#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships GR 60kg, 72kg, 97kg semis set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 22) -- With only three weight classes on Friday, the World Championships is entering its final days. Greco-Roman stars in 60kg, 72kg and 97kg will take the mats with 60kg and 97kg being the Olympic weight classes.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

The semifinals for the evening session:

72kg
Robert FRITSCH (HUN) vs. Shingo HARADA (JPN)
Selcuk CAN (TUR) vs. Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)

60kg
Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) vs. Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) vs. Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)

97kg
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU)
Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) vs. Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)

14:50: Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) overpowers U20 world champion Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) 8-5 in the 97kg quarterfinal. Both exchanged four-pointers before Khaslakhanau was awarded a point for Rosillo's foul. But the Cuban hit another four and was close to a fall but ultimately won 8-5

14:47: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) returns to the semifinals at 97kg as he beats Felix BALDAUF (NOR) 4-1. Saravi got a turn from par terre to lead 3-0. Baldauf got two passivity advantages in the second period but failed to score. During the second par terre, Saravi stopped him mid-turn and scored a reversal. 

14:42: Once again, Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) was put on top of par terre first and never gave his opponent a chance to be on offense again. Aleksanyan reeled off four rolls against Artur OMAROV (CZE) to end their 97kg semifinal 9-0 in just under two minutes. Later today, Aleksanyan, who last year won his fifth career title, will attempt to make his eighth world final against Mindaugas VENCKATITIS (LTU), who ended the gold-medal hopes of local favorite Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) with an 8-0 technical fall.

14:35: Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) jumps out to a 7-0 lead in the first period against Christopher KRAEMER (GER), and that's how it ends as he advances to the 60kg semifinal and a shot a defending world champion Sharshenbekov.

14:34: Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) got a turn from par terre and then defended his par terre position against Liguo CAO (CHN) to complete a 3-1 victory and set up a semifinal against  Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)

14:31: A 9-0 shutout victory for world champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) as he gets two four-pointers using underhooks against Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB). The world champion will take on Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) in the semifinals.

14:26: Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) has dominated today! He now moves into the semifinals at 72kg after a 9-0 domination of Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ).

14:24: In a wild match with a bizarre finish, European champion Robert FRITSCH (HUN) is through to the 72kg semifinals by beating local favorite and defending champion Ali ARSELAN (SRB). It was ended by fall, but the Serb seemed to give up from exhaustion. He had taken a 9-5 lead with a pair of front headlock turns in the first period, but became a limp body when Fritcsh scored a takedown and easily turned him over.

14:20: Japan continues its incredible run at this World Championships as Shingo HARADA (JPN) beats returning silver medalist Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) 6-4 after being 3-1 down. He will take on Robert FRITSCH (HUN) who pinned world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB)

Quarterfinal action now in 72kg, 60kg and 97kg

14:10: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) executes three powerful gut wrenches from par terre and he advances at 97kg with a 7-1 win over Gerard KURNICZAK (POL). That was the final match before the start of the quarterfinals, which will begin simultaneously on the four mats starting with 72kg.

13:59: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) gets put on top in par terre against Josef RAU (USA), and that only spells trouble for the American. Aleksanyan easily turns him over with a series of tilts and rolls for a 9-0 win in just over two minutes to advance to the 97kg quarterfinals.

13:55: The literally gray-beard Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) jumps out to a 4-0 lead against Gabriel ROSSILLO (CUB) at 97kg, but the 39-year-old two-time world medalist gives up a takedown and a 4-point throw to lose 6-4.

13:47: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) continues to get it done at 97kg, forging a 7-5 victory over Tamas LEVAI (HUN), a bronze medalist a year ago at 82kg. Kajaia gets three gut-wrench rolls from par terre, while limiting Levai to two front headlock turns, and that was the difference.

13:34: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) would love nothing more than to win his second straight 72kg title before the home crowd, and he cut it close in his opening match. Arsalan reeled off three gut wrenches from par terre to take a 7-0 lead into the second period against Danial SOHRABI (IRI). But the Iranian gradually came back and even scored the tying takedown with two seconds, but Arselan took the win 7-7 on big-point criteria.

13:12: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), the 2021 champion and a bronze medalist last year, gets a pair of stepouts in the first period and he's through with a 3-1 win over Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) at 97kg.

12:52: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), two months after winning the world U20 gold at 97kg, starts his senior debut by rallying to beat Mathias BAK (DEN) 11-5. Khaslakhanau has to fight off his back in the first period, and goes ahead to stay with a 4-point takedown and 2-point throw in the second.

12:43: Mega-superstar Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) gets a wake-up call when Nicu OJOG (ROU) hits him with a 4-point arm throw to start their 97kg first-round match. But the multi-world and Olympic champion quickly rebounds, scoring a reversal and two gut wrenches, then adds a 4-point takedown to go into the break up 9-4. Aleksanyan adds a stepout for a 10-4 win.

12:41: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) gets two gut wrenches from par terre, much to the joy of the home crowd, and he advances at 97kg with a 5-1 victory over Serhii OMELIN (UKR).

12:34: Returning bronze medalist Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE) has pulled out of his bout against Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU) after he expressed pain in his heavily strapped elbow. On Mat D, Artur SARGASIAN (AIN) also suffers an elbow injury in the bout against Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB).

12:30: Who would have thought that a 97kg Greco-Roman bout would turn into a slugfest? Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) comes back from 6-0 to beat Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) via fall after leading 10-7

12:15: World champion Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) had to work a little but he got the job done with a 10-2 victory over Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU) at 60kg. Big day for the Kyrgyz world champ. He faces Pridon ABULADZE (GEO) next

12:05: Two-time former world champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) has a worry-free second match, scoring two tilts from par terre to defeat Helary MAEGISALU (EST) 5-1 and advance to the round-of-16 at 60kg.

12:00: Young gun Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) opens his World Championships with a 6-2 win over Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB) in 60kg, a weight class that is nothing less than a minefield.

11:56: Returning 60kg silver medalist Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) has fallen at the first hurdle, and fallen hard. Former European champion Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) dominates the match and finishes off a 9-0 win with go-behind takedown.

11:50: Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN), the 2021 world U23 champion at 60kg, beats the 2022 champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) 11-5. Allakhiarov is trailing when he hits a 4-point front body lock throw, which gets a 2-point leg penalty tacked on, with 21 seconds to go.

11:38: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) thrills the home crowd by holding off two-time former world champion Metehan BASAR (TUR) 2-1 at 97kg. Kajaia, a bronze medalist in 2018, gets a steput in the first period and that proves the difference.

11:19: Never give up. Patrick SMITH (USA) falls behind 7-2 at 72kg against European bronze medalist Kamil CZARNECKI (POL), but chips away at the lead against his tiring opponent. He cuts the lead to 2 before slamming him down for a fall with just under two minutes left.

11:17: Veteran Heiki NABI (EST) won't be going for his sixth career world medal after losing his 130kg repechage match to Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), who gets both passivity points for a 2-0 win. The 38-year-old Nabi, the 2012 London Olympic silver medalist has won his five world medals over a 14-year span from 2006 to 2019.

10:57: What a way to get the session started! In a clash between former world champions that, in another place at another time could have been for the gold medal, Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) dodges a bullet and beats Victor CIOBANU (MDA) 3-1 at 60kg. As Fumita tries for the turn from par terre, Ciobanu reverses for 2, then scores an apparent 4 at the edge. But on challenge, Ciobanu is assessed a 2-point leg infraction penalty and his points are wiped out. Fumita holds on for the win. The two also met in the quarterfinals at the 2019 worlds, with Fumita notching a wild 12-5 win en route to his second career gold.

10:30: Welcome to day seven of the World Championships. All Greco-Roman day with 60kg, 72kg and 97kg wrestlers wrestling for the world title. 60kg and 97kg are the Olympic weight classes.

#WrestleZagreb

Maroulis, Blades make U.S. team for World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

NEWARK, United States (June 14) -- The United States Women's Wrestling team for the World Championships is fixed. The final selection of the team was held Saturday in Newark, New Jersey with three-time Olympic medalist Helen MAROULIS (USA) and Olympic silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA) among those making the cut.

The 'Final X', a tournament to select the team's final 10 wrestlers, saw five experienced stars and five young athletes who earned their spot on the World Championships team.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by FloWrestling (@flowrestling)

Maroulis, the 2016 Olympic and three-time world champion, continued her amazing run of excellence by pinning Amanda MARTINEZ, winning the best-of-three series 2-0 at 57kg. In the first bout, Maroulis scored a first-period pin in 1:51, then was able to put away Martinez in 4:43 in bout two.

This will Maroulis' 12th world team selection to go along with her three Olympic appearances. Apart from three world gold medals, Maroulis has four other medals at the World Championships.

World Championships Tickets

Blades, who won silver medal at the 2024 Olympics, finished off a two-match sweep over Brooklyn HAYS at 68kg. Surprisingly, this will be Blades' first appearance at the World Championships. Blades won the first match over Hays, 10-4, and the second 5-2.

Macey KILTY and Kylie WELKER, Blades' teammates at Iowa University, also made the team with convincing victories. Both Kilty and Welker are past world medalists.

Kilty downed Aine DRURY with a pair of 10-0 technical falls, with both matches ending in the first period. Welker, a 2024 world bronze medalist, defeated Dymond GUILFORD in two straight bouts. Welker opened her offense in the second match, she broke open a 1-1 tie with eight second-period points for a 9-1 win. Her first match was a razor-thin 2-1 victory.

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2019 world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER needed all three matches to defeat Abigail NETTE at 59kg. Nette scored a pair of second-period takedowns to beat Winchester, 6-4, in the first bout. In the second match, Nette took a 6-1 lead but a four-point Winchester takedown made it 6-5 before she scored two more takedowns for a 9-7 win. In the deciding third bout, it was all Winchester, who secured a 10-0 technical fall.

The other five wrestlers will be competing in their first senior World Championships, scheduled for September 13 to 21 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Adaugo NWACHUKWU needed three matches to defeat two-time world silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE at 62kg. Nwachukwu had a strong second period to win the first match 14-8. In the second bout, Miracle scored a late step out point to tie it at 3-3 and got another point on a failed challenge for a 4-3 victory. In the deciding third match, after trailing 2-0, Nwachukwu scored eight straight points and went on to win 8-4.

At 50kg, world age-group medalist Audrey JIMENEZ swept her series over veteran Erin GOLSTON. Jimenez began with a 10-2 win over Golston before closing out with a 12-2 technical superiority win in the second bout.

Felicity TAYLOR had a two-match sweep over Brianna GONZALEZ. After winning the first bout 2-1, Taylor scored a takedown and two tilts for a 6-4 victory in the second.

Cristelle RODRIGUEZ, a 2024 world U20 champion, swept her series over high school star Everest LEYDECKER. While the first bout was a close 12-8 win for Rodriguez, she rallied to a 5-1 win in the second.

Alexandria GLAUDE got the 72kg spot after 2024 Olympic champion and two-time world champion Amit ELOR did not compete for personal reasons.

RESULTS (Best of three)

50kg
Audrey JIMENEZ df. Erin GOLSTON, 2-0

Bout 1: Jimenez df. Golston, 10-2
Bout 2: Jimenez df. Golston, 12-2

53kg
Felicity TAYLOR df. Brianna GONZALEZ, 2-0

Bout 1: Taylor df. Gonzalez, 2-1
Bout 2: Taylor df. Gonzalez, 6-4

55kg
Cristelle RODRIGUEZ df. Everest LEYDECKER, 2-0

Bout 1: Rodriguez df. Leydecker, 12-8
Bout 2: Rodriguez df. Leydecker, 8-5

57kg
Helen MAROULIS df. Amanda MARTINEZ, 2-0

Bout 1: Maroulis df. Martinez, via fall
Bout 2: Maroulis df. Martinez, via fall

59kg
Jacarra WINCHESTER df. Abigail NETTE, 2-1

Bout 1: Nette df. Winchester, 6-4
Bout 2: Winchester df. Nette, 9-7
Bout 2: Winchester df. Nette, 11-0

62kg
Adaugo NWACHUKWU df. Kayla MIRACLE, 2-1

Bout 1: Nwachukwu df. Miracle, 14-8
Bout 2: Miracle df. Nwachukwu, 4-3
Bout 3: Nwachukwu df. Miracle, 8-4

65kg
Macey KILTY df. Aine DRURY, 2-0

Bout 1: Kilty df. Drury, 10-0
Bout 2: Kilty df. Drury, 10-0

68kg
Kennedy BLADES df. Brooklyn HAYS, 2-0

Bout 1: Blades df. Hays, 10-4
Bout 2: Blades df. Hays, 5-2

72kg
Alexandria GLAUDE df. Amit ELOR, via forfeit

76kg
Kylie WELKER df. Dymond GUILFORD

Bout 1: Welker df. Guilford, 2-1
Bout 2: Welker df. Guilford, 9-1