U23 World C'ships

Semenov Avenges 2015 Loss, Kawana and Emelin Deliver Fireworks

Wednesday, November 22, 2017 - 21:16 By Taylor Miller

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BYDGOSZCZ, Poland - Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) won his fifth World championship on Wednesday night at the U23 World Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Semenov knocked off three-time Junior World champion and two-time Cadet World champion Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) in the 130 kg finals. Pataridze led 3-3 on criteria at the break but was hit with caution and two, giving Semenov the advantage and eventually the win.

The two have history as Pataridze kept Semenov from winning three Junior World titles, defeating him in the 2015 Junior World finals.

At 59 kg, Masuto KAWANA (JPN) defeated Sergey EMELIN (RUS) in a high-flying match that featured four lead changes and 29 points scored.

24 of those points came in the second period, which was full of gut wrenches, head locks, throws and challenges. A late second-period feet-to-back move from Masuto gave him the advantage that he was able to hold onto in the final seconds despite a hard-fighting Russian.

Kawana won the bout, 15-14.

2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2014 Junior World champion Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) pulled out a 2-0 win over 2017 Russian Championships bronze winner Alen MIRZOIAN (RUS) in the 66 kg gold-medal match. The bout consisted of two passivity points, which were in favor of the Georgian.

At 80 kg, Burhan AKBUDAK (Turkey) knocked off 2015 World silver medalist Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) with a 2-1 win. Akbudak, a 2015 Junior World silver medalist, was awarded two second-period passivity points en route to his first World title.

Greco-Roman final results
59 kg
Gold - Masuto KAWANA (JPN) dec. Sergey EMELIN (RUS), 15-14
Bronze - Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) tech. fall Avgustin Boyanov SPASOV (BUL), 8-0
Bronze - Sakit GULIYEV (AZE) tech. fall Przemyslaw PIATEK (POL), 8-0

66 kg
Gold - Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) vs. Alen MIRZOIAN (RUS), 2-0
Bronze - Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) dec. Abylaikhan AMZEYEV (KAZ), 5-1
Bronze - Gaoquan ZHANG (CHN) dec. Roman PACURKOWSKI (POL), 2-1

80 kg
Gold - Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) dec. Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), 2-1
Bronze - Rosian Ognyanov DERMANSKI (BUL) dec. Stanislau SHAFARENKA (BLR), 3-2
Bronze - Andrii ANTONIUK (UKR) dec. Alex Michel BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE), 6-1

130 kg
Gold - Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) dec. Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), 5-3
Bronze - Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) dec. Amin Mohammadzaman MIRZAZADEH (IRI), 3-1
Bronze - Jello KRAHMER (GER) dec. Arata SONODA (JPN), 3-1

 

Obituary

U.S. Greco-Roman star Alan Vera passes away

Wednesday, September 25, 2024 - 07:21 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 24) -- United States Greco-Roman wrestler and Pan-Am champion Alan VERA (USA) passed away Monday. Vera suffered a sudden cardiac arrest earlier this year and had been hospitalized since then in recovery from his serious health challenges.

Vera was born in Cuba and won a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan American Games and a gold medal at the 2016 Pan American Championships, while competing for Cuba. He immigrated to the United States and lived in Florida for a number of years. He continued to train and compete in Greco-Roman and various international events for a few years.

Vera qualified the U.S. for the Paris Olympics in 97kg at the 2024 Pan-American Olympic Qualification Tournament in Acapulco, Mexico.

Very saddened to hear about Alan Vera’s passing. In my limited time around him he was always willing to help on the mat, and offer a laugh at a terrible joke I made

— Kyle Dake (@kyledake444) September 24, 2024
 

Domestically, Vera claimed his first U.S. national title in 2020, and won four national titles during his career.

Vera was married to Elena PIROZKHOVA (USA), a two-time Olympian and former world champion.

United World Wrestling mourns the death of Vera and stands with the Vera family.