#WrestleAlmaty

LIVE BLOG: Senior Asian Championships, Day Five

By United World Wrestling Press

The rivalries are back in action as freestyle actions begins in Almaty. Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) are the biggest superstars in action

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

1440 hrs: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)  and Ali Khalil SHABANIBENGAR (IRI) are the finalist at 97kg. 

1425 hrs: Ali Bakhtiar SAVADKOUHI (IRI) has done it. He will wrestle for gold at 79kg after beating defending champion USSERBAYEV (KAZ) 8-2 in semifinal. Byungmin GONG (KOR) pulls of thriller against Narsingh Pancham YADAV (IND) 5-5

1410 hrs: Sirojiddin KHASANOV (UZB) will wrestle for a gold medal at 70kg against Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)

1355 hrs: We have a rematch! Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) will redo the final of 65kg after they did that in New Delhi last year. Otoguro came out on top last year

1340 hrs: Ravi KUMAR (IND) will defend his 57kg title as he makes it to the final with a 11-0 win over Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE). In his way, however, is Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI) who takes out Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN) 5-1

1315 hrs: Narsingh Pancham YADAV (IND) will go up against Byungmin GONG (KOR) in the 79kg semifinal but it's the other one which should be a top match.  Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ) takes on Ali Bakhtiar SAVADKOUHI (IRI)

In the 97kg weight category, Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL) will be up against Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) while the other semifinal will see Ali Khalil SHABANIBENGAR (IRI) wrestling Satywart KADIAN (IND)

1310 hrs: We are moving closer to the the semifinals! At 57kg, Ravi KUMAR (IND) will wrestle Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE) while the second semifinal will see Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI) take on Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN)

65kg is set as Bajrang PUNIA (IND) goes against Bilguun SARMANDAKH (MGL). Defending champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) Morteza Hassanali GHIASI CHEKA (IRI)

1250 hrs: Two minutes and 10 seconds is all Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) needs to win 13-0 against Nodir RAKHIMOV (UZB) and move into the semifinal of his title defence at 65kg

1245 hrs: Bajrang PUNIA (IND) with a tactical 3-0 win at 65kg to reach the semifinal. Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) up next on Mat B

1235 hrs: Ravi KUMAR (IND) begins his title defence at 57kg with a dominant 9-2 win over Nodirjon SAFAROV (UZB) in the quarterfinal

1230 hrs: Down go both silver medalists! Karan MOR (IND) beats Amirhossein Ali HOSSEINI (IRI) 3-1 while young Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN) does it against Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK)

1215 hrs:  Amirhossein Ali HOSSEINI (IRI) and Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK), both silver medalist in their respective weights in Delhi last year are on Mat B and Mat C respectively

1200 hrs: Defending champion at 79kg Galymzhan USSERBAYEV (KAZ) rallies back from 1-4 down to win his qualification round bout 13-4 against Gurbanmyrat OVEZBERDIYEV (TKM)

1145 hrs: 2020 silver medalist Hikmatullo VOHIDOV (TJK), Yuto TAKESHITA (JPN) and Alireza Nosratolah SARLAK (IRI) all begin on a winning note 

1130 hrs: The whistle are off! Almaty is ready for men's freestyle action. Many star wrestlers to claim the five gold medals on offer

Development

Wrestling completes tree-planting initiative in Casablanca

By United World Wrestling Press

CASABLANCA, Morocco (June 30) --- A tree-planting initiative was organized in Casablanca in partnership with local authorities. This initiative aimed to raise participants’ awareness of the environmental emergency and the role of sport in combating climate change.

“Planting a tree is sowing a promise. Today, we plant for tomorrow, just as we train today for tomorrow’s medals,” said Assad Ouassama a young Moroccan wrestler participating in the camp, with emotion.

An educational session on environmental protection in sport also took place on April 25, continuing eco-responsible momentum.

A Fraternal Atmosphere and a Family Spirit

Beyond the technical and educational aspects, this camp provided many athletes with the opportunity to build lasting bonds with their fellow African counterparts.

“I leave not only stronger, but with lifelong friends. Camps like this strengthen our continental identity and spirit of unity,” emphasized Rahman Sesay ABDUL, a Sierra Leonean coach attending the training camp.

The warm atmosphere and high-quality exchanges confirmed the value of this holistic approach to sports training.

Toward a New Model of Sports Organization in Africa

By combining sporting excellence with educational values and social engagement, United World Wrestling is promoting an innovative model for competitions across the African continent.

“Casablanca 2025 is not just a competition; it’s a turning point. By integrating these educational dimensions, we are building a sustainable ecosystem for wrestling in Africa,” concluded Fouad Meskout, President of UWW Africa.

A Lasting Legacy for Casablanca and Africa

As the African Championships opened in an atmosphere of commitment and unity, the training camp organized by UWW stood out as a model to follow. It demonstrated that athletic performance can -- and should -- be paired with social and environmental consciousness.