Ukraine, U.S. Take Early Lead in Women's Wrestling at U17 Worlds

Wednesday, July 29, 2026 - 14:03 By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (July 29) -- Ukraine and the United States took early lead in Women's Wrestling at the U17 World Championships after two finalists each. The two countries will clash for the gold medal at 73kg while the U.S. had another finalist at 57kg and Ukraine at 43kg.

The head-to-head clash will come at 73kg after Solomiia PETRIV (UKR) and Kaili MANUEL (USA) made it to the final.

In the semifinals, Petriv once again got the better of Bianka BARANY (HUN) as she had defeated the Hungarian in the U17 European Championships final as well. Opening the bout with a headlock throw for two points, Petriv led 4-1 at the break, thanks to a slide-by to takedown.

Petriv went on to score two more takedown in the second period to complete an 8-1 win over Barany and has already upgraded her bronze from last year.

To win the gold medal on Thursday, Petriv will need to go past Manuel who held on to a 7-5 win against U17 Asian champion GARIMA (IND) in the other semifinal. Manuel was lifting Garima and dropping her outside the zone to score her stepouts.

She began with on and then Garima was put on the activity clock. Garima went for the leg attack but Manuel pancaked her and scored two point. A point for activity and turn made her lead 6-0. Garima gave up another stepout to add another point to Manuel's score.

There was still some fight left in Garima as she cut the lead to 7-3 but wasted time while trying to finish a leg-attack. With 10 seconds left, she got another takedown but failed to turn Manuel which would have given her a criteria win.

The second finalist for the U.S. was returning silver medalist Epenesa ELISON (USA) who is a win away from winning her first U17 world title and will take on Nikita SEHRAWAT (IND) on Thursday.

In contrasting semifinals at 57kg, Elison secured a 30-second fall over Gurleen DHILLON (CAN) while Sehrawat had to work har for her 6-2 win over Mariia POLTORAK (UKR).

Sehrawat lead 1-0 after an activity clock point and was put on the clock in the second period. During that 30-second period, she scored exposure and Poltorak also got exposure points. Sehrawat ended up on top as a reversal and led 4-2. She used her strength to keep Poltorak down in the final 30 seconds and managed a takedown as well.

Ukraine's second finalist was Olena KOLUBAI (UKR) who stormed to the 49kg gold-medal bout with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Ayanat MEINAMBAY (KAZ). After scoring a takedown, Kolubai used a gut-wrench for four turns.

She will now face Saika UCHIDA (JPN) who used a leg attack to bring Kamna BABAL (IND) to her back and then held her for a first-period fall. Uchida will has the chance to win the gold medal, a feat that will take her closer to her senior Asian champion Sowaka, who won the U17 world title twice -- 2022 and 2023.

At 43kg, Finja STRAUCH (GER) will look to become Germany's first-ever U17 world champion in 12 years after reaching the final. She picked up a fall over Daria MASLENNIKOVA (RUS) in the semifinal after building an 8-0 lead.

She will now take on Mukhlisa MASHARIPOVA (UZB), just the third Uzbekistan wrestler to reach U17 world final. She needed a counter cradle to win her semifinal against Maya NAICKER (CAN), 6-2.

The 65kg final will be between Aisha ABDIMALIK (KAZ) and Ariunzul BOLDBAATAR (MGL) as the two won the semifinals overpowering their European opponents.

Boldbaatar, the U17 Asian bronze medalist, was rather crafty with her attacks. She cartwheeled once and then used a headlock throw as well. More than takedown, it was exposure points that helped her beat Palina BRAHINETS (BLR), 7-1.

Abdimalik kept it simple, scoring counter takedowns against Vasiliki KARAVANOU (GRE) and building her lead before sealing the semifinal, 8-1.

RESULTS

43kg
SF 1: Finja STRAUCH (GER) df. Daria MASLENNIKOVA (RUS), via fall
SF 2: Mukhlisa MASHARIPOVA (UZB) df. Maya NAICKER (CAN), 6-2

49kg
SF 1: Olena KOLUBAI (UKR) df. Ayanat MEINAMBAY (KAZ), 10-0
SF 2: Saika UCHIDA (JPN) df. Kamna BABAL (IND), via fall

57kg
SF 1: Nikita SEHRAWAT (IND) df. Mariia POLTORAK (UKR), 6-2
SF 2: Epenesa ELISON (USA) df. Gurleen DHILLON (CAN), via fall

65kg
SF 1: Ariunzul BOLDBAATAR (MGL) df. Palina BRAHINETS (BLR), 7-1
SF 2: Aisha ABDIMALIK (KAZ) df. Vasiliki KARAVANOU (GRE), 8-1

73kg
SF 1: Kaili MANUEL (USA) df. GARIMA (IND), 7-5
SF 2: Solomiia PETRIV (UKR) df. Bianka BARANY (HUN), 8-1

#WrestleZagreb

Buchanan spoils Yazdani’s return at Zagreb Open

Friday, February 6, 2026 - 00:58 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 5) -- For the modestly attended Zagreb Open 2026, Thursday brought a noticeable lift in attendance as Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) returned to competition.

Yazdani, who injured his shoulder in the Paris Olympics final, was returning 18 months and another surgery later. The Olympic champion at 74kg in 2016 and silver medalist at 86kg in 2020 and 2024, is now up at 97kg.

Over the past decade, Yazdani has enjoyed stardom with fans not just in Iran but across the globe.

So when a bulkier Yazdani walked out to the mat in Zagreb, his silhouette under the spotlights looked different. The 13 kilogram jump was clearly visible. There was no traditional jump from him before coming to the center of the mat.

Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) launches Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) for a four-point throw. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Yazdani’s decision to switch Olympic weight classes was a move born out of necessity, especially after two shoulder surgeries.

In the early rounds of the Zagreb Open, the experiment seemed to be working. The signature underhooks were there, the gas tank seemed fine and his movement, despite the bulk, did not seem unnatural.

Before reaching the final, Yazdani had seen off his opponents with rather ease. He scored points via stepouts, takedowns and go-behind in typical Yazdani fashion. He gave up only four points in his three bouts and reached the final without much trouble.

But then he hit a wall.

In the second period of the final, Yazdani's underhooks stopped working and his gas tank showed a leak. His movement became slower although his mind wanted him to be quick against Stephen BUCHANAN (USA).

Buchanan matched Yazdani for position and let Yazdani take only a 2-1 lead at the break. But he caught Yazdani in the second period and launched the Iranian for a suplex for four. It's rare for Yazdani to be thrown around like that.

And with him falling behind 5-2, Yazdani tried to attack more and that's when opportunities for Buchanan opened up as he scored three takedowns and two steps, beating Yazdani 13-3 and capturing the gold medal in Zagreb.

This was Yazdani's only tenth loss at the senior level and first to a U.S. wrestler other than David TAYLOR (USA). It was also the first a wrestler defeated Yazdani via technical superiority.

With Buchanan's gold, the United States finished the tournament with five gold medals in Freestyle.

Trent HIDLAY (USA) scores a takedown against Mobin AZIMI (IRI). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

World champion at 92kg Trent HIDLAY (USA) forfeited his final against Mobin AZIMI (IRI). But Hidlay had defeated the Iranian 5-5 in their round robin bout.

Hidlay, known for his insane comeback in bouts, was down 5-0 against Azimi when he mounted a comeback. He scored a takedown and then a point to make it 5-3. He then scored a step out on Azimi which cut the lead to 5-4. Iran challenged the stepout call but lost it to tie the score 5-5 with Hidlay holding criteria. Hidlay then defended his criteria for the rest of the bout.

In another bout against an Iranian, Hidlay came back from 8-0 down to beat Abofazl RAHAMANI (IRI) 11-9 as he took the top spot in his group.

Rahamani and Azimi clashed as well in the round robin and it was Azimi who scored a takedown in the final seconds to beat his compatriot 4-3 and finish second in the group.

Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) pins Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) in the 125kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 125kg, Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) is quickly emerging as the biggest challenger to world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) at the weight class.

Sharipov captured the gold medal at 125kg with a incredible cradle and turk position against Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA). Shapirov locked Hendrickson in a leg-turn and then turned him on his back, keeping him down and securing the fall.

With a dominant performance in Zagreb, the Bahrain wrestler has put his name as a serious medal threat at the 2026 World Championships that will be held in Bahrain in October.

European silver medalist Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) defended his gold medal from 2025, winning a close 4-4 final against Dean HAMITI (USA) at 79kg.

Khadjiev was leading 4-1 when he was put on the activity clock. As the clock expired and he failed to score, Khadjiev also gave up a takedown which tied the score 4-4. But the French wrestler get the criteria due to his two two-point scoring moves.

RESULTS

Freestyle

79kg
GOLD: Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) df. Dean HAMITI (USA), 4-4

BRONZE: Evan WICK (USA) df. Daniel BRAUNAGEL (USA), 8-6
BRONZE: Adel PANAEIAN (IRI) df. Otari ADEISHVILI (GEO), via fall

92kg
GOLD: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Trent HIDLAY (USA), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Dustin PLOTT (USA) df. Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA), 6-1

97kg
GOLD: Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) df. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), 13-3

BRONZE: Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) df. Richard VEGH (HUN), 12-2
BRONZE: VICKY (IND) df. Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA), 8-2

125kg
GOLD: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA), via fall

BRONZE: Mortaza JANMOHAMMADZADEH (IRI) df. Robert BARAN (POL), 8-4
BRONZE: DINESH (IND) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), via fall

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) df. NEELAM (IND), 5-2

BRONZE: MUSKAN (IND) df. Agata GOLUCHOWSKA (POL), 11-0
BRONZE: Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) df. Natalia WALCZAK (POL), 9-6

55kg
GOLD: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Karla GODINEZ (CAN), 6-0

BRONZE: Nagisa HARADA (JPN) df. Beatrice FERENT (ROU), 2-1
BRONZE: Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA) df. Amani JONES (USA), 4-0

Ukraine, U.S. Take Early Lead in Women's Wrestling at U17 Worlds

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Buchanan spoils Yazdani’s return at Zagreb Open