Russia Wins Three Golds on Saturday Night, Leads Iran By Seven Points

Saturday, August 17, 2019 - 19:22 By Eric Olanowski

TALLINN, Estonia (August 17) – The Russian Federation (97 points) won a trio of Day 6 junior world titles and have a seven-point lead over second-place Iran (90 points), who had two wrestlers reach the top of the podium on Saturday.

Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) ascended to the top of the podium with a fall over Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) after erasing a 4-0 deficit in the 55kg finals. “I feel very good. Everything came out perfect and that’s what I wanted to do,” said Allakhiarov after winning his first world title.

In the opening period, Allakhiarov gave up a four-point throw, but scored a reversal -- cutting the Azeri’s lead to three points with a quick reversal. A pair of back-to-back gut wrenches flipped the match in favor of Allakhiarov, as he took the 5-4 lead into the break.

In the second period, the Russian back-peddled as the Aliyev heavily pressed the pace. While toeing the out of bounds line, Allakhiarov circled to his left and tried to get back to the center of the mat to avoid giving up the step-out point. His Azeri opponent also started to circle back towards the center of the mat, but while doing so, relaxed for one second. Allakhairov capitalized on that one-second opening and threw a massive headlock and planted Aliyev flat on his back for the fall to claim his first world title.

“I feel very happy to be the first Russian in Greco-Roman to win the world title” Allakhairov said. He added, “We put a lot of work into the preparation process so we’re very happy with everyone in the finals.”

Abu AMAEV (RUS) defeated Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 5-3 in the 63kg finals -- handing Russia their second gold medal of the night. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Russia’s second champion came at 63kg where Abu AMAEV (RUS) scored the tactical 5-3 win over Leri ABULADZE (GEO) in the gold-medal match. “The hardest part of the competition was the finals. The opponent I wrestled in the finals was second in Europe, so I’m very happy to be the world champion.”

After the match, Amaev took a deep breath and let out a noticeable psy of relief. When asked why he let out such a deep breath, Amaev said, “I felt the happiest when my hand was raised, and I knew I was world champion.”

The newly minted world champion, who said he has hopes of making an Olympic team one day, will head back to Chechnya, Russia, and take a week off before getting back to training. “I don’t know what’s next. I think I will take a week off…I’m going to train and see what the future brings.”

Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) was the third Russian to win a gold medal on Day 6. He snuck past Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO), 2-0 in the 87kg finals (Photo: Gabor Martin)

A bloody and battered Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) scored a point in each period against Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) in the 87kg finals and became the third Russian wrestler to circle the mat with his nation’s flag over his head. “All of my matches were very hard, but the hardest one was definitely the finals,” said Ermolenko after winning his gold medal. He continued, saying, “I’m very happy to be a world champion. I’ve worked very hard to get to this point and I would like to thank everyone who has supported me.”

Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI took down 2018 cadet world champion Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA), 2-1 in the 130kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Meanwhile, Iran’s Mohammad NAGHOUSI and Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI snuck past their gold-medal final opponents, 2-1, and helped their country head into the final day of wrestling at the 2019 Junior World Championships only trailing Russia by seven points.

In the 77kg finals, Mohammad Naghousi nabbed the one-point win over Damir RAKHIMOV (RUS), while Aliakbar Yousofiahmadchali stole the 130kg gold medal from 2017 cadet world champion Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA).

The final day of wrestling begins tomorrow at 16:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS

Team Scores (After Day 6)
GOLD - Russia (97 points)
SILVER - Iran (90 points)
BRONZE - Georgia (56 points)
Fourth - Turkey (42 points)
Fifth - United States (41 points)

55kg
GOLD - Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS) df. Zaur ALIYEV (AZE), 9-4
BRONZE - Ken MATSUI (JPN) df. Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ), 13-12
BRONZE - Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI) df. Tigran MINASYAN (ARM), 2-0

63kg
GOLD - Abu AMAEV (RUS) df. Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 5-3
BRONZE - Shahin Eidi BADAGHI MOFRAD (IRI) df. Nikalas Petrov SULEV (BUL), 3-2
BRONZE - Alston Jon NUTTER (USA) df. Kamil CZARNECKI (POL), via fall

77kg
GOLD - Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Damir RAKHIMOV (RUS), 2-1
BRONZE - Dmytro VASETSKYI (UKR) df. Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) , 3-2
BRONZE - Sajan SAJAN (IND) df. Abdurrahman KALKAN (TUR), 11-1

87kg
GOLD - Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) df. Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO), 2-0
BRONZE - Bedirhan TAN (TUR) df. Jacob Edward LOGAARD (SWE), 3-0
BRONZE - Ihar YARASHEVICH (BLR) df. Hasan FOROUZANDEH GHOJEHBEIGLOU (IRI), 4-4

130kg
GOLD - Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI) df. Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA), 2-1
BRONZE - Dariusz VITEK (HUN) df. Lu ZHANG (CHN), 3-2
BRONZE - Muhammet Hamza BAKIR (TUR) df. Robinzon ESADZE (GEO), 5-1

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Emami denies Yazdani spot on Iran team for World Championships

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - 13:40 By Vinay Siwach

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 31) -- Clashing in an all-Iranian final at 74kg at the Ulaanbaatar Open with the spot on the Iranian team for World Championships on the line, Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) and Yones EMAMI (IRI) made it to the final after some tough bouts.

Head coach Pejman DOROSTKAR did not sit in any corner and the second coaches did not shout instruction, the case in most bouts which involves qualification for a national team.

While Emami was the favorite, Yazdani was the challenger. Emami has been here before. Yazdani wanted to prove he belongs at 74kg.

And he had planned it perfectly -- don't let the score get out of hands and then go all-out in the final minute against Emami. It all worked well until the final minute.

Emami brought his top-notch defense to the mat to deny Yazdani an opening and then tactically did not engage with Yazdani in last 30 seconds to win the final, the spot on Iran team and deny Yazdani a bid to make the World Championships in Zagreb.

The final was not spectacular as it did not have big moves or crafty scrambles. It began with both wrestlers being called passive by the referee in the first minute.

But Yazdani was given the second warning before Emami in the first period and the latter took a 1-0 lead at the break. As the bout resumed, Yazdani scored a stepout early in the second period to take a 1-1 criteria lead. Emami answered with a stepout and took a clear 2-1 lead.

Yazdani was unfazed despite falling behind as it was still under control as he has planned. Then came the burst of attacks to score a takedown. He got a single-leg attack and almost put Emami down. But as he back peddled, Yazdani went out of bounds and then fell on his knees before he could get Emami out. Emami was awarded a point which made it 3-1 but Yazdani challenged the call.

The initial call of one point for Emami was upheld and Yazdani lost the challenge, adding another point to Emami's score which was now 4-1.

With 36 seconds remaining, Yazdani still went for the kill and as Emami was evading, Yazdani was giving two points on different occasions but that was all Yazdani got as he dropped the final and a chance to be in the Iran team for Zagreb.

While Emami did not celebrate the win, Yazdani failed to hold his tears back on the podium as he was awarded the silver medal.

"Amirmohammad is my friend and brother," Emami said. "We train together a lot, so we’re pretty familiar with each other’s wrestling style. That’s why this match was a bit tough."

One of the biggest differences in the bout Emami's defense which made Yazdani, who had recently switched from 70kg to 74kg, work harder for any points.

"I had thought about it [defense] during practice and even throughout the day trying to fix my weaknesses," he said. "I used to give away points too easily, but I had improved a bit here, and I hope I can keep getting better from this point on."

Emami now has a bigger challenge -- to win a medal for Iran at the World Championships at 74kg.

"The World Championships are definitely at a higher and tougher level," he said. "We take part in training camps and practice under the supervision of the coaching staff."

There was a third Iranian -- Noorali ABOUZARI (IRI) -- in the fray to make the team but he lost to JAIDEEP (IND), who won bronze medal at 74kg.

The other bronze medal at 74kg went to Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), who almost defeated Yazdani in the semifinal. Toktomambetov led 6-4 with 10 seconds remaining when Yazdani got behind and scored a turn to finish the bout 6-6 and win on criteria.

Two other Freestyle weight classes were also in action on Saturday and Askhab SAADULAEV (UWW) at 92kg and Osman GOCEN (TUR) at 86kg won gold medals.

At 86kg, Osman GOCEN (TUR) won gold medal after he defeated Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) 7-0 while Saadulaev won gold medal Asian silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) injury defaulted in Round 5 back at 92kg.

RESULTS

74kg
GOLD: Yones EMAMI (IRI) df. Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE: Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) df. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), via inj. def.
BRONZE: JAIDEEP (IND) df. Tugsjargal ERDENEBAT (MGL), via fall

86kg
GOLD: Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL), 7-0

BRONZE: Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL) df. Dayanbileg GAN OCHIR (MGL), 10-0

92kg
GOLD: Askhab SAADULAEV (UWW)
SILVER: Deepak PUNIA (IND)
BRONZE: Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN

Russia Wins Three Golds on Saturday Night, Leads Iran By Seven Points

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Emami denies Yazdani spot on Iran team for World Championships