#WrestleBelgrade

UWW hosts Congress before World Championships in Belgrade

By United World Wrestling Press

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 9) -- The United World Wrestling hosted its ordinary Congress Friday, a day before the World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

UWW President and International Olympic Committee Executive Board member Nenad LALOVIC opened the Congress which was attended by 106 countries.

President of IOC Thomas BACH addressed the gathering with a message to remain united and work towards Olympic solidarity.

Lalovic, who has attended 11 executive board meetings in the last 12 months, echoed the same views during his opening remark.

Nenad LALOVICUWW President Nenad LALOVIC addressing the Congress in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

"We as sports lose in such [conflict] situation," Lalovic said. "Our family is not about politics but about wrestlers and fans. So we should remain united.

"Our athletes promote peace around the globe. We had problems in the past but we hope our medals will shine in the right way."

The attendees of the Congress also held one-minute silence to mourn the death of bureau member Lucio CANEVA and Francois CARRARD.

The Congress discussed the improvement of wrestling via youth engagement, women's wrestling, associated styles, the image of wrestling and digital transformation. The reports of all the different departments of UWW were also presented during the Congress.

The Congress also held the election for seven bureau members for a five-year term. A total of 122 votes were cast with the majority being 61 votes.

Out of the seven, four were re-elected which include Theodoros HAMAKOS, Karl-Martin DITTMANN, Rodika YAKSI, Namig ALIYEV. The three newly elected members were Daniel IGALI (NGR), Razvan PIRCALABU (ROU) and Zhang YE (CHN).

The Congress emphasized that to continue on their goal to be self-reliant they need overall growth with more sponsors, and engagement and take wrestling to regional and local levels.

Details of the Congress are available at uww.org.

#WrestlePontevedra

U23 World Championships day six semis set

By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 22) -- The U23 World Championships enters day six, the last full day of the tournament with five freestyle weight classes. Wrestlers in 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg will be in action.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

Semifinals for the evening session

61kg
Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO) vs. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) vs. Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR)

74kg
Temuri BERUASHVILI (GEO) vs. Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (IRI)
Vasile DIACON (MDA) vs. Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE)

86kg​​​​​​​
Trent HIDLAY (USA) vs. Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN) vs. Evsem SHVELIDZE (GEO)

92kg
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) vs. Jacob Thomas CARDENAS (USA)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) vs. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI)

125kg
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) vs. Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI)
Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR) vs. Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO)

15:10: In the final bout of the session, Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) into the semifinals with a 12-0 win over Tejvir BOAL (CAN).

14:55: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) with a 9-3 win over Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) and the defending champion is back in the semifinals at 61kg.

14:40: Down goes defending champion Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR). Evsem SHVELIDZE (GEO) first made it 5-4 and when Aliiev tried scoring a stepout, Shvelidze countered with a takedown. A big chest lock for four and the fall.

14:30: Temuri BERUASHVILI (GEO) pulls off a stunning win at 74kg against David CARR (USA) in the quarterfinals. Carr led 3-2 when Beruashvili scored a stepout with 11 seconds remaining. Carr tries to get a stepout but Beruashvili circles back and Carr cannot score the takedown as well. A lost challenge makes it 4-3

14:28: Trent HIDLAY (USA) with another controlled win. He moves into the 86kg semifinals with a 6-0 victory over Maksat SATYBALDY (KAZ). A strong arm-trap to the 4 points early in the first period.

14:22: Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) is in the 92kg semifinals. Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM) had built an 8-0 lead over Maisuradze but the second period was a completely different story as Sargsyan scored three takedowns before a leg lace got him a 16-8 win.

14:10: Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) and Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) put on a show in that 61kg quarterfinal. Ormanoglu led 3-2 before a takedown and when Dzhelep got him into a body, Ormanoglu countered with a powerful throw to extend his lead to 7-2, a score by which he won.

14:00: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) with a solid 10-0 win over U23 European silver medalist Johannes MAYER (GER). He moves into the 92kg quarterfinal against Gkivi BLIATZE (GRE). 

13:40: Two big losses for the USA hurting them for the team race. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) beats Aaron NAGAO (USA) 9-0 at 61kg and Manashvili wins 16-4 against Cassioppi at 125kg.

13:34: Anthony CASSIOPPI (USA), the defending world champion at 125kg, is up against Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) and in trouble. Manashvili builds up an 8-2 lead before Cassioppi tries a headlock but fails. Manashvili leads 12-4 at the break.

13:30: Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) makes it look so easy. He wins 11-4 against Kodai OGAWA (JPN) to move into the 61kg quarters.

13:15: Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) shows how it is done against Armin HABIBZADEH (IRI). The Kazakhstan wrestler makes quick moves against a very defensive Habibzadeh to win 9-1. He will take on defending champion Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) in quarters.

13:00: At 125kg, Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) is a big contender to win the gold. He is into the 1/8 final against Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE). 

12:20: U20 world champion Amirreza MASOUMI ((IRI) turning up the heat here. He storms to an 11-0 win over Adil MISIRCI (TUR) and moves into the 125kg quarterfinals

12:00: Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) is on a different level at these age-group World Championships. He beats Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) 11-2 and advances at 92kg. He has unfinished business at U23 Worlds.

11:50: Another defending champion begins with a win. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) leg laces Yousef EISSA (EGY) to start at 61kg.

11:35: Defending champion at 86kg Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR) was down 9-5 against Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT) in the opening bout but Aliiev rallied for 14 answered points to win 19-9 and advanced.

11:00: This is the start of the day we were looking for. Sajjad GHOLAMI (IRI) had built a 6-0 lead but Trent HIDLAY (USA) never stopped coming at him. Gholami eventually felt the pressure and succumbed to a 13-6 loss at 86kg.

10:30: Welcome to day six of the U23 World Championships as the final five weight classes of freestyle go on the mat. We will move straight into the qualification rounds after repechage.