#WrestleOslo: Intrepid Geraei Adds World 67kg Greco Title to Olympic Gold

Sunday, October 10, 2021 - 23:31 By Ken Marantz

OSLO, Norway (October 10) -- Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) ended the World Championships just as did at the Tokyo Olympics two months ago. At the top of the medal podium.

Geraei was one of two Iranian champions on the final night of the nine-day tournament in Oslo, winning the 67kg gold with a 5-2 victory over Nazir ABDULLAEV (RWF) as the last three titles in Greco-Roman were decided on Sunday night at the Jordal Amfi arena.

"After the lockdown, I was able to win the gold medal at the Olympics and World Championships, so 2021 is the best year of my life," Gereai said.

Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) preceded his fellow Shiraz city native as a world champion by taking the title at 63kg, while Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) capped the tournament with a dazzling 5-point throw that gave him the 87kg title and a long-awaited world gold.

The Russian Wrestling Federation, which earlier won the freestyle team title, had already clinched its fifth straight Greco-Roman crown heading into the final night. With Iran's two golds, the final tally put the RWF on top with 152, followed by Iran with 146. Azerbaijan was third with 107.

Geraei, the 2019 world U23 champion at 72kg, had a pair of very close calls in the opening rounds, but never wavered nor panicked as he battled his way to his first final on the senior level.

Against 2020 European silver medalist Abdullaev, Geraei was unable to score off the par terre in the first period and took a tenuous 1-0 lead into the second.

But the 25-year-old took matters into his own hands, transitioning from a body lock to a headlock and throwing Abdullaev to the mat for 4. Abdullaev, the 2020 Individual World Cup, picked up 2 points countering a throw attempt at the edge, but that was all he could muster against the cagey Iranian.

Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) scored four points through a headlock. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Geraei's triumph came two days after older brother Mohammadali won a bronze at 77kg. "I want to thank everyone from my hometown Shiraz as we won medals," he said.

If Mohammadali is nicknamed "The Falcon," then Mohammadreza could be called "The Phoenix" for how he continually arose from the ashes of near-defeat.

In his opening match, Geraei fell behind 1-6 against Asian champion Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (JPN), only to pull off a miracle comeback and score a fall with a bear hug. In the semifinals, a pair of 2-point fleeing penalties and an unsuccessful challenge in the final seconds gave him a 7- 6 win over Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO).

"I know most of my victories were last-second, but I believed in myself and thank God that I was able to pull it off," Geraei said.

The 30-year-old Abdullaev made the final despite coming to Oslo without a long list of honors. He had a triumph at the Individual World Cup, however, that was noteworthy in that his quarterfinal victory over Davor STEFANEK (SRB) ended up being the final match of the 2016 Rio Olympic champion's career.

Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) won the 63kg in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In a seesaw battle between young, upcoming stars at 63kg, 2019 world U23 champion Dalkhani scored a decisive stepout with 1:08 left to defeat European bronze medalist Leri ABULADZE (GEO) 5-4.

"I am very happy and I was expected to get this gold," Dalkhani said. "It's been difficult since the corona pandemic and it's been an endeavour to get this title and I am happy that I would reach the expectations of my coaches and country. I am just a soldier for my country."

Dalkhani, this year's Asian silver medalist, took a 3-1 lead when he scored with a gut wrench from the par terre, off of which Abuladze gained a reversal. Abduladze then went up 4-3 in the second period when he mirrored Dalkhani with a gut wrench from par terre.

Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) won one of the four gold medalists from Iran. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

With the clock winding down, Dalkhani kept the pressure on, and just managed to force Abuladze to step outside the ring before the Georgian slapped him down and spun behind, putting the Iranian ahead on criteria.

The Georgian side challenged the call but was rejected, giving Dalkhani a fifth point, and he held on for the win. Abuladze flopped to the mat in misery, while Dalkhani's coach flung him to the mat in celebration.

The 24-year-old Dalkhani won a bronze medal at the 2016 world juniors, and finished fifth in his senior world debut in Nursultan in 2019. Abuladaze, 22, was a world junior silver medalist in 2019, and has a full set of European junior medals with a 2017 gold, 2019 silver and 2018 bronze.

"I was in Nursultan and I did not manage to get anything, but I thank God that I managed to get gold here," Dalkhani said.

Zaurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) won the 87kg gold medal after a big five point throw. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

The final match of the tournament ended with a bang, or more specifically, a thud -- the sound of Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) hitting the mat after being majestically tossed for 5 by four-time European champion Datunashvili in the 87kg final.

"It was a hard match but I had the strategy," Datunashvili said. "Me and my coach worked it out."

Datunashvili scored all of his points in the second period, capped with his arching 5-point throw that finished off a 9-1 technical fall at 3:46 and made his first medal in four senior world appearances a gold one.

Behind 0-1 in the second period, the Georgian-born Datunashvili stopped a lateral drop attempt for 2, then got 2 more when Maskevich was penalized for fleeing by bridging out of bounds. That also put Datunashvili into par terre, and he thrilled the crowd with the spectacular throw.

"I know a lot about him, his wrestling," Datunashvili said. "He made a mistake and I won at that moment."

Zaurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) is the third Greco-Roman world champion from Serbia. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The two met twice before over the past 10 months, with each winning one. Maskevich won 11-3 in the semifinals en route to the gold at the 2020 Individual World Cup, while Datunashvili avenged the loss with a 5-1 win in the European final this past April.

"He is one of the best wrestlers in our weight category," Datunashvili said. "He won, then I won, and now I won. It was now the final. I am king."

The European gold preceded Datunashvili's run to the Olympic bronze, where he lost in the first round to eventual champion Zhan BELINIUK (UKR) but worked his way back through the repechage.

"In Tokyo, I won bronze and my psychology was very good after that," Datunashvili said. "I rested for one month and prepared for Oslo for one month."

Datunashvili, who began competing for Serbia in 2020, had qualified for his third Olympics at the last-chance qualifier by defeating 2016 Olympic champion Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS).

Maskevich also qualified for Tokyo, but was eliminated after a first-round loss. The 2019 world U23 bronze medalist had been hoping to become Belarus' first senior world champion since 2011.

In the bronze-medal matches, Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), unable to win a second straight world gold, came away with a second career bronze by defeating Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) 5-2 at 87kg.

Gobadze, the 2019 world champion at 82kg, scored 4 points with a crafty move from the par terre position to avenge a 4-3 loss to the 20-year-old Bisultanov in the 2019 European final.

Gobadze lifted Bisultanov into the air, but finding he could not get enough leverage for a throw, he just fell forward and dumped him onto his back for 4. Bisultanov scrambled behind for a 1-point reversal, but could not get points from par terre himself in the second period, sealing the win for Gobadze.

Bisultanov, just three years removed from winning a bronze at the world cadets, had lost in the bronze-medal match at this year's European Championships to Milad ALIRZAEV (RWF) -- who Gobadze defeated in the repechage earlier in the night.

In the other 87kg match, Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL) took the lead in the second period, then scored a fall at 4:54 when he stuffed a desperate lateral drop attempt by Istvan TAKACS (HUN).

The unheralded Kulynycz, who had notched only one win at two previous World Championships, trailed 2-0 in the second period when he received a passivity point. From the par terre, he scored a 2-point exposure from a front reverse lock to go ahead 3-2.

The two had met earlier this year at the Poland Open in June, where Takacs defeated Kulynycz in the quarterfinals en route to taking the silver medal.

At 63kg, 2017 world junior champion Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) scored six points off the par terre position en route to a 10-1 technical fall over 2020 European bronze medalist Erik TORBA (HUN).

After Torba scored an early stepout, Shimizu received a passivity point. The 22-year-old made the most of the par terre, launching a 4-point throw, then adding a 2-point roll. He finished the match with a takedown at 2:47.

Shimizu hails from the northern island of Hokkaido, where winter sports hold sway, and his family is a household name in Japan for speed skating. His uncle, Hiroyasu SHIMIZU, was a three-time Olympic medalist, including a gold in the 500 meters at the 1998 Nagano Games, and former world record-holder.

Shimizu took a somewhat curious path to Oslo. He won the first of the two national championships that serve as domestic qualifiers for the world championships, and would have clinched his ticket outright with a win at the second. But he missed the tournament because his entry form was submitted too late, and he was forced to defeat the champion in a playoff.

At this year's Asian Championships, Shimizu was hampered by a knee injury suffered two weeks before the tournament and lost in the quarterfinals, making him the only Japanese in the four lightest weight classes to fail to win a medal.

Ironically, Sultan ASSUTULY (KAZ), whom Shimizu beat 4-1 in the repechage on Sunday, went on to win the Asian gold by fall over Dalkhani.

In the other 63kg match, Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) won his second career world bronze, going ahead in the second period with an arm-drag takedown and defeating European silver medalist Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) 5-4.

Temirov, a two-time European bronze medalist who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics, fell behind 4-2 in the first period, but went ahead on criteria with the takedown in the second. He received a passivity point to account for the final score as he added to the world bronze he won in 2018.

Mammodov came up short of the medals in his fourth World Championships, with his highest previous finish a seventh place in 2018.

At 67kg, Zoidze took teenager Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) to task, blasting his way to a quick-fire 8-0 technical fall to rebound from a fifth-place finish in Tokyo with his first senior world medal.

Zoidze used a slick arm throw for a 4-0 lead, then got 2 points tacked on when Jafarov, this year's world junior champion, was called for fleeing while on bottom. At the restart from par terre, Zoidze quickly executed a gut wrench to finish the match in 1:24.

Zoidze had previous success on the age-group levels, winning a world U23 silver and a European U23 gold, two world junior golds, and world cadet gold and silver medals.

Veteran Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) captured his fourth world bronze over an 11-year span by rallying to a 7-4 victory over European bronze medalist Murat FIRAT (TUR) in the other 67kg match.

The 33-year-old Kebispayev, who won his third Asian silver medal this year, fell into a three-point hole after Firmat scored with a gut wrench from par terre in the first period.

But in his chance on the ground in the second, Kebispayev resourcefully changed direction after being unable to execute a roll, shifting to a front headlock and scoring a 4-point throw that he followed with a 2-point exposure.

Kebispayev, a two-time Olympian who missed out on Tokyo, and Firat had previously met in the semifinals at the 2018 Takhti Cup, with the Kazakh coming out on top 4-2.

Kebispayev previously won world bronzes in 2010, 2015 and 2019, and also has a silver medal from 2011. He was the Asian champion in 2011 and 2018.

RWF Russian Wrestling Federation won the Greco-Roman team title. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Results

Greco-Roman

63kg (21 entries)
GOLD: Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) df. Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 5-4

BRONZE: Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) df. Erik TORBA (HUN) by TF, 10-1, 2:47
BRONZE: Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) df. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE), 5-4

67kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Nazir ABDULLAEV (RWF), 5-2

BRONZE: Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) by TF, 8-0, 1:24
BRONZE: Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ) df. Murat FIRAT (TUR), 7-4

87kg (25 entries)
GOLD: Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) df. Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) by TF, 9-1, 3:46

BRONZE: Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) df. Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN), 5-2
BRONZE: Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL) df. Istvan TAKACS (HUN) by Fall, 4:54 (5-2)

#wrestlebishkek

Makhmudov Repeats Triumph in Bishkek as Kyrgyzstan Strikes Three Gold

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 - 19:08 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 7) -- The decibel level was just as deafening, and the outcome the same. The only thing different was the venue, although it was only about 50 meters across the street.

Local hero Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) gave the host country the victory it most wanted to see, winning the 77kg gold in Greco-Roman at the Asian Championships on Tuesday in Bishkek to repeat his breakout victory of 2018 in the same city.

Makhmudov held off a fierce challenge from Ali OSKOU (IRI) for a 3-3 victory in the final to secure his fourth career Asian gold and fifth medal overall, much to delight of the thunderous partisan crowd packed into Zhastyk Arena.

“It’s a huge, huge joy,” Makhmudov said. “Of course, it’s hard to put into words, but at the same time, I’m not going to stop here or dwell on it. Yes, I became the Asian champion, the anthem was played, the flag was raised. Now it’s time to move forward.”

While the spotlight shined brightest on Makhmudov, he had to share it a bit with compatriots Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) and Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ), who also defeated Iranian opponents in striking gold at 63kg and 87kg, respectively, on the first night of medal matches in the seven-day tournament.

The night wasn’t a total wash for Iran, however, as reigning world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) showed he was still the preeminent power at 130kg by snatching his fourth career Asian gold, while Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) won the other gold at stake at 55kg.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) after winning his first Asian title in Bishkek in 2018. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Max Rose-Fyne)

It was eight years ago that a then-teenaged Makhmudov burst onto the international stage at Bishkek’s Soviet-era Kojomkul Sports Palace on the other side of Togolok Moldo Street, sending the home crowd into a cacophonous frenzy by winning the 72kg gold.

“I still remember 2018 the most, because I was younger then and the wrestling was much more spectacular,” Makhmudov said. “Right now, I’m not in my best shape, but I still managed to win my fourth gold medal. At the moment, I’m only at about 25–30 percent of my form.”

That 2018 win served as the launching pad for one of Asia’s top Greco wrestlers in history, although his ascent was delayed for some time due to a severe knee injury.

After taking a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, he reached the pinnacle in 2022 with victories at 77kg at both the World and Asian Championships, a feat he repeated in 2023. He added a second Olympic medal the next year with a bronze in Paris.

He took his time returning to the sport from a break after Paris, winning the title at the 2025 Islam Solidarity Games in his lone competition that year. This year, his only action ahead of Bishkek came at the Zagreb Ranking Series in February, where he failed to medal at 82kg.

If there were any concerns whether Makhmudov, who will turn 27 next week, has lost his edge, he put the matter to rest with his solid performance before the home fans.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) sets up a throw against Ali OSKOU (IRI) during the 77kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In the final against Oskou, the winner of the Zagreb tournament, Makhmudov got the first chance in par terre and muscled the Iranian over with a reverse body lock, although Oskou rolled through for a reversal. The Kyrgyzstan side challenged for a leg foul, but it was denied, leaving Makhmudov with a slim 3-2 lead.

In the second period, Oskou received a passivity point but could not turn Makhmudov, leaving the latter ahead 3-3 on criteria. Makhmudov got a second chance at par terre, but after failing to pad his lead, he successfully fended off Oskou for the final minute to clinch the win.

“Without a doubt, the toughest match for me was the final, as you saw yourselves,” Makhmudov said. “It was very hard and intense. I prepared for it like any other match, there was responsibility, and of course, I wanted to win, as always.”

Making the moment more special was that his family was among the throng packed into the arena.

“This victory was very important to me,” he said. “My family was here, my father was in the stands, supporting me, praying for my victory. To win in front of him and to justify his hopes means a lot.”

Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) scored a 7-2 victory over Erfan JARKANI (IRI) in the 63kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Prior to Makhmudov’s triumph, Taalaibek Uulu fired up the crowd with a stunning 7-2 victory in the 63kg final over Zagreb Ranking Series champion Erfan JARKANI (IRI) for his first major medal of any kind.

Taalaibek Uulu scored an opening takedown, then hit a 4-point throw from par terre, off of which Jarkani scored a reversal to make it 7-1 after the first period. Jarkani got his chance at par terre in the second, but couldn’t budge Taalaibek Uulu, whose only previous senior international medal was a bronze in Antalya in 2024.

Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) celebrates after beating world champion Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) in the 87kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Not to be outdone, world bronze medalist Zhanyshov completed Kyrgyzstan’s triple crown of titles with a masterful 11-4 victory at 87kg over a very tough Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI), the 82kg champion at last year’s World Championships in Zagreb.

Zhanyshov, no doubt inspired by his compatriots’ success and the crowd’s fervor, stunned Farokhi with a spectacular 4-point lateral drop for a quick lead, which grew to 7-0 with an activity point, stepout and unsuccessful challenge.

Farokhi, also the 2025 world U23 champion in this weight class, surged back with a barrel roll for 2 and a 2-point exposure. But when he tried a roll, Zhanyshov stepped over for a 2-point exposure, and another 2 was tacked on after Farokhi bridged out of the ring, making it 11-4.

That was how it ended, as neither wrestler could generate any more points. A despondent Farokhi abandoned the fight with a full seven seconds still on the clock.

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) captured his fourth Asian title at 130kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 130kg, Mirzazadeh proved too much for Russian-born Rafael TSITSUASHVILI (UZB), as he was never threatened in a 9-0 victory to add to his previous Asian golds from 2020, 2023 and 2024.

Mirzazadeh, who won his second world title in Zagreb last September, rolled Tsitsuashvili twice from par terre in the first period for a 5-0 lead, then ended the match at 27 seconds into the second with a takedown-gut wrench combination.

“After the World Championships in 2025, my first competition in 2026 started with the Asian Championships and I was able to achieve the gold medal with a brilliant performance,” Mirzazadeh said. “This is the first step of my path this year in 2026 and I hope that I can achieve succes one after the other.”

For Mirzazadeh, getting to Bishkek was half the battle, given the limits on air travel out of his country.

“Emotionally, it was definitely different,” he said. “We were probably on the road for fifty hours, on the ground, because our country is in a difficult situation right now, but I thank God that I was able to win the gold medal despite these issues and the difficulty of the route.

“I hope that I was able to bring a smile to the faces of the people of my country for a moment."

Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) celebrates after winning his first Asian title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 55kg, two-time bronze medalist Botirov struck gold at last with an impressive 9-0 win in 1:47 over LALIT (IND).

Botirov got the first chance in par terre, and that was all he needed, as he reeled off four gut wrenches despite some tough resistance from Lalit, who had been looking to become India’s first Asian champion in Greco since 2020.

“This is the result of all our efforts, my first gold medal at the senior Asian Championships,” Botirov said. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my coaches who supported me closely throughout this journey. We prepared very ntensively for this competition. Before coming here, my coach told me, ‘You will become a champion,’ and sent me here with that belief.”

Botirov, who added to the bronze medals he took home in 2023 and 2025, had avenged a loss in this year’s Zagreb Ranking Series final to Mohammad HOSSEINVAND (IRI) in the quarterfinals.

“I lost that match by two points,” Botirov said of the defeat in Zagreb. “But this time, I changed my tactics. I started attacking from the very beginning, took the first period, and studied his movements. That’s how I managed to win.”

Kaisei TANABE (JPN), Freestyle 65kg Asian champion last year, won a Greco bronze this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ex-Freestyle champ Tanabe joins exclusive club with Greco bronze

In the bronze-medal matches, Kaisei TANABE (JPN) joined an exclusive club of wrestlers in Asian Championships history who have won medals in both Freestyle and Greco when he took home a bronze at 63kg.

Tanabe, the champion last year at Freestyle 65kg, secured his place in history when he forged out a 9-0 victory over Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM), securing the winning point with a stepout at the first-period buzzer.

“My feeling is that I’m relieved, but I also have a strong regret that I didn’t put out in yesterday’s match what I did today,” Tanabe said, referring to his loss on Monday in the semifinals to Taalaibek Uluu.

Tanabe pulled away with a 4-point back drop from par terre, then reeled off three consecutive stepouts. An unsuccessful challenge that the final one was scored in time added the final point.

Regarding the flashy 4-pointer, Tanabe said, “A lot of people said they wanted me to put on an exciting match for the people watching. Whether I win or lose, I want to liven things up.”

Tanabe, who father and coach Chikara TANABE (JPN) was an Olympic bronze medalist, was unable to defend his Freestyle crown after losing in the semifinals at the All-Japan Championships in December, but earned his ticket to Bishkek by winning at Greco 63kg.

Tanabe, a product of powerhouse Nippon Sports Science University, said he will continue competing in both styles “as long as it continues to be fun for me. I want to be a wrestler who people find incredibly entertaining, whether or not they wrestle or whether or not that know about wrestling.”

On Wednesday, Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN), the Freestyle 70kg champion in 2022, will get a chance to join Tanabe in becoming a double-style medalist when he competes in the bronze-medal match at Greco 72kg.

The other 63kg bronze on Tuesday went to Hyunwoong CHOI (KOR), who jumped out to a 7-0 lead after a 4-point headlock throw, then held on to deny former champion Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) a fourth career Asian medal.

Korea also picked up a bronze in the wildest match of the tournament so far, with Yeonghun NOH (KOR) chalking up three 4-point throws while also nearly being pinned in coming away with a crazy 15-14 win at 77kg over AMAN (IND).

Noh used a back trip, headlock and hip throw for his 4-pointers, the last of which should have ended the match at 12-3, but Aman rolled through to continue the movement and came up with a 2-point exposure that kept him alive.

Behind 14-7 heading into the second period, Aman countered for 2-point takedown, then stopped a throw attempt to send Noh straight to his back for 4 – and what the mat referee indicated was a fall. But it was not confirmed, and Noh survived the final 23 seconds, albeit there were the obligatory challenges that added to the drama but did not change the outcome.

In the other 77kg match, Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) got three gut wrenches from par terre in the first period, then finished up a 10-1 victory in the second over Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ) for his second career Asian bronze.

At 55kg, Hosseinvand, the lone Iranian to fail to make the final on the first day, assured he would not return empty-handed, silencing the home crowd with a 7-1 victory over Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ).

Hosseinvand, put on top in par terre for a second time in the first period after a foul, used the opportunity to score a 4-point throw to go up 7-0, then held out when he was on the bottom in the second period to deny Muratbek Uulu a second career Asian bronze.

Huoying SHI (CHN), who had his breakout year in 2025 with a bronze medal at the World Championships, added a continental bronze in his senior Asian debut with a 9-0 pasting of Mizuki ARAKI (JPN).

Shi, who had failed to medal on the U20 and U23 levels at either of the Asian or World Championships, scored 2 with a counter to the back, then pancaked Asian debutante Araki for 4. From there, he went to a gut wrench to finish the match in 1:17.

At 87kg, former champions Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) and Sunil KUMAR (IND) both added to hefty Asian medal collections, one with an one-sided win and other having to come from behind for a close victory.

Tursynov, who won the Asian title back in 2014 and won two silvers in the ensuing years, had little trouble demolishing Dovletmyrat BAYRAMOV (TKM), scoring a roll, 4-point back suplex and another roll from par terre for a 9-0 win in 1:41.

Kumar, the 2020 Asian champion, trailed by four points going into the second period when he used the par terre advantage to score two gut wrenches and walk off with a 5-4 victory over Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) – a two-time past bronze medalist himself – and boost his medal tally to six overall.

At 130kg, Korea made it 3 for 3 in bronze-medal matches by winning the battle of the Kims, as Minseok KIM (KOR) defeated namesake Roman KIM (KGZ) 4-0, scoring all of his points with slick first-period arm throw that emulated wrestlers half his size.

It was the Korean Kim’s fifth career Asian medal, adding to two bronzes from the Asian Games and another from the 2018 World Championships.

Three-time Asian U23 champion Wenhao JIANG (CHN) earned his first senior Asian medal with a 9-2 win over returning bronze medalist Yuta NARA (JPN) in the other 130kg match.

Day 2 Results

55kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) df. LALIT (IND) by TS, 9-0, 1:47

BRONZE: Huoying SHI (CHN) df. Mizuki ARAKI (JPN) by TS, 9-0, 1:17
BRONZE: Mohammad HOSSEINVAND (IRI) df. Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ), 7-1

60kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) by TS, 10-0, 2:00
SF2: Se Ung RI (PRK) df. Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ) by TS, 8-0, :27

63kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Erfan JARKANI (IRI), 7-2

BRONZE: Kaisei TANABE (JPN) df. Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM) by TS, 9-0, 3:00
BRONZE: Hyunwoong CHOI (KOR) df. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 9-6

67kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) by TS, 9-0, 1:58
SF2: Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) df. Abdumalik AMINOV (UZB), 5-2

72kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ), 3-1
SF2: Javad REZAEI (IRI) df. Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) by TS, 9-0, 1:55

77kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Ali OSKOU (IRI), 3-3

BRONZE: Yeonghun NOH (KOR) df. AMAN (IND), 15-14
BRONZE: Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) df. Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ) by TS, 10-1, 4:59

82kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) df. Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), 9-8
SF2: Amin HOSSEINI (IRI) df. PRINCE (IND) by TS, 10-0, 2:25

87kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI), 11-4

BRONZE: Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) df. Dovletmyrat BAYRAMOV (TKM) by TS, 9-0, 1:41
BRONZE: Sunil KUMAR (IND) df. Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB), 5-4

97kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Hadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 3-1
SF2: NITESH (IND) df. Zegang WANG (CHN), 7-2

130kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Rafael TSITSUASHVILI (UZB) by TS, 9-0, 3:27

BRONZE: Minseok KIM (KOR) df. Roman KIM (KGZ), 4-0
BRONZE: Wenhao JIANG (CHN) df. Yuta NARA (JPN), 9-2

#WrestleOslo: Intrepid Geraei Adds World 67kg Greco Title to Olympic Gold

Comments

Makhmudov Repeats Triumph in Bishkek as Kyrgyzstan Strikes Three Gold