#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)

Larroque Cruises to Semifinals, Russia and Japan Insert Four

Thursday, September 20, 2018 - 12:37 By Eric Olanowski

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TRNAVA, Slovakia (September 20) - Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), the three-time age level world champion cruised to the 72kg junior world semifinals for the second time in her career. This is Larroque's second time competing in the Junior World Championships. Her first trip was back in 2016 when she brought home the gold medal.

Larroque wrestled Karuna KARUNA (IND) in the opening round and finished the match early, outscoring the Indian wrestler 10-0 in the opening period. The French superstar dominated Kamila KULWICKA (POL), 10-0, making tonight’s semifinals where she’ll meet Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR).

This semifinals matchup is a rematch of the 2018 U23 European championship gold-medal bout. A match that Larroque used three stepouts and a passivity point to win, 4-0. 

Umi IMAI (JPN) finishes a leg-lace in her quarterfinals matchup against Russia. Photo by Max Rose-Fyne. 

Meanwhile, Japan and Russia each inserted four wrestlers into tonight’s semifinals. More importantly, they’ll meet each other in two of those semifinal bouts. 

At 53kg, 2018 junior Asian champion Umi IMAI (JPN) will wrestle Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS), and 2016 cadet world champion Atena KODAMA (JPN) will take on 2018 junior European bronze medalist Daria BOBRULKO (RUS) for a spot in the 62kg finals. 

The semifinals will begin at 17:15 and will be followed by the women's wrestling finals which begin at 18:00. 

SEMIFINALS 

53kg 
Umi IMAI (JPN) vs. Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS) 
Alisha Sue HOWK (USA) vs. Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)

57kg
Andoriahanako SAWA (JPN) vs. Mansi MANSI (IND) 
Qi ZHANG (CHN) vs. Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS)

62kg
Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA) vs. Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) 
Atena KODAMA (JPN) vs. Daria BOBRULKO (RUS)

65kg
Asli DEMIR (TUR) vs. Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) 
Miyu IMAI (JPN) vs. Veranika EISMANT (BLR)

72kg
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) vs. Fanwen SHEN (CHN) 
Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) vs. Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)