U20 Worlds: Stage set for Greco-Roman stars to step up

Thursday, August 10, 2023 - 15:18 By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 11) -- Iran ran away with the U20 World Championships Greco-Roman team title last year but the story can be different this year in Amman. It won four golds, two silvers and two bronzes to top the table with Azerbaijan second and Ukraine finishing third.

However, with the inclusion of Individual Neutral Athletes and Georgia bringing a star-studded team, Iran may find it difficult to finish as it did in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Besides Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia seem to be the best in business with top age-group wrestlers coming to Amman. Armenia and Turkiye, along with Asian powerhouse Kazakhstan will hope to improve their rankings.

Greco-Roman action at the U20 World Championships begins August 18 and will be live on uww.org and the UWW App.

Denis MIHAI (ROU) will look to upgrade his silver to gold in Amman (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

55kg
Returning silver medalist Denis MIHAI (ROU) hopes to upgrade his medal. He has the experience of winning the U23 European Championships and a bronze medal at the senior European Championships since that silver. He will face challenges from Tamazi GLONTI (GEO) who lost to Mihai in the quarterfinals before dropping the bronze-medal bout against Nuristan SUIORKULOV (KGZ) who also returns hoping for another medal.

2021 U20 world bronze medalist Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) will also be a big contender for gold. Aliyev won the U23 Euros at 60kg but dropped down to 55kg for the U20 competition. The change in the weight class did not change the result as he won gold again.

Iran is sending 2022 U17 world champ Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) who finished with a bronze medal at the U20 Asian Championships after losing to Alisher GANIEV (UZB) who will return to Amman for the world gold now.

2022 senior European bronze medalist Emre MUTLU (TUR) missed out on a medal last year but he will give it another try this year. U20 European silver medalist Marko VOLOSHYN (UKR) will also try to win a world medal.

2021 U20 world champ Amirreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI) is returning to the tournament. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

60kg
After an absence of two years 2021 U20 world champion Amirreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI) will return to defend his title. The 2019 U17 world champ did not compete internationally in 2022 but did return to wrestle at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series at the start of the year but finished without a medal.

But he will find things a lot different than 2021 as he faces U20 European champion Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO), 2022 European champion Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM, returning bronze medalist Sumit DALAL (IND) and Koto GOMI (JPN) who finished fifth last year.

Senior and U20 Pan-Am silver medalist Jeremy PERALTA (ECU), U23 World Championships bronze medalist Melkamu FETENE (ISR) and U20 European bronze medalist Kemal SEVGILI (TUR) are also entered.

U20 Asian champion Khusniddin OLIMBOEV (UZB) will look to add a world medal to his resume. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

63kg
Three continental champions will try to win a world medal at 63kg. U20 European champion Yurik HOVEYAN (ARM) will have a lot on his shoulders with respect to the team race as well. Joining him are U20 Asian champ Khusniddin OLIMBOEV (UZB) and U20 European champ Adham ELSAYED (EGY).

Former U20 Asian champ Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) will return to competition as well. Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), who won a bronze medal at the U20 European Championships and is a 2022 U17 world silver medalist, will be key in Azerbaijan's bid to finish on the podium.

Iran is sending Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) as he tries to keep the 63kg gold, won by Imam MOHAMADI (IRI), at home.

The U20 European silver medalist Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) will count himself as someone to finish on the podium in Amman.

67kg
For Georgia to be close to winning the team title, Nika BROLADZE (GEO) will have to step up again. The returning silver medalist will back himself to repeat the run to the final, a bout he lost last year to Kanan ABDULLAZADE (AZE).

Brokadze has already avenged that loss and in style, as he pinned Abdullazade in the semifinals of the U20 European Championships. He later lost the final to Azat SARIYAR (TUR) and will be waiting to get his hands on the Turkish wrestler in Amman. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM), the U20 European bronze medalist and 2022 U17 world champ, will also look to avenge his U20 Euro semifinal loss to Sariyar.

Add to the mix another U17 world champ Joel ADAMS (USA) who won the gold last year at 65kg without giving up a single point. He had defeated Ahoura BOUVEIRI PIANI (IRI) to win the gold last year and may face the Iranian again. Bouveriri Piani is the current U20 Asia champion, a title he won in Amman last month.

U20 African champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY), returning fifth-placer Nestori MANNILA (FIN), U20 Asian bronze medalist Aziz GASSYMOV (KAZ) and U20 Asian silver medalist Ilyosjon ABDINAZAROV (UZB) will also look to finish on the podium.

72kg
One wrestler who would be itching to return to competition is Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO). The 2022 U17 world champ was stunned 9-0 by Rokas CEPAUSKAS (LTU) in the U20 European Championships this year. Cepauskas will be in Amman hoping to repeat the feat and win a world medal after the continental bronze.

The three other U20 European medalists will also be in Amman. A rematch between gold medalist Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) and silver medalist Levente LEVAI (HUN) is on the cards while Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) will look to avenge his loss to Nurullayev. Mirzoiev won the bronze medal at last year's U20 World Championships but won the silver at the U23 Europeans this year.

Other medal threats include U23 Asian champion Yeldos KAMELOV (KAZ), U20 Asia gold medalist Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), U20 Asia silver medalist Seyedmohammadmahdi MIRI (IRI) and Yehia ABDELKADER (EGY), the U20 African champion.

U20 European champion Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA), blue, is aiming to becoming Moldova's first Greco-Roman U20 world champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

77kg
All eyes will be on Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) as the U20 European champion looks to win a U20 world gold medal after finishing with a silver medal last year at 72kg. The 2022 U17 world champion will become the first U20 world champion if he manages a gold medal in Amman.

Trying to stop him from achieving the historic feat will be Davud MAMMADOV (AZE) who lost to Solovei in the U20 European final and is also a silver medalist from the 2022 U17 Worlds. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) will be keen on wrestling Solovei as he lost to the Moldovian in the world final in 2021. Abdevali won a bronze medal at the U20 Asian Championships this year.

U20 Asian champion Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) and U20 African champion Mahmoud AHMED (EGY) are the other continental champions entered at 77kg along with U20 Asian bronze medalist Maihaimu MIREADILI (CHN) and two U20 European bronze medalists -- Michal ZELENKA (CZE) and Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR).

Alperen BERBER (TUR) is going for his second age-group world title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

82kg
The 82kg weight class will see two returning bronze medalists in Rohit DAHIYA (IND) and Alperen BERBER (TUR).

Berber, the 2022 U17 world champ, will look to continue his winning streak over Ismayil RZAYEV (AZE) who lost to him in the U17 world final and in the semifinals of the U20 European Championships. Berber finished with a silver medal at the continental event. Two bronze medalists from the same event -- Ilia CERNOVOL (MDA) and Ivan CHMYR (UKR) -- are also booked for Amman.

U20 Asian champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), who also has a silver medal at the U23 Asians, will also put forward his challenge in Amman along with Mahmoud IBRAHIM (EGY), the U20 African champion and U20 Asian bronze medalist Yasin YAZDI (IRI).

87kg
A rematch of last year's U20 World Championships final is on the cards as defending champion Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM) and silver medalist Abolfazl CHOUBANI (IRI) are both entered at 87kg. While Choubani has won the U20 continental gold since, Nazaryan has managed to win a silver medal at the U20 Europeans.

Nazaryan and Choubani's final was among the most controversial bouts of that tournament as the Iranian scored a stepout with one second left of the clock to take a 2-1 lead only to see it reversed on an Armenian challenge. The judges ruled that Choubani committed a foul -- hand below Nazaryan's waist -- while scoring.

Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO), returning silver medalist from 82kg, is making the jump to 87kg and will hope to win a medal in the new weight class. He can be counted among the favorites as he defeated Nazaryan 5-4 in the U20 European final.

Nurassyl AMANALY (KAZ) was second best to Choubani at the U20 Asians and will be back in Amman along with U23 Asian champ at 82kg Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) and U20 African gold medalist Kareem ELDESOUKY (EGY).

97kg
Georgia will count heavily on U20 European champion Gor AYVAZYAN (GEO) to add 25 points to the team race. The 2022 U17 world champ at 92kg will have the other three medalists from the U20 Europeans including silver medalist Rostislav COVALI (MDA) and two bronze medalists -- Darius KIEFER (GER) and Vladyslav LUB (UKR).

Kiefer will be an interesting match-up for Ayvazyan. Though the Georgian has beaten Kiefer in their last two meetings, Kiefer has closed the gap significantly. In the 2022 U17 world final, he suffered a 9-0 loss but in the U20 European semifinals, Kiefer lost 3-2.

Returning silver medalist Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) will look to upgrade his medal this year but faces a tough challenge from his opponents including U20 Asian champion Amirreza AKBARI (IRI), silver medalist Damirkhon RAKHMATOV (UZB) and bronze medalist Tao WEI (CHN).

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), blue, is a returning silver medalist at 130kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

130kg
Two-time U20 Asian champion Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) was absolutely furious after losing the final last year but will have a chance to win the gold as he returns to the U20 World Championships. He will face strong opposition from U20 European champion Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) who is also a silver medalist from the 2022 U17 World Championships.

U20 European silver medalist Mazaim MARDANOV (AZE) is also entered along with U23 Asian champion Wenhao JIANG (CHN) who also won the silver at the U20 continental event.

Aden ATTAO (USA) is the returning bronze medalist and will fancy his chances of making it to the final this year. He is joined by U20 African champion Fekry EISSA (EGY), a wrestler Attao defeated to win the bronze last year, U23 Asia silver medalist Jokhar UZAROV (KAZ) and U20 European bronze medalist Talip CIFTCI (TUR).

#JapanWrestling

Ishii Beats Morikawa Twice to Grab Ticket Back to World Championships

Saturday, May 23, 2026 - 15:15 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (May 23) -- Making the most of her raw determination and an effective low single, Ami ISHII will get a chance at a third straight world title after all. And she earned a ticket to the Asian Games as a bonus.

Ishii notched consecutive victories over rival Miwa MORIKAWA on Saturday, first in the women's 68kg final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships then again in a playoff for a place on the national team at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym.

"What went well at the tournament was not so much how I handled my matches, but the process I went through in the six months since I lost [to Morikawa] in December," Ishii said. "To get where I am today, after my loss in December, I spent every day thinking about making the national team. The difficult times became my ally."

Ishii, the reigning world champion at 68kg, fell to world 65kg champion Morikawa last December in the final of the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships which, along with the Meiji Cup, are the domestic qualifiers for the World Championships and Asian Games.

Wrestlers who win both tournaments automatically earn tickets to both big events. If the winners are different, a playoff is held between the two in an extra session following the medal ceremony.

There were four playoffs in total among the nine weight classes that had finals on Saturday, with Paris Olympic champion Yuka KAGAMI also making the grade by completing a double victory over Yasuha MATSUYUKI at women's 76kg.

Ami ISHII (JPN) wrestles off Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) in the 68kg playoff. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

Ishii, who lost 5-3 to Morikawa at the Emperor's Cup, never gave her opponent an opening to go the offensive, and both of their bouts revolved around actions initiated by Ishii low singles, which Morikawa would counter by reaching over the top.

"From the new year to today, I have worked on various things, but the major issue was how to finish off [the takedown]," Ishii said. "I'm really happy that that became the key to victory."

In the Meiji Cup final, Ishii notched a 2-1 win, with a first-period stepout accounting for the difference when both received activity points in the second period. On the scoring move, Ishii got in deep on a single, then got the point when a scramble took them over the edge.

Returning to the mat several hours later for the playoff, Morikawa was able to score off a counter, but it wasn't enough as Ishii held on to win 4-2.

After receiving an activity point, Ishii scored a stepout to take a 2-0 lead into the break. In the second period, she got in exceptionally deep on a single, giving her the leverage to dump Morikawa onto her back for 2. Morikawa squirmed to her knees and reached back to fling Ishii for a 2-point exposure of her own, but that would be the end of the scoring.

Ishii will get a chance to win a third straight world gold, having also taken the 72kg title in 2024. She also has a silver from 2022, but her fifth-place finish in 2023 led to her eventually missing out on the Paris Olympics.

Ishii's medal collection also includes an Asian gold from 2022, but as with other Japanese wrestlers, this year's Asian Games holds special appeal for her, as Japan will be hosting the quadrennial event for the first time in 30 years.

"As for the Asian Games, it has the same frequency as the Olympics being once every four years, making it an important competition," Ishii said. "I will work hard to win and make it one of my memories."

Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) won the 76kg Meiji Cup final and the playoff against Yasuha MATSUYUKI. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

Like Japan's other Olympic medalists, Kagami took her time returning to competition after Paris, enjoying the limelight and adoration that comes with the sport's most important gold medal.

She acknowledged that she might have taken her preparation for granted, which resulted in a stunning last-second 4-2 loss to Matsuyuki at the Emperor's Cup.

Kagami wasn't going to let that happen again and, in winning the final and playoff 6-2 and 3-2, respectively, she quickly responded after making an aggressive mistake in each match.

"After I lost, I trained harder than anyone," Kagami said. "Even with my busy schedule, I never cut down on my time in practice. Maybe noone could see it, or I didn't let it be seen. I continued progressing and getting more confident, and the result here shown a light on it."

In the final, Kagami received an activity point in the first period, then started the second period by scoring a 2-point exposure to off her opponent's single-leg attempt. But when she got behind and attempted a gut wrench, Matsuyuki stopped her cold to cut the gap to 3-2.

Kagami fired right back with a driving double-leg takedown, which, with an unsuccessful challenge point tacked on, made it 6-2.

In the playoff, Kagami again led 1-0 in the first period, this time from a stepout. She added an activity point in the second period to make it 2-0, only to fall behind on criteria when Matsuyuki countered a takedown attempt for 2.

Again, Kagami went right back to business, shooting in on a single, lifting it up and marching Matsuyuki over the edge for the go-ahead stepout point. She never let Matsuyuki get close to scoring the rest of the way.

"I had absolutely no anxiety," Kagami said of falling behind in the playoff. "What I gave up came from a counter to my tackle. I knew I could get in on my tackle and after she countered, I went right back to taking another shot. There was still about a minute and 20 seconds and there was nothing for me to fear."

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) defeated Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN), 11-1, in the 53kg final. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

In another high-profile final, former world champion Moe KIYOOKA took advantage of the first opening that reigning world champion Haruna MURAYAMA gave her and ran with it to capture the women's 53kg title with an 11-1 win.

Kiyooka, who won the Emperor's Cup in Murayama's absence, was trailing 1-0 in the second period when she noticed a lapse and pounced at the three-time world champion's open foot.

Kiyooka swept it up by the heel for a takedown, then transitioned to a position favored by her brother, Paris Olympic champion Kotaro KIYOOKA, in which she gets her head between the opponents legs from behind. From there, she executed four quick rolls and the match was over in 4:11.

Kiyooka will now get a chance add to the world title she won at 55kg in 2022 when she makes the trip to Astana, where it is likely she will be accompanied by her brother. He made the final at Freestyle 65kg, to be contested on Sunday.

In other action, the rivalry between Nippon Sport Science University alumni and practice partners Kyotaro SOGABE and Katsuaki ENDO at Greco 67kg added another chapter to its long-running saga, with Sogabe coming out on top this time.

Sogabe nullified his loss to Endo at the Emperor's Cup by winning the Meiji Cup final 4-0, then took the playoff with a 3-1 victory.

In both matches, Sogabe was able to score with a gut wrench from par terre, while keeping from being rolled himself while on the bottom.

"Recently in practice, I often gave up points from the ground," Sogabe said. "Up to this tournament, I worked on that, and the fact that I didn't give up points from the ground, I think was the reason behind my victory."

It proved to be a banner day for the Sogabe family. Following Sogabe's victory, his younger brother Rintaro SOGABE won his first-ever senior national title with a wild 12-12 win in the Greco 72kg final over Hajime KIKUTA.

"I came here coming off the disappointment of losing at the All-Japan," Kyotaro Sogabe said. "Today, I was able to win the title along with my brother. He was able to see it through to victory, and I could win out in the playoff, so I'm really happy."

Rintaro also earned the ticket to the World Championships, as Emperor's Cup champion Taishi NARIKUNI was unable to take part in the playoff after suffering a broken facial bone his quarterfinal match on Friday. According to a family member, Narikuni will undergo surgery on Tuesday.

Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) won the 79kg gold to earn his spot for the World Championships. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

Also heading to his first senior World Championships will be rising star Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI, who repeated his victory at the Emperor's Cup over Kanata YAMAGUCHI with a 4-0 win the the Freestyle 79kg final.

Waseda University's Gharehdaghi scored all of his points in the first period with a takedown, stepout and activity point, then spent the second period holding off Yamaguchi.

"I'm happy, but in the second period, I wasn't able to do my wrestling, and that's something I want to fix," Gharehdaghi said.

Gharehdaghi, whose father is Iranian, was coming off a gold-medal run at last month's Asian Championships in Bishkek.

"It really gave me a boost of confidence," he said. "Being Asian champion makes me look anew at what I should be doing. The matches at the World Championships will be even harder, so I must continue practicing as I have been, without letting up at all."

Day 3 Results

Freestyle

79kg
GOLD: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI df. Kanata YAMAGUCHI, 4-0

BRONZE: Shunsuke GOTO df. Kohei KITAMURA, 6-3
BRONZE: Ariya YOSHIDA df. Kojiro SHIGA by Fall, 4:57 (7-5)

86kg
GOLD: Hayato ISHIGURO df. Natsura OKAZAWA by TS, 12-1, 2:25

BRONZE: Ryunosuke KAMIYA df. Tatsuya SHIRAI by Def.
BRONZE: Yudai TAKAHASHI df. Rintaro INOUE by TS, 11-1, 3:57

125kg
GOLD: Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Hosei FUJITA by TS, 10-0, :29

BRONZE: Akinari ORIYAMA df. Yamato HASEGAWA, 5-2
BRONZE: Keivan YOSHIDA df. Kazushi IWASAKI by TS, 10-0, 5:12

Greco-Roman

67kg
GOLD: Kyotaro SOGABE df. Katsuaki ENDO, 4-0

BRONZE: Kojiro HASEGAWA df. Chiezo MARUYAMA, 6-2
BRONZE: Komei SAWADA df. Kensuke SHIMIZU, 3-1

World team playoff: Sogabe df. Endo, 3-1

72kg
GOLD: Rintaro SOGABE df. Hajime KIKUTA, 12-12

BRONZE: Zenji ANADA df. Taishi NARIKUNI by Inj. Def.
BRONZE: Daigo KOBAYASHI df. Takeru KOZUKA, 5-2

97kg
GOLD: Yuri NAKAZATO df. Takahiro TSURUTA, 5-3

BRONZE: Sorato KANAZAWA df. Issa KIKUCHI, 7-1
BRONZE: Koki MATSUMOTO df. Riku NAKAHARA by Fall, 2:50 (5-5)

World team playoff: Nakazato df. Tsuruta, 1-1

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Moe KIYOOKA df. Haruna MURAYAMA by TS, 11-1, 4:11

BRONZE: Umi IMAI df. Mai OGAWA, 5-2
BRONZE: Mayu SHIDOCHI df. Saki YUMIYA, 2-0

68kg
GOLD: Ami ISHII df. Miwa MORIKAWA, 2-1

BRONZE: Rey HOSHINO df. Masako FURUICHI, 6-0

World team playoff: Ishii df. Morikawa, 4-2

76kg
GOLD: Yuka KAGAMI df. Yasuha MATSUYUKI, 6-2

BRONZE: Mahiru FUJITA df. Mizuki NAGASHIMA, 5-0
BRONZE: Ayano MORO df. Sakura NAKANO by Fall, 1:08 (2-0)

World team playoff: Kagami df. Matsuyuki, 3-2

U20 Worlds: Stage set for Greco-Roman stars to step up

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Ishii Beats Morikawa Twice to Grab Ticket Back to World Championships