#WrestleSofia

Mammadli defeats returning World champion to earn spot in Greco-Roman finals at #WrestleSofia

By Taylor Miller

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Nihat Zahid MAMMADLI (AZE) advanced to the Cadet World finals for the second time in his young career and will wrestle for a gold medal at 55 kg on Saturday.

Mammadli, who is a 2017 Cadet World silver medalist, knocked off returning World champion Abror ATABAEV (UZB) with a dominant 7-0 victory.

A 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival bronze medalist, Mammadli will face Pravin Pandurang PATIL (IND), who won Cadet Asian bronze earlier this summer.

Also from Azerbaijan, Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) cruised to the finals at his first World Championships, outwrestling 2018 U15 Asian silver medalist Rupin RUPIN (IND) in the 48 kg semifinals.

For gold, Babashov will challenge 2018 Youth Olympic Games champion Amirreza Mohammadreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI), who scored an 8-0 tech fall in his semis match over Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ).

Iran also put a second wrestler in the finals as 2019 Cadet Asian bronze winner Shahrokh Abouzar MIKAEILI (IRI) moved onto the gold match at 110 kg.

Waiting for him in the finals is Razmik KURDYAN (ARM), who was fifth at the Cadet European Championships. He defeated European champion Mate GOKADZE (GEO) to earn a chance at gold.

At 65 kg, Asian bronze medalist Sheroz OCHILOV (TJK) upset Asian champion Hojat REZAEI (IRI) in the semifinals, 3-1.

In Saturday’s final, Ochilov will go head-to-head with 2019 Cadet European bronze medalist Dzmitry BONKA (BLR).

For the title at 80 kg, 2018 Balkan champion Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA) will battle Mykyta ALIEKSIEIEV (UKR).

Lupasco shutout Asian champion Maskat SAILAU (KAZ) in the semis, while Alieksieiev took out Kamran ARGHASH (IRI).

The finals will take place on Saturday at 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals matchups                   
48 kg: Amirreza Mohammadreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI) vs. Ziya BABASHOV (AZE)
55 kg: Pravin Pandurang PATIL (IND) vs. Nihat Zahid MAMMADLI (AZE)
65 kg: Sheroz OCHILOV (TJK) vs. Dzmitry BONKA (BLR)
80 kg: Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA) vs. Mykyta ALIEKSIEIEV (UKR)
110 kg: Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) vs. Shahrokh Abouzar MIKAEILI (IRI)

#development

UWW Women in Wrestling Global Forum concludes in Paris

By United World Wrestling Press

PARIS, France (December 7) --- The UWW Women in Wrestling Global Forum 2023, held in Paris from December 2nd to 4th, concluded on its third day with a sense of achievement and empowerment among all participants. This transformative event united leaders and experts in a collective effort to advance women in the world of wrestling.

 

Day 1: Opening Ceremony and Empowering Training

The first day commenced with a morning opening ceremony featuring welcome messages from key figures in the wrestling community. Mr. Nenad Lalovic, President of UWW, Mr. Fabien CANU, INSEP Director General, Mr. Lionel Lacaze, President of the French Wrestling Federation, Ms. Rodica Yaksi – UWW Bureau Member and Ms. Deqa Niamkey, UWW Development Director expressed their commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment in wrestling on a global scale.

Three priorities for advancing women in wrestling for UWW:

  1. Sustain Elite-Level Participation Growth:

Ensure continuous growth in elite-level participation across all domains (athletes, coaches, and referees).

  1. Promote Gender Equality through National Federation Policies:

Implement gender equality policies, focusing on increased inclusion of women in leadership roles.

Initiate the first steps of experience and practice at a national level through commissions, continental councils, NOC, Continental Confederations, etc.

  1. Foster Education Opportunities:

Maintain a commitment to education by providing opportunities through programs such as the WW Forum, WISH, Refereeing Courses, Athlete Scholarships, etc.

Following the opening ceremony, the day was dedicated to Women Empowerment Training led by Gabriela Mueller, focusing on goal-setting, self-leadership, and a leader's unique value proposition.

Day 2: Skill-Building and In-Depth Discussions

The second day continued with Women Empowerment Training in the morning, and in the afternoon, the event shifted to an engaging panel discussion on leadership challenges in wrestling. This insightful session, featuring distinguished speakers like Rodica Yaksi (TUR) - UWW Bureau Member, Csilla Ali (HUN) - General Secretary of the UWW European Council, and Buyana Pelje (MGL) - General Secretary of the UWW Asian Council, explored 21st-century leadership skills and group presentations on contemporary challenges. Skill-building sessions covered influence and persuasion skills, adopting a growth mindset, and mastering leadership fundamentals.

Day 3: Crossing the Finishing Line of Empowerment

On this final day, all participants collectively "crossed the finishing line" as they completed their empowering journey at the UWW Women in Wrestling Global Forum.

The day began with discussions on women leading in wrestling part II, with panelists such as Lise Le Grand (FRA) - Vice-Président of FRA NF; Board Member of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF), Jaimie McNabb (USA) - Sr. Manager of Women’s Freestyle, Emerging Programs and National Teams Services, and Deqa Niamkey (SUI) - UWW Development Director; Chair of ASOIF Sports Development and Education Group; Member of ASOIF Gender Equality and Diversity sharing valuable insights and providing a toolkit for success.

The Leadership Training segment continued with a focus on the power of online presence in the social media era. Panelists, including Dragana Saveva (MKD) - Secretary General of Wrestling Federation of the Republic of North Macedonia, Tin Bregovic (CRO) - Secretary General of the Croatian Wrestling Federation, and Yuri Maier (ARG) - 13x Pan-American Medalist, UWW Sport & Development Officer, IOC Athlete365 Career+ Lead Educator, ACODEPA Sports Manager, emphasized the importance of establishing a strong online presence and improving communication through social media. AI expert Gabriela Muller provided insights into the intersection of leadership and AI in the digital space.

The forum concluded with a closing ceremony, expressing gratitude to participants, panelists, and experts. All participants were acknowledged for their active engagement and insightful contributions, leaving them empowered and ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.

The UWW Women in Wrestling Global Forum 2023 has undoubtedly served as a significant milestone in promoting gender equality, skill development, and leadership empowerment within the wrestling community. As the event wrapped up, the sense of accomplishment and readiness to face challenges marked the beginning of a new era for women making their mark in the world of wrestling.