#WrestleBirmingham

Commonwealth Games, Birmingham Day 1 finals set

By Vinay Siwach

COVENTRY, England (August 5) -- The Commonwealth Games are moving towards the business end and wrestling will be one of the sports to be highlighted at the Games. At the Coventry Arena, wrestlers will be eyeing to win the gold medals in 12 freestyle and women's wrestling. On day one, six weight classes in action, three freestyle and three for women's.

MATCH ORDER

15:15: The finals for the night are set

FS 65kg:  Lachlan MCNEIL (CAN) vs. Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
FS 86kg:  Deepak PUNIA (IND) vs. Muhammad INAM (PAK)
FS 125kg: Zaman ANWAR (PAK) vs. Amarveer DHESI (CAN)

WW 57kg: Anshu MALIK (IND) vs. Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
WW 62kg: Ana GONZALEZ (CAN) vs. Sakshi MALIK (IND)
WW 68kg: Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) vs. Linda MORAIS (CAN)

14:54: Deepak PUNIA (IND) will wrestle for the 86kg gold after beating Moore 3-1 in the semifinals. Dhesi with a technical superiority 12-2 win over Grewal. He will wrestle the 125kg gold 

14:51: Two India-Canada semifinals. At 86kg, Deepak PUNIA (IND) is wrestling Alexander MOORE (CAN) and leading 3-0. At 125kg, Mohit GREWAL (IND) and Amarveer DHESI (CAN) have exchanged takedowns with Dhesi leading 2-2 on criteria.

14:45: Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) is back in the 68kg final at Commonwealth. At 57kg, Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) is up against Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) and begins with a double for four. A takedown makes it 6-0. A takedown before the break and one after gives her a 10-0 win and a place in the final against Anshu MALIK (IND)

15:42: Bajrang PUNIA (IND) with another top win. He beats George RAMM (ENG) 10-0 in the 65kg semifinal and will be defending his gold from four years ago. 

15:10: Anshu MALIK (IND) and Sakshi MALIK (IND) are the two finalists for India. At 57kg, Anshu has made it 10-0 while at 62kg, Sakshi also blanks her opponent 10-0

15:05: Lachlan MCNEIL (CAN) is going into the 65kg finals. He beats Inayat ULLAH (PAK) 11-0 and is a win away from being crowned as the Commonwealth champion. On Mat B, 86kg defending champion Muhammad INAM (PAK) is into the semifinals

14:50: The first semifinal of the night is Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) and U23 world champion Ana GONZALEZ (CAN) at 62kg. Gonzalez takes the first takedown but Kolawole blasts a double to lead 2-2 on criteria. Just before the break, Gonzalez is quick to score a takedown and lead 4-2. Another slow start but Gonzalez with a counter and go behind to extend her lead 6-2. Single leg counter from Kolawole and she trims the lead to 6-4. A minute left in the bout. Gonzalez gets her takedown and a turn to make it 10-4. That will be the end of this semifinal she will wrestle for gold at 62kg

14:45: Edward LESSING (RSA) with a huge five! He blanks Syerus ESLAMI (ENG) 10-0 in the 86kg and will wrestle for the spot in the finals

14:35: Former world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) has jumped up to 68kg and she begins her campaign with a fall and will wrestle in the semifinal here in Birmingham.

14:26: A top bout at 68kg on Mat A. Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) up against Divya KAKRAN (IND). The two begin cautiously but Oborududu scores a stepout to lead 1-0. The Nigerian wrestler has raced to a 5-0 lead at the break after adding two takedowns. Kakran tries going for the far leg but Oborududu manages to keep her away and counters with two takedowns. She finishes things with another takedown and win 11-0 

14:25: Mohit GREWAL (IND) and Alexios KAOUSLIDIS (CYP) battle it out for six minutes but it's Grewal who keeps it under control and wins 10-1 at 125kg. Bajrang PUNIA (IND) moves into the semifinals at 65kg with another fall

14:10: Mandhir KOONER (ENG) was warned for passivity against Mohamed BUNDU (SLE) and looked like Bundu will make a move against Kooner. But the England wrestler pulled off a four-pointer and then secured the fall and the crowd enjoyed that

14:08: Defending champion at 86kg Muhammad INAM (PAK) gets going with a 10-0 win against Kieran MALONE (SCO). He will now wrestle in the 86kg quarterfinals

14:04: World silver medalist Anshu MALIK (IND) up against Irene SYMEONIDIS (AUS) for her 57kg quarterfinals. She begins with a go behind and turns to lead 8-0 in 36 seconds. Malik will close the bout with a takedown and win in a minute and four seconds

14:01: Returning bronze medalist at 86kg Syerus ESLAMI (ENG) trailed Charalampos CHOIRAS (CYP) for five minutes and 30 seconds but scored a takedown to claim a 6-4 lead and win his 86kg quarterfinals. The crowd has gone ecstatic.

13:55: Lachlan MCNEIL (CAN) with a figure-4 and he moves past Ross CONNELLY (SCO) with a 10-0 technical fall. He will wrestle in the 65kg semifinals

13:45: Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) with a fantastic warm-up win against Blandine NGIRI (CMR). She used a series of takedowns to win 10-0

13:30: The referees and fans are ready. The bouts are resuming and set for the quarterfinals of the 6 weight classes

13:00: We had a longer delay than expected but seems like we should be back on track in the next 15 minutes. We will be resuming action at 13:30 local time

11:00: We are experiencing a small technical delay in the competition but we will be back soon. We are expecting a delay of an hour. Wrestling will resume at 12:15 local time.

10:55: Mandhir KOONER (ENG) with another win for England. The crowd loves it as Kooner beats Aaro LEHAULI (TGA) at 125kg. At 86kg, Deepak PUNIA (IND) also begins with a win.

10:50: George RAMM (ENG) absolutely puts the crowd on its feet. Mostafa REZAEIFAR (AUS) tried his best to break Ramm's defense but the England wrestler hangs on for 3-0 win

10:45: India's Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bajrang PUNIA (IND) with a quick pin over  Lowe BINGHAM (NRU) at 65kg. He is the defending champion as well

10:40: Inayat ULLAH (PAK) starts with a dominating win over Adam VELLA (MLT) and Ross CONNELLY (SCO) beats Brahm RICHARDS (NZL) at 65kg.

10:30: Welcome to day one of the Commonwealth Games. Inayat ULLAH (PAK) and Adam VELLA (MLT) will begin the proceedings on Mat A at 57kg. Brahm RICHARDS (NZL) vs Ross CONNELLY (SCO) in the 65kg quarterfinals.

#WrestleAthens

World U17 Championships 2025: Day 4 Wrestling Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 31) -- The World U17 Championships enters day four with Women's Wrestling continuing in five more weight classes -- 40kg, 46kg, 53kg, 61kg and 69kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

The semifinals in Women's Wrestling will begin at 17:00 hours local time and the medal bouts at 18:00 hours.

13:37: MANISHA (IND) gets the fall over Cassandra GONZALES (USA) inside the first period and reaches the semifinals at 69kg. Sixth Indian wrestler to reach semifinals in Women's Wrestling in Athens. Four on Wednesday, all reached the final. Can YASHITA (IND) and MANISHA (IND) keep the record?

13:35: Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO) is into the semifinals at 69kg! She is the first Georgian to reach so far in Women's Wrestling. A win away from historic medal! She defeated Nadia KOCIA (POL), 7-1.

13:15: World U17 champion Tania FERNANDEZ (USA) and European U17 champion Zalina TOTROVA (UWW) in a battle and it is Fernandez who comes out on top. Leading 6-5, Totrova tries a chest wrap but gives up four points. Fernandez eventually wins 13-6 at 61kg and is back in the semifinals

13:10: A 6-5 lead for Epenesa ELISON (USA) in the 53kg quarterfinal against European U17 champion Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN) and then hits a four-pointer to make it 10-5. Zhytovoz can't make a comeback and falls to Elison 12-7

13:05: Jaclyn BOUZAKIS (USA) hands India its third defeat inside five minutes! She kept countering Kasish GURJAR (IND) with whizzers and then got the cradle and 12-4 win at 46kg. Bouzakis looks good to upgrade her bronze to gold this year.

13:02: Make that two losses for India as Rinka OGAWA (JPN) defends a takedown attempt from SAARIKA (IND) and wins 4-2. India challenges, asking for a clean takedown but at no point did Ogawa's three points touch the mat. She wins 5-2.

13:00: Maria GKIKA (GRE), the hosts Greece's best hope for a medal here, beats Elanur BERBER (TUR) 12-2 and enters the 46kg semifinals.

12:55: Maisie ELLIOTT (USA) hands India it's first defeat of the day as she she beats Preeti YADAV (IND), 6-2, at 40kg. Three takedowns for Elliott to Yadav's one.

12:35: Taina FERNANDEZ (USA), returning world champion, with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Zichen DONG (CHN). Only a takedown in the first period but she rallies her gut wrenches in the second and wins with 43 seconds left out of the four minutes.

12:27: Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN) with a fall as well at 53kg over Baktygul ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ). Zhytovoz has not made too many mistakes and is now in the quarterfinals.

12:25: Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO), Georgia's first-ever European U17 champion in WW, wins 7-2 over Natalie WOJCIECHOWSKI (CAN). She is looking to win a medal at the World Championships after missing out last year.

12:20: MANISHA (IND) pins Dilrabo DULLIEVA (UZB) at 69kg to continue the Indian juggernaut at the World U17 Championships in Women's Wrestling.

12:00: Epenesa ELISON (USA) is on a mission! She pins Maria VANDOULAKI VANDOULA (GRE) at 53kg. Nice cradle from Elison. Back to back wins for the U15 Pan-Am champ

11:45: World U17 bronze medalist Jaclyn Rose BOUZAKIS (USA) is so good! She catches Yuting YUAN (CHN) on different occasions and wins 7-4 at 46kg.  

11:30: India has been unbeaten today, with Kasish GURJAR (IND) at 46kg, YASHITA (IND) at 61kg and SAARIKA (IND) at 53kg all win their respective matches.

11:25: Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), European U17 champion, takes out Fatima BAYRAMOVA (AZE) at 53kg with a fall. Offense at it's best from Zhytovoz

11:20: Waka AWANO (JPN) with two four-point throws and she beats Asian U17 champion Zhaidar MUKAT (KAZ), 10-0 at 61kg. Awano's counter-attacks were too much for Mukat.

10:45: Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) rolls to a 12-3 win over Josefine WIDMANN (GER) at 53kg. Epenesa ELISON (USA) with some big doubles as she beats Kanita SPAHIJA (KOS) 12-0 at 53kg as well.

10:30: Welcome to day three of Women's Wrestling at the U17 World Championships. Action continues in 40kg, 46kg, 53kg, 61kg and 69kg.