#BudaWrestle2018

Wednesday's First Session Brings Fireworks at 57kg, Susaki Cruises

Wednesday, October 24, 2018 - 12:19 By Andrew Hipps

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (October 24) -- It didn't take long for the fireworks to start in Wednesday's first session at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

In one of the first women's wrestling qualification matches of the session, Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) stunned reigning world and Olympic champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) at 57kg, earning a second-period fall.

Kolesnik held a narrow 2-2 lead on criteria early in the second period when Maroulis shot a single leg, which was stopped. Maroulis immediately followed up another attack, which Kolesnik stuffed and ran the American over for the fall. 

Maroulis, who did not surrender a point at last year's World Championships in Paris, was eliminated from the tournament when Kolesnik lost by technical fall (10-0) to Ningning RONG (CHN) in her next match. Maroulis has seen limited action this year due to a head injury.

Maroulis' loss was not the only surprising result at 57kg. Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), a returning world silver medalist at 55kg, fell to Pooja DHANDA (IND) 7-6 prior to the quarterfinal round. Adekuoroye led 6-5 with 10 seconds remaining before getting taken down in the closing seconds to lose the match. 

In the 57kg quarterfinals, Grace BULLEN (NOR) held on to edge In Sun JONG (PRK) 3-3 on criteria. She now faces Ningning RONG (CHN), who won by fall over Dhanda in the quarterfinals. The other semifinal match at 57kg pits two-time world bronze medalist Emese BARKA (HUN) against Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL). 

Reigning world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) was dominant in her first two matches at 50kg. She opened with the same wrestler she faced in the finals of last year's World Championships, Emilia VUC (ROU). Susaki scored a four-point takedown a minute into the match and a short time later drove Vuc over for the fall. Susaki continued her dominance in the quarterfinals as she won by technical fall (11-0) over Ritu RITU (IND). She scored three takedowns in the first period to lead 6-0 at the break and then closed the match with a four-point takedown in the final period. It sets up a semifinal meeting with three-time junior world bronze medalist Oksana LIVACH (UKR).

Mariya STADNIK (AZE), a past world champion and multiple-time Olympic medalist, secured a spot in the semifinals at 50kg with a 10-0 technical fall over Yanan SUN (CHN). Stadnik now faces world bronze medalist Sonhyang KIM (PRK).

In the 62kg quarterfinals, Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) gave up the first takedown to Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) before coming back to pick up a fall and earn a spot in the semifinals. It was a battle of returning world medalists as Tkach won silver in Paris and Mattsson claimed a bronze. Her quarterfinals opponent will be Yukako KAWAI (JPN). Kawai trailed Sakshi MALIK (IND) after the opening period in the quarterfinals, but came out strong in the second period and rolled to a 16-2 technical fall. 

Four-time world medalist Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) handled Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) 7-1 in the quarterfinals at 62kg. Yusein now meets Mallory VELTE (USA) in the semifinals. 

Returning world champion Haruna OKUNO (JPN) punched her ticket to the 53kg semifinals with a 9-1 victory over Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE). Her semifinals opponent will be Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL). 

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) joined teammate Velte as a semifinalist. She claimed a 15-9 victory over Anzhela DOROGAN (AZE). Hildebrandt will now meet Diana WEICKER (CAN), who came back to defeat Nina HEMMER (GER) 10-7. 

The semifinal matches are scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m. local time. 

Semifinal Matchups

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Yui SUSAKI (JPN) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) 
Sonhyang KIM (PRK) vs. Mariya STADNIK (AZE)

53kg
Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) vs. Diana Mary Helen WEICKER (CAN)
Haruna OKUNO (JPN) vs. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) 

57kg
Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL) vs. Emese BARKA (HUN) 
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR) vs. Ningning RONG (CHN)

62kg
Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) vs. Yukako KAWAI (JPN) 
Mallory VELTE (USA) vs. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL)
 

#WrestleSamokov

Kyrgyzstan, Moldova earn chance to end U20 World title drought

Sunday, August 17, 2025 - 18:58 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 17) -- Kyrgyzstan and Moldova earned a chance to end their gold-medal drought at the U20 World Championships.

On the first day of the 2025 World U20 Championships in Samokov, four Freestyle weight classes were in action. Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ) was the surprised finalist at 74kg and will try to become Kyrgyzstan's first gold medal at the U20 World Championships in 20 years. He will take on European U23 champion Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) in the final.

At 70kg, Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) earned the final and will now try to become Moldova's first U20 world champ in Freestyle since 1999. He will take on returning bronze medalist PJ DUKE (USA) in the gold-medal bout.

The 125kg weight class will see an all-Asian final as Asian U20 champion Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) earned a shot for the world title against Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI), a wrestler over whom Kassimbek has a 3-0 head-to-head record.

Two returning bronze medalists, Duke and Justin RADEMACHER (USA), upgrade their bronze medals from last year and earn themselves a chance to win gold on Monday at 70kg and 97kg respectively.

Akylbekov, who had finished at 17th at 79kg last year, had a dream run on Sunday and ended one for Raul CASO (ITA) in the semifinals. Caso had posted two last-second victories, however, he failed to repeat those heroics in the semifinal against Akylbekov.

Caso was 3-2 and went attack-mode in the final 15 seconds. He almost scored a takedown over Akylbekov who managed to sneak out and then Caso jumped over to take control for a takedown. However, the Kyrgyz wrestler stood up to avoid giving up any points. Italy challenged for two points but lost that on review, giving one more point to Akylbekov.

While Caso was leaving it late in his wins, Akylbekov was contrastingly dominating them. He defeated Nicholas HOOPER (CAN), 12-0, in the opening bout, blanked Titas PIJORAITIS (LTU), 10-0 and then handed Dosszhan KUL GAIYP (KAZ) a 6-1 loss.

Ismail KHANIEV (UWW)Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) defeated Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3, in the semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

He will now face Khaniev, who earned himself his first world medal at any level. Khaniev defeated Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3, in a very close semifinal than the scoreline suggests.

Khaniev led 3-3 on criteria but Yamaguchi constantly threatened to score in the final 25 seconds. He hit a double-leg attack and planted Khaniev, who somehow managed to not land in danger. In a counter, Khaniev exposed Yamaguchi for two points and took a 5-3 lead. Yamaguchi tried a desperate throw in the final 15 seconds but Khaniev blocked it for two more points to win.

Earlier in the day, Khaniev avenged his European U20 Championships loss to Manuel WAGIN (GER) with a technical superiority win after he had beaten returning silver medalist Ladrion LOCKETT (USA).

Duke had his first big challenge of the day in the semifinals against former world U17 champion Erfan ELAHI (IRI) at 70kg. Duke scored a takedown while Elahi had a point for stepout and Duke's passivity. Duke's two-point scoring move gave him the criteria.

However, Elahi somehow thought he has the criteria and did not think of attacking in the final 30 seconds. When the bout was over, Elahi celebrated as if he had won only to realize that he has lost 2-2.

Duke will look to win his first a world title before wrestling at the senior World Championships later in September. He will take on Gaidarli for the gold-medal after the Moldovan won his semifinal 7-4 against Nurlan AGHAZADA (AZE).

Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA)Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) reached the 70kg final in Samokov. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Gaidarli became the first Moldovan Freestyle wrestler to reach the final at U20 Worlds since 2019 after a stunningly good run in Samokov. He defeated European U20 champion Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO), 13-3, avenging his loss from Carole, Italy.

In the semifinals, he scored three takedowns in the second period against Aghazada to win 7-4, bettering his 18th-place finish from last year and earning a chance to end the gold-medal drought for Moldova.

Returning bronze medalist at 97kg Rademacher defeated European U20 champion Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinals and will now try to win gold. Rademacher led 4-3 at the break extended his lead with a takedown for two points to start the second period, add another go-behind and single-leg to takedown to lead 10-3.

Petriashvili got an attack for two points but Rademacher was relentless in his wrestling and scored three more takedowns to win 16-5.

Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW)Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) survived to win 11-9 against VISHAL (IND) in the 97kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

For the gold medal, he will face Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) who survived, with some help, for an 11-9 win over VISHAL (IND) who had Magomedov in all sorts of trouble. Magomedov led 10-4 when Vishal mounted a comeback against an absolutely broken Magomedov. He scored a takedown and Magomedov was cautioned for a singlet-pull foul which made it 10-7.

As the bout was restart in par terre, India challenged for two more points but the referee had blown the whistle before control from Vishal. That challenge gave enough breathing time to Magomedov to managed to hang on to his lead and win 11-9.

Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ)Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) celebrates after winning his 125kg semifinal against Cole MIRASOLA (USA). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Kassimbek had a very dominant semifinal as he defeated Cole MIRASOLA (USA), 11-0, inside the first period. He had two excellent counter takedowns and then locked up Mirasola's legs around his head and turns him twice. He finished things with a double-leg takedown.

Kassimbek has lost to two World U17 Championships finals before but he will have a good chance to win his first world title. He will take on Mohammad Nezhad, a wrestler he has defeated three times before.

The Iranian denied former world U17 champion Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE) after a 1-1 victory in the semifinal. Mohmmad Nezhad got the one point for passivity in the second period which gave him the criteria.

Mohammad Nezhad lost to Kassimbek for the first time in 2023 Asian U17 Championships final, 8-1, then at the same tournament in 2024, 2-2 in the semifinals. His third loss to Kassimbek came in the semifinals of the 2024 World U17 Championships, 4-3.

RESULTS

70kg
GOLD: PJ DUKE (USA) vs. Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) 

SF 1: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Nurlan AGHAZADA (AZE), 7-4
SF 2: PJ DUKE (USA) df. Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI), 2-2

74kg
GOLD: Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) vs. Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ)

SF 1: Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ) df. Raul CASO (ITA), 4-2
SF 2: Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) df. Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3

97kg
GOLD: Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) vs. Justin RADEMACHER (USA)

SF 1: Justin RADEMACHER (USA) df. Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 16-5
SF 2: Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. VISHAL (IND), 11-9

125kg
GOLD: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) vs. Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI)

SF 1: Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) df. Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE), 1-1
SF 2: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) df. Cole MIRASOLA (USA), 11-0