#Zagreb2018

Four Cadet World Medalists Move onto World Championship Semifinals in #Zagreb2018

By Taylor Miller

ZAGREB, Croatia – Two Cadet World champions and two other World medalists are in the mix for World titles after advancing to Monday’s World Championship semifinals in Zagreb, Croatia.

World champions Alihasan AMIRLI (IRI) and Daniel KERKVLIET JR. (USA) are still on the path to repeating their 2017 gold-medal performances.

At 48 kg, Amirli started his tournament with a 4-0 win over 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist Kaisei TANABE (JPN). In tonight’s semifinals, Amirli will take on two-time World medalist Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO), who won Cadet World bronze in 2016 and Cadet World silver last summer.

The other semifinal at 48 kg is Richard FIGUEROA II (USA) vs. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR).

Kerkvliet, competing at 110 kg, claimed a 10-0 quarterfinal win over Cadet Asian silver medalist Kumar ANIRUDH (IND), after collecting a pair of tech falls to open his tournament. Tonight, Kerkvliet will take on 2018 Cadet European champion Sergey KOZYREV (RUS).

Two additional continental medalists highlight the other semifinal at 110 kg as Cadet Asian gold medalist Amir ZARE (IRI) will face off against 2018 Cadet European silver medalist Islam ABUEV (AZE).

2017 Cadet World silver medalist Tuan BAYRAMOV (AZE) looks to improve on last year’s finish, advancing to the 65 kg semifinal. Bayramov, who also owns a bronze medal from the 2017 Cadet Euro Championships and a gold medal from the 2018 Cadet Euros, will go head-to-head with the 2018 Cadet Asian champion Mohammed KARIMISEIFABAD (IRI).  

The Cadet Asian silver medalist, Bekzat ZHALGASSOV (KAZ), is on the opposite side of the bracket and will face Inalbek SHERIEV (RUS) in the semifinals.

In addition to Karimiseifabad, there are two other 2018 Cadet Asian champions in the semifinals, including Hayato FUJITA (JPN) at 55 kg and Mohammadreza GHIYASI (IRI) at 80 kg.

Fujita will take on Cadet European silver medal winner Davidi ABDALADZE (GEO). The other semifinal at 55 kg is Simone PIRODDU (ITA) against 2017 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Jamshidbek MARUFOV (UZB).

At 80 kg, Ghiyasi will take on Sagadulla AGAEV (AZE) and Dmitrii ELKANOV (RUS) will challenge Milan KORCSOG (HUN).

The semifinals start at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET) and will be live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Semifinal pairings

48 kg
Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO) vs. Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE)  
Richard FIGUEROA II (USA) vs. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR)

55 kg
Simone PIRODDU (ITA) vs. Jamshidbek MARUFOV (UZB)
Daviti ABDALADZE (GEO) vs. Hayato FUJITA (JPN)

65 kg
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) vs. Mohammad KARIMISEIFABAD (IRI)
Bekzat ZHALGASSOV (KAZ) vs. Inalbek SHERIEV (RUS)

80 kg
Sagadulla AGAEV (AZE) vs. Mohammadreza Ezatollah GHIYASI (IRI)
Dmitrii ELKANOV (RUS) vs. Milan KORCSOG (HUN)

110 kg
Sergei KOZYREV (RUS) vs. Daniel KERKVLIET JR (USA)
Amir ZARE (IRI) vs. Islam ABUEV (AZE)

#WrestleTirana

Pavlov closer to first U23 European title

By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (March 8) -- Age-group world medalist Lev PAVLOV (UWW) led five UWW wrestlers into the finals of the U23 European Championships which got underway in Tirana, Albania on Saturday.

Pavlov is chasing his first U23 European title and seemed destined for, outscoring his opponents 23-0 in the 57kg weight class. He will face Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian defeated Bekir KESER (TUR), 12-2, in the semifinals.

Other stars were Magomed ELTEMIROV (UWW), a U23 world silver medalist, who looked is good touch on the mat. Eltermirov used a stunning underhook throw for four in his 12-2 victory over Umut ERDOGAN (TUR) in the 70kg semifinals.

For the gold medal, Eltermirov will take on former U20 world champion Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) who recently won the Zagreb Open gold medal at 70kg. Heybatov scored a 10-0 technical superiority win over Muhammad ABDURACHMANOV (BEL) in the other semifinal.

Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) set up the 79kg final against Farid JABBAROV (AZE) as both won their low-scoring semifinals. Balaian held on to a 2-1 win over Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR) while Jabbarov scored a 3-1 victory over Umar MAVLAEV (SUI).

Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) was clinical throughout the day and beat Fiodor CEAVDARI (MDA) 10-0 in the semifinals at 65kg. But he will have his toughest opponent yet in the final, two-time returning medalist Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) who scrapped though with a 7-4 win against Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA).

At 97kg, debutant Bady SAMDAN (UWW) secured a fall over Resul GUNE (TUR) with the score 6-6 in the semifinal. He will face U23 world bronze medalist Uladzislau KAZLOU (UWW) who secured a close 2-0 win over David MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Lev PAVLOV (UWW) vs. Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Lev PAVLOV (UWW) df. Vladyslav ABRAMOV (UKR), 10-0
SF 2: Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO) df. Bekir KESER (TUR), 12-2

65kg
GOLD: Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) vs. Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)

SF 1: Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) df. Fiodor CEAVDARI (MDA), 10-0
SF 2: Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) df. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 7-4

70kg
GOLD: Magomed ELTEMIROV (UWW) vs. Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE)

SF 1: Magomed ELTEMIROV (UWW) df. Umut ERDOGAN (TUR), 12-2
SF 2: Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) df. Muhammad ABDURACHMANOV (BEL), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) vs. Farid JABBAROV (AZE)

SF 1: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) df. Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR), 2-1
SF 2: Farid JABBAROV (AZE) df. Umar MAVLAEV (SUI), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Bady SAMDAN (UWW) vs. Uladzislau KAZLOU (UWW)

SF 1: Bady SAMDAN (UWW) df. Resul GUNE (TUR), via fall (6-6) 
SF 2: Uladzislau KAZLOU (UWW) df. David MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 2-0