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U20 Worlds: Iran shines, U.S. surprises in Greco-Roman on Day 1

Monday, September 2, 2024 - 17:46 By Vinay Siwach

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PONTEVEDRA, Spain (September 2) -- Seven years after it crowned a world champion at U20 level, the United States will have a chance to end that drought on Tuesday.

Two wrestlers, Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) and Otto BLACK (USA), reached the finals of 55kg and 63kg in Greco-Roman at the U20 World Championships which kicked off in Pontevedra, Spain on Monday. Kamal BEY (USA) won the gold medal in 2017 at 74kg and since then the U.S. has been looking for a world champion. It was also the last time the U.S. had two wrestlers in the final.

Cortez had three back-and-forth bouts in the morning session but was at his best in the semifinal against Aibek AITBEKOV (KAZ). He took the par terre position in the first period and finished the bout 9-0 after getting four turns over Aitbekov using the trap-arm.

In his earlier bouts, Cortez pulled off a 9-8 win against Anil MOR (IND), and defeated Peter TOTOK (HUN) 7-4 before going past Maxim SARMANOV (MDA) 9-6.

He will wrestle former U17 world champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) for the gold medal. Ahmadi Vafa overcame Alibek AMIROV (AIN), 6-3, in the other semifinal at 55kg.

Black took out Yurik HOVEYAN (ARM) in the semifinal at 63kg after battling hard to keep his 3-2 lead. Hoveyan tried jumping over Black to get a four-pointer but Black defended it and slammed Hoveyan on the mat for four points to win 7-2.

For the gold, he will face Erzu ZAKRIEV (AIN) who had to win the semifinal twice. Zakriev pinned Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) very early in the semifinal but Georgia challenged and won as Khozrevanidze's head was outside the zone when Zakriev was trying to pin him.

Khozrevanidze used his second life in the bout to perform a headlock and got four points. However, Zakriev avoided any fall position and reversed the position and turned Khozrevanidze three times. After a challenge and consultations from referees, Zakriev led the bout 11-4.

He scored four points using a big throw and a lost challenge from Georgia gave him another point as he won 16-4.

Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI)Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) will wrestle for the 77kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Iran had two other finalists, taking the total to three. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) scored a controlled 3-1 win over Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO) at 77kg and will take on Magomed IARBILOV (AIN) for the gold. Iarbilov defeated Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 6-4, in the other semifinal.

At 130kg, Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI) joined a long list of top Iranian super heavyweights in Greco-Roman as he reached the final after beating Aramayis HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) 2-1 in the semifinal. He scored a takedown against Harutyunyan's point for forced par terre.

For the gold medal, he will face former U17 world champion Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) who won 3-1 against Aleksandr MELEKHOV (AIN) in the other semifinal.

Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ)Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) defeated returning champion Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) at 87kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Kyrgyzstan, a country that has grown leaps and bounds in wrestling over the last decade, sent one wrestler in the final. Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) had an epic run at 87kg to reach the final. In the semifinal, he took less than two minutes to beat Patrik GORDAN (ROU) 8-0.

Joju SAMADOV (AZE) will look to stop him from becoming Kyrgyzstan's first U20 world champion in Greco-Roman since 2018. Samadov had a close semifinal against Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ) but managed to win 4-2.

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RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) vs. Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI)

SF 1: Isaiah CORTEZ (USA) df. Aibek AITBEKOV (KAZ), 9-0
SF 2: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Alibek AMIROV (AIN), 6-3 

63kg
GOLD: Erzu ZAKRIEV (AIN) vs. Otto BLACK (USA)

SF 1: Erzu ZAKRIEV (AIN) df. Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO), 16-4
SF 2: Otto BLACK (USA) df. Yurik HOVEYAN (ARM), 7-2

77kg
GOLD: Magomed IARBILOV (AIN) vs. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI)

SF 1: Magomed IARBILOV (AIN) df. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 6-4
SF 2: Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) df. Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO), 3-1

87kg
GOLD: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) vs. Joju SAMADOV (AZE)

SF 1: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Patrik GORDAN (ROU), 8-0
SF 2: Joju SAMADOV (AZE) df. Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ), 4-2

130kg
GOLD: Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) vs. Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI)

SF 1: Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) df. Aleksandr MELEKHOV (AIN), 3-1
SF 2: Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI) df. Aramayis HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), 2-1

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Diacon Defeats Abdulradyrov As Time Expires, Captures European Title

Saturday, June 8, 2019 - 18:17 By Eric Olanowski

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PONTEVEDRA, Spain (June 8) – The Russian Federation won a Day 6 gold medal and command the 21-point lead over Moldova heading into the final day of wrestling in Spain, but the biggest story doesn’t come to their champion. It actually comes from their 70kg runner-up Magomed ABDULKADYROV (RUS), who gifted Vasile DIACON (MDA) a European title. Abdulradyrov put himself in a perfect position to win the 70kg European title and thought he’d done so, but the score in his head didn’t match the one on the scoreboard. 

The key point in the 70kg finals came with 17 seconds left in the second period. 

Abdulradyrov controlled the 6-5 advantage when he got to a head inside single and drove Diacon out of bounds. The Russian thought he was awarded two points for the takedown but was only given one for the step out. This meant Abdulradyrov led 7-5 and not 8-5 as he expected. 

When the action resumed, Abdulradyrov shot and got his hands locked to a high crotch. What happened next confused everyone inside the arena. The Russian, who was obviously being cautious, unlocked his hands and bellied down – giving Diacon the takedown and the 7-7 lead on criteria.

As the clock hit zero, Abdulradyrov looked over to the Russia corner and fist pumped, thinking he just won the European title. Just as he did that, the Moldovan coaching staff ran on the mat to congratulate Diacon on his victory.

A clearly baffled Abdulradyrov quickly jumped to his feet and went to his corner, asking for a challenge. The Russian corner threw the cube as Abdulradyrov continued to plead his case to the referees. He repeatedly pointed towards the right side of the mat and was clearly signaling two points for the takedown near the 15-second mark. There was nothing to review, and Diacon was awarded his first European title with an 8-7 victory. 

Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) celebrates after defeating Muslim SAIDULAEV (RUS), 1-1 in the 65kg gold-medal bout. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Azerbaijan Defeats Russia Twice, Wins Pair of Golds 

Azerbaijan and Russia met twice for gold medals on Saturday night, and it was the Azeri’s who picked up a pair of titles over their Russian opponents. 

In the 65kg finals, reigning cadet world and European champion Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) was awarded a late inactivity point and edged Muslim SAIDULAEV (RUS), 1-1. 

Bayramov continued to push the pace of the match and put his Russian opponent on the inactivity clock twice. In the opening period, Bayramov gave up a one-point step out while Saidualev was on the clock and trialed 1-0. In the second period, Bayramov’s opponent was put on the clock for a second time, but this time, the Azeri was able to get the point and closed out the 1-1 victory. 

Azerbaijan’s second champion came at 79kg when Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) scored an inactivity point, a stepout point, and a failed challenge as time expired, to win the gold medal with a 3-1 victory over Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS).

The final day of wrestling at the Junior European Championships begins on Sunday at 18:00 and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

RESULTS 

GOLD – Russia (100 points)
SILVER – Moldova (79 points)
BRONZE – Azerbaijan (62 points)
Fourth – Turkey (60 points)
Fifth – Armenia (42 points)

57kg 
GOLD -Nachyn MONGUSH (RUS) df. Ahmet DUMAN (TUR), 9-7 
BRONZE - Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) df. Niklas STECHELE (GER), 8-3 
BRONZE - Nicu CATAVEICA (MDA) df. Ioannis MARTIDIS (GRE), 7-1 

65kg 
GOLD -Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Muslim SAIDULAEV (RUS), 1-1 
BRONZE - Dzianis SALAVEI (BLR) df. Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU), 1-1 
BRONZE - Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) df. Marwane Ahmed YEZZA (FRA), 11-1 

70kg 
GOLD -Vasile DIACON (MDA) df. Magomed ABDULKADYROV (RUS), 8-7
BRONZE - Omer Faruk CAYIR (TUR) df. Elmar KAZIMOV (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE - Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Tobias PORTMANN (SUI), 6-1

79kg 
GOLD -Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df. Amkhad TASHUKHADZHIEV (RUS), 3-1 
BRONZE - Erik REINBOK (EST) df. Ilya KHAMTSOU (BLR), 11-0 
BRONZE - Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) df. Oleksandr VYSHNIAK (UKR), via injury default 

97kg
GOLD - Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df. Radu LEFTER (MDA), via fall 
BRONZE - Danylo STASIUK (UKR) df. Artur VEGH (HUN), 5-4 
BRONZE - Tamik DZHIKAEV (RUS) df. Aleh MATORNY (BLR), 9-6