Soryan, Greco-Roman, World Championships, Gaber

Soryan Eyes Sixth Title, Gaber Readies Run to Rio (Live Updates)

Sunday, September 14, 2014 - 04:39 By William May

TASHKENT (September 14) – London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist Hamid SORYAN (IRI) seeks his sixth world title and Athens 2004 champion Karam GABER (EGY) prepares a run for Rio 2016 on Sunday, the final day of the wrestling world championships in Tashkent.

Soryan, however, could be looking at a challenge from Asia champion and local favorite Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) in the semifinals at the Gymnastics Palace, and then, in the 59kg final, from 2013 world champion Ivo ANGELOV (BUL).

For his part, even before reaching the semifinals, Angelov will likely have to get by the winner of the match-up between Olympic bronze medalists Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) or Roman AMOYAN (ARM).

The 35-year-old Gaber, meanwhile, wrestling in his first competition since winning a silver medal in London, will be tested early and, if he navigates the bracket successfully, then face world silver medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) in the 98kg championship final.

Aleksanyan, who narrowly missed the title last year in Budapest, is on a mission to win it all this year and follow Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM) to the top of the medals podium in Tashkent. Julfalakyan won the world title at 75kg on Friday.

Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), runner-up to Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) at the European championships and Golden Grand Prix Final, will try to capitalize on the Hungarian’s move to 66kg and close out the year with the world title at 71kg.

MAT A: http://new.livestream.com/unitedworldwrestling/events/3369840

MAT B: http://new.livestream.com/unitedworldwrestling/events/3369848

MAT C: http://new.livestream.com/unitedworldwrestling/events/3369851

Greco-Roman

59kg (36 entries)

Soryan begins his quest for a sixth world title near the bottom of the 36-wrestler bracket. A bump in the road might be European runner-up Victor CIOBANU (MDA), his likely opponent in the quarterfinals.

Asia champion Tasmuradov will have the backing of a boisterous crowd as he opens against Edward BARSEGIAN (POL) and Kristijan FRIS (SEB) on his way to a semifinal berth opposite Soryan.

Angelov starts at the bottom of the upper half of the bracket and in the quarterfinals could meet the winner of the Amoyan-Semenov match-up in the first round.

Peter MODOS (HUN), a 2013 bronze medalist in Budapest, has had a quiet year recuperating from a knee injury suffered in March, but could still navigate to the fourth semifinal berth.

71kg (30 entries)

Chunayev would seem to be the class of this non-Olympic weight category, but will be tested early at the bottom of the bracket by Justin LESTER (USA) in the round of 16 and European bronze medalist Yunus OZEL (TUR) in the quarterfinals.

Varsham BORANYAN (ARM), winner at the German Grand Prix in June, could emerge a challenger to Chunayev from the quarter above.

At the top of the bracket, Poddubny tournament winner Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) and and Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) could duel for the uppermost semifinal berth, while Aleksandar DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) and Pytlasinski tourney runner-up Mathia MAASCH (GER) battle for the berth opposite.

98kg (30 entries)

European champion Aleksanyan begins the upper half of the bracket and is looking at a potential meeting in the quarterfinals with Aleksander HRABOVIK (BLR), a bronze medalist at the German Grand Prix.

London 2012 gold medalist Ghasem REZAIE (IRI), 2013 junior world champion Musa EVLOEV (RUS) and European bronze medalist Marthin NIELSEN (NOR) make for a crowded top quarter of the bracket in a battle to face Aleksanyan in the semifinals.

At the very bottom of the bracket, Gaber appears ready to make a run for Rio, but first will to battle through a swarm of tough competitors, including European runner-up Cenk ILDEM (TUR).

The final semifinal berth may well go to the Pytlasinski bronze medal winner Miloslav METODIEV (BUL) or Alin ALEX-CIURARIU (ROU), a bronze medalist at the world student championships in July

59kg

GOLD: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) v. Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS)
BRONZE: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) v. Ismael BORRERO (CUB)
BRONZE: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) v. Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR)

Semifinal: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB), 2-1
Semifinal: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) by TF, 9-1

Repechage: Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) df. Jung-Baik LEE (KOR), 1-0
Repechage: Ismael BORRERO (CUB) df. Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY), 13-9
Repechage: Jung-Baik LEE (KOR) df. Roman AMOYAN (ARM), 4-2
Repechage: Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY) df. Alex Iordache ANECHITEI (ROU) by TF, 9-0

Quarterfinal: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE), 3-0
Quarterfinal: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Lumin WANG (CHN) by TF, 9-0
Quarterfinal: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR), 5-0
Quarterfinal: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) df. Kazuma KURAMOTO (JPN) by TF, 10-0

1/8: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Ismael BORRERO (CUB), 5-0
1/8: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Tonimir SOKOL (CRO) by TF, 9-0
1/8: Kazuma KURAMOTO (JPN) df. Andres MONTANO (ECU), 2-2
1/8: Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Deniz MENEKSE (GER), 6-3
1/8: Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) df. Ivo Serafimov ANGELOV (BUL), 1-1
1/8: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) df. Peter MODOS (HUN), 4-0
1/8: Lumin WANG (CHN) df. Arsen ERALIEV (KGZ) by TF, 12-3
1/8: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Jung-Baik LEE (KOR) by FALL, 6-0

1/16: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY), 2-1
1/16: Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Yasin OZAY (FRA), 3-2
1/16: Tonimir SOKOL (CRO) df. Kristian FRIS (SRB), 4-4
1/16: Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) df. Manuel A. LOPEZ (MEX), 5-0
1/16: Kazuma KURAMOTO (JPN) df. Ravinder SINGH (IND), 4-1
1/16: Peter MODOS (HUN) df. Tobias Fonnesbek (DEN), 3-1
1/16: Ismael BORRERO (CUB) df. Goderdzi DAVITADZE (GEO), 7-1
1/16: Arsen ERALIEV (KGZ) df. Ievgen MIAGKYI (UKR), 2-1
1/16: Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Edward BERSEGIAN (POL) by TF, 8-0
1/16: Jung-Baik LEE (KOR) df. Jussi-Pekka NIEMISTOE (FIN) by TF, 13-3
1/16: Andres MONTANO (ECU) df. Andrey TSARYUK (ISR) by TF, 8-0
1/16: Deniz MENEKSE (GER) df. Victor CIOBANU (MDA) by FALL, 6-2
1/16: Lumin WANG (CHN) df. Maksim KAZHARSKI (BLR), 6-2
1/16: Ivo Serafimov ANGELOV (BUL) df. Albert BAGHUMYAN (ESP) by TF, 9-0
1/16: Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Roman AMOYAN (ARM), 3-0
1/16: Spenser Thomas MANGO (USA) df. Fatih UCUNCU (TUR), 2-2

Qualification: Haithem Ahmed FAHMY (EGY) df. Suparmanto SUPARMANTO (INA) by TF, 8-0
Qualification: Goderdzi DAVITADZE (GEO) df. Fouad FAJARI (MAR), 5-0
Qualification: Hamid Mohammad SORYAN (IRI) df. Alex Iordache ANECHITEI (ROU) by TF, 8-0
Qualification: Ismael BORRERO (CUB) df. Yerbol KONYRATOV (KAZ), 5-0

71 kg

GOLD: Yunus OZEL (TUR) v. Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS)
BRONZE: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) v. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE)
BRONZE: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) v. Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI)

Semifinal: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) by forfeit, 5-0
Semifinal: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) by TF, 8-0

Repechage: Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI) df. Balint KORPASI (HUN), 4-3
Repechage: Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Ionel PUSCASU (ROU) by TF, 9-1
Repechage: Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Aleksandar MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 7-2
Repechage: Ionel PUSCASU (ROU) df. Fernando Vicente GOMEZ (MEX) by TF, 8-0

Quarterfinal: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), 4-1
Quarterfinal: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) df. Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 2-1
Quarterfinal: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) df. Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) by FALL, 4-6
Quarterfinal: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI), 4-0

1/8: Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Justin Dashaun LESTER (USA), 9-7
1/8: Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) df. Knut Zakarias TALLROTH (SWE) by FALL, 7-3
1/8: Afshim BYABANGARD (IRI) df. Young-Ha KIM (KOR), 2-0
1/8: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) df. K.K. YADAV (IND) by TF, 8-0
1/8: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) df. Kairat TUGOLBAEY (KGZ), 10-2
1/8: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Ionel PUSCASU (ROU), 3-1
1/8: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) df. Dilshodjon TURDIEV (UZB) by TF, 10-2
1/8: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Balint KORPASI (HUN), 2-1

Qualification: Justin Dashaun LESTER (USA) df. Mindia TZULUKIDZE (GEO), 5-0
Qualification: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) df. Ridong ZHANG (CHN) by TF, 9-0
Qualification: Knut Zakarias TALLROTH (SWE) df. Matthias MAASCH (GER), 2-2
Qualification: Aliaksandr DZEMYANOVICH (BLR) df. Tomas SOBECKY (CZE) by TF, 8-0
Qualification: Yunus OZEL (TUR) df. Fernando Vicente GOMEZ (MEX) by TF, 8-0
Qualification: Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Noritomo ETO (JPN) by TF, 8-0
Qualification: Dilshodjon TURDIEV (UZB) df. Kristaps KALNAKARKLIS (LAT) by TF, 8-0
Qualification: Shermet PERMANOV (TKM) df. Franson Rsei GIBBONS (PLW) by FALL, 4-0
Qualification: Chingiz LABAZANOV (RUS) df. Aleksandar MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 5-2
Qualification: Ionel PUSCASU (ROU) df. Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE), 7-0
Qualification: K.K. YADAV (IND) df. Vojtech JAKUS (SVK) by FALL, 5-3
Qualification: Varsham BORANYAN (ARM) df. Riccardo Vito ABBRESCIA (ITA) by TF, 9-0
Qualification: Kairat TUGOLBAEY (KGZ) df. Joseph Dominic LOPEZ (GUM) by TF, 9-0
Qualification: Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Armen VARDANYAN (UKR), 2-0

98kg

GOLD: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) v. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
BRONZE: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) v. Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU)
BRONZE: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) v. Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR)

Semifinal: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Cenk ILDEM (TUR), 5-0
Semifinal: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI), 3-1

Repechage: Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Adam VARGA (HUN), 6-0
Repechage: Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU) df. Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) by Injury Default, 0-0
Repechage: Adam VARGA (HUN) df. Arslan SAPARMAMMEDOV (TKM), 5-0
Repechage: Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU) df. Radoslaw Pawel GRZYBICKI (POL), 3-0

Quarterfinal: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Ardo ARUSAAR (EST), 1-0
Quarterfinal: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) by Injury Default, 7-2
Quarterfinal: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR), 1-0
Quarterfinal: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) df. Marthin Hamlet NIELSEN (NOR), 2-0

1/8: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU), 3-0
1/8: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Adam VARGA (HUN), 2-0
1/8: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Timo Antero KALLIO (FIN), 3-1
1/8: Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) df. Erwin Jose CARABALLO (VEN) by DQ, 4-0
1/8: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) df. Musa EVLOEV (RUS), 2-1
1/8: Ardo ARUSAAR (EST) df. Hardeep SINGH (IND), 4-1
1/8: Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Zhanarbek KABDOLOV (KAZ), 4-2
1/8: Marthin Hamlet NIELSEN (NOR) df. Caylor Ryan WILLIAMS (USA), 3-0

Qualification: Timo Antero KALLIO (FIN) df. Karam Mohamed GABER (EGY) by FALL, 2-0
Qualification: Ardo ARUSAAR (EST) df. Abudurexiti ALIMUJIANG (CHN) by TF, 10-1
Qualification: Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL) df. Dimitriy TIMCHENKO (UKR), 3-2
Qualification: Zhanarbek KABDOLOV (KAZ) df. Vasil IMERLISHVILI (GEO), 1-0
Qualification: Musa EVLOEV (RUS) df. Evgeniy ACHKASOV (UZB), 6-0
Qualification: Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Shalva GADABADZE (AZE), 2-0
Qualification: Oliver Adrian HASSLER (GER) df. Radoslaw Pawel GRZYBICKI (POL), 2-1
Qualification: Erwin Jose CARABALLO (VEN) df. Spyridon KOUNTOURATZIS (GRE), 3-0
Qualification: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Arslan SAPARMAMMEDOV (TKM) by TF, 10-1
Qualification: Ghasem Gholamreza REZAEI (IRI) df. Carl Fredrik Stefan SCHON (SWE), 3-1
Qualification: Hardeep SINGH (IND) df. Akira OSAKA (JPN), 4-1
Qualification: Alin ALEXUC-CIURARIU (ROU) df. Daniel GASTL (AUT), 2-0
Qualification: Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU) by TF, 11-0
Qualification: Adam VARGA (HUN) df. Robert AVANISYAN (ISR), 3-0

#JapanWrestling

Gomi Takes Big Strides as Japan’s Next Greco-Roman Hope

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - 13:33 By Vinay Siwach

JAPAN (February 18) -- Koto GOMI (JPN) has been racking up titles in recent times. Last year, he won the U23 world title, the first for Japan in six years. He then won the All-Japan Championships gold in December for the first time.

Making his senior debut in 2026, the 21-year-old had an extraordinary run at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event, winning the 60kg gold medal and giving up only three points in four bouts. In the final, Gomi defeated world silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 10-0, using three arm-throws to secure the victory inside the first period.

Koto GOMI (JPN) defeated Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the Zagreb Open final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

While it may be too early to call Gomi a protégé, he may have already ended Japan's search for a new star at 60kg and a replacement for Olympic champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN).

The 30-year-old Fumita is a two-time world champion and won silver at the 2023 World Championships. A silver medalist from the Tokyo Olympics, he turned it into gold at Paris 2024.

But Fumita has not stepped on the mat since. He took time off and was entered in the All-Japan Championships at 63kg, but later pulled out. Though he did not mention it, most in Japan cite weight-cut issues for his delayed return.

That leaves Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), Kaito INABA (JPN) and Gomi as the front-runners for the spot if Fumita cannot make it. Gomi pinned Shiotani and then beat Inaba via technical superiority at the National Sports Festival in October.

Two months later in December, he again beat Shiotani to earn a spot on Japan’s Asian Championships team.

Koto GOMI (JPN), left, after winning the All-Japan University Championships. (Photo: Koto Gomi / Instagram)

Early start

Gomi was born in the Yamanashi Prefecture, west of Tokyo. The prefecture has given wrestling some of its biggest stars including Olympic champions Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) and Tatsuhiro YONEMITSU (JPN).

He was introduced to wrestling by his father Joe, a kickboxer. Joe would take his eldest son Koto to far away tournaments to compete. Though the results were not always satisfying, Shiro wanted his son to face high-level competition every year.

"Wrestling has few injuries," he was quoted as saying by Japan Wrestling Federation in 2010. "It's a sport that develops physical ability and trains both the body and mind. I think it's the perfect martial art for children.

"It's a sport where older students take care of younger students. They naturally take care of you without you having to teach them."

It's true in Gomi's case. Like Gomi, both Fumita and Inaba hail from the same prefecture and attended the same high school.

Fumita's father, Toshiro, introduced most wrestlers to Greco in their high school. While Fumita and Inaba moved to Nippon Sports Science University, Gomi is at the Ikuei University, same as the world and Olympic champions in women's Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) and Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN).

Koto GOMI (JPN), blue, at the 2022 U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Gomi began competing exclusively in Greco-Roman around 2022 but did not get satisfactory results internationally, finishing fifth and ninth at the two U20 World Championships.

In one of the memorable matches early in his career, Gomi had troubled the now Olympic Saied ESMAEILI (IRI). At the 2022 U20 Worlds, he was led 6-4 and then 9-4 at one point in the match against the Iranian but he lost it 13-9.

Two years later, Gomi emerged as a dominant force. He won the gold medal at the U20 Asian Championships and all age-group domestic competitions. His only losses came at the senior All-Japan Championships, winning bronze at three of them.

Gomi said his recent success was the result of years of hard work, particularly at university.

"I don't seem to be the athletic type, but rather a refreshing liberal arts type, and that's how I'm often seen," Gomi said. "I'm competitive. I get really annoyed and frustrated when I lose in practice. The hard work I've put in over the past four years at university is starting to show in the past year."

Domestic challenges

In 2025, Gomi suffered only one loss in five tournaments -- a 10-0 humiliation to Shiotani in May. But in December, he avenged that loss in the final of the All-Japan Championships and earned a chance to represent Japan at the 2026 Asian Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in April.

The December win also put Gomi a step closer to the 2026 World Championships and Asian Games. He now has to win the Japan National Championships in May to qualify for both. If he fails to win, he will have a wrestle-off with the winner on the same day.

Both the U23 World Championships and the Zagreb Open showcased Gomi's technical excellence. He often uses a two-on-one to set up his arm-throws and arm-drags. It is his swiftness, rather than brute force, that allows him to complete his attacks.

In par terre, Gomi has an excellent high gut-wrench, which he used effectively against Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI) in Zagreb and Maxwell BLACK (USA) at the U23 Worlds.

"I'm starting to find my strengths, like in terms of technique, so I think that's a good thing," he said.

Despite his rapid rise, Gomi is cautious about calling himself the best yet. He knows he still needs to get past several domestic rivals before becoming Japan’s first-choice wrestler at 60kg.

"It's not like that, but I was conscious of focusing on my strengths and techniques and taking the initiative to attack," he said. "But, there are many other players in Japan, like Fumita and Inaba, and I don't think I can beat them yet, so I'll continue to practice hard."

But if Zagreb was any indication, it may not take long.

Soryan Eyes Sixth Title, Gaber Readies Run to Rio (Live Updates)

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Gomi Takes Big Strides as Japan’s Next Greco-Roman Hope