#BuchaWrestU23

Japan and Georgia Claim Two Champions in 2018 U23 World Men's Freestyle

Saturday, November 17, 2018 - 19:20 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) by Martin Gabor. 

BUCHAREST, Romania – The first five men’s freestyle 2018 U23 World champions were determined on Saturday night in Bucharest, Romania, with Japan and Georgia each claiming two champions.

Japan started the night with back-to-back gold medals, coming from Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN) at 57 kg and Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) at 65 kg.

Hasegawa, a 2013 Cadet World bronze medalist, went up 4-0 halfway through the first period against Kumar RAVI (IND) before locking up a cradle and getting the pin at the 2:08 mark.

2016 Olympic silver medalist Higuchi edged out 2018 Yasar Dogu runner-up Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) in 5-4 battle. Rahimzade rallied from a 4-1 deficit to tie the score as the clock ran out, but Higuchi held criteria. Azerbaijan’s corner challenged, looking for a fleeing call, but lost the challenge, resulting in another point for Higuchi.

Georgia ended the night with back-to-back World champions as Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) and Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) were victorious in their gold-medal matches.

Kentchadze won the crown at 79 kg, defeating 2015 Junior World champion Gadzhi NABIEV (RUS).

In the final bout of the night, Matcharashvili dominated Kollin MOORE (USA), scoring 10 points in two sequences for a first-period technical fall and his second age-group World title.

Matcharashvili won a Cadet World championship in 2014 and also owns a 2017 Junior World silver and a 2013 Cadet World bronze.

At 70 kg, Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) dominated 2017 Junior World champion and 2014 Cadet World champion David BAEV (RUS) for gold, scoring four takedowns en route to a 9-1 victory.

Finals results

57 kg
GOLD: Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN) df. Kumar RAVI (IND), fall
BRONZE: Wanhao ZOU (CHN) df. Jack Michael MUELLER (USA), 11-9
BRONZE: Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) df. Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB), 11-6 

65 kg
GOLD: Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 5-4
BRONZE: Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) df. Roman ASHARIN (HUN), 7-2
BRONZE: Islam DUDAEV (RUS) df. Morteza Hassanali GHIASI CHEKA (IRI), 6-0

70 kg
GOLD: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. David BAEV (RUS), 9-1
BRONZE: Enes USLU (TUR) df. Ramazon IBODOV (UZB), 4-2
BRONZE: Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN) df. Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 9-2 

79 kg
GOLD: Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Gadzhi NABIEV (RUS), 3-0
BRONZE: Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM) df. Isa SHAPIEV (UZB), 13-3
BRONZE: Omaraskhab NAZHMUDINOV (ROU) df. Yajuro YAMASAKI (JPN), 9-8

97 kg
GOLD: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Kollin MOORE (USA), 10-0
BRONZE: Igor OVSIANNIKOV (RUS) df. Magamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR), 6-0
BRONZE: Ali Khalil SHABANIBENGAR (IRI) df. Chaoqiang YANG (CHN), 11-0

Team results
1. Russia – 76
2. Japan – 75
3. Georgia – 58
4. USA – 50
5. Ukraine – 35

 

#BuchaWrestU23

Cartaraga and Pataridze Return to U23 World Finals in #BuchaWrestU23

Monday, November 12, 2018 - 17:08 By Taylor Miller

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BUCHAREST, Romania – The first day of the 2018 U23 World Championships have come to a close, but not before two wrestlers earned their second-consecutive U23 World finals bids.

2017 U23 World champion at 71 kg Daniel CARTARAGA (MDA) made his second-straight U23 World finals, this time at 77 kg, pinning 2018 Junior World silver medalist and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Sajan SAJAN (IND) in the first period.

In the finals, Cartaraga will meet 2018 U23 European champion Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN), who knocked off reigning U23 World champion Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) with a 4-1 decision.

Also advancing to his second U23 World finals was Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), who is a five-time age-group World champion, winning three Junior World titles and two Cadet World titles.

To earn a spot in the finals, the Georgian finished off 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) with an 8-0 technical fall in 56 seconds.

Pataridze looks to improve on his silver-medal finish from last year. To do so, he will have to go through 2016 Junior World silver medalist and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) in the 130 kg finals.

Securing his second World medal of the year was Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, two weeks ago. Tsurtsumia edged out 2012 Cadet World bronze winner Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) in a 2-1 battle.

Waiting for him in the finals is 2018 Russia Nationals champion Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS).

The Russian sailed to the finals after a 9-1 technical fall over 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ). This is Kabaloev’s first World tournament.

At 63 kg, Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) knocked off 2016 Junior World bronze medalist Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) with a decisive 6-3 win.

The other 63 kg semifinal featured another 6-3 decision as Alexandru BICIU (MDA) silenced the Romanian crowd, defeating 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Mihai MIHUT (ROU).

Katsuaki and Biciu will face-off tomorrow for the 63 kg World crown.

The 87 kg finals will feature 2018 Senior Pan American champion Daniel Gregorich of Cuba and Semen NOVIKOV (UKR).

Gregorich defeated U23 European bronze medalist Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), 7-1, while Novikov stunned three-time age-group World champion Islam ABBASOV (AZE) in an 8-5 decision.

Tuesday’s action begins at 10:30 a.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET). Fans can watch live on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Finals matchups

55 kg: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)
63 kg: Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) vs. Alexandru BICIU (MDA)
77 kg: Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
87 kg: Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) vs. Daniel GREGORICH (CUB)
130 kg: Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) vs. Osman YILDIRIM (TUR)

Semifinals results

55 kg
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) dec. Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ), 2-1
Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) tech. fall Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ), 9-1

63 kg
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) dec. Meysam DALKHANI (IRI), 6-3
Alexandru BICIU (MDA) dec. Mihai MIHUT (ROU), 6-3

77 kg
Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) dec. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 4-1
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) win by fall Sajan SAJAN (IND), 2:28

87 kg
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) dec. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 8-5
Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) dec. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), 7-1

130 kg
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) tech. fall Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN), 8-0
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) dec. Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), 5-1