#Trnava2018

Russia Rolls Through Opening Round, Puts All Five In Semifinals

Friday, September 21, 2018 - 14:57 By Eric Olanowski

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TRNAVA, Slovakia (September 21) - The opening round of freestyle wrestling at the Junior World Championships kicked off at City Sports Hall in Trnava, Slovakia and Russia has five wrestlers vying for a spot in tomorrow night’s finals. 

The most intriguing Russian matchup comes at 79kg where Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) will meet 2016 junior European champion and this year’s junior European runner-up, Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM). 

In his two matches today, Zhamalov picked up a pair of technical superiority victories while outscoring his opponenets 25-4. 

Another match-up to watch featuring one of the five Russian semifinalists is the 92kg finals where Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (RUS) will take the mat against junior European champion and 2017 junior world bronze medalist, Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR). 

Meanwhile, the United States enter three wrestlers into the semifinals, while Azerbaijan and Moldova each have a pair of wrestlers wrestling for a shot at the finals. 

Of the three semifinalists from the United States’ roster, two of them are returning world champions. They are reigning cadet world champion Aaron BROOKS (USA) and 2017 junior world champion Daton FIX (USA). 

In the 79kg semifinals, Brooks will meet the two-time age-level world bronze medalist, Orkhan ABASOV (AZE), while Fix will take on India’s junior Asian runner-up, Naveen NAVEEN (IND). 

Vasile DIACON (MDA) and Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) made the semifinals for Moldova. 

Junior European runner-up and 2015 junior world silver medalist Grahmez will take on  Iran’s 2016 cadet world champion Amirhossein MAGHSOUDI for a spot in the 65kg finals, and his teammate Vasile Diacon will compete against Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) in the 79kg semifinals.

The semifinals are set to being at 17:15, and the women’s wrestling finals will begin at 18:00. 

Semifinals 

57kg
CHO Hyeonsu (KOR) vs. Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) 
Daton FIX (USA) vs. Naveen NAVEEN (IND)

65kg 
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) vs. Amirhossein Azim MAGHSOUDI (IRI) 
Saiyn KAZYRYK (RUS) vs. Kuanysh DUISENKUL (KAZ)

70kg
Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) vs. Vasile DIACON (MDA) 
Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) vs. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)

79kg 
Orkhan ABASOV (AZE) vs. Aaron Marquel BROOKS (USA) 
Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) vs. Aslanbek GVARAMIIA (RUS)

92kg
Zachery Samuel ELAM (USA) vs. Serik BAKYTKHANOV (KAZ) 
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) vs. Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (RUS)

#UWWAwards

UWW History Makers of 2025: Kougioumtsidis, Reasco, Sultangali

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:29 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- United World Wrestling has announced the History Makers of the Year 2025. The performance of these three wrestlers transcended competition and produced a once-in-a-generation accomplishment.

Freestyle’s History Maker 2025: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

If there’s one nation that’s draped in sports tradition, it’s Greece, but surprisingly enough, the nation had never produced a male wrestling world champion.

Prior to 2025, wrestlers from Greece were 0-3 in gold-medal matches and had not reached a world finals since 1991. Then came 23-year-old Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS who stunned the world by defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final to become his nation’s first-ever world champion.

Up until Kougioumtsidis' victory, Georgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) lost both of his world finals matches and Iraklis DESKOULIDIS (GRE) lost the final in 1991. The lone Greek woman to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold on home soil in 2002.

"I'm very lucky that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country." He continued, saying, “I'm the first male [from Greece] who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

Women’s Wrestling History Maker: Genesis REASCO (ECU)

Reasco made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion, which came two years following Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) silver-medal finish at the 2023 World Championships where she still become the Ecuador's first-ever world medalist.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over two-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), which came one match removed from knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Greco-Roman’s History Maker: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)

Sultangali ended a 26-year Greco-Roman drought, giving Kazakhstan their first Greco world champion since 1999 with a very quick victory over Uzbek youngster Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg finals at the World Championships.

Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals between 2018 and 2022, only needed 1:07 to cap off masterful first-period 9-0 win over Asian runner-up GANIEV (UZB).

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened. Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, "I am happy that my country is happy."