WrestleXian

Iran Puts 3 into Finals on Opening Day; Kang Knocks off Takahashi

Tuesday, April 23, 2019 - 11:47 By Ken Marantz

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Xi'an, CHINA (April 23) - Iran led the parade into the finals on the opening day of competition at the Asian Championships, while defending champion KANG Kumsong (PRK) cleared a major hurdle to put himself in position for a title repeat.

Iran had three of its five wrestlers in action in the freestyle competition make it to the gold medal matches, to be held later in the evening session. 

Reza ATRINAGARCHI (IRI) will face Kang for the 57kg gold, while Bahman TEYMOURI (IRI) at 79kg and Reza YAZDANI (IRI) at 97kg also went through the afternoon session unscathed.

Iran has sent basically an under-23 team, and coach Ebrahim MEHRANBAN said the first day’s performance lived up to expectations. “We predicted that,” he said. “They are younger than before.”

Teymouri will face Parveen RANA (IND) in the 79kg final, while Yazdani will take on Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL) at 97kg. 

Kang pulled off the win of the day when he scored a late takedown to defeat Paris 2017 world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN), 3-1, in the semifinals in a repeat of their match at the Asian Games. 

Both had scored a point off the activity clock, and Kang was ahead on criteria when Takahashi battled fiercely to score the go-ahead points. But instead it was Kang who countered the attack and came away with the victory.

India has a second wrestler in the finals in world silver medalist Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) at 65kg. He will face Savalbek OKASSOV (KAZ), one of two wrestlers from his country in the finals. 

Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) will face Kojiro SHIGA (JPN) in the 70kg final. 

Results

Freestyle

57kg (12 entries)
Gold – Reza ATRINAGARCHi (IRI) v KANG Kumsong (PRK)
Bronze – Kumar RAVI (IND) v Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Bronze – Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK) v Makhmudjon SHAVKATOV (UZB)

Semifinals
Reza ATRINAGARCHi (IRi) df. Makhmudjon SHAVKATOV (UZB), 2-1
KANG Kumsong (PRK) df. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN), 3-1

65kg (16 entries)
Gold – Savalbek OKASSOV (KAZ) vs Bajrang BAJRANG (IND)
Bronze – Haji Mohamad ALI (BRN) v KIM Han Song (PRK),
Bronze – Pelman BIABANI (IRI) v Sirojiddin KHASANOV (UZB)

Semifinals
Savalbek OKASSOV (KAZ) df. KIM Han Song (PRK), 4-4
Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) df. S. KHASANOV (UZB) by Fall, 3:00 (12-1)

70kg (16 entries)
Gold – Kojiro SHIGA (JPN) v Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Bronze – Abdullrahman IBRAHIM (QAT) v YUAN Shaohua (CHN)
Bronze – Balyr BORJAKOV (TKM) v Yones EMAMICHOGAEI (IRI)

Semifinals
Koljiro SHIGA (JPN) df. YUAN Shaohua (CHN), by TF, 14-3, 5:04 
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) df. Yones EMAMICHOGAEI (IRI) by TF, 12-2, 3:53

79kg (10 entries)
Gold – Bahman TEYMOURI (IRI) v Parveen RANA (IND)
Bronze – Yuta ABE (JPN) v Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ)
Bronze – Olbek NASIROV (KGZ) v LIN Zeping (CHN)

Semifinals
Bahman TEYMOURI (IRI) df. LIN Zeping (CHN) by Fall, 3:44 (12-2)
Parveen RANA (IND) df. Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ), 3-2

97kg (11 entries)
Gold – Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL) v Reza YAZDANI (IRI)
Bronze – Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ) v Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Bronze – Satywart KADIAN (IND) v GAO Haobin (CHN)

Semifinals
Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL) df. GAO Haobin (CHN) by TF, 10-0, 1:04
Reza YAZDANI (IRI) df. Alisher YERGALI (KAZ), 9-3

#development

UWW hosts fifth Women in Wrestling Global Forum in Mongolia

Wednesday, October 15, 2025 - 11:59 By United World Wrestling Press

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (October 14) -- The fifth edition of the Women in Wrestling Global Forum 2025 took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from October 7 to 11, bringing together more than 34 women leaders, athletes, coaches, referees, and administrators from 21 countries.

Hosted by the Mongolian Wrestling Federation and the Mongolian National Olympic Committee, the Forum was opened by representatives of the Mongolian Wrestling Federation and the Mongolian National Olympic Committee, including the NOC Vice President Choijgavaa NARAMBAATAR.

The opening session reflected the support of United World Wrestling’s leadership, represented by UWW Vice Presidents Natalia YARIGUINA and Rodica YAKSI, Bureau Members, and the Development team. All the speakers highlighted UWW's commitment to gender equality and leadership education.

"It was a great Forum," Yaksi said. "We have participants from all continents and from around the world. Some were coaches, wrestlers, referees, and some in sports administration. We tried different activities to make every one comfortable."

Guided by UWW Development Director Deqa NIAMKEY and educators Rafael GALVA and Edit DOZSA, the Forum offered leadership sessions, practical workshops, and cultural experiences. The participants explored stakeholder engagement, communication styles, sustainability, coaching strategies, and athlete safety.

In a special segment, Mariana DIAZ MUNOZ (MEX) and Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP) presented "Luchadoras de Iberoamérica," a joint project promoting female empowerment in sport. Olympic medalist and Kyrgyzstan's first world champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) shared her journey from being a national pioneer and creating history for Kyrgyzstan. 

The Forum participants visited the Chinggis Khaan Museum and attended a traditional wrestling "Bokh" session in Ulaanbaatar and learned about the origins of wrestling the country.

"The whole program was an amazing experience," Yaksi said. "The biggest achievement of this Forum over the years is that it brings together people of different field who are ready to help each other grow in wrestling."