#WrestleAmman

U20 World Championships Day 4 semifinals set

Thursday, August 17, 2023 - 07:16 By Vinay Siwach

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AMMAN, Jordan (August 17) -- Women's wrestling will continue on the fourth day of the U20 World Championships in Amman. 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 65kg and 72kg will be in action on Thursday before the evening session sees five new women's wrestling world champions.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

Women's wrestling semifinals for the evening session

53kg
Katie GOMEZ (USA) vs. Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR)
ANTIM (IND) vs. Polina LUKINA (AIN)

57kg
Ichika ARAI (JPN) vs. Gerda TEREK (HUN)
Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) vs. Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR)

62kg
SAVITA (IND) vs. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA)
Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX) vs. Astrid MONTERO (VEN)

65kg
Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) vs. ANTIM (IND)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN) vs. Eniko ELEKES (HUN)

72kg
HARSHITA (IND) vs. Bukrenaz SERT (TUR)
Yuka FUJIKURA (JPN) vs. Amit ELOR (USA)

13:40: Yuka FUJIKURA (JPN) ends the session on a high for Japan, making her way to the 72kg semifinal after beating Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ) 6-0. 

13:30: The semifinals line-up for 53kg is insane. Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR), an unbeaten wrestler internationally, will take on former U17 world champion and returning bronze medalist Katie GOMEZ (USA). In the other semifinal, defending U20 world champion and senior Asian silver medalist ANTIM (IND) will square off against Polina LUKINA (AIN) who has senior-level experience including a silver medal at the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series in 2022.

13:20: Returning bronze medalist at 62kg Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) thought she has a foot in the semifinals, leading 5-4 against Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX). But the Mexican U20 Pan-Am champion launches Nwachukwu for a big throw for four with 5 seconds remaining. The United States challenged the call but it stood, giving Jimenez a 9-5 win.

13:15: If there is a secret to beating Amit ELOR (USA), no one has been able to find it. The latest in that attempt was Patrycja CUBER (POL) in the 72kg quarterfinals but Elor pins her inside the first period.

13:10: Suzu SASAKI (JPN) had hoped to avenge her 2022 U17 world final loss to SAVITA (IND) when she booked her spot on the Japan U20 team. It was going well as she led 6-4 but Savita cradled her for a fall in the 62kg quarterfinals. Sasaki left the mat overwhelmed with emotions.

13:07: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) with another fall. She moves into the 53kg after pinning Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE). It will be interesting to see how she responds to wrestlers with extra experience.     

13:05: Returning U20 world champion ANTIM (IND) returns to the semifinals after a 12-2 technical superiority win over Xuejing LIANG (CHN). Total domination from the Indian wrestler.

13:00: Polina LUKINA (AIN) with a clutch performance. She scores four points in the final 10 seconds to beat Nagisa HARADA (JPN) 8-7 at 53kg. Lukina moves into the semifinals.

12:50: Katie GOMEZ (USA) avenges her loss from last year against Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) as she leg laces her for a 10-0 victory and moves into the 53kg semifinals. Can the former U17 world champion add a U20 world title?

12:45: Khadija JLASSI (TUN) will cherish this win for some time. She hangs on for a 6-5 win over Momoko KITADE (JPN) in the 65kg quarterfinals. Jlassi got a four-pointer from a cradle which kept her in the match which she ultimately won with Kitade straggling with her conditioning.

12:30: As if there ever any doubts! Senior, U23 and U20 world champion Amit ELOR (USA) takes 29 seconds to roll over Shamshiyabanu TASTANBEK (KAZ) using a leg lace and move into the semifinals at 72kg.

12:25: Two U17 world champions from India, SAVITA (IND) and HARSHITA (IND), also pin their campaign with wins at 62kg and 72kg respectively. Amit ELOR (USA) is coming up on Mat B shortly 

12:10: A fall for returning champion at 53kg ANTIM (IND)! Nikola WISNIEWSKA (POL) scored two points but was easily overpowered by Antim who secured a first-period fall

12:00: Returning bronze medalist Katie GOMEZ (USA) runs away to a 10-0 win over Carla JAUME (ESP) at 53kg. Gomez has to be one of the best technical wrestlers out there at this age level.

11:45: Two-time U17 world champion Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) begins her U20 world journey with a fall. An easy win over Nikol KRUMOVA (BUL) at 53kg.

11:25: A better for Japan today after a mixed day on Wednesday. Momoko KITADE (JPN) at 65kg and Ichika ARAI (JPN) at 57kg have both won their respective bouts and moved into the pre-quarters.

11:00: At 62kg, Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR) was relentless in her attacks against Tynys DUBEK (KAZ) to win 14-4 and advance to the pre-quarterfinals.

10:45: Gerda TEREK (HUN) hangs on for a 5-4 win over Aitolkun MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and advances to the pre-quarterfinals. She will wrestle Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) next. 

10:30: U20 bronze medalist Sevval CAYIR (TUR) tried challenging U20 European champion Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) but could not fight for long. Filipovych won 14-2

10:00: Welcome to the fourth day of the U20 World Championships. The action continues with women's wrestling as Amit ELOR (USA), ANTIM (IND), Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) are among the stars who will wrestle.

#WrestleTirana

Mirzazadeh dominates his way to Tirana gold; Shiotani impresses

Monday, March 3, 2025 - 04:03 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (March 2) -- There is nothing extraordinary in the 130kg Greco-Roman final in Tirana. World champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) controls the proceedings for six minutes and wins the gold medal.

In Tirana for the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, Mirzazadeh returned to the mat for the first time since winning bronze medal at the Paris Olympics at 130kg where he lost only to eventual champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB).

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) defends a par terre position against Hamza BAKIR (TUR). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

On Sunday, all four matches Mirzazadeh wrestled followed a similar pattern. He will get the first passivity and score the turn from par terre before defending the par terre in the second period. His winning score in quarterfinal, semifinal and final read 3-1. Only in his first match against Heiki NABI (EST) did Mirzazadeh get both par terre advantages to win 4-0.

Wrestling Paris Olympian and Turkiye's next big hope at 130kg Hamza BAKIR (TUR), Mirzazadeh turned Bakir from par terre for a 3-0 lead before defending the lead and winning 3-1.

While beating Bakir, who has all three age-group world titles, did not take a toll on Mirzazadeh, the same cannot be said about another age-group world champion that Mirzazadeh is preparing domestically.

Although he will not feature in the Asian Championships, Mirzazadeh will be keen on defending his world title in Zagreb in September.

In his path for that are Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) and Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI). Hedayati has been rising in the ranks and seen as the biggest threat to Mirzazadeh's place on the Iran team.

Yousofi, the 2021 world champion, returned after a sabbatical and won the Zagreb Open gold medal three weeks ago to enter the selection process. Now, teh Iran team will be clear by the third Ranking Series in Mongolia in June.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) performing his signature reverse lift move. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), a world bronze medalist from 2022, returned to international wrestling after three years and secured the gold medal at 60kg.

"It's been a long time since I last competed, but I'm happy that we were able to finish with gold [today]," Shiotani said.

In his elements, Shiotani launched massive reverse lift throws in all his bouts, barring the final. And he only gave up points in his first bout -- against U20 and U23 world champion Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI).

"I wasn't moving much," he said of the match against Ahmadi Vafa. "I think that's why the match turned out like that. I was probably a little nervous. Of course, the opponent was also strong, but I think I was a little nervous and couldn't play the match as well as I wanted."

Shiotani wrestled Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO) in the final and did not wait for any passivity warnings. He scored a takedown and went for his signature reverse left, exposing Shavadze's back on the mat for two more points. Just before the break, he scored a takedown to make it 6-0.

Just over a minute in the second period, Shiotani pressured Shavadze who stepped backwards till he was out of the zone. One point for stepout and another for fleeing resulted in Shiotani winning 8-0. Georgia challenged the fleeing but lost, giving one more point to Shiotani.

Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) defeated Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) in the opening bout at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In his first match against Ahmadi Vafa, Shiotani was in forced par terre in the first period but he didn't let give up any points. The referees were about to give Ahmadi Vafa the second par terre as well but Shiotani scored a takedown.

A reversal in the same sequence was scored one point for Ahmadi Vafa. But Shiotani with a big lift and throw for two points. Shiotani challenges and gets two more points for a foul from Ahmadi Vafa to lead 6-2. From par terre, Shiotani would score three more points and lead 9-4 with 35 seconds on the clock.

Shavadze was one of the five wrestlers to reach the finals Sunday but only one -- Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) -- managed to win the gold medal.

Lomadze wrestled four bouts and never looked in any trouble. In his first match, he defeated former world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) 5-1, before a 13-2 win over Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU).

Lomadze then defeated fellow countryman Otar ABULADZE (GEO) 6-3 in the semifinals, the win more or less confirming his European Championships spot on the Georgian team.

In the final, Lomadze got the better of Mehmet SAHIN (TUR), beating him 6-3 for the gold medal.

Former European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL) denied Georgi MELIA (GEO) and Georgia another chance to win a gold medal after he defetaed the Georgian 4-0 in the 97kg final bout.

Milov scored a beautiful takedown and transitioned into a gut wrench to get a 4-0 lead. There were no par terre positions in the match and Milov's move remained as the only scoring action.

Turkiye won two gold medals as Emre MUTLU (TUR) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) finished on the top at 55kg and 82kg.

Mutlu denied Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), 7-4 in the 55kg final while Akbudak won the gold medal after Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) injury defaulted in the 82kg final.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Emre MUTLU (TUR) df. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), 7-4

BRONZE: Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ) df. Andi MUCA (ALB), 9-0
BRONZE: Yersin ABYIR (KAZ) df. Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ), via fall (9-1)

60kg
GOLD: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) df. Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO), 9-0

BRONZE: Haodong TAN (CHN) df. Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ), 9-0 
BRONZE: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ), 12-3

72kg
GOLD: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Mehmet SAHIN (TUR), 8-3

BRONZE: Yryskeldi KHAMZAEV (KGZ) df. Ivo ILIEV (BUL), 10-0
BRONZE: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df. Otar ABULADZE (GEO), 4-3

82kg
GOLD: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Svetoslav NIKOLOV (BUL) df. Beksultan NAZARBAEV (KGZ), 10-1
BRONZE: Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) df. Ramon BETSCHART (SUI), 3-2

97kg
GOLD: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df. Giorgi MELIA (GEO), 4-0

BRONZE: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER), 8-2
BRONZE: Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) df. Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Hamza BAKIR (TUR), 3-1

BRONZE: Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Yuta NARA (JPN), 4-1 
BRONZE: Heiki NABI (EST) df. Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 2-2