#WrestleAmman

U17 Worlds: Iran, Ukraine, Kazakhstan earn two spots in finals

By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 19) -- Three different countries managed to send two wrestlers to the finals on the first day of the U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan. The four other finalists were from Uzbekistan, the United States, Hungary and an Individual Neutral Athlete.

Iran, Ukraine and Kazakhstan were the only countries with multiple finalists on day one of the tournament, the first World Championships of 2024.

Iran was led by Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) at 48kg as he rolled into finals without conceding a single point in three bouts. With two technical superiorities before the semifinals, Shamsipour added another when he defeated Yedige TOLEUTAYEV (KAZ) 10-0.

U17 Asian champion Khusniddin ABDUKARIMOV (UZB) will look to stop the Iranian in the final as he also has three technical superiority wins. He beat Laszlo SZUROMI (HUN), 8-0, in the semifinal to set up a final between two of the best wrestlers on day one.

The second Iran wrestler to reach the final was Amir Mahdi SAEIDI (IRI) at 65kg. While his semifinal 1-1 win over Narek GRIGORIAN (ARM) was actionless, Saeidi defeated Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB) 9-1 in the quarterfinals. He thus avenged his loss from the U17 Asian Championships final at the same venue.

Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR)Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR) defeated Emil ABDULLAYEV (AZE) in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostandin Andonov)

He will take on U17 European champion Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR) for the gold medal. Pokotylo was at his best in the quarterfinals and semifinals, beating Dzhabrail UMKHADZHIEV (AIN) 3-1 and Emil ABDULLAYEV (AZE), 4-1, respectively.

For Ukraine, Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR) will also look to win the gold medal after he reached the 110kg final. The U17 European champion posted three technical superiority wins with the third coming against Aliasghar DADBAKHSH (IRI) in the semifinals.

Zoltan CZAKO (HUN), a surprise finalist, will try to stop Yankovskyi from winning the gold medal on Tuesday. In the semifinals, Czako was up against last year's silver medalist RONAK (IND) who tried an arm-spin but Czako blocked it and held Ronak on the mat to secure a fall in 17 seconds.

Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ)Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ) reached the 55kg final in Amman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Kazakhstan managed two finalists in Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ) at 55kg and Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ) at 80kg. This is the first time since 2019 U17 World Championships that Kazakhstan has a finalist in Greco-Roman.

Bolatuly, who finished 12th last year, put on a show in the semifinal against Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), winning the bout 13-8. His earlier wins included a 10-1 win over Amirali HEYDARI (IRI) in the quarterfinals and an 8-0 win over Yuki HIROHASHI (JPN) in the 1/8 finals.

For the gold, Bolatuly will face Jayden RANEY (USA) who pulled a classic in the semifinal. Down 6-0 against Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), Raney stopped the attack from Zhytovoz and pinned him just before the break. That was Raney's fourth win of the day.

Raney will look to become the fourth Greco-Roman wrestler from the United States to win gold since the tournament restarted in 2011. Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) won in 2017, Joel ADAMS (USA) won the title in 2022 and Jordyn RANEY (USA) won gold last year. 

U17 Asian silver medalist Anapiya was tested in the semifinal by Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE) but the Kazakh wrestler came out on top 8-6 to enter the final. He will now face returning silver medalist and U17 European champion Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN).

Shkarin handed Emad Reza MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) a 9-0 thrashing in the semifinal to set up the gold medal bout against Anapiya. Emad is one of the four Mohsen Nejad brothers. Mehdi is a multiple-time Asian medalist and finished fifth at the Paris Olympics while Ahmad won the U20 World Championships gold last year. Yasin is also a Greco-Roman wrestler.

Greco-Roman Semifinal Results

48kg
GOLD: Khusniddin ABDUKARIMOV (UZB) vs. Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)

SF 1: Khusniddin ABDUKARIMOV (UZB) df. Laszlo SZUROMI (HUN), 8-0
SF 2: Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) df. Yedige TOLEUTAYEV (KAZ), 10-0

55kg
GOLD: Jayden RANEY (USA) vs. Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ)

SF 1: Jayden RANEY (USA) df. Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), via fall (3-6)
SF 2: Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ) df. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), 13-8

65kg
GOLD: Amir Mahdi SAEIDI (IRI) vs. Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR)

SF 1: Amir Mahdi SAEIDI (IRI) df. Narek GRIGORIAN (ARM), 1-1 
SF 2: Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR) df. Emil ABDULLAYEV (AZE), 4-1

80kg
GOLD: Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ) vs. Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN)

SF 1: Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ) df. Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE), 8-6
SF 2: Mikhail SHKARIN (AIN) df. Emad Reza MOHSENNEJAD (IRI), 9-0

110kg
GOLD: Zoltan CZAKO (HUN) vs. Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR)

SF 1: Zoltan CZAKO (HUN) df. RONAK (IND), via fall
SF 2: Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR) df. Aliasghar DADBAKHSH (IRI), 8-0

#WrestleAthens

Wrestling U17 World Championships: Day 6 Freestyle Live

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 2) -- The final full day of the U17 World Championships will see the final five weight classes in Freestyle. Wrestling will continue in 45kg, 51kg, 60kg, 71kg and 92kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 5 RESULTS

The semifinals of these weight classes will begin at 17:00 hours local time and medal bouts in 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg will begin at 18:00 hours local time.

14:45: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) is back in the semifinals, at 51kg, after taking out Temuri TUTARASHVILI (GEO) 12-1. Sanchez is chasing his second straight world title.

14:40: Mirjalol MUKAMMILOV (UZB), down 1-1 on criteria, spins behind and gets Riku FURUSAWA (JPN) down for a two-point takedown and a 3-1 win at 45kg. He will wrestle in the semifinals.

14:35: Keegan BASSETT (USA) breaks Bakdaulet AGABEK (KAZ) and gut wrenches Agabek for 15-4. He celebrates like he is breaking a stick with his knee

14:25: Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM) hits a front headlock in the final second to beat Omer GUL (TUR) 9-8 and enter the 71kg semifinals. Mosesyan never gave up attacking and got his win.

14:10: SITENDER (IND) with a counter attack for four and sends Arian MEHRALIZADEH (IRI) flying for four points and wins his 60kg bout 5-5. Mehralizadeh is devasted and runs off the mat.

13:30: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) is into the quarterfinals at 51kg! He blanks Ramal MIRHUSEYNOV (AZE) 11-0 using a lace. Comfortable win for the world champion!

13:20: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) is looking extremely good at 51kg. The world 45kg champion gets past Bugra KAVAK (TUR) 9-3 and is now into the quarterfinals.

13:00: Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM) stuns Zubair BAGILOV (UWW) at 71kg, 8-3! Bagilov could never finish his shots and Mossyan had a huge four-pointer in the second period which changed the momentum of the match. 

12:45: In a battle of European silver medalist and bronze medalist, Omer GUL (TUR) takes out silver medalist Ihor OLIINYK (UKR) at 71kg. Gul was trailing 4-0 but front headlock for four and later another headpinch for four to win 9-4. 

12:40: Not to be for European silver medalist Hasan HASANOV (AZE) at 60kg. Rihito HIURA (JPN) blanks him 7-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. Hiura looks the one to beat at this weight class.

12:25: Nathan NASH (CAN) is absolutely ecstatic after getting a fall over Hamlet ANTONYAN (ARM) at 60kg! Nash is a Pan-Am bronze medalist this year.

11:45: European U17 champion Said PASHAYEV (AZE) must have been struggling off the mat otherwise there is no reason to explain his 5-4 win against Abderrahmane MEZITI (ALG) at 92kg. He was down 4-3 with five seconds remaining but manages to get a takedown on the edge to win 5-4.

11:30: Two world champions and two dominating wins! World 45kg champion Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) smashes Georgi SPASOV (BUL), 10-0 and then Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) gut-wrenches Dhanraj JAMNIK (IND), 10-0, as well. Both Sanchez and Rashidov are at 51kg.

11:15: Hasan HASANOV (AZE), European silver medalist, keeps Fakhriddin NASRIDDINOV (UZB) at bay and wins his 51kg bout 6-2. Nasriddinov made several attempts to score points but Hasanov was solid in defense.

11:00: Arian MEHRALIZADEH (IRI) takes out returning silver medalist Frederick BACHMANN (PUR) at 51kg, 8-4. Bachmann got two takedowns in the match but Mehralizadeh was never looked in trouble.

10:50: Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ), Asian U17 champion, uses the gut-wrench and wins his 60kg bout Ashton BESMER (USA)

10:30: Welcome to another day of U17 World Championships in Athens, Greece. The five Freestyle weight class in action are 45kg, 51kg, 60kg, 71kg and 92kg.