Beach wrestling

Georgia dominates men’s Beach Wrestling season with 3 World Championships titles as Ukraine’s women take 2 golds in Zagreb

Monday, September 9, 2019 - 05:16 By United World Wrestling Press

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Zagreb, Croatia (September 8) - Following two days of intense competition, with the action coming thick and fast in the wrestling circle in Zagreb’s Jarun Center, eight wrestlers walked off the sand with the title of Beach Wrestling World Champion. Georgia took three, Ukraine secured two, Brazil, Greece and Azerbaijan one medal each, after the “Kings and Queens of the Beach” proved their grappling skills on the sand during the four season events to establish the up-and-coming discipline of beach wrestling.

Following the opener on Portuguese sands, the wrestlers travelled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Ukraine’s Odessa before touching down on Croatian soil for the grand season finale. 11 nationalities took to the sand to not only decide on the best after four events, but also the individual winners from Zagreb. 

In the women’s, Kateryna Mashkevych (UKR) defeated Kristal Kimberly Betanzo (USA) to take the win in Zagreb in the 50kg class ahead of the young American and Portugal’s Carmen Gomes Pereira.

 

 

It was Camila Fama Tristao from Brazil who set the tone in the women’s 60kg, winning her three matches without being scored against and edging Isabel Cristina Rodrigues (POR) into second place. The Portuguese was earlier taken down by Ukraine’s Valeriia Semonkina Zlatova, who took the bronze. 

While Diana Mary Botanzo (USA) had the fastest takedown on day 1 just eight seconds into the fight, the American had no chance against Anna Mazurkevych (UKR) during round 3 at 70kg. Ukraine took the gold in this category ahead of the United States. On third place was Sonia Maria Pereira Brazio from Portugal, who took her only win in this tournament against Slovenia’s Sara Trbulin with a hard throw.

The women’s heavyweight winner in Croatia was Aikaterini Eirini Pitsiava (GRE), who defeated Ukraine’s Iryna Pasichnyk 2-1. 

 

 

Levan Kelekhsashvili (GEO) defeated the 2017 Beach Wrestling World Champion Semen Radulov (UKR) in a highly anticipated final match at 70kg, winning 4-2 to take the 4th and final leg of the World Series. Besides these two, the only US wrestler in the men’s, Michael Peters, stepped up his game to finish in third.

Without losing a single match during both days, Davit Khutsishvili from Georgia won his category in style – 3-0 in all fights – and presented himself in top form all weekend at 80kg. A clear gold for the man from Georgia ahead of Greece’s Georgios Koulouchidis, whose only defeat came from the class’s dominant Georgian. In third, Aleksandar Nikolic from Serbia secured the bronze.

Dato Marsagishvili, bronze medallist at the 2012 Olympic Games for Georgia, was dominant all weekend and capped off his campaign by scoring early and controlling the pace of the final match against Strahinja Dermanovic (SRB) at 90kg. Following the Georgian on the podium was Christos Samartsidis (GER), who won his match in pouring rain against Croatia’s Domenik Andreic. Strahinja Dermanovic completed the podium.

Four match wins to gold it was for the men’s heavyweight Oyan Nazariani from Azerbaijan, who defeated Ioannis Kargiotakis (GRE) in the final match of the day. These two made it one and two in this class ahead of Georgia’s Mamuka Kordzaia

 

 

With three times the points available during the final event in Zagreb, those wrestlers who made the podium in Croatia had the best chances of bagging the overall titles.

In the men’s it was the Georgian trio of Kelekhsashvili (70kg), Khutsishvili (80kg) and Marsagishvili (90kg) who secured the overall wins and walked off with their world championships trophies after winning all three competitions in which they participated.. The heavyweight title went to deserving champion Oyan Naziarani from Azerbaijan.

After winning not only the event on home soil in Odessa last month but also the season finale, the titles in the women’s went to Ukraine’s Mashkevych (50kg) and Mazurkevych (70kg). Pitsiava from Greece clean swept the +70kg category after dominating all her three showings in the World Series.

With two victories and a second place, Brazilian Camila Fama secured her first world championships title in beach wrestling at 60kg and now feels ready for her next tasks: “I still can’t believe it. I keep asking myself if it’s real, did I really just get that title,” said Fama in a first statement. “I feel more trustful for the next step, which will be Qatar for me. I’m starting with the right foot. I’m very proud of myself.”

It was a season of intense competitions, frequent throws and a lot of activity throughout the whole Beach Wrestling World Series earning the applause from the spectators and international interest. Topped with the coronation of eight new champions in the men’s and women’s, beach wrestling’s next big appearance will be during the 1st ever ANOC World Beach Games in Doha, Qatar mid-October.

 

 

Watch all matches and find full results here.

Results Beach Wrestling World Series Zagreb

WOMEN

50kg

1. Kateryna Mashkevych, UKR

2. Kristal Betanzo, USA

3. Carmen Gomes Pereira, POR

60kg

1. Camila Fama Tristao, BRA

2. Isabel Cristina Rodrigues, POR

3. Valeriia Semonkina Zlatova, UKR

70kg

1. Anna Mazurkevych, UKR

2. Diana Mary Betanzo, USA

3. Sonia Maria Pereira Brazio, POR

+70kg

1. Aikaterini Eirini Pitsiava, GRE

2. Iryna Pasichnyk, UKR
 

MEN

70kg

1. Levan Kelekhsashvili, GEO

2. Semen Radulov, UKR

3. Michael Peters, USA

80kg

1. Davit Khutsishvili, GEO

2. Georgios Koulouchidis, GRE

3. Aleksandar Nikolic, SRB

90kg

1. Dato Marsagishvili, GEO

2. Christos Samartsidis, GRE

3. Strahinja Dermanovic, SRB

+90kg

1. Oyan Nazariani, AZE

2. Ioannis Kargiotakis, GRE

3. Mamuka Kordzaia, GEO

 

Final Standings Beach Wrestling World Series (after 4 of 4 stops)

WOMEN

50kg

1. Kateryna Mashkevych, UKR                   40000

2. Carmen Gomes Pereira, POR                 31000

3. Kristal Betanzo, USA                               24000

 

60kg

1. Camila Fama Tristao, BRA            48000

2. Valeriia Semonkina Zlatova, UKR  34000

3. Isabel Cristina Rodrigues, POR      31100

 

70kg

1. Anna Mazurkevych, UKR                40000

2. Sonia Maria Pereira Brazio, POR     34000

3. Diana Mary Betanzo, USA              24000

 

+70kg

1. Aikaterini Eirini Pitsiava, GRE              50000

2. Iryna Pasichnyk, UKR                          24000

3. Aline Da Silva Ferreira, BRA                10000

 

MEN

70kg

1. Levan Kelekhsashvili, GEO      50000

2. Semen Radulov, UKR              42000

3. Michael Peters, USA                19500

80kg

1. Davit Khutsishvili, GEO           50000

2. Georgios Koulouchidis, GRE    42800

3. Aleksandar Nikolic, SRB          19500

90kg

1. Dato Marsagishvili, GEO          50000

2. Christos Samartsidis, GRE       34500

3. Strahinja Dermanovic, SRB     19500

+90kg

1. Oyan Nazariani, AZE                58000

2. Ioannis Kargiotakis, GRE          44300

3. Mamuka Kordzaia, GEO           35300


UWW Beach Wrestling

UWW, then known as FILA, codified the form of beach wrestling in 2004. Beach wrestling is standing wrestling done by wrestlers, male or female, inside a sand-filled circle measuring 7 meters (23 ft) in diameter. The style originally mirrored the rules used before the use of wrestling mats, and beach wrestling has been regarded as the oldest version of international competitive wrestling. The international rules have been modified in 2015 by UWW, with the current rules allowing wrestlers to score points via takedowns, pushing their opponent out of bounds, or bringing the opponent down to their back. 


Beach Wrestling World Series 2019

Chaves, Portugal | March, 29-30

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | May, 10-11

Odessa, Ukraine | August, 9-10

Zagreb, Croatia | September, 7-8
 

Weight classes

Men: 70 kg, 80 kg, 90 kg, and +90kg

Women: 50 kg, 60 kg, 70 kg, and +70kg

--
United World Wrestling is the international governing body of wrestling and is headquartered in Corsier-­Sur-­Vevey, Switzerland. To learn more about United World Wrestling and the activities of its 187 national federations, please visit: www.UnitedWorldWrestling.org, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. 


For more information please contact Tim Foley at foley@unitedworldwrestling.org or Gordon Templeman at gordon@unitedworldwrestling.org.

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships 2025 Day 2 Live Blog

Monday, August 18, 2025 - 07:13 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 18) -- The U20 World Championships enter the second day with four more Freestyle weight classes -- 57kg, 65kg, 79kg and 92kg. The competition began Sunday, read the recap here.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

The semifinals will begin at 17:00 hours

14:18: Anar JAFARLI (AZE) with a huge four-pointer to trip SACHIN (IND) and then uses a high gut to finish the 92kg quarterfinal 10-0.

14:15: Sumit MALIK (IND) denies Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) a semifinal place at 57kg. Malik with a four-pointer in his 9-2 win as Baghirov could not match the pace. 

14:06: Another Yamanashi Gaikun University wrestler Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) on the rise! Uchida locks Sanjarbek RUSTAMBEKOV (UZB) in a leg lace and finishes the match 11-0 to reach the 65kg semifinals.

14:02: Luke STANICH (USA) is into the semifinals at 65kg! He hangs on for a 3-3 criteria win over Alessandro NINI (ITA) after scoring a takedown which was latest action in the match. Incidentally, both Stanich and Nini were born in New Jersey and train 100 kilometres from each other -- Stanich at Lehigh and Nini at Rutgers

13:55: European U20 champion Davit TCHETCHELASHVILI (GEO) built a 3-0 lead but William HENCKEL (USA) bounces back with two takedowns to lead 4-3 at the break in their 79kg quarterfinal. Henckel gets a stepout in the second period to extend his lead to 5-3 while defending those attempted duckunders. Tchetchelashvili hits a takedown to lead 5-5 on criteria with 1:50 left in the match. Henckel hits a takedown to reclaim the lead 7-5 with a minute left in the match. A double-leg from Henckel as he gets two and a turn for a fall gives two more points to make his lead 11-5. Henchkel downs Tchetchelashvili 11-5.

13:40: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) downs defending 79kg champion Alp Arsalan BEGENJOV (TKM) 6-4, avenging his 10-0 loss to the Turkmenistan wrestler from last year. Begenjov had a 1-1 criteria lead after a stepout but Yousefi scored a stepout and Begenjov called for a medical timeout. With a 2-1 lead for Yousefi, the bout restarted in par terre and the Iranian managed to turn Begenjov for two points to lead 4-1 with 1:53 left in the match. Yousefi then stopped a duckunder and scored a takedown but Begenjov managed a takedown to make it 6-3. Yousefi was fleeing during that attack for which he was cautioned and bout restarted in par terre with 6-4 lead for Yousefi. Begenjov failed to turn Yousefi from par terre, ending his title defense.

13:25: World U17 champion Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) has reached the quarterfinal at 57kg as he looks to add a U20 world title to his name. He will face Sumit MALIK (IND).

13:15: Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) launched Connor MIRASOLA (USA) for a counter chest wrap four-pointer and then adds couple of stepouts to lead 6-1. Mirasola comes out on top in one of the scrambles to make it 6-3 with a minute left in the bout. Kurugliyev with a stepout and Mirasola with a takedown but the Kazakh returning bronze medalist wins 7-5 and advances to the 92kg quarterfinals.

13:00: Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), Asian U20 silver medalist, runs off to a 14-3 technical superiority win over Anthony KNOX (USA) at 57kg to enter the quarterfinals. 

12:55: Sumit MALIK (IND) pulls off a last-second victory over Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN), who will be at 57kg for the senior World Championships as well for Japan. Malik was down 10-1 but somehow mounted a comeback in the second period with a four-pointer and a takedown to make it 10-7. He scored another takedown to score 10-9 with 7 seconds left. Sakamoto wins but India challenge for a singlet-foul which on review is confirmed and a 10-10 win for Malik.

12:40: Aliasghar TATHASHTIKEH (IRI) managed to come within one point distance of Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) in the 65kg bout but goes down 10-9. Dzhandubaev, the European U20 champion, led comfortably before his conditioning struggles became evident. Three takedowns for Tathashtikeh to make it 10-8 with 20 seconds left on the clock but the Iranian managed only a stepout.

12:20: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) with a fall over Narek NIKOGHOSYAN (ARM) at 79kg after building an 8-0 lead. On Mat C, defending champion at 79kg Alp Arsalan BEGENJOV (TKM) with two big moves to win 11-0 against Gan Erdene BAATARKHUU (MGL)

12:10: Yerkhan ABIL (KAZ) is too much for returning bronze medalist at 79kg Leandro ARAUJO (BRA) as the Kazakh wrestler wins 6-0. Totally shut down Araujo in that bout.

12:05: European U20 champion Davit TCHETCHELASHVILI (GEO) pins Antoni MAJCHRZAK (POL) on the mat after a four-pointer and gets the victory via fall.

12:00: In a thrilling repechage bout, returning silver medalist Ladarion LOCKETT (USA) scores a takedown with 3 seconds left to beat European U20 champion Manuel WAGIN (GER) at 74kg. Wagin hit a front headlock four-point throw to lead 5-4 but Lockett somehow managed to overturn the result of a heated bout.

11:40: Anthony KNOX (USA), wrestling internationally for the first time, doesn't waste much time and beats Mykola BRATOV (UKR) via technical superiority at 57kg.

11:30: Anar JAFARLI (AZE) hangs on for a 3-2 win against Orazmuhammet HOJALYYEV (TKM) at 92kg. Tough match for Jafarli, a returning bronze medalist.

11:25: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) with a beautiful arm-throw against Arshia HADDADI (IRI) for four points. Haddadi could never recover and loses his first bout at 57kg 6-1. 

11:15: Viktor BOROHAN (UKR) with a four-pointer to take the lead 4-4 on criteria against ASHWANI (IND) and win at 65kg. The European U20 silver medalist over Asian U20 silver medalist

11:10: Leg lace is what Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) gets to win his first bout at 65kg against Agha GASIMOV (AZE). Dzhandubaev is the European U20 and U23 champion this year.

11:05: Returning 79kg bronze medalist Mohammad YOUSEFI (IRI) warms up with a 10-0 win over Ion MARCU (MDA). Yousefi is a senior Asian champion this year.

11:00: Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) comes out blazing with a takedown and then gut-wrenches Luke STANICH (USA) for an 8-0 lead. Toprak has some conditioning trouble and slowly feels the pressure of Stanich, who now has three takedowns to cut the lead to 8-6 with more than 2 minutes left in the bout. Stanich takedonw takedown to make it 8-8 and take the criteria lead. Toprak keeps going for Stanich's legs but the U.S. wrestler is quick to counter and score. He turns using a lace and now leads 16-8. He finishes with another takedown wins 18-8.

10:55: Muradkhan OMAROV (AZE), who won a silver medal at the European U20 Championships, had a slow start against David KODAKOV GIL (ESP) at 79kg but then jumps to a 9-2 lead as Kodakov Gil was seemingly passive. Omarov wins 9-2 and advances at 79kg

10:40: Defending 79kg champion Alp Arsalan BEGENJOV (TKM) starts off with a technical superiority win over Ivan ANDONOV (BUL). Begenjov gets on the scored with an activity point and then scores a takedown and turn to lead 5-0 at the break. He then counters with two chest wrap throws for four points to win 11-0.

10:35: Pan-Am U20 champion William HENCKEL (USA) raced to 5-0 lead against Maksat TABYLDYEV (KGZ) gets a few points back. Henckel, however, manages to hang on for a 8-5 win at 79kg. 

10:30: European U20 champion Davit TCHETCHELASHVILI (GEO) and Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) in a back-and-forth bout at 79kg. But Tchetchelashvili manages to score every time Gharehdaghi scores. Eventually, the Georgian manages to win 12-8.

10:00: The day will start with the repechage from Sunday's weight classes and then move to qualifications of today's weights beginning with 79kg.