#WrestleSofia

U20 World Championships day four semis set

By Vinay Siwach

SOFIA, Bulgaria (August 18) -- The fourth day of the U20 World Championships will see the qualification rounds and semifinals of the 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 65kg, and 72kg. Later in the day, the medal bouts will also be determined.

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Here are the semifinals for the evening session

53kg
Shaimaa MOHAMED (EGY) vs. Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ)
Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR) vs ANTIM (IND)

57kg
Melda DERNEKCI (TUR) vs. Sofia MACALUSO (USA)
Ruka NATAMI (JPN) vs. Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ)

62kg
Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) vs. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)
Bermet NURIDIN KYZY (KGZ) vs. Sonam MALIK (IND)

65kg
Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) vs. Khadija JLASSI (TUN)
Dilnaz SAZANOVA (KGZ) vs. Priyanka PRIYANKA (IND) 

72kg
REETIKA (IND) vs. Amit ELOR (USA)
Anastassiya PANASSOVICH (KAZ) vs. Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) 

13:00: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) with a late score to beat Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) at 57kg. Khomenets led 4-2 but Natami scored a takedown. Still trailing on criteria, Natami moves Khomenets to the zone and gets the exposure for 4 to win 8-4.

Sofia MACALUSO (USA) has pinned returning silver medalist Aurora RUSSO (ITA)

12:50: At 53kg, huge results. Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR) beats returning silver medalist Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA)Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) pins '21 U17 world champion Katie GOMEZ (USA).

Shaimaa MOHAMED (EGY) beats Chadia AYACHI (FRA) 7-4 while ANTIM (IND) pins Ayaka KIMURA (JPN) 

12:35: At 72kg, Amit ELOR (USA) adds another technical superiority win over Zsofia VIRAG (HUN). Asian silver medalist Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) is up 2-1 against Nazar BATIR (TUR). In the second period, Batir comes back with a takedown to reclaim the lead 3-2. Niikura with a flurry of attacks and gets a takedown and the lead. 41 seconds remaining with Niikura leading 4-3. Batir tries to trip Niikura but not to be. Niikura wins 4-3. 

12:30: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) is dangerous. She gets the fall over Viktoria OEVERBY (NOR). On the other mat, Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) with the fall over Iris THIEBAUX (FRA). She will face Sonam MALIK (IND) in the quarters

12:20: Sofia MACALUSO (USA) with an important win for the USA. She led 4-4 on criteria and stopped SITO (IND) from getting any points. Desperate to score, Sito commits to a duck-under when Macaluso pins her at 57kg. In the same weight class, Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) vs. Ruka NATAMI (JPN) will meet in the quarterfinals.

12:00: What dream quarterfinals do we have at 53kg

Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) vs. Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR)
Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) vs. Katie GOMEZ (USA)
Shaimaa MOHAMED (EGY) vs. Chadia AYACHI (FRA)
Ayaka KIMURA (JPN) vs. ANTIM (IND) 

11:40: At 57kg, Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) with a quick fall over Othelie HOEIE (NOR). In a contrasting bout, Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Bertha ROJAS (MEX) were going for it and the bout had 31 points with Zhumanazarova winning 17-14 

11:35: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) and Iryna BONDAR (UKR) wrestling at 62kg. Ozaki gets a takedown to lead 2-0. Bondar tries to get on Ozaki's legs but strong defense from the Asian champion. She keeps it simple and wins 5-0.

In other bouts at 62kg, Mastoura SOUDANI (ALG) defeats Luisa SCHEEL (GER), 12-0 and Bermet NURIDIN KYZY (KGZ) beats Yu LO (TPE) via fall

11:17: The qualification rounds of 72kg will kick off the rounds for day three. Amit ELOR (USA), a returning U20 world champion, begins with a fall over Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

11:15: While Japan has taken an outright lead in the team race, India, Turkey and Ukraine are still to be second. India has two in repechage while Turkey has three. Ukraine has two as well

11:00: Welcome to day four of the U20 World Championships. The women are ready to take the mats. Keep an eye on Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) at 62kg, Amit ELOR (USA) at 72kg and Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) at 57kg.

#WrestleTirana

Three nations aim to get first Greco U23 world champs

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 21) -- Kyrgyzstan, the United States and Uzbekistan will stand a chance to crown their first-ever U23 world champion in Greco-Roman.

It was after the countries had one finalist each on day one of the U23 World Championships that kicked off in Tirana, Albania on Monday.

The United States and Uzbekistan have already had a historical day, confirming their first-ever U23 World Championships medals in Greco-Roman. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) reached the 82kg final while Alisher GANIEV (UZB) made it to the 55kg final. Both countries had fifth as their best finishes before Monday in the history of the U23 Worlds, which came into existence only in 2017.

Kyrgyzstan will be banking on Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) to win the first Greco-Roman gold medal at U23 Worlds after he reached the 67kg final. Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) is the only other Greco wrestler to reach the final in 2019 but lost.

Georgia and Armenia were the only countries with two finalists on day one of the tournament. Surprisingly, Iran managed only one finalists out of the five weight classes that were in action.

Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) tries to complete at throw. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) and Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) were the two finalists for Georgia at 67kg and 72kg respectively. Both had finished with silver medals at the U20 World Championships in 2021 but will look to win the gold together on Tuesday.

Chkhikvadze defeated Daniial AGAEV (AIN), 4-4, in the semifinal with a correct throw in the last minute to take two points and a criteria lead. He will now take on Beishekeev who defeated Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL) 10-0 to win the other semifinal.

Giorgi was in much more control of his 7-0 win over Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ) in the semifinal and will now take on Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM). The two had met in the semifinals of the U20 World Championships in 2021 and Giorgi won that meeting.

Khachatryan took no time to see off Georgios BARBANOS (SWE) 9-0 in the semifinal, his fourth technical superiority in the tournament, including a fall over Danial SOHRABI (IRI).

The second Armenian to reach the final was Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) at 97kg after he held off senior European silver medalist Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) 3-3 in the semifinal. Both exchanged par terre and one turn in gut-wrench but Khloyan performed it in the second period, keeping the criteria to him.

He will face Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) in the final. Khaslakhanau won his semifinal Richard KARELSON (EST), 2-1.

Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) confirmed the U.S. first ever Greco medal at U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. has already achieved its best result ever in U23 Worlds in Greco but Melelashvili would look to make it golden on Tuesday. He will face Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) in the final.

Melelashvili wrestled Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) in the semifinal and fell behind 3-0 at the break. But he returned the favor to Aliyev in the second period. Initially not scored, Melelashvili got the two points for a gut wrench after a challenge. Naghousi defeated former U20 world champion Deni NIKAEV (GER), 6-1, in the semifinal.

Ganiev has already won Uzbekistan's first-ever U23 World Championships medal but will look to win one more bout and get his name in history books in golden. He humbled Nihad GULUZADE (AZE) 9-0 in the semifinals and will now face Dinislam BAMMAPTOV (AIN).

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) vs. Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN)

SF 1: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Nihad GULUZADE (AZE), 9-0
SF 2: Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) df. Pridon ABULADZE (GEO), 4-1

67kg
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) vs. Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL), 10-0
SF 2: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Daniial AGAEV (AIN), 4-4

72kg
GOLD: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) vs. Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) df. Georgios BARBANOS (SWE), 9-0
SF 2: Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ), 7-0

82kg
GOLD: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) vs. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)

SF 1: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Deni NAKAEV (GER), 6-1
SF 2: Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) df. Elmin ALIYEV (AZE), 3-3

97kg
GOLD: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) vs. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)

SF 1: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) df. Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN), 3-3
SF 2: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 2-1