Beach wrestling

Brackets Released For 2018 Beach Wrestling World Championships

Friday, October 5, 2018 - 22:12 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

SARIGERME, Turkey (October 5) – Brackets for the 2018 Beach Wrestling World Championships were released on Friday night, with defending champions Turkey set to their defend their title in the coastal city of Sarigerme. 

In all five individual champions will be returning to Turkey to defend their titles. To do so they'll need to navigate a field of seasoned veterans, and first-time beach wrestlers with international experience in other styles.

Defending senior men’s 70kg division champion Semen RADULOV (UKR) will need to work his way past a loaded field of 20 competitors should he want to take the Group A title. Meanwhile, United States' Michael PETERS loooks to improve on his medal performance from a year ago and upgrade to gold. Greco-Roman European medalist Konstantine KHABALASHVILI (GEO) has entered Group C and could be a standout performer. Frank ANDERSEN (NOR) comes back to Turkey looking to capture a podium finish in Group E.

At 90kg Muhammed INAM (PAK) will be starting his day in Group A. He took home gold last year, but to make the medal rounds he will first need to get past the tough Norwegian Bo BERGEN (NOR). Anton CHUIEV (UKR) fell short in last year's quarterfinal last year, but comes into Group D with a lot to prove. Christos SAMARTSIDIS (GRE), who took off last year's championships having medaled in year's previous, will start in the tough Group C.

Francesca INDELICATO (ITA) is the defending champion in the Women’s 60kg division, but will need to get past Rikke BUGGE (NOR) and  Mihaela Denisa BARBULESCU (ROU). Bugge is part of the large Norwegian team that is in the hunt for the team title in the women’s division. Another Norwegian to watch is Charlotte SKAUEN (NOR) at 70kg. If she makes it out of Group A, she is likely to face teammate, Cesilie Hoeivik MAGNUSSEN (NOR) who is a favorite in Group B. Both will need to beat tough opponents from Turkey and Romania.

Click here: https://bit.ly/2OH12Cr for the full brackets.

Watch the matches live on United World Wrestling. The actions begins at 7am (GMT).

#UWWAwards

UWW Breakout Wrestlers of 2025: Hidlay, Farokhi, Onishi

Monday, December 15, 2025 - 12:24 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 14) -- The 2025 Breakout Wrestlers of the Year were not the ones anyone circled heading into the season. They weren’t the favorites, or the ones analysts picked to walk away from the season as world medalists.

They were the outsiders, largely unproven and underestimated. But that all changed in a single season when they smashed expectations, catapulting themselves into world-wide stardom with world-title runs that nobody saw coming.

Freestyle Breakout Performer of the Year: Trent HIDLAY (USA)

Before 2025, Hidlay had never climbed to the top of a podium at an international event. His  2025 season even began with more doubt than promise, dropping his second match of the year to rising Azeri phenom Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) at the Zagreb Open. But that loss lit a fuse. From that moment on, the 26-year-old didn’t just improve -- he transformed.

Hidlay unleashed a stunning 13-match win streak and collected gold medals at the Pan-American Championships, the Budapest Ranking Series and the World Championships. Along the way, he knocked off giants -- Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), and Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), just to name a few.

Then came the finale: a world finals comeback for the ages. Down and all but finished, Hidlay stormed back to defeat Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW). In one year, Hidlay didn’t just win -- he arrived.

Greco-Roman Breakout Performer of the Year: Gholemreza FAROKHI (IRI)

When opportunity knocked, Farokhi wasn’t just there to answer it, he was there to kick the door off its hinges. The 23-year-old stepped into Iran’s senior lineup for the first time in his career and tore through anyone in front of him -- whether it was at 82kg or 87kg.

Farokhi bulldozed his way to gold medals at the two World Championships he participated in. He racked up a perfect 17-0 record, including 11 technical superiority wins and six decisions, sweeping gold at the World Championships, U23 World Championships, the Islamic Solidarity Games, and the Zagreb Open Ranking Series.

Women’s Wrestling Breakout Performer of the Year: Sakura ONISHI (JPN)

At 19 years old, Onishi entered the senior circuit with massive goals but had zero experience and zero fear. In mere months, she became a problem no one had an answer for.

Onishi tore through the season with a flawless 15-0 record, capturing titles at the Senior and U20 World Championships, the Asian Championships, and the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. Her dominance wasn’t subtle -- it was exactly what you’d expect from a Japanese women’s wrestler -- 11 tech falls, three pins, and a decision, outscoring opponents 158-17.