#WrestleSofia

Sonam Wins Second World Title, Japan Captures Three Gold at #WrestleSofia

Thursday, August 1, 2019 - 19:22 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Sonam SONAM (IND).

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Sonam SONAM (IND) earned her second Cadet World title and third-straight Cadet World medal on Thursday night, winning the 65 kg weight class in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Sonam shut down Binbin XIANG (CHN) in the gold-medal match, scoring a four-point takedown in the second period for a 7-1 victory. With the win, Sonam added to her 2017 Cadet World gold and 2018 Cadet World bronze

Japan earned three World champions out of five weight classes.

The first champion of the night for Japan was Nagisa HARADA (JPN), who knocked off returning World champion Luchana BEKBAULOVA (RUS) in the 43 kg gold match.

Harada scored in the first period on a step out, and in the last few seconds of the match, she picked up a takedown to ice the match and take a 3-1 win.

Japan also won the next two weights, 49 kg and 57 kg.

At 49 kg, 2018 U15 Asian champion Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) defeated Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA), 5-2. Rodriguez led 2-1 in the final minute, but Miyooka scored two takedowns to for an insurmountable 5-2 lead and eventual win.

Winning gold at 57 kg was Ruka NATAMI (JPN), who also faced an American in the finals, Skylar HATTENDORF (USA). Natami collected a takedown in each period for a 4-0 shutout, giving Japan its third World champion of the night.

In the last gold match of the night, 2019 Cadet European champion outlasted 2019 Cadet Asian champion Yifeng LU (CHN) in a 4-3 decision.

Action continues tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals matchups
43 kg
GOLD: Nagisa HARADA (JPN) dec. Luchana BEKBAULOVA (RUS), 3-0
BRONZE: Zerda DEMIR (TUR) dec. Nazik MIRLAN KYZY (KGZ), 6-0
BRONZE: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. Madhuri PATEL (IND), fall

49 kg
GOLD: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) dec. Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA), 5-2
BRONZE: Valeryia KAPUSTSINA (BLR) dec. Yung Hsun LIN (TPE), 2-1
BRONZE: Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL) dec. Xiaomin XIE (CHN), 6-6

57 kg
GOLD: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) dec. Skylar HATTENDORF (USA), 4-0
BRONZE: Alina KASABIEVA (RUS) dec. Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE), 8-0
BRONZE: Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Yifan TANG (CHN), 12-2

65 kg
GOLD: Sonam SONAM (IND) dec. Binbin XIANG (CHN), 7-1
BRONZE: Ekaterina GLUKHAREVA (RUS) df. Khadija JLASSI (TUN), 10-0
BRONZE: Rushana ABDIRASULOVA (UZB) dec. Veronica BRASCHI (ITA), 4-2

73 kg
GOLD: Olga KOZYREVA (RUS) dec. Yifeng LU (CHN), 4-3
BRONZE: Julia FRIDLUND (SWE) dec. Pooja POOJA (IND), 3-2
BRONZE: Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) dec. Nazar BATIR (TUR), 7-0

 

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds 2025: Iran, U.S. put two each in Freestyle finals

Friday, August 1, 2025 - 14:57 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- Iran and the United States emerged as the best performers on day one of Freestyle competition at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece after placing two wrestlers each in the gold medal bouts.

Five Freestyle weight classes were in action on Friday, as the tournament entered its final three days.

Iran and the U.S. will face off in the 48kg final after Ariah MILLS (USA) and Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) won their respective semifinals.

Mills defeated European U17 champion Ravan HASANZADE (AZE) 7-2 using his attacking style. After being put on the activity clock, Mills began his attacks and though he was not able to score in the 30-second, he hit a single leg for four points that gave him a 4-1 lead going into the break.

Hasanzade got on the leg attacks but Mills was quick to counter and scored an exposure for two points which was challenged by Azerbaijan. On review, it was given only two points for Mills and Azerbaijan lost the challenge and Mills reached the final 7-2.

Boustani had to stop some serious attacks from Masamune USHIMADO (JPN) in the second period. After taking a 6-0 lead, Boustani was put in danger by Ushimado as he scored a takedown. He then made it 6-3 with a stepout. With 13 seconds remaining, he hit another big throw but it was scored just two points as Boustani won 6-5.

The second finalist for the U.S. was Pan-Am U17 champion Arsenii KIKINIOU (USA) who came from behind to beat Morteza HAJ (IRI), 3-2, in the 65kg semifinals. Trailing 2-0, Kikiniou first scored a stepout and then managed to transition a leg attack into takedown with 13 seconds left. He held on to his lead to win.

For the gold, he will face 2024 silver medalist from 60kg, Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) who barely went past Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 3-1, in the other semifinal. Ismayilov was down 1-1 on criteria but scored point just in time to win the match.

Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) was the second finalist for Iran after he dominated Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ) and beat him 11-4 in the 80kg semifinals. For the gold, he will take on European U17 champion Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) after the Ukrainian earned himself a chance to win a world U17 goldm reaching the final with a 2-1 win over  Issa ZANGIEV (UWW).

At 55kg, returning bronze medalist from 51kg Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) denied Greyton BURNETT (USA) after beating him 8-2 in the semifinal. Okonogi never let Burnett to settle down and scored three takedowns in his win.

Having already upgraded his medal, Okonogi will look to win the gold over Asian U17 silver medalist Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UWW) who scored a late stepout to win his semifinal against Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW), who was a bronze medalist from 48kg last year.

At 110kg, it will be a battle of continental champions as European U17 champion Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) defeated Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 2-0, after getting both passivity points.

He will take on Asian U17 champion LACKY (IND) who defeated European U17 champion Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI), via fall, with a comeback.

Naghdalipour led 5-0 when he got a par terre and as he tried the gut-wrench, Lacky blocked him and scored two points. A double-leg takedown made it 5-4.

Lacky was called passive in the second period and Naghdalipout got another point and led 6-4. That is when Lacky got hold of the Iranian and sent him for four points. Iran challenged and lost, making the score 9-6 for Lacky.

Naghdalipour scored a stepout to cut the lead to 9-7 but as he tried another takedown, Lacky slammed him for four and a turn before securing the fall just as the time expired.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Ariah MILLS (USA) vs. Sina BOUSTANI (IRI)

SF 1: Ariah MILLS (USA) df. Ravan HASANZADE (AZE), 7-2
SF 2: Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) df. Masamune USHIMADO (JPN), 6-5

55kg
GOLD: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) vs. Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB)

SF 1: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) df. Greyton BURNETT (USA), 8-2 
SF 2: Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB) df. Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW), 2-1

65kg
GOLD: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) vs. Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE)

SF 1: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) df. Morteza HAJ (IRI), 3-2
SF 2: Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) df. Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 3-1

80kg
GOLD: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) vs. Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI)

SF 1: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) df. Issa ZANGIEV (UWW), 2-1
SF 2: Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) df. Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ), 11-4

110kg
GOLD: LACKY (IND) vs. Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW)

SF 1: LACKY (IND) df. Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI), via fall (15-7)
SF 2: Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) df. Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 2-0