#BuchaWrestU23

Olympic Silver Medalist Higuchi Rallies to Make U23 World Finals

Friday, November 16, 2018 - 16:41 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) by Martin Gabor. 

BUCHAREST, Romania – Friday night’s U23 World Championships semifinals provided a lot of excitement as it determined the first five gold-medal matches in men’s freestyle in Bucharest, Romania.

At 65kg, 2016 Olympic silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) scored a takedown with 14 seconds left in the match to defeat Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IRI) to advance to the finals.

Waiting for him in tomorrow’s gold match is 2018 Yasar Dogu runner-up Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), who took out Roman ASHARIN (HUN), 5-3.

For 97 kg gold, 2017 Junior World silver medalist Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) will take on 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Kollin MOORE (USA). The two last met up in the 2017 Junior World semifinals, with Matcharashvili taking a 16-4 win.

In the semifinals, Matcharashvili made work of Ali SHABANIBENGAR (IRI), producing a 10-0 technical fall, while on the side of the bracket, Moore battled back from an 8-2 deficit to defeat Magamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR), 10-8.

At 70 kg, 2017 Junior World champion and 2014 Cadet World champion David BAEV (RUS) edged out 2016 Junior World champion Enes USLU (TUR) on a caution-and-one call that was made after time ran out in the 70 kg semifinals. At the end of the match, the scoreboard read in favor of Uslu on criteria, but Russia’s corner challenged, asking for a caution and one for fleeing. The challenge ruled in favor of Baev and he advanced to the finals with a 7-6 win.

In the 70 kg gold-medal bout, Baev will take on Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), who dominated 2017 World Military runner-up Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 9-0, in the other semifinal.

The 79 kg semifinals featured a couple of shutout wins as Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) defeated 2014 Youth Olympic Games champion Yajuro YAMASAKI (JPN), 4-0, and 2015 Junior World champion Gadzhi NABIEV (RUS) blanked 2017 Junior World runner-up Isa SHAPIEV (UZB), 5-0, making tomorrow’s 79 kg gold-medal match a battle of Junior World medalists.

Tomorrow’s finals at 57 kg will feature 2013 Cadet World bronze medalist Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN) and Kumar RAVI (IND).

Ravi tallied a 10-8 win over 2017 Junior Asian champion Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB) to advance to the finals, while Hasegawa had a come-from-behind win over Wahnhao ZOU (CHN), 5-2.

Saturday’s finals are set for 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals matchups
57 kg: Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN) vs. Kumar RAVI (IND)
65 kg: Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) vs. Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)
70 kg: David BAEV (RUS) vs. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
79 kg: Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) vs. Gadzhi NABIEV (RUS)
97 kg: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) vs. Kollin MOORE (USA)

Semifinals results

57 kg
Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN) df. Wanhao ZOU (CHN) 5-2
Kumar RAVI (IND) df. Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB), 10-8

65 kg
Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) df. Roman ASHARIN (HUN), 5-3
Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) df. Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IRI), 4-4

70 kg
David BAEV (RUS) df. Enes USLU (TUR), 7-6
Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 9-0

79 kg
Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Yajuro YAMASAKI (JPN), 4-0
Gadzhi NABIEV (RUS) df. Isa SHAPIEV (UZB), 5-0

97 kg
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Ali SHABANIBENGAR (IRI), 10-0
Kollin MOORE (USA) df. Magamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR), 10-8

#WrestleSamokov

U20 Worlds: Japan gets 2 more finalists, Kajal stuns Robinson

Thursday, August 21, 2025 - 14:50 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- Two-time World U20 silver medalist Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) earned herself a chance to finally win the gold medal as she reached the final for the third time at 50kg in Samokov on Thursday.

The U.S. wrestler scored three technical superiority wins in three bouts to reach the final in which she will take on 2023 world U17 champion Rinka OGAWA (JPN) also looks in good form.

In the semifinals, Jimenez used her leg-lace to good effect and humbled Diana RYSOVA (UKR), 14-3. Ogawa also used the leg-lace to beat SHRUTI  (IND), 10-0.

Jimenez had reached the final in 2022 but lost to Umi ITO (JPN) and then in 2023, she lost to Yanrong LI (CHN) to finish with a silver medal. She also has a silver medal from World U23 Championships after dropping the final against Ito again.

Japan got its second finalist on Thursday when Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) pinned Abigale COOPER (USA) after building a 9-0 lead. She will now wrestle for gold against European U20 champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) who leg-laced SAARIKA (IND) for a 10-0 win.

At 72kg, Asian U20 champion and world U17 silver medalist this year KAJAL (IND) stunned defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) in a wild semifinal. Robinson got the first takedown and exposure for a 4-0 lead. But Kajal scored a takedown and turned Robinson in the same sequence. The U.S. challenged the second turn but it was given two points as Kajal took a 5-4 lead.

There was no turning back for the Indian from that as she scored two four-point throws and two takedowns in her 13-6 win over Robinson.

Kajal now chance the challenge of returning silver medalist Yuqi LIU (CHN) who dominated her semifinal against Haticenur SARI (TUR) and won 13-2. Liu will look to her upgrade silver from last year to gold.

Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM)Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) reached the 60kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Greco-Roman action also began at the World U20 Championships Samokov on Thursday with two weight classes -- 60kg and 82kg.

Two 18-year-olds reached the 60kg final in Greco-Roman as European U20 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) and Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) won their respective semifinals in dominant fashion.

Javadov was wrestling senior European bronze medalist Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) and scored a headlock for four and kept Lolua on the mat for a fall. This was Javadov's third win over Lolua in four encounters.

The 2024 world U17 champion will now face Mkhitaryan who gut-wrenched SURAJ (IND) after a headlock throw for four and win 8-0. India challenged the decision but lost it to add one more point to his score.

At 82kg, a potential rematch from 2023 World U17 Championships final was denied after Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) lost his semifinal at 82kg to Asian U20 champion Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ).

Yoshida, a returning bronze medalist, was put in par terre in the first period and Seitkaliyev hit suplex for four before turning Yoshida twice to win 9-0.

In the other semifinal, European U20 champion Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) blanked Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 9-0. Shkarin had lost to Yoshida in Istanbul and finished with a silver medal.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) vs. Rinka OGAWA (JPN)

SF 1: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) df. Diana RYSOVA (UKR), 14-3
SF 2: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) df. SHRUTI (IND), 10-0

53kg
GOLD: Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) vs. Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

SF 1: Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) df. SAARIKA (IND), 10-0
SF 2: Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) df. Abigale COOPER (USA), via fall

72kg
GOLD: Yuqi LIU (CHN) vs. KAJAL (IND)

SF 1: Yuqi LIU (CHN) df. Haticenur SARI (TUR), 13-2
SF 2: KAJAL (IND) df. Jasmine ROBINSON (USA), 13-6

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) vs. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) df. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), via fall
SF 2: Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) df. SURAJ (IND), 9-0

82kg
GOLD: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) vs. Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-0
SF 2: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) df. Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 9-0