U23 World C'ships

Demirhan Wins on Criteria, Japan Collects Six Gold Medals on the Weekend

Friday, November 24, 2017 - 22:26 By Taylor Miller

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BYDOGSZCZ, Poland – The women’s freestyle competition at the U23 World Championships wrapped up today with three different nations winning gold medals on Friday night in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) trailed at the break, 2-0, in the 48 kg finals against Senior Asian Championships gold medalist Ritu RITU (IND).

Senior World bronze medalist Demirhan took over the lead, 4-2, on a takedown and caution and two. Ritu scored a takedown in the final five seconds, but it was not enough as she lost on criteria, due to the caution, 4-4.

It was Demirhan’s fifth World medal and first gold.

At 69 kg, fellow 2017 Senior World bronze medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) won her third World gold at three different age-group levels, defeating Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 2016 Cadet Asian champion, with a 4-0 shutout.

Japan picked up their fifth and sixth gold medals of the women’s tournament with Miho IGARASHI (JPN) winning at 53 kg and Yui SAKANO (JPN) claiming victory at 60 kg.

Igarashi defeated Qi Zhang with a 12-2 technical fall en route to her fourth World gold medal, while Sakano won her second World title with a 7-3 decision over Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR).

Overall, Japan took home six gold medals, one silver medal and the team title.

The last leg of the U23 World Championships, men’s freestyle, begins Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (12 p.m. ET).

Finals results
48 kg
Gold - Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) dec. Ritu RITU (IND), 4-4
Bronze - Turkan NASIROVA (AZE) dec. Rina OKUNO (JPN), 4-4
Bronze - Jiang ZHU (CHN) tech. fall Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL), 10-0

53 kg
Gold - Miho IGARASHI (JPN) tech. fall Qi ZHANG (CHN), 12-2
Bronze - Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) dec. Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR), 2-1
Bronze - Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL) dec. Amy Ann FEARNSIDE (USA), 7-6

60 kg
Gold - Yui SAKANO (JPN) dec. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), 7-3
Bronze - Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) dec. Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR), 8-3
Bronze - Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE) dec. Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA), 13-11

69 kg
Gold - Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) dec. Naruha MATSUYUKI (JPN), 4-0
Bronze - Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB) fall Khanum VELIEVA (RUS), 4:40
Bronze - Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) dec. Divya KAKRAN (IND), 4-2

 

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds 2025: Iran, U.S. put two each in Freestyle finals

Friday, August 1, 2025 - 14:57 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- Iran and the United States emerged as the best performers on day one of Freestyle competition at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece after placing two wrestlers each in the gold medal bouts.

Five Freestyle weight classes were in action on Friday, as the tournament entered its final three days.

Iran and the U.S. will face off in the 48kg final after Ariah MILLS (USA) and Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) won their respective semifinals.

Mills defeated European U17 champion Ravan HASANZADE (AZE) 7-2 using his attacking style. After being put on the activity clock, Mills began his attacks and though he was not able to score in the 30-second, he hit a single leg for four points that gave him a 4-1 lead going into the break.

Hasanzade got on the leg attacks but Mills was quick to counter and scored an exposure for two points which was challenged by Azerbaijan. On review, it was given only two points for Mills and Azerbaijan lost the challenge and Mills reached the final 7-2.

Boustani had to stop some serious attacks from Masamune USHIMADO (JPN) in the second period. After taking a 6-0 lead, Boustani was put in danger by Ushimado as he scored a takedown. He then made it 6-3 with a stepout. With 13 seconds remaining, he hit another big throw but it was scored just two points as Boustani won 6-5.

The second finalist for the U.S. was Pan-Am U17 champion Arsenii KIKINIOU (USA) who came from behind to beat Morteza HAJ (IRI), 3-2, in the 65kg semifinals. Trailing 2-0, Kikiniou first scored a stepout and then managed to transition a leg attack into takedown with 13 seconds left. He held on to his lead to win.

For the gold, he will face 2024 silver medalist from 60kg, Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) who barely went past Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 3-1, in the other semifinal. Ismayilov was down 1-1 on criteria but scored point just in time to win the match.

Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) was the second finalist for Iran after he dominated Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ) and beat him 11-4 in the 80kg semifinals. For the gold, he will take on European U17 champion Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) after the Ukrainian earned himself a chance to win a world U17 goldm reaching the final with a 2-1 win over  Issa ZANGIEV (UWW).

At 55kg, returning bronze medalist from 51kg Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) denied Greyton BURNETT (USA) after beating him 8-2 in the semifinal. Okonogi never let Burnett to settle down and scored three takedowns in his win.

Having already upgraded his medal, Okonogi will look to win the gold over Asian U17 silver medalist Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UWW) who scored a late stepout to win his semifinal against Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW), who was a bronze medalist from 48kg last year.

At 110kg, it will be a battle of continental champions as European U17 champion Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) defeated Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 2-0, after getting both passivity points.

He will take on Asian U17 champion LACKY (IND) who defeated European U17 champion Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI), via fall, with a comeback.

Naghdalipour led 5-0 when he got a par terre and as he tried the gut-wrench, Lacky blocked him and scored two points. A double-leg takedown made it 5-4.

Lacky was called passive in the second period and Naghdalipout got another point and led 6-4. That is when Lacky got hold of the Iranian and sent him for four points. Iran challenged and lost, making the score 9-6 for Lacky.

Naghdalipour scored a stepout to cut the lead to 9-7 but as he tried another takedown, Lacky slammed him for four and a turn before securing the fall just as the time expired.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Ariah MILLS (USA) vs. Sina BOUSTANI (IRI)

SF 1: Ariah MILLS (USA) df. Ravan HASANZADE (AZE), 7-2
SF 2: Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) df. Masamune USHIMADO (JPN), 6-5

55kg
GOLD: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) vs. Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB)

SF 1: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) df. Greyton BURNETT (USA), 8-2 
SF 2: Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB) df. Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW), 2-1

65kg
GOLD: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) vs. Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE)

SF 1: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) df. Morteza HAJ (IRI), 3-2
SF 2: Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) df. Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 3-1

80kg
GOLD: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) vs. Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI)

SF 1: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) df. Issa ZANGIEV (UWW), 2-1
SF 2: Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) df. Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ), 11-4

110kg
GOLD: LACKY (IND) vs. Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW)

SF 1: LACKY (IND) df. Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI), via fall (15-7)
SF 2: Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) df. Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 2-0