#Trnava2018

Komarov Chasing Fourth World Title

Wednesday, September 12, 2018 - 12:13 By Eric Olanowski

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TRNAVA, Slovakia (September) - The 2018 Junior World Championships kick off September 17-23 and nearly 265 Greco-Roman wrestlers from 43 nations will make the journey to Trnava, Slovakia with hopes of becoming a Junior World Champion. 

Kamal BEY (USA), Kerem KAMAL (TUR), Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI), and Aleksander KOMAROV (RUS) will all make the trek to Trnava with hopes of defending their titles from last year’s Tampere Junior World Championships. 

Aleksander Komarov, the three-time age-level world champion and most decorated age-level wrestler in the world wasn’t registered to represent Russia’s Greco-Roman Trnava squad at 82kg. Instead, Russia registered Shamil OZHAEV (RUS) at 82kg but has since changed their mind and entered Komarov. 

Komarov is the overwhelming favorite to win the 82kg gold medal, which would make it his fourth age-level world title. 

Since stepping on the World scene in 2015, he’s won every Cadet, Junior, and Senior tournament that he’s entered. In addition to the previously mentioned three age-level world titles, Komarov has won four European championships and four Senior-level tournaments. 

The tall task of handing Komarov his first international loss will be placed on the back of 2017 Cadet World finalist, Istvan TAKACS (HUN). Takacs will be representing Hungary at the age-level World Championships for the third time in as many years. 

Meanwhile, American Kamal Bey will have the toughest road to repeat as Junior World Champion, as every 74kg medalist from last year’s Tampere World Championships is listed alongside Bey at 77kg. 

Of the returning 74kg Tampere medalists, none will be targeting Bey more than 2017 runner-up, Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ). Bey defeated Makhmudov, 16-11 in the epic 27 points gold medal shootout that was voted as United World Wrestling’s No. 2 2017 Greco-Roman Match of the Year.

The reigning Tampere bronze medalists that are enrolled at 77kg are Nasir HASANOV (AZE) and Sajan SAJAN (IND). 

Sajan, India's four-time World representative will be competing for the first time since his gold medal performance at the New Delhi Junior Asian Championships. In the finals, Sajan defeated Iran's Shayan Hossein AFIFI (IRI), 3-0, claiming the 77kg gold medal. 

Rounding out the returning medalists at this weight is Nasir Hasanov who will be looking for his third straight age-level World medal after taking second at the 2016 Cadet World Championships and third a year ago at the Junior World Championships. 

Though the other two returning champions Kerem Kamal and Amin Kaviyaninejad will be tested, no returning Cadet or Junior world medalists are set to compete at 60kg and 72kg respectively. 


Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR) celebrates after winning the 2017 Cadet World Championships. (Photo by Martin Gabor) 

In addition to the four reigning Junior World champions, Cadet World champions Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR) and Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) are also entered into the Trnava field. 

Kuzko will compete at 55kg, while Schultz is registered at 130kg. 

Greco-Roman action will kick off the World Championships on Monday, September 17 and will be wrestled through Wednesday, September 19.


Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR), last year's Junior World runner-up. (Photo by Marion Stein)

Other World Medalists in Action 
63kg
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) - Junior World silver medalist 
Turabek TIRKASHEV (UZB) – Junior World bronze medalist 
Hassan MOHAMED (EGY) - Junior World bronze medalist

67kg
Miakhdi IAKHIAEV (RUS) - Junior World bronze medalist

82kg
Istvan TAKACSHUN (HUN) – Cadet World bronze medalist 

87kg 
Alex SZOKE (HUN) - Cadet World bronze medalist  

97kg
Artur SARGSIAN (RUS) – Junior World silver medalist 
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) - Junior World bronze medalist   
Balint VATZI (HUN) – Cadet World bronze medalist 

130kg
Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) - Junior World bronze medalist      

Reigning Junior World champion, Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI). (Photo by Marion Stein)

SCHEDULE 
Monday (September 17) (Local times) 
10:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg 
18:00 - Semifinal GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Tuesday (September 18)
10:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
10:30 - Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
16:45 - Opening Ceremony 
17:15 - Semifinal GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Wednesday  (September 19)
10:30 - Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg

#WrestleSamokov

Shkarin, Javadov complete Worlds and Europeans U20 golden double

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 16:31 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 22) -- Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) managed to pull off a continental and world double by winning the gold medal at the World U20 Championships on Friday. He won the gold medal at the European U20 Championships in July.

This is the second straight year that Shkarin has done that as he won the world and European U17 last year.

Wrestling Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) in the 82kg final, Shkarin came out with his best defense in par terre to defend his 4-1 lead and win the gold medal.

"Last year I won Worlds and Europeans U17s, now Worlds and Europeans U20s," Shkarin said. "I don’t see anything supernatural in this. Everything is just working out for me."

Shkarin was in top form throughout the tournament with three technical superiority wins in three bouts and it was only in the final that he was test and did not manage to finish his bout before time.

In the semifinals, Shkarin blanked Martik PETROSYAN (ARM) while Seitkaliyev defeated Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) in the other semifinal. However, Shkarin was hoping to get a rematch against Yoshida who had defeated Shkarin in the 2023 world U17 final.

"The motivation for me at this World Championship was that I really wanted to take revenge on the Japanese wrestler," Shkarin said. "I even told my friends that I could leave this championship upset only if I lost to the Japanese again. Nothing else would upset me as much. But it’s not my fault, it’s his -- he didn’t reach the final."

With the World U20 gold won, Shkarin will look to move to the Olympic weight class -- 87kg -- next year and plan his journey towards winning the Olympic medal in the future.

"Next year I want to move up to the 87 kg weight category," he said. "I’ll start working on my physical shape, try to gain muscle mass, and gradually settle into the 87 kg weight class. I want to try competing at seniors level."

Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE)Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) celebrates after winning the gold medal at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The last time the World U20 Championships were held in Bulgaria, Azerbaijan won crowned three champions in Greco-Roman. However, at the next two editions, the country failed to win gold.

The 2025 edition of the U20 Worlds, back in Bulgaria, seems to have brought luck back for Azerbaijan as the nation won its first gold in Greco-Roman in the first final.

European U20 champion and two-time world U17 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) added a gold at the U20 level in his first year by beating Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) in the 60kg final.

The 18-year-old showed no signs of discomfort in the new age-group and won three out of his five bouts via technical superiority or fall. In the final, he maintained a good lead throughout and defeat Mkhitaryan, also 18 years old, 12-5.

Javadov was put in par terre in he first period and Mkhitaryan scored two turns using gut0-wrench for a 5-0 lead but as he was trying to complete the third one, Javadov blocked him and scored two points. Armenia challenged the call but it was clear block and two points and Mkhitaryan led 5-3 at the break.

Javadov got the par terre in the second period but he failed to score any points. It was the third passivity with which the momentum of the final changed. Javadov asked for par terre after third passivity, which doesn't award any points. But Javadov managed to turn him for two and then a reverse lift for another two points to lead 8-5.

Mkhitaryan tried to jump over the head but it did not work out as Javadov controlled him and slammed him on mat for four points. He ultimately won 12-5.

"Since childhood I have been very self-confident," Javadov said. "Age makes no difference, I always believe I deserve first place."

Javadov has now not faced defeat for three years and the gold medal in Samokov. But the debut at U20 Worlds made him a little nervous.

"I couldn’t fully prepare mentally for the final bout, most likely my opponent wasn’t that good either," he said. "I made a couple of mistakes and gave up points, but then I managed to pull myself together. In the second period I realized that my opponent was very tired, and I understood that I could take the advantage and win."

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) df. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), 12-5

BRONZE: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Omer ALTAS (TUR), 9-0 (victory via cautions)
BRONZE: SURAJ (IND) df. Lucas LO GRASSO (FRA), 1-1

82kg
GOLD: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) df. Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) df. PRINCE (IND), 11-0
BRONZE: Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) df. Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 8-0