#BudaWrestle2018

Hungarians Korpasi, Bacsi Electrify Crowd with Semifinal Victories

Thursday, October 25, 2018 - 19:26 By Andrew Hipps

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (October 25) -- Balint KORPASI and Peter BACSI electrified the crowd in Budapest and gave Hungary two finalists on the opening day of the Greco-Roman competition at the World Championships. 

Korpasi, a 2016 world champion, punched his ticket to the gold-medal match with a 3-1 win over Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) in the semifinals at 72kg. The 31-year-old Hungarian scored with a gut wrench in the first period, which proved to the difference in the match. He will face two-time world champion Frank STAEBLER (GER) in the gold-medal match at 72kg.

Staebler broke open a close semifinal match against 2015 world champion Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) late in the match with a takedown and two throws to claim a 9-1 technical fall.

Bacsi found himself in an early 4-0 hole after giving up a takedown and turn to Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) in the semifinals at 82kg. But Bacsi chipped away and cut the deficit to 4-2 in the second period before getting on top and scoring with a gut wrench and four-point throw to go up by four points. He would close out a technical fall victory a short time later with a gut wrench. His finals opponent will be Emrah KUS (TUR), who came back to defeat Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) 6-4 in the semifinals. 

Abdvali raced out to a 4-0 lead on the strength of a body lock twenty seconds into the match. But Kus would come back in the second period, using a four-point throw to take the lead. He would add a point off a failed challenge to win by two.  

Nineteen-year-old Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) dominated world university champion Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) to reach the gold-medal match at 55kg, earning a 9-0 technical fall.  Sharshenbekov has not surrounded a point in three matches, picking up three technical falls and outscoring his opposition 29-0. He now meets two-time junior world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) in the gold-medal match at 55kg.

Azizli topped Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) 6-3, scoring all six of his points in the first period, getting a takedown before locking up a gut wrench for two turns. Tsurtsumia scored a takedown with a minute remaining to cut the deficit to three but could not complete the comeback. 

Olympic bronze medalist Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) used a four-point throw in the first period on his way to a 4-3 win over Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) in the semifinals at 63kg. Temirov scored a takedown with a minute and twenty seconds left, but Tasmuradov held on for the narrow victory. 

Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS), a world bronze medalist in 2017, knocked off 19-year-old Hassan MOHAMED (EGY) 7-1 to reach the gold-medal match at 63kg. The two traded passivity points until the second period when Maryanyan was able to get on top and lock up his gut wrench for three turns to break the match open. 

Semifinal Results

Greco-Roman

55kg
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) df. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) by VSU, 9-0
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) by VPO1, 6-3

63kg
Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) by VPO1, 4-3
Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) df. Hassan MOHAMED (EGY) by VPO1, 7-1

72kg
Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) by VPO1, 3-1
Frank STAEBLER (GER) df. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) by VSU1, 9-1

82kg
Emrah KUS (TUR) df. Saeid Morad ABDVALI (IRI) by VPO1, 6-4
Peter BACSI (HUN) df. Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) by VSU1, 12-4
 

#WrestleZagreb

Maroulis returns to Worlds final after three years

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 20:38 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- Helen MAROULIS (USA) wrestled three bout on Tuesday at the World Championships and secured three pins. She spent only 6 minutes and 28 seconds in those three pins to reach the 57kg final at the World Championships on Tuesday in Zagreb.

Maroulis, a two-time world champion, will now wrestle for gold against Il Sim SON (PRK), one of the two wrestlers from the DPR Korea to make it to the final on Tuesday.

In all three of her pins, Maroulis used the iconic foot-sweep to get the fall. The first victim was Emine CAKMAK (TUR) who was pinned in a minute. Japan's world U23 champion Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) held her fort for some time but Tokuhara missed a shot and Maroulis got the two-on-one before sweeping her for the fall in 2 minutes and 17 seconds.

In the semifinals, Maroulis wrestled European champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) and took a 1-0 lead for the latter's inactivity. But as soon as the second period began, Maroulis went straight to work and hit the sweep to get the fall and a place in the final.

She will face an unfamiliar challenge in the final as  Il Sim SON (PRK) who defeated Olympic bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN), 12-2, in the other semifinal. Son was one of the two finalist for the DPR Korea, a country which won its gold at 55kg on Tuesday.

The other wrestler from the DPR Korea to reach the final was Asian bronze medalist Myonggyong WON (PRK) who handed 2021 world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) her first international loss.

Yoshimoto, Asian champion in 2025, had it under control for the most the match before conceding a takedown with just 23 seconds left on the clock. Won was relentless in her attacks to break Yoshimoto in the final 20 seconds.

For the gold, she will face 2024 world U20 champion Yu ZHANG (CHN) who secured a fall over Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) after taking a 9-0 lead.

At 65kg, former world champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) defeated another world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) in the semifinal, 10-0. Morikawa impressed with her attacks and scored five different takedowns to finish the match via technical superiority.

World U23 silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) will look to stop Morikawa from winning her second world title after a dream run to the final at 65kg. She defeated two-time world bronze medalist Macey KILTY (USA) in the morning session and completed a 13-3 technical superiority Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) in the semifinals.

Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) booked a final against Genesis REASCO (ECU) after she handed a 10-5 defeat to European champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) in the semifinals.

In an all South American semifinal, Reasco scored a takedown in the last minute to stun Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), 5-3. Potrille was leading 3-3 on criteria with a minute left but Reasco scored the two-point takedown and held on to her lead for the win, becoming the first Ecuadorian wrestler to reach a World Championships final.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Myonggyong WON (PRK) vs. Yu ZHANG (CHN)

SF 1: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL), via fall (9-0)
SF 2: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), 3-2

57kg
GOLD: Helen MAROULIS (USA) vs. Il Sim SON (PRK)

SF 1: Il Sim SON (PRK) df. Kexin HONG (CHN), 12-2
SF 2: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW), via fall (5-0)

65kg
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW)

SF 1: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL), 13-3
SF 2: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) vs. Genesis REASCO (ECU)

SF 1: Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) df. Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), 5-3
SF 2: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 10-5