2026 U17 World Championships

Iran, Russia in Tight Team Title Race After Omarov, Ibragimov Golds

By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (August 1) -- Among the three nations that had two finalists each in Saturday's gold-medal bouts at the U17 World Championships in Baku, only Russia was able to win two golds with Iran winning one and Uzbekistan suffering losses in both finals.

The two golds put Russia in the race for the team title in Freestyle along with Iran with defending champion the United States not in contention.

Russia and Iran went head-to-head in the 110kg final between U17 European champion Magomed OMAROV (RUS) and U17 Asian silver medalist Amirhossein ESMALI (IRI), the last match on Saturday.

The first period of the final saw little action on the mat as both Omarov and Esmali were warned by the mat chairman of open-hand wrestling. Omarov was put on the 30-second activity clock and Esmali led 1-0 at the break.

The match picked up pace in the second period and Omarov found and opening to hit a double-leg attack that resulted in four points, giving him a 4-1 lead. Iran, surprisingly, challenged the call and lost it which made Omarov's lead 5-1.

Esmali had 1:30 left in the match to make it count and he began with a stepout to cut the lead to 5-2. He then scored a takedown to make the score 5-4 but still needed two points to win with 31 seconds left. That's when Omarov called for a medical help.

When he returned to centre, Omarov had a spring in his step and defended the attacks of Esmali, who pushed him towards the zone. Esmali tried reaching the legs of Omarov who threw them behind and scored an easy go-behind and lead 7-4, his winning score.

The second gold medalist for Russia was Magomed IBRAGIMOV (RUS) at 65kg after an electric final against Shokhiddin ALIEV (UZB). Both Ibragimov and Aliev were at the 2025 event as well and finished 10th and 13th respectively.

Ibragimov stunned Aliev with a double-arm lock throw for four points to open the scoring in the final. But Aliev blocked Ibragimov from turning and tried to pin him for the remaining minute in the first period. Unable to complete the fall, Aliev went into the break down 4-2 and a lost opportunity.

The two continued their high-paced wrestling and Aliev pushed Ibragimov towards the zone but the Russian circled and scored a go-behind to lead 6-2. Aliev then tried to inside trip Ibragimov who countered it with a throw for four points. Aliev got two points for exposure but Ibragimov led 10-4 at this point.

Aliev managed to use the inside-trip to throw for two points with six seconds left and then he tried front headlock that was blocked by Ibragimov, who planted Aliev on the mat for a fall and win the gold medal.

Ferasati Wins 80kg

Iran's victory came at 80kg as Amirali FERASATI (IR) completed his dominant run with a gold medal, beating Zeteny TUGYI (HUN), 10-0, in the final.

The U17 Asian champion outscored his opponents 35-2 in four bouts in Baku and never looked in any sort of trouble in the tournament.

Against Tugyi, Ferasati built a 4-0 lead in the first period, thanks to three stepout and a point for passivity from Tugyi. Ferasati scored his first takedown in the second period after tiring out Tugyi and rolled him for two more ponits to lead 8-0.

Tugyi went for a deep shot without much conviction and Ferasati countered with a takedown to complete a technical superiority win with 23 seconds remaining.

At 48kg, Bakdaulet AGABEK (KAZ) used a deadly leg-lace to end high-flying AARYAN's (IND) run at the tournament, winning the gold medal 10-0. He became Kazakhstan first U17 world champion in Freestyle after four years.

Agabek scored a stepout, which India challenged and lost, to open the scoring in the final and lead 2-0. As both wrestlers were fight for position, Agabek did a snap which disbalanced Aaryan and the Kazakhstan wrestler scored a takedown.

He then transitioned into wrapping Aaryan's legs around his head and scored three turns, enough for the victory and the gold medal. With the 10-0 win, Agabek outscored his opponents 47-3 in the tournament with four technical superiority wins.

Tovar Ends Drought: Click to read

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Bakdaulet AGABEK (KAZ) df. AARYAN (IND), 10-0

BRONZE: Farrukh MAKHMUDOV (UZB) df. Muslikhiddin KHODZHIEV (TJK), via fall (6-1)
BRONZE: Volodymyr BOIKO (UKR) df. Kooper DEPUTY (USA), 11-0

55kg
GOLD: Jovanni TOVAR (COL) df. Jakhongir TULKUNOV (UZB), 11-0

BRONZE: Arman ELAHI (IRI) df. Davit BALEYAN (ARM), 5-2
BRONZE: Prathmesh PATIL (IND) df. Chase KARENBAUER (USA), 8-0

65kg
GOLD: Magomed IBRAGIMOV (RUS) df. Shokhiddin ALIEV (UZB), via fall (12-6)

BRONZE: Jovani SOLIS (PUR) df. KRISHAN (IND), via fall (6-6)
BRONZE: Sam ARSHAD (IRI) df. Zamir DANIYAR (KAZ), 9-0

80kg
GOLD: Amirali FERASATI (IRI) df. Zeteny TUGYI (HUN), 10-0

BRONZE: Volkan BILGIN (TUR) df. Yassin EZZAT (EGY), 11-1
BRONZE: Kantemir ELMESOV (RUS) df. Takahiro HAGINO (JPN), 9-7

110kg
GOLD: Magomed OMAROV (RUS) df. Amirhossein ESMALI (IRI), 7-4

BRONZE: Behruz ASHIROV (UZB) df. Murtaz BAGDAVADZE (GEO), 3-2
BRONZE: Arush RANA (IND) df. Sagyndyk TEMIRGALY (KAZ), 9-1

#USAWrestling

Paris Olympic Champ Elor Makes Winning Return After Child Birth

By United World Wrestling Press

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, United States (May 15) -- Three months after giving birth, Paris 2024 Olympic champion Amit ELOR (USA) returned to competition at the United States World Team Trials Challenge tournament in Louisville.

The 22-year-old Elor pinned her way to win the tournament and book her stop for the Final X, the U.S. tournament, to be held on June 19, to select its team for the 2026 World Championships.

The two-time world champion wrestled Pan-American champion Precious WIESER (USA) in the 72kg final and pushed her lead to 11-0 before converting her final takedown into a fall with 29 seconds left.

This was Elor's first appearance since the same this tournament a year ago. She pulled out of the 2025 Final X due to health issues and later announced her pregnancy.

In other bouts, two-time world medalist Macey KILTY (USA) also pinned her way to Final X. Following a technical fall in the semifinals, Kilty pinned Claire DI CUGNO (USA) 66 seconds into final at 62 kg. With the victory, Kilty now sets up a rematch of the U.S. Open final against recent Pan-Am champion Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) at Final X.

At 53kg, Elena IVALDI (USA) secured a technical superiority win over Sydney PETZINGER (USA) in a high-scoring, 23-12, contest. Ivaldi, leading 15-12 at one point, put the match away with eight-straight points to seal the win.

Two-time U17 world champion Morgan TURNER (USA) needed a late takedown to confirm her 10-8 win over Felicity TAYLOR (USA) at 50kg. In a back-and-forth battle, Taylor grabbed an 8-7 lead with seven seconds to go with a takedown on the edge of the mat. On the ensuing restart, Turner scored two points off an ankle pick, and a lost challenge sealed the 10-8 victory.

The 55kg spot went to Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA) who won 6-0 over Alexandra HEDRICK (USA) while at 65kg, 2023 world bronze medalist Jennifer PAGE (USA) outlasted Emma BRUNTIL (USA), 4-2.

Alexis JANIAK (USA), a age-group world medalist, secured her Final X spot at 59kg as she edged out two-time age-group world medalist Amani JONES (USA), 4-1.

Each winner of the tournament is paired against the U.S. Open champion in a best-of-three series at Final X to determine the representative for the U.S. at the 2026 World Championships. Final X will take place on June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Three Final X matchups were already determined in women’s freestyle, 57kg, 68kg and 76kg.

In Freestyle, Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) made it to Final X after winning the World Team Trials Challenge tournament. Lee scored a 13-3 win over Anthony KNOX (USA) at 57kg. Lee’s victory sets up a rematch against three-time age-group world champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA), who beat Lee at the U.S. Open last month.

In the 61 kg final, U23 world champion Jaxen FORREST (USA) won against Benjamin DAVINO (USA), 11-1. Forrest previously beat Davino in the finals at the NCAA National Championships, 4-2, and Davino came back to beat Forrest in the U.S. Open semifinals, 8-4.

Paris 2024 Olympian Zain RETHERFORD (USA) made his return to the mat in style and won the 70kg tournament title. In low-scoring bouts, Retherford won his semifinal match on Thursday, 3-2, then edged Caleb HENSON (USA) in the final, 2-1.

At 125kg, after what was ruled a pin early on, Mason PARRIS (USA) rallied and claimed the victory. An early scramble ended with Isaac TRUMBLE (USA) initially being rewarded with a fall. However, after a challenge, the call was overturned after being called for a choke. After the challenge, the match was all tied at 2-2, and Parris bounced back to take a 14-6 lead. He held off a late rally from Trumble to secure the 14-12 victory.

David CARR (USA) won at 74 kg after he defeated Jayden JAMES (USA), holding off a late charge from James to secure the 9-7 decision and advance to Final X.

Final X Match-Ups

Women's Wrestling

50kg: Katie GOMEZ (USA) vs. Morgan TURNER (USA)
53kg: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) vs. Elena IVALDI (USA)
55kg: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) vs. Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA)
57kg: Helen MAROULIS (USA) vs. Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)
59kg: Abigail NETTE (USA) vs. Alexis JANIAK (USA)
62kg: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) vs. Macey KILTY (USA)
65kg: Kayla MIRACLE (USA) vs. Jennifer PAGE (USA)
68kg: Kennedy BALDES (USA) vs. Isabella MIR (USA)
72kg: Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) vs. Amit ELOR (USA)
76kg: Kylie WELKER (USA) vs. Dymond GUILFORD (USA)

Freestyle

57kg: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) vs. Spencer LEE (USA)
61kg: Marcus BLAZE (USA) vs. Jaxen FORREST (USA)
65kg: Real WOODS (USA) vs. Bowen BASSETT (USA)
70kg: Ridge LOVETT (USA) vs. Zain RETHERFORD (USA)
74kg: James GREEN (USA) vs. David CARR (USA)
79kg: Levi HAINES( USA) vs. Chance MARSTELLER (USA)
86kg: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) vs. Kyle DAKE (USA)
92kg: Trent HIDLAY (USA) vs. Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA)
97kg: Kyle SNYDER (USA) vs. Stephen BUCHANAN (USA)
125kg: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) vs. Mason PARRSI (USA)