#WrestleRome

U17 World Championships Day 3 WW semis set

By Vinay Siwach

ROME, Italy (July 27) -- Women's wrestling will begin on day three at theU17 World Championships in Rome, Italy. Five weight classes will be in action and these are 43kg, 49kg, 57kg, 65kg and 73kg. All the qualification bouts and semifinals will be held Wednesday.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 2 WRAP

14:31: The final set of semifinals is at 49kg. European champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) once again beats Sevval CAYIR (TUR). She had defeated her 8-5 at the European semis but the bout was closer in Rome as Mammadova managed to win 3-2. She will now face the Asian silver medalist Aiymgul ABYLOVA (KAZ) who beat Anja EPP (SUI) 7-2.

In the other semifinal, Mihoko TAKEUCHI (JPN) will face European silver medalist Fabiana RINELLA (ITA). Takeuchi leg-laced Anastasiia ZADVORNA (UKR) for an 8-0 lead before a duck under gave her the winning takedown. Rinella beat Sama MAHMOUD (EGY) 10-0. 

14:22: The 65kg semifinals are set. Zharkynai NURLAN KYZY (KGZ) pinned ANJALI (IND) and will now face Anju SATO (JPN) who defeated   Sydney PERRY (USA), 3-0. The other semifinal will feature Maria PANTIRU (ROU) who won 9-4 against Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY). She will face Viktoria FOELDESIOVA (SVK) who came back from 7-1 down to beat Tsai YUAN (TPE) 8-7.  

14:18: The 57kg semifinals will see Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) trying to stop Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) and Gerda TEREK (HUN) facing Tuba DEMIR (TUR) which is a rematch of the European final in which Demir won.

14:14: The 43kg field is just mind-blowing. The four semifinalists include world champion Erica PASTORIZA (USA), European champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR), Asian champion RITIKA (IND) and Arina ABDULLINA (KAZ)

SF 1: Erica PASTORIZA (USA) vs Arina ABDULLINA (KAZ)
SF 2: RITIKA (IND) vs Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

14:10: If you are wondering how Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) is so good with those low singles, she trains at the JOC Elite Academy which has produced the likes of Yui SUSAKI and Nonoka OZAKI. Uchida beats Shelby MOORE ?? 10-0 to enter the 57kg semifinals

14:00: Asian silver medalist Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ) beats Pan-Am champ Rupinder Kaur JOHAL (CAN) 10-0 at 73kg. She will now face defending champion Priya MALIK (IND) in the semifinals. Malik defeated Dominika POCHOWSKA (POL) 10-0. Malik vs Yertostik is a rematch from the U17 Asian final in which Malik pinned the Kazak wrestler. 
In the other semifinal, Makoto KOMADA (JPN) will face Mariia ZENKINA (UKR) vs. Lotta ENGLICH (GER) as she defeated Elmira YASIN (TUR) 4-4, thanks to her two takedowns again Yasin's stepouts. Zenkina beat Englich 5-1 in what was a battle of the European bronze medalists.

13:53: European champion at 57kg Tuba DEMIR (TUR) trailed Asian bronze Sofya ZMAZNEVA (KAZ) 3-0 early in the quarterfinal but she gets a four-pointer just before the break to lead 4-3. She begins the second period with a double-leg for four and collects the fall to enter semifinal

13:37: Huge home win for Italy! Fabiana RINELLA (ITA) decimates Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) for a 9-2 win at 49kg. The home crowd loved every moment there.

13:30: Here are the quarterfinals for 43kg

Malak MOUSTAFA (EGY) vs. Arina ABDULLINA (KAZ)
Gulnura RUSLANOVA (UZB) vs. RITIKA (IND)
Dominika KONKEL (POL) vs. Erica PASTORIZA (USA)
Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) vs. Josephine WRENSCH (GER) 

13:13: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) led 5-0 against Shelby MOORE (USA) and was cruising to victory. Moore scored a takedown in the second period and used four leg laces to lead 10-6. Filipovych tries a four, but it's only awarded two, the referee calls for a pin but the mat chairman doesn't signal the same. A huge 11-8 win for Moore over Filipovych. 

13:00: European silver medalist Gerda TEREK (HUN) trailed 2-1 for a major part of her bout against Liza TOMAR (IND). But she scores two stepouts late in the bout to win 3-2 at 57kg

12:40: Three top bouts at 43kg. U17 Asia champion RITIKA (IND) begins with a 10-0 win over Melissa DOROFTEI (ITA). European champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) is up against Maya JOHANSSON (SWE) and leads 3-0. She gets the fall after the break.

World champion at 40kg Erica PASTORIZA (USA) up against European silver medalist Elvina KARIMZADA (AZE). Pastoriza and Karimzada exchange exposures in the second period. But Pastoriza with an ankle pick and four. Karimzada gets a go behind at the end but Pastoriza wins 7-4

12:30: European champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) with a fall over Ana ROTARU (ROU) in just over a minute of the bout. She is one of the favorites to win the 49kg gold

12:20: At 57kgShelby MOORE (USA) starts her day with a stunning 11-0 win over Michalina IGNASZAK (POL). Used the leg lace to perfection.

12:10: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) may have thought she had Gerda TEREK (HUN) in a hold but the Hungarian manages to survive a pin attempt and take the win at 57kg 5-2 

12:05: Pan-Am champion Rupinder JOHAL (CAN) begins her quest for a world title with a good win. She scored a few stepouts against European champion Ambre CHEVREAU (FRA) in a 9-0 win. 

11:54: Quick results at 73kg as Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ) pins European silver medalist Gabriela MAEVA (BUL) inside the first period, Euro bronze Lotta ENGLICH (GER) works hard for a 4-4 win over Heba IBRAHIM (EGY) and Elmira YASIN (TUR) controls her bout for an 8-1 win over Giorgia D'ANTIMI (ITA).

11:52: Blink and miss stuff from Japan's Makoto KOMADA (JPN) as she rolls to a 12-0 win over Gemma RUSSELL (RSA) in the opening round at 73kg.

11:50: A winning start for defending champion Priya MALIK (IND) at 73kg. She got a point for passivity and then a takedown against Kaiulani GARCIA (USA). In the second period, Malik was called passive but still won 3-1. 

11:30: Welcome to the third day of the U17 World Championships in Rome. Women's wrestling begins with three defending champions in action.

2026 U23 European Championships

Yakushenko Marches on With Another Gold

By Vinay Siwach

ZRENJANIN, Serbia (March 15) -- Since 2024, Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) has suffered only one loss -- to Darius KIEFER (GER) in the final of 2025 U20 European Championships.

On either side of that loss, Yakushenko had won two age-group European and three world titles. He has also avenged that loss to Kiefer and now heads the head-to-head, 4-1, with his latest victory over the German coming on Saturday at the U23 European Championships.

A day later on Sunday, Yakushenko added his second U23 European title after he defeated former U20 world champion and Paris Olympian Abubakr KHASLAKHANAU (BLR), 3-1, in perhaps his toughest match of the tournament.

"This [U23] European Championships was really tough for me," Yakushenko said. "Not as easy as I imagined. I thought it would be easier, but overall I think the hardest fights are still ahead."

In the final, Yakushenko was awarded the first passivity point and the par terre position from wihch he lifted Khaslakhanau and brought him towards the edge of the mat but failed to land the Belarussian wrestler in danger. He was awarded a point for the stepout which gave him a 2-0 lead.

Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR)Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) tries to throw Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (BLR) during the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Khaslakhanau got his chance in the second period when Yakushenko was put in par terre but failed to score any points. With a 2-1 lead, Yakushenko needed some good defense with two minutes left in the match.

While he had a couple of slip-ups during that time, Yakushenko did not give up any points. He was later warned for fleeing but managed to remain in contact after that. Belarus challenged for fleeing in the last 10 seconds but it was ruled out, adding one more point to Yakushenko's score.

"I had the same plan for all my opponents. It was tough," he said.

This was Yakushenko's third straight win over Khaslakhanau, a senior European bronze medalist and now a two-time U23 world silver medalist to go with his bronze as well.

Yakushenko defeated the Belarus wrestler twice last year -- a 7-3 victory at the U23 European Championships and then a 3-3 win at the U23 World Championships in Novi Sad.

Daniial AGAEV (RUS)Daniial AGAEV (RUS) completed an 8-0 victory over William REENBERG (DEN) in just 37 seconds. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Agaev Leads Russia to Team Title

In other finals, Russia won two gold medals while Azerbiajan and Armenia won one gold each.

World bronze medalist Daniial AGAEV (RUS) led an inspired performance from Russia as it won the Greco-Roman team title. Russia won the Freestyle team title as well in Zrenjanin.

With 190 points, Russia was the best team. Armenia managed 113 points to finish second and Georgia finished third with 106 points.

Agaev need only 37 seconds to win his 67kg final against William REENBERG (DEN). He scored a takedown and transitioned into a gut-wrench, winning 8-0.

Rabil ASKEROV (RUS)Rabil ASKEROV (RUS) defeated Oliver PADA (FIN), 6-0, in the 72kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Russia's second gold medal came at 72kg Rabil ASKEROV (RUS) blanked Oliver PADA (FIN), 6-0, in the final. Wrestling in only his third international tournament, Askerov began the final with a stepout before getting the par terre position. He did not score any points from the position but led 2-0.

An arm-drag to takedown doubled the lead to 4-0 before the break. In the second period, Askerov got another takedown to extend his lead to 6-0. The takedown also ended any hopes for Pada to get the par terre position.

Askerov would defend his 6-0 and win gold, his first major medal.

Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM)Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) uses the seatbelt grip to throw Giorgi KOCHALIDZE (GEO) during the 60kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) captured his first U23 European title after a series of suplex to beat Giorgi KOCHALIDZE (GEO), 9-0, in the 60kg final.

The former U20 champion was awarded the par terre in the first period which gave him a 1-0 lead. Kochalidze did well to defend the position but just as the referee was about to call neutral, Aghajanyan changed to a seatbelt grip and tossed Kochalidze in the opposite direction for two points.

He continued the same move with the seatbelt grip and was awarded four points for the second throw, giving him a 7-0 lead. The third throw was also scored four points, confirming an 11-0 victory for Aghajanyan.

Georgia challenged the decision, hoping that the throws will be scored two points each. But upon review the first throw was scored four points instead of original two points. With the second throw also being a four-pointer, the final was over, 9-0, a technical superiority win for the 2025 U23 world bronze medalist.

Elmin ALIYEV (AZE)Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) celebrates after winning the 82kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Georgia suffered its second loss in the final at 82kg after Tornike MIKELADZE's (GEO) heartbreak against Elmin ALIYEV (AZE), 3-2.

Aliyev was down 2-0 at the break after giving up a stepout and passivity point in the first period. However, he managed to score a stepout at the start of the second period that later proved to be a crucial moment in the final.

Down 2-1, Aliyev was awarded the par terre position, giving him a 2-2 criteria lead. He failed to score any points from par terre but the criteria of scoring the last points remained with him and that enabled him to win the final.

Georgia threw a late challenge, asking for fleeing from Aliyev. But there was no evident fleeing and Georgia lost the challenge, giving one more point to Aliyev, who won 3-2.

Photo

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) df. Giorgi KOCHALIDZE (GEO), 9-0

BRONZE: Yevhen POKOVBA (UKR) df. Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE), 3-1
BRONZE: Ilian AINAOUI (FRA) df. Brian SANTIAGO (DEN), 1-1

67kg
GOLD: Daniial AGAEV (RUS) df. William REENBERG (DEN), 8-0

BRONZE: Azat SARIYAR (TUR) df. Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL), 4-1
BRONZE: Farid KHALILOV (AZE) df. Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), 6-3

72kg
GOLD: Rabil ASKEROV (RUS) df. Oliver PADA (FIN), 6-0

BRONZE  Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) df. Leonard IURASCU (ROU), 5-4 
BRONZE: Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) df. Ashot KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 4-1

82kg
GOLD: Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) df. Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO), 3-2

BRONZE: Illia VALEUSKI (BLR) df. Szabolcs SZINAY (HUN), 10-1
BRONZE: Gamzat GADZHIEV (RUS) df. Alexander AEMAES (NOR), 9-0

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (BLR), 3-1

BRONZE: Saipula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Robin USPENSKI (EST), 6-4
BRONZE: Darius KIEFER (GER) df. Luka GABISONIA (GEO), 9-3