#WrestleBudapest19

Marin Potrille Takes Down Senior World Medalist for U23 World Title

Friday, November 1, 2019 - 21:59 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) by Sachiko Hotaka.

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) knocked off a Senior World medalist in an impressive win in the women’s freestyle gold-medal finals at 72 kg on Friday night at the U23 World Championships.

The win marks Marin Potrille’s second World gold medal of the year as she was a 2019 Junior World champion.

For the title, Marin Potrille faced 2019 Senior World bronze medalist and 2018 U23 World bronze medalist Xiaoqian WANG (CHN).

Wang struck first on exposure, leading 2-0 at the break, but it was all Marin Potrille in the second period.

The Cuban got on the board with a takedown on the edge for a lead on criteria. With less than 10 seconds left, Marin Potrille iced the match with a takedown and gut wrench for a 6-2 victory.

Throughout the competition, Marin Potrille was the only women’s freestyle champion that does not represent Japan or China.

Three other 2019 Junior World champions added U23 World titles to their resumes tonight, including Haruna OKUNO (JPN), Sae NANJO (IND) and Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN).

Wrestling at 53 kg, Okuno wrapped up her gold-medal match in only 1:12, pinning 2017 Junior Asian champion Pooja GEHLOT (IND).

Okuno is now a six-time World champion, owning two Senior World titles, two U23 World titles, a 2019 Junior World title and a 2016 Cadet World title.

For the gold at 57 kg, Nanjo was just as dominant, scoring two takedowns and three gut wrenches for a first-period 10-0 techical fall against 2019 Junior World silver medalist and 2017 U23 World bronze winner Alina AKOBIIA (UKR).

The U23 World title adds to Nanjo’s 2017 and 2019 Junior World golds.

Inagaki, a two-time Junior World champion, edged out two-time age-group World medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) in the championship bout at 62 kg.

Inagaki came out on top in a second-period scramble to give her an eventual 3-0 win.

To win the title at 65 kg, 2019 Ivan Yariguin Grand Prix runner-up Misuzu ENOMOTO (JPN) won a controlled 11-0 technical fall against Purevsuren ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL).

Japan won the team title, claiming seven gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal for 230 points. In second was China, which edged out Ukraine 105-103.

Finals results
53 kg
GOLD - Haruna OKUNO (JPN) df. Pooja GEHLOT (IND), fall 1:12
BRONZE - Anudari NANDINTSETSEG (MGL) df. Katsiaryna PICHKOUSKAYA (BLR), 10-0
BRONZE - Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df. Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS), 5-2

57 kg
GOLD - Sae NANJO (JPN) df. Alina AKOBIIA (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE - Hannah Fay TAYLOR (CAN) df. Altynay SATYLGAN (KAZ), fall 5:48
BRONZE - Marina SIMONYAN (RUS) df. Valeryia YARMOLA (BLR), 10-0

62 kg
GOLD - Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN) df. Kayla MIRACLE (USA), 3-0
BRONZE - Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Veranika IVANOVA (BLR), 12-5
BRONZE - Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) df. Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS), 7-4

65 kg
GOLD - Misuzu ENOMOTO (JPN) df. Purevsuren ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL), 11-0
BRONZE - Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Nade DRAGUNOVA (BLR), 3-0
BRONZE - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU), fall 2:22

72 kg
GOLD - Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) df. Xiaoqian WANG (CHN), 6-2
BRONZE - Mei SHINDO (JPN) df. Alexandra Nicoleta ANGHEL (ROU), 9-3
BRONZE - Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) df. Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), 6-6

Team results
1. Japan – 230
2. China – 105
3. Ukraine – 103
4. Russia – 87
5. USA – 80
6. Mongolia – 71
7. Kazakhstan – 68
8. Canada – 65
9. Belarus – 58
10. Romania - 49

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds 2025: Iran, U.S. put two each in Freestyle finals

Friday, August 1, 2025 - 14:57 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- Iran and the United States emerged as the best performers on day one of Freestyle competition at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece after placing two wrestlers each in the gold medal bouts.

Five Freestyle weight classes were in action on Friday, as the tournament entered its final three days.

Iran and the U.S. will face off in the 48kg final after Ariah MILLS (USA) and Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) won their respective semifinals.

Mills defeated European U17 champion Ravan HASANZADE (AZE) 7-2 using his attacking style. After being put on the activity clock, Mills began his attacks and though he was not able to score in the 30-second, he hit a single leg for four points that gave him a 4-1 lead going into the break.

Hasanzade got on the leg attacks but Mills was quick to counter and scored an exposure for two points which was challenged by Azerbaijan. On review, it was given only two points for Mills and Azerbaijan lost the challenge and Mills reached the final 7-2.

Boustani had to stop some serious attacks from Masamune USHIMADO (JPN) in the second period. After taking a 6-0 lead, Boustani was put in danger by Ushimado as he scored a takedown. He then made it 6-3 with a stepout. With 13 seconds remaining, he hit another big throw but it was scored just two points as Boustani won 6-5.

The second finalist for the U.S. was Pan-Am U17 champion Arsenii KIKINIOU (USA) who came from behind to beat Morteza HAJ (IRI), 3-2, in the 65kg semifinals. Trailing 2-0, Kikiniou first scored a stepout and then managed to transition a leg attack into takedown with 13 seconds left. He held on to his lead to win.

For the gold, he will face 2024 silver medalist from 60kg, Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) who barely went past Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 3-1, in the other semifinal. Ismayilov was down 1-1 on criteria but scored point just in time to win the match.

Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) was the second finalist for Iran after he dominated Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ) and beat him 11-4 in the 80kg semifinals. For the gold, he will take on European U17 champion Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) after the Ukrainian earned himself a chance to win a world U17 goldm reaching the final with a 2-1 win over  Issa ZANGIEV (UWW).

At 55kg, returning bronze medalist from 51kg Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) denied Greyton BURNETT (USA) after beating him 8-2 in the semifinal. Okonogi never let Burnett to settle down and scored three takedowns in his win.

Having already upgraded his medal, Okonogi will look to win the gold over Asian U17 silver medalist Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UWW) who scored a late stepout to win his semifinal against Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW), who was a bronze medalist from 48kg last year.

At 110kg, it will be a battle of continental champions as European U17 champion Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) defeated Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 2-0, after getting both passivity points.

He will take on Asian U17 champion LACKY (IND) who defeated European U17 champion Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI), via fall, with a comeback.

Naghdalipour led 5-0 when he got a par terre and as he tried the gut-wrench, Lacky blocked him and scored two points. A double-leg takedown made it 5-4.

Lacky was called passive in the second period and Naghdalipout got another point and led 6-4. That is when Lacky got hold of the Iranian and sent him for four points. Iran challenged and lost, making the score 9-6 for Lacky.

Naghdalipour scored a stepout to cut the lead to 9-7 but as he tried another takedown, Lacky slammed him for four and a turn before securing the fall just as the time expired.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Ariah MILLS (USA) vs. Sina BOUSTANI (IRI)

SF 1: Ariah MILLS (USA) df. Ravan HASANZADE (AZE), 7-2
SF 2: Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) df. Masamune USHIMADO (JPN), 6-5

55kg
GOLD: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) vs. Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB)

SF 1: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) df. Greyton BURNETT (USA), 8-2 
SF 2: Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB) df. Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW), 2-1

65kg
GOLD: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) vs. Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE)

SF 1: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) df. Morteza HAJ (IRI), 3-2
SF 2: Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) df. Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 3-1

80kg
GOLD: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) vs. Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI)

SF 1: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) df. Issa ZANGIEV (UWW), 2-1
SF 2: Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) df. Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ), 11-4

110kg
GOLD: LACKY (IND) vs. Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW)

SF 1: LACKY (IND) df. Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI), via fall (15-7)
SF 2: Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) df. Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 2-0