#WrestleTirana

Aitmukhan wins U23 Worlds gold; Iran best team

Monday, October 28, 2024 - 10:29 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 26) -- After becoming Kazakhstan's first world champion in Freestyle, Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) is on a mission to collect age-group world titles. Two months after winning the U20 World Championships gold medal, Aitmukhan won the 97kg gold medal at the U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania. The gold medal ensured Aitmukhan's record of finishing on the podium of all tournaments he has participated in since 2023.

Aitmukhan wrestled Mahdi HAJI (IRI) in the final and led 2-2 at the break but Haji struggled with conditioning in the second. He fell behind 10-4 at one point and there was no coming back against Aitmukhan.

Iran, however, won the Freestyle team title as it got 158 points. Japan had an incredible run and finished with 102 points for second position and Azerbaijan was third with 100 points.

Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) claimed the 79kg gold medal for Iran after he defeated Paris Olympian Feng LU (CHN), who became the first wrestler from China to reach the final in Freestyle.

Ibragimov repeats

Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (AIN) claimed his second straight world title at the U23 World Championships as he took only 53 seconds to beat Kaiji OGINO (JPN) 14-2.

A takedown opened the scoring for Ibragimov and he added four turns to make it 8-0. However, Ogino managed to wrap his arm around Ibragimov and tossed him for two points. Ibragimov never left control of Ogino and transitioned to a leg lace to finish the match 13-2.

Ogino challenged for the sequence but it was scored correctly on the challenge. The lost challenge of Japan made it 14-2 for Ibragimov.

The 57kg gold medal was captured by 19-year-old CHIRAG (IND) as he defeated Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ) 4-3 in the final.

Chirag was called passive in the second period but scored with a beautiful duckunder during the activity. But Karachov scored a stepout with a minute remaining in the match to take a 3-2 lead.

Chirag continued to work for a takedown for the win, got a leg attack, and scored two points. His 4-3 lead was good enough till the end of six minutes to win India's second-ever gold medal in Freestyle at the U23 World Championships.

 At 70kg, Magomed KHANIEV (AZE) held on to a 5-4 lead against Magomed ELTEMIROV (AIN) and win the gold medal.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: CHIRAG (IND) df. Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ), 4-3

BRONZE: Ali Hossein MOMENI (IRI) df. Maxwell GALLAGHER (USA), 8-0
BRONZE: Iunus IAVBATIROV (AIN) df. Allan ORALBEK (KAZ), 6-2

65kg
GOLD: Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (AIN) df. Kaiji OGINO (JPN), 14-2

BRONZE: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ), 4-1
BRONZE: Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) df. Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR), 15-4

70kg
GOLD: Magomed KHANIEV (AZE) df. Magomed ELTEMIROV (AIN), 5-4

BRONZE: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Ali Mahmoud KHORRAMDEL (IRI), 10-0
BRONZE: SUJEET (IND) df. Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK), 13-4 

79kg
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Feng LU (CHN), 12-5

BRONZE: Arsen BALAIAN (AIN) df. Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM), 9-1
BRONZE: Masaki SATO (JPN) df. Owen MARTIN (CAN), 11-0

97kg
GOLD: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Mahdi HAJI (IRI), 11-6

BRONZE: Uladzislau KAZLOU (AIN) df. Shamil GADZHIALIEV (AIN), 2-2
BRONZE: VICKY (IND) df. Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR), 7-2

#WrestleSamokov

U.S. puts 2 in U20 Worlds finals; Kurugliyev closer to title

Monday, August 18, 2025 - 15:01 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 18) -- Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) earned himself a chance to win his first U20 world title after he made it to 92kg final Monday in Samokov, Bulgaria.

Kurugliyev, a former world U17 champion, has made the trip to World U20 Championships twice before this year but finished fifth in 2023 and won bronze in 2024, both at 97kg. He moved down to 92kg for this year's tournament and already upgraded his medal.

In a tough semifinal against returning bronze medalist Anar JAFARLI (AZE), Kurugliyev won a close bout 9-6, thanks to an early four-pointer move which gave him a huge advantage. Jafarli got a couple of takedowns but never seemed to trouble the Kazakhstan wrestler.

Kurugliyev will now face Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) in the final after the Uzbekistan wrestler pinned Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW) in the other semifinal at 92kg.

Poyonov, the Asian U20 champion, blocked Gadzhibatyrov in one of the attacks and then kept him on the mat, pinning his shoulders for the win. Poyonov will look to become the first Uzbekistan wrestler to win gold since 2022.

The U.S. got two finalists on Monday at 65kg and 79kg. At 65kg, Luke STANICH (USA) defeated European U20 and U23 champion Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) with some of the best wrestling in Samokov. Stanich kept his positions and defense and ultimately managed to score a takedown in the second period to beat Dzhandubaev 3-1 in the semifinals.

He will face Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) for the gold medal after the Japanese wrestler blanked Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 10-0, using a series of stepouts and lace. Uchida is a product of the Yamanashi Gaikun University, the same university that produced world champion Masanosuke ONO (JPN) and Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN).

Pan-American U20 champion William HENCKEL (USA) defeated Asian U20 champion AMIT (IND), 5-4, using a takedown and gut-wrench in the first period. He scored a stepout when put on activity period and then added a takedown and turn. Amit blocked the second turn attempt for two points but Henckel led 5-2 at the break.

Amit managed a stepout and point for passivity from Henckel but that was all for him as the U.S. wrestler moved into the final in which he will face returning bronze medalist and senior Asian champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI).

At one point in the semifinal, Yousefi was down against European U20 bronze medalist Said SAIDULOV (UWW). But he managed to score takedowns at regular intervals to defeat Saidulov 15-7.

At 57kg, Sumit MALIK (IND) dominated his semifinal against Ion BULGARU (MDA) and won 11-3 and booked place in the final against Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) who held on to a nervous 3-1 win over Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) in the other semifinal.

Malik got on board first when he scored a stepout during his activity clock. He added a stepout and takedown to make it 4-0 at the break. He kept his attacks and got another takedown and stepout in the second period to build a 7-0 lead.

Bulgaru finally hit back with a takedown on the edge to cut the lead to 7-2 but Malik kept relentless forward pressure, scoring a stepout and takedown to lead 10-2. Both wrestlers were cautioned for open hands on faces but that did not affect Malik, who won 11-3 win.

Ozdamirov, who showed some crafty wrestling throughout the day, denied Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), 3-1, thanks to a takedown in the second period.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) vs. Sumit MALIK (IND)

SF 1: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) df. Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), 3-1
SF 2: Sumit MALIK (IND) df. Ion BULGARU (MDA), 11-3

65kg
GOLD: Luke STANICH (USA) vs. Reiji UCHIDA (JPN)

SF 1: Luke STANICH (USA) df. Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW), 3-1
SF 2: Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) df. Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) vs. William HENCKEL (USA)

SF 1: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Said SAIDULOV (UWW), 15-7
SF 2: William HENCKEL (USA) df. AMIT (IND), 5-4

92kg
GOLD: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) vs. Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) df. Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW), via fall
SF 2: Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) df. Anar JAFARLI (AZE), 9-6