#WrestleNewDelhi

Sunil Rallies to Give Host India a Finalist on Opening Day of Asian Championships

Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 10:31 By Ken Marantz

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NEW DELHI (Feb. 18)---Kumar SUNIL (IND) took losing in the final at last year’s Asian Championships personally. With a furious comeback in the semifinals, he put himself into position to make amends in front of home crowd.

Sunil stormed back from an 8-2 deficit to defeat Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ), 12-8 to make the final of Greco-Roman 87kg on the opening day of action at this year’s Asian Championships in New Delhi.

In the medal round in the night session at K.D. Jadhav Wrestling Stadium, Sunil will face Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ), who became a beneficiary of a late injury suffered by Behrooz HEDAYAT (IRI) in their semifinal. Hedayat was leading 7-0 when an apparent knee injury forced him to stop with just seven seconds left in the match. 

Even with Hedayat’s misfortune, a second-string Iranian squad had the most wrestlers make the five finals with three. Korea and Uzbekistan had two each, with host India, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan having one each. 

Sunil, who lost to Hossein NOURI (IRI) in the Asian final last year in Xi’an, China, fell behind in the semifinal when Kustubayev stopped the Indian’s back suplex attempt twice, each giving him four points.

Sunil, started his comeback with a takedown and two rolls to tie the score, although it left him trailing on criteria. With 1:13 left, he went ahead with a stepout, then added two more (the second a 2-point fleeing) for the 12-8 win.

“I’m feeling really good,” Sunil said. “I thought the opponent had less endurance.”

Coach Bhusan Prasad SHASHI (IND) said Sunil was still feeling the sting of last year’s loss in the final 

“It is more personal that he should win,” Shashi said. “We have prepared to get the gold medal.”

Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) will square off against SONG Jinseub (KOR) in the 63kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Meanwhile, Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) showed he is feeling more at home at his usual weight of Greco-Roman 63kg, and just how dominant he remains on his home continent.

Tasmuradov, a Rio 2018 Olympic bronze medalist aiming for his fifth career Asian gold and first since 2018, stormed by world U-23 champion Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) by 10-1 technical fall in the semifinals.

Tasmuradov, who dropped to the Olympic weight class of 60kg at the World Championships and secured an spot at Tokyo 2020 by placing fifth, will face SONG Jinseub (KOR) in the finals.

Song emerged from the lighter bracket by beating Mohammad ALAJMI (KUW), 8-1 in his semifinal. In his opening match in the quarterfinals, Song rallied from a 7-0 deficit against Mubinhon AKMEDOV (TJK) to go ahead 8-7 in the first period, then held on to win by that score.

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is one of three Iranian finalists. He'll wrestle KIM Minseok (KOR) in the 130kg finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

The Iranian finalists are Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) at 55kg, Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) at 77kg and Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI).

Naserpour, a 2018 world junior champion, survived a scare in his semifinal victory over Arjun HALAKURKI (IND), rallying for a 8-7 victory, after which he appeared to lose consciousness. After remaining prone of the mat and being checked by a doctory, he woozily got to his feet to have his hand raised, then was helped off the mat. 

In the final, Naserpour will face Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB), who grinded up 2019 bronze medalist Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) by 8-0 technical fall. 

Last year’s runner-up, Hiromu KATAGIRI (JPN), fell in the qualification round to Sardarbek KONUSHBAEV (KGZ), who subsequently lost in the quarterfinals to Zhakansha.

Postham defeated Renat ILIAZ UULU (KGZ) 5-0 in the semifinals to set up a showdown in the final with Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ), who has already improved on his bronze medal from 2019 after sweeping aside Sultan Ali EID (JOR) by 8-0 technical fall.

Mirzazedah, a 2018 world junior champion, will face KIM Minseok (KOR) for the gold. Mirzadedeh topped Arata SONODA (JPN), 6-1, while Kim scored a 9-1 technical fall over Singh MEHAR (IND)

The tournament is missing teams from China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Turkmenistan, due to circumstances related the new coronavirus outbreak mainly in China.

Greco-Roman

55kg (9 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) df. Arjun HALAKURKI (IND), 8-7
SEMIFINAL - Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB) df. Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) by TF, 8-0 (1:40)

63kg (10 entries)
SEMIFINAL - SONG Jinseub (KOR) df. Mohammad ALAJMI (KUW), 8-1
SEMIFINAL - Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) by TF, 10-1, 5:13

77kg (13 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ) df. Sultan Ali EID (JOR) by TF, 8-0, 1:52
SEMIFINAL - Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) df. Renat ILIAZ UULU (KGZ), 5-0

87kg (9 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Kumar SUNIL (IND) df. Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ), 12-8
SEMIFINAL - Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ) df. Behrooz HEDAYAT (IRI) by Inj. Def., 5:53 (0-7)

130kg (8 entries)
SEMIFINAL - KIM Minseok (KOR) df. Singh MEHAR (IND) by TF, 9-1, 2:17
SEMIFINAL - Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Arata SONODA (JPN), 6-1

#WrestleSamokov

Shkarin, Javadov complete Worlds and Europeans U20 golden double

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 16:31 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 22) -- Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) managed to pull off a continental and world double by winning the gold medal at the World U20 Championships on Friday. He won the gold medal at the European U20 Championships in July.

This is the second straight year that Shkarin has done that as he won the world and European U17 last year.

Wrestling Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) in the 82kg final, Shkarin came out with his best defense in par terre to defend his 4-1 lead and win the gold medal.

"Last year I won Worlds and Europeans U17s, now Worlds and Europeans U20s," Shkarin said. "I don’t see anything supernatural in this. Everything is just working out for me."

Shkarin was in top form throughout the tournament with three technical superiority wins in three bouts and it was only in the final that he was test and did not manage to finish his bout before time.

In the semifinals, Shkarin blanked Martik PETROSYAN (ARM) while Seitkaliyev defeated Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) in the other semifinal. However, Shkarin was hoping to get a rematch against Yoshida who had defeated Shkarin in the 2023 world U17 final.

"The motivation for me at this World Championship was that I really wanted to take revenge on the Japanese wrestler," Shkarin said. "I even told my friends that I could leave this championship upset only if I lost to the Japanese again. Nothing else would upset me as much. But it’s not my fault, it’s his -- he didn’t reach the final."

With the World U20 gold won, Shkarin will look to move to the Olympic weight class -- 87kg -- next year and plan his journey towards winning the Olympic medal in the future.

"Next year I want to move up to the 87 kg weight category," he said. "I’ll start working on my physical shape, try to gain muscle mass, and gradually settle into the 87 kg weight class. I want to try competing at seniors level."

Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE)Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) celebrates after winning the gold medal at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The last time the World U20 Championships were held in Bulgaria, Azerbaijan won crowned three champions in Greco-Roman. However, at the next two editions, the country failed to win gold.

The 2025 edition of the U20 Worlds, back in Bulgaria, seems to have brought luck back for Azerbaijan as the nation won its first gold in Greco-Roman in the first final.

European U20 champion and two-time world U17 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) added a gold at the U20 level in his first year by beating Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) in the 60kg final.

The 18-year-old showed no signs of discomfort in the new age-group and won three out of his five bouts via technical superiority or fall. In the final, he maintained a good lead throughout and defeat Mkhitaryan, also 18 years old, 12-5.

Javadov was put in par terre in he first period and Mkhitaryan scored two turns using gut0-wrench for a 5-0 lead but as he was trying to complete the third one, Javadov blocked him and scored two points. Armenia challenged the call but it was clear block and two points and Mkhitaryan led 5-3 at the break.

Javadov got the par terre in the second period but he failed to score any points. It was the third passivity with which the momentum of the final changed. Javadov asked for par terre after third passivity, which doesn't award any points. But Javadov managed to turn him for two and then a reverse lift for another two points to lead 8-5.

Mkhitaryan tried to jump over the head but it did not work out as Javadov controlled him and slammed him on mat for four points. He ultimately won 12-5.

"Since childhood I have been very self-confident," Javadov said. "Age makes no difference, I always believe I deserve first place."

Javadov has now not faced defeat for three years and the gold medal in Samokov. But the debut at U20 Worlds made him a little nervous.

"I couldn’t fully prepare mentally for the final bout, most likely my opponent wasn’t that good either," he said. "I made a couple of mistakes and gave up points, but then I managed to pull myself together. In the second period I realized that my opponent was very tired, and I understood that I could take the advantage and win."

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) df. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), 12-5

BRONZE: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Omer ALTAS (TUR), 9-0 (victory via cautions)
BRONZE: SURAJ (IND) df. Lucas LO GRASSO (FRA), 1-1

82kg
GOLD: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) df. Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) df. PRINCE (IND), 11-0
BRONZE: Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) df. Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 8-0