#WrestleOslo

Live Blog: Senior World Championships, Day 2 - FS 57kg, 65kg, 79kg, 92kg

By Vinay Siwach

OSLO (October 3) -- More freestyle superstars will be in action on day two of the senior World Championships in Oslo, Norway. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and J'den COX (USA) will try claim the gold medals while Tokyo bronze medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA) will be a big threat at 57kg. Zagir SHAKIEV (RWF) is the favourite at 65kg. If you missed day one action, here's the wrap -- Hassan Yazdani and David Taylor set up 86kg final

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

Another exciting morning session in the books. Iran has four in the semifinals while USA managed to get three wrestlers. Russian Wrestling Federation will be disappointed with only two wrestlers in the semifinals.

1350: We finish out the session with Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) winning his bout 9-4 against Radik VALIEV (RWF) to make the semifinal at 79kg. Can he win his fifth world title?

1345: Ryuki YOSHIDA (JPN) manages to hang on for a 4-4 win over Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) while Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) rolls through with a 9-5 win over Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE).

1340: Four out of four for Iran! Mohammad NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) gets a 11-0 win over Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA) and advances to the semifinals.

Finally at 79kg, on Mat A Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) will take on Ryuki YOSHIDA (JPN).  Mohammad NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) will face Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA) on Mat B, Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) is up against Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) and on Mat D Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) is facing Radik VALIEV (RWF)

1330: Zagir SHAKHIEV (RWF) is swift. He moves on to the semifinals with a 10-0 win over Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR). Tokyo Olympian Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) gets the better of Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) 2-1 to move into the semifinals. Iran continue to dominate and now Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) wins his quarterfinal 4-2 against Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL). In an upset on Mat A, Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ) beats Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) 5-3 and reach the semifinals

At 65kg, on Mat A will be Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) vs Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ), Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL) vs Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) on Mat B, Zagir SHAKHIEV (RWF) vs Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) on Mat C and Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) vs Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) on Mat D

1322: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) is unstoppable. He wins 10-1 against Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) to move into the semifinals. In the final quarterfinal, Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) gets a 7-3 win against Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL).

1315: J'den COX (USA) has no trouble in beating Jeremy POIRIER (CAN) 10-0 and he will move into the 92 semifinals. A similar story for Magomed KURBANOV (RWF) as he gets past Amarhajy MAHAMEDAU (BLR) 9-0

Moving on the 92kg quarterfinals, Magomed KURBANOV (RWF) vs Amarhajy MAHAMEDAU (BLR) on Mat A, Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) vs Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) on Mat B, Jeremy POIRIER (CAN) is wrestling J'den COX (USA) on Mat C and Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) is up against Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) on Mat D

1310: World silver medalist Suleyman ATLI (TUR) moves onto the semifinals with a win over Toshiya ABE (JPN). In the final quarterfinal, Horst LEHR (GER) beats Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) 4-1 to move on

1305: Thomas GILMAN (USA) moves into the semifinals with a 11-1 win over Vladimir EGOROV (MKD). On Mat B, Alireza SARLAK (IRI) manages to comeback from 2-6 down and win a 7-6 bout against Aryan TSIUTRYN (BLR) and move on to semifinals

1300: At 57kg, we have Thomas GILMAN (USA) vs Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) on Mat A,  Alireza SARLAK (IRI) vs Aryan TSIUTRYN (BLR) on Mat B, Horst LEHR (GER) vs Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) on Mat C and Toshiya ABE (JPN) vs Suleyman ATLI (TUR) on mat D

1255: We are beginning with the quarterfinals. 57kg will be followed by 92kg and then 65kg. 79kg will be the last set of quarterfinals

1240: A no show from Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) and Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) will move on to the quarterfinals at 79kg with a walkover

1230: Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) is up on mat C against Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) for their pre-quarterfinal at 65kg. Tevanyan gets a stepout and lead 1-0 at the break. Diakomihalis shoots again but it's Tevanyan gets the counter for a takedown and lead 3-0. Once again Tenvanyan manages to drag Diakomihalis out and get two for 5-0. A consolation point for the American but he will drop the bout 5-1.

1200: Suleyman ATLI (TUR) does it in style! He gets a 10-0 win over PANKAJ (IND) and will face junior world champion Toshiya ABE (JPN) in the quarterfinal

1145: Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA) with a pin! Abubakar MUTALIEV (RWF) is stunned. Gilman is pumped

1130: Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) debuts at 79kg with a 10-0 win over Samuel BARMISH (CAN) to get going.

1110: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) is wrestling Gabriel JANATSCH (AUT) on mat B and to the delight of the crowd, he gets a takedown with a with gut and leads 4-0. Exposure to gut in the next sequence and he is a 10-0 win at 65kg

1100: Two-time defending world champion at 92kg J'den COX (USA) begins his title defence against Orgilokh DAGVADORJ (MGL). He has build a 3-0 lead with a takedown and step out but Dagvadorj manages a takedown as well. It's 3-2 now. Another takedown from Cox to make it 5-2 at the break. Double leg and two guts for Cox and he leads 11-2 now. He will finish with another takedown and win 13-2

1045: Two-time World Championships bronze medalist Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL) is wrestling Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ). He is lead 9-5 with a minute to go in the bout. He wins 10-5

1015: Welcome to day two of the senior World Championships in Oslo, Norway. Here's a preview to all the four weight classes that are in action. Day 2 Preview

#WrestleAthens

Greece gets Greco finalist at U17 Worlds; Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan keep up

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 29) -- Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan continued their superb show in Greco-Roman at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece by earned two more spots in the finals.

On day one, the two countries, along with Georgia, were the only ones to enter multiple wrestlers in the final. On Tuesday, they added more while hosts Greece managed to enter one wrestler in the final, just the third-ever in Greco at World U17 Championships.

Asian U17 champion and returning bronze medalist at 71kg Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) led the way for his country, reaching the final after beating returning silver medalist from 65kg Yusif AHMADLI (AZE), 9-5, in the semifinal.

Ahmadli raced to a 5-0 lead from par terre but Valiev scored two stepouts before the break to cut the lead to 5-2. He got par terre in the second but failed to score any points. However, another stepout made it 5-4. Valiev kept pushing the pace of the bout and managed an awkward throw for four points. Azerbaijan challenged in vain as Valiev got the win.

It is at this weight class that Greece will look to bag a gold medal as Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE) became just the third finalist for Greece at a World U17 Championships after he defeated Marlen MEIRBEKULY (KAZ), 9-8, in a thrilling semifinal. 

Soulis led 8-4 with 10 seconds remaining in the bout when Meirbekuly hit a four-pointer to make it 8-8. However, Soulis had the criteria with a scoring action of four points, two points and two points while Meirbekuly had actions of one point, one point, two points and four points.

The second finalist for Uzbekistan came at 51kg after Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) reversed the par terre and then scored four gut-wrenches to beat Polat KARADENIZ (TUR), 9-1, in the semifinals. He will face Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) in the final who got a stepout with 18 seconds left against Asian U17 champion Islam KURBANOV (KGZ) to beat him 4-3 in the other semifinal.

Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) became the star for Kyrgyzstan as he surprised European champion Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE) with a big headlock throw for four points to start the semifinal. A lost challenge from Azerbaijan made it 5-0 for Kumarbekov.

With no passivity call in the second period, Kumarbekov kept his pace and Huseynli tried some desperate moves, getting for a takedown which gave Kumarbekov a 7-0 win.

It would have been an Kyrgyzstan-Iran final but Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) had other ideas. He rallied from behind to beat Benyamin KHEZLI (IRI).

The Iranian took just 20 seconds to get on board with a takedown and turn that was only awarded after a challenge from Iran. He took a 4-0 lead against Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) who used some solid arm-drags to score a stepout and then a takedown to cut it to 4-3.

As the time ran out, Zhangazhol dished out one more attack and got the headlock for four points. While Khezli got a counter turn, that was not enough for a win as Zhangazhol kept his 7-6 lead. Iran challenged the final move but it was a clear throw from Zhangazhol. The loss left Khezli in tears.

At 60kg, European bronze medalist Denys SEREDIN (UKR) suffered a heartbreaking loss in the semifinals as Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ) used a front headlock throw for four points with just 00:03 left on the clock to win 5-1 and earn a place in the final.

Seredin had defended well for the full match and was leading 1-1 on criteria but he let his guard down for the final five seconds of the bout.

Ysakbaev will take European silver medalist Ali NAZAROV (AZE) in the final after the Azerbaijani defeated Abolfazl ZARE (IRI) 1-1 in the other semifinal. Nazarov was winner based on the criteria that he scored the first point in an 1-1 scoreline match.

At 92kg, Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW), who was seventh last year, booked a spot in the final this year after a 3-1 win over Ionut PATRU (ROU). Both wrestler got par terre positions but Patru was docked two points for headbutting in the second period which proved to be the difference between the two.

Winning the gold, however, will be a big ask for Kasyan as he faces Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) in the final after he cleaned up Ahmet UZUN (TUR) 7-0 in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ)

SF 1: Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) df. Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE), 7-0
SF 2: Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) df. Benyamin KHEZLI (IRI), 8-6

51kg
GOLD: Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) vs. Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE)

SF 1: Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) df. Islam KURBANOV (KGZ), 4-3
SF 2: Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) df. Polat KARADENIZ (TUR), 10-1

60kg
GOLD: Ali NAZAROV (AZE) vs. Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ)

SF 1: Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ) df. Denys SEREDIN (UKR), 6-1
SF 2: Ali NAZAROV (AZE) df. Abolfazl ZARE (IRI), 1-1

71kg
GOLD: Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) vs. Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE)

SF 1: Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) df. Yusif AHMADLI (AZE), 9-5
SF 2: Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE) df. Marlen MEIRBEKULY (KAZ), 9-8

92kg
GOLD: Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW)

SF 1: Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Ahmet UZUN (TUR), 7-0
SF 2: Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW) df. Ionut PATRU (ROU), 3-1