#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)

World Combat Games: Toth, Stepanova reign supreme in Grappling

By United World Wrestling Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (October 23) -- Grappling world champion from Hungary, Alexa TOTH (HUN), lived up to the tag of being the favorite as she reigned supreme at the World Combat Games in Riyadh and added another gold medal to her name on Monday.

The teenager, who won the world title last year and is also a U17 world champion, gave away just one point as she defeated opponents much senior to her to win the gold medal in women’s 58kg Grappling.

Toth began by recording a victory by submission against Melissa BENEDINI (ITA) in the quarterfinal. She followed up with another straightforward verdict of 4-0 against Germany’s Felicie OHLHOFF (GER) in the semifinals.

In the final, Toth defeated Ukraine’s Viktoriia SYNIAVINA (UKR) 3-1 to continue her dominance. Ohlhoff and Aizhan ISMAGULOVA (KAZ) won the bronze medals.

Another world champion, Kateryna STEPANOVA (UKR) claimed the women’s 71kg Grappling Gi gold medal by defeating Emily GUNZLER (GER) in the final 5-0.

Like Toth, Stepanova too was largely untested en route to another title and conceded just one point, during her 3-1 win over Spain’s Meryxell GONZALEZ (ESP)in the semifinals.

Gonzalez Correa and Shynar UZBEKOVA (KAZ) clinched the bronze medals.

 

 

In the women’s 53kg Grappling Gi category, Japan’s Rui HIRABAYASHI (JPN) won the gold medal by defeating Spain’s Naiomi MATTHEWS (ESP) 3-0 in the final. Kristina RAU (GER) and Maria Aisa RATCLIFF (PHI) won the bronze medals.

Antonia KANEW (GER) defeated Delfina dos Santos FRANCISCO (ANG) 3-1 to win the 64kg Grappling Gi title while in the women’s 90kg category, Nikoletta SZMOLKA (HUN) was the champion, defeating Claudia FORNES (ESP) 3-0 in the final.

Toth's gold was Hungary's first of the World Combat Games and Szmolka made it two for the day for her country.

In the men’s competition, world silver medallist and European champion Mayis NERSESYAN won the gold medal by defeating Yurii CHERKALIUK (UKR) 2-0 in a tense final of the 66kg category, with Syimyk MAKHMEDOV (KGZ) defeating Osama KANDIL (KSA) to claim the bronze medal.

 

 

In the 71kg Grappling Gi category, Kazakhstan’s Sarsen ZHETIBAYEV (KAZ) emerged as the champion after he defeated Feruzbek URUKOV (UZB) 3-1 in the gold medal bout. Ivan RASIUK (UKR) and Fierre AFAN (PHI) won the bronze medals in the weight class.

Ulugbek RAKHMONOV (UZB) triumphed in the 84kg category by defeating Nurbek TABUDIN (KAZ) 3-0 in the final while Roman KIZIUK (UKR) won the gold medal in the 92kg class, beating Mantas DAUBLYS (LTU) 3-1 in the title bout.

Ivan MALIN (UKR)Ivan MALIN (UKR) won the gold medal in Grappling Gi 100kg. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the 100kg Grappling Gi category, former world champion Ivan MALIN (UKR), who lost his title to Poland’s Andrzej IWAT (POL) earlier this year, returned strongly to win the gold medal at Riyadh 2023, staying unbeaten throughout.

Malin defeated Reda MEBTOUCHE (FRA) 3-1 in the final, with Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA) beating Guglielmo CECCA (ITA) to win the bronze medal.