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United World Wrestling Assists in Delivery of Mats and Equipment to Puerto Rico

Monday, December 17, 2018 - 00:14 By United World Wrestling Press

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (December 17) – United World Wrestling and USA Wrestling’s Wrestling4Peace initiative successfully delivered two new wrestling mats, two donated wrestling mats and a variety of training equipment and clothing last week to the Puerto Rico Wrestling Federation.

The donated mats and equipment were collected by USA Wrestling’s Wrestling4Peace with two new mats and delivery payments provided by United World Wrestling. The donations are part of an ongoing commitment by United World Wrestling to help the island in their recovery from hurricanes that pummeled the nation in 2017.

“Puerto Rico is one of the strongest wrestling nations in the Americas,” said United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. “We are here to better serve our athletes, especially those who’ve had to overcome obstacles like the hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico. This is just a part of what we’d like to accomplish, and it’s a great start.”

Lorraine RORABAUGH (USA) and Steve FRASER (USA) of USA Wrestling4Peace join Puerto Rico National Olympic Committee president Sara ROSALES (PUR), UWW Americas president Francisco LEE (GUA), and Puerto Rico national wrestling federation president Manual GARCIA (PUR) for a discussion of the recent donations (Photo: Luis Marin).

Puerto Rico has enjoyed plenty of wrestling success in recent years, with Jaime ESPINAL snatching Olympic silver with his runner-up finish in Beijing in freestyle at 86kg.

“We would like thank United World Wrestling for the coordination of the mats donated by USA Wrestling,” said Manuel GARCIA, president of the Puerto Rico National Wrestling Federation. “This donation has been a blessing to our island and act of kindness that you cannot find words to express how thankful we are.”

The donated mats were put to immediate use as 1984 Greco-Roman Olympic champion Steve FRASER (USA) put on a pair a clinics at local wrestling clubs in San Juan. Fraser taught a variety of techniques and talked with the young wrestlers about what it takes to win at the Olympic level.

“It was Wrestling4Peace’s pleasure to help Puerto Rico recover from the challenges it faced after Hurricane Maria,” said Fraser. “With the assistance of United World Wrestling, we were happy to collect over 1000 pieces of wrestling gear, including wrestling shoes, singlet’s, shorts, shirts, two wrestling mats and some strength training equipment and deliver to Puerto Rico Wrestling Federation.”

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Zagreb Open 2025 Day 3: Blades dominant, Jafarov injured

Friday, February 7, 2025 - 09:16 By United World Wrestling Press

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 7) -- Zagreb Open enters day three with four Women's Wrestling weight classes and two Greco-Roman weight class. Paris Games silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA) at 76kg is moving down to 68kg and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), bronze medalist in Paris at 67kg, is in action as well.

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13:30: Further problems for Iran. After Gholami's loss, Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) suffers a 6-1 loss to Valentin PETIC (MDA). Petic led 3-0 a the break but Mohsen Nezhad got two turns from par terre to make it 5-3 in the second period. Iran challenged that Petic committed a leg foul but it was seen on review that Mohsen Nezhad grabbed the singlet during par terre for the turns. The points were cancelled. A bodylock situation resulted in Petic falling on his back outside the zone but Mohsen Nezhad stepped out first make it 4-1. A desperate attempt from Mohsen Nezhad did not come through and gave Petic two more points

13:25: A front headlock throw from Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR) gave him a 4-0 lead against Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI). Joergensen got a turn from par terre to make it 7-0 but Gholami scored a stepout to reduce the lead to 7-1. But Norway challenged the call and it was a four-point throw from standing which made it 9-0 and Joergensen reached the final.

13:10: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) with a dominant win in the semifinal against Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) after he blocks the Uzbek in par terre and scores two points, a correct throw for two more and a gut wrench for two more to lead 6-1 at the break. A beautiful four-point throw in the second to finish the match 10-1. He will take on Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) who was quick in a 8-0 win over Ziya BABASHOV (AZE)

13:00: Kennedy BLADES (USA) is the gold medalist at 68kg. She has Round 5 left but as she has drubbed her all opponents, she will most likely remain as the top wrestlers. She just beat Noémi SZABADOS (HUN) 10-0.

12:50: Round 4 bout at 62kg saw Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) pull out a takedown and gut wrench with a second remaining to win 5-2 against Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL). Nwachukwu got one extra point for Dudova's lost challenge. She is the gold medalist at 62kg as she won all four of her bouts in the round-robin bracket.

12:40: An all Azerbaijan final at 59kg! Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) holds off Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA) 3-1 while Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) beats Michaela BECK (USA) 6-0 to enter the final

12:10: Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) with a final second desperate move to beat AYTJAN KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) at 63kg. Keshtkar was trailing 2-0 when he got Khalmakhanov in a horizontal lift and brought him down in danger for four points. Khalmakhanov scored a counter for two but Keshtkar's big move gave the Iranian a 4-4 win. One point was added after Uzbekistan lost the challenge.

12:00: Kennedy BLADES (USA) was too quick for Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) at 68kg. She got a single leg for takedown. Blades then catches Hanzlickova in a bar on the edge and gets the fall just before the break. 

11:55: Daniial AGAEV (AIN) and Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI) put on a show in their 67kg quarterfinal. Gholami, who last wrestled internationally at U17 World Championships in 2023 at 55kg, opened up a 5-1 lead at the break. However, Agaev with a takedown but gives up an exposure, giving Gholami a 7-3 lead and the win

11:45: U20 world champion Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) rolls out a top-class gut wrench and beats Nozimjon BOYKUZIEV (UZB) 8-3 and moves into the semifinal at 67kg. With Jafarov out, he is now the favorite to win gold.

11:35: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) was leading 7-0 against Valentin PETIC (MDA) but pulls out injured. Update: Jafarov has peeled his skin behind his ear after a rub with the mat. He is being treated in the hospital

11:25: Trademark double armlock and pin for Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) as she beats Karolina POK (HUN) at 68kg. Hanzlickova trusts that move with her life

11:20: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) with two activity points as she wins 2-0 against Nikolett SZABO (HUN) at 62kg.

11:15: Change in weight classes but no change in Kennedy BLADES (USA). She comes out with a throw and then arm bars Kendra DACHER (FRA) in the Round 2 bout at 68kg.

11:10: Former world champion at 63kg Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Farid KHALILOV (AZE) share a turn each from par terre but Nad does it in the second period and wins 3-3 at 67kg.

11:00: Hasrad JAFAROV (AZE), bronze medalist at the Paris Olympics, was staring at defeated with a minute remaining in his opening bout against Morten THORESEN (NOR) but is awarded a third passivity par terre and he does a reverse lift for four points and wins 5-1

10:55: In Round 1 at 65kg, Dinara KUDAEVA (AIN) pins Milla ANDELIC (CRO) while Eniko ELEKES (HUN) comes back from 4-0 to beat Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) 4-4.

10:50: Two bouts in Round 1 of 59kg and Azerbaijan has a great start. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) got a 5-0 win over Erika BOGNAR (HUN) while Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) pinned Sofia MACALUSO (USA)

10:45: World bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) gave up an early point against Kendra DACHER (FRA) but manages to see her off 6-2 at 68kg. Hanzlickova became the first-ever Czech wrestler to win a world medal when she won bronze at 72kg in Tirana last year. 

10:30: Welcome to day three of the Zagreb Open Ranking Series event. With Freestyle done, we have four women's wrestling weight classes in action today -- 59kg, 62kg, 65kg and 68kg along with Greco-Roman in 63kg and 67kg.