#WrestleRome

Live Blog: U17 World Championships, Day 6

Saturday, July 30, 2022 - 09:12 By Vinay Siwach

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ROME, Italy (July 30) -- The final full day of competition at the U17 World Championships is here. The five remaining freestyle weight classes will be in action as the USA looks to build on the splendid show from Friday. The wrestlers from 45kg, 51kg, 60kg, 71kg and 92kg will take the mats.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 5 WRAP

14:17: The 71kg semifinals

Razmik YEPREMYAN (ARM) vs. Joseph SEALEY (USA)
Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) vs. Raul CASO (ITA) 

14:45: The 60kg semifinals are set

Nikhil PILANAGOILA (IND) vs. Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI)
Taiga OGINO (JPN) vs. Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ)

14:40: The 51kg semifinals with U17 world silver Luke LILLEDAHL (USA)

Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) vs. Luke LILLEDAHL (USA)
Mohammad Reza ASADI (IRI) vs. Elman AGHAYEV (AZE) 

14:35: Here are the 45kg semifinals

Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) vs. Amirmohammad NAVAZI (IRI)
Constantin RUSU (MDA) vs. Bashir VERDIYEV (AZE) 

14:20: The 92kg semifinals are set

Erfan ALIZADEH (IRI) vs. Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN)
Maxwell MCENELLY (USA) vs. Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) 

13:45: These are some absolutely top-class quarterfinals at 45kg

Amirmohammad NAVAZI (IRI) vs. Azymberdi ASHYRGULYYEV (TKM)
Taiga OGITA (JPN) vs. Constantin RUSU (MDA)
Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) vs. Arman HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Nikoloz BOTCHORISHVILI (GEO) vs. Bashir VERDIYEV (AZE) 

13:23: European champion at 51kg Elman AGHAYEV (AZE) enters the quarterfinals with a 10-0 win over Mustafa KARABUGA (TUR). He will now face Abbosbek KOBILOV (UZB)

13:15: Asian bronze medalist Abbosbek KOBILOV (UZB) with a quick 10-0 win over Arvind KUMAR (IND) at 51kg. This all but ends India's hopes of defending their team title

12:55: Another European champion falls! Returning bronze medalist and Asian champion Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) controlled most of his 92kg bout against Ibrahim BENEKLI (TUR) to win 6-0.

12:35: European bronze medalist Nikoloz MAISURADZE (GEO) upsets the 71kg European champion Kaloyan ATANASOV (BUL) 4-0 in the qualification bout. The two did not meet in the continental championships as Maisuradze was beaten by Raul CASO (ITA) in the semifinal. Caso, a silver medalist from Bucharest beat Ion MARCU (MDA) 8-6 in Rome.

12:20: Big win for 60kg European champion Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) over Asian silver medalist Javokhir CHULIBOYEV (UZB). He rolls to a 10-0 victory. Asian champion Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) also gets a 10-0 win over Aidyn BEKBAYEV (KAZ)

12:10: Not the most accomplished opponent but Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) looked impressive against Kaige BROWN (NZL) for a 10-0 win at 60kg.

11:55: The 45kg qualification bouts went quickly. Here are the results

Domenic MUNARETTO (USA) df. Ningappa GENANNAVAR (IND), 10-0
Constantin RUSU (MDA) df. Nurassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ), 7-6
Amirmohammad NAVAZI (IRI) df. Riccardo BONANNO (ITA), 10-0
Bashir VERDIYEV (AZE) df. Vladyslav CHORNOVIL (UKR), 10-0
Arman HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Zhanysh MOIDUNOV (KGZ), 13-7
Nikoloz BOTCHORISHVILI (GEO) df. MUSTAFA KOYUN (TUR), via fall

11:30: The repchage rounds are over and we are beginning with the 45kg qualification bouts at the U17 World Championships.

#development

UWW conducts REDT program in Benin

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:06 By United World Wrestling Press

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OUIDAH, Benin (December 20) -- United World Wrestling (UWW), in collaboration with the Benin Wrestling Federation, the Benin National Olympic Committee and the national sports authorities, successfully organized the Regional Education and Development Wrestling Tournament (REDT), which took place in Ouidah from November 23 to 30, 2025.

This event represents the first tournament ever organized in West Africa, marking a major milestone in UWW’s wrestling development strategy on the African continent.

Ten countries from the West African region took part in the tournament, contributing to a framework of technical and educational exchanges aimed at enhancing the competencies of wrestling stakeholders.

Deqa NIAMKEY, Director of Development at United World Wrestling, paid an official visit to Benin. She praised the progress achieved by the Benin Wrestling Federation and recalled the core objective of the REDT program.

"The REDT was initiated by United World Wrestling to support countries in the sustainable development of wrestling.”

Niamkey also conducted a sports administration education session with representatives of national federations, while Youssef BOUAZIZ delivered an online training session on ARENA.

Benin

Ahead of the competitions, a regional coaches’ education program was conducted from November 24 to 27, 2025, bringing together coaches, referees, athletes and technical staff from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Senegal.

This program was delivered by Vincent AKA, UWW Expert and Development Officer, and concluded with theoretical and practical evaluations leading to the award of UWW International Coaching Certifications Levels 1 and 2.

Celestin PAVELESCU, UWW Expert, led the refereeing education program in Olympic Wrestling and Beach Wrestling, contributing to the improvement of technical standards and the harmonization of officiating practices across the region.

The competitions were held on November 29, 2025 at the IRSP Gymnasium, while the Beach Wrestling events took place on November 30, 2025 at the Door of No Return Beach, an emblematic site of Ouidah’s historical and cultural heritage.

The host nation particularly distinguished itself during this edition, winning a total of 35 medals (11 gold, 15 silver and 9 bronze).

The development strategy focused on youth and the introduction of wrestling in the school environment, with a strong representation of U17 wrestlers, illustrates the long-term vision pursued by the Benin Wrestling Federation.

At the conclusion of the competition, the President of the Benin Wrestling Federation, Adihunkpéto YVES AZIFAN, congratulated all wrestlers and coaches, while reaffirming the federation’s commitment to position Benin sustainably among the leading nations of African and international wrestling.