U23 World C'ships

Russia and USA Win Multiple Medals in Final Night of U23 World Championships

Sunday, November 26, 2017 - 21:48 By Taylor Miller

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BYDGOSZCZ, Poland – Russia went 2-0 in gold-medal bouts in the final day of the U23 World Championships, while the United States picked up its first medals of the event on Sunday night in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Nachyn Sergeevitch KUULAR (RUS) was one of two gold medalists for Russia. A two-time World Military World champion, Kuular defeated Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) in the first gold-medal bout of the night, winning with a fast 16-6 technical fall at 65 kg.

His teammate, Gadzhi NABIEV (RUS), pulled out a gritty 7-2 win against 2017 Junior European Championships bronze medalist Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) in the 74 kg match.

Nabiev won the 2015 Junior World crown and finished second at this year’s Russian Championships.

At 70 kg, Richard LEWIS (USA) grinded out a 3-1 win against Kumar VINOD (IND) to claim a World gold medal in his first international tournament.

The U.S. also won two bronze medals to wrap up the tournament, coming from Joseph MCKENNA at 65 kg and Ty WALZ at 97 kg.

Asian Indoor Games champion and Golden Grand Prix silver medalist Mojtaba Mohammadshafie GOLEIJ (IRI) eased his way to a 10-0 technical fall in the 97 kg finals. Goleij knocked off two-time Junior World medalist Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) for his first World title.

Russia won the team race with 55 team points, claiming three gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal over the weekend. Kazakhstan was second with 41 points, followed by Georgia with 36 points.

Finals results
65 kg
Gold - Nachyn Sergeevitch KUULAR (RUS) tech. fall Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), 16-6
Bronze - Joseph Christopher MC KENNA (USA) dec. Heorhi KALIYEU (BLR), 2-0
Bronze - Yones Aliakbar EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI) dec. Haydar YAVUZ (TUR), 6-4

70 kg
Gold - Richard Anthony LEWIS (USA) dec. Kumar Omprakash VINOD (IND), 3-1
Bronze - Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR) dec. Zulfikar MAKHAMATOV (KAZ), 4-2
Bronze - Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) dec. Nobuyoshi TAKOJIMA (JPN), 3-0

74 kg
Gold - Gadzhi NABIEV (RUS) dec. Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK), 7-2
Bronze - Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) tech. fall Isaiah Alexander MARTINEZ (USA), 11-0
Bronze - Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) tech. fall Engin Rashid ISMAIL (BUL), 12-2

97 kg
Gold - Mojtaba Mohammadshafie GOLEIJ (IRI) tech. fall Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR), 10-0
Bronze - Ty Ryan Jack WALZ (USA) dec. Chaoqiang YANG (CHN), 3-0
Bronze - Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) dec. Rasul MAGOMEDOV (RUS), 7-2

 

#UnitedWorldWrestling

Cuba’s Trujillo Diaz honored with IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 09:29 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 24) — Wrestling coach Raul TRUJILLO DIAZ (CUB) received the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award on Monday during a ceremony at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The award was presented by IOC President Kirsty COVENTRY and Sergii BUBKA, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission.

Trujillo Díaz has been one of the key figures in the inexorable rise of Cuba as one of the leading nations in Greco-Roman, with more than 52 years of coaching experience. He coached the Cuban and Portuguese national teams across five editions of the Olympic Games.

Cuba

“I am very honoured to receive this extraordinary recognition, Trujillo Diaz said. “I would like to thank the IOC, all the athletes I have coached over the past 50 years, the other wrestling coaches and people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes in the sport to which I have dedicated my life. All were my motivation and example. I also want to take the opportunity to thank United World Wrestling (UWW). And a big thank-you to someone very special who has always been with me – my family – for their great support.”

One of the legends he has trained is five-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), who at Paris 2024 became the first athlete in any sport to win five consecutive Olympic gold medals in the same event. Others who have been trained by Trujillo Diaz are Rio 2016 champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) and Luis ORTA (CUB), the 60kg champion at Tokyo 2020.

As well as introducing training innovations that have helped lead his nation to success, Trujillo Díaz has published numerous research papers and articles on wrestling science and pedagogy. He has also worked widely for UWW across Latin America as an educator, bringing the breadth of his knowledge and experience to new generations of athletes and coaches.

Alongwith Truillo Diaz, volleyball coach Lang PING also received the IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award.

"It's really special to be here with all of you and to celebrate our two coaches for their incredible commitment and their lifetime of work in serving their athletes to become the best athlete, but also the best humans that they can be," said IOC President Kirsty Coventry during the ceremony. "So many of us who compete in sport know and understand that the lessons that we learn in sport will guide us in our everyday life after and this is where the role of coaches is so important,” she added.