#BuchaWrestU23

Russia and USA Put Multiple Wrestlers in #BuchaWrestU23 Finals

Saturday, November 17, 2018 - 17:18 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) by Martin Gabor. 

BUCHAREST, Romania – In the final full day of the U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, four Russians advanced to Sunday’s finals and the USA sent two to the finals.

Finalists for Russia include Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS), Artur NAIFONOV (RUS), Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) and Said GAMIDOV (RUS). USA’s finalists are Sean FAUSZ (USA) and Youssif HEMIDA (USA).

Both nations will go head-to-head in two finals.

At 61 kg, 2018 U23 European champion Idirisov will face Fausz, who took ninth at the 2013 Cadet World Championships.

Idrisov produced an 11-0 technical superiority over Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU) to advance to the finals, and Fausz defeated two-time Junior World champion Iman SADEGHIKOUKANDEH (IRI) with a tight 2-0 win.

The other Russia-USA head-to-head features 2015 Junior World champion Gamidov and international newcomer Hemida.

Both wrestlers tallied 4-2 decisions in the semifinals. Gamidov defeated 2014 Junior World bronze winner Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), while Hemida took out 2011 World bronze medalist Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO).

Also heading to the finals from Russia is 2017 Junior World champion Naifonov who put up 14 points in a semifinals win over 2018 U23 European bronze medalist Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE).

Waiting for Naifonov on the other side is of the bracket is 2013 Cadet World bronze medalist Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI).

At 92 kg, Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) knocked off 2016 Junior World champion and 2012 Cadet World bronze medalist Hossein SHAHBAZIGAZVAR (IRI) with a 10-10 victory.

For gold, Sotiev will face 2018 U23 European champion Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE), who edged out 2016 University World and 2012 Cadet World bronze medalist Bohdan HRYTSAY (UKR), 4-3.

On the top side of the 74 kg bracket, host country Romania sent an athlete to the finals as Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU) defeated Andranik GABRIELYAN (ARM) by an 11-0 victory.

Vasilioglo is set to battle 2018 Senior World silver medalist and 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO).

To get to the finals, Kentchadze outlasted 2013 Cadet World bronze medalist Timur BIZHOEV (RUS), 4-2.

The finals are set for Sunday at 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals pairings
61 kg: Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) vs. Sean Christian FAUSZ (USA)
74 kg: Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU) vs. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
86 kg: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) vs. Artur NAIFONOV (RUS)
92 kg: Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) vs. Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE)
125 kg: Said GAMIDOV (RUS) vs. Youssif HEMIDA (USA)

Semifinals results

61 kg
Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) df. Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU), 11-0
Sean Christian FAUSZ (USA) df. Iman SADEGHIKOUKANDEH (IRI), 2-0 

74 kg
Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU) df. Andranik GABRIELYAN (ARM), 11-1
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Timur BIZHOEV (RUS), 4-2

86 kg
Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), 4-0
Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) df. Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE), 14-4

92 kg
Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) df. Hossein Lotfali SHAHBAZIGAZVAR (IRI), 10-10
Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE) df. Bohdan HRYTSAY (UKR), 4-3

125 kg
Said GAMIDOV (RUS) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 4-2
Youssif HEMIDA (USA) df. Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO), 4-2

#CanadaWrestling

Former world champion Di Stasio of Canada retires

Thursday, March 13, 2025 - 17:45 By United World Wrestling Press

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OTTAWA, Canada (March 13) -- After nearly 15 years of representing Canada, Justina DI STASIO (CAN) has decided to retire.

During her career, Di Stasio built an impressive resume that will go down as one of the all-time greats in Canadian wrestling history. The 32-year-old represented Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Di Stasio won gold medal at the World Championship in 2018, a Pan-American Games gold medal in 2019 and Commonwealth Games gold in 2022. In addition, she is a multiple-time Pan-Am Championships gold medalist.

While there have been many memorable moments, a few stood out to Di Stasio, including her start with the national team, her win at the 2018 worlds, being coached on the national team by two-time Olympic medalist Tonya VERBEEK (CAN), and making her first Olympics in 2024.

“Winning worlds was a special moment, especially because I could hear my parents cheering from the stands," Di Stasio said. "It reminded me of my tournaments as a kid. It also helped me frame everything in my life better. I realized it is about the journey and not the destination. It was amazing to feel the way I did on that one day, but it was only one day. I had worked so hard in the lead up, but I realized I had to enjoy those days too. I still wanted to be the best in the world and I never didn’t train like it, but from that point, I made sure to enjoy my wrestling every day.”

That love for the sport kept Di Stasio going despite setbacks that stalled her dream of competing at the Olympics. After failing to qualify for the Rio and Tokyo Games, Di Stasio qualified for Paris 2024, eventually finishing 12th.

“Making it to the Olympics came with lots of pressure, but good pressure. I had won everything else and trained every day thinking I could be an Olympic champion. Even though it was a heart-breaking result, I know I couldn’t have worked harder and that helped me accept the result. I would have loved to make it there when I was younger, but I think I needed to be more mature to handle the result.”

Read full news on Wrestling Canada Lutte website.