#WrestleBelgrade

Lalovic Re-Elected as UWW President For Six-Year Term

Sunday, October 31, 2021 - 16:26 By Vinay Siwach

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BELGRADE, Serbia (October 31) – The United World Wrestling held its Congress Sunday and Nenad LALOVIC was re-elected as the President of UWW along with six bureau members in Belgrade, Serbia.

Lalovic, first elected to the post in 2013, will serve a fresh term till 2026 after standing unopposed for the post. Due to the delayed Congress owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, five years remain in his term.

Six bureau members were also elected with Fouad MESKOUT (MAR), Mikhail MAMIASHVILI (RUS), Pedro GAMA FILHO (BRA) and Akhroldjan RUZIEV (UZB) retaining their place after their six-year term came to an end.

Don RYAN (CAN) and Lucio CANEVA (ITA) were the two newly elected members of the bureau. The elected members will serve till 2026.

Lalovic, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, thanked the members of the Congress for their confidence in him since taking over as the President eight years ago.

The 63-year-old's re-election was due in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic which forced UWW to postpone the Congress.

At the Congress, there were 104 eligible voters out of which 103 were cast for the election of bureau members with a majority of 52 votes.

Meskout, Mamiashvili, Ryan, Gama and Ruziev were elected with a clear majority in the first round. The sixth member did not get a clear majority, therefore a second round was conducted after which Caneva was elected to the bureau with 58 votes.

The Congress gathers every two years to discuss a range of topics and in Belgrade, Lalovic stressed the new initiatives in women’s wrestling, promotion of associated styles, youth engagement, the image of wrestling and digital transformation.

Cape Verde, Kuwait Get Affiliation

CPV

In the same direction, Congress approved the affiliation of two new nations -- Cape Verde and Kuwait. Both the nations were also granted voting rights during Congress.

“The support from UWW has been immense and this affiliation is a huge thing for our country,” Secretary-General of the Cape Verde Wrestling Federation Anthony WESLEY (CPV) said. “We have waited for this for a long time. It's been a process which began in 1996.”

Wrestlers from Cape Verde were part of the World Olympic Qualifiers in Sofia, Bulgaria earlier this year.

For Kuwait, the affiliation gives an opportunity to grow the sport and include more kids in the sport.

“We are very excited about this,” wrestler Mohammed ABDULKAREEM (KUW) said. “It began as a small effort but we are here now. We only have the senior team but now we can start the cadet, junior and other levels as well. Thanks to UWW”

Details of the Congress can be found on uww.org.

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 Live Blog: Day 2

Friday, May 30, 2025 - 02:48 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 30) -- The action after Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 continues with three Greco-Roman weight classes and five Women's Wrestling weight classes in the Mongolian capital. European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) is at 63kg while a strong women's field will also be on the mat.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

14:55: NEHA (IND) ends the 57kg semifinal with a double-leg attack for four points and beats Ana PEREIRA (BRA) 11-0 to enter the final at 57kg against Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL).

14:50: Mongolia has a finalist! Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) manages to beat European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) 4-0 in the 57kg semifinal.

14:40: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) enters the final at 53kg after an 11-4 win over Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL). Apart from the four-point throw from Chinbold, Malysheva never looked in trouble in the semifinal. She will face Antim in the final, who won their round-robin match.

14:27: ANTIM (IND) puts on a takedown masterclass in the 53kg semifinal and beats Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) 10-0 to enter the final.

14:24: Another pin in semifinals! Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) survives a pin attempt from Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) and then flips the script with a over-under throw and secures the fall. She will wrestle Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) for the gold medal.

14:20: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) and NEELAM (IND) put on a show in the 50kg semifinal. Neelam tried to trip Demirhan who counter trips for four points. India challenge but is lost. Neelam goes behind in the next action and throw Demirhan for four points. But Demirhan keeps Neelam in a headlock and secures the pin.

14:10: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) books a rematch with Kerem KAMAL (TUR) in the 63kg final after a hard-fought victory over Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI). Keshtkar was cautioned early and Chung led 1-0. He got the par terre to be 2-0 up but failed to score. Keshtkar got on board with the par terre point in the second period but did not score any points. He threw everything he had at Chung who defended all attacks for a 2-1 win.

14:00: In the first semifinal at 63kg, Kerem KAMAL (TUR) manages to hold off an attacking Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT) for a 6-3 win. Mohammadi scored a takedown early to lead 2-0 but Kamal got a reverse left for two points from par terre and then a takedown to lead 6-2. A stepout late made it 6-3 but that was all as Kamal enters the final.

13:40: In the final match of the session, Enes BASAR (TUR) bounces back after being 2-0 down with a series of gut wrenches and wins 10-2 at 60kg. The semifinals for a few weight classes will begin now. 

13:10: ANTIM (IND) was kept quiet for the first two minutes of the bout but Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) gives up a takedown and Antim goes for the leg lace for a turn. Malysheva defends but Antim then goes the other way for lace and gets the 11-0 win at 53kg.

13:00: Asian medalist and former world U17 champion HARSHITA (IND) with her second win at 72kg. She beats Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) 11-0 in Round 3

12:55: Bediha GUN (TUR) would be upset with herself as he lets go off an advantageous situation and leads 6-6 on criteria to Anudari BATKHUYAG (MGL) at 59kg.

12:45: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) continues to power his way at 63kg as he downs Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) majorly with his defense. Chung got the par terre advantage but Kamal managed to sneak out of a bodylock. He failed to score from par terre as well but scored a takedown later to make it 3-1. Lost challenge from Korea gave him another point.  

12:35: NEHA (IND) seems unfazed in her first senior international tournament. She pins Munkhchimeg URJIN (MGL) in her second bout of the day.

12:30: Enes BASAR (TUR) needs only one minute and 18 seconds to beat SURAJ (IND) 8-0 at 60kg and take a big step towards the gold medal.

12:15: Hamza BAKIR (TUR) keeps his winning run at 130kg. He beats PREM (IND) via technical superiority and is now the favorite to win the gold medal.

11:55: Big win for world U20 bronze medalist NEHA (IND) over European silver medalist Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) at 57kg. The 18-year-old physical overpowered Kamaloglu and scored takedown. Kamaloglu scored a four-pointer but still went down 7-4 in a Round 2.

11:45: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) with a big comeback win over NEELAM (IND). Pudova claims a 6-5 win at 50kg. The two wrestlers may wrestle again in the final if they can win all their remaining matches.

11:35: Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ) gave a scare to Enes BASAR (TUR) when he made it 5-5 with two minutes to go but Basar never got deterred with the score. He remains calm and wins 15-5.

11:26: European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) with a 4-1 win over Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ). Kamal scored a turn from par terre and also had a point for lost challenge and then defended from par terre to win 4-1 at 63kg.

11:15: The only Brazil wrestler to have made the long trip to Ulaanbaatar Open makes it worth it as Ana PEREIRA (BRA) begins with a 2-1 win over Enkhtuvshin BALJINNYAM (MGL) at 57kg.

11:00: A little heated bout on Mat C between Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) and Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT) at 63kg, which ends in a thrilling fashion. Mohammadi was given both passivity advantages and he led 2-0 till the final 10 seconds. However, Keshtkar tried desperate headlock which Mohammadi seemed to have blocked. As Mohammadi scored the takedown, Keshtkar countered with a continuous roll and got two points. It was scored two points for Mohammadi and two points for Keshtkar. However, Iran challenged the call and on review, it was scored only two points for Keshtkar, as his attempted headpinch was called a slip throw. Keshtkar wins 2-2 on criteria.

10:55: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) with two massive throws to stun Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ) in the Round 1 bout of 63kg. Chung has been a former Asian Championships medalist and always a threat for medal.

10:50: Former world U17 champion SURAJ (IND) got throw for a four-pointer from Ganbayar NAMSRAI (MGL) but that was his only loss in concentration as he wins 8-5 against Namsrai at 60kg.

10:45: Paris Olympian Enes BASAR (TUR) defended well from par terre and beats Kurmanbek ZHAPAROV (KGZ) 8-3 to start his 63kg campaign.

10:30: Mongolia had some wrestle-offs to decide its competitors for the main draw as it had 5 wrestlers entered in a few categories. But we are all set for the Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling now.