#BuchaWrestU23

Russia Wins Two Golds on Sunday, Claims #BuchaWrestU23 Team Title

Sunday, November 18, 2018 - 18:59 By Taylor Miller

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BUCHAREST, Romania – Russia claimed the men’s freestyle team title, producing two champions on Sunday night at the 2018 U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania.

2018 U23 European champion Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) began the night with a gold medal for Russia, defeating Sean FAUSZ (USA), 11-1, in the 61 kg finals, fueled by three takedowns in the second period.

At 74 kg, Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) made his second World finals appearance in just a few weeks after claiming silver at the 2018 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, last month.

This time, he topped the podium, sticking host country’s Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU) in the first period at the 1:51 mark.

Winning the crown at 86 kg was Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), a 2013 Cadet World bronze medalist. Ghasempour controlled the entire match, giving up only one point to 2017 Junior World champion Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) in a 4-1 win.

Scoring 10 points in the second period, 2018 U23 European champion Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE) toppled Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) with a 13-8 comeback win for the World title at 92 kg.

In the last 90 seconds, Zubairov scored two takedowns plus exposure points to get ahead.

Ending the night with another gold medal for Russia was 2015 Junior World champion Said GAMIDOV (RUS), who pinned Youssif HEMIDA (USA) in 2:07 for his second age-group World title.

Sending five to Sunday’s medal matches, Iran went 4-1, picking up one gold and three bronzes to earn a spot on the podium, taking third with 105 points. Georgia finished second in the team race with 108 points. Rounding out the top five was Japan and USA.

Final results

61 kg
GOLD: Magomedrasul IDRISOV (RUS) df. Sean FAUSZ (USA), 11-1
BRONZE: Minghu LIU (CHN) df. Iman Mokhtar SADEGHIKOUKANDEH (IRI), 3-3
BRONZE: Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU) df. Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ), 10-4

74 kg
GOLD: Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU), fall
BRONZE: Timur BIZHOEV (RUS) df. Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK), 5-2
BRONZE: Navid ZANGANEH (IRI) df. Andranik GABRIELYAN (ARM), 10-0

86 kg
GOLD: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Artur NAIFONOV (RUS), 4-1
BRONZE: Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) df. Alexander MOORE (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE: Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) df. Arif OZEN (TUR), 4-1

92 kg
GOLD: Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE) df. Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS), 13-8
BRONZE: Bohdan HRYTSAY (UKR) df. Sargis HOVSEPYAN (ARM), 4-0
BRONZE: Hossein SHAHBAZIGAZVAR (IRI) df. Irakli MTSITURI (GEO), 4-2

125 kg
GOLD: Said GAMIDOV (RUS) df. Youssif HEMIDA (USA), fall
BRONZE: Amin TAHERI (IRI) df. Kamil Tomasz KOSCIOLEK (POL), fall
BRONZE: Rolandi ANDRIADZE (GEO) df. Yasuhiro YAMAMOTO (JPN), 4-0

Team results
1. Russia – 181
2. Georgia – 108
3. Iran – 105
4. Japan – 93
5. USA – 92 

#WrestleAstana

Asian Championships, Greco-Roman Day 2 finals set

Monday, April 10, 2023 - 04:58 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan (April 10) -- Iran annihilated the field on day one of the Asian Championships, winning four out of the five gold medals. The only one it failed, went to world champion Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) after Amin KAVININEJAD (IRI) forfeited due to injury. Can they add more gold medals today, day two of the continental championships?

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

The finals for the second day are set.

60kg - Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
67kg - Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) vs. Abror ATABAEV (UZB)
72kg - Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) Sajjad IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI)
82kg - Dias KALEN (KAZ) vs. Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ)
97kg - U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI

14:33:  Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) will get a shot at defending his 97kg title and add to the Iranian gold haul after posting a 7-1 semifinal victory over Yiming LI (CHN). Balihamzehdeh jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first period with a pair of gut wrenches from par terre.

14:31: U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) is into the final at 97kg! He gets a big win over Narinder CHEEMA (IND). A par terre position and then a takedown outside the zone. A second passivity against Cheema and Dzhuzupbekov throw Cheema for four! He wins 9-0

14:20: Dias KALEN (KAZ) puts another home wrestler in the final. He never looked in any trouble to see off Yuya MAETA (JPN) 7-1 in the 82kg semifinal.

14:18: And another Iranian bites the dust. Asian U23 champion Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ) jumps out to a 6-0 lead with a takedown and big throw against Alireza MOHMADIPIANI in their 82kg semifinal. Talantbekov then gets a takedown that Iran challenges for a head outside the ring, but it is turned down for a 9-0 win. Taletbekov celebrates the triumph with a victory backflip. 

14:05: How do you finish a semifinal? Sajjad IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI) just reversed threw Jian TAN (CHN) for a five to win 9-0 at 72kg. Monster throw that.

14:01: Asian U23 champion Abror ATABAEV (UZ) booked his place in the 67kg final with a 10-2 technical fall over veteran Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ). Trailing 5-2, Kebispayev attempted a front headlock from standing, but Atabaev stopped it with a bear hug that put Kebispayev straight onto his back for 4. Kazakhstan challenged the call, but lost, giving Atabaev his 10th point and ending the match. 

13:53: Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) with two rolls from par terre against Reza ABBASI (IRI) in the second period. He led 5-1 and though Abbasi tried coming back, there was no way as Sogabe makes it to the final at 67kg.

13:45: World champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) will get a shot at a second straight Asian title after defeating Zagreb Open bronze medalist Maito KAWANA (JPN) 4-0 in the semifinals at 60kg. Sharshenbekov got a passivity point in each period and also scored with a stepout and a penalty point for fleeing. 

13:45: Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) gets a big throw from par terre and leads Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) 5-2 at the break. But Chung goes big in the second period and scores a four! He leads 6-5 with Fidakhmetov trying hard to get to Chung. Nothing works for him and Chung is into the final at 60kg. This also means that Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) will be returning without a medal.

13:10: The semifinals for the day are set. A short break before we head straight into semis

60kg
Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) vs Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Maito KAWANA (JPN)

67kg
Abror ATABAEV (UZB) vs. Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ)
Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) vs. Reza Mahdi ABBASI (IRI)

72kg
Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) vs. Ali AL ABBOODAH (IRQ)
Sajjad IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI) vs. Jian TAN (CHN)

82kg
Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI)
Dias KALEN (KAZ) vs. Yuya MAETA (JPN)

97kg
Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) vs. Yiming LI (CHN)
U. DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Narinder CHEEMA (IND)

13:10: After winning a third Asian bronze last year, Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) kept up his bid for a higher place on the podium when he scraped out a 3-1 victory over Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ) to advance to the 97kg semifinals.

13:01: Defending champion Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) fell behind against unheralded Yuta NARA (JPN), but a takedown and gut wrench put him on the path to a 7-5 victory and into the semifinals at 97kg. Nara got a gut wrench from par terre in the first period and nearly put the Iranian onto his back. It was a gutsy performance from Nara, who had never finished higher than seventh in three previous trips to the Asian Championships.

12:40: The Iranian juggernaut finally hits a bump, as Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ) rallies for a 4-3 victory over Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) in the quarterfinals at 60kg. Mohsen Nejad appeared to go ahead late in the match, but a challenge for using his leg wiped out his points. Fidakhmetov was a bronze medalist a year ago in Mongolia, while Mohsen Nejad won the silver. 

12:31: Sajjad IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI) begins his bid to join the Iranian gold rush, getting the big throw in a 6-1 win over VIKAS (IND) in the quarterfinals at 72kg. 

12:25: Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) gets a 4-point throw in the first period and advances to the 67kg semifinals with a 5-0 victory over HUSIYEUETU (CHN), the winner of the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in February.

12:16: Top-seed Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), the silver medalist in 2020, is into the semifinals at 72kg with a 5-1 win over 2022 bronze medalist Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ).

12:05: Abror ABTAEV (UZB) unleashes his powers. He sends Firuz MIRZORADZHABOV (TJK) twice and wins 10-1 at 67kg. Top-class throws from the former U17 world champion

12:04: Veteran Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ), a two-time former champion and six-time medalist dating back to 2009, survives a qualification round scare from Hong Yu CHEN (TPE), holding on for a 7-5 victory.

12:00: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) gets to a beautiful throw twice against Aslamdzhon AZIZOV (TJK) but both times Azizov placed one of his legs on the mat before the throw. The throws were scored two points once and four points the second time. A gut wrench gives Chung a 9-0 win but Azizov challenges. No change in the decision and Chung wins 10-0.

11:52: World U23 bronze medalist Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN) starts his campaign at 67kg with a victory by fall over Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ). Kogabe got a takedown and gut wrench for a four-point, then took Beishekeev down directly to his back.

11:32: Welcome again from Astana and the second day of the Asian Championships. Today, we will finish up the competition in Greco-Roman with the remaining five weight classes, 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg. Among those taking the mat are defending champions Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) at 60kg and Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) at 97kg.