#WrestleAlmaty

LIVE BLOG: Senior Asian Championships, Day Three

By United World Wrestling Press

Day three here in Almaty and action shifts to women's wrestling as wrestlers from 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg, and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

1930 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) pulls off a dramatic fall over Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) to win the gold medal here in Almaty at 76kg

1910 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) claims her fourth Asian title as she beats Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in the final at 68kg

1845 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! SARITA (IND) defends her title! She beats Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) 10-7 to capture the top medal at 59kg. The Indian had lost to the Mongolian in the morning but she avenges that loss in dramatic comeback

1825 hrs: They were wrestling to decide the silver and bronze at 55kg and with Madina USMONJONOVA (UZB) beat Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ), she will take the silver at 55kg

1815 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Dulguun MUNKHBOLD BOLORMAA (MGL) captures the gold medal at 55kg as she wins all three of her bouts. She pins Hyungjoo KIM (KOR)

1810 hrs: GOLD MEDAL! Minute and 45 seconds is all Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) needs to beat Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB) 10-0 and win the gold medal at 50kg

1805 hrs: A first period technical superiority win for SEEMA (IND) to win the bronze medal at 50kg. For the final now between Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) and Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)

1800 hrs: Back for the final's session here in Almaty. All the action will be on Mat B, beginning with 50kg bronze medal bout between Yung Hsun LIN (TPE) and SEEMA (IND)

1330 hrs: We are all set for our semifinal on day one of women's wrestling

We will start off with 50kg as Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB) takes on SEEMA (IND) on Mat A while Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) takes on Yung Hsun LIN (TPE) on Mat B

1310 hrs: Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) gets the fall again! She has been outclassing her opponents here

1250 hrs: Eun Sun JEONG (KOR) pulls off a dramatic fall. Trailing 0-6, she gets a pin off NISHA (IND) at 68kg.

1235 hrs: Dulguun BOLORMAA (MGL) dominating here in Almaty. He gets a victory by fall over Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ) at 55kg

1210 hrs: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) gets rolling with an 11-1 win over Azoda ESBERGENOVA (UZB) at 68kg

1208 hrs: Domination from Mongolia! Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) gets the pin in over NISHA (IND) at 68kg

1200 hrs: Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) gets her opening win over defending Asian champion SARITA (IND). A close bout between the two but it ends 5-4 in the Mongolian wrestler's favour

1145 hrs: Dulguun BOLORMAA (MGL) gets going on Mat A with a 10-0 win against Madina USMONJONOVA (UZB)

1130 hrs: All set for day three here. Women's wrestling is underway with all the action on Mat A and Mat B

#WrestleSamokov

U.S. puts 2 in U20 Worlds finals; Kurugliyev closer to title

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 18) -- Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) earned himself a chance to win his first U20 world title after he made it to 92kg final Monday in Samokov, Bulgaria.

Kurugliyev, a former world U17 champion, has made the trip to World U20 Championships twice before this year but finished fifth in 2023 and won bronze in 2024, both at 97kg. He moved down to 92kg for this year's tournament and already upgraded his medal.

In a tough semifinal against returning bronze medalist Anar JAFARLI (AZE), Kurugliyev won a close bout 9-6, thanks to an early four-pointer move which gave him a huge advantage. Jafarli got a couple of takedowns but never seemed to trouble the Kazakhstan wrestler.

Kurugliyev will now face Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) in the final after the Uzbekistan wrestler pinned Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW) in the other semifinal at 92kg.

Poyonov, the Asian U20 champion, blocked Gadzhibatyrov in one of the attacks and then kept him on the mat, pinning his shoulders for the win. Poyonov will look to become the first Uzbekistan wrestler to win gold since 2022.

The U.S. got two finalists on Monday at 65kg and 79kg. At 65kg, Luke STANICH (USA) defeated European U20 and U23 champion Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) with some of the best wrestling in Samokov. Stanich kept his positions and defense and ultimately managed to score a takedown in the second period to beat Dzhandubaev 3-1 in the semifinals.

He will face Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) for the gold medal after the Japanese wrestler blanked Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 10-0, using a series of stepouts and lace. Uchida is a product of the Yamanashi Gaikun University, the same university that produced world champion Masanosuke ONO (JPN) and Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN).

Pan-American U20 champion William HENCKEL (USA) defeated Asian U20 champion AMIT (IND), 5-4, using a takedown and gut-wrench in the first period. He scored a stepout when put on activity period and then added a takedown and turn. Amit blocked the second turn attempt for two points but Henckel led 5-2 at the break.

Amit managed a stepout and point for passivity from Henckel but that was all for him as the U.S. wrestler moved into the final in which he will face returning bronze medalist and senior Asian champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI).

At one point in the semifinal, Yousefi was down against European U20 bronze medalist Said SAIDULOV (UWW). But he managed to score takedowns at regular intervals to defeat Saidulov 15-7.

At 57kg, Sumit MALIK (IND) dominated his semifinal against Ion BULGARU (MDA) and won 11-3 and booked place in the final against Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) who held on to a nervous 3-1 win over Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) in the other semifinal.

Malik got on board first when he scored a stepout during his activity clock. He added a stepout and takedown to make it 4-0 at the break. He kept his attacks and got another takedown and stepout in the second period to build a 7-0 lead.

Bulgaru finally hit back with a takedown on the edge to cut the lead to 7-2 but Malik kept relentless forward pressure, scoring a stepout and takedown to lead 10-2. Both wrestlers were cautioned for open hands on faces but that did not affect Malik, who won 11-3 win.

Ozdamirov, who showed some crafty wrestling throughout the day, denied Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), 3-1, thanks to a takedown in the second period.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) vs. Sumit MALIK (IND)

SF 1: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) df. Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), 3-1
SF 2: Sumit MALIK (IND) df. Ion BULGARU (MDA), 11-3

65kg
GOLD: Luke STANICH (USA) vs. Reiji UCHIDA (JPN)

SF 1: Luke STANICH (USA) df. Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW), 3-1
SF 2: Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) df. Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) vs. William HENCKEL (USA)

SF 1: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Said SAIDULOV (UWW), 15-7
SF 2: William HENCKEL (USA) df. AMIT (IND), 5-4

92kg
GOLD: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) vs. Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) df. Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW), via fall
SF 2: Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) df. Anar JAFARLI (AZE), 9-6