#WrestleIstanbul

Saturday's U17 World Championships semifinals set

Friday, August 4, 2023 - 21:39 By Eric Olanowski

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ISTANBUL, Turkiye (August 5) --- The sixth day of wrestling at the 2023 U17 World Championships continues with freestyle action at 45kg, 51kg, 60kg, 71kg and 92kg.

The morning session, which starts at 11:00 (local time), will run through the quarterfinals before taking our mid-day break. We'll return at 17:00 for the semifinals, then roll directly into the first set of women's wrestling medal bouts at 18:00.

Friday's opening session will feature 25 medalists from this year's continental champions, including 11 wrestlers who reached the top of the podium at the 2023 Asian, European, African or Pan-American Championships.

Everything you need to know:
📍Istanbul, Turkiye 🇹🇷
🗓️: July 31-August 6
Qualification: 11:00
🥇🥈🥉= 18:00
#️⃣: #WrestleIstanbul
🖥️: uww.org 
📱: UWW App

Saturday's semifinal matches:
45kg
Ahora Farhad KHATERI (IRI) vs. Ignacio Victor VILLASENOR (USA) 
Ebubekir GUR (TUR) vs. Gor BUNIATYAN (ARM) 

51kg 
Ahora Farhad KHATERI (IRI) vs. Ignacio Victor VILLASENOR (USA) 
Ebubekir GUR (TUR) vs. Gor BUNIATYAN (ARM) 

60kg
Zandanbat BATSAIKHAN (MGL) vs. Akito MAEHARA (JPN) 
Sajad Gholamhassan PIRDAYEH (IRI) vs. Jamal ABBASOV (AZE) 

71kg ​​​​​​​
Seyedabolfazl Seyed Ayyoub HOSSEINI (IRI) vs. Islam Aslanovitch KAZHAROV (AIN) 
Narender NARENDER (IND) vs. Ladarion Artez LOCKETT (USA) 

92kg
Genki HOKI (JPN) vs. Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO) 
Vinay VINAY (IND) vs. Eyyup CETIN (TUR) 

Here's a list of the reigning continental champs in action on Saturday:
45kg - Jafar JAFAROV (AZE)
45kg - Ahora Farhad KHATERI (IRI)
51kg - Giorgi MAISURADZE (GEO)
60kg - Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ)
60kg - Jamal ABBASOV (AZE)
71kg - Mohamed Elaid CHIBIKH (ALG)
71kg - Narek NIKOGHOSYAN (ARM)
71kg - Seyedabolfazl Seyed Ayyoub HOSSEINI (IRI)
92kg - Toohid Amirali NOORY (IRI)
92kg - Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO)

​​​​​​​14:30: That'll do it for the morning session. Tonight's semifinals start at 17:00, followed by the first set of freestyle medal matches at 18:00.

14:17: This session has two matches per mat left. We'll close out the session with a clash of reigning continental champions, as U17 Asian champion Toohid Amirali NOORY (IRI) will square off against U17 European champion Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO). They'll wrestle next on Mat B.

14:08: How about this? Aeoden James SINCLAIR (USA), who is currently wrestling Toohid Amirali NOORY (IRI) on Mat C, is being cornered by former UFC star Ben ASKREN (USA).

13:37: Pieter Lafras UYS (NAM) is next up on Mat A. He'll be the first athlete from Namibia to compete at the U17 World Championships. He's wrestling against Aliaksei KULAKOU (AIN).

13:33: U17 European champion Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO) will make his 2023 world championship debut in two matches on Mat A. The Georgian will take on Isomjon ISLAMOV (UZB) for a spot in the 92kg quarterfinals.

13:26: We have three 1/8-final matches left on each mat before we roll into today's quarterfinals. 

13:15: U17 European champion Jamal ABBASOV (AZE) leads Benjamin Adam DAVINO (USA), 3-0, at the break. The Azeri shot a low-level head-inside single to his American opponent's left leg and scored the first two of the mat. He also scored an inactivity point, extending his lead to 3-0.

A second-period takedown while on the shot clock pushed Abbasov to the 5-0 win over Davion.

12:57: Rohit struck when it mattered the most, taking Castillo down with 12 seconds to steal the match, 5-4. He'll meet the winner of Bout 596 between Giorgi MAISURADZE (GEO) and Vladimir ICHIZLI (MDA). 

12:40: Castillo leads Rohit after the first period, 3-0. He scored a takedown off one of Rohit's shots and a shot clock point.

12:18: I just confirmed that 2023 U17 European champion Giorgi MAISURADZE (GEO), who is coming up against Vladimir ICHIZLI (MDA) on Mat A, has no relation to 2023 Senior European bronze medalist Mariani MAISURADZE (GEO). Georgia's coach said, "They have the same name, but are not brothers or cousins. There is no relation."

11:58: Reigning U17 world finalist Christian Aaron CASTILLO (USA) will be making his way to Mat C shortly. He'll wrestle Rohit ROHIT (IND), who finished in second place at this year's U17 European Championships.

11:41: What a match! Gur scored eight second-period points to upset Jafarov, 9-8. After the match, he ran over to the Turkish-flag-waving fans and gave the biggest flex. Safe to say after that was one he really wanted--especially after losing to Jafaov earlier this year.

11:32: The first of today's continental champions Jafar JAFAROV (AZE) is up now on Mat C. He's wrestling Ebubekir GUR (TUR) in a rematch from the 2023 U17 European Championships, where Jafarov won 16-7.

11:25: It took exactly 25 minutes to get the early morning repechage rounds out of the way. They are now calling the qualification matches to each mat.

10:44: We're 15 minutes away from starting the final full day of wrestling in Istanbul. There will be four repechage matches to determine tonight's bronze medalists before we get into today's qualification rounds. In the past few days, the repechage matches have taken around 25 minutes.

#WrestleTirana

Sadulaev shuts down Taylor in World Championships showdown

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - 11:59 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 30) -- Two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) would have expected his return to the World Championships to make all the noise in Tirana. After all, it had been two years since he last competed at the World Championships.

Enter Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) and David TAYLOR (USA). The former, who last won the world title in 2021, was not able to compete at the Paris Olympics and was injured during the semifinal of the 2023 World Championships.

Taylor, world champion in 2023, missed the Paris Olympics after losing the trials in the United States, announced his retirement and took a coaching job. He came out of retirement and decided to compete at the World Championships and retire.

Both are not 92kg wrestlers. Sadulaev has been a true 97kg for eight years now. Taylor is competing at this weight for the first time after dominating 86kg for years. But the two were pitted against each other in the opening round of the World Championships in Tirana at 92kg.

The small Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana did not have space to sit. So where one could, they stood to watch the two wrestle. Saudulaev in a singlet not meant for his 92kg body. Taylor, in his customary elbow on the thigh and waiting for his opponent.

No one knew what was going to happen. Sadulaev was reducing weight, and Taylor was gaining. How would the two match up? It was this lack that prompted the fans to cheer for both. But after the first period, the picture became much clearer. Sadulaev shut down Taylor's offense and came out of the pressure bout 7-0.

After the initial collar ties, Taylor went for the offense. He got on Sadulaev's leg and tried the lift but Sadulaev was swift to get out of the hold. Taylor continued his attack. That's the only way he knows wrestling. Taylor took another offensive shot and Sadulaev, with lessons from the previous attack, pressured forward to neutralize the attack and scored a go-behind for two. Sadulaev resorted to heavy snapdowns and Taylor wasn't able to defend the second one. Within two minutes, Sadulaev was up 4-0.

The speed and power was Sadulaev was impressively superior to that of Taylor who decided to change a little in the second period. He went for the far leg of Sadulaev. But Sadulaev was quick and spun behind Taylor and scored a takedown with less than two minutes left.

By this time, Ghasempour had finished his bout on the other mat. He defeated Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) 6-0 in a rather slow bout.

Sadulaev now had to defend his 5-0 lead. Taylor continued his aggressive approach and got on Sadulaev's right leg. What he did not expect was the quick counter from Sadulaev who pushed Taylor and scored an exposure for two. It was evident that Taylor could not match Sadulaev.

David TAYLOR (USA)David TAYLOR (USA) in the warm-up hall after his bout against Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) at 92kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

"I did not score on the two times I shot and he did," Taylor said after the bout. "That was the difference. I needed to score on those two occasions."

Taylor and Sadulaev went to the warm-up hall but the former sat for more than 45 minutes in silence. He finally broke his silence and talked to the United States coaches after his leg attacks. After spending 30 more minutes gathering his thoughts, Taylor packed his bags and left.

On the training mats, Ghasempour and Sadulaev jogged before cooling down after their bouts. If both continue to win, they are expected to meet in the semifinals.

The match will be rather important for Taylor as well. He will hope for a Sadulaev win which will give him the chance to wrestle for the bronze medal.

"I expect him to make the finals and come back tomorrow," Taylor said. "I need to wrestle better that is my focus for now."

If he does wrestle Thursday, fans will only be treated to another blockbuster. A Ghasemoour-Taylor bout. The only downside will be that one will go home empty-handed.