#Trnava2018

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

By Eric Olanowski

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 

#WrestleTirana

Three nations aim to get first Greco U23 world champs

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 21) -- Kyrgyzstan, the United States and Uzbekistan will stand a chance to crown their first-ever U23 world champion in Greco-Roman.

It was after the countries had one finalist each on day one of the U23 World Championships that kicked off in Tirana, Albania on Monday.

The United States and Uzbekistan have already had a historical day, confirming their first-ever U23 World Championships medals in Greco-Roman. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) reached the 82kg final while Alisher GANIEV (UZB) made it to the 55kg final. Both countries had fifth as their best finishes before Monday in the history of the U23 Worlds, which came into existence only in 2017.

Kyrgyzstan will be banking on Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) to win the first Greco-Roman gold medal at U23 Worlds after he reached the 67kg final. Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) is the only other Greco wrestler to reach the final in 2019 but lost.

Georgia and Armenia were the only countries with two finalists on day one of the tournament. Surprisingly, Iran managed only one finalists out of the five weight classes that were in action.

Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) tries to complete at throw. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) and Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) were the two finalists for Georgia at 67kg and 72kg respectively. Both had finished with silver medals at the U20 World Championships in 2021 but will look to win the gold together on Tuesday.

Chkhikvadze defeated Daniial AGAEV (AIN), 4-4, in the semifinal with a correct throw in the last minute to take two points and a criteria lead. He will now take on Beishekeev who defeated Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL) 10-0 to win the other semifinal.

Giorgi was in much more control of his 7-0 win over Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ) in the semifinal and will now take on Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM). The two had met in the semifinals of the U20 World Championships in 2021 and Giorgi won that meeting.

Khachatryan took no time to see off Georgios BARBANOS (SWE) 9-0 in the semifinal, his fourth technical superiority in the tournament, including a fall over Danial SOHRABI (IRI).

The second Armenian to reach the final was Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) at 97kg after he held off senior European silver medalist Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) 3-3 in the semifinal. Both exchanged par terre and one turn in gut-wrench but Khloyan performed it in the second period, keeping the criteria to him.

He will face Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) in the final. Khaslakhanau won his semifinal Richard KARELSON (EST), 2-1.

Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) confirmed the U.S. first ever Greco medal at U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. has already achieved its best result ever in U23 Worlds in Greco but Melelashvili would look to make it golden on Tuesday. He will face Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) in the final.

Melelashvili wrestled Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) in the semifinal and fell behind 3-0 at the break. But he returned the favor to Aliyev in the second period. Initially not scored, Melelashvili got the two points for a gut wrench after a challenge. Naghousi defeated former U20 world champion Deni NIKAEV (GER), 6-1, in the semifinal.

Ganiev has already won Uzbekistan's first-ever U23 World Championships medal but will look to win one more bout and get his name in history books in golden. He humbled Nihad GULUZADE (AZE) 9-0 in the semifinals and will now face Dinislam BAMMAPTOV (AIN).

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) vs. Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN)

SF 1: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Nihad GULUZADE (AZE), 9-0
SF 2: Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) df. Pridon ABULADZE (GEO), 4-1

67kg
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) vs. Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL), 10-0
SF 2: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Daniial AGAEV (AIN), 4-4

72kg
GOLD: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) vs. Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) df. Georgios BARBANOS (SWE), 9-0
SF 2: Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ), 7-0

82kg
GOLD: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) vs. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)

SF 1: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Deni NAKAEV (GER), 6-1
SF 2: Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) df. Elmin ALIYEV (AZE), 3-3

97kg
GOLD: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) vs. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)

SF 1: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) df. Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN), 3-3
SF 2: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 2-1