#WrestleSofia

LIVE BLOG: World Olympic Qualifiers, Day Two

By United World Wrestling Press

Women's wrestling gets underway in Sofia as 12 Olympic spots will be decided at the World Olympic Qualifiers on Friday. (Day 1 Wrap)

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | PHOTOS

SEMIFINALS (As they come in)

50kg

Anna LUKASIAK (POL) vs. Seema SEEMA (IND)
Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) vs. Patricia Alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG) 

53kg 
Betzabeth angelica ARGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN) vs. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) 
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) vs. Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN) 

57kg
Giullia OLIVEIRA (BRA) vs. Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA) 
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) vs. Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR) 

62kg
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) vs. Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) 
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) vs. Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER) 

68kg
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) vs. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) 
Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) vs.Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)

76kg
Yasemin ADAR (TUR) vs. Martina KUENZ (AUT) 
Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN) vs. Alla BELINSKA (UKR) 

13:27: The quarterfinals are underway in Bulgaria! The match order is listed below.

12:54: That was unexpected! Bullen crushed Morais, 12-2, in less than two minutes and moved into the 57kg quarterfinals. She'll now face Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) for a spot in tonight's quarterfinals

12:47:  The matchup between world champions Linda Morais and U23 world champion Grace Bullen is up now on Mat B!

11:58: That was short-lived. Adar rallied off 16 unanswered points and moved into the quarterfinals with an 18-7 win. She'll wrestle U23 and junior world champion Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) for a spot in tonight's semifinals.

11:55: There's a huge upset brewing on Mat A. Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) leads '17 world champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR), 7-2, after the opening period.

11:50: That's back-to-back massive wins for Kriszta Incze. In her two patches, she's defeated two-time Olympic bronze medalist Jackeline Renteria Castillo and world runner-up Elif Jale Yesilrmak. She'll take on world silver medalist Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) next.

11:47: Two-time Olympic bronze medalist Renteria trails Incze, 3-2, with 80 seconds left. They are wrestling on Mat A.

11:21:  How about this upcoming match between world champions on Mat B (Bout 201)? It'll be Linda Morais and U23 world champion Grace BULLEN (NOR).

10:56: World champion Linda Morais opens up her day with an impressive three-minute 10-0 routing of '16 Olympian Bediha GUN (TUR).

10:33: Mat A is about to heat up! Two-time world bronze medalist from Hungary Emese BARKA and world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) will wrestle in back-to-back matches. 

10:08:  How about that timing? Kriszta INCZE (ROU) scored a step out with three seconds left and ended Elif YESILIRMAK's (TUR) quest to become the first Turkish woman to reach the Olympic Games on three occasions. 

10:02: What a way to kick off our women's wrestling opening session! We'll have two-time Olympic bronze medalist Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) beginning the day on Mat A. 

10:00: Just minutes away from action here in Sofia

#WrestleSofia

U20 World Championships day five semis set

By Vinay Siwach

SOFIA, Bulgaria (August 19) -- The U20 World Championships enter day five and it's time for Greco-Roman wrestling. Five weight classes in action on Friday in Sofia are 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg, and 130kg.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

Here are the semifinals for the evening session

55kg
Denis Florin MIHAI (ROU) vs. Nuristan SUIORKULOV (KGZ)
Karapet MANVELYAN (ARM) vs. Nihad GULUZADE (AZE) 

63kg
Arman VARDANYAN (ARM) vs. Baiaman KARIMOV (KGZ)
Iman Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Chiezo MARUYAMA (JPN)

77kg​​​​​​​
Deni NAKAEV (GER) vs. Samandar BOBONAZAROV (UZB)
Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) vs. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)

87kg​​​​​​​
Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM) vs. Maksat SAILAU (KAZ)
Lachin VALIYEV (AZE) vs. Abolfazl CHOUBANI (IRI)

130kg
Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB) vs. Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)
Aden ATTAO (USA) vs. Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)

14:00: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) with a fall over Masoud KAVOUSI GHAFI (IRI). Huge win for the returning bronze medalist. He will wrestle in the 77kg semifinals.

13:45: Arman VARDANYAN (ARM) will be thanking his stars for that win over Dinislam SAGITZHAN (KAZ) at 63kg. Sagitzhan got a headlock and secured the fall but Armenia challenged the call and won as the Kazakhstan wrestler was locking the head by holding to his own thigh. Vardanyan defended his 10-7 lead to win

13:37: 2021 U17 world champion Nuristan SUIORKULOV (KGZ) and Emre MUTLU (TUR) on Mat A. Suirkulov with the advantage for par terre and scores one more point with an out of bounds throw. He adds two more takedowns to lead 6-0 at the break. Mutlu gets the par terre position and scores two turns before Suiorkulov gets a reversal to keep a 7-5 lead. Mutlu cannot score another takedown and will lose 7-5.

13:25: Fekry EISSA (EGY) had the U20 European champion Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) in trouble. But with 15 seconds remaining, Vyshnyvetskyi scores a takedown to win 9-7

13:00: The USA team is all for it as Aden ATTAO (USA), trailing 2-8, gets the arm throw and pins U20 European silver medalist Adolf BAZSO (HUN) at 130kg. The big upset of the day.

12:33: Here are the quarterfinals at 87kg

Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA) vs. Lachin VALIYEV (AZE)
Mykyta ALIEKSIEIEV (UKR) vs. Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM)
Maksat SAILAU (KAZ) vs. Robin USPENSKI (EST)
Donghyun YUN (KOR) vs. Abolfazl CHOUBANI (IRI) 

12:15: Senior European bronze medalist and one of the favorites to win the gold in Sofia, Emre MUTLU (TUR) comes back from 2-0 down against Paolo MILKOV (BUL) to win 6-2 at 55kg.

11:55: U20 European champion Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) begins with a fall over Junho PARK (KOR). Second to him in Rome, Adolf BAZSO (HUN) also begins with a fall over Tsotne TSINTSADZE (GEO) at 130kg.

11:35: At 77kg, some of the big results include Khasay HASANLI (AZE) beating Henrik GEVORGYAN (ARM), via fall. U20 European champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) with a big 13-5 win over Omar SATAYEV (KAZ)

11:15: We are beginning with 87kg and Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM) begins with a 9-0 win over Nartu ABDURAKHMANOV (KGZ), 9-0.

U20 European silver Lachin VALIYEV (AZE) played out all six minutes to beat Patrik GORDAN (ROU), 5-1.

11:00: Some of the biggest names in Greco-Roman wrestling will be on the mat on Friday. All five weight classes are stacked with young stars