#WrestleBudapest19

Elsayed Collects Second World Title in Less than Two Weeks at #WrestleBudapest

Sunday, November 3, 2019 - 18:46 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) by Kadir Caliskan.

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) capped off an amazing two-week run that saw him travel to two different continents to compete at two World Championships events, which he won.

Elsayed, who won the World Military Games just 10 days ago, dominated his way to the crown at the 2019 U23 World Championships on Sunday in Budapest, Hungary.

The returning U23 World champion Elsayed faced 2018 Junior European champion and 2019 U23 European bronze medalist Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR) in the 67 kg Greco-Roman title bout.

Elsayed used a strong first period to take a 5-0 lead into the break with a pair of gut wrenches after Liavonchyk was put down in par terre. Moments into the second period, Elsayed finished off the match with a takedown right into a gut wrench on the edge of the mat for a 9-0 victory.

Now a two-time U23 World champion, Elsayed wraps up an impressive 2019 season with a U23 World title, a World Military Games title and a fifth-place finish at the 2019 Senior World Championships in September to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Photo of Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) by Kadir Caliskan.

A pair of Junior World champions went to battle for the gold medal at 97 kg as 2018 Junior World champion Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) took on 2016 Junior World champion Giorgi MELIA (GEO).

Savolainen opened scoring with a four-point takedown, putting Melia to his back for a moment. Georgia challenged the call, but it stood, adding another point to Savolainen’s side of the scoreboard.

Later in the match, Melia scored a correct throw and was awarded a point for his opponent’s passivity, but it was not enough and Savolainen took the gold medal with a 5-3 victory.

At 60 kg, Armen MELIKYAN (ARM) knocked off 2018 Senior World silver medalist Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) in the first gold-medal match on Sunday night.

Melikyan led 4-4 on criteria at the break, thanks to a big four-point takedown halfway through the first period. In the second period, Melikyan and Sharshenbekov traded the lead, each scoring on step outs, but the Armenian hit a throw for four points, giving himself a lead that the Senior World runner-up could not overcome for an eventual 11-7 decision.

Photo of Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) by Sachiko Hotaka.

For the title at 82 kg, 2019 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) topped 2016 Junior World silver medalist Vjekoslav LUBURIC (CRO) in a first-period technical fall.

Alirzaev got a chance on top in par terre. The two had a wild scramble that ultimately resulted in a gut wrench for the Russian, but among the action, Luburic executed an illegal move to get hit with a caution-and-two.

Croatia challenged the call, but it failed, and they restarted in par terre, where Alirzaev scored quickly on a gut wrench for an 8-0 win in just two minutes.

The gold-medal bout at 72 kg resulted in a shutout victory for 2019 Senior Asian champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), who defeated 2012 Cadet World bronze medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE).

Geraei was on the board early, drawing a passivity from Suleymanov and capitalizing in par terre with a correct throw to go up 3-0. Not long after, Geraei scored a four-point throw for a 7-0 lead at the break. With no scoring in the second period, Geraei secured the gold medal with a 7-0 win.

In the team race, Iran came out on top with 122 points, thanks to three individual Greco champions, edging out second-place Georgia’s 121 points. Taking third was Russia with 118 points.

Finals results
60 kg
GOLD - Armen MELIKYAN (ARM) df. Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), 11-7
BRONZE - Artur PETROSIAN (RUS) df. Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR), 9-0
BRONZE - Mehdi Seifollah MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) df. Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN), 9-5

67 kg
GOLD - Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) df. Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR), 9-0
BRONZE - Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Katsuaki ENDO (JPN), 9-0
BRONZE - Sajjad Ali IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI) df. Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL), 2-0

72 kg
GOLD - Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) df. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), 7-0
BRONZE - Valentin PETIC (MDA) df. Nao KUSAKA (JPN), 6-3
BRONZE - Maksym YEVTUSHENKO (UKR) df. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), 4-3

82 kg
GOLD - Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) df. Vjekoslav LUBURIC (CRO), 8-0
BRONZE - Yevgeniy POLIVADOV (KAZ) df. Arman VARDUMYAN (ARM), 16-7
BRONZE - Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) df. Tamas LEVAI (HUN), 4-2

97 kg
GOLD - Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) df. Giorgi MELIA (GEO), 5-3
BRONZE - Dzmitry KAMINSKI (BLR) df. Ravi RAVI (IND), 8-0
BRONZE - Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR), fall

Final team standings
1. Iran – 122
2. Georgia – 121
3. Russia – 118
4. Ukraine – 77
5. Belarus – 69
6. Japan – 65
7. Turkey – 65
8. Armenia – 64
9. Kazakhstan – 54
10. Hungary – 42

#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