#WrestleNoviSad

Georgia Inserts Four into Day 2 U23 European Finals

Monday, March 4, 2019 - 19:43 By Eric Olanowski

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 4) – Georgia, led by defending U23 world and European champions Nugzari TSURTSUMIA and Zviadi PATARIDZE inserted four wrestlers into Tuesday night’s Greco-Roman U23 European finals. 

At 55kg, Tsurtsumia and his finals opponent Florin TITA (ROU) scored first-period technical superiority victories and will meet in Tuesday night's gold-medal bout.  

Tsurtsumia, the returning 55kg U23 world and European champion, quickly scored the 11-2 victory in his semifinals match to breeze past Russia's Viktor VEDERNIKOV.

His finals opponent Tita pounced Hungary's Bence KOVACS 12-2 and locked up his 55kg finals spot, improving on his bronze-medal finish from the 2018 U23 European Championships.

Zviadi Pataridze, the six-time age-group world champion, easily handled Estonia's Artur VITITIN and picked up the 9-0 technical superiority victory. Pataridze's Monday night win helped insert himself in his second consecutive U23 European finals and gave the Georgian big man his third overall U23 European medal. He also finished with a bronze medal back in 2017.

To win his second straight U23 European gold medal, Pataridze will have to defeat Romania’s Lenard BEREI (ROU) in the 130kg gold-medal match. Berei trailed 3-0 in his semifinals bout against Russia’s Oleg AGAKHANOV but used a four-point throw to reach the finals with the 4-3 advantage.

Georgia’s third finalist Levani KAVIARADZE will meet Armenia's Slavik GALSTYAN for the 63kg gold medal. 

Kavjaradze scored the 7-2 victory over Erik TORBA (HUN) to seal up his spot in the 63kg finals. He’ll wrestle Slavik Galstyan, who trailed 2-0 in his semifinal bout, but outscored Ukraine’s U23 world bronze medalist Oleksandr HRUSHYN 13-2 and locked up his spot in the 63kg finals with a 13-4 victory.  

Gurami KHETSURIANI was the fourth and final Georgian who reached Tuesday’s finals. He did so by stopping Martynas NEMSEVICIUS from becoming the second ever Lithuanian wrestler from reaching the U23 European finals with a 4-0 win.

Khetsuriani will have to defeat Russia’s Gazi KHALILOV in the gold-medal bout if he hopes to walk away as the 87kg champion. Khalilov trailed 6-3 in his semifinals bout against Ivan HUKLEK before catching the Croatian wrestler on his back and picking up the fall. 

The only Day 2 finals matchup that won’t feature a Georgian wrestler is at 77kg, where Russia’s reigning junior world champion Islam OPIEV (RUS) will take on Turkey’s Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) for the gold. 

Opiev was awarded a passivity point in his semifinal bout and edged Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO), 1-1. His finals opponenet Akkoyun used a four-point second period to stop Tamas LEVAI (HUN), 5-1, to reach the 77kg gold-medal bout.  

Wrestling resumes on Tuesday at 11:30 (local time). The Day 2 finals are set to begin at 18:00. 

SCHEDULE
Tuesday (March 5) 
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
9:45 - Medical Examination & Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
14:30 - Draw WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
16:45 - Opening Ceremony
17:15 - Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18: 00 - Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Wednesday (March 6) 
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
9:45 -  Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
14:00 - Draw WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg 
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18: 00 - Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg

Thursday (March 7)
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
14:00 - Draw FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18: 00 - Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg

Friday (March 8) 
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
14:00 - Draw FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
17:15 - Semi Final FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
18: 00 -  Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg

Saturday (March 9) 
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
17:15 - Semi Final FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18: 00 -  Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Sunday (March 10) 
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
16:00 - Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg


RESULTS 
55kg 
GOLD - Florin TITA (ROU) vs. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Florin TITA (ROU) df. Bence KOVACS (HUN), 12-2
SEMIFINAL - Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) df. Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS), 11-2 

63kg
GOLD - Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO) vs. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
SEMIFINAL - Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO) df. Erik TORBA (HUN), 7-2 
SEMIFINAL - Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) df. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR), 13-4 

77kg 
GOLD - Islam OPIEV (RUS) df. Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Islam OPIEV (RUS) df. Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO), 1-1 
SEMIFINAL - Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) df. Tamas LEVAI (HUN), 5-1 

87kg 
GOLD - Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO) vs. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO) df. Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU), 4-0 
SEMIFINAL - Gazi KHALILOV (RUS) df. Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), via fall 

130kg 
GOLD - Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) vs. Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU)
SEMIFINAL -Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) df. Artur VITITIN (EST), 9-0 
SEMIFINAL - Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU) df. Oleg AGAKHANOV (RUS), 4-3 

#WrestleAthens

U17 World Wrestling Championships 2025: Day 1 Highlights

Monday, July 28, 2025 - 07:38 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (July 28) -- The World U17 Championships kicks off in Athens, Greece with five Greco-Roman weight classes. Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia will be in contention to win the team title.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | FULL PREVIEW

READ THE REPORT OF ALL SEMIFINALS HERE

18:00: Welcome back to the World U17 Championships coverage! The semifinals in 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg will begin now!

15:00: The semifinals will begin at 18:00 hours local time! The opening ceremony will be at 17:00 hours. Stay tuned!

14:45: Asian domination at 55kg! Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) will face Aditya GUPTA (IND) and Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) will take on Nurali ASKAR (KAZ) in the semifinals.

14:35: Asian champion HARDEEP (IND) beats European bronze medalist Anatolii NOVACHENKO (UKR), 9-0, with turns from par terre and enters the semifinals at 110kg.

14:30: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) holds his positions good and gets both par terre points in the match against Hu Anshi NUERLEBIEKE (CHN) and makes it to the 110kg semifinal.

14:20: Aditya GUPTA (IND) with a takedown in the final second of the bout to beat Rakhman GAMIDOV (UKR) 4-2. He was down 2-2 on criteria but manages to wrap his arm around Gamidov to score a takedown. Ukraine challenges for time but it was inside the last second.

14:02: Madness on Mat A! Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) was trying to stop a pin from Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) and turns it around and manages to pin the Azerbaijan wrestlers for the win at 80kg!

13:50: Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) continues his good show at 55kg as he pins Osman OZDEMIR (TUR) and advances to the quarterfinals.

13:45: Asian silver medalist Sadriddin TULKINBOEV (UZB) drops his 55kg 1/8 final to Aditya GUPTA (IND), 4-1. Gupta did not get any turn from par terre but Tulkinvoev scored a stepuot in the second period and made it 1-1. But due to a new rule currently being tested by UWW, a 1-1 scoring in Greco-Roman will see the wrestler who scored the first point, win on criteria. Gupta keeps his attacks and there is no par terre for Tulkinboev. Uzbekistan throw a challenge for "nothing", as the review team said. Gupta wins 4-1

13:25: Rakhman GAMIDOV (UKR) digs deep and pulls off a four-pointer later in the match to win 5-2 against Naru SEMBA (JPN) at 55kg. He was down 2-1 with just 30 seconds left.

13:15: Big win for ANUJ (IND) at 65kg as he beats Asian bronze medalist Xusan GIEZIDINOV (UZB) 8-0. High pace match from Anuj to block Geizidinov.

13:05: Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), European silver medalists, reaches the quarterfinal at 65kg, after a technical superiority 9-1 win over Huseyn ISGANDAROV (AZE).

12:50: Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) bounces back from 5-0 down by blocking a throw from Mardanbek MAKHKAMBAYEV (KAZ) and gut wrenches his way to a 13-5 win at 80kg.

12:46: Ismail BEREKET (TUR) continues his big-throwing streak as he beats Stepan DANHEL (CZE) 9-0 in a minute 50 seconds at 80kg. The European bronze medalist is looking better with every win.

12:45: How do you win with one second remaining?! Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN) hits a four-pointer in the final second after getting thrown by Martin MANJIKYAN (ARM) and wins 6-6. He can't believe it as well

12:40: Zhanarbek SEIITOV (KGZ) uses the gut-wrench to great effect and wins his 48kg bout against Fuhua KANG (CHN) 10-2. He gets Asian bronze medalist Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) in the next round after Hsanov pulled off a late throw against Amirmohammad HAJIVAND (IRI) and win 4-3.

12:35: HARDEEP (IND), Asian champ at 110kg, gets both the par terre points and beats Baktur SOVETKHAN (KAZ), 2-0, in the opening round.

12:30: Quick work from Sayidamir NEMATOV (UZB) at 110kg as he beats European champ Rihad IBRAHIMLI (AZE) 10-0 in the first period.

12:20: Hu Anshi NUERLEBIEKE (CHN) was so calm despite being down 8-1 against Vasileios BOUNTOULIS (GRE) at 110kg. Nuerlebieke locked Bountoulis in bodylocks twice in last 15 seconds and threw him for two four-pointers to win 9-8. He was thrown for two four-pointers in the first period by Bountoulis.

12:15: A 2024 Asian U15 champ Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) stops European silver medalist Giorgi CHACHUA (GEO) 4-2 in their 55kg bout.

11:50: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) pulls off a stunning win over Amirreza  TAHMASBPOUR (IRI) 5-3 at 55kg. Abdirasulov scores a correct throw to lead 3-3 on criteria but Iran challenges for no points. The challenge is won but on review, it's four points for Abdirasulov wins the bout

11:20: Pan-Am champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) has a hard time against Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), who is an European silver medalist, as he cannot get a turn but Nazaryan manages to score. Nazaryan wins 4-1

11:05: Big match between Asian champion Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) and European silver medalist Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU). Kholmirzaev and Bubelevicius go back-and-forth but Kholmirzaev manages to hang on for an 11-6 win.

10:45: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO), who finished 5th at 92kg at the European Championships, is back at 80kg and finishes with two front headlocks to win 9-0 in just 21 seconds against David VILK (CRO).

10:40: Big throws right from the start in Athens! European bronze medalist Ismail BEREKER (TUR) launches Samarth GOVEKAR (IND) for big throws and wins the opening bout at 80kg 11-0 in just a minute and 28 seconds.

10:30: Welcome to the World U17 Championships in Athens. It is being held at the iconic Ano Liosia Olympic Hall, the venue where wrestling competition during the 2004 Olympics was held.