#development

UWW educational activities prior to the Southeast Asian Games

By United World Wrestling Press

HANOI, Vietnam (May 11) -- With the support of the Olympic Solidarity and the Vietnam National Olympic Committee, technical courses for coaches and referees were organized by United World Wrestling for the Southeast Asian countries prior to the South East Asian Games from May 7 to 14 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

A total of 55 coaches and referees from Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam attended the training. Out of the 30 referees that attended the training course, 18 referees training will officiate at the SEA Games and obtain international refereeing licenses.

An anti-doping workshop was also delivered to the participating coaches by the Vietnam Anti-Doping & Sports Medicine Center on May 10. General anti-doping rules, rights & responsibilities of athletes & coaches, testing procedures, Therapeutic Use Exemptions and clean sports values and ethics were included in this workshop.

DopingThe Vietnam Anti-Doping & Sports Medicine Center present their course on anti-doping rules and ethics to 25 coaches.

"This is a great start for Southeast Asian countries after such a long time of no activity and sporting opportunities in the last two years," Deqa NIAMKEY, UWW Development Director, said. "The SEA Games allowed our smaller national federations to make a strong appearance on the international stage, and the training courses UWW organized prior to the Games help ensure that the wrestling competitions are conducted in a safe and fair manner.

"UWW thrives to provide the best possible training and education opportunities for the development of coaches and referees worldwide."

As part of its commitment to drive global wrestling development and further strengthen and enhance the communication with member federations, UWW has announced a new Regional Development Program to help support wrestling development activities across regions at beginning of the year.

This program contributes to a coherent development strategy and offers hands-on local support and assistance to benefit wrestling growth in countries that are relatively less developed in the sport of wrestling.

Through this flagship development program, UWW is continuing to provide tailored support to its member federations and making a real and lasting impact in driving the development of wrestling around the world.

The training courses prior to the SEA Games set another important milestone for UWW and marked a start of a series of wrestling development programs and projects in the region. Positive feedback was received from the participating nations, and many countries have already expressed their interest in hosting the 2023 UWW Southeast Asia Development Program.

"The training courses for coaches and referees are extremely important and beneficial for the development of wrestling in Vietnam and the whole Southeast Asia region," Manh Van TRAN, the Secretary-General of the Vietnam Olympic Committee, said.

"We have supported a coaching course via Olympic Solidarity back in 2017, and we hope to continue our successful collocation with UWW to grow wrestling in Vietnam," he said.

Lee Jiwoo_Ref course_VIE

"I’m a young coach from Indonesia and I am very happy that UWW offered this chance to further enhance my knowledge of wrestling in both coaching and refereeing," Purnama SURYA, a coach from Indoesia, said. "I attended both training courses, and had great experience learning from renowned international experts in the field. A big thank you to UWW."

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds 2025: Iran, U.S. put two each in Freestyle finals

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- Iran and the United States emerged as the best performers on day one of Freestyle competition at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece after placing two wrestlers each in the gold medal bouts.

Five Freestyle weight classes were in action on Friday, as the tournament entered its final three days.

Iran and the U.S. will face off in the 48kg final after Ariah MILLS (USA) and Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) won their respective semifinals.

Mills defeated European U17 champion Ravan HASANZADE (AZE) 7-2 using his attacking style. After being put on the activity clock, Mills began his attacks and though he was not able to score in the 30-second, he hit a single leg for four points that gave him a 4-1 lead going into the break.

Hasanzade got on the leg attacks but Mills was quick to counter and scored an exposure for two points which was challenged by Azerbaijan. On review, it was given only two points for Mills and Azerbaijan lost the challenge and Mills reached the final 7-2.

Boustani had to stop some serious attacks from Masamune USHIMADO (JPN) in the second period. After taking a 6-0 lead, Boustani was put in danger by Ushimado as he scored a takedown. He then made it 6-3 with a stepout. With 13 seconds remaining, he hit another big throw but it was scored just two points as Boustani won 6-5.

The second finalist for the U.S. was Pan-Am U17 champion Arsenii KIKINIOU (USA) who came from behind to beat Morteza HAJ (IRI), 3-2, in the 65kg semifinals. Trailing 2-0, Kikiniou first scored a stepout and then managed to transition a leg attack into takedown with 13 seconds left. He held on to his lead to win.

For the gold, he will face 2024 silver medalist from 60kg, Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) who barely went past Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 3-1, in the other semifinal. Ismayilov was down 1-1 on criteria but scored point just in time to win the match.

Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) was the second finalist for Iran after he dominated Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ) and beat him 11-4 in the 80kg semifinals. For the gold, he will take on European U17 champion Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) after the Ukrainian earned himself a chance to win a world U17 goldm reaching the final with a 2-1 win over  Issa ZANGIEV (UWW).

At 55kg, returning bronze medalist from 51kg Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) denied Greyton BURNETT (USA) after beating him 8-2 in the semifinal. Okonogi never let Burnett to settle down and scored three takedowns in his win.

Having already upgraded his medal, Okonogi will look to win the gold over Asian U17 silver medalist Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UWW) who scored a late stepout to win his semifinal against Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW), who was a bronze medalist from 48kg last year.

At 110kg, it will be a battle of continental champions as European U17 champion Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) defeated Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 2-0, after getting both passivity points.

He will take on Asian U17 champion LACKY (IND) who defeated European U17 champion Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI), via fall, with a comeback.

Naghdalipour led 5-0 when he got a par terre and as he tried the gut-wrench, Lacky blocked him and scored two points. A double-leg takedown made it 5-4.

Lacky was called passive in the second period and Naghdalipout got another point and led 6-4. That is when Lacky got hold of the Iranian and sent him for four points. Iran challenged and lost, making the score 9-6 for Lacky.

Naghdalipour scored a stepout to cut the lead to 9-7 but as he tried another takedown, Lacky slammed him for four and a turn before securing the fall just as the time expired.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Ariah MILLS (USA) vs. Sina BOUSTANI (IRI)

SF 1: Ariah MILLS (USA) df. Ravan HASANZADE (AZE), 7-2
SF 2: Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) df. Masamune USHIMADO (JPN), 6-5

55kg
GOLD: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) vs. Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB)

SF 1: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) df. Greyton BURNETT (USA), 8-2 
SF 2: Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB) df. Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW), 2-1

65kg
GOLD: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) vs. Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE)

SF 1: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) df. Morteza HAJ (IRI), 3-2
SF 2: Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) df. Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 3-1

80kg
GOLD: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) vs. Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI)

SF 1: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) df. Issa ZANGIEV (UWW), 2-1
SF 2: Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) df. Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ), 11-4

110kg
GOLD: LACKY (IND) vs. Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW)

SF 1: LACKY (IND) df. Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI), via fall (15-7)
SF 2: Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) df. Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 2-0