#Zagreb2018

Japan Advances Five to #Zagreb2018 Semifinals, USA Has Four

Thursday, July 5, 2018 - 13:29 By Taylor Miller

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ZAGREB, Croatia – Women’s freestyle powerhouse Japan put wrestlers in all five of Thursday night’s Cadet World semifinals in Zagreb, Croatia. USA follows closely behind with four advancing to tonight’s semis.

Other countries to land multiple semifinalists after Thursday morning’s session are China with three and India with two.

At 40 kg, Karin UEMATSU (JPN), who finished 5th at the 2017 Cadet Asian Championships, will face 2018 Cadet Asian champion Muno SAMIEVA (UZB).

On the other side of the bracket, 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist and 2017 European runner-up Luchana BEKBAULOVA (RUS) will face off against 2016 Schoolboy/girl Pan American champion Sterling DIAS (USA).

The 46 kg semifinals feature two Cadet Asian medalists.

Otgonjarga DOLGORJAV (MGL), who won bronze at this year’s continentals, will see Olivia SHORE (USA) in the semis. Shore is making her second Cadet World appearance.

The bottom semi will pit 2018 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Kalmira BILIMBEK (KGZ) against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN).

Cadet Asian champion Zhaojing SHI (CHN) highlights the semifinals at 53 kg. She will take on Mako OONO (JPN) tonight, while Meenakhsi MEENAKHSI (IND), who took fourth at Asian Championships, has Leilah CASTRO (USA) on the opposite side.

At 61 kg, Anshu ANSHU (IND) seeks out her second-straight Cadet World title and third-consecutive World medal after a 2017 gold-medal showing and a 2016 bronze finish. In the semifinals, Anshu will wrestle Qin ZHAO (CHN), the sixth-place finisher at the 2018 Cadet Asian Championships.

In the other semifinal at the weight, Rito TAKAYAMA (JPN) will challenge Antonyna KULAKHINA (UKR), the 2018 Cadet European champion.

Macey KILTY (USA) is back on the World stage after a 2016 medal-winning performance, taking third. Tonight, she’ll take on two-time Asian medalist and 2018 Cadet Asian champion Mengwei ZHANG (CHN) in the 69 kg semis.

Opposite of them, 2017 Cadet Nordic champion and 2018 Cadet European bronze medalist Julia FRIDLUND (SWE) will do battle with Rin TERAMOTO (JPN).

The semifinals will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET, followed by the medal matches from yesterday’s five weights at 12 p.m. ET live on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Semifinals pairings

40 kg
Luchana BEKBAULOVA (RUS) vs. Sterling DIAS (USA)
Karin UEMATSU (JPN) vs. Muno SAMIEVA (UZB)

46 kg
Olivia SHORE (USA) vs. Otgonjarga DOLGORJAV (MGL)
Kalmira BILIMBEK (KGZ) vs. Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)

53 kg
Zhaojing SHI (CHN) vs. Mako OONO (JPN)
Leilah CASTRO (USA) vs. Meenakhsi MEENAKHSI (IND)

61 kg
Qin ZHAO (CHN) vs. Anshu ANSHU (IND)
Antonyna KULAKHINA (UKR) vs. Rito TAKAYAMA (JPN)

69 kg
Rin TERAMOTO (JPN) vs. Julia FRIDLUND (SWE)
Mengwei ZHANG (CHN) vs. Macey KILTY (USA)

#Grappling

Alshinbay defends crown in Grappling Gi; Poland wins team title

Friday, October 17, 2025 - 14:09 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 16) -- Coming into the World Grappling Championships, Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ) had one goal -- two become a two time world champ.

But he had disappointing start to competition, losing the No-Gi semifinal in Novi Sad, Serbia. He later bounced back to win the bronze medal but his goal was still not achieved.

Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ)Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ) celebrates after winning the 58kg final in Grappling Gi. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A day later on Thursday, Alshinbay began his title defense at 58kg in Grappling Gi and won his first bout via submission Samir BEN BELKACEM (FRA) to take step closer to the final.

Next up was Joseph DIEHL (USA) in the semifinals but Alshinbay, unbothered, controlled the match from the start and defeated the American grappler 9-3 to book a spot in the final against former U20 world champion ABYLBEKOV (KGZ).

Using his experience, Alshinbay made the final one-sided and used a bow-and-arrow choke to defeat Abylbekov via submission in just three minutes. He claimed his second straight gold medal in Grappling Gi, having won the 2024 world title in his home country Kazakhstan.

At 62kg, after dropping a close final in No-Gi Grappling, Magomedbek TEMEEV (UWW) bounced back and made sure he did not make any mistakes in Grappling Gi. Temeev was facing Rafayel KOSTANYAN (ARM) in the final and got the opening control when Kostanyan decided to start in grounding. The control gave Temeev two points.

Temeev decided to keep his control on top even as Kostanyan tried various moves. The referees called Temeev passive twice which costed him two points but he held a 2-2 criteria lead and won the final.

Two more UWW grapplers, Abduragim MAGOMEDOV (UWW) and Idris OMAROV (UWW), won gold medals on Thursday. MAgomedov defeated Jakub NAJDEK (POL), 5-0, in the 77kg final while Omarov defeated Christian FRILLICI (ITA), 5-2, in the 84kg final.

Youngster Giovanni SUAREZ ARTILES (ESP), who had a disappointing outing in 2024, made amends and defeated Magomed MAGOMEDOV (UWW), 5-3, at 66kg to win the gold medal.

The final began with Magomedov scoring a stepout in standing for one point before Saurez hit a throw to get Magomedov out in standing to make it 1-1 and lead on criteria. Magomedov kept getting control of Saurez who kept stepping out in standing and Magomedov's lead swelled to 3-1.

In the last 30 seconds, Saurez managed to come in a back mount and score via a rear-naked-choke. Though Magomedov did not submit, Saurez got four points for his control which made him a 5-3 winner.

At 92kg, Mateusz MAZUR (POL) was crowned world champion after Ruslan ISRAILOV (KAZ) submitted three minutes into the final.

RESULTS

Men's Grappling Gi

58kg
GOLD: Alikhan ALSHINBAY (KAZ) df. Zhyldyzbek ABYLBEKOV (KGZ), via submission (6-0)

BRONZE: Razmik MISAKYAN (ARM) df. Jerzy IZDEBSKI (POL), 2-0
BRONZE: Joseph DIEHL (USA) df. Samir BEN BELKACEM (FRA), via submission (1-0)

62kg
GOLD: Magomedbek TEMEEV (UWW) df. Rafayel KOSTANYAN (ARM), 2-2

BRONZE: Ruslan RADZHABKHANOV (UWW) df. Kiryl AHEIKA (UWW), 1-0
BRONZE: Asher URBAN HOYER (USA) df. Mark BODO (HUN), via submission

66kg
GOLD: Giovanni SUAREZ ARTILES (ESP) df. Magomed MAGOMEDOV (UWW), 5-3

BRONZE: Adlan ASUEV (KAZ) df. Giorgi RAZMADZE (GEO), via submission
BRONZE: Artur AGASHIRINOV (UWW) df. Mayis NERSESYAN (ARM), via submission (2-2)

77kg
GOLD: Abduragim MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Jakub NAJDEK (POL), 5-0

BRONZE: Hector SEPULVEDA PALMA (ESP) df. Darkhan TOLYBAYEV (KAZ), 6-4
BRONZE: Dumitru CEBAN (MDA) df. Pavlo MAKSYMCHUK (UKR), 8-4

84kg
GOLD: Idris OMAROV (UWW) df. Christian FRILLICI (ITA), 5-2

BRONZE: Cristian TUGULEA (MDA) df. Kacper ROT (POL), 5-2
BRONZE: Dzhabrail ISRAPILOV (UWW) df. Adlan MADAYEV (KAZ), 5-2

92kg
GOLD: Mateusz MAZUR (POL) df. Ruslan ISRAILOV (KAZ), via submission (1-3)

BRONZE: Alibek SULEIMANOV (UWW) df. Mantas DAUBLYS (LTU), 3-2
BRONZE: Pablo ESTEPA NIETO (ESP) df. Antonio SALTUPS CARETTO (ITA), 6-2

Women's Grappling Gi

58kg
GOLD: Alina KOPEIKINA (UWW) df. Magdalena GIEC (POL), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA) df. Tetiana ASTAKHOVA (UKR), 2-0
BRONZE: Rachel GUTIERREZ (USA) df. Minerva MONTERO PEREZA (ESP), 6-0

64kg
GOLD: Mia MONTESINOS PERDOMO (ESP) df. Alsu IANSHINA (UWW), 5-2

BRONZE: Sheliah LINDSEY (USA) df. Adrianna MAZUR (POL), 9-0
BRONZE: Sylwia WIERZBOWSKA (POL) df. Renata IAKUBOVA (UWW), 3-2

71kg
GOLD: Alycia QUENEE (FRA) df. Maja SALAMON (POL), via submission (2-2)

BRONZE: Anna REMNEVA (UWW) df. Christina HANSEN (USA), via submission (0-2)
BRONZE: Valentina PAVLOVA (UWW) df. Sandra TRIEBEL (GER), 2-1