#WrestleBelgrade

WATCH: WW 10 Finals from U23 World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

BELGRADE, Serbia (November 8) -- Women's wrestling saw 10 new world champions crowned at the U23 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. Ukraine became the best team of the tournament with three gold medals, two silver and a bronze medal. The USA, France Canada, Romania, Ecuador, Kyrgyzstan and Poland had one champion each. Russia finished with five silver and two bronze medals to be number two in the rankings.

1. WW 50kg -- Shivani PAWAR (IND) vs Emily SHILSON (USA)

 

2. WW 53kg -- Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) vs Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)

 

3. WW 55kg -- Andreea ANA (ROU) vs Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS)

 

4. WW 57kg -- Kristina MIKHNEVA (RUS) vs Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)

 

5. WW 59kg -- Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) vs. Anhelina LYSAK (POL)

 

6. WW 62kg -- Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) vs Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR)

 

7. WW 65kg -- Dinara KUDAEVA SALIKHOVA (RUS) vs. Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR)

 

8. WW 68kg -- Vusala PARFIANOVICH (RUS) vs Koumba LARROQUE (FRA)

 

9. WW 72kg -- Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) vs Kendra DACHER (FRA)

 

10. WW 76kg -- Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL) vs Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)

#WrestleBelgrade

Orta, Jafarov set showdown at World Championships

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 23) -- Tokyo Olympic champion at 60kg Luis ORTA (CUB) will be back in Paris, although in a new weight class, made it to his first-ever World Championships final on Saturday.

Orta moved up to the 67kg weight class at the start of the year and delivered results instantly, winning the Pan-Am gold and bronze medals at the Ranking Series events.

In Belgrade, Orta was slated to face world champion Mate NEMES (SRB) in the quarterfinals and after securing a hard-fought win over the local wrestler. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) tried stopping him in the semifinals but Orta scored three takedowns in his 9-1 win over the Kyrgyz wrestler.

By reaching the final, Orta confirmed a spot for Cuba at the Paris Olympics next year.

But to be a world champion, Orta will have to beat the returning bronze medalist and a young star of the sport Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE).

The 20-year-old former U20 and U23 world champion reached the final after beating three top wrestlers in three straight bouts. He first took out European silver medalist Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) before beating Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), 10-0, in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, Jafarov was made to work hard by Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) for his 5-3 win. Jafarov scored a turn from par terre to lead 3-0. Jafarov was awarded a second passivity in the second period to change the score to 4-0 but he failed to score any points.

Galstyan scored a takedown in the second period and cut Jafarov's lead to 4-2 and got a stepout in the final second to make it 4-3. Armenia's challenge for fleeing could not be confirmed on review, adding a point to Jafarov's score.

At 87kg, David LOSONCIZ (HUN) showed why he is the most dynamic wrestler of the weight class, mauling his opponents in the run to the final. After winning his first two bouts via technical superiority, he defeated Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) 6-1 in the final before a brutal rolling of Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) in the semifinals.

He will face European silver medalist and returning bronze Ali CENGIZ (TUR) for the gold who scored a come-from-behind victory over Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) in the other semifinal. 

Cengiz had earlier beaten Olympic champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) 3-1 in the 1/8 finals before winning 3-3 against Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB) who was a silver medalist at 82kg last year.

In the non-Olympic weight class, two-time world silver medalist Leri ABULADZE (GEO) will try to win a gold medal as he reached the final for the third straight year. Abuladze defeated Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) 3-1 in the semifinals.

For the gold, Abuladze will have a rematch of the 2022 European Championships final as Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) reached the final after beating Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) from the other side of the bracket. Abuladze won the gold at Euros 3-1.