#WrestleSofia

Nakai wins third Cadet World title, Ozaki and Sakurai claim second gold at #WrestleSofia

Friday, August 2, 2019 - 19:30 By Taylor Miller

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SOFIA, Bulgaria – Honoka NAKAI (JPN), Nonoka OKAZI (JPN) and Hanano SAKURAI (JPN) repeated as World champions on Friday night to help Japan to the team title at the 2019 Cadet World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Nakai won her third-consecutive World title, winning the 69 kg bracket. A tough match for gold, Nakai outlasted 2019 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Cun LIU (CHN) with a 3-0 decision to cap off the night for Japan.

Her teammate Ozaki, also a 2018 Youth Olympic Games champion, wrapped up her second Cadet World title in just >>> seconds, defeating 2019 Cadet European champion Yulia LESKOVETS (UKR), 10-0.

Winning her second Cadet World title and first since 2017 was Sakurai, who edged out Xueing LIANG (CHN), 6-4, in the gold-medal match at 46 kg.

Overall, Japan claimed six World champions and won the team title with 195 points. China finished second with 127 points and also earned a World champion on Friday.

Zhaojing SHI (CHN), a 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist, topped the podium at 53 kg with a dominating performance over 2018 fifth-place finisher Kalmira BILIMBEK (KGZ).

Shi came out and ended the match in 37 seconds, recording a pin.

The other World champion came at 40 kg as Komal KOMAL (IND) mounted a comeback over 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist Sterling DIAS (USA) for the crown.

Trailing 2-0 at the break, Komal, a 2018 Cadet Asian runner-up, tallied two second-period takedowns for a 4-4 win on criteria.

USA finished third in the team race with 106 points. Rounding out the top-five was Russia in fourth and India in fifth.

Finals matchups
40 kg
GOLD: Komal KOMAL (IND) dec. Sterling DIAS (USA), 4-4
BRONZE: Mushtariy TOLIPBEKOVA (UZB) dec. Alina KURYLENKA (BLR), 4-2
BRONZE: Miu OBATA (JPN) df. Michela CHESSA (ITA), 10-0

46 kg
GOLD: Hanano SAKURAI (JPN) dec. Xueing LIANG (CHN), 6-4
BRONZE: Kumari HANNY (IND) df. Adriana HERNANDEZ SANCHEZ (USA), forfeit
BRONZE: Sitora TOLIPBEKOVA (UZB) df. Serena Rosa DI BENEDETTO (CAN), 11-0

53 kg
GOLD: Zhaojing SHI (CHN) df. Kalmira BILIMBEK (KGZ), fall 0:37
BRONZE: Seira NEMOTO (JPN) dec. Polina LUKINA (RUS), 4-3
BRONZE: Alesia HETMANAVA (BLR) dec. Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ), 6-1

61 kg
GOLD: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Yulia LESKOVETS (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Eva FORSBERG (SWE) dec. Bhagyashree FAND (IND), 5-0
BRONZE: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB), fall 0:58

69 kg
GOLD: Honoka NAKAI (JPN) dec. Cun LIU (CHN), 3-0
BRONZE: Amit ELOR (USA) df. Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN), 10-0
BRONZE: Alina MAKSIMAVA (BLR) dec. Anastasia KOZLOVA (RUS), 3-1

Team rankings
1. Japan – 195
2. China – 127
3. USA – 106
4. Russia – 101
5. India – 95
6. Uzbekistan – 71
7. Belarus – 70
8. Ukraine – 66
9. Kyrgyzstan – 44
10. Turkey - 43

 

#WrestleAthens

Wrestling World U17 C'ships: Freestyle Live Results

Friday, August 1, 2025 - 07:56 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- The World U17 Championships will be moving to Freestyle action with 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

14:30: The big three at 110kg -- Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW), Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI) and LACKY (IND) -- win their respective quarterfinals and enter the semifinals.

14:15: Zhakshylyk BOROBAEV (KGZ) thought he had the win at 55kg. But Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) still had something in him and then. He scores a takedown manages to turn Borobaev for two more points and lead 9-8. He is ecstatic! He will wrestle Burnett later.

14:00: Greyton BURNETT (USA) shuts down Jaiveer SINGH (IND) and gets a 3-0 win over Singh at 55kg. Burnett gave no opening to Singh to score.

13:45: Big match on Mat A at 65kg between Asian U17 champion Gaurav PUNIA (IND) and Pan-Am U17 champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA). Punia tries a leg-attack but Kikinou with a counter and turn for two points. Punia with a reversal. Kikinou led 3-1 at the break. Punia gets the exposure for two points to take a 3-3 criteria lead but Kikinou manages to put Punia in danger in the same scramble which makes it 5-3 for him. Kikinou cautioned for fleeing but he wins 5-4.

13:35: Morteza HAJ (IRI) gets a takedown in the final seconds to beat Ivan ZALISKO (UKR) at 65kg. Zalisko led 4-4 on criteria but Haj makes a  big comeback.

13:10: LACKY (IND) gut-wrenches Hanto HAYASHI (JPN) and wins his 110kg bout 10-0. He is looking to add a world title to his Asian title he won in June

13:06: In a match that saw six stepouts, Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IR) manages keep his breath and beat Zekeriya DOGAN (TUR) 6-2 at 110kg.

12:56: Aaron STEWART (USA) cuts shorts Marshall EVERETT JONES (GBR) tournament with an 11-0 hammering at 80kg. Stewart just overpowered Everett Jones.

12:55: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) hands Mohammadreza BARARI (IRI) a 4-1 loss at 55kg. Solid positioning from Okonogi. Barari's tactics of keeping it slow did not work out.

12:45: Nihad SULEYMANLI (AZE) is shocked after Issa ZANGIEV (UWW) gets front roll for two points and wins the 80kg 1/8 final 6-5. Suleymanli did well to keep his lead but failed in the final second. Azerbaijan challenges but it loses it. Zangiev wins 7-5

12:35: Greyton BURNETT (USA) gets a takedown with 20 seconds remaining to lead 3-1 against Armen PAPIKYAN (ARM) who needed a two-point technique to win. He however gets one a stepout. Burnett wins 3-2 at 55kg.

12:27: Asian U17 champion Gourav PUNIA (IND) like a workhorse with five takedowns and he defeats Kodai IWASAKI (JPN) 10-0 at 65kg.

12:25: Adisbek ALTYNBEKOV (KGZ) went five on Kiryl PAULIUCHENKA (UWW), not once but twice to win his 65kg match 10-0. Those were some high level throws from the Kyrgyz, a bronze medalist from Asian U17 Championships

12:05: Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW), European champion at 110kg, begins with a 11-0 win over Yu Chiao CHUANG (TPE), who had his own troubles with bleeding. He needed several medical timeouts

11:45: Marshall EVERETT JONES (GBR), European U17 bronze medalist, comes out with a huge underhook throw for four and then rolls Levan CHERTKOEV (FRA) to win 10-0 at 80kg.

11:40: Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) keeps his strong positions and beats Buyantogtokh BYAMBADORJ (MGL) 7-2 at 80kg to give Iran the third win of the day. Iran is hoping to reclaim the U17 team title.

11:19: European champion Ruslan ALIZADA (AZE) has no trouble seeing off Dan BULGARU (MDA) 10-0 at 55kg. Alizada is one of more exciting prospects in this Azerbaijan team.

11:15: Iran with back-to-back wins! Morteza HAJ (IRI) beats Yandro SOTO RIVERA (PUR) at 65kg and Mohammadreza BARARI (IRI) defends a late attack from Aleksandar DELCHEV (BUL) to win at 55kg.

11:05: Asian U17 champion Gourav PUNIA (IND) slams Changxin WU (CHN) for a big four and then exposes his two times to win 11-0 at 65kg.

10:50: Quick results at 65kg as Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UWW) beats Nikos SOURAILOV (CYP) 10-0, followed by European U17 silver medalist Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) getting a 4-2 win over Liam GORTON (CAN). Pan-Am champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) also has a technical superiority win over Nikita KOZICH (ISR).

10:30: Freestyle action will take centerstage at the World U17 Championships in Athens. The United States will once again be favorite to win the team title but Iran will look to challenge them.