#WrestleSofia

U20 World Championships day four semis set

By Vinay Siwach

SOFIA, Bulgaria (August 18) -- The fourth day of the U20 World Championships will see the qualification rounds and semifinals of the 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 65kg, and 72kg. Later in the day, the medal bouts will also be determined.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

Here are the semifinals for the evening session

53kg
Shaimaa MOHAMED (EGY) vs. Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ)
Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR) vs ANTIM (IND)

57kg
Melda DERNEKCI (TUR) vs. Sofia MACALUSO (USA)
Ruka NATAMI (JPN) vs. Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ)

62kg
Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) vs. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)
Bermet NURIDIN KYZY (KGZ) vs. Sonam MALIK (IND)

65kg
Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) vs. Khadija JLASSI (TUN)
Dilnaz SAZANOVA (KGZ) vs. Priyanka PRIYANKA (IND) 

72kg
REETIKA (IND) vs. Amit ELOR (USA)
Anastassiya PANASSOVICH (KAZ) vs. Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) 

13:00: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) with a late score to beat Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) at 57kg. Khomenets led 4-2 but Natami scored a takedown. Still trailing on criteria, Natami moves Khomenets to the zone and gets the exposure for 4 to win 8-4.

Sofia MACALUSO (USA) has pinned returning silver medalist Aurora RUSSO (ITA)

12:50: At 53kg, huge results. Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR) beats returning silver medalist Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA)Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) pins '21 U17 world champion Katie GOMEZ (USA).

Shaimaa MOHAMED (EGY) beats Chadia AYACHI (FRA) 7-4 while ANTIM (IND) pins Ayaka KIMURA (JPN) 

12:35: At 72kg, Amit ELOR (USA) adds another technical superiority win over Zsofia VIRAG (HUN). Asian silver medalist Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) is up 2-1 against Nazar BATIR (TUR). In the second period, Batir comes back with a takedown to reclaim the lead 3-2. Niikura with a flurry of attacks and gets a takedown and the lead. 41 seconds remaining with Niikura leading 4-3. Batir tries to trip Niikura but not to be. Niikura wins 4-3. 

12:30: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) is dangerous. She gets the fall over Viktoria OEVERBY (NOR). On the other mat, Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) with the fall over Iris THIEBAUX (FRA). She will face Sonam MALIK (IND) in the quarters

12:20: Sofia MACALUSO (USA) with an important win for the USA. She led 4-4 on criteria and stopped SITO (IND) from getting any points. Desperate to score, Sito commits to a duck-under when Macaluso pins her at 57kg. In the same weight class, Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) vs. Ruka NATAMI (JPN) will meet in the quarterfinals.

12:00: What dream quarterfinals do we have at 53kg

Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) vs. Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR)
Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) vs. Katie GOMEZ (USA)
Shaimaa MOHAMED (EGY) vs. Chadia AYACHI (FRA)
Ayaka KIMURA (JPN) vs. ANTIM (IND) 

11:40: At 57kg, Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) with a quick fall over Othelie HOEIE (NOR). In a contrasting bout, Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Bertha ROJAS (MEX) were going for it and the bout had 31 points with Zhumanazarova winning 17-14 

11:35: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) and Iryna BONDAR (UKR) wrestling at 62kg. Ozaki gets a takedown to lead 2-0. Bondar tries to get on Ozaki's legs but strong defense from the Asian champion. She keeps it simple and wins 5-0.

In other bouts at 62kg, Mastoura SOUDANI (ALG) defeats Luisa SCHEEL (GER), 12-0 and Bermet NURIDIN KYZY (KGZ) beats Yu LO (TPE) via fall

11:17: The qualification rounds of 72kg will kick off the rounds for day three. Amit ELOR (USA), a returning U20 world champion, begins with a fall over Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

11:15: While Japan has taken an outright lead in the team race, India, Turkey and Ukraine are still to be second. India has two in repechage while Turkey has three. Ukraine has two as well

11:00: Welcome to day four of the U20 World Championships. The women are ready to take the mats. Keep an eye on Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) at 62kg, Amit ELOR (USA) at 72kg and Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) at 57kg.

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW Restructures Commissions, Adds Two New

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (March 4) -- United World Wrestling has announced two new commissions and renewed other as it enters a new Olympic cycle.

After it's latest Bureau meeting on February 5, UWW approved the addition of two new commissions:

- School and University Sports Commission
- Legacy & Sustainability Commission

The School and University Sports Commission will be chaired by Bureau member Peter BACSA while the Legacy and Sustainability will be co-chaired by UWW Vice-President Theodoros HAMAKOS and Bureau member Razvan PIRCALABU.

UWW also restructured other commissions with new members for a four-year term. All National Federations were invited to nominate candidates for different commissions.

Buyandelger PELJEE is the new chairperson of the Scientific Commissions, while Mikhail MAMIASHVIL will continue his role as chairperson of the Technical Commission which now has former Olympic champion Danial IGALI (NGR) as a member. Stan DZIEDZIC, who retired in 2024, is replaced by Don RYAN as the chairperson of the Coaches' Commission.

Akhroldjan RUZIEV will be continue to be incharge of the Media Commission. Likewise, Pedro GAMA FILHO will enter his second term as the chairperson of the Marketing Commission. Nataliya YARIGUINA will also continue to serve as head of Gender Equality Commission.

The Legal and Ethics Commission and Medical Commission will continue to be fronted by Belcho GORANOV and Dr. Babak SHADGAN respectively.

Zamel AL-SHAHRANI was announced as the new chairperson of the Sport for All Commission while Refereeing Commission got a new head in Levent SEN.

UWW set up a Refereeing Advisory Board which will have former Refereeing Commission chairperson Antonio SILVESTRI, veteran Kamel BOUAZIZ and Athletes Commission chairperson Arsen JULFALAKYAN as its members.

Ibrahim CICIOGLU (TUR) has been chosen as the Refereeing Education Coordinator while Carlos GARCIA (ESP) will be the Administrator for referees.

Newly elected Bureau member Bruce BAUMGARTNER will preside over the Hall of Fame & Historical Heritage Commission.

UWW rebranded two committees with the Belt Wrestling Committee now called Traditional Wrestling Committee. The Grappling Committee and Pankration Committee were merged to Grappling & Pankration Committee.

Cholpon SULTANBEKOVA was named chairperson of the Traditional Wrestling Committee while Grappling and Pankration Committee will be headed by Namig ALIYEV. The Associated Styles Committee is head by UWW Vice-President Rodica YAKSI.

Pedro SILVA will remain the head of the Beach Wrestling Committee.

For more details, refer to: UWW Commissions and Committees

Technical Commission

Chairperson: Mikhail MAMIASHVILI

Members

Daniel IGALI (NGR), Bureau Member
Ye ZHANG (CHN), Bureau Member
Peter BACSI (HUN)
Alin GRIGORE (ROU)
Milorad DOKMANAC (SRB)
Paul RAGUSA (CAN)
Rich BENDER (USA)
Alireza DABIR (IRI)
Salvatore FINIZIO (ITA)
Nikolaou EVANGELIA (GRE)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)

Scientific Commission

Chairperson: Buyandelger PELJEE

Members
Barbas IOANNIS (GRE)
José LOPEZ GULLON ESP
Funda ELMACIOGLU (TUR)
Georgiy KOROBEYNIKOV (UKR)
Edisher MACHAIDZE (GEO)
David CURBY (USA)
Bahman GHAZANI (IRI)
Mario BAIC (CRO)
Nabil ELSHORBAGY (EGY)
Pu ZENG (CHN)

Refereeing Advisory Board

Antonio SILVESTRI (GER)
Kamel BOUAZIZ (TUN)
Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM)

Refereeing Education Coordination

Ibrahim CICIOGLU (TUR)

Administrator/Coordinator

Carlos GARCIA (ESP)

Refereeing Commission

Head: Levent SEN

Members
Levent SEN (TUR)
Casey Goessl (USA)
Zvonko OCIC (CRO)
Vaclav SCHEINER (CZE)
Gyarmati FERENC (ROU)
Aleksei BAZULIN (RUS)
Marcia CHIASSON (CAN)
Sherif HALAWA (EGY)
Rafael GALVA LEBRON (PUR)
Koike KUNINORI (JPN)
Ji Woo LEE (KOR)

Legal Commission

Chairperson: Belcho GORANOV

Members
Ramon GONZALES PINEDA (GUA)
Belcho GORANOV (BUL)
David OHARA (USA)
Rouzbeh AHMADI (IRI)
Osamu SHIMIZU (JPN)

Coach Commission

Chairperson: Don RYAN

Members
Grégory FERREIRA (FRA)
Petr IUMSHANOV (RUS)
Terry STEINER (USA)
Hassan RANGRAZ (IRI)
Karntanov AMIRAN (GRE)
Ryszard WOLNY (POL)
Ashraf MOHAMED (EGY)
Kuniko TANIOKA (JPN)

Marketing Commission

Chairperson: Pedro GAMA FILHO

Members
Erica WIEBE (CAN)
Yury FEDOROV (RUS)
Michael FALLER (GER)
Jiayi WANG (CHN)
Danail GANCHEV (BUL)
Mutasem AL-SA'ID (JOR)
Manisha MALHOTRA (IND)

Media Commission

Chairperson: Akhroldjan RUZIEV

Members
Jörg RICHTER (AUT)
Anna GURIEVA (RUS)
Richard IMMEL (USA)
Ikuo HIGUCHI (JPN)
Amanpreet SINGH (IND)
Mohsen VAHDANI SEYDABAD (IRI)

Medical Commission

Chairperson: Dr. Babak SHADGAN

Members
Klaus JOHANN (GER)
Elena ABAEVA (UZB)
Saam FALAHATI (GBR)
Francisco LEE GUANDIQUE (GUA)
Szabolcs MOLNAR (HUN)
Stefan STRUGAROV (BUL)
Radivoj FILIPOV (SRB)
Mika LEHTO (FIN)
Konstantinou LOUKAS (GRE)
Dorsaf METAHNI (TUN)
Kohei NAKAJIMA (JPN)
BJ ANDERSON (USA)
Irina DULEPOVA (RUS)

Gender Equality & Diversity Commission

Chairperson: Natalia YARIGUINA

Members
Csilla ALI (HUN)
Dimitar CHIFUDOV (BUL)
Lise LEGRAND (FRA)
Claudia GONZALEZ (CHI)
Mustafa AMASHA (EGY)
Ruba MUSHA’SHA’ (JOR)
Tamara MEDWIDSKY (CAN)
Sheyda SHAHRIAN (IRI)
Papadaki ANTONIA (GRE)

Hall of Fame & Historical Heritage Commission

Chairperson: Bruce BAUMGARTNER

Members
Valentin JORDANOV (BUL)
Lee ROY SMITH (USA)
Hamid SORYAN (IRI)
Patrice MOURIER (FRA)
Mahmut DEMIR (TUR)
Elsayed GOMAA (EGY)

Sport For All Commission

Chairperson: Zamel AL-SHAHRANI

Members
Georgy BRYUSOV (RUS)
Pablo PINTOS FIGUEROA (ESP)
Andy BARTH (USA)
Milan PAVELIC (CRO)
Esraa JUMAA (JOR)
Riad HASSAN (PLE)
Nese GUNDOCAN (TUR)

Beach Wrestling Committee

Chairperson: Pedro SILVA

Members
Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE)
Marian BERBEC (ROU)
Rui MARTA (POR)
Jean BAHADERIAN (FRA)
Ed DUNCAN (USA)
Dimash SULTANOV (KAZ)
Papakonstantinou KONSTANTINOS (GRE)
Ibrahim MOUSTAFA (EGY)
Yasugay AKSAKAL (TUR)
Jian WANG (CHN)

Pankration and Grappling Committee

Chairman: Namig ALIYEV

Technical Director: Adrian Bakos

Members
Łukasz WINIARSKI (POL)
Justin BROWN (USA2)
Francisco PESSOA (BRA)
Vito PAOLILLO (ITA)
Koutras EVANGELOS (GRE)
Alvin AGUILAR (PHI)

Traditional Wrestling Committee

Chairperson: Choplan SULTANBEKOVA

Members
Robert CATE (USA)
Dong DAYONG (CHN)
Ali BAZYAR (IRI)
Damir BEKBOSSYNOV (KAZ)
Gaurav SACHDEVA (IND)
Edmar ABDOELAEV (NED)
Khalifa SOW (SEN)
Mehmet GULTEKIN (TUR)