ATHENS, Greece (Sept. 4) – The first session of Greco-Roman action at the Cadet World Championships has wrapped with semifinals set in five weight categories.

Scoring the most success to begin the week at Ano Liosia Olympic Hall were Russia and Iran, who both sent three athletes to the semifinal round to lead all nations.

Returning Cadet World bronze medalist Vladimir ZABEYVOROTA (RUS), reigning Cadet European champion Artem EROKHIN (RUS) and German DOEV (RUS) will seek finals berths for powerhouse Russia this evening. In Russia’s most critical test, Doev is pitted against Cadet European champion Beka GURULI (GEO) in the 54kg semifinals.

Iran features a trio of Cadet Asian finalists in tonight’s session. Gold medalist Seyedmojtaba Seyedmostafa HOSSEINI (IRI), plus silver medalists Mohsen Fathollah MADHANI (IRI) and Mostafa KAYED KHORDEH (IRI), are in position to make finals appearances. The premier semifinal bout for Iran features Kayed Khordeh against Cadet European bronze medalist Otar ABULADZE (GEO) at 63kg.

Georgia and Japan are the only other countries to boast multiple semifinalists on Monday. All told, 14 nations will be represented in the first batch of Greco-Roman semifinals. 

Returning Cadet World bronze medalist and current Cadet European champion Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) takes aim at his first World final against European rival Hayk ASATRYAN (ARM) at 50 kg. Both men came out on top in tight quarterfinal bouts. Aliyev edged Cadet European silver medalist Niklas OEHLEN (SWE), 2-1, while Asatryan was able to pin Kamil Aleksander CZARNECKI (POL) after trailing by six points.  

Cadet European champion Balint VATZI (HUN) will be challenged by Cadet European bronze medalist Ciprian Ilie TRUFAN (ROU) in the 100kg semifinals. Looking dominant in the early rounds, Vatzi picked up one win by pin and one by technical fall to navigate his morning. Trufan managed close wins over continental foes Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) and Elguja SILAGADZE (GEO).   

Offense was aplenty this go around with 31 matches ending by technical fall and 17 by pin.

The Greco-Roman semifinals at 50kg, 54 kg, 58kg, 63kg and 100kg will be contested at 6:30 p.m. local time today. The updated two-day competition format is in place this week, meaning repechage and medal matches for these weights are slated for tomorrow.

All the action from the Cadet World Championships can be followed on the United World Wrestling event page that houses a live stream, brackets and results.

Greco-Roman Results

50kg (25 entries)

Semifinal – Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) vs. Hayk ASATRYAN (ARM)

Semifinal – Ken MATSUI (JPN) vs. Vladimir ZABEYVOROTA (RUS)

Quarterfinal – Hayk ASATRYAN (ARM) df. Kamil Aleksander CZARNECKI (POL) by VFA, 2-6 

Quarterfinal – Vladimir ZABEYVOROTA (RUS) df. Lucas James BYRD (USA) by VPO1, 6-4 

Quarterfinal – Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) df. Niklas Jan Olov Pontus OEHLEN (SWE) by VPO1, 2-1 

Quarterfinal – Ken MATSUI (JPN) df. Manuel STOICA (ROU) by VSU1, 9-1

54kg (20 entries)

Semifinal – Aliaksandr PECHURENKA (BLR) vs. Nursultan BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)

Semifinal – German DOEV (RUS) vs. Beka GURULI (GEO)

Quarterfinal – German DOEV (RUS) df. Miguel Angel UGALDE AGUILAR (MEX) by VSU, 8-0 

Quarterfinal – Nursultan BAZARBAYEV (KAZ) df. Sunao SHIMAYA (JPN) by VPO1, 6-2 

Quarterfinal – Beka GURULI (GEO) df. Ridge Thomas LOVETT (USA) by VPO1, 12-8 

Quarterfinal – Aliaksandr PECHURENKA (BLR) df. Asgar ALIZADA (AZE) by VSU1, 11-2

58kg (27 entries)

Semifinal – Kosei TAKESHITA (JPN) vs. Mohsen Fathollah MADHANI (IRI)

Semifinal – Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER) vs. Sonu SONU (IND)

Quarterfinal – Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER) df. Adilet SISSEMBAYEV (KAZ) by VPO1, 5-4 

Quarterfinal – Mohsen Fathollah MADHANI (IRI) df. Maxim CANTER (MDA) by VSU, 8-0 

Quarterfinal – Sonu SONU (IND) df. Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) by VPO1, 4-2 

Quarterfinal – Kosei TAKESHITA (JPN) df. Maksym LIU (UKR) by VPO, 2-0 

63kg (27 entries)

Semifinal – Dmytro MIROSHNYK (UKR) vs. Artem EROKHIN (RUS)

Semifinal – Mostafa KAYED KHORDEH (IRI) vs. Otar ABULADZE (GEO)

Quarterfinal – Artem EROKHIN (RUS) df. Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) by VPO1, 4-3 

Quarterfinal – Mostafa KAYED KHORDEH (IRI) df. Rakhat SAGYMBAY (KAZ) by VSU, 8-0 

Quarterfinal – Dmytro MIROSHNYK (UKR) df. Nikalas Petrov SULEV (BUL) by VPO, 3-0 

Quarterfinal – Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Diego Alberto MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX) by VPO, 5-0 

100kg (21 entries)

Semifinal – Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA) vs. Seyedmojtaba Seyedmostafa HOSSEINI (IRI)

Semifinal – Ciprian Ilie TRUFAN (ROU) vs. Balint VATZI (HUN)

Quarterfinal – Seyedmojtaba Seyedmostafa HOSSEINI (IRI) df. Mehmet ATCI (TUR) by VPO1, 2-1 

Quarterfinal – Ciprian Ilie TRUFAN (ROU) df. Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) by VPO1, 3-1 

Quarterfinal – Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA) df. Kantemir SHIBZUKHOV (RUS) by VFA, 5-3 

Quarterfinal – Balint VATZI (HUN) df. Oleksandr YEVDOKIMOV (UKR) by VSU, 8-0