#WrestleAmman

Masoumi repeats to lead Iran to U20 Worlds team title

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 - 22:47 By Vinay Siwach

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AMMAN, Jordan (August 16) -- At the Asian Championships in Astana, Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) had two stunning losses. He lost his semifinal against eventual champion Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL), his first-ever loss internationally, and later the bronze-medal bout to BUHEEERDUN (CHN) via fall. The two losses cast doubts over Masoumi's claims of being the closest to replacing Amirhossein ZARE (IRI) in the senior team at 125kg.

But Masoumi is once again back in the talks of being the next big thing at 125kg after he won his second U20 world title in Amman, Jordan on Wednesday.

The defending champion looked in no trouble whatsoever over the two days he wrestled, outscoring his opponents 51-1 in the five bouts. Apart from the two U20 world titles, Masoumi also has gold medals at the U17 and U23 World Championships.

His win capped off the Freestyle competition in Amman with Iran winning the team title with 165 points, 13 more than the United States which finished second. India was third with 102 points.

Along with Masoumi, Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI) also won the gold medal as Iran won four gold, two silver and one bronze medal in the tournament.

Masoumi wrestled Said AKHMATOV (AIN) in the final and launched him for a four-point throw nine seconds into the bout. He added a stepout to make it 5-0 soon. He added another stepout to lead 6-0 and showed his frustration towards Akhmatov's unprovoked aggression during the bout.

Returning to the center, Masoumi took his time before getting a single-leg attack and converting it into two points. His solid underhooks kept Akhmatov out of action and Masoumi added another stepout to lead 9-0.

Both wrestlers were warned for aggressive snapping and the referee eventually cautioned Akhmatov and awarded a point to Masoumi thus ending the bout. AIN challenged the call but the original decision was upheld, giving Masoumi an 11-0 win.

Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI)Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI) scores a takedown in the 92kg final against Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ). (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

While Masoumi's was a very one-sided win, Azimi had to work a lot harder for the gold medal at 92kg.

Azimi was up against senior Asian Championships silver medalist Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) who made a late comeback in the final but fell 5-4.

After a little scramble to begin the final, Azimi scored a takedown and led 2-0 after Aitmukhan was called for inactivity. Azimi scored a takedown in the second period as he got hold of Aitmukhan's single leg. Aitmukhan tried to hit a whizzer but failed to complete it and Azimi ended up being on the top.

Aitmukhan gave up another stepout as he was trying to circle back in when Azimi was trying to push him. With just 1:18 left on the clock and Azimi leading 5-0, Aitmukhan had a mountain to climb.

But he began with an ankle pick for two, added a stepout to cut the lead to 5-3 and almost got a takedown using head-inside but Azimi pulled his singlet. Azimi was penalized a point for the foul but Aitmukhan still needed another point with 17 seconds on the clock. Azimi managed to hold off Aitmukhan for that time and won the gold, two months after he won the U20 Asian Championships in the same city.

Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA)Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) won the 74kg gold medal after beating Hossein AGHAEI (IRI). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Iran could have had three gold medals on Wednesday but Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) derailed those plans by winning the 74kg final against Hossein AGHAEI (IRI) 16-5, his fifth technical superiority win of the tournament.

The silver medalist at 70kg from last year, Mesenbrink went all out from the first whistle and scored a stepout nine seconds after the start. In the second scoring action, he trapped Aghaei's arm and scored a takedown before getting two turns. Aghaei got a reversal and went straight for the leg lace for a turn.

Mesenbrink, leading 7-3, added a takedown and stepout to lead 10-3 before Aghaei scored a takedown. But with Aghaei struggling with his conditioning, it was a matter of time before Mesenbrink finished the bout 16-5 to win the gold he missed last year.

Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) won the 86kg final against Fumiya IGARASHI (JPN) 6-4. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Magamadov repeats

Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) defended his 86kg title after beating Fumiya IGARASHI (JPN) 6-4 in the gold medal match. Magamadov has become the first Freestyle wrestler from France to win two world titles across age groups.

Unlike his final in Sofia last year, Magamadov did not have a come-from-behind victory in Amman. However, he had to work hard to defend his lead against Igarashi who threatened to upset the champion in the second period.

Magamadov scored two takedowns in the first period to lead 4-0 and added another in the second period to extend it to 6-0. Igarashi kept coming back and even pushed Magamadov out-of-bounds twice but was called grounded.

Igarashi finally opened his score with a stepout with only 35 seconds left on the clock. Mamagadov was cautioned for fleeing and put in par terre which perhaps played negatively for Igarashi as he wanted the bout to restart in standing. With just 11 seconds remaining on the clock, Igarashi scored a takedown in the final second, not enough to stop Magamadov from winning his second straight gold medal at the U20 World Championships.

Mohit KUMAR (IND)Mohit KUMAR (IND) won the 61kg gold to become India's fourth U20 world champion in Freestyle. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Mohit KUMAR (IND) became only the fourth Indian wrestler to win a Freestyle gold medal at the U20 World Championships when he defeated Eldar AKHMADUDINOV (AIN) 9-8 in the 61kg final.

India won it's first Freestyle U20 world title in 2001 when two wrestlers, Palwinder CHEEMA (IND) and Ramesh KUMAR (IND), won gold at 130kg and 69kg respectively. The nation had to wait 18 years for the third title as Deepak PUNIA (IND) won the gold at 86kg in 2019. Kumar made sure India did not have to wait that long for its fourth as he won the final in Amman.

But Kumar's path to the gold had been nothing short of edge-of-the-seat stuff. After winning his first two bouts via technical superiority, Kumar faced Nicholas BOUZAKIS (USA) in the quarterfinals. Both wrestlers exchanged the lead numerous times before Kumar managed to win 12-11. In the semifinals, Kumar pinned Besir ALILI (MKD) but not before himself surviving a pin call.

The final against Akhmadudinov, who scored a stunning takedown using a fake attack to win his semifinal 10-9 against Ali KHORRAMDEL (IRI), was equally dramatic as at one point Kumar trailed 6-0. Just before the break, Kumar scored a takedown to make it 6-2.

Kumar scored a stepout and then got a point as Akhmadudinov pulled Kumar's singlet during an attack. As Akhmadudinov struggled with his conditioning, Kumar scored an easy takedown and exposure in the same sequence to get an 8-6 lead. A stepout made it 9-6 with 46 seconds remaining in the final.

Akhmadudinov's late burst of energy helped him score a takedown, awarded to him only after a challenge. With his 9-8 lead and 14 seconds left on the clock, Kumar managed to keep Akhmadudinov at bay and win India's first gold of the tournament.

df

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Mohit KUMAR (IND) df. Eldar AKHMADUDINOV (AIN), 9-8

BRONZE: Nicholas BOUZAKIS (USA) df. Besir ALILI (MKD), 11-1
BRONZE: Ali KHORRAMDEL (IRI) df. Tamazi SULAMANIDZE (GEO), 10-0

74kg
GOLD: Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) df. Hossein AGHAEI (IRI), 16-5

BRONZE: JAIDEEP (IND) df. Zhakshylyk BAITASHOV (KGZ), via fall (4-2)
BRONZE: Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO) df. Anton SUCHKOV (AIN), 3-2

86kg
GOLD: Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) df. Fumiya IGARASHI (JPN), 6-4

BRONZE: Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA) df. Mushegh MKRTCHYAN (ARM), 3-0
BRONZE: Bennett BERGE (USA) df. Shakjir BISLIMI (MKD), 11-0

92kg
GOLD: Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), 5-4

BRONZE: Mustafagadzhi MALACHDIBIROV (AIN) df. Knyaz IBOYAN (ARM), 10-0
BRONZE: Giorgi ROMELASHVILI (GEO) df. Nurbolot ADYL UULU (KGZ), 8-1

125kg
GOLD: Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) df. Said AKHMATOV (AIN), 11-0

BRONZE: Rajat RUHAL (IND) vs. Karanveer MAHIL (CAN), 9-8 
BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) vs. Volodymyr KOCHANOV (UKR), 11-1

PodiumIran won the Freestyle team title with the United States finishing second and India third. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Semifinals

50kg
GOLD: Yanrong LI (CHN) df. Audrey JIMENEZ (USA)

SF 1: Yanrong LI (CHN) df. Viktoriia SLOBODENIUK (UKR), via fall (2-2)
SF 2: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) df. Reka HEGEDUS (SVK), 12-2

55kg
GOLD: Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN) vs. Georgiana LIRCA (ROU) 

SF 1: Georgiana LIRCA (ROU) df. Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), via fall (4-2)
SF 2: Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN) df. Albina RILLIA (UKR), 11-0

59kg
GOLD:  Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) vs. Aurora RUSSO (ITA)

SF 1: Aurora RUSSO (ITA) df. Alexis JANIAK (USA), 9-8
SF 2: Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) df. Kalmira BILIMBEK KYZY (KGZ), 6-4

68kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) vs. Ray HOSHINO (JPN)

SF 1: Ray HOSHINO (JPN) df. Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN), 9-4
SF 2: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) df. ARJU (IND), 6-3

76kg
GOLD: PRIYA (IND) vs. Laura KUEHN (GER) 

SF 1: Laura KUEHN (GER) df. Veronika NYIKOS (HUN), 9-4
SF 2: PRIYA (IND) df. Kennedy BLADES (USA), 10-0

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds: Fujinami ready for first international test at 57kg

Friday, October 10, 2025 - 10:32 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO, Japan (October 9) -- She already has an Olympic gold and two senior world titles, not to mention a 141-match winning streak that dates back to her junior high school days. And there is that undefeated record against non-Japanese opponents.

So what has compelled Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) to even bother entering the U23 World Championships, a tournament that, on paper at least, she should have no problem winning?

Rest assured there is method to what she would not regard as madness. It is all part of a grand plan, centered on the 21-year-old's much-publicized move from 53kg directly up to the next Olympic weight of 57kg with eyes firmly on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"This will by my first world tournament since I moved up in weight class," Fujinami said in an interview via social media. "I want to try out what I have been practicing, and get an idea of where I stand in terms of my current ability. I also want to identify areas to work on ahead of the All-Japan Championships in December."

Fujinami tops the marquee as she makes her debut at the U23 World Championships, to be held October 20-27 in Novi Sad, Serbia. Currently in her senior year at Nippon Sports Science University, it will be just her third competition since she cruised to the 53kg gold at the Paris Olympics, where she won all four matches by either fall or technical superiority.

The two other outings -- one a collegiate team event in November 2024 and the other the Japan Queen's Cup in April at which she qualified for the U23 Worlds -- did not provide much of a workout. She won a total of four matches in a combined time of 7:11 without giving up a point.

Fujinami expressed no concerns about her extended absence from top-level competition. "This will be my first tournament in six months," she said. "I'm not worried about regaining my match feeling. For the Olympics, I had about a seven-month blank."

Fujinami had at first planned to try for the senior worlds, but decided she would not be ready as she makes the physical adjustment to 57kg. So will we see a bulked-up Fujinami in Novi Sad?

"Compared with the time when I was in the 53kg class, my natural weight is more than then," Fujinami said. "I am also going to have cut weight before the tournament at 57kg. I'm also working hard on weight training, and I'll try to show the effects of that in the matches."

Despite her exalted status, Fujinami knows not to take any opponent lightly – a lesson she learned fully well when she won her second senior world title in 2023. In the quarterfinals, she was stunned when Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) tagged her for five points early in the match and seven overall, marking the most points ever scored upon her by a non-Japanese.

Although Fujinami came back to take the lead and win by fall, it showed any lapse can lead to disaster – which, ironically, makes the sport more appealing for her.

“You never know what will happen in a match,” Fujinami said. “But I think that’s what makes it interesting. For me, a match is like a presentation of yourself, so I will go into it aiming to win while having fun.”

In Novi Sad, Fujinami may have to share some of the spotlight with compatriot, fellow Paris Olympic gold medalist and recently crowned senior world champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN).

A victory by Motoki at 62kg would make her the third member of the “Golden Grand Slam” club -- those who have combined an Olympic gold with titles on the senior and all three age-group levels. The two current members are Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Amit ELOR (USA).

Ironically, circumstances beyond her control worked against Fujinami ever having a chance to also gain entry into the club.

A world U17 champion in 2018, she was deprived twice of chances to win a U20 world title – first in 2021 when Japan opted to not send a team during the pandemic, and again in 2022 when an injury forced her to withdraw. Those same years she qualified for the U23 worlds, but missed out for the same reasons.

This time, her preparations have gone without a hitch. "I've been able to continue to train and practice without any major injuries," she said.

Prior to securing a second Olympic gold in Los Angeles, Fujinami has a more immediate goal — winning her first at the Asian Games, to be held next October in Nagoya / Aichi Prefecture, which borders her native Mie Prefecture. Because of the early deadline for entries, she needs a victory at the All-Japan Championships in December to make the Japanese squad.

“My goals are to win gold at the Asian Games in Nagoya and at the Los Angeles Olympics,” she said. “To achieve those goals, I’ve dedicated myself to strengthening myself during this period. It’s been a time for me to look inside myself and explore my wrestling. Now the time has come to show the results.”