#WrestleKonya

Aliyev, Stadnik win gold at Islamic Solidarity Games

Wednesday, August 10, 2022 - 22:06 By Ali Feizasa

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KONYA, Turkey (August 10) -- Azerbaijan captured three gold medals while Iran won two on the first first day of the Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya, Turkey.

The 5th Islamic Solidarity Games, originally scheduled to be held in 2021, were postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. About 4200 athletes from 56 countries have arrived in Konya to compete in 19 different sports and four para-sports.

Wrestling got underway at the Games on Wednesday with five freestyle and two women's weight categories.

In freestyle, Iran and Azerbaijan grabbed two gold medals each on the first day while Uzbekistan succeed to take one gold.

Olympic silver medalist and three-time world champ Haji ALIYEV (AZE) won the 65kg gold medal after beating Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) in the final to repeat his gold medal win from the 2017 Games in Baku.

However, it wasn't an easy run for him as he was in trouble in the quarterfinal against Tokyo Olympian Morteza GHIASI (IRI) but came from behind to win the match.

With less than 30 seconds to the end, Ghiasi led 4-1 but Aliyev hit a double and gut wrenches to earn an 8-4 victory.

Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) defeated Mohammadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (IRI) in the 74kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

In another close Azerbaijan-Iran bout, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) earned the second gold for Azerbaijan by a 2-1 victory over Mohammadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (IRI) in the 74kg final.

The first gold medal for Iran came from 86kg as three-time World Championships medalist Alireza KARIMI (IRI) dominated the final against Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE).

Karimi controlled the bout by several takedowns and had a 9-0 lead when Abakarov signaled for a forfeit citing an injury. Karimi outscored his opponents 29-0 in the three bouts.

Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI)Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) was crowned as the 97kg champion in Konya. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

2021 World bronze medalist Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) doubled Iran's gold medal count with an easy win over local wrestler Mustafa SESSIZ (TUR) in the 97kg final.

Goleij opened the bout with two points when the Turkey wrestler failed to continue further due to an injury.

Tokyo Olympian Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) won the first gold of the night as he downed Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) in the 57kg final bout to put the gold in Uzbekistan's pocket.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) won gold at 50kg in her first competition since the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Stadnik's golden return

The two women’s wrestling weight classes in action on Wednesday were 50kg and 59kg.

10-time Olympic and World medalist Mariya Stadnik (AZE) made a return to competitive wrestling for the first time since Tokyo Olympics and it was golden.

The four-time Olympic medalist defended her gold medal from the 2017 Games with a brilliant performance.

Over the course of her four bouts, she had a 40-0 record and celebrated her title by a 10-0 victory over Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB).

Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) defended her 59kg gold in Konya. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

After winning gold less than a week ago at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) became the third wrestler of the day who defended her title from the 2017 edition of the Games.

Wrestling at 59kg, three-time world medalist Adekuoroye earned 27 points against her four rivals. Since there were five wrestlers in the weight class, it was conducted in a Nordic bracket.

Adekuoroye won the gold medal with Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) winning the silver and Elmas CELIK (TUR) grabbing the bronze.

Wrestling at the Islamic Solidarity Games continues Thursday with 61kg, 70kg, 79kg, 92kg and 125 kg in freestyle and 53kg, 62kg and 72kg in women’s wrestling.

Alireza KARIMI (IRI)Alireza KARIMI (IRI) dominated the 86kg weight class to win gold. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Day 1 Results

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)

BRONZE: Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) df. Asil AL MAKTARI (YEM)
BRONZE: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) df. Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK)

65kg
GOLD: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), via fall

BRONZE: Morteza GHIASI (IRI) df. Umidjon JALALOV (UZB), 4-2
BRONZE: Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) df. Kerim HOJAKOV (TKM),

74kg
GOLD: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Mohammadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 2-1

BRONZE: Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) df. Ikkal ABDELK (ALG)
BRONZE: Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)

86kg
GOLD: Alireza KARIMI (IRI) df. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), 9-0 (victory via injury)

BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Azizbek FAYZULLAEV (UZB), 11-6
BRONZE: Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ) df. Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)

97kg
GOLD: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) df. Mustafa SESSIZ (TUR), 2-0 (victory via injury)

BRONZE: Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) df. Hemel YAYEV (TKM), 2-2
BRONZE: Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ) df. Baisal KUBATOV (KGZ)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB), 10-0

BRONZE: Hamdi SARRA (TUN) df. Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ)

59kg
Round 5: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) df. Guldana BEKESH (KAZ)
Round 5: Elmas CELIK (TUR) df. Dilfuza AIMBETOVA (UZB)

GOLD: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
SILVER: Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
BRONZE: Elmas CELIK (TUR)

#wrestlemanama

Bahrain to host 2026 World Championships

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 12:02 By United World Wrestling Press

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- For the first time in history, the World Championships are headed to Bahrain.

The 2026 World Championships will be held in Manama, Bahrain from September 5 to 13, United World Wrestling announced on Tuesday, during the ongoing World Championships in Zagreb.

No Arab country has ever hosted a World Championships but Bahrain will etch its name in history with the 2026 edition.

Secretary General of the Bahrain Olympic Committee Faris AL-KOOHEJI attended the press conference at the Arena Zagreb for the historic announcement. UWW President Nenad LALOVIC and Al-Kooheji announced the host together and signed the agreement.

"Bahrain has a superstar in wrestling," UWW President Lalovic said. "They probably want to use this opportunity to promote the sport through this superstar [Akhmed] TAZHUDINOV (BRN). But he's not the only one.

"They also want to develop the local Bahrain born athletes to compete because they have the role model of the top achievement in wrestling. This is something that we considered and that is why we made this decision.

Bahrain won its first-ever gold medal in Olympics in Paris when Tahzudinov ran-through the 97kg weight class and captured the gold medal. A year before that, he won the world title in the same weight class.

Tazhudinov is also an Asian champion, Asian Games champion and winner of other Ranking Series events.

Lalovic on the fact that wrestling wants to change the host continent of the World Championships more regularly.

 "We also want to change the continent regularly," he said. "A state that can organize the Asian [Youth] Games like they will do now in October, they will not face any problem with the championships, especially that we give all the assistance possible for the execution"

Manama, Bahrain will host the Asian Youth Games in which wrestling will be held from October 28 to 30.

Expressing its gratitude to UWW and readiness to host the mega event, Al-Kooheji said that the tournament will help Bahrain take wrestling to the grassroot levels in the country.

"For us, wrestling is a long term project," Al-Kooheji said. "Wrestling is a growing sport. It's a strategic sport for us. We got a gold medal in Paris, and we're looking to getting more medals. That gold medal started to inspire a lot of people, locally, to pursue wrestling, which is why part of the discussions with United World Wrestling is to even help us add wrestling in schools."

The Bahrain Olympic Committee expects that the World Championships will have a positive impact in growing the sport in the country.

"Strong economic impact [from the event]," he said. "We're going to get lots of travel spectators from Iran, the United States, and other countries as well. It's going to encourage the local community. They will understand more wrestling."