#WrestleBelgrade

#WrestleBelgrade U23 World Championship Entries

By Eric Olanowski

BELGRADE, Serbia (October 21) --- After a 760-day layoff due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 620 wrestlers from 58 different nations will converge in Belgrade, Serbia, for the ’21 U23 World Championships.

Greco-Roman action kicks off the competition on Monday, November 1. The Russian Wrestling Federation’s ’21 senior world medalists Sergei KUTUZOV and Artur SARGSIAN headline the style’s 232 entries. Kutuzov went 4-1 in Oslo while outscoring his first four opponents 34-5 before falling to Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) in the 72kg finals. Sargsian finished with a 97kg bronze medal and suffered his lone defeat to eventual champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI). 

Women’s wrestling action starts on the third day of the competition, November 3. Tokyo Olympians Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) and Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) are the biggest stars entered in women’s wrestling’s 148 wrestler field. Medet Kyzy is fresh off a ’21 senior world bronze-medal finish. She’ll compete at 76kg. The other Tokyo Olympians, Nichita and Larroque, will compete at 59kg and 65kg, respectively.

Freestyle’s 239 wrestlers close out the competition beginning on Friday, November 5. As the entries sit, ’21 world medalists Ernazar AKMATALIEV, Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) are all expected to make the trip to Belgrade.

Akmataliev reached the finals in Oslo but dropped his final match against Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) and fell one match short of becoming the first Kyrgyz FS wrestler to win a world title. Harutyunyan and Akakarov each dropped one bout but fought back and finished with bronze medals.

The ’21 U23 World Championships begin on November 1 and can be followed live on www.uww.org. 

57kg
Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Dzmitry SHAMELA (BLR)
Logan James SLOAN (CAN)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Saurabh Madhukar IGAVE (IND)
Ali Abolfazl GHOLI ZADEGAN KOLOUKHI (IRI)
Simone Vincenzo PIRODDU (ITA)
Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ)
Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
Meshal Adullah A ALJAYZANI (KSA)
Petru CRACIUN (MDA)
Ganbayar NAMSRAI (MGL)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Ramazan ABDURAKHIMOV (RWF)
Nils LEUTERT (SUI)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Hafiz Can HASDEMIR (TUR)
Vladlen OPANASENKO (UKR)
Patrick Ryan GLORY (USA)
Arslan RAKHIMOV (UZB)

61kg
Endrio AVDYLI (ALB)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Intigam VALIZADA (AZE)
Jason Guy LUNEAU (CAN)
Arman Norik ELOYAN (FRA)
Muhammad MOKAEV (GBR)
Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO)
Nico MEGERLE (GER)
Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)
Suraj Rajkumar KOKATE (IND)
Majid Almas DASTAN (IRI)
Daniel PUCINO (ITA)
Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ)
Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ)
Faisal Khalid E ALDOSSARY (KSA)
Soufiane KABIL (MAR)
Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)
Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL)
Artur Sergeevitch CHEBODAEV (RWF)
Mohamed GIBBATEH (SLE)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Ahmet DUMAN (TUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)
Christopher CANNON (USA)
Sardor RUZIMOV (UZB)

65kg
Hrachya MARGARYAN (ARM)
Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Stilyan Yanchev ILIEV (BUL)
Jacob Tizoc ALEXANDER TORRES (CAN)
David KOPRIVA (CZE)
Marwane Ahmed YEZZA (FRA)
Ross Taylor CONNELLY (GBR)
Iveriko JULAKIDZE (GEO)
Leon GERSTENBERGER (GER)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Marcell BUDAI KOVACS (HUN)
Parvinder PARVINDER (IND)
Seyedhassan Seyedhossein EBADIMERMETI (IRI)
Colin John REALBUTO (ITA)
Adil OSPANOV (KAZ)
Gilbert Mbevoni KABOCHE (KEN)
Aibek TOKTOGUL UULU (KGZ)
Ahmed Fawzi M BARAHMAH (KSA)
Abdelwahad BADRI (MAR)
Pavel GRAUR (MDA)
Tugsjargal ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Sebastian C RIVERA (PUR)
Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU)
Ibragim ABDURAKHMANOV (RWF)
Sulaiman KARGBO (SLE)
Cavit ACAR (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)
Domonick Petro DEMAS (USA)
Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB)

70kg
Elmaz KRYEZIU (ALB)
Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Daniil AMELYANCHYK (BLR)
Trystan Hideki KATO (CAN)
Sergio Peter GODOY VITE (ECU)
Bacar NDUM (GBS)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Shamil USTAEV (GER)
Christos CHRISTOFORIDIS (GRE)
Botond GULYAS (HUN)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Aliakbar Aliasghar FAZLIKHALILI (IRI)
Raul ZARBALIEV (ISR)
Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)
Temuujin MENDBILEG (MGL)
Norbert MOLNOS (ROU)
Rezuan KAZHAROV (RWF)
Viktor Stiven VOINOVIC (SRB)
Tobias PORTMANN (SUI)
Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK)
Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK)
Cuneyt BUDAK (TUR)
Denys BOROHAN (UKR)
Jacori Tyrese TEEMER (USA)
Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB)

74kg
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE)
Davud ALIZALAU (BLR)
Nikolay Iliev DIMITROV (BUL)
Devan Jarred LARKIN (CAN)
Caetano ANTONIO SA (GBS)
Temuri BERUASHVILI (GEO)
Tino RETTINGER (GER)
Parveen MALIK (IND)
Mohmmadsadegh Biglar FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI)
Naftali Hertz HOROWITZ (ISR)
Jacopo MASOTTI (ITA)
Akezhan ABDIKHAMIT (KAZ)
Mathayo Matonya MAHABILA (KEN)
Rabii REGANI (MAR)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Serhan SHAKIROV (MKD)
Szymon WOJTKOWSKI (POL)
Jonathan PARRILLA RAMOS (PUR)
Krisztian BIRO (ROU)
Chermen VALIEV (RWF)
Sheku KASSEGBAMA (SLE)
ANDRIJA IVANOVIC (SRB)
Isa DEMIR (TUR)
Vadym KURYLENKO (UKR)
Peyton Gaylord ROBB (USA)
Asomiddin HASANOV (UZB)

79kg
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE)
Yahor AKULICH (BLR)
Oktay Ruzhdi HASAN (BUL)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Goga MAMIAURI (GEO)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Botond LUKACS (HUN)
Vicky VICKY (IND)
Ali Bakhtiar SAVADKOUHI (IRI)
Bibarys NURYLLAULY (KAZ)
Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA)
Batzul DAMJIN (MGL)
Hammam J H ABUSNAINA (PLE)
Magomed MAGOMAEV (RWF)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Tanguy DARBELLAY (SUI)
Ramazan SARI (TUR)
Valentyn BABII (UKR)
Michael Anthony LABRIOLA (USA)
Otabek SALOMOV (UZB)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Mher MARKOSYAN (ARM)
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Ilya KHAMTSOU (BLR)
Dzhemal Rushen ALI (BUL)
Hunter Jeffery LEE (CAN)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Sandeep Singh MANN (IND)
Sajjad Saberali GHOLAMI (IRI)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Salvatore DIANA (ITA)
Islyambek ILYASSOV (KAZ)
Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Kornelijus STULGINSKAS (LTU)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Layth A H ABUSHRAIM (PLE)
Cezary Marek SADOWSKI (POL)
Amanula RASULOV (RWF)
Emre CIFTCI (TUR)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR)
Myles Porter WILSON (USA)
Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB)

92kg
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR)
Kolyo Dimitrov DIMITROV (BUL)
Julien CHOQUETTE (CAN)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Johannes MAYER (GER)
Singh GURADESHWAR (IND)
Amirhossein Biglar FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI)
Davide COSSU (ITA)
Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ)
Gheorghe ERHAN (MDA)
Orgilokh DAGVADORJ (MGL)
Stole EFTIMOV (MKD)
Azamat ZAKUEV (RWF)
Viliam OROSS (SVK)
Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)
Denys SAHALIUK (UKR)
Santino Michael BONACCORSI (USA)
Rustam SHODIEV (UZB)

97kg 
Islam ILYASOV (AZE)
Vasil PAULIUCHENKA (BLR)
Tsvetan Danielov EVTIMOV (BUL)
Richard Phillip Junior DESCHATELETS (CAN)
Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO)
Milan Andras KORCSOG (HUN)
Sahil SAHIL (IND)
Ali Reza Abbasali ABDOLLAHI (IRI)
Yunus GAFUROV (KAZ)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL)
Michal Jan BIELAWSKI (POL)
Shamil Imam GADZHIALIEV (RWF)
Sven Janovitj ENGSTROEM (SWE)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Danylo STASIUK (UKR)
Jonathan Leonard AIELLO (USA)

125kg 
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Martin SIMONYAN (ARM)
Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (BLR)
Georgi Lyubomirov IVANOV (BUL)
Aly Medhat Abde BARGHOUT (CAN)
Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO)
Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE)
Mohit MOHIT (IND)
Ali Mohammadebrahim AKBARPOURKHORDOUNI (IRI)
Lior ALTSHULER (ISR)
Aaron Anthony JOHNSON (JAM)
Bakdaulet OSSERBAY (KAZ)
Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA)
Redjep HAJDARI (MKD)
Blas Alejandro ORTIZ ALAYON (PUR)
Alen KHUBULOV (RWF)
Anil Berkan KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR)
Anthony Lawrence CASSIOPPI (USA)
Namoz ABDURASHIDOV (UZB)

Artur SARGSIAN (RWF), fresh off his senior world bronze-medal finish, will compete at 97kg in Belgrade. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Greco-Roman 

55kg 
Bajram SINA (ALB)
Ashot MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Nihad GULUZADE (AZE)
Denis Krasimirov DEMIROV (BUL)
Ramaz SILAGAVA (GEO)
Steven ECKER (GER)
Arshad ARSHAD (IND)
Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI)
Alpamys DASTANBEK (KAZ)
Akyikat KULZHIGIT UULU (KGZ)
Artiom DELEANU (MDA)
Snorre Harsem LUND (NOR)
Grzegorz Krzysztof HILDEBRAND (POL)
Denis Florin MIHAI (ROU)
Mavlud RIZMANOV (RWF)
Sebastian KOLOMPAR (SRB)
Adem Burak UZUN (TUR)
Taras KRUPSKYI (UKR)
Taylor Craig LA MONT (USA)
Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB)
 

60kg
Tigran MINASYAN (ARM)
Hleb MAKARANKA (BLR)
Miroslav Mariov EMILOV (BUL)
Jeremy Renzo PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO)
Vikas VIKAS (IND)
Mehdi Seifollah MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI)
Tommaso BOSI (ITA)
Nursultan BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)
Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ)
Meshal Adullah A ALJAYZANI (KSA)
Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA)
Olivier Tomasz SKRZYPCZAK (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RWF)
David NOVIC (SRB)
Dimitar Ivaylov SANDOV (SUI)
Jui Chi HUANG (TPE)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Ihor KUROCHKIN (UKR)
Dylan Steven GREGERSON (USA)
Mukhammadkodir YUSUPOV (UZB)

63kg
Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
Hasan MAMMADLI (AZE)
Antonio Jordan RUIZ MORA (ECU)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Andrej GINC (GER)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Neeraj NEERAJ (IND)
Ali Reza Ayat Ollah NEJATI (IRI)
Assaukhat MUKHAMADIYEV (KAZ)
Faisal Khalid E ALDOSSARY (KSA)
Corneliu RUSU (MDA)
Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL)
Georgii TIBILOV (RWF)
Zolt ZONAI (SRB)
Ahmet UYAR (TUR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)
David Arthur STEPANIAN (USA)
Kamol KUZIEV (UZB)

67kg
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)
Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM)
Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Ivo Krasimirov ILIEV (BUL)
Julian Stiven HORTA ACEVEDO (COL)
Elmer Joakim MATTILA (FIN)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Nils BUSCHNER (GER)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Mohammad Javad Saadat REZAEI (IRI)
Ignazio SANFILIPPO (ITA)
Mukhamedali MAMURBEK (KAZ)
Marlen ASIKEEV (KGZ)
Ahmed Fawzi M BARAHMAH (KSA)
Adomas GRIGALIUNAS (LTU)
Diego Alberto MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX)
Jacob TANGEN (NOR)
Vasile Alexandru DOSOFTEI (ROU)
Miakhdi Abubakarovitch IAKHIAEV (RWF)
Ugljesa GAJIC (SRB)
Kadir KAMAL (TUR)
Oleksii MASYK (UKR)
Alston Jon NUTTER (USA)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)

72kg
Kevin KUPI (ALB)
Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO)
Luka MALOBABIC (CRO)
Denis MERTL (CZE)
Marcos SANCHEZ SILVA MEJIAS (ESP)
Joni Pekka KOMPPA (FIN)
Otar ABULADZE (GEO)
Idris Hanpasaevic IBAEV (GER)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Vikas VIKAS (IND)
Amir Ali ABDI (IRI)
Azat SADYKOV (KAZ)
Iigilik SATYMKUL UULU (KGZ)
Mihai PETIC (MDA)
Sergei KUTUZOV (RWF)
Sheku KASSEGBAMA (SLE)
Aron PINTER (SRB)
Oliver OLAH (SVK)
Erik Arthur PERSSON (SWE)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Andrii KULYK (UKR)
Benjamin Davis PEAK (USA)
Jamol JUMABAEV (UZB)

77kg
Ardit NDOJ (ALB)
Samvel GRIGORYAN (ARM)
Shirkhan GULIYEV (AZE)
Mikita KAZAKOU (BLR)
Zlatomir Dinkov EMILOV (BUL)
Brandon CALLE PEREZ (COL)
Jakub BIELESZ (CZE)
Edvin KIN (EST)
Akseli Elias YLI HANNUKSELA (FIN)
Nikoloz TCHIKAIDZE (GEO)
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Sajan SAJAN (IND)
Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)
Luigi RINALDI (ITA)
Rassul ZHUNIS (KAZ)
Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Patryk Adam BEDNARZ (POL)
Sergei STEPANOV (RWF)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Aleksa ILIC (SRB)
Per Albin OLOFSSON (SWE)
Daler REZA ZADE (TJK)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)
Erkan ERGEN (TUR)
Dmytro VASETSKYI (UKR)
Britton Wayne HOLMES (USA)
Dilshod OMONGELDIYEV (UZB)

82kg
Gagik HAKOBYAN (ARM)
Yauheni YUROU (BLR)
Jose Esteban MOSQUERA MURILLO (COL)
Karlo KODRIC (CRO)
Sebastian PETRAC (CRO)
Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
Otto Eemeli KETONEN (FIN)
Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO)
Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE)
Moric KISMONI (HUN)
Rohit DAHIYA (IND)
Mohammad Aziz NAGHOUSI (IRI)
Dias KALEN (KAZ)
Beksultan NAZARBAEV (KGZ)
Arminas LYGNUGARIS (LTU)
Mustapha AFIRAOU (MAR)
Exauce MUKUBU (NOR)
Shamil Letkaevitch OZHAEV (RWF)
Branko KOVACEVIC (SRB)
Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)
Mats Ola Lukas AHLGREN (SWE)
Samet YALDIRAN (TUR)
Dmytro GARDUBEI (UKR)
Thomas George BRACKETT (USA)
Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB)

87kg
Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM)
Mahammad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR)
Svetoslav Nikolaev NIKOLOV (BUL)
Filip SMETKO (CRO)
Matej MANDIC (CRO)
Andreas VAELIS (EST)
Markus Tapani SIHTOLA (FIN)
Temuri TCHKUASELIDZE (GEO)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Kumar SUNIL (IND)
Naser Ghasem ALIZADEH (IRI)
Simone FIDELBO (ITA)
Maksat SAILAU (KAZ)
Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ)
Abdelali EL FALLAKI (MAR)
Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA)
Ruben Elias BEEN (NOR)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Aleksandr Andreevitch KOMAROV (RWF)
Mario VUKOVIC (SRB)
Muhittin SARICICEK (TUR)
Vitalii ANDRIIOVYCH (UKR)
Spencer WOODS (USA)

97kg​​
Albert YEGHIKYAN (ARM)
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Uladzislau PUSTASHYLAU (BLR)
Mariyan Iliyanov MARINOV (BUL)
Ondrej DADAK (CZE)
Richard KARELSON (EST)
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO)
Patrick NEUMAIER (GER)
Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Deepanshu DEEPANSHU (IND)
Morteza Rasoul ALGHOSI (IRI)
Luca SVAICARI (ITA)
Daulet DOSSYBAYEV (KAZ)
Daniiar SHERIMBEKOV (KGZ)
Arnoldas BARANOVAS (LTU)
Marcus WORREN (NOR)
Gerard Cyprian KURNICZAK (POL)
Artur SARGSIAN (RWF)
Aleksandar SIMOVIC (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR)
Oleksandr YEVDOKIMOV (UKR)
Nicholas Allen BOYKIN (USA)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE)
Diego Jesus ALMENDRAS RODRIGUEZ (CHI)
Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO)
Franz RICHTER (GER)
Nikolaos NTOUNIAS (GRE)
Dariusz Attila VITEK (HUN)
Aryan PANWAR (IND)
Amin Mohammadzaman MIRZAZADEH (IRI)
Anton SAVENKO (KAZ)
Nikola MILATOVIC (NOR)
Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU)
Mikhail LAPTEV (RWF)
Vladan ZIVKOVIC (SRB)
Delian Hossein ALISHAHI (SUI)
Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)
Fatih BOZKURT (TUR)
Sviatoslav KALASHNIKOV (UKR)
Brandon Hunter METZ (USA)

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), the '21 world bronze medalist, will compete at 76kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg

Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE)
Anastasiya YANOTAVA (BLR)
Samantha Francesca ROMANO (CAN)
Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Shivani PAWAR (IND)
Kamila APEKOVA (KAZ)
Maria LEORDA (MDA)
Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL)
Stefania Claudia PRICEPUTU (ROU)
Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RWF)
Yung Hsun LIN (TPE)
Sarra HAMDI (TUN)
Aynur ERGE (TUR)
Tetiana PROFATILOVA (UKR)
Emily King SHILSON (USA)

53kg 
Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE)
Hanna VARABYEVA (BLR)
Taylor Kennedy MCPHERSON (CAN)
Szimonetta Timea SZEKER (HUN)
Ankush ANKUSH (IND)
Carmen DI DIO (ITA)
Ellada MAKHYADDINOVA (KAZ)
Emma Nekesa WANGILA (KEN)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Ekaterina VERBINA (RWF)
Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)
Ronna Marie HEATON (USA)

55kg
Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Viktoryia VOLK (BLR)
Virginie KAZE GASCON (CAN)
Anju ANJU (IND)
Ainur ASHIMOVA (KAZ)
Enkhzul BATBAATAR (MGL)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Aleksandra SKIRENKO (RWF)
Zainab BARRIE (SLE)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Khrystyna Zoryana DEMKO (UKR)
Alexandra Wray HEDRICK (USA)

57kg
Hanna VAHER (BLR)
Hannah Fay TAYLOR (CAN)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Nitika NITIKA (IND)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ)
Nazira MARSBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Maral BATTSOOJ (MGL)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Othelie Annette HOEIE (NOR)
Patrycja GIL (POL)
Viktoriia VAULINA (RWF)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)
Cheyenne Brooke SISENSTEIN (USA)

59kg
Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR)
INVILLE (CAN)
Anne Beatrice NUERNBERGER (GER)
Anna Hella SZEL (HUN)
Pushpa PUSHPA (IND)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Lolita OBOLEVICA (LAT)
Atika EL ASLA (MAR)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (RWF)
Ebru DAGBASI (TUR)
Antonyna KULAHINA (UKR)
Michaela Hope BECK (USA)

62kg
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)
Tatsiana PAULAVA (BLR)
Raya Zhanetova KYOSEVA (BUL)
Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Radhika RADHIKA (IND)
Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Anastasiia PAROKHINA (RWF)
Anna FABIAN (SRB)
Hsin Ping PAI (TPE)
Yagmur CAKMAK (TUR)
Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)
Emma Patricia BRUNTIL (USA)

65kg
Albina DRAZHI (ALB)
Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE)
Alina MAKSIMAVA (BLR)
Izabel Mariyanova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Miki Elizabeth ROWBOTTOM (CAN)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Nisha NISHA (IND)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
Winrose ALIVISA (KEN)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT)
Kamila Czeslawa KULWICKA (POL)
Dinara KUDAEVA SALIKHOVA (RWF)
Linnea Antonia SVENSSON (SWE)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)
Asli DEMIR (TUR)
Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR)
Ashlynn Justine ORTEGA (USA)

68kg
Natallia BELSKAYA (BLR)
Kendra Augustine Jocelyne DACHER (FRA)
Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER)
Viktoria FELHO (HUN)
Monika MONIKA (IND)
Albina KAIRGELDINOVA (KAZ)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Vusala PARFIANOVICH (RWF)
Tindra Linnea SJOEBERG (SWE)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Oksana CHUDYK (UKR)
Alyvia Nicole FISKE (USA)

72kg
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
Alexia Rose SHERLAND (CAN)
Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER)
Divya KAKRAN (IND)
Eleni PJOLLAJ (ITA)
Alexandra ZAITSEVA (KAZ)
Kornelija ZAICEVAITE (LTU)
Maria larisa NITU (ROU)
Marina SUROVTSEVA (RWF)
Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)
Merve PUL (TUR)
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)
Kayla Marie MARANO (USA)

76kg​​​​​
Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR)
Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL)
Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
Bipasha BIPASHA (IND)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Dilnaz MULKINOVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Diana Elena VLASCEANU (ROU)
Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RWF)
Andela PRIJOVIC (SRB)
Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR)
Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR)
Kylie Renee WELKER (USA)

#WrestleBelgrade

Kayaalp joins 5-time world champions' club; Japan women take 2 golds

By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 13) -- Even at less than 100 percent, Riza KAYAALP (TUR) can pack quite a wallop, which is why he has joined the elite list of five-time world champions.

Kayaalp emerged with a 1-1 victory on criteria in an intense tussle with Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) to take the 130kg title on Tuesday in the last Greco-Roman final on the program at the World Championships in Belgrade.

"It is a very nice feeling," said Kayaalp, who also has two silvers and two bronzes in his collection of world medals -- not to mention three Olympic medals.

"Hearing the national anthem is our goal. I am proud to represent my country. I think I will lie down for a few minutes because I am so exhausted."

In other action on the fourth day at Stark Arena, Japan's women got off to a good start as Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN), who won the Tokyo Olympic gold at 53kg under her maiden name of MUKAIDA, captured her third world gold at 55kg, while rising star Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) dominated at 62kg for her first senior world title.

And two days after Kyrgyzstan's first-ever male world champion was crowned, Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) gave the central Asian nation a second with a dominant victory at Greco 60kg.

Riza KAYAALP (TUR)Riza KAYAALP (TUR) defeated Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) 1-1 in the 130kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In the Greco 130kg final, Kayaalp was unable to score any technical points, as he did when he defeated Mirzazadeh 7-2 in the bronze-medal match at the Tokyo Olympics. But he got the second of the passivity points and was able to preserve the lead he held on criteria for the win.

Mirzazadeh, the 2021 world U23 champion, was presented with a second chance for par terre late in the match but opted to remain on his feet. Unable to score, his defeat left Iran with the rare result of having no Greco golds for the tournament.

Kayaalp's victory helped Turkey capture the team title with 125 points. Azerbaijan finished second with 118, while host Serbia, with an amazing four champions, was third with 110.

Kayaalp, who won the European gold earlier this year, said he had been battling a shoulder injury and other ailments over the past two months during his preparation for Belgrade.

"Preparing for the World Championships with the injuries was very hard for me, especially in the last training camp it is very important to stay injury free," Kayaalp said. "I knew that the injuries will affect me in the final fight, so I changed my tactic a little bit. My defense is very good and we knew that."

Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN)Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) picked up her third world title at 55kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

She may have a new name and was in a different weight class, but it was pure Shidochi who stormed to the women's 55kg gold with her fourth technical fall in five matches, without conceding a point.

Shidochi managed to finish up a 10-0 win over Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) just before the end of the first period to add to the world titles at 55kg that she previously won in 2015 and 2018. She also has two silvers at 53kg.

Khomenets appeared to suffer an ankle injury when Shidochi scored her second takedown to go up 4-0, and offered little resistance when the Japanese got a takedown and then immediately executed a roll and an exposure to end the match at 2:59.

Shidochi, whose husband and coach Shota was in her corner in Belgrade -- the two got married after the Olympics -- was competing overseas for the first time since her triumph in Tokyo.

"The Tokyo Olympics was an international event, but it was held in my country, so it didn't have the feel of being international," Shidochi said. "This time, I felt like it was an overseas event for the first time in a long time. I was a bit nervous in the first match, but in that feeling, I wanted to put out everything I had. I feel that I kept moving up to the end."

The tournament is only a prelude to what lies ahead. Shidochi plans to return to 53kg for the Japan championships in December, which is the starting point for qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. That puts her on a collision course with teen star Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), the 2021 world champion who missed this tournament due to a foot injury.

"After the Tokyo Olympics, heading to the Paris Olympics, I regard myself as the challenger and that's how I approached [this tournament]. I concentrated on each and every match and it's great that I was able to win out."

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) upgraded her 2021 bronze to gold by beating Kayla MIRACLE (USA) in the 62kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Ozaki also faces domestic competition that arguably exceeds that outside of Japan. She needed to defeat Tokyo Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI (JPN) to make the team to Belgrade and will have to do so again in the year ahead. Should she make the team, a victory at next year's World Championships will automatically secure a place at Paris 2024.

"I'm really happy, but when I was taking the medal podium, I thought if I'm not here again next year, I can't be satisfied," Ozaki said.

Having finished third last year in Oslo, Ozaki for now is content with accomplishing a goal of winning a senior world title, which she did with a 10-0 technical fall over Kayla MIRACLE (USA) in the 62kg final.

"For the final, all I thought was, I really want to win, I want to win," Ozaki said. "I wanted to relax, but my desire to win was so strong that I may have rushed things. But it was big that I was able to string together points. I think I had a good match."

Ozaki, like many Japanese women, likes to go directly to the lace lock and end their match quickly. Against Miracle, she was only able to complete two rolls after her first takedown. But she stayed patient and got two more takedowns to complete the mission.

"After getting a takedown, going right to work on the ground to end the match is the best style for winning for me," said Ozaki, who won the world U20 title last month. "Even if I can't do that, I use the three minutes and win in whatever way I can. After I scored six points, I thought there was still time and it would be alright if it went into the second period."

Ozaki, who is a product of the JOC Elite Academy that also produced Olympic champions Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), is a rarity in Japan in that instead of going to a university that is a wrestling powerhouse, she took the academic route and passed the entrance exam for prestigious Keio University. The demands of being a true scholar-athlete add to her burden.

"I've had tough times," Ozaki said. "Wrestling was most on my mind, but I also had my studies. I was able to accomplish everything I wanted to. That it all came together here, it's the best."

Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) became Kyrgyzstan's second Greco-Roman world champ in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

For Sharshenbekov, the victory by compatriot Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) at 77kg on Sunday night may have cost him a place in history, but it also served as motivation after he had to settle for the silver medal last year in Oslo.

In the final, Sharshenbekov built up a big lead with a 4-point throw and went on to defeat 20-year-old European silver medalist Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) by an 11-2 technical fall in 2:30.

"After Akzhol won his final the other day, it gave me a lot of motivation and strength to win my gold medal as well," said Sharshenbekov, this year's Asian champion.

A 2-point penalty, an unsuccessful challenge and the 4-pointer put Sharshenbekov up 7-0 before Nazaryan, whose father Armen was a two-time Olympic champion, came back with a takedown when he slipped out of a throw attempt.

But that only delayed the inevitable as Sharshenbekov scored a takedown and added a throw to end the proceedings.

Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)World champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) returned empty-handed from Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Tynybekova leaves empty-handed

Two-time world champion and Olympic silver medalist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) will leave Belgrade empty-handed after a furious comeback in her women's 62kg bronze-medal match fell short against Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), who ended the bout in a cradle but an 8-7 victory.

Prokopevniuk, a three-time world U23 medalist, took a 7-2 lead early in the second period with a 4-point leg trip and a spin-behind takedown. Tynybekova cut the gap with an arm-drag takedown and a penalty. With the clock ticking down, Tynybekova secured a cradle and put the Ukrainian on her back for 2 but needing a fall, she ran out of time. An unsuccessful challenge made it 8-7.

Karla GODINEZ (CAN)Karla GODINEZ (CAN) defeated Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) 6-2 in the 55kg bronze medal bout. (Photo: UWW / Kostandin Andonov)

In other third-place matches, Karla GODINEZ (CAN) will be taking home one of the women's 55kg bronzes, but sister Ana GODINEZ (CAN) came up just short in a bid for one at 62kg.

Karla scored two takedowns in the first period and went on to defeat Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) 6-2, while Ana fell into a 4-point hole against Xiaojuan LUO (CHN), but a comeback still left her on the short end of a 4-3 decision.

"Hasn’t sunk in yet," Karla said. "When I think about this I am like ‘Wow!’ Yes, I wanted the gold, but winning the bronze just shows that I am growing and that is a huge deal."

The sisters, born in Mexico, relocated to Canada with their family while in elementary school under the pretense that they were going to visit Disneyland. They both started wrestling in their late teens and won Pan American titles this year.

"I have only been wrestling for six years, so I have to put triple the time in to catch up to these girls," Karla said. "I am constantly working.”

In the other 55kg match, 2019 Asian champion Mengyu XIE (CHN) snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat by scoring a fall over 2019 world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) after trailing 12-4.

Winchester had scored a takedown and was attempting to execute a gut wrench that would end the match, but Xie stepped over and caught the American on her back. Xie eventually broke down Winchester's bridge and secured the fall at 4:56.

Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) won a bronze medal at 60kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

In Greco-Roman, it wasn't the color he wanted, but two-time world champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) will leave Belgrade with a bronze medal at 60kg after defeating Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) 5-1.

Fumita, still feeling the sting of losing the final at the Tokyo Olympics, scored two points with a headlock that stopped a roll from par terre, then had a gut wrench of his own when he was on top.

In the other 60kg match, Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) added to the world bronze he won in 2018 with a 7-1 victory over Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN). The 2021 Asian champion took the lead for good in the first period with an arm-drag takedown and roll to go ahead 5-1.

At 130kg, Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) won his first world medal in four appearances with a 3-1 victory over Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO). Knystautas got a second chance in par terre and he took advantage, hitting a gut wrench with a half-minute to go for the decisive points.

Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) pulled a rabbit out of the hat and stunned four-time Asian medalist Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) 5-3 to take the other 130kg bronze.

Trailing 3-1 late in the second period, Alexuc Ciurariu got a pair of stepouts, then scored a snap-down takedown with :11 left for the victory. It was his first medal in nine trips to the senior World Championships.

Samar HAMZA (EGY)Samar HAMZA (EGY) became the first wrestler to reach the world final in women's wrestling. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hamza makes history; Susaki powers through

In the semifinals in four women's weight classes held earlier in the night session, Samar HAMZA (EGY) made more history when she became the first from her country to make a women's world final after rallying for a 3-2 victory over veteran Epp MAE (EST) at 76kg.

Hamza, who became Egypt's first-ever female world medalist when she took the bronze last year in Oslo, was trailing 2-0 after surrendering two activity-clock points. With Mae on the clock, Hamza scored a go-behind takedown with :25 left to go up on criteria, then got the activity point for good measure.

In Wednesday's final, the five-time African champion will face Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Yasemin ADAR (TUR), who had to put on a late comeback of her own to defeat Genesis REASCO (ECU) 4-3 in the other semifinal. Down 3-0, Adar scored a takedown and added a lace-lock roll for the win.

Hamza will have her work cut out for her if she wants to take home the gold. The two met at this year's Mediterranean Games, where Adar scored a 10-0 victory.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN)Yui SUSAKI (JPN) secured a fall in her 50kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In other action, Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) found another, equally devastating way to vanquish her opponent when she powered into the women's 50kg final with a victory by fall over Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR).

Susaki, who used her trademark lace-lock roll to such deadly effect in winning her first two matches in a combined 71 seconds, couldn't get that move going. So she switched to a chicken wing after her second takedown of the match and levered the African over for the fall at 2:25.

Susaki, looking to add to the world titles she won in 2017 and 2018, remains undefeated in her career against non-Japanese opponents.

In the final, she will face 2021 world bronze medalist Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL), who knocked off last year's runner-up and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) 6-2.

Hildebrandt struck first with a takedown, but Dolgorajav answered with one of her own, then added a 2-point exposure while stopping a roll attempt. In the second period, she fought out of one single-leg attempt, then spun out of another for a clinching takedown.

At 65kg, 2021 world silver medalist Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) kept her gold-medal hopes alive with a 3-0 victory over 2020 European champion Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL).

Morikawa, this year's Asian champion, received an activity-clock point in each period and scored with a stepout in the second.

In the other semifinal, Jia LONG (CHN) overcame a five-point deficit against world U23 champion Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), scoring all of her points in the second period to scrape out a 9-7 victory. She notched the deciding takedown with :40 left.

Mongolia will have a second wrestler in Wednesday's finals after Asian silver medalist Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) pulled off a miracle comeback to defeat 2021 world junior champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) at 53kg.

Malmgren had dominated the match, scoring a takedown and exposure for a 4-0 lead in the first period, then started the second period with another takedown. But Batkhuyag never gave up and managed to get a half-nelson from standing and muscled Malmgren onto her back for a fall at 4:54.

Batkhuyag will face Dominique PARRISH (USA), a 3-1 winner over European silver medalist Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), in the gold-medal match to decide who will ascend to the throne left empty when reigning champion Fujinami became a late withdrawal. Japan did not send a replacement.

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Day 4 Results

Greco-Roman

60kg (29 entries)
Gold- Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) df. Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) by TF, 11-2, 2:30

Bronze - Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) df. Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN), 7-1
Bronze - Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), 5-1

130kg (25 entries)
Gold- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI), 1-1

Bronze - Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) df. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO), 3-1
Bronze - Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) df. Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 5-3

Women's Wrestling

50kg (22 entries)
Semifinal - Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) df. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), 6-2
Semifinal - Yui SUSAKI (JPN) df. Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR) by Fall, 2:25 (8-0)

53kg (23 entries)
Semifinal - Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) df. Emma MALMGREN (SWE) by Fall, 4:54 (2-6)
Semifinal - Dominique PARRISH (USA) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), 3-1

55kg (17 entries)
Gold- Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) df. Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 2:59

Bronze - Mengyu XIE (CHN) df. Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) by Fall, 4:56 (6-12)
Bronze - Karla GODINEZ (CAN) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 6-2

62kg (24 entries)
Gold- Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Kayla MIRACLE (USA) by TF, 10-0, 2:28

Bronze - Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) df. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), 8-7
Bronze - Xiaojuan LUO (CHN) df. Ana GODINEZ (CAN), 4-3

65kg (14 entries)
Semifinal - Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL), 3-0
Semifinal - Jia LONG (CHN) df. Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), 9-7

76kg (25 entries)
Semifinal - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Genesis REASCO (ECU), 4-3
Semifinal - Samar HAMZA (EGY) df. Epp MAE (EST), 3-2