#WrestleBelgrade

Russia Claims 4 More Gold Medals to Cap Dominant GR Performance

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

Share this article

Links:
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

#WrestleBudapest

Takahashi marks return from injury with Ranking Series gold

Friday, July 18, 2025 - 20:08 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 18) -- The last memories of Kota TAKHASHI (JPN) on the mat were painful. He had a heavily strapped right knee and was wrestling at the Non-Olympic World Championships in Tirana last year. He was torn.

A surgery and nine months later, Takahashi returned to international wrestling at the Budapest Ranking Series on Friday and captured the 74kg gold medal.

The world U23 champion was the third gold medalist from Japan in Budapest after Takara SUDA (JPN) and Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) won at 61kg and 70kg, respectively.

In the other two weight classes that were in action on Friday, Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) and Trent HIDLAY (USA) captured the gold medal at 86kg and 92kg as Freestyle came to a close at the Ranking Series.

Takahashi, who won the Asian Championships gold in 2024, made himself a gold-medal threat for the World Championships in Zagreb with an impressive performance that saw him score wins over Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and David CARR (USA).

"This was my first international competition since my right knee surgery, and I wanted to show my true abilities," Takahashi said. "I'm very happy that I was able to win by thoroughly executing my tackles and aggressive wrestling style."

Takahashi was up against Salkazanov in his first match and began by blasting two double-leg attacks to race to a 4-0 lead. But the second period was not the same as he was put on the activity clock and Salkazanov cut the lead with a takedown during that.

Just when it seemed that Salkazanov can take the lead, Takahashi hit a low leg-attack and converted it into takedown to make the gap 6-3. Salkazanov did not let it go and scored a stepout with nine seconds left.

Takahashi was happy to not engage in those nine seconds, and happily gave a stepout and a caution. He won 6-6 and set up a quarterfinal against Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN). He did not need any of those attacks as he managed a 3-0 win.

The semifinal against Carr was a challenging one as Takahashi struggled to keep his conditioning for six minutes. He opened with a stepout and Carr was called for fleeing. As Carr used a chest wrap to stop Takahashi's double-leg attack, he fell on his back with hand opens. Only Takahashi was awarded two points which made his lead 4-0. Two stepouts later, it was 6-0.

Carr got going in the final two minutes as he scored two takedowns inside 20 seconds to make it 6-4. So far, Takahashi had remained low in his stance and cancelled Carr's long reach. However, his defense began to break up.

As Carr tried to turn Takahashi after the second takedown, Takahashi blocked the turn and got two points. Carr scored a reversal to make it 8-5. He then made it 8-7 with 10 seconds remaining but that was the final scoring action of the bout.

"Car is very aggressive, and I am also good at aggressive wrestling, but in the second half, my opponent's attacks were superior to mine. I ended up conceding points," he said. "I think that was my mistake. In the second period, I tried to attack, but the opponent kept attacking repeatedly. I ended up just defending, and that was the reason I lost points. I need to be more aggressive and attack more."

Takahashi's aggressive wrestling was once again on show in the final against another former world U23 champion Magomed KHANIEV (AZE). He scored two takedowns and defending so well that Khaniev was not able to score a point and Takahashi won gold medal, 4-0.

But the Japanese accepted the chinks in his armor and has decided to work on them before the World Championships where he knows that the competition will be even tougher.

"Similar story against Salkazanov. I want to review my stamina to maintain an aggressive attack throughout the six minutes without breaking my stance, and keep solid stance," he said. "In the second half, my desire to attack weakened, and I ended up being attacked by the opponent, leading to them scoring points. I need to improve on that."

Carr returned for the bronze medal bout and defeated Salkazanov 4-4, avenging his previous to the Slovak from Zagreb.

Trent HIDLAY (USA)Trent HIDLAY (USA) defeated Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) 7-2 in the 92kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Trent HIDLAY (USA), a 86kg silver medalist last year in Budapest, upgraded to gold medal after beating world silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 7-4, in the 92kg final.

Hidlay was in red-hot form the whole day as he began with a win over Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)  and then posted a 10-0 win over Krizstian ANGYAL (HUN) in the quarterfinal. He began the semifinal against Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) with a powerful double-leg takedown.

As Kurugliev fell, he landed on his knee and suffered an injury so bad that he was unable to walk off the mat. Hidlay reached the final after the injury forced Kurugliev to stop.

It was Maisuradze who opened the scoring in the final with a snapdown to takedown for two points but Hidlay answered with two stepouts and the Georgian led 2-2 on criteria at the break.

Hidlay opened the second period with a takedown to take a 4-2 lead and then continued to put pressure on Maisuradze. It paid off as he scored another takedown on the edge to lead 6-2. Georgia challenged that both wrestlers were already out of the zone and it should be one point. But the challenge was lost, making it 7-2 for Hidlay with 1:47 left on the clock.

That was all in the bout as Hidlay captured the gold and put his name in contention for the gold medal at the upcoming World Championships.

At 86kg, Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) was the gold medalist after European silver medalist Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) pulled out of the final injured.

Kadzimahamedau suffered a knee injury in the semifinal against Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) as the Iranian did not let go off his knee despite it turning more than 90 degrees.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Magomed KHANIEV (AZE), 4-0

BRONZE: David CARR (USA) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 4-4
BRONZE: Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) df. Yeldos KUANYSHBAY (KAZ), 8-2

86kg
GOLD:  Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 3-2
BRONZE: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) df. Nurzhan ISSAGALIYEV (KAZ), 3-0 

92kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 7-4

BRONZE: Benjamin HONIS (ITA) df. Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN), via fall (5-5)
BRONZE: Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df. Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), via inj. def.