#WrestleAthens

Greece gets Greco finalist at U17 Worlds; Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan keep up

Tuesday, July 29, 2025 - 15:26 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (July 29) -- Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan continued their superb show in Greco-Roman at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece by earned two more spots in the finals.

On day one, the two countries, along with Georgia, were the only ones to enter multiple wrestlers in the final. On Tuesday, they added more while hosts Greece managed to enter one wrestler in the final, just the third-ever in Greco at World U17 Championships.

Asian U17 champion and returning bronze medalist at 71kg Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) led the way for his country, reaching the final after beating returning silver medalist from 65kg Yusif AHMADLI (AZE), 9-5, in the semifinal.

Ahmadli raced to a 5-0 lead from par terre but Valiev scored two stepouts before the break to cut the lead to 5-2. He got par terre in the second but failed to score any points. However, another stepout made it 5-4. Valiev kept pushing the pace of the bout and managed an awkward throw for four points. Azerbaijan challenged in vain as Valiev got the win.

It is at this weight class that Greece will look to bag a gold medal as Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE) became just the third finalist for Greece at a World U17 Championships after he defeated Marlen MEIRBEKULY (KAZ), 9-8, in a thrilling semifinal. 

Soulis led 8-4 with 10 seconds remaining in the bout when Meirbekuly hit a four-pointer to make it 8-8. However, Soulis had the criteria with a scoring action of four points, two points and two points while Meirbekuly had actions of one point, one point, two points and four points.

The second finalist for Uzbekistan came at 51kg after Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) reversed the par terre and then scored four gut-wrenches to beat Polat KARADENIZ (TUR), 9-1, in the semifinals. He will face Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) in the final who got a stepout with 18 seconds left against Asian U17 champion Islam KURBANOV (KGZ) to beat him 4-3 in the other semifinal.

Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) became the star for Kyrgyzstan as he surprised European champion Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE) with a big headlock throw for four points to start the semifinal. A lost challenge from Azerbaijan made it 5-0 for Kumarbekov.

With no passivity call in the second period, Kumarbekov kept his pace and Huseynli tried some desperate moves, getting for a takedown which gave Kumarbekov a 7-0 win.

It would have been an Kyrgyzstan-Iran final but Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) had other ideas. He rallied from behind to beat Benyamin KHEZLI (IRI).

The Iranian took just 20 seconds to get on board with a takedown and turn that was only awarded after a challenge from Iran. He took a 4-0 lead against Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) who used some solid arm-drags to score a stepout and then a takedown to cut it to 4-3.

As the time ran out, Zhangazhol dished out one more attack and got the headlock for four points. While Khezli got a counter turn, that was not enough for a win as Zhangazhol kept his 7-6 lead. Iran challenged the final move but it was a clear throw from Zhangazhol. The loss left Khezli in tears.

At 60kg, European bronze medalist Denys SEREDIN (UKR) suffered a heartbreaking loss in the semifinals as Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ) used a front headlock throw for four points with just 00:03 left on the clock to win 5-1 and earn a place in the final.

Seredin had defended well for the full match and was leading 1-1 on criteria but he let his guard down for the final five seconds of the bout.

Ysakbaev will take European silver medalist Ali NAZAROV (AZE) in the final after the Azerbaijani defeated Abolfazl ZARE (IRI) 1-1 in the other semifinal. Nazarov was winner based on the criteria that he scored the first point in an 1-1 scoreline match.

At 92kg, Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW), who was seventh last year, booked a spot in the final this year after a 3-1 win over Ionut PATRU (ROU). Both wrestler got par terre positions but Patru was docked two points for headbutting in the second period which proved to be the difference between the two.

Winning the gold, however, will be a big ask for Kasyan as he faces Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) in the final after he cleaned up Ahmet UZUN (TUR) 7-0 in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ)

SF 1: Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) df. Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE), 7-0
SF 2: Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) df. Benyamin KHEZLI (IRI), 8-6

51kg
GOLD: Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) vs. Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE)

SF 1: Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) df. Islam KURBANOV (KGZ), 4-3
SF 2: Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) df. Polat KARADENIZ (TUR), 10-1

60kg
GOLD: Ali NAZAROV (AZE) vs. Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ)

SF 1: Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ) df. Denys SEREDIN (UKR), 6-1
SF 2: Ali NAZAROV (AZE) df. Abolfazl ZARE (IRI), 1-1

71kg
GOLD: Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) vs. Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE)

SF 1: Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) df. Yusif AHMADLI (AZE), 9-5
SF 2: Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE) df. Marlen MEIRBEKULY (KAZ), 9-8

92kg
GOLD: Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW)

SF 1: Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Ahmet UZUN (TUR), 7-0
SF 2: Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW) df. Ionut PATRU (ROU), 3-1

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds: Japan, China end gold droughts; Iran completes Greco sweep

Thursday, October 23, 2025 - 22:52 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 23) -- Japan had been searching for a Greco-Roman gold medalist at the U23 World Championships for six years. Shota OGAWA (JPN) won the country's last gold at this tournament in 2019, while Komei SAWADA (JPN) reached the final last year.

The wait ended on Thursday in Novi Sad after Koto GOMI (JPN) clinched the gold medal at 60kg with a technical superiority win over Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI) in the final.

Gomi, a product of the Ikuei University, became only the fifth Greco U23 world champion for Japan but none of the earlier four champions dominated the field as he did. He opened his tournament with a 10-2 win over former U20 world champion Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM), defeated Melkamu FETENE (ISR), 13-4, before winning his semifinals 9-0 against Maxwell BLACK (USA).

Facing Abbaspour in the final, Gomi made sure he won his fourth bout with technical superiority as well. He got the first point when Abbaspour was put in par terre. Soon after, Gomi turned Abbaspour for two more points before adding a throw which got him one point and a 4-0 lead.

When the second period began, Abbaspour tried to get Gomi in par terre with some aggressive wrestling. He managed to body lock Gomi, but as he tried to force the Japanese towards the mat, Gomi tossed him using the momentum for four points to clinch the victory. Iran challenged the call only to lose it and add one more point to Gomi's score.

Despite the loss of Abbaspour, Iran won the Greco team title, completing a sweep of all world team titles in Greco this year. It won the U17 in Athens, U20 in Samokov, senior in Zagreb and the U23 in Novi Sad.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) won the 82kg final in Novi Sad. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 82kg, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) won a gold medal for a third straight year. While his first two gold medals came at 77kg, he moved up to 82kg this year but still managed to win the world title.

Gutu, known for his big throws, had to be satisfied with a 1-1 victory against Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR) in the final. He got the first par terre point to lead 1-0. In the second period, Gutu was put in par terre twice but defended both times to win the gold medal.

Mixed show for U.S.

In women's wrestling, the United States had three wrestlers in the finals of three weight classes but it managed to win only one gold. China and Kyrgyzstan denied the U.S. in the other two finals.

One of the best matches of the night came at 72kg between former U20 world champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) and senior world bronze medalist Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ).

Robinson was off to a blazing start in the final, leading 10-3, but she tried two risky throws that cost her the match. The first was a chestwrap which was blocked by Nurtaeva who managed to bring Robinson to danger. It was initially scored four points for Robinson and two for Nurtaeva but Kyrgyzstan challenged the call and it was awarded four points to the Kyrgyzstan wrestler.

With a 10-7 lead, Robinson once again attempted a double underhook throw which was easily defended by Nurtaeva who managed to land on top of the U.S. wrestler and get another four points. She defended her 11-10 lead to become the country's second U23 world champion in Women's Wrestling and first since 2021.

Jinyue LIANG (CHN)Jinyue LIANG (CHN) tries to pin Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) in the 50kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The second loss for the U.S. came at 50kg, as Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) was once again defeated in a World Championships final, her fifth defeat.

She began her final well against Jinyue LIANG (CHN), taking a 2-0 lead. But the China wrestler bounced back and made it 2-2 when Jimenez missed a sweep single and Liang scored a go-behind to lead.

Liang then pulled off a crafty move to put Jimenez in danger. Both wrestlers were locked in double underhooks with knees on the mat. Liang then pulled one of Jimenez's arms and put her hand on the knee across to trip her and hold her on the mat, trying to get a fall.

Jimenez committed a defensive foul by putting her fingers on Liang's face which costed her two more points. She survived the pin attempt but trailed 6-2 at the break. There were no points scored in the second period as Liang went into defensive mode and did not give Jimenez any openings.

This was China's first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at U23 Worlds in six years as Liang became only the third wrestler to win gold at this level. Earlier, two wrestlers had won three golds for China with PAHILA (CHN) winning golds in 2017 and 2018.

The U.S. did crown a champion on Thursday as 72kg champion Kylie WELKER (USA) won gold at 76kg in dominant fashion. She controlled an evasive Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) and finished the final 10-0 inside the first period.

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Koto GOMI (JPN) df. Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI), 9-0

BRONZE: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) df. Ilkin GURBANOV (AZE), 5-4
BRONZE: Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) df. Maxwell BLACK (USA), 8-0

82kg
GOLD: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR), 1-1

BRONZE: Abolfazl MOHMEDI (IRI) df. Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO)
BRONZE: Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) df. Ibrahim TABAEV (BEL), 8-6

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Jinyue LIANG (CHN) df. Audrey JIMENEZ (USA), 6-2

BRONZE: Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL) df. Natalia PUDOVA (UWW), 5-4
BRONZE: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN), 9-7

72kg
GOLD: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) df. Jasmine ROBINSON (USA), 11-10

BRONZE: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) df. Laura KOEHLER (GER), 8-0 (via fall)
BRONZE: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Haticenur SARI (TUR), 8-0

76kg
GOLD: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: PRIYA (IND) df. Edna JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX), 8-1
BRONZE: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ), 6-3

Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) vs. Tuba DEMIR (TUR)

SF 1: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), via fall
SF 2: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. NISHU (IND), 6-4

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) vs. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW)

SF 1: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) df. Emine CAKMAK (TUR), via fall

65kg
GOLD: Yuqi RAO (CHN) vs. Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW)

SF 1: Yuqi RAO (CHN) df. Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR), 6-5
SF 2: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. PULKIT (IND), 9-6

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) vs. Nesrin BAS (TUR)

SF 1: Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) df. SRISHTI (IND), 10-6
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ), 8-6