#Zagreb2018

Iran Bookends 2018 Cadet World C’Ships with Freestyle and Greco Team Titles

Sunday, July 8, 2018 - 20:57 By Taylor Miller

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ZAGREB, Croatia – The 2018 Cadet World Championships wrapped up on Sunday night in Zagreb, Croatia, with five wrestlers crowned Greco World champions and Iran awarded the top team prize in the Greco-Roman discipline.

Iran won the team race, putting up 130 points with four finalists and two Greco World champions. Russia took second with 108 points, and rounding out the top five was Turkey in third with 91 points, Georgia in fourth with 89 points and Uzbekistan in fifth with 83 points.

Iran also won the freestyle team title earlier this week.

It was an action-packed title bout at 45 kg as two-time World finalist Hennadii ZAVERTAILO (UKR) took on Cadet European bronze medalist Ilias IANDAROV (RUS).

Iandarov held a 2-0 lead at the break, but the two went back and forth, trading leads in the second period. Eventually Iandarov took down the 2017 Cadet World silver medalist and rattled off three gut wrenches for a technical fall win, 17-7. 

At 51 kg, this year’s two Asian bronze medalists went head-to-head for World gold.

Lazizkhon UZBEKOV (UZB) struck first against Laishram MEITEI (IND) and held onto the lead throughout the bout. The Uzbek used two sets of exposure to win the World title at 51 kg, 6-2.

In the final at 60 kg, points were only scored on passivities, cautions and failed challenges as Serhat KIRIK (TUR), who finished fifth at the European Championships, knocked off Asian silver medalist Shahin BADAGHI MOFRAD (IRI), 4-1.

At 71 kg, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) became only the second Cadet Greco-Roman World champion for Moldova on Sunday night when he defeated Asian champion Shu YAMADA (JPN) with a dominant 12-2 technical fall.

Gutu, who won silver at 2018 Euros, drew first blood with a duck under for a takedown, followed by a correct throw. Gutu took his momentum and a 6-2 lead into the second period. There, he extended his lead with a throw by and finished off the bout with a big lift for four points to end the match in a tech fall.

The winner at 92 kg was determined in the final 20 seconds of the match.

Aleksei MILESHIN (RUS) held a 3-0 advantage at the break over Asian champion Mohammad NOSRATI (IRI), thanks to a correct throw he executed after Nosrati was put down in par terre.

In the second period, Nosrati got a chance on top after a Mileshin passivity call. With only 20 seconds left, the Iranian scored on a gut wrench and held the Russian off for a 3-3 win on criteria and the gold medal.

That bout concluded the 2018 Cadet World Championships.

Team standings
1. Iran - 130
2. Russia - 108
3. Turkey - 91
4. Georgia - 89
5. Uzbekistan - 83
6. Azerbaijan - 79
7. Kazakhstan - 62
8. India - 57
9. Armenia - 55
10. Ukraine - 48

Finals results
45 kg
GOLD - Ilias IANDAROV (RUS)
SILVER - Hennadii ZAVERTAILO (UKR)
BRONZE - Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL)
BRONZE – Gurban GURBANOV (AZE)

1st - Ilias Iandarov (Russia) TF Hennadii Zavertailo (Ukraine), 17-7
3rd - Edmond Nazaryan (Bulgaria) dec. Amirreza Dehbozorgi (Iran), 2-0
3rd - Gurban Gurbanov (Azerbaijan) dec. Mizuki Araki (Japan), 2-0

51 kg
GOLD - Lazizkhon UZBEKOV (UZB)
SILVER - Laishram MEITEI (IND)
BRONZE - Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
BRONZE – Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ)

1st - Lazizkhon Uzbekov (Uzbekistan) dec. Laishram Sayon Meitei (India), 6-2
3rd - Hasrat Jafarov (Azerbaijan) dec. Robert Karapetyan (Armenia), 4-2
3rd - Merey Maulitkanov (Kazakhstan) dec. Baktiiar Akberdiev (Kyrgyzstan), 2-1

60 kg
GOLD - Serhat KIRIK (TUR)
SILVER - Shahin BADAGHI MOFRAD (IRI)
BRONZE - Adam HAJIZADA (AZE)
BRONZE – Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA)

1st - Serhat Kirik (Turkey) dec. Shahin Badaghi Mofrad (Iran), 4-1
3rd - Adam Hajizada (Azerbaijan) dec. Pravesh Pravesh (India), 6-3
s3rd - Gagik Snjoyan (France) dec. Vladyslav Yevtushenko (Ukraine), 6-4

71 kg
GOLD - Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
SILVER - Shu YAMADA (JPN)
BRONZE - Veisal EYUBOV (KAZ)
BRONZE – Giorgi SHPETISHVILI (GEO)

1st - Alexandrin Gutu (Moldova) TF Shu Yamada (Japan), 12-2
3rd - Veisal Eyubov (Kazakhstan) dec. Petar Gornyashki (Bulgaria), 5-0
3rd - Giorgi Shpetishvili (Georgia) TF Abdullah Ates (Turkey), 13-2

92 kg
GOLD - Mohammad NOSRATI (IRI)
SILVER - Aleksei MILESHIN (RUS)
BRONZE – Jacob KAMINSKI (USA)
BRONZE – Osman AYAYDIN (TUR)

1st - Mohammad Nosrati (Iran) dec. Aleksei Mileshin (Russia), 3-3
3rd - Jacob Kaminski (United States) TF Richard Karelson (Estonia), 9-1
3rd - Osman Ayaydin (Turkey) TF Lasha Tvildiani (Georgia), 9-0

#WrestleBaku

Europe's best in Baku for Paris 2024 qualification in Greco-Roman

Thursday, April 4, 2024 - 11:01 By United World Wrestling Press

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 4) -- Europe qualified four wrestlers for the Paris Olympics at 87kg from the World Championships in Belgrade. That number is the highest for Europe in any Greco-Roman weight class.

Yet, some of the top wrestlers in the continent have not been able to earn a Paris 2024 spot. Those stars will clash at the European OG Qualifier in Baku from April 5 to 7 to earn the two quotas available at 87kg.

Leading the field at 87kg is newly minted European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) who looked in top form at the European Championships. In the final, he even convincingly beat world champion Ali CENGIZ (TUR).

Islam ABBASOV (AZE) is seeded number one at 87kg and Komarov is number four resulting in the two falling on the same side of the bracket. The two met in the semifinal at the European Championships which Komarov won 3-1. European bronze medalist Kiyrl MASKEVICH (AIN) gets the second seed and Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) is third, putting them together on the lower side of the bracket.

Though they will be unseeded, former U23 world champion Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) and former European champion Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) will be roaring to go as the latter returns from injury. Former U23 world champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) also hopes to earn the quota.

A few other big clashes are expected in Baku, especially with wrestlers from non-Olympic weight classes moving to the Olympic ones.

Leri ABULADZE (GEO), a 63kg world champion, is moving down to 60kg to earn an Olympic quota. But it won't be easy for him. A two-time U23 world champion Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) and European champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) will be the biggest challenges for the unseeded Abuladze.

Add to the line-up top seed and Tokyo Olympian Victor CIOBANU (MDA) who reached the final at the European Championships before losing to Mammadli. Ciobanu and Mammadli are separated by seeding and will not face each other in Baku. Leo TUDEZCA (FRA) enjoys the third seed and Jacopo SANDRON (ITA) will be seeded fourth.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) will be looking to return to the Olympics by winning a quota in Baku. He was at 72kg at the European Championships and won a bronze medal. The European champion at 72kg, Selcuk CAN (TUR), is dropping to 67kg.

Nasibov will be seeded number four in Baku which pits him on the same side as top seed Krisztian VANCZA (HUN). Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA) is seeded second with Mihai MIHUT (ROU) getting the third seed.

European bronze medalist Abu AMAEV (BUL) is entered for the tournament along with some hammers like Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU), Morten THORESEN (NOR), Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) and Niklas OEHLEN (SWE).

At 97kg, Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) will look to build on his silver-medal finish at the European Championships and earn a spot for the Paris Games. He defeated Kiril MILOV (BUL) and Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) before losing to Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM).

Milov has pulled out due to an injury and will not be competing at the Paris Olympics. Savolainen will be in Baku and seeded number one for the competition followed by Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU) at number two and Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) at three. Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE) is seeded number four.

Alex SZOKE (HUN), Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA), Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) and Felix BALDAUF (NOR), among others, will be drawn randomly.

European champion and two-time Olympic medalist Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) has the best chance to earn a Paris 2024 spot. He stunned Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the 130kg final, denying the legend a record-breaking 13th European title. Despite his gold, Semenov will be unseeded in Baku.

Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU) is the top seed followed by 2012 London Olympic silver medalist Heiki NABI (EST) at second. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) will be number three and Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) is number four.

At 77kg, world champion at 72kg Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), former world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), U23 world champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), Viktor NEMES (SRB) and former world champion Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) will battle for the two spots.