U20 Worlds: First day, USA and Iran show

Monday, August 14, 2023 - 20:43 By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 14) -- The United States and Iran set the stage for a thrilling team title race at the U20 World Championships after putting three wrestlers each in the gold medal bouts on the first day of the tournament.

The U.S. ended the day just ahead of Iran as it has two wrestlers in bronze medal bouts while Iran has one wrestler in the repechage and another won't get a chance to wrestle for a medal.

Japan, Individual Neutral Athletes, India and Ukraine sent a wrestler each in the final as the competition got underway in Amman, Jordan.

Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) pins Ruslan ABDULLAYEV (AZE) in the 57kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The start of the evening session could not have been more dramatic for the U.S. as former U17 world champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) shocked U20 European champion Ruslan ABDULLAYEV (AZE) with a pin with seven seconds left in the semifinal.

Lilledahl was leading 3-1 at the break but Abdullayev got on his shots in the second period and scored a takedown before getting two turns to lead 7-3. Lilledahl added a takedown to close the gap and as he tried again, Abdullayev scored two points using a cradle and lead 9-5.

In a desperate attempt for a win, Lilledahl got a fake attack to which Abdullayev threw himself back. As Lilledahl tried to go behind, Abdullayev stuck his hand out which Lilledahl caught and used to pin Abdullayev.

He will have to produce another top performance if wants to win his second age-group gold medal as he wrestles Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) who won the gold medal at 61kg last year.

Nishiuchi, who won a silver medal at the Zagreb Open this year, cruised to the final as he beat SAGAR (IND) 10-0, using a leg lace.

Another former U17 world champion for the U.S. hoping to win a U20 world title is Meyer SHAPIRO (USA) who was at the top of his game to reach the final at 70kg.

In his four bouts on Monday, Shapiro gave up points only in the quarterfinals bout against Mirjavad NABIYEV (AZE) who managed to score four on the U.S. wrestler.

Shapiro's defense and crafty attacks were too much for his opponents including 2021 U17 world champion Magomed BAITUKAEV (AIN) who got to Shapiro four times but failed to convert once.

In the semifinals against Julian GEORGE (PUR), Shapiro began with takedown, exposure, and three more takedowns to win 11-0 with a lost challenge for George adding a point.

Trying to stop Shapiro in the final will be Ali REZAEI (IRI) who stood with a bronze medal on the same podium as Shapiro in Budapest in 2021.

Rezaei warmed up with a 9-6 win over Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR) in his opening bout before blanking Zelimkhan MUTSUKHAEV (POL) and Pavel GRAUR (MDA) in his next two bouts. In the semifinals, he struggled a little against Omurbek TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) but won 6-4 using his underhooks to keep Taalaibek Uulu under check.

Mohammad Reza SHAKERI (IRI) celebrates after beating Dalgat ABDULKADYROV (AIN) in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. and Iran will go head-to-head in the 65kg final as well with Jesse MENDEZ (USA) and Mohammad Reza SHAKERI (IRI) winning their sides of the bracket.

Shakeri has already improved on his ninth-place finish from last year by reaching the final. He had to dig deep in the semifinals against Dalgat ABDULKADYROV (AIN) for a win.

Abdulkadyrov began with a takedown but Shakeri scored a reversal before scoring a four-pointer to lead 8-2. The two scrambled with all their energies but Shakeri somehow managed to keep Abdulkadyrov to an 11-8 score.

Mendez will fancy his chances after a solid run on Monday which included wins over U20 European champion Mykyta ZUBAL (UKR), U23 Asian silver medalist Aden SAKYBAEV (KGZ), Ion BERGHI (MDA) and Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) in the semifinals.

Warned for inactivity in the first period, Mendez did give up a point before scoring a stepout on a counter. Toprak was called for fleeing as well which gave Mendez a 2-1 lead. An inactivity point against Toprak made it 3-1 which was also the final score of the bout.

Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) defeated Camden MC DANEL (USA) 5-1 in the 97kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Iran's third finalist of the night was U20 Asian champion Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) who stepped up and made it to the 97kg gold medal bout.

A month ago, Babaloo lost two bouts in Amman to finish fifth at the U20 Asian Championships. However, he avenged his loss to Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) 6-1 before beating Camden MC DANEL (USA) 5-1 in the semifinals.

For a gold medal, Babaloo will have to overcome Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR) who scored a takedown in the final minute of the semifinal to win 5-3 against Uladzislau KAZLOU (AIN).

Leading 3-1, Kazlou set out to defend his lead but Prymachenko went for single leg to score a takedown. While Kazlou tried regaining the lead, Prymachenko locked him and scored another takedown to win 5-3.

Sagar JAGLAN (IND) reached the 79kg final after winning 16-6 against Matthew SINGLETON (USA). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

The only final which does not feature either the U.S. or Iran is 79kg as U20 Asia champion Sagar JAGLAN (IND) and Ibragim KADIEV (AIN) reached the gold medal bout.

Jaglan, who won the bronze medal at 74kg last year, defeated Matthew SINGLETON (USA), 16-6, in the semifinals while Kadiev beat Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) 8-4 in the other semifinal.

Singleton opened the scoring with a single-leg for four. But Jaglan went all out with his pressure and broke Singleton as time progressed. Jaglan scored five stepouts, a takedown and got a point for fleeing in the first period to lead 8-4 at the break.

The American wrestler was cautioned for not engaging before Jaglan scored a takedown to make it 11-4. Singleton pulled off a takedown but Jaglan return with four points to win the semifinal 16-6.

In Kadiev, Jaglan gets an opponent who will frustrate him with his defense. Kadiev brought his top game for the semifinals as he began with a four-pointer and added a turn to lead 6-0. Tcokaev scored a takedown to cut the lead to 6-2 but Kadiev scored two stepouts to make it 8-2 which seemed a little too much for Tcokaev to cover despite him scoring a late takedown.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) vs. Luke LILLEDAHL (USA)

SF 1: Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) df. SAGAR (IND), 10-0
SF 2: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) df. Ruslan ABDULLAYEV (AZE), via fall (7-9)

65kg
GOLD: Jesse MENDEZ (USA) vs. Mohammad Reza SHAKERI (IRI)

SF 1: Jesse MENDEZ (USA) df. Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR), 3-1
SF 2: Mohammad Reza SHAKERI (IRI) df. Dalgat ABDULKADYROV (AIN), 11-8

70kg
GOLD: Meyer SHAPIRO (USA) vs. Ali REZAEI (IRI)

SF 1: Meyer SHAPIRO (USA) df. Julian GEORGE (PUR), 11-0
SF 2: Ali REZAEI (IRI) df. Omurbek TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ), 6-4

79kg
GOLD: Ibragim KADIEV (AIN) vs. Sagar JAGLAN (IND)

SF 1: Ibragim KADIEV (AIN) df. Ali TCOKAEV (AZE), 8-4
SF 2: Sagar JAGLAN (IND) df. Matthew SINGLETON (USA), 16-6

97kg
GOLD: Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR) vs. Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI)

SF 1: Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR) df. Uladzislau KAZLOU (AIN), 5-3
SF 2: Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) df. Camden MC DANEL (USA), 5-1

#WrestleZagreb

Onishi encounters rough waters before sailing to 59kg gold

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 22:50 By Ken Marantz

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- Looking over at her coach was enough to inspire rising teenage star Sakura ONISHI (JPN) after she suffered a rare lapse early in the match. Having a four-time Olympic champion in your corner will have that effect.

Onishi bounced back from an early deficit to pile on points before notching a late victory by fall over Maria VYNNYK (URK) in the 59kg final at the World Championships in Zagreb on Tuesday, when the first two golds were awarded in women's wrestling.

"I'm really happy," said Onishi, who fell behind 6-1 before building up a 17-8 lead and ending the match with :09 left, giving her the gold in her senior world debut a month after winning a second straight world U20 title.

In a battle between continental champions for the other gold up for grabs, Asian titlist Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) needed less than a period to rout European winner Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) 10-0 and become the second women's world champion in her country's history.

Also Read: Amouzad avenges Paris loss to Kiyooka

The 19-year-old Onishi currently attends powerhouse Nippon Sport Science University, where among her teammates is Paris Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN). And one of her coaches is four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN), who is also among the Japanese team staff in Zagreb and was in Onishi's corner on Tuesday.

When Vynnyk, a three-time European U23 bronze medalist, scored an arm-drag takedown and added two gut wrenches to take a 6-1 lead, Onishi looked for the best source of inspiration she could find.

"I panicked a little, 'What should I do?'" Onishi said. "But I was determined to get the points back. Even if I give up a lot of points, it was still within what I had imagined might happen. There was still time and I thought it was alright.

"I looked at Kaori's face and thought, 'OK, just do it.'"

Kaori ICHO (JPN), left, congratulates Sakura ONISHI (JPN) after the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

From that point, Onishi went on a rampage, scoring a double-leg takedown and gut wrench combination, an ankle-pick takedown, then a snapdown takedown to finish the first period with a 9-6 lead.

She opened the second period with another takedown, but then gave up points -- awarded on challenge -- when Vynnyk hit a counter lift. That made her wary and more precise with her attacks after that.

"I thought that that was what she was aiming for," Onishi said. "I had practiced stopping it. I knew if I used my hand fighting and feints well, I could definitely get the points. Up to the end, as I was dealing with that, I thought to keep penetrating."

After adding another takedown, Onishi thwarted a reverse counter lift to score 4 points and land Vynnyk on her back, where the Japanese met little resistance in securing the fall.

While Onishi relished reaching the pinnacle on the senior level, she has set her sites even higher -- the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"It was really a fun tournament," Onishi said. "I had always been longed to be here. But this has not been my dream, it is the Olympics. Aiming for that, I have been told this is just a stage along the way. I am glad I could clear this stage.

"I will keep on working to get to Los Angeles. There will be various things that come up, but I will stay focused so that I can stand on the highest step of the podium in Los Angeles."

Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) added a world title to her Asian title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Unlike Onishi, Oh encountered little difficulty in blowing away Verbina and adding the world gold to the Asian one she won in March in Amman.

"When I won the Asian and World Championships, I felt that all the tough training and hard work had finally paid off," Oh said.

Oh, also the Asian silver medalist in 2024, opened with a single-leg takedown, then reeled off three trap-arm rolls for a quick 8-0 lead. Another takedown attempt resulted in both wrestlers in a switch position, and Oh eventually gained control to end the match at 2:50.

"I wanted to show all the skills I’ve been training for in the best way possible," she said. "I thought that if I became a champion, I could make my father proud and bring a smile to his face. He was overjoyed and celebrated our victory in the international competitions, which made us recognized everywhere."

Oh joined Yong-Mi PAK (PRK), who won the 53kg gold in Nur-Sultan in 2019, as the lone women to win golds for DPR Korea. Her victory came a day after Chongsong HAN (PRK) won the freestyle 65kg gold, the country's first in that style since 2014.

The two bronze medalists at 55kg -- Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), left, and Andreea ANA (ROU). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Ana claims elusive bronze at 55kg

Andreea ANA (ROU), a three-time European champion making her seventh trip to a World Championships or Olympics, finally made it onto the medal podium.

The 24-year-old Ana secured an elusive bronze medal at 55kg, clinching a 6-3 victory over Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) in a late scramble that had to be sorted out after the final buzzer.

Leading 2-1, with all of the points scored on the activity clock, Ana and Sanz Verdecia both gained 2-point exposures in a flurry that ended with the Cuban on top. But Ana reached back and flung Sanz Verdecia to the mat just as time expired for a final 2 that was confirmed on challenge.

Japan picked up the other 55kg bronze when Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), winner of the world U20 title at 57kg last year, finished up a 10-0 victory over Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) with 33 seconds left.

Uchida opened the scoring with a 4-point counter to a throw attempt in the first period, then methodically scored three takedowns to secure the bronze in her senior world debut.

At 59kg, Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) rallied to an 8-4 victory over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), while Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) won the other bronze with a second-period fall of Othelie HOEIE (NOR).

Togtokh, second at the Mongolia Ranking Series event in May, had given up a go-ahead takedown with :43 left when she quickly reversed, then gut wrenched Sidelnikova over for a 6-4 lead. She added a takedown just before the buzzer.

Beauregard was trailing 2-0 in the second period when she scored a takedown, then turned Hoeie over and secured the fall in 4:30.

Day 4 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg
SEMIFINAL: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), 3-2
SEMIFINAL: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) by Fall, 4:22 (9-0)

55kg (18 entries)
GOLD: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) by TF, 10-0, 2:50

BRONZE: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) by TF, 10-0, 5:26
BRONZE: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB), 6-3

57kg
SEMIFINAL: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) by Fall, 3:11 (5-0)
SEMIFINAL: Il Sim SON (PRK) df. Kexin HONG (CHN) by TF, 12-2, 3:55

59kg (22 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Maria VYNNYK (URK) by Fall, 5:51 (17-5)

BRONZE: Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), 8-4
BRONZE: Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) df. Othelie HOEIE (NOR) by Fall, 4:30 (4-2)

65kg
SEMIFINAL: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 4:27
SEMIFINAL: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) by TF, 13-3, 3:32

76kg
SEMIFINAL: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 10-5
SEMIFINAL: Genesis REASCO (ECU) df. Milaimy MARIN (CUB), 5-3

U20 Worlds: First day, USA and Iran show

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Onishi encounters rough waters before sailing to 59kg gold