#BuchaWrestU23

17 Countries Represented in U23 Greco-Roman World Semifinals

Monday, November 12, 2018 - 14:57 By Taylor Miller

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BUCHAREST, Romania – Greco-Roman action opened the first day of the U23 World Championships on Monday in Bucharest, Romania. The first batch of semifinals are set and feature 17 different nations.

Highlighting the 55 kg semifinals is Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), who claimed a World bronze medal just two weeks ago at the 2018 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

To open his tournament, the Georgian defeated Norair Hakohoyan of Armenia, who was fifth in Hungary.

Tsutsumia will take on 2012 Cadet World bronze medalist Balbai Dordokov of Kyrgyzstan for a spot in the finals.

The other 55 kg semifinal will pit 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) against 2018 Russia Nationals champion Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS).

At 63 kg, hometown favorite Mihai MIHUT (ROU) advanced to the semifinals, defeating 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Magomed MAGOMEDOV (RUS) and two-time age-group World bronze winner SLavik GALSTYAN (ARM) in the morning session.

Mihut, a 2015 Junior World bronze medalist, will vie for a spot in the finals against Alexandru BICIU (MDA).

Meysam DALKHANI (IRI), who won Junior World bronze medal in 2016, advance to the 63 kg semifinals, where he will face Katsuaki ENDO (JPN).

There are two 2017 U23 World champions featured in the 77 kg semis, including World champ at 75 kg Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) and World champ at 71 kg Daniel CATARAGA (MDA).

Cengiz will take on 2018 U23 European champion Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN), while Cataraga will face 2018 Junior World silver medalist and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Sajan SAJAN (IND).

Three-time age-group World champion Islam ABBASOV (AZE) dominated his first bout of the day against Kanta SHIOKAWA (JPN), 9-0, before having to battle back from a late deficit against Gurami KHETSURIAN (GEO) in the quarterfinals to land a spot in the 87 kg semifinals.

Tonight, he will take on Semen NOVIKOV (UKR).

The other 87 kg semi features 2018 Pan American champion Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) vs. U23 European bronze medalist Gazi KHALILOV (RUS).

At 130 kg, three-time Junior World champion and two-time Cadet World champion Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) will face Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) in the semifinals.

Pataridze took second at last year’s U23 Worlds, while Maeenpaeae finished with bronze.

Battling for the other finals spot at 130 kg is 2016 Junior World silver medalist and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) and Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY).

The semifinals are set for 6 p.m. on Monday night. Fans can watch live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Semifinals matchups

55 kg
Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) vs. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) vs. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)

63 kg
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) vs. Meysam DALKHANI (IRI)
Alexandru BICIU (MDA) vs. Mihai MIHUT (ROU)

77 kg
Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR)
Sajan SAJAN (IND) vs. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)

87 kg
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) vs. Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) vs. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS)

130 kg
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) vs. Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) vs. Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)

#WrestleAthens

Wrestling World U17 C'ships: Freestyle Live Results

Friday, August 1, 2025 - 07:56 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- The World U17 Championships will be moving to Freestyle action with 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

14:30: The big three at 110kg -- Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW), Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI) and LACKY (IND) -- win their respective quarterfinals and enter the semifinals.

14:15: Zhakshylyk BOROBAEV (KGZ) thought he had the win at 55kg. But Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) still had something in him and then. He scores a takedown manages to turn Borobaev for two more points and lead 9-8. He is ecstatic! He will wrestle Burnett later.

14:00: Greyton BURNETT (USA) shuts down Jaiveer SINGH (IND) and gets a 3-0 win over Singh at 55kg. Burnett gave no opening to Singh to score.

13:45: Big match on Mat A at 65kg between Asian U17 champion Gaurav PUNIA (IND) and Pan-Am U17 champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA). Punia tries a leg-attack but Kikinou with a counter and turn for two points. Punia with a reversal. Kikinou led 3-1 at the break. Punia gets the exposure for two points to take a 3-3 criteria lead but Kikinou manages to put Punia in danger in the same scramble which makes it 5-3 for him. Kikinou cautioned for fleeing but he wins 5-4.

13:35: Morteza HAJ (IRI) gets a takedown in the final seconds to beat Ivan ZALISKO (UKR) at 65kg. Zalisko led 4-4 on criteria but Haj makes a  big comeback.

13:10: LACKY (IND) gut-wrenches Hanto HAYASHI (JPN) and wins his 110kg bout 10-0. He is looking to add a world title to his Asian title he won in June

13:06: In a match that saw six stepouts, Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IR) manages keep his breath and beat Zekeriya DOGAN (TUR) 6-2 at 110kg.

12:56: Aaron STEWART (USA) cuts shorts Marshall EVERETT JONES (GBR) tournament with an 11-0 hammering at 80kg. Stewart just overpowered Everett Jones.

12:55: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) hands Mohammadreza BARARI (IRI) a 4-1 loss at 55kg. Solid positioning from Okonogi. Barari's tactics of keeping it slow did not work out.

12:45: Nihad SULEYMANLI (AZE) is shocked after Issa ZANGIEV (UWW) gets front roll for two points and wins the 80kg 1/8 final 6-5. Suleymanli did well to keep his lead but failed in the final second. Azerbaijan challenges but it loses it. Zangiev wins 7-5

12:35: Greyton BURNETT (USA) gets a takedown with 20 seconds remaining to lead 3-1 against Armen PAPIKYAN (ARM) who needed a two-point technique to win. He however gets one a stepout. Burnett wins 3-2 at 55kg.

12:27: Asian U17 champion Gourav PUNIA (IND) like a workhorse with five takedowns and he defeats Kodai IWASAKI (JPN) 10-0 at 65kg.

12:25: Adisbek ALTYNBEKOV (KGZ) went five on Kiryl PAULIUCHENKA (UWW), not once but twice to win his 65kg match 10-0. Those were some high level throws from the Kyrgyz, a bronze medalist from Asian U17 Championships

12:05: Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW), European champion at 110kg, begins with a 11-0 win over Yu Chiao CHUANG (TPE), who had his own troubles with bleeding. He needed several medical timeouts

11:45: Marshall EVERETT JONES (GBR), European U17 bronze medalist, comes out with a huge underhook throw for four and then rolls Levan CHERTKOEV (FRA) to win 10-0 at 80kg.

11:40: Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) keeps his strong positions and beats Buyantogtokh BYAMBADORJ (MGL) 7-2 at 80kg to give Iran the third win of the day. Iran is hoping to reclaim the U17 team title.

11:19: European champion Ruslan ALIZADA (AZE) has no trouble seeing off Dan BULGARU (MDA) 10-0 at 55kg. Alizada is one of more exciting prospects in this Azerbaijan team.

11:15: Iran with back-to-back wins! Morteza HAJ (IRI) beats Yandro SOTO RIVERA (PUR) at 65kg and Mohammadreza BARARI (IRI) defends a late attack from Aleksandar DELCHEV (BUL) to win at 55kg.

11:05: Asian U17 champion Gourav PUNIA (IND) slams Changxin WU (CHN) for a big four and then exposes his two times to win 11-0 at 65kg.

10:50: Quick results at 65kg as Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UWW) beats Nikos SOURAILOV (CYP) 10-0, followed by European U17 silver medalist Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) getting a 4-2 win over Liam GORTON (CAN). Pan-Am champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) also has a technical superiority win over Nikita KOZICH (ISR).

10:30: Freestyle action will take centerstage at the World U17 Championships in Athens. The United States will once again be favorite to win the team title but Iran will look to challenge them.