in helping him.

Nouri decided to stay and pursue his wrestling career but had no country to represent. Earlier this year, he was granted refugee status and, on the occasion of World Refugee Day on June 20, Nouri recalled his journey from Iran to becoming the first wrestler with refugee status to win a continental medal.

"At that first British Championships, I weighed in at 67kg but won gold at 74kg," Nouri told United World Wrestling. "One of the coaches said that if I won gold, they could work on getting me to compete internationally. That's how it began."

Farhad NOURI (UWW)Farhad NOURI (UWW) won a bronze medal at 74kg at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Nouri went unbeaten at the English and British Championships for three years and, when he was allowed to compete internationally in 2026, he did not wait.

The 27-year-old began competing again under United World Wrestling's refugee status at the Zagreb Open in 2026. He did not win a medal in Zagreb or at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in February.

But Nouri became the first refugee wrestler to win a continental medal in April in Tirana, Albania, when he claimed bronze in the 74kg weight class at the European Championships.

In his first bout, Nouri was leading against Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) but lost 3-2. As Bayramov reached the final, Nouri earned a place in the repechage, where he defeated Nikita DMITRIJEVS MAYEUSKI (BLR), 9-6, to reach the bronze-medal bout.

In what turned out to be a thrilling contest against Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO), Nouri came out on top, 10-8. He trailed Elbakidze 6-2 with 1:41 remaining when the Georgian was put on the activity clock.

Nouri scored a takedown to cut the lead to 6-4 before a stepout and the activity point made it 6-6, with Elbakidze holding the criteria lead and 1:12 left in the bout. A go-behind gave Nouri an 8-6 lead, but Elbakidze turned it around again with a takedown with 20 seconds remaining to take an 8-8 criteria lead.

Elbakidze went for a double-leg to protect his lead in the final seconds, but Nouri managed to get out of the hold and score an easy go-behind for two points to claim a 10-8 victory.

"That medal gave me the energy to compete and win in wrestling," Nouri said. "Now I have the energy to train for the World Championships and prepare for the Olympics as well."

Nouri achieved it without much support, as he only began receiving financial assistance this year. He works part-time as an accountant in London to fund his training and travel, but that does not demotivate him.

"There are fewer facilities and I lack support, but this is my life," he said. "I like wrestling and want to dedicate my life to it. And I want to tell everyone that if I can do it, then you can do it as well."

After the historic bronze medal at the European Championships, Nouri now has his sights set on a World and Olympic medal.

"I will participate in the Ranking Series in Budapest," he said. "I am preparing for the World Championships so I can win a medal. I believe I can."