Grappling

Russia Looks to Repeat at World Grappling Championships in Astana

Monday, September 3, 2018 - 23:48 By Marc Berman

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Eldar Eilovs (RUS) 84kg

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (September 6th) -- The 2018 World Grappling Championships start next week in Astana with wrestlers from 16+ nations expected to compete in Grappling and Grappling Gi in both men’s and women’s divisions.

In the senior division defending champion Russia will have a difficult path to repeating as Brazil has entered a variety of ex-pat countrymen into the competition, including grappling superstars the Miyao brothers. Poland will also look to challenge the European champions for the world title having taken double bronze at the continental championships.

Ukraine (silver in Grappling-Gi) and France (silver in Grappling) will bring veteran lineups to Astana and are front runners to take home team medals.

The championships will be streamed on FloGrappling.com in the United States and internationally on United World Wrestling.

Men’s Grappling

62kg (Saturday)

Magomedbek TEMEEV (RUS), who won the 2017 world championships, will not be defending his title this year. Also out is this year’s European champion Magomedov MAKHACH (RUS). Adriano  Andrè COLAZINGARI (ITA) who finished with Bronze in April at the European Championships is one to watch.

66kg (Saturday)

Gairbeg IBRAGIMOV (RUS) will be in the mix to defend his title. He is poised to do so after a first place finish in Kaspiysk earlier this year.

71kg (Saturday)

This division is without an medalists from last year’s world championships. Mikhail FRANKLIN (PAN) is a veteran grappler who will certainly be in the mix for gold.

77kg (Saturday)

Watch for Steven RAMOS (USA), he is a 5th place finisher from 2017 who has shown steady improvement in a variety of competitions. He comes to Astana be the highest placed finisher from last year’s competition.

84kg (Saturday)

With 15 competitors in the division anything can happen. Shamil MAGOMEDEV (RUS) will be favorite after a strong performance at the Europeans this year.

92kg (Saturday)

Another division without a returning medalist, seasoned competitor Avraham IBRAGIMOV (ISR) could have a medal in his future and is always in the mix for the podium. Isichko YAROSLAV (UKR) is another veteran with experience at the international level.

100kg (Saturday)

MMA fighter Nurbek ISAMILOV (KGZ) is in the hunt for the top spot on the podium. Kamil UMINSKIi (POL) is in the way with a 2nd place finish at the European championships this year and 3rd place at the World Championships last year.

100+kg (Saturday)

Last year’s champion Ruslan ABDULAEV (RUS) will not be defending his title. Watch big man Denis SUKOL (LTU) to be a potential champion.

Women’s Grappling

53kg (Saturday)

Laetitia BOES (FRA) will be present to defend her title at 53 kg is the largest women’s division in both styles, Watch for last year’s bronze medalist Svitrlana SKYYPNK (UKR) to be a potential roadblock.

58kg (Saturday)

Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) and Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA) seemed destined for a rematch of the 2017 world finals. Shakalova came out on top last year but, the American will look to stand in the way of any plans to repeat.

64kg (Saturday)

Lulia TORIANSKAIA (RUS) is a favorite after coming off a gold medal performance at Europeans. We could see a finals rematch from Europeans with Irina GROMOVA (RUS). Both would need to get past defending champion Hrynko TETIANA (UKR).

71kg (Saturday)

Rimma ANUFRIEVA (RUS) finished with Bronze in Baku and reached the top spot at this year’s Europeans. Rival Irene MUNGAI (ITA) shared the 3rd place spot last year with her in Baku and fell short in the finals at Europeans. This could be a finals matchup.

71+kg (Saturday)

Veronika KORENIUGINA (UKR) is not in the mix to defend her title. Chloe BARRE (FRA), who finished second last year, is a good bet to be one of the finalists in Astana.

Men’s Grappling- GI

62kg (Sunday)

This weight features Magomedbek TEMEEV (RUS) who won gold without the Gi last year and defending champion Baranov DMYTRO (UKR).

Cristofer BARRIOS (ESP) took 3rd at Europeans this year is in the mix.

66kg (Sunday)

Gairbeg IBRAGIMOV (RUS) is a favorite at a gold metal at this year's Europeans. America Luis QUINONES (USA) returns to his second worlds team. After a strong performance at the team trials this year, Luis is on the hunt for a podium spot.

71kg (Sunday)

Alibekov GADZHIMURAD (RUS) and Francisco ALCALDE (ESP) are two likely to be vying for the top podium position. Gadzhimurad was unstoppable at Europeans this year, earning gold. While Alcalde was runner up in Baku last year.

77kg (Sunday)

In a very competitive division, Yusef KADDUR (ESP) will be defending his title. Rene KARAMANITES (PAN) is seeking revenge after falling short to Kaddur last year.

84kg (Sunday)

World silver medalist Shamil MAGOMEDOV (RUS) moves up a weight this year. Purtiyev  HAJIMURAD (AZE) took gold this year at Europeans and will be challenging for gold.

92kg (Sunday)

Piotr BAGINSKI (POL) finished with Bronze in Baku with both finalists not present this year, it could be his year.

100kg (Sunday)

Isa UMAROV (RUS) was a runner-up at the Europeans this year, he is one to watch as a potential finalist.

100+kg (Sunday)

Abdulaev RUSLAN (RUS) will be present to defend his title. Sheraz Mohammad Ahmed KHAN (PAK) is a dark horse ready to make a run at gold.

 

Women’s Grappling GI

53kg (Sunday)

Polina KRUPSKAIA (POL) is ready to take gold back to back years. Laetitia BOES (FRA) could be her biggest challenge this year.

58kg (Sunday)

Kateryna SHAKALOVA (UKR) is defending GI and No Gi titles this year. She could make it back to back years with double gold.

64kg (Sunday)

Last years champion Breanna STIKKELMAN (USA) moved down a weight category, fellow finalist last year Hrynko TETIANA (UKR) will be looking to step up to the top position on the podium this year.

71kg (Sunday)

Silver medalist Irene MUNGAI (ITA) is a favorite to take gold this year. Olena SUSHKO (UKR) can not be counted out either.

71+kg (Sunday)

Chloe BARRE (FRA) was a finalist last year and has the stuff to challenge for gold this year. Poland’s Magdalena ZASZCZUDLOWICZ (POL) is in the mix also for the top position.

SCHEDULE

Thursday, Sept 6th:

11:00-14:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling- Novice and Schoolboys/girls)

15:00-19:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling-Cadets, Veterans and Juniors)

19:00-20:00 Finals (All categories)

Friday, Sept 7th:  

11:00-14:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling GI- Novice and Schoolboys/girls)

15:00-19:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling GI-Cadets, Veterans and Juniors)

19:00-20:00 Finals (All categories)

Saturday, Sept 8th:

11:00-12:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling-Men 62, 66, 71, 77kg, Women 53, 58, 64kg)

12:00-13:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling-Men 84, 92, 100 +100kg, Women 71, +71kg)

18:00-19:00 Finals (All categories)

Sunday, Sept 9th:

11:00-12:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling GI-Men 62, 66, 71, 77kg, Women 53, 58, 64kg)

12:00-13:00 Elimination rounds & repechage (Grappling GI- Men 84, 92, 100 +100kg, Women 71, +71kg)

17:00-19:00 Finals (All categories)

#WrestleZagreb

Chung puts Korea in World C'ships final

Saturday, September 20, 2025 - 16:49 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 20) -- Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) has long been the training partner of former world champion Hansyu RYU (KOR) at national camps in Korea as both hail from Busan and wrestled at the Kyungsung University.

Eight years after Ryu became a world champion in Paris, Korea's last gold at World Championships, Chung would try to emulate his role model after he made the 63kg final at the World Championships in Zagreb on Saturday.

In his previous two trips to the World Championships, Chung finished eight and 25th but has now assured himself at least a silver medal in 2025. This is also Korea's first medal since Min Seok KIM (KOR) won bronze in 2018.

Chung opened his campaign with a 7-1 victory over Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) before picking up a fall over Manato NAKAMURA (JPN). Tokyo bronze medalist Sergey EMELIN (UWW) was next but Chung defended from par terre and posted a 1-1 criteria win.

In the semifinals, Chung had Asian silver medalist Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) but he stepped up. Keshtkar got the first par terre position but was not able to score any points, going to the break leading 1-0.

The second period saw Chung go for the reverse throw for two points and Keshtkar was docked two points for a leg foul, giving a 5-1 lead to Chung. Keshtkar tried making a comeback and got a takedown to cut the lead to 5-3 but that was all he had as Chung claimed the victory in the semifinals.

But to win his country's first gold since 2017, Chung will have to go through Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) who looks unbeatable. A month after winning the gold medal at the U20 World Championships, the Uzbek star is now in the World Championships final with a dominant 8-0 win over Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA).

Khalmakhanov needed only 37 seconds to finish his semifinals against Erimenco as he used an over-under grip to slam him on the mat for two points. He continued the same sequence for two more points and lead 6-0. A trap arm gut was enough to get him two more points and the win.

Iran managed two more wrestlers in the final at the World Championships with Olympic champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) and Olympic silver medalist Alireza MOHAMADI (IRI) a win away from winning their first world titles at 67kg and 87kg respectively.

Esmaeili particularly looked in the form of his life as he blanked his 36-0 in four bouts with none going the full distance of the six minutes. He began with a 9-0 win over 2022 world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) before two 8-0 wins against Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB) and Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR), 8-0.

In the semifinals, he used a five-point throw to beat Daniial AGAEV (UWW). Using a bodylock, he scored his first takedown and then turned Agaev for a 4-0 lead. He then got the par terre position and reverse lifted Agaev and slammed him for five points.

For the gold medal, he will have to get past Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JARAFOV (AZE), a returning silver medalist. Jafarov faced Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) in the semifinal and used a correct throw from par terre to beat the Kyrgyzstan wrestlers 3-1.

Mohamadi had a very contrasting semifinal against David LOSONCZI (HUN) at 87kg. He seemed to be sailing to victory with 5-1 lead and under a minute left but Losonczi locked his waist and threw him for a takedown for two points. Hungary challenged the call asking for four points but it was awarded only two on review and Hungary lost the challenge to give one more point to Mohamadi.

With a 6-3 win, Mohamadi, a silver medalist at 82kg from 2023, will now try to win the gold medal against former European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB).

Trusting his defense in the semifinal against Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW), Komarov held on to his 1-1 criteria lead to win the bout. Komarov was the beneficiary of the new Greco-Roman rule which states that the criteria will remain with the wrestler who got the first point in a 1-1 finish.

Irrespective of what happens in the final on Sunday, Iran has already won the Greco-Roman team title. This is the first time in the country's history that Iran has won both Freestyle and Greco-Roman team title at the same World Championships.

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) vs. Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB)

SF 1: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) df. Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI), 5-3
SF 2: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 8-0

67kg
GOLD: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) vs. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)

SF 1: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Daniial AGAEV (UWW), 10-0
SF 2: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), 3-1

87kg
GOLD: Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) vs. Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)

SF 1: Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 6-3
SF 2: Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) df. Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW), 1-1