#WrestleOlegKaravaev

Sasunouski Stops No. 1 Kus; Belarus Wins Oleg Karavev Team Title

By Eric Olanowski

MINSK, Belarus (July 28) --- Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) gave the host nation one of their four Oleg Karavaev golds and sealed up the third seed at September’s World Championships with a late clutch throw in the 82kg finals against the No.1-ranked wrestler in the world Emrah KUS (TUR). 

In the opening period of the gold-medal match, Sasunouski conceded an inactivity point and an exposure and fell behind 3-0 to last year’s Budapest world runner-up. Sasunouski scored first in the second period and trailed 3-1 when he threw a desperation headlock -- which was good enough to pick up two correct throw points. Sasunouski hung on to edge Kus, 3-3 on criteria. 

Sasunouski came into the Oleg Karavaev as the fourth-ranked wrestler in the world at 82kg, but after his title-winning efforts in his home country, he’s passed Iran’s Saeid ABDVALI for the third seed heading into Nur-Sultan. 

The three other Belarusians gold medalists were Pavel LIAKH, Radzik KULIYEU and Siarhei STARADUB. They won their titles at 77kg, 87kg and 97kg, respectively.

In 77kg gold-medal match, Liakh cruised to an 11-0 win over Japan’s Shohei YABIKU and earned his second career Oleg Karavaev gold medal, but first since the 2016 season. 

Kuliyeu earned the hard-fought victory in the 87kg finals over Dogan GOKTAS (TUR) and will move into the fourth seed at the World Championships. Hungary’s Erik SZILVASSY and Viktor LORINCZ are ranked third and fourth, respectively, but will have to forfeit one of the top-four spots because each nation can only enter one wrestler per nation into the World Championships. Hungary’s forfeiture of one of their top-four seeds moved Islam ABBASOV (AZE) into the fourth seed, but since he’s didn’t compete this weekend, Kuliyeu needed nine points to overthrow the Azeri for the fourth spot. He ended up collecting 16 Ranking Series points and is now the fourth-ranked wrestler in the world at 87kg. 

The final Belarusian gold medal of the tournament went to Siarhei Staradub who took down Suleyman DEMIRCI (TUR), 6-1 in the 97kg finals. 

Belarus (147 points), on the backs of the four gold medalists, won the team title two points ahead of second-place Russia (145 points). Turkey rounded out the top three of the team race with 113 points. 

KIM Seunghak (KOR) won his third consecutive Ranking Series title with a 3-1 win over Ahmet UYAR (TUR) in the 60kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Kim Wins Third Consecutive Ranking Series Title
KIM Seunghak (KOR) came into Minsk riding one of the hottest streaks in all of wrestling and added yet another Ranking Series title to his resume with a 3-1 victory over Ahmet UYAR (TUR) in the 60kg gold-medal bout.

Kim started his season off with a fifth-place finish at the Grand Prix of Zagreb, but has since won Ranking Series golds at three straight events. He's had title-winning performances at the Hungarian Grand Prix and the City of Sassari tournament in Sardinia and now the Oleg Karavaev. 

Kim has now earned the second seed at 60kg. He was stationed 14 points behind Victor CIOBANU (MDA), last year’s world runner-up, but with the 16 points he earned at the Oleg Karavaev, the Korean passed the Moldovan wrestler for the world’s second Ranking. 


Mohamed ELSAYED stuck two-time world champion Hansu RYU (KOR) in the 67kg finals.

ElSayed Wins Battle of Past World Champs 
In a battle of past world champions, Egypt’s Mohamed ELSAYED stuck RYU Hansu (KOR) in the 67kg finals after dominating the match from whistle-to-whistle. 

ElSayed, the reigning U23 world champion, had a large lead on Ryu, the two-time world champion, before tossing the Korean wrestler to his back for the fall.

Ryu was clearly frustrated when he got up to his feet and demanded that his corner challenge the initial four-point action -- saying it was a leg four. Ultimately, an additional point was tacked on for the failed challenge and ElSayed grabbed his first Ranking Series title of his career.

RESUTLS

Final Team Standings 
GOLD - Belarus (147 points) 
SILVER - Russia (145 points) 
BRONZE - Turkey (113 points) 
FOURTH -Kazakhstan (88 points) 
FIFTH - Uzbekistan (67 points) 

Gold Medal Results
55kg - Emin Narimanovitch SEFERSHAEV (RUS) df. Manjeet MANJEET (IND), 9-0 
60kg - Seunghak KIM (KOR) df. Ahmet UYAR (TUR) , 3-1 
63kg -  Shinobu OTA (JPN) df. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 11-1 
67kg - Mohamed Ibrahim Elsayed Ibrahi ELSAYED (EGY) df. Hansu RYU (KOR), via fall 
72kg - Magomed YARBILOV (RUS) df. Narek OGANIAN (RUS), 3-2 
77kg -  Pavel LIAKH (BLR) df. Shohei YABIKU (JPN), 11-0 
82kg -  Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) df. Emrah KUS (TUR), 3-3
87kg - Radzik KULIYEU (BLR) df. Dogan GOKTAS (TUR), 2-2 
97kg - Siarhei STARADUB (BLR) df. Suleyman DEMIRCI (TUR), 6-1 
130kg - Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) df. Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY), 9-0 

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 World Championships 2025 GR & WW Day 3 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 22) -- The U23 World Championships third day will see Greco-Roman action in 60kg and 82kg while Women's Wrestling in 50kg, 72kg and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 2 RESULTS

14:05: Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) looks in good form as she reaches the semifinals at 50kg with a 10-0 win over Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN).

13:55: Ibrahim TABAEV (BEL) takes out Alperen BERBER (TUR) at 82kg. Tabaev was down 4-1 but got the par terre in the second period and scored a suplex which was scored two points as he led 4-4 on criteria. Tabaev countered Berber for another takedown later for a 6-4 lead. Berber, visibly frustrated being down, is docked two points for aggressive wrestling. Tabaev defends his lead to win 8-4.

13:35: Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) hits a double leg attack to get the first four points on her match against Haticenur SARI (TUR) at 72kg. Then gets the half nelson for a fall and move on to the semifinals.

13:25: It all happened in the first period but Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) gets the fall over Greili BENCOSME CARVAJAL (CUB) at 50kg despite trailing 7-5. Carvajal used the gut-wrench to lead 7-2 but Kerymova scored a reversal and then got the Cuban in a danger position before securing the fall, seven seconds before the break.

13:22: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) is a menace! He goes front headlock and Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) with two big throws and he leads 7-0 before he pressures Satayev to give up a takedown and Gutu into the semifinals at 82kg.

13:15: Off the whistle and Koto GOMI (JPN) hits a body lock for four against former U20 world champion Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM). Gomi then tries an arm throw but blocked by Aghajanyan. Both wrestlers move out of zone in par terre but Armenia challenges for a point. Challenge is lost which makes Gomi's lead 5-0. Aghajanyan scores a takedown to make it 5-2 but Gomi answers with a stepout. A takedown from Gomi to start the second period as he extends his lead to 8-2. Gomi blocks an attempted throw from Aghajanyan and gets two more points to win 10-2 at 60kg.

13:10: Kylie WELKER (USA) with a five! She moves behind Nyla BURGESS (CAN) and performs a suplex to to get the five points. Three turns and it's all over as she wins 11-0.

12:55: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) with a massive comeback against Svenja JUNGO (SUI) at 50kg. Jimenez was down 6-0 before scoring two takedowns to make it 6-4. She then hit a four-pointer to take a 8-6 lead. Jungo with a few fake shots but Jiminez with an easy 12-6 win.

12:40: Greili BENCOSME CARVAJAL (CUB) hands Minoriho YONEHARA (JPN) at 6-3 defeat at the 50kg. Three different takedowns by Carvajal while Yonehara could only manage points in the last minute.

12:35: Returning silver medalist Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) and Samandar BOBONAZAROV (UZB) exchange four-pointers but Belelashvili breaks Bobonazarov in the second period to beat him 10-7 at 82kg.

12:30: Alperen BERBER (TUR) survives an onslaught from Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) in their 82kg bout to win 5-3. Aliyev started the second period with takedown and then also got the par terre position but failed to score any points as Berber defended his lead.

12:20: U17 world champion Yuqi LIU (CHN) manages to hold off Diksha MALIK (IND), 9-3, in her opening bout at 72kg. Liu has medals at all age-group World Championships but is chasing her first at U23 level.

12:10: Alexandru GUTU (MDA) hits a massive give on Reon KAKEGAWA (JPN) in the 82kg bout! Gutu is looking for his second U23 world title. 

12:00: After another round of repechage, wrestling continues with 1/16 finals. At 72kg, Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) hits her trademark four-pointer to pin Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR).

11:15: Sviatlana KATENKA (UWW) locked Hanny KUMARI (IND) with a double arm lock and threw her for four before securing the fall with three seconds left. Katenka was down 4-2 with 10 seconds left when she went for the move.

11:10: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) starts her campaign at 50kg with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Asmar JANKURTARAN (AZE). Pudova is one of the favorites for gold at this weight class

11:00: Minoriho YONEHARA (JPN) was more cautious of Andela VASILJEVIC (SRB) in their 50kg match as Vasilkevic did look like novice. Yonehara works five takedowns to beat Vasiljevic

10:45: Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR) hits a takedown in the final 25 seconds to see off Abolfazl MOHMEDI (IRI) at 82kg. Mohmedi enjoyed a 3-1 lead and seemed headed towards a win. However, Abdiiev dragged him down for a takedown and then got a stepout as well to win 4-3.

10:30: Returning champion Kylie WELKER (USA) with a quick technical superiority win over U20 world silver medalist PRIYA (IND) at 76kg. Welker is a recent senior World Championships bronze medalist

10:20: After the repechage bouts, we are straight into the qualifications in GR 60kg, 82kg and WW 50kg, 72kg and 76kg.