#WrestleBelgrade

Russia Claims 4 More Gold Medals to Cap Dominant GR Performance

Monday, December 14, 2020 - 21:00 By Andrew Hipps

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Day 3 Photos
Day 3 Final Highlights
Interview with Kristian FRIS (SRB)

BELGRADE, Serbia (December 14) -- Russia capped off a dominant Greco-Roman performance at the Individual World Cup Monday night in Belgrade, Serbia, by claiming four more gold medals to finish with seven of the 10 Greco-Roman gold medals.

Zhambolat LOKYAEV (63kg), Milad ALIRZAEV (82kg), Musa EVLOEV (97kg) and Sergey SEMENOV (130kg) won gold medals for Russia on Day 3 of the event. 

Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) won gold at 63kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Lokyaev earned the gold medal at 63kg with a 4-1 victory over world No.5 Erik TORBA (HUN). Torba, a 2020 European bronze medalist, scored first off a step out before Lokyaev scored a point off passivity to take the criteria lead. Lokyaev added another point in the second period off passivity to go up 2-1 before scoring a takedown late in the match off a desperation attempt from Torba.

Alirzaev, a 2019 U23 world champion, was dominant in the 82kg final, winning by technical superiority over Salih AYDIN (TUR). The young Russian star scored first off a passivity and then used two turns to go up 5-0 at the break. Alirzaev extended his lead to 7-0 after Aydin was hit with a caution. Needing just one point to end the match, Alirzaev ended the match in style by executing a four-point throw to win 11-0.

Musa EVLOEV shut out Alex SZOKE (HUN) to win gold at 97kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

The two-time world champion Evloev blanked Alex SZOKE (HUN) 3-0 in the 97kg final. He scored his first point off a passivity and added a takedown in the final period.

Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) scored with a big throw on his way to a victory at 130kg (Photo: Gabor MARTIN, UWW)

Semenov, a 2018 world champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, topped Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) 7-1 to win the gold at 130kg. The Russian heavyweight used a big throw in the first period to build a 5-0 lead before adding an additional two points late in the match off a caution. 

World silver medalist Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) prevented Russia from sweeping the gold medals on Monday night by coming from behind late to defeat 2018 world champion Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) in the 60kg final. 

Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) celebrates after winning gold at 60kg (Photo: Kadir CALISKAN, UWW)

Maryanyan looked strong early, going up 4-0 at the break. But Sharshenbekov battled back in the second period, scoring first with a step out and then getting a passivity point to make the score 4-2. But it was in the par terre position where Sharshenbekov won the match. After getting the passivity point, Sharshenbekov was able to lock up a gut wrench and turn Maryanyan with a minute and 20 seconds left to take the criteria lead and eventually hold on for the victory.

Host nation Serbia added another bronze medal when Kristian FRIS (SRB) shut out Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN) 2-0 at 60kg. 

Three Belarusians earned bronze medals on Tuesday: Maksim KAZHARSKI (60kg), Soslan DAUROV (63kg) and Radzik KULIYEU (82kg).

Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ) edged Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) 7-6 to pick up a bronze at 63kg. 

Roland SCHWARZ (GER) was impressive in his bronze-medal match at 82kg, earning a 9-1 technical superiority over Oldrich VARGA (CZE).

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) and Artur OMAROV (CZE) won the bronze medals at 97kg.

Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) scored a takedown in the closing moments to edge David OVASAPYAN (ARM) 4-2 to earn a bronze medal at 130kg. The other bronze medal at 130kg went to Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), who won by technical superiority over Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL).

Greco-Roman Medal Match Results

60kg
GOLD: Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) df. Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) by VPO1, 4-4
BRONZE: Kristian FRIS (SRB) df. Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN) by VPO, 2-0
BRONZE: Maksim KAZHARSKI (BLR) df. Ahmet UYAR (TUR) by VPO1, 3-3

63kg
GOLD: Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) df. Erik TORBA (HUN) by VPO1, 4-1
BRONZE: Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ) df. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) by VPO1, 7-6
BRONZE: Soslan DAUROV (BLR) df. Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG) by VPO1, 5-1

82kg
GOLD: Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) df. Salih AYDIN (TUR) by VSU, 11-0
BRONZE: Roland SCHWARZ (GER) df. Oldrich VARGA (CZE) by VSU1, 9-1
BRONZE: Radzik KULIYEU (BLR) df. Mihail BRADU (MDA) by VPO1, 5-1

97kg
GOLD: Musa EVLOEV (RUS) df. Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN) by VPO, 3-0
BRONZE: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Kiril MILOV (BUL) by VPO, 3-0
BRONZE: Artur OMAROV (CZE) df. Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) by VPO1, 4-1

130kg
GOLD: Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) df. Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) by VPO1, 7-1
BRONZE: Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) df. Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL) by VSU, 9-0
BRONZE: Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) df. David OVASAPYAN (ARM) by VPO1, 4-2

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds: Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan put two each in Greco finals

Monday, July 28, 2025 - 16:33 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (July 28) -- Athens and Olympics are incomplete without each other. The Olympic flame is lit in Athens, as a mark of ancient Olympics and modern Olympic restarting in Athens in 1896.

So as the World U17 Championships kicked off in Athens on Monday, the opening ceremony had to be about the fire of the flame. The wrestlers too were fired up in action on the mat.

Wrestlers from seven different countries made it to the Greco-Roman finals on day one of the tournament which began with 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia entered two wrestlers each in Tuesday's finals.

Kazakhstan's run began with 48kg as Asian U17 champion Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ) earned himself a chance to win a world title after he defeated Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN), who was 12th last year at the World U17 Championships, in a back-and-forth semifinal at 48kg.

Yamamoto led 2-0 but Kumaruly hit a headlock throw for four points on the edge and got a 4-2 lead. But the Japanese was not one to give up. He scored a takedown and turn to reclaim the lead, 6-4. Kazakhstan challenged the scoring and won it as the first throw from Yamamoto was not considered as control.

Kumaruly led 4-4 on criteria and then executed a similar throw for four points and won the semifinal 8-4. He will face Asian U17 bronze medalist Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) in the final after the Uzbekistan wrestler defeated Baris SOYLU (TUR) in the semifinal.

Soylu began with a two-pointer counter to get on the scoreboard but failed to turn Hasanov from par terre. He led 3-0 going into the break and then defended his par terre position in the second period to give himself a good chance to reach the final.

However, Hasanov mounted a comeback with a front headlock throw four points to lead 5-3, and later added a takedown and a turn to win 11-3.

Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ)Asian U17 champion Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) reached the World U17 Championships final at 55kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Another Asian U17 champion reached the final in Athens as Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) defended a pushing Aditya GUPTA (IND) in the 55kg semifinals. He booked a place in the final against Nurali ASKAR (KAZ), who finished fifth at the Asian U17 Championships, in what will be a rematch of the semifinal from Vietnam.

Abdirasulov had a big four-point throw and raced to a 6-0 lead in the semifinal against Gupta who managed to get one on board with a stepout. Gupta then got lucky as Abdirasulov tried an arm-spin but landed on his back and Gupta completed the control for four points. However, Abdirasulov kept his 6-5 lead for the remaining 90 seconds to win the semifinal.

Aksar turned Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) from par terre to lead 3-0 in the other semifinal and gave up just a stepout when he was put in par terre to win 3-2. Barotov was hoping to becoming just the second wrestler from Tajikistan to reach a World Championships final in Greco-Roman.

Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO)Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO), European U17 champion, reached the 65kg final in Athens and will taken on Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), an opponent he defeated in Euro final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A rematch of the European U17 Championships will be played at 65kg after Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) and Janes NAZARYAN (ARM) made it to Tuesday's gold-medal bout. Tavberidze had humbled Nazaryan 9-0 in the final in Skopje in June.

Tavberidze outperformed ANUJ (IND) in the semifinal, scoring eight points from gut-wrench in the semifinal period to win 9-1 while Nazaryan had to work a little harder against Yehor TARASENKO (UKR) in the other semifinal.

He got the first par terre position and scored a drop on Tarasenko for four but Ukraine challenged and the call was overturned. With a 1-0 lead, Nazaryan defended the position from par terre in the second period. As Tarasenko let off of the hold, Nazaryan scored a takedown and won 3-1.

Tavberidze took out Dosbol SHAMIL (KAZ) in his opening bout 5-3 before beating Maxim DAMASCHIN (MDA) in the 1/8 final. He blanked Shohijahon BOBOEV (TJK) in the quarterfinals.

Nazaryan had an equally good run to the final as he defeated Pan-American U17 champion Arseni KIKINOU (USA), Huseyn ISGANDAROV (AZE) and Kyliane EDDOUH (FRA).

Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB)Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) pinned Nurislam OSKONBAEV (KGZ) in the 80kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) showed why he is one of the top upcoming wrestlers as he slammed Nurislam OSKONBAEV (KGZ) with a bodylock four and then secured the fall in the 80kg semifinal. He is now one win away from winning the world title.

But standing between him and gold medal is Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) who needed a late stepout to beat Ismail BEREKET (TUR), 2-1 in the other semifinal. The Georgian finished fifth at the European U17 Championships but in 92kg.

In what turned out be a poor day for Iran, the defending team champions, Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) gave it something to cheer about after making the 110kg final. That was the finalist for Iran on Monday.

Taking on Temuri SIMSIVE (GEO) in the semifinals, Delrouz had a takedown sandwiched between his two par terre points to win 4-0.

HARDEEP (IND)Asian U17 champion HARDEEP (IND) defeated Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR) in the 110kg semifinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

He will take on Asian U17 champion HARDEEP (IND) who denied Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR) another chance to be in the final. The Turkiye wrestler had finished fifth last year.

Capkan got the 1-0 lead in the semifinal but Hardeep bounced back with a stepout. Capkan managed to get one back and take a 2-1 lead but that was the last point he scored.

Hardeep came back with a takedown and then got the par terre point in the second period and won the semifinal 4-2.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ) vs. Bunyod HASANOV (UZB)

SF 1: Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) df. Baris SOYLU (TUR), 12-3
SF 2: Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ) df. Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN), 8-4

55kg
GOLD: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) vs. Nurali ASKAR (KAZ)

SF 1: Nurali ASKAR (KAZ) df. Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK), 4-2
SF 2: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) df. Aditya GUPTA (IND), 6-5

65kg
GOLD: Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) vs. Janes NAZARYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Janes NAZARYAN (ARM) df. Yehor TARASENKO (UKR), 3-1
SF 2: Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) df. ANUJ (IND), 9-1

80kg
GOLD: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) vs. Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB)

SF 1: Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) df. Nurislam OSKONBAEV (KGZ), via fall (4-2)
SF 2: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) df. Ismail BEREKET (TUR), 2-1

110kg
GOLD: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) vs. HARDEEP (IND)

SF 1: HARDEEP (IND) df. Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR), 4-2
SF 2: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) df. Temuri SIMSIVE (GEO), 4-0