#WrestleParis

Wrestling at Paris 2024: Tazhudinov wins gold; Kiyooka, Kagami continue Japan's dominance

Sunday, August 11, 2024 - 08:59 By Vinay Siwach

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PARIS (August 11) -- The final day of wrestling at Paris 2024. Repechages round and then the medal bouts of Freestyle 65kg and 97kg and women's wrestling 76kg.

LIVE MATCH ORDER | PARIS 2024 DAY 6

14:00: Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) is an Olympic champion! The world champion beats Kennedy BLADES (USA) 3-1 in the 76kg weight class and clinches the top medal for Japan. It's first-ever for Japan in the heavyweight.

13:45: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) hangs on! She takes the bronze medal with a 2-1 win over Genesis REASCO (ECU). Colombia's third medal in women's wrestling at the Olympics.

13:30: Cuba won its second women's wrestling medal at this Olympics! Milaimy MARIN (CUB) stuns world silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) 6-0. That is the second Olympic loss for Medet Kyzy in bronze-medal bouts at the Games.

13:10: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) is an Olympic champion! The world champion pins Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) in a minute and 52 seconds to win the gold at 97kg. First-ever Olympic champion for Bahrain in wrestling.

12:55: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) claims the bronze medal at 97kg after he shuts down Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR). He wins the bout 10-0. The second bronze goes to Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) who gets three stepouts in his 4-1 win over Kyle SNYDER (USA). This is the first time Snyder has not won a medal at a World Championships or Olympics since 2015.

12:30: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) is an Olympic champion! What a win for the young star. After beating Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) in the domestic playoff, Kiyooka beats Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) 10-3 in the 65kg final to keep the gold medal with Japan. Amouzad with the first point but Kiyooka goes lace after takedown and makes it 10-1 at the break. A takedown in the second period but Amouzad has nothing left in him to attack. Kiyooka wins gold.

12:15: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) with a buzzer-beating one point to beat world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) 13-12 for the bronze medal at 65kg. Muszukajev fell behind 12-8 but hit a front headlock four to lead 12-12 on criteria. However, Dudaev with a reversal and one point with 3 seconds left.

12:00: The first bronze medal of the day goes to Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)! He comes back in the final 10 seconds to beat Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) 9-8. Tumur Ochir gave up a takedown in the second period and Rivera turned him two times to lead 8-4. Tumur Ochir hit his filthy underhook to headlock four to lead 11-8 on criteria but Rivera with a takedown late. Initially, it is not scored but Rivera wins on challenge. 

11:42: Genesis REASCO (ECU) has given a chance to Ecuador to win two medals in wrestling in Paris. She hangs on to beat Tokyo bronze Yasemin ADAR (TUR) 3-1 in the 76kg repechage. She will take on Tatiana RENTERIA (COL).

11:30: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) sets up a bronze medal bout against Kyle SNYDER (USA) after the Iranian beat Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) 10-0 in the repechage at 97kg

11:20: History was on line had Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) had pulled off one takedown against Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR). De Lange was down 2-2 on criteria but got a leg attack and tried exposing Mchedlidze. The Ukrainian somehow blocked De Lange and threw him off balance to take two points and win 5-3. He will wrestle for bronze

11:10: Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) opened a 4-0 lead over Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) in the 65kg repechage bout but Rivera in the second period puts on 14 points and wins 14-4. He will wrestle Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) for the bronze

11:00: Welcome to the final day of wrestling at the Paris 2024 Olympics. After five repechage bouts, we move into the medal bouts. Zain RETHERFORD (USA) and Catalina AXENTE (ROU) are injured and there will be one fewer repechage bouts in 65kg and 76kg.

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open: Iran, India, Bulgaria Win 2 Greco-Roman Golds

Thursday, June 4, 2026 - 12:22 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 4) -- Payam AHMADI (IRI) emerged as the most dominant wrestler on day one of the Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series on Thursday.

At 55kg, Ahmadi outscored his opponents 33-0 in four bouts to claim the gold medal in the Nordic bracket, never looking in any kind of trouble.

The 2025 World Championships silver medalist was among the seven champions on day one of the tournament. Iran won two gold medals and so did India and Bulgaria. China won the remaining one to close out the day.

Payam AHMADI (IRI)Payam AHMADI (IRI) blanked his opponents 33-0 in four bouts in Ulaanbaatar. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ahmadi opened the day against Asian Championships silver medalist LALIT (IND) and secured an easy 8-0 technical superiority win in one minute and 57 seconds.

In Round 2, Ahmadi took only 33 seconds to see off Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL). He blocked Munkh Erdene's body lock attempt for four points and threw the Mongolian again for four more points. He took just 46 seconds to do the same to Sumiyabazar MUNKHZAYA (MGL) in Round 3.

His final bout was against Emin CAKIR (TUR) and Ahmadi two four-point throws from par terre to complete a 9-0 victory and claim the gold medal in the morning session itself.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

By the end of the day, Iran had its second gold medalist in Danial SOHRABI (IRI), who defended his title in Ulaanbaatar Open from 2025 at 72kg. Just like last year, Sohrabi's gold medal carried extra significance.

With the 72kg victory over Javad REZAEI (IRI) in the final,  Sohrabi assured his spot on the Iran team for the 2026 World Championships where he will try to upgrade his bronze medal that he won in 2025.

Both Sohrabi and Rezaei followed identical paths to the final, dominating every bout they wrestled. They were even finishing the matches in quick time and via technical superiorities.

In the final, Sohrabi was the first to go in par terre and Rezaei did his best to turn Sohrabi twice and lead 5-0. Sohrabi seemed unfazed despite falling behind in the bout.

When the second period began, he managed to earn the par terre position for himself. However, he turned Rezaei only once. When Sohrabi tried a throw, Rezaei managed to defend it but the former was awarded a stepout which made the score 5-4.

A little time had passed when Sohrabi brought down Rezaei for a takedown and took a 6-5 lead. He then turned Rezaei to extend his lead to 8-5 which he defended to win the gold medal, his second straight at the Ulaanbaatar Open at 72kg.

NITESH (IND)NITESH (IND) throws Nurassyl AMANALY (KAZ) during the 97kg final in Ulaanbaatar. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

India, Bulgaria Win 2 Golds

Apart from Iran, India and Bulgaria also won two gold medals each. Two 2026 Asian medalists for India, NITESH (IND) and Sunil KUMAR (IND), won at 97kg and 87kg respectively.

Bulgaria's two golds medals came through Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL) winning at 82kg and Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL) claiming gold at 77kg.

Nitesh, the Asian silver medalist at 125kg, overcame a deficit twice in the final against Nurassyl AMANALY (KAZ) and beat the Kazakhstan wrestler 13-9. At one point in the bout, Amanaly led 5-3 but Nitesh made it 5-5 with Amanaly leading on criteria.

As Nitesh tried a bearhug body lock, Amanaly tossed the Indian for four points for a 9-5 lead with around two minutes remaining in the final. Those two minutes must have felt like eternity for Amanaly who was struggling with his conditioning. He gave up a three step outs and a point for fleeing as Nitest made it 9-9, still behind on criteria.

He then brought down Amanaly for a takedown and then turned him for two more points to build a 13-9 lead. Amanaly did not have anything left in himself to fight for the remaining time and Nitesh comfortably defended the score.

Sunil KUMAR (IND)Sunil KUMAR (IND), blue, won the 87kg gold medal at the Ulaanbaatar Open. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Kumar followed a slightly different path as he managed to score a turn from par terre against Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ) and win 4-1. Salidinov got the par terre position in the first period to go 1-0 up. He tried a throw but no points were awarded for it. Kyrgyzstan challenged the call but lost, giving a point to Kumar.

In the second period, Kumar led 2-1 after given the par terre position and he used a gut wrench to turn Salidinov to score the winning points.

Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL)Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL) scores four points on Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) using an arm throw during the 82kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

In an all-Bulgarian final at 82kg, Dimitrov faced Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) and used an arm throw for four points to get on board and the big-scoring technique proved crucial in the end.

Mnatsakanian blocked Dimitrov when he was trying a turn for two points and then scored two points to make it 4-4 but Dimitrov led on criteria. In the second period, both wrestlers were given passivity warning which meant par terre positions and one point each. It made the score 5-5 but Dimitrov's four-point move took the precedent over Mnatsakanian who did not have any high-scoring technique.

Kubatov rolled to the gold medal at 77kg after he used a strong gut-wrench to beat Amuguleng BAI (CHN), 10-1, in the final.

Xinxin JIN (CHN)Xinxin JIN (CHN) sets up a counter throw from the edge against Murat FIRAT (TUR) during the 67kg final at the Ulaanbaatar Open. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Jin Stuns Firat

The surprise champion of the day was Xinxin JIN (CHN) who upset European silver medalist Murat FIRAT (TUR) in the 67kg final. Firat got on the board first with par terre and he rolled Jin for two points to lead 3-0.

Next was Jin's turn for par terre in the second period and he managed a turn using a front headlock just before the referee's to get two points and take a 3-3 criteria lead. Firat tried to score a stepout in the final minute but Jin stamped himself right at the edge and tossed Firat for four points.

Turkiye challenged the call, asking that the stepout was scored first. But on review, the four-pointer was confirmed and Jin got another point of the lost challenge which made his lead 8-3, giving him his first-ever international medal.

Photo

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI (IRI)
SILVER: Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL)
BRONZE: Emin CAKIR (TUR)

67kg
GOLD: Xinxin JIN (CHN) df. Murat FIRAT (TUR), 8-3

BRONZE: Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS) df.  Ganbayar NAMSRAI (MGL), 9-0
BRONZE: ALAMUSI (CHN) df. Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND), 2-2

72kg
GOLD: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) df. Javad REZAEI (IRI), 8-5

BRONZE: Amanat SAMAT UULU (KGZ) df. Borgil TUVSHINBAATAR (MGL), 10-0 
BRONZE: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) df. Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ), via fall (11-5)

77kg
GOLD: Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL) df. Amuguleng BAI (CHN), 10-1

BRONZE: Yeonghun NOH (KOR) df. Jason BAUCAS (PHI), via fall
BRONZE: Bekzat ORUNKUL UULU (KGZ) df. Ankit GULIA (IND), via fall

82kg
GOLD: Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL) df. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL), 5-5

BRONZE: Imur TEMIRBEKOV (KGZ) df. Lkhagvasuren DASHJAMTS (MGL), 9-0

87kg
GOLD:  Sunil KUMAR (IND) df. Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Seunghwan LEE (KOR) df. Usukhbayar BAATARKHUU (MGL), 10-1
BRONZE: Luis AVENDANO (VEN) df. Turbold GANBOLD (MGL), via forfeit

97kg
GOLD: NITESH (IND) df Nurassyl AMANALY (KAZ), 13-9

BRONZE: Minho LEE (KOR) df. Tuvshinsanaa ERDENEJARGAL (MGL), 12-3
BRONZE: Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) df. Juan DIAZ (VEN), via fall