#Trnava2018

Russia Rolls Through Opening Round, Puts All Five In Semifinals

By Eric Olanowski

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)

#Pankration

Ukraine emerges as showstopper at U17 World Pankration C'ships

By United World Wrestling Press

LOUTRAKI, Greece (November 9) -- Ukraine showed why it is one of the best countries in Pankration as it won both men's and women's U17 team titles at the World Championships.

For the first time, Pankration was held in U15 and U17 age categories while Amateur MMA World Championships was held in U20 age category in Loutraki, Greece.

Ukraine won the U17 men's title with 135 points, Kazakhstan finished second with 73 points while the United States was third with 51 points.

Out of the eight gold medals on offer, Ukraine won four gold medals. Kazakhstan and Poland won one gold each while UWW fighters won the remaining two gold medals.

The gold rush for Ukraine began with Maksym SHEVCHENKO (UKR) who won via submission against compatriot Yehor TARASENKO (UKR) in the 62kg final. Ivan SOFRONII (UKR) then defeated Magomed DZHABRAILOV (UWW) in the 71kg final via unanimous decision to give Ukraine the second gold medal.

At 77kg, Oleksii BOLBOCHAN (UKR) also won his final via unanimous decision over Mukhammadzhon DAVLIATOV (UWW) before Ivan MYSLOVSKYI (UKR) had a close 84kg final against Rowdy HERRMANN (USA), winning it via split decision.

For Kazakhstan, Adilzhan TALGATOV (KAZ) won the 57kg gold medal after he submitted Vadym SHOVKOPLIAS (UKR) in the final with ease. Damian BABA (POL) gave Poland the gold medal at 93kg after he got the split decision of the judges over Sviatoslav ZOLOTOV (UWW) in the final.

At 66kg, Adam OMAROV (UWW) managed to impresses the judges to win his final against Adian NOKHAEV (UWW) via split decision. Daud ITSARAEV (UWW) was more dominant in the 100kg final as he won the via unanimous decision against Gleb KOMAROV (UWW).

In women's, Viktoriia RAZNOSILINA (UWW) won gold at 50kg, Elmira GALLIAMOVA (UWW) at 53kg, Kseniia FEDOSEEVA (UWW) at 62kg, Kira SKRIPNIK (UWW) at 66kg and Valeriia NOIKINA (UWW) at 71kg.

Ukraine's only gold medal came at 57kg Daria ZHENEVSKA (UKR) who defeated Polina ROMASHOVA (UWW) in the final.

RESULTS

U17 Men's Pankration

57kg
GOLD: Adilzhan TALGATOV (KAZ)
SILVER: Vadym SHOVKOPLIAS (UKR)
BRONZE: Mariks KRAUKLIS (LAT)
BRONZE: Aleksandr ANDREEV (UWW)

62kg
GOLD: Maksym SHEVCHENKO (UKR)
SILVER: Yehor TARASENKO (UKR)
BRONZE: Martin KUNZ (CZE)
BRONZE: Ibrokhim NOZIMOV (UWW) 

66kg
GOLD: Adam OMAROV (UWW)
SIVER: Adian NOKHAEV (UWW) 
BRONZE: Andrew DEVITO (USA)
BRONZE: Krystian WOJNIAK (POL)

71kg
GOLD: Ivan SOFRONII (UKR)
SILVER: Magomed DZHABRAILOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Andrea RIZZO (ITA)
BRONZE: Matvei ZOLOTOVERKH (UWW)

77kg
GOLD: Oleksii BOLBOCHAN (UKR)
SILVER: Mukhammadzhon DAVLIATOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Isaac MCLAUGHLIN (NZL)
BRONZE: Denis KOZHIN (UWW)

84kg
GOLD: Ivan MYSLOVSKYI (UKR)
SILVER: Rowdy HERRMANN (USA)
BRONZE: Davide MORENA (ITA)
BRONZE: Ali TALPYNOV (KAZ)

93kg
GOLD: Damian BABA (POL)
SILVER: Sviatoslav ZOLOTOV (UWW)
BRONZE: Nikita VITRENKO (UKR)
BRONZE: Stanislav LEMESHKO (UKR)

100kg
GOLD:  Daud ITSARAEV (UWW)
SILVER: Gleb KOMAROV (UWW)
BRONZE: Tyson KAIVELATA (NZL)

U17 Women's Pankration

50kg
GOLD: Viktoriia RAZNOSILINA (UWW)
SILVER: Uliana SHCHETININA (UWW)
BRONZE: Viktoriia PROKHATSKA (UKR) 
BRONZE: Yuliya KORENEVA (KAZ)

53kg
GOLD: Elmira GALLIAMOVA (UWW)
SILVER: Amina SAFARBEKOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Eleni TOLIA (GRE)
BRONZE: Daria MALCHEVSKA (UKR)

57kg
GOLD: Daria ZHENEVSKA (UKR)
SILVER: Polina ROMASHOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Scarlett SHREVE (USA)
BRONZE: Shyla MULHOLLAND (NZL)

62kg
GOLD: Kseniia FEDOSEEVA (UWW)
SILVER: Daria GRITSAEVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Arina TIKHONOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Lamprini PERGELI (GRE)

66kg
GOLD: Kira SKRIPNIK (UWW)
SILVER: Valeriia PIANNIKOVA (UWW)

71kg
GOLD: Valeriia NOIKINA (UWW)
SILVER: Sofiia MANZHIKOVA (UWW)