U23 World C'ships

Petriashvili to Wrestle for Second World Gold of 2017 and Third of Career

Saturday, November 25, 2017 - 15:00 By Taylor Miller

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BYDGOSZCZ, Poland – Heavyweight power Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) is on track to win his second World title of the year, advancing to the 125 kg finals of freestyle competition at the U23 World Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Petriashvili, a six-time World medalist and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, sailed to the finals, collecting three wins by technical fall and surrendering only one point in the first session.

The 2017 Senior World champion and 2013 Junior World champion will face two-time Junior European champion Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS) in the gold-medal bout.

Dibirov impressed, knocking off two-time Junior World champion Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI) in the semifinals, 12-1.

The other three finals are set up to be entertaining as well.

At 57 kg, six-time European Championships medalist Mikyay NAIM (BUL) will go up against 2017 Senior Pan American Championships bronze medalist Reineri Andreu ORTEGA (CUB).

2017 Senior World fifth-place finisher Rinya NAKAMURA (JPN) seeks his second World medal and first World title at 61 kg. Nakamura, a 2011 Cadet World bronze winner, will face Kuat AMIRTAYEV (KAZ), a 2017 Medved International bronze medalist.

2014 Junior World silver medalist and 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) advanced to the 86 kg finals, looking for his third World medal at three different age groups.

He’ll go head-to-head with Intercontinental Cup champion Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS).

The finals are set to begin at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. U.S. ET).

Finals matchups

57 kg
Gold - Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL) vs. Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB)
Bronze - Zhandos ISMAILOV (KAZ) vs. Parviz IBRAHIMOV (AZE)
Bronze - Wanhao ZOU (CHN) vs. Suleyman ATLI (TUR)

61 kg
Gold - Rinya NAKAMURA (JPN) vs. Kuat AMIRTAYEV (KAZ)
Bronze - Mihai ESANU (MDA) vs. Sedat OZDEMIR (TUR)
Bronze - Husein SHAKHBANAU (BLR) vs. Islam DUDAEV (RUS)

86 kg
Gold - Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (RUS) vs. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Bronze - Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR) vs. Raman CHYTADZE (BLR)
Bronze - Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) vs. Lazaro Daniel HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB)

125 kg
Gold - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) vs. Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS)
Bronze - Mihaly NAGY (HUN) vs. Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI)
Bronze - Zhanxiang HU (CHN) vs. Danylo KARTAVYI (UKR)

Development

Wrestling completes tree-planting initiative in Casablanca

Monday, June 30, 2025 - 11:52 By United World Wrestling Press

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CASABLANCA, Morocco (June 30) --- A tree-planting initiative was organized in Casablanca in partnership with local authorities. This initiative aimed to raise participants’ awareness of the environmental emergency and the role of sport in combating climate change.

“Planting a tree is sowing a promise. Today, we plant for tomorrow, just as we train today for tomorrow’s medals,” said Assad Ouassama a young Moroccan wrestler participating in the camp, with emotion.

An educational session on environmental protection in sport also took place on April 25, continuing eco-responsible momentum.

A Fraternal Atmosphere and a Family Spirit

Beyond the technical and educational aspects, this camp provided many athletes with the opportunity to build lasting bonds with their fellow African counterparts.

“I leave not only stronger, but with lifelong friends. Camps like this strengthen our continental identity and spirit of unity,” emphasized Rahman Sesay ABDUL, a Sierra Leonean coach attending the training camp.

The warm atmosphere and high-quality exchanges confirmed the value of this holistic approach to sports training.

Toward a New Model of Sports Organization in Africa

By combining sporting excellence with educational values and social engagement, United World Wrestling is promoting an innovative model for competitions across the African continent.

“Casablanca 2025 is not just a competition; it’s a turning point. By integrating these educational dimensions, we are building a sustainable ecosystem for wrestling in Africa,” concluded Fouad Meskout, President of UWW Africa.

A Lasting Legacy for Casablanca and Africa

As the African Championships opened in an atmosphere of commitment and unity, the training camp organized by UWW stood out as a model to follow. It demonstrated that athletic performance can -- and should -- be paired with social and environmental consciousness.