#Zagreb2018

Amirli Repeats as Cadet World Champion, Zare Knocks Off Returning Champ Kerkvliet

By Taylor Miller

ZAGREB, Croatia – On the second night of the Cadet World Championships, five champs were crowned in men’s freestyle. The session was highlighted by Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE) winning his second-straight World title.

Amirli repeated his gold-medal performance with a 6-1 decision in the 48 kg finals over Richard FIGUEROA (USA). Putting Figueroa to his back in a big second-period takedown, Amirli took over the lead, which he held onto for back-to-back World gold medals.

Azerbaijan picked up another World champion later in the session as Turan BAYRAMOV improved on his 2017 World silver-medal finish, winning the top spot at 65 kg over Inalbek SHERIEV (RUS).

In a surprising result, 2018 Cadet Asian champion Amir ZARE (IRI) took out 2017 Cadet World champion Daniel KERKVLIET (USA) in the 110 kg final. The combination of three step outs and two takedowns gave Zare a 7-4 edge and his first Cadet World title.

2017 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Jamshidbek MARUFOV (UZB) took the crown at 55 kg, holding off this year’s Cadet Asian champion Hayato FUJITA (JPN) in a 4-3 bout. Marufov was up 4-0 early halfway through the second period. Fujita made a late push, but it was not enough as Uzbekistan claimed a World gold.

At 80 kg, Dmitrii ELKANOV (RUS) trailed 2018 Cadet Asian champion Mohammedreza GHIYASI (IRI), 6-2, late in the match. With just four seconds left, Elkanov threw Ghiyasi with double overhooks to take the lead on criteria. Iran’s corner challenged but it failed, resulting in a 7-6 win for Elkanov and a World title.

Earlier in the session, the semifinals for 45 kg, 51 kg, 60 kg, 71 kg and 92 kg. Iran and Turkey both put two wrestlers into the finals.

The tournament continues tomorrow on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Finals results

48 kg
GOLD - Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE)
SILVER - Richard FIGUEROA (USA)
BRONZE - Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO)
BRONZE - Valerii ANDROSOV (RUS)

1st – Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE) dec. Richard FIGUEROA (USA), 6-1
3rd - Valerii ANDROSOV (RUS) dec. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR), 10-8
3rd - Giorgi GEGLASHVILI (GEO) dec. Mahdi VEISI (Iran), 4-2

55 kg
GOLD - Jamshidbek MARUFOV (UZB)
SILVER - Hayato FUJITA (JPN)
BRONZE - Simone PIRODDU (ITA)
BRONZE - Abulfaz NASIROV (AZE)

1st - Jamshidbek MARUFOV (UZB) dec. Hayato FUJITA (JPN), 4-3
3rd - Abulfaz NASIROV (AZE) fall Daviti ABDALADZE (GEO), 1:11
3rd - Simone PIRODDU (ITA) dec. Norik HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), 5-3

65 kg
GOLD - Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
SILVER - Inalbek SHERIEV (RUS)
BRONZE - Bekzat ZHALGASSOV (KAZ)
BRONZE - Mohammad KARIMISEIFABAD (IRI)

1st - Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) dec. Inalbek SHERIEV (RUS), 4-1
3rd - Bekzat ZHALGASSOV (KAZ) dec. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 8-2
3rd - Mohammad KARIMISEIFABAD (IRI) dec. Narek HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), 10-5

80 kg
GOLD - Dmitrii ELKANOV (RUS)
SILVER - Mohammedreza GHIYASI (IRI)
BRONZE - Milan KORCSOG (HUN)
BRONZE - Abe ASSAD (USA)

1st - Dmitrii ELKANOV (Russia) dec. Mohammedreza GHIYASI (IRI), 7-6
3rd -Milan KORCSOG (HUN) TF Carson Barry Lee (CAN), 11-0
3rd - Abe ASSAD (USA) dec. Sagadulla AGAEV (AZE), 7-6

110 kg
GOLD - Amir ZARE (IRI)
SILVER - Daniel KERKVLIET (USA)
BRONZE - Stoyan YORDANOV (BUL)
BRONZE - Sergei KOZYREV (RUS)

1st - Amir ZARE (IRI) dec. Daniel KERKVLIET (USA), 7-4
3rd - Stoyan YORDANOV (BUL) dec. Islam ABUEV (AZE), 3-3
3rd - Sergei KOZYREV (RUS) TF Kumar ANIRUDH (IND), 10-0

Wednesday finals pairings
48 kg: Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) vs. Rafayel HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
51 kg: Matthew RAMOS (USA) vs. Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN)
60 kg: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) vs. Hamza ALACA (TUR)
71 kg: Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) vs. Baliyan GOURAV (IND)
92 kg: Omer AGTAS (TUR) vs. Ali Reza ABDOLLAHI (IRI)

#WrestleBudapest

Mamedov, Aman Dominate to Gold Amid Surprises in Budapest

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 15) -- On a day that saw multiple surprises at the Budapest Ranking Series, Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) and AMAN (IND) restored order, winning gold medals at 65kg and 57kg.

The gold medal for Mamedov was significant after his dramatic loss in the 65kg final at the Ulaanbaatar Open to Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI). Though not Amouzad, Mamedov dominated Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) for a 12-0 technical superiority win.

Wrestling UWW

Mamedov led 4-0 at the break and then scored two counter takedown to double the led to 8-0 in the second. A double-leg attack brought Ebrahim straight to his back as Mamedov earned four points for the win. He outscored his opponents 53-1 in bouts, winning the gold medal via five technical superiorities.

"At this tournament I am very satisfied with my wrestling. I gave my best from beginning to the end," Mamedov said. "I learnt a lesson from Ulaanbaatar Open that I should not stop wrestling even if I have a big lead on the scoreboard."

Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL)Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) scores a takedown on Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) during the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A month ago at the Ulaanbaatar Open, Mamedov took an 8-0 lead over world champion Amouzad but suffered a stunning collapse, dropping the final 17-10.

"I started very well and I was well prepared," he said. "When I took the lead, I stopped attacking and just defended my lead. There was lot of time left and in the end I got very tired because I had to defend a lot and gave up more points."

One of the major talking points after the loss was Mamedov's conditioning, as he slipped further as Amouzad built the pressure.

"One of the reasons I got so tired against Amouzad because I gave up a lot head control to Amouzad, who kept me in head pinch position," he said. "On the way to the World Championships, we will have three stages of preparations. We will have training camps and start getting ready for the World Championships."

AMAN (IND)AMAN (IND) tries to complete a takedown against Robert DINGASHVILI (GEO) during the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Olympic bronze medalist Aman, wrestling at 57kg for the first time this year, won the gold medal with similar domination, giving himself a birthday gift as he turns 23 on Thursday.

Up against Robert DINGASHVILI (GEO) in the final, Aman did give up three stepouts but piled up takedowns to complete a 13-3 technical superiority win in the 57kg final. In his four bouts, he outscored his opponents 44-6. In the semifinals, Aman blanked European champion Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 11-0.

"The gold medal has given me confidence before some busy months later in the year," Aman said. "This gold is also special because tomorrow [Thursday] is my birthday."

Feng LU (CHN)Feng LU (CHN) scores the match-winning takedown against Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) to win gold at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The surprise of the day came at 74kg as Feng LU (CHN) scored a takedown in the last 15 seconds to complete a 3-3 criteria win over former world champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) in the final. Kaipanov, leading 1-0, scored a takedown right off the whistle after the break to lead 3-1, with the one point for Lu coming from a reversal.

Lu did quick level change, pushing Kaipanov and then bringing him down for two points to take the criteria lead. Lu defended his lead to claim the gold medal.

Ridge LOVETT (USA)Pan-American champion Ridge LOVETT (USA) won gold at 70kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Pan-American champion Ridge LOVETT (USA), who pinned U23 world champion Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) in the semifinal at 70kg, finished his day with the gold medal after he secured a controlled 6-0 win over Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) in the final.

The weight class did throw a few surprises as Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) defeated Islam DUDAEV (ALB), 4-4, but then he lost to Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL). The Mongolian looked good to win the gold medal but Kemertelidze stunned him 3-2 in the semifinal.

Silver medalist at the Ulaanbaatar Open in June, Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) upgraded the colour of his medal to gold in Budapest after a 2-2 criteria win over U23 world bronze medalist Tolga OZBEK (TUR) in the 61kg final.

Ozbek led 1-1 on criteria after both wrestlers finished their activity periods. But the Türkiye wrestler took the a 2-1 lead with a minute remaining with a stepout. He tried to defend this lead but Aitakyn managed to push Ozbek's head outside to get a point and take the 2-2 criteria lead with 12 seconds remaining and clinch the gold medal.

At 86kg, Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) won the gold medal after Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) pulled off due to a knee injury he suffered while performing a leg lace in the semifinal that he won.

Wrestling Photo

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: AMAN (IND) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 13-3

BRONZE: Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 6-1
BRONZE: Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) df. Timothy LEVINE (CAN), 6-2

61kg
GOLD: Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ) df. Tolga OZBEK (TUR), 2-2

BRONZE: Adilet ALMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 6-5
BRONZE: DEEPAK (IND) df. Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE), 9-8

65kg
GOLD: Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL) df. Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI), 12-2

BRONZE: Nachyn KUULAR (KAZ) df. Mohit KUMAR (IND), 12 -2
BRONZE: Vishal KALIRAMANA (IND) df. Ossimzhan DASTANBEK (KAZ), 8-2

70kg
GOLD: Ridge LOVETT (USA) df. Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), 6-0

BRONZE: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ), 8-2
BRONZE: Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) df. Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE), 6-5

74kg
GOLD: Feng LU (CHN) df. Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 3-3

BRONZE: William LEWAN (USA) df. Muhammed BESIR (TUR), via fall
BRONZE: Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) df. Ibragim VELIEV (BEL), 11-0

86kg
GOLD: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO) df. Abylaikhan UZEMBAYEV (KAZ), 12-2
BRONZE: Alperen ATAR (TUR) df. Nan CAO (CHN), 5-3