Unbeaten Yefremova repeats as U17 world champ; Japan steals WW title

Friday, July 29, 2022 - 18:16 By Vinay Siwach

ROME, Italy (July 29) -- Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) came into the U17 World Championships in Rome as an unbeaten wrestler internationally. The young star has already notched up two U15 and U17 European titles, and one U17 world title. On Friday, she became a two-time U17 world champion and remained undefeated over six tournaments internationally.

When she made her way to the 53kg final against Sakura ONISHI (JPN), it seemed that her record was in danger. But the returning world champion proved too clutch for Onishi and won the 53kg gold 3-1.

Incidentally, Onishi has only lost thrice in her entire career, the latest being to Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) at the Inter-High School Championships. She has now suffered her fourth loss as Yefremova used a near-perfect defensive strategy to beat Onishi.

Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) extended her unbeaten record to 24 bouts over six tournaments. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

It was the passivity points that made Onishi lose her cool against Yefremova who let Onishi take the 1-0 lead after being called passive in the first period.

But in the second period, Onishi was called passive and Yefremova took the 1-1 criteria lead. Now, Onishi tried hard to get the all-important stepout and almost did it but Yefremova lifted her leg from one-on-two and scored exposure on Onishi with 10 seconds left.

The unbeaten run which now extends to 24 bouts, including the U17 Worlds in Rome, over three years saw Yefremova give up only 11 points while scoring 229 points.

While the 53kg weight class internationally is one of most stacked led by world champion Fujinami, it will be interesting to see how Yefremova fairs when she makes her international debut.

Her gold also propelled Ukraine to the third spot in the team ranking with 112 points, overtaking the USA, the defending champions, which finished fourth with 107 points.

Japan had missed the U17 World Championships in 2021 due to the COVID-19 outbreak and it only won two titles in Rome but it still managed to win the team title with 180 points, 31 more than India which finished second for a second consecutive year.

MUSKAN (IND) defeated Mona EZAKA (JPN) to win the 40kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

India wins 3 golds

Out of the remaining four golds, India won three taking its overall count to five as MUSKAN (IND), SAVITA (IND) and HARSHITA (IND) won the 40kg, 61kg and 69kg gold medals on Friday.

In a rematch of the U17 Asian finals from Bishkek, Muskan wrestled Mona EZAKA (JPN) in the gold medal bout. While Ezaka was able to stretch the bout more than she did in Bishkek, the result, unfortunately, was the same.

Muskan took a 4-0 lead with two counters and then added a go behind to make it 6-0. Ezaka tried grabbing Muskan's legs but the Indian had a solid defense and ultimately found the fall with 1:11 remaining on the clock.

SAVITA (IND) celebrates after winning the 61kg gold medal in Rome. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Savita was as quick as Muskan, beating Valerie HAMILTON (USA), 12-0, in the final. A cradle to start the bout, Savita went for the pin like in her semifinal against Suzu SASAKI (JPN).

Hamilton, however, survived the fall but could never find a way to score points on Savita who ultimately scored the win and claimed the 61kg gold.

Harshita added a third gold by beating Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN) in the 69kg final. Going by her semifinal, it always seemed to be a tough ask for Yoshida to repeat a late takedown in the final against the Indian.

The Indian got hold of Yoshida's leg early in the bout and led 2-0. But she went defensive from there and was put on the activity clock in the second period. Trailing 2-1, Yoshida tried a headlock in the final two seconds but the referee called it clean and even the time ran out. The decision stood despite Japan's challenge. The lost challenge added one more point to Harshita's score.

This was the second year Harshita was at the U17 Worlds. She had finished fifth in Budapest last year.

This was India's best-ever show at the U17 World Championships overtaking the previous year's result. In Budapest, India won three gold medals to finish second.

Koko MATSUDA (JPN) became the U17 world champion at 53kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Japan won gold on the final day as Koko MATSUDA (JPN) swept the field at 46kg. She outscored her opponents 27-0 including a 13-0 win over Gabriella GOMEZ (USA).

Wrestling in typical Japanese style, Matsuda was too quick for Gomez and got her leg attacks to score the takedowns. She led 8-0 at the break.

In the second period, Gomez tried a body lock but Matsuda was quick to turn it into an arm throw and get the win. The USA challenged the call but it was four instead of the original two and Matsuda won 13-0.

Jaxen FORREST (USA) produced a final-second takedown to beat Vaibhav PATIL (IND) in the 55kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

USA dominate freestyle

The USA dominated the first day of freestyle, sending four wrestlers to the finals. Five weight classes were in action on Saturday and the USA has finalists in 48kg, 55kg, 65kg and 110kg. India and the USA were the only countries to enter four wrestlers in the semifinals with two head-to-head bouts.

At 55kg, Jaxen FORREST (USA) wrestled U17 Asian champion Vaibhav PATIL (IND) and both wrestlers were not ready to give it up. They exchanged three takedowns each before a low single from Patil almost gave him the winning takedown. But Forrest's knees did not touch the mat. He in turn scored a takedown and won 9-7. Forrest will wrestle Asian silver medalist Daryn ASKERBEK (KAZ) who defeated Jannis REBHOLZ (GER) 5-3.

The other USA-India semifinal was at 65kg in which Tyler KASAK (USA) pinned ANKIT (IND) after leading 8-3. Ankit had several chances to score but Kasak's defense was outstanding throughout the bout. He used a duck under to secure the fall.

For the gold medal, he will now wrestle U17 European champion Ilyas ISAYEV (AZE) who had a tough semifinal against Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO) but eventually won 9-4.

Christian CASTILLO (USA), red, had to jump over Arshia HADDADI (IRI) to score a final-second takedown in the 48kg quarterfinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Two other USA wrestlers in the final were Christian CASTILLO (USA) and Koy HOPKE (USA) at 48kg and 110kg respectively.

Castillo was up against European silver medalist Rassoul GALBOURAEV (FRA) but his leg lace was enough to win 12-1. He will now have to upset Azerbaijan's young star and European champion Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE).

The Azerbaijan wrestler was made to work hard by Lalit KUMAR (IND) in the semifinal but he never looked out of control, winning the bout 7-4.

Hopke dominated his semifinal against Khikmatullo KURBONOV (UZB), winning 12-2. He will wrestle Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA) for the gold.

Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA) became the first wrestler from France to reach U17 Worlds final. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Lagvilava was the surprise of the day as he defeated U17 Asian champion Mohammadreza LOTFI (IRI), 11-9 in the semifinal. The France wrestler struggled with his conditioning but every time it seemed he would give up the takedown, he managed to either score a stepout or takedown.

India did manage to reach one final as Sachin MOR (IND) scrapped past Yehor HOROKH (UKR), 4-0. He will have to beat Reza SOLEIMANIAN (IRI) if he wants to win gold.

RESULTS

Women's wrestling

40kg
GOLD: MUSKAN (IND) df. Mona EZAKA (JPN), via fall (10-0)

BRONZE: Yevheniia DRUZENKO (UKR) df. Yagmur KARABACAK (TUR), 8-2
BRONZE: Diana VOICULESCU (ROU) df. Gulasal ABDUNAZAROVA (UZB), via forfeit

46kg
GOLD: Koko MATSUDA (JPN) df. Gabriella GOMEZ (USA), 13-0

BRONZE: Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU) df. SHRUTI (IND), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Yelyzaveta KULAKIVSKA (UKR) df. Kornelia LASZLO (HUN), 4-2

53kg
GOLD: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) df. Sakura ONISHI (JPN), 3-1

BRONZE: Sevim AKBAS (TUR) df. Khaliun BYAMBASUREN (MGL), 9-6
BRONZE: Lilya COHEN (FRA) df. Ya CHEN (TPE), via fall

61kg
GOLD: SAVITA (IND) df. Valerie HAMILTON (USA), 12-0

BRONZE: Suzu SASAKI (JPN) df. Ana CRETU (MDA), 10-0
BRONZE: Sevinch SULTONOVA (UZB) df. Yen LI (TPE), 2-1

69kg
GOLD: HARSHITA (IND) df. Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN), 3-1

BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), via fall
BRONZE: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Nikoleta BARMPA (GRE), 6-3

FS semifinals

48kg
GOLD: Christian CASTILLO (USA) vs. Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE)

SF 1: Christian CASTILLO (USA) df. Rassoul GALBOURAEV (FRA), 12-1
SF 2: Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) df. Lalit KUMAR (IND), 7-4

55kg
GOLD: Jaxen FORREST (USA) vs Daryn ASKERBEK (KAZ)

SF 1: Jaxen FORREST (USA) df. Vaibhav PATIL (IND), 9-7
SF 2: Daryn ASKERBEK (KAZ) df. Jannis REBHOLZ (GER), 6-3

65kg
GOLD: Tyler KASAK (USA) vs. Ilyas ISAYEV (AZE)

SF 1: Tyler KASAK (USA) df. ANKIT (IND), via fall (10-3)
SF 2: Ilyas ISAYEV (AZE) df. Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO), 9-4

80kg
GOLD: Reza SOLEIMANIAN (IRI) vs Sachin MOR (IND)

SF 1: Reza SOLEIMANIAN (IRI) df. Muhammadamin ABDULOEV (TJK), 10-0
SF 2: Sachin MOR (IND) df. Yehor HOROKH (UKR), 4-0

110kg
GOLD: Koy HOPKE (USA) vs Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA)

SF 1: Koy HOPKE (USA) df. Khikmatullo KURBONOV (UZB), 12-2
SF 2: Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA) df. Mohammadreza LOTFI (IRI), 11-9

#WrestleZagreb

Chung puts Korea in World C'ships final

Saturday, September 20, 2025 - 16:49 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 20) -- Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) has long been the training partner of former world champion Hansyu RYU (KOR) at national camps in Korea as both hail from Busan and wrestled at the Kyungsung University.

Eight years after Ryu became a world champion in Paris, Korea's last gold at World Championships, Chung would try to emulate his role model after he made the 63kg final at the World Championships in Zagreb on Saturday.

In his previous two trips to the World Championships, Chung finished eight and 25th but has now assured himself at least a silver medal in 2025. This is also Korea's first medal since Min Seok KIM (KOR) won bronze in 2018.

Chung opened his campaign with a 7-1 victory over Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) before picking up a fall over Manato NAKAMURA (JPN). Tokyo bronze medalist Sergey EMELIN (UWW) was next but Chung defended from par terre and posted a 1-1 criteria win.

In the semifinals, Chung had Asian silver medalist Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) but he stepped up. Keshtkar got the first par terre position but was not able to score any points, going to the break leading 1-0.

The second period saw Chung go for the reverse throw for two points and Keshtkar was docked two points for a leg foul, giving a 5-1 lead to Chung. Keshtkar tried making a comeback and got a takedown to cut the lead to 5-3 but that was all he had as Chung claimed the victory in the semifinals.

But to win his country's first gold since 2017, Chung will have to go through Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) who looks unbeatable. A month after winning the gold medal at the U20 World Championships, the Uzbek star is now in the World Championships final with a dominant 8-0 win over Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA).

Khalmakhanov needed only 37 seconds to finish his semifinals against Erimenco as he used an over-under grip to slam him on the mat for two points. He continued the same sequence for two more points and lead 6-0. A trap arm gut was enough to get him two more points and the win.

Iran managed two more wrestlers in the final at the World Championships with Olympic champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) and Olympic silver medalist Alireza MOHAMADI (IRI) a win away from winning their first world titles at 67kg and 87kg respectively.

Esmaeili particularly looked in the form of his life as he blanked his 36-0 in four bouts with none going the full distance of the six minutes. He began with a 9-0 win over 2022 world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) before two 8-0 wins against Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB) and Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR), 8-0.

In the semifinals, he used a five-point throw to beat Daniial AGAEV (UWW). Using a bodylock, he scored his first takedown and then turned Agaev for a 4-0 lead. He then got the par terre position and reverse lifted Agaev and slammed him for five points.

For the gold medal, he will have to get past Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JARAFOV (AZE), a returning silver medalist. Jafarov faced Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) in the semifinal and used a correct throw from par terre to beat the Kyrgyzstan wrestlers 3-1.

Mohamadi had a very contrasting semifinal against David LOSONCZI (HUN) at 87kg. He seemed to be sailing to victory with 5-1 lead and under a minute left but Losonczi locked his waist and threw him for a takedown for two points. Hungary challenged the call asking for four points but it was awarded only two on review and Hungary lost the challenge to give one more point to Mohamadi.

With a 6-3 win, Mohamadi, a silver medalist at 82kg from 2023, will now try to win the gold medal against former European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB).

Trusting his defense in the semifinal against Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW), Komarov held on to his 1-1 criteria lead to win the bout. Komarov was the beneficiary of the new Greco-Roman rule which states that the criteria will remain with the wrestler who got the first point in a 1-1 finish.

Irrespective of what happens in the final on Sunday, Iran has already won the Greco-Roman team title. This is the first time in the country's history that Iran has won both Freestyle and Greco-Roman team title at the same World Championships.

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) vs. Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB)

SF 1: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) df. Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI), 5-3
SF 2: Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 8-0

67kg
GOLD: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) vs. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)

SF 1: Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Daniial AGAEV (UWW), 10-0
SF 2: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), 3-1

87kg
GOLD: Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) vs. Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)

SF 1: Alireza MOHMADI (IRI) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 6-3
SF 2: Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) df. Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW), 1-1

Unbeaten Yefremova repeats as U17 world champ; Japan steals WW title

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Chung puts Korea in World C'ships final