#Trnava2018

Russia Reels in Trio of Golds, Leads USA Heading into Final Day

Saturday, September 22, 2018 - 18:25 By Eric Olanowski

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TRNAVA, Slovakia (September 22) – The Russian national anthem played three times on the sixth day of wrestling at the 2018 Junior World Championships after Russia won a trio of gold medals, taking a 31 point lead over the United States into the final day of wrestling in Trnava, Slovakia. 

Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) won Russia’s first gold medal of the night, scoring the 12-1 technical superiority victory over India’s 2018 junior Asian runner-up, Naveen NAVEEN in the 57kg gold-medal bout. 

Idrisov, the younger brother of 57kg Russian National champion, Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS), scored the bouts opening takedown, but only led 2-1 after giving up a reversal.

Midway through the opening period, there was a brief break in the action because Idrisov’s left ear busted wide open. The medical staff wrapped his head up, and wrestling continued. When action resumed, Idrisov extended his lead to 4-1 with a low ankle attack, coming out the back door, picking up two exposure points. After trading stepouts, Idrivsov again went back to his low-level attack, stretching his lead to 7-1.  

A front-headlock roll-through and a lost Indian challenge brought the score to 10-1, which is when Idrisov began celebrating, thinking the match was over, but he was only up by nine points. 

The first time junior world champion ended the match, scoring two points off a swing single, handing Russia their first championship of the night. 

At 65kg, Saiyn KAZYRYK (RUS) came from behind, grabbing a takedown with 10 seconds left to defeat Iran’s 2016 cadet world champion, Amirhossein MAGHSOUDI, 7-6. 

Kazyryk and Maghsoudi traded takedowns in the first period, but it was Maghsoudi who took the 2-2 lead on criteria into the second period. 

In a back and forth second period, Kazyryk grabbed the 4-2  lead with an exposure, but quickly gave up the reversal and remained in front, 4-3. Between a pair of Maghsoudi takedowns, Kazyryk scored two exposure and trailed 6-5 with 10 seconds left. Kazyryk seized the 7-6 lead with 10 seconds to go, winning Russia’s second gold medal of the day. 

The 97kg gold-medal bout only lasted 2:13, as Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (RUS), cruised past Zachery ELAM (USA), 11-0 to give Russia their third gold medal of the night.

 

The final two non-Russia gold medals went Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) and Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN). 

Khadzhimurad Gazhiyev stopped Russia from winning their third straight gold medal of the night, passing Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS), 4-3 in the 70kg finals. Gadzhiyev trailed 3-0 and scored four unanswered points to win his first junior world gold medal. 

In the 79kg gold medal match that saw 21-points, Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) stole the gold medal from last year’s cadet world champion, Aaron BROOKS (USA), scoring two-exposure points as time ran out to win 11-10. 

The last session of the 2018 Junior World Championships begin on Sunday night at 18:00.

RESULTS 

TEAM SCORES 
GOLD – Russia (105 points)
SILVER – United States (74 points)
BRONZE – Azerbaijan (46 points)
Fourth – Iran (44 points)
Fifth – Ukraine (44 points)

57kg
GOLD -Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) df. Naveen NAVEEN (IND), 12-1 

BRONZE -Daton Duain FIX (USA) df. Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ), 10 - 0
BRONZE - Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Hyeonsu CHO (KOR)

65kg 
GOLD - Saiyn KAZYRYK (RUS) df. Amirhossein Azim MAGHSOUDI (IRI), 8-7 

BRONZE - Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) df. Fati VEJSELI (MKD), 15 - 5
BRONZE - Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) df. Kuanysh DUISENKUL (KAZ), 8-2 

70kg
GOLD -  Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) df. Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS), 4-3  

BRONZE - Brady Gary BERGE (USA) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 1 - 1
BRONZE - Vasile DIACON (MDA) df. Amirhossein Morteza Gholi KAVOUSI (IRI)

79kg          
GOLD - Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) df. Aaron Marquel BROOKS (USA), 11-10 

BRONZE - Adlan BATAIEV (UKR) df. Aslanbek GVARAMIIA (RUS), 10 - 0
BRONZE - Orkhan ABASOV (AZE) df. Andrian GROSUL (MDA)

97kg
GOLD - Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Zachery Samuel ELAM (USA), 11-0 

BRONZE - Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO) df. Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR), 9 - 3
BRONZE - Serik BAKYTKHANOV (KAZ) df. Hyunsu HAN (KOR), 12-8 

#WrestleZagreb

Azarpira ends Tazhudinov's two-year dream run in Zagreb

Monday, September 15, 2025 - 16:07 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 15) -- Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) burst on to the wrestling scene with stunning victory over Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) and eventually becoming world champion in 2023.

He followed that up with gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Unbeaten since 2023, it seemed Tazhudinov will dominate the weight classes for the coming years.

Enter Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI).

The Paris Olympic bronze medalist ended Tazhudinov's two-year dream run with victory in the semifinal of the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb on Monday.

During this two-year reign, Azarpira was the only wrestler who came close to beating Tazhudinov. The two faced each other in the Paris Olympics and the Iranian had a 3-0 lead before giving up four points in the second period to lose 4-3.

There were no such comeback in the second period on Monday. Azarpira took a 2-0 lead with two stepouts but Tazhudinov took criteria lead with a takedown. But Azarpira kept his calm and scored a stepout to make it 3-2.  

Tazhudinov tried reaching for Azarpira's legs with his long reach but the Iranian seemed in no trouble at all defending his lead. After one of Tazhudinov's attack, he scored a go-behind and won the bout 5-2.

It is after 12 year that an Iran wrestler has reached the final of the 96/97kg weight class. Reza YAZDANI (IRI) won gold at 96kg at the 2013 World Championships in Budapest.

Azarpira will try to match with Yazdani when he takes on Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the final on Tuesday after the United States wrestler defeated upcoming star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) in the other semifinal.

Snyder, who had lost to Yoshida at the Tirana Ranking Series, dominated the semifinal, winning 9-1. He scored four different takedowns and looked liked the Snyder of old. Since 2015, Snyder has won a medal at all World Championships including gold in 2015, 2017 and 2022.

Azarpira has two wins over Snyder in the past, the first coming in Zagreb in 2023 at the Ranking Series. The second win came at the Paris Olympics in the bronze-medal bout.

In the other Freestyle weight class -- 65kg -- on Monday, the Olympic final will be replayed after champion Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) and silver medalist Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) made it to the final at the World Championships.

Amouzad saw off Paiman BIABANI (CAN), 5-0, scoring three stepouts and a takedown while Kiyooka managed to score two takedowns in his 5-0 win over Umidjon JALALOV (UZB).

Onishi on track for first gold

A month after winning gold at the U20 World Championships, Sakura ONISHI (JPN) is on the verge of winning her first senior world title after she made it to the final at 59kg.

Like the age-group World Championships, Onishi has not given up a point so far in three bouts in Zagreb. In the semifinals, she wasted no time to secure a fall over Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL).

"While keeping in mind what the opponent would do, I made it clear what I wanted to do," Onishi said. "I was able to execute and that [pin] was the result. I think it creates good momentum going into tomorrow [for final]."

In the final, Onishi will face European U23 silver Maria VYNNYK (UKR) who used a big four-pointer in her 9-5 victory over Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN).

"From the warmup before the first match, I felt like my legs were moving well," she said. "The way I dictated the flow of the matches also was pretty good, so I think I can do it my own way. I feel peace of mind to make it to the final. I came here to become the senior world champion and tomorrow, I want to win and set off on a winning run (around the mat)."

At 55kg, Asian 53kg champion Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) reached the final after pinning Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), who was making her senior debut. Oh scored a huge under-over and kept Uchida on the mat until the fall was called.

The DPR Korea is returning to the World Championships after six years; last appearance coming in 2019. The nation had one champion in women's wrestling in Astana.

For a gold medal on Tuesday, Oh will face European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) who survived a late attack from Andreea ANA (ROU) to beat the Romanian 5-3.

RESULTS

Freestyle

65kg
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) vs. Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN)

SF 1: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Peiman BIABANI (CAN), 5-0
SF 2: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Umidjon JALALOV (UZB), 5-0

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) vs. Kyle SNYDER (USA)

SF 1: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), 5-2
SF 2: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-1 

Women's Wrestling

55kg
GOLD: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) vs. Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)

SF 1: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), via fall
SF 2: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Andreea ANA (ROU), 5-3

59kg
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) vs. Maria VYNNYK (URK)

SF 1: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL), via fall
SF 2: Maria VYNNYK (URK) df. Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN), 10-5