#WrestleNoviSad

Opening Day Semifinals Set at U23 European C'ships

Monday, March 4, 2019 - 14:28 By Eric Olanowski

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 4) – The Russian Federation only dropped one match in the opening session of the U23 European Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, and inserted four of five wrestlers into Monday’s semifinals.

The four Russian wrestlers competing for a spot in the Tuesday night’s finals are Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS), Islam OPIEV (RUS), Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), and Oleg AGAKHANOV (RUS). 

At 55kg, Viktor Vedernikov will have the tall task of ending Nugzari TSURTSUMIA’s (GEO) twelve-month run where he’s won the U23 European and world gold medals. 

Returning 55kg U23 European bronze medalist Florin TITA (ROU) will wrestle Bence KOVACS (HUN) in the other 55kg semifinal. 


Russia's 2018 junior world champion Islam OPIEV (RUS) will wrestle Monday at 18:00 (local time) for a spot in the 77kg U23 European finals. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

Defending junior world champion Islam Opiev is looking to make his first continental finals appearance since winning his 2015 European cadet title. He’ll wrestle Georgia’s 2015 European junior bronze medalist Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) for a spot in the 77kg finals. 

Hungary’s returning U23 world bronze medalist Tamas LEVAI (HUN) will take on Turkey’s Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) in the second 77kg semifinal. 

At 87kg, Russia’s third semifinalist Gazi Khalilov will look to end Ivan HUKLEK's (CRO) attempt at making back-to-back U23 European finals. Last year, Huklek finished with a silver medal. 

In the second 87kg semifinal, Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU) can become Lithuania’s second Greco-Roman U23 European finalist ever if he can defeat Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO). 

Oleg Agakhanov is the fourth Russian opening day semifinalist. He’ll lace up against Romania’s BEREI (ROU) in the first 130kg semifinal. 

On the bottom half of the bracket at 130kg, Georgian big-man and six-time age-group world champion Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) will wrestle Lenard BEREI’s (ROU) and attempt to make his second consecutive trip to the U23 European finals. Pataridze is the defending U23 European and world champion at this weight. 

The lone weight class not featuring a Russian semifinalist is 63kg. 

On the top half of the 63kg bracket, Erik TORBA (HUN) and Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO) will wrestle for a spot in the finals, while Armenia’s 2018 U23 European bronze medalist Slavik GALSTYAN will take on defending U23 world bronze medalist Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) on the bottom half of the bracket. 

Monday’s semifinals begin at 18:00 (local time) and will be live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

SEMIFINALS 
55kg 
Bence KOVACS (HUN) vs. Florin TITA (ROU)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS)

63kg
Erik TORBA (HUN) vs. Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO)
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) vs. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)

77kg 
Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) vs. Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) vs. Islam OPIEV (RUS)

87kg 
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU) vs. Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) vs. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS)

130kg 
Artur VITITIN (EST) vs. Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO)
Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU) vs. Oleg AGAKHANOV (RUS)

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds: Japan, China end gold droughts; Iran completes Greco sweep

Thursday, October 23, 2025 - 22:52 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 23) -- Japan had been searching for a Greco-Roman gold medalist at the U23 World Championships for six years. Shota OGAWA (JPN) won the country's last gold at this tournament in 2019, while Komei SAWADA (JPN) reached the final last year.

The wait ended on Thursday in Novi Sad after Koto GOMI (JPN) clinched the gold medal at 60kg with a technical superiority win over Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI) in the final.

Gomi, a product of the Ikuei University, became only the fifth Greco U23 world champion for Japan but none of the earlier four champions dominated the field as he did. He opened his tournament with a 10-2 win over former U20 world champion Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM), defeated Melkamu FETENE (ISR), 13-4, before winning his semifinals 9-0 against Maxwell BLACK (USA).

Facing Abbaspour in the final, Gomi made sure he won his fourth bout with technical superiority as well. He got the first point when Abbaspour was put in par terre. Soon after, Gomi turned Abbaspour for two more points before adding a throw which got him one point and a 4-0 lead.

When the second period began, Abbaspour tried to get Gomi in par terre with some aggressive wrestling. He managed to body lock Gomi, but as he tried to force the Japanese towards the mat, Gomi tossed him using the momentum for four points to clinch the victory. Iran challenged the call only to lose it and add one more point to Gomi's score.

Despite the loss of Abbaspour, Iran won the Greco team title, completing a sweep of all world team titles in Greco this year. It won the U17 in Athens, U20 in Samokov, senior in Zagreb and the U23 in Novi Sad.

At 82kg, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) won a gold medal for a third straight year. While his first two gold medals came at 77kg, he moved up to 82kg this year but still managed to win the world title.

Gutu, known for his big throws, had to be satisfied with a 1-1 victory against Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR) in the final. He got the first par terre point to lead 1-0. In the second period, Gutu was put in par terre twice but defended both times to win the gold medal.

Mixed show for U.S.

In women's wrestling, the United States had three wrestlers in the finals of three weight classes but it managed to win only one gold. China and Kyrgyzstan denied the U.S. in the other two finals.

One of the best matches of the night came at 72kg between former U20 world champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) and senior world bronze medalist Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ).

Robinson was off to a blazing start in the final, leading 10-3, but she tried two risky throws that cost her the match. The first was a chestwrap which was blocked by Nurtaeva who managed to bring Robinson to danger. It was initially scored four points for Robinson and two for Nurtaeva but Kyrgyzstan challenged the call and it was awarded four points to the Kyrgyzstan wrestler.

With a 10-7 lead, Robinson once again attempted a double underhook throw which was easily defended by Nurtaeva who managed to land on top of the U.S. wrestler and get another four points. She defended her 11-10 lead to become the country's second U23 world champion in Women's Wrestling and first since 2021.

The second loss for the U.S. came at 50kg, as Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) was once again defeated in a World Championships final, her fifth defeat.

She began her final well against Jinyue LIANG (CHN), taking a 2-0 lead. But the China wrestler bounced back and made it 2-2 when Jimenez missed a sweep single and Liang scored a go-behind to lead.

Liang then pulled off a crafty move to put Jimenez in danger. Both wrestlers were locked in double underhooks with knees on the mat. Liang then pulled one of Jimenez's arms and put her hand on the knee across to trip her and hold her on the mat, trying to get a fall.

Jimenez committed a defensive foul by putting her fingers on Liang's face which costed her two more points. She survived the pin attempt but trailed 6-2 at the break. There were no points scored in the second period as Liang went into defensive mode and did not give Jimenez any openings.

This was China's first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at U23 Worlds in six years as Liang became only the third wrestler to win gold at this level. Earlier, two wrestlers had won three golds for China with PAHILA (CHN) winning golds in 2017 and 2018.

The U.S. did crown a champion on Thursday as 72kg champion Kylie WELKER (USA) won gold at 76kg in dominant fashion. She controlled an evasive Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) and finished the final 10-0 inside the first period.

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Koto GOMI (JPN) df. Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI), 9-0

BRONZE: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) df. Ilkin GURBANOV (AZE), 5-4
BRONZE: Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) df. Maxwell BLACK (USA), 8-0

82kg
GOLD: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR), 1-1

BRONZE: Abolfazl MOHMEDI (IRI) df. Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO)
BRONZE: Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) df. Ibrahim TABAEV (BEL), 8-6

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Jinyue LIANG (CHN) df. Audrey JIMENEZ (USA), 6-2

BRONZE: Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL) df. Natalia PUDOVA (UWW), 5-4
BRONZE: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN), 9-7

72kg
GOLD: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) df. Jasmine ROBINSON (USA), 11-10

BRONZE: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) df. Laura KOEHLER (GER), 8-0 (via fall)
BRONZE: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Haticenur SARI (TUR), 8-0

76kg
GOLD: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: PRIYA (IND) df. Edna JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX), 8-1
BRONZE: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ), 6-3

Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) vs. Tuba DEMIR (TUR)

SF 1: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), via fall
SF 2: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. NISHU (IND), 6-4

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) vs. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW)

SF 1: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) df. Emine CAKMAK (TUR), via fall

65kg
GOLD: Yuqi RAO (CHN) vs. Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW)

SF 1: Yuqi RAO (CHN) df. Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR), 6-5
SF 2: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. PULKIT (IND), 9-6

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) vs. Nesrin BAS (TUR)

SF 1: Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) df. SRISHTI (IND), 10-6
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ), 8-6