#WrestlePontevedra

U23 World Championships day five semifinals set

By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 21) -- The U23 World Championships enters day five with freestyle action in five weight classes -- 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg, and 97kg. The bouts will go through the semifinal round before the evening session which will see the medal bouts of women's wrestling.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

The semifinals for the evening session

57kg
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) vs. AMAN (IND)
Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO) vs. Ahmet DUMAN (TUR)

65kg
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) vs. Hamza ALACA (TUR)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) vs. Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)

70kg
Yahya THOMAS (USA) vs. Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) vs. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)

79kg​​​​​​​
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) vs. Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Carter STAROCCI (USA) vs. Daulet YERGESH (KAZ)

97kg​​​​​​​
Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) vs. Ertugrul AGCA (GER)
Tanner SLOAN (USA) vs. Islam ILYASOV (AZE) 

14:45: Aman wins 13-2 against Abe to move into the 57kg semifinal against Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) who defeated Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) via fall. The other semifinal will have Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO) going up against Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) who defeated Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) 14-4. 

14:30: At 97kg, Tanner SLOAN (USA) with a 6-3 win over Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) and moves into the semifinals against Islam ILYASOV (AZE) who defeats Yunus GAFUROV (KAZ) 4-0.

14:15: Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) hangs on for a 5-4 win against U20 world champion Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) at 70kg. Earlier at 57kg, Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO) avenged his U23 European final loss against Horst LEHR (GER). Gegelashvili was leading 4-3 when he tried a four but Lehr countered. Both wrestlers got two points each. Lehr, still needing a takedown to win, tried a desperate chest wrap but gave up four points. Gegelashvili won 11-6

14:00: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) wins 10-0 against Richard VEGH (HUN) and moves into the semifinals at 97kg. On Mat C, Matthews with a comeback against Askarov won made it 4-3 and tried scoring a takedown but Askarov with an ankle pick and win 6-4. On Mat A, Starocci moves into the semifinal with a 7-1 win over Balta.

13:55: Big matches going on concurrently. Cole MATTHEWS (USA) has Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) at 65kg on Mat C. Defending champion Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) wrestling Richard VEGH (HUN) at 97kg on Mat B and Carter STAROCCI (USA) is up against Abdulvasi BALTA (TUR) at 79kg.

13:50: Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) and Dominik LARITZ (SUI) wrestled for only two minutes and 13 seconds but racked up 16 points. Arushanian wins 16-4 to move into the quarterfinals at 65kg.

13:45: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) has to show up back on the mat in a quick time. He wrestles Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) at 70kg. He has takedown but also gives up one. He leads 5-3 at the break. He then makes it 7-3 but Takahashi answers with two takedowns to lead 7-7. Yazdani with a suplex for 4! Two exposures on Takahashi make it 15-7. Yazdani wins 17-7

13:37: More action at 57kg as Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) beats Vitali ARUJAU (USA) 11-6 to set up a quarterfinal against Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) while AMAN (IND) moves into the quarterfinal against Abe.

13:30: Ahmad MOHAMMADNEZHAD (IRI) is wrestling world bronze medalist Horst LEHR (GER). A 2-2 first period with Lehr leading on criteria. Horst with a five! He goes behind Mohammadnezhad and launches a suplex. Perfection. He gives up a takedown but leads 7-4. He moves on with a 9-4 win.

13:15: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) and Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) going down on Mat C at 70kg. Yazdani starts with a takedown before Talgat adds a stepout. Yazdani with a stepout and takedown to lead 5-3 at the break. Talgat starts the second period with a stepout. Yazdani answers with a double leg for two. A single leg for Talgat and he scores a stepout. Yazdani leads 7-5 and shoots a low attack and converts it into a takedown. Talgat tries to attack but is easily countered by Yazdani who now leads 11-5. Yazdani ends it with a 15-5 technical superiority win

13:00: These 65kg quarterfinals!

Cole MATTHEWS (USA) vs. Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) vs. Dominik LARITZ (SUI)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) vs. Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN)
Hamza ALACA (TUR) vs. Samuel ALVAREZ (PUR) 

12:50: Former U20 world champion Toshiya ABE (JPN) begins with a 6-0 win against Logan SLOAN (CAN) at 57kg. He moves closer to a rematch against Vitali ARAJAU (USA) who he beat to win the U20 gold.

12:30: At 97kg, Richard VEGH (HUN) pulls off a last-second move to beat Radu LEFTER (MDA) 7-6. Lefter was the returning silver medalist. But the returning gold medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) moves into the quarterfinals with a 12-2 win over Vasyl SOVA (UKR)  

11:55: Vagzen TEVANYAN (ARM) and Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) continue their winning runs and move into the quarterfinals at 65kg. On Mat A, Ahmad MOHAMMADNEZHAD (IRI) scores a late exposure after getting thrown for four to win 5-4 against Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM) at 57kg.

11:35: At 70kg, Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) works up a 7-4 win over European silver medalist Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM). Takahashi has a win over world champion Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN). The next bout is between Hibiki ITO (JPN) and Ertugrul AGCA (GER) at 97kg. Ito, towering 1.95 meters, is the child of a former Olympic wrestler and an Olympic bronze medalist Volleyball player. He has built a 4-2 at the break against Agca. A double-leg attack from Agca gives him a 4-4 criteria lead. A late stepout from a tiring Agca seals it even as Ito tried to get a takedown.

11:25: On Mat A, Vagzen TEVANYAN (ARM) with a dominant 10-0 win over  Daniel COLES (CAN) at 65kg. He is followed by Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) who also notches up a technical superiority win over Constantin CHIRILOV (BUL)

11:15: A quick 10-0 technical superiority win for senior and U23 European champion Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) over Zsombor NAGY (HUN) at 79kg, 

11:00: Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), the U20 world champion from 2019, gets started with a 10-0 win over Ivan BADAVROV (BUL) at 65kg.

10:50: A thriller to begin the day! Former U17 world champion Hamza ALACA (TUR) had raced to a lead before Kian MAHMOUD (IRI) mounted a comeback. Alaca struggled with his conditioning but he held on for an 8-7 win.

10:30: Another exciting morning here in Pontevedra. The action on the mat is in the same line with 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg weight classes in action.

#WrestleBelgrade

2023 World Championships FS 65kg, 97kg; WW 55kg, 59kg semis set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 18) -- The third day of the World Championships and women's wrestling is being introduced. The final two Freestyle weights, 65kg and 97kg, will be in action along with WW 55kg and 59kg in action. Remember that Olympic weight classes offer 5 Paris Olympic quotas, four to the medal winners and one to the winner of the playoff which has the bronze-losing wrestlers.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

15:24: What a finish to the morning session! After Kyle SNYDER (USA) was unceremoniously ousted by Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) in the 97kg quarterfinals, Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) was on the verge of slaying the other half of the Snyderlaev beast when Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) pulled off a miracle victory in the final seconds. Asian champion Tazhudinov scored two 4-point moves off counter lifts, the second giving him an 11-0 victory over Snyder at 2:52. Meanwhile, Goleij had gone ahead of Sadulaev 4-2 with a lift-and-dump takedown, only for the five-time world champion to gain a reverse headlock and put Goleij onto his back for a fall with just seconds remaining.

15:10: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) appears to be cruising into the 65kg semifinals with a seven-point lead in the second period when Nicholas LEE (USA) comes to life and pancakes him to his back. But it is too little, too late as the Iranian fights out of it and holds on for a 7-4 victory.

15:00: Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) has taken out another hammer. He scored two takedowns in his 5-4 win over Shamil MAMMEDOV (AIN). On Mat D, Sebastian RIVERIA (PUR) rolls to a 15-4 win over Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) to reach the semifinals against Vagzen TEVANYAN (ARM)

14:43: A takedown in each period and veteran Yullia TKACH (UKR) is into the 59kg semifinals with a 5-0 victory over Othelie HOEIE. Tkach is pursuing her fifth world medal and first since 2018. She's nine years removed from her lone title won in 2014.

14:18: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) earns a shot at Sadulaev in the quarterfinals, overwhelming Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 11-1.

14:15: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) gives up a late takedown to Vladislav BAITCAEV (HUN) but the Olympic champ wins 4-2 at 97kg and sets up a bout with Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI)

14:12: One thing is for sure, Kyle SNYDER (USA) doesn't like to waste time. He scores a stepout four seconds into his match against Radu LEFTER (MDA) and then it's off to the races. A run of takedowns and he's a 12-1 winner with 30 seconds to spare in the first period. Lefter got his point with a stepout, but the fact that he got Snyder's leg in the air and only came out with 1 point shows the tenacity of the American.

14:00: Iszmail MUSZUKAJAEV (HUN) pins Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN)! A bodylock controlled by Muszukajaev and Otoguro, who isn't aware of the fall, is in disbelief.

13:54: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) remains on track to defend his 65kg title with a silky smooth 12-0 rout of Stefan COMAN (ROU) to advance to the quarterfinals. He starts with three stepouts, then gets a takedown with a barrel roll. Another stepout, another takedown, then he stops a counter lift for 4 and the bout is over with seven seconds to go in the first period.

13:39: Haruna OKUNO (JPN) takes the mat at 55kg with tape wrapped around her face after suffering a gash on her nose in her previous match. She shows obvious discomfort, especially when Otgontuya CHINBOLD delivers a forearm to the face. Okuno gets only an activity point in the first period, but turns it on in the second, scoring a takedown-gut wrench combination and two more takedowns for a 9-2 win and a place in the quarterfinals. 

13:23: 2014 world champion Yuliia TKACH (UKR) comes back from 4-0 down to pin Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN) at 59kg. The arm bar to use. In the same weight class, Qi ZHANG (CHN) 12-0 over Tamara DOLLAK (HUN)

13:19: Iran is dealt a setback in the freestyle team race as Yones EMAMI (IRI), a bronze medalist a year ago, falls to former world champion Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) in the repechage at 74kg. That not only means one less medal for Iran, but it will also miss out on the Paris Olympic berth in the weight class -- although that will likely be acquired at the Asian qualifying tournament.

13:10: Sae NANJO (JPN), chasing her first senior world title, gets her first bout against Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) underway with a takedown to lead 2-0 at the break. He adds another takedown in the second period to win 4-0

12:26: Haji ALIYEV (AZE), back on the mat with little turnaround time after a tough win over Shaohua YUAN (CHN), breaks open a close match with Georgii OKOROKOVV (AUS) to stay alive at 65kg. Aliyez leads 2-2 by criteria, but scores a takedown and gut wrench, then another takedown in the final two minutes for an 8-2 win. 

12:10: Defending champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) warms up for the journey ahead at 65kg with a carefree 10-0 win over Yanisse MADI (COM). Amouzad expends little effort in scoring a takedown and lace lock, then reeling off three takedowns to end it at 2:46.

11:57: Otoguro has no problem putting away Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR). He scores a takedown and a pair of gut wrenches to go up 6-0. Another takedown, another gut wrench, and it's all over at 10-0 with 12 seconds left in the first period. Next up for Otoguro could be Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), who he beat in the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics to avenge a loss in the bronze-medal match at the 2019 worlds.

11:45: Three-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE) had to take an extended medical break as he wrestles Shaohua YUAN (CHN). Aliyev leads 3-2 at the break as he answered Yuan's takedown with an underhook throw of his own. Another takedown for Aliyev to start the second period and he calls bleeding time instantly. Yuan tried challenging but Aliyev with a 10-4 win

11:32: Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), wrestling in his first international match since his triumph in Tokyo, meets some resistance from Islam DUDAEV (ALB) in his opener at 65kg, but scores three takedowns in the second period to secure a 9-2 win.

11:12: Two-time former world champion Haruna OKUNO (JPN), back at women's 55kg because of Japan's depth at 53kg, gets a 4-pointer off a late scramble to clinch an 8-2 victory over world U20 champion Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN). Okuno, who won her third world U23 gold last year, is making her first senior world appearance since 2018.

11:00: Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) hit a monster five-pointer on Krystsina SAZYKINA (POL) and secured the fall to start the day at 59kg.

10:30: Another day and we got two more Olympic weight classes going on the mat. Perhaps the deepest weight class in wrestling, 65kg, and 97kg will be on today in Freestyle. Women's Wrestling will see non-Olympic weight classes 55kg and 59kg