#development

Wrestling Academy Bern gets new training facility

By United World Wrestling Press

BERN, Switzerland (December 5) -- Wrestling Academy Bern officially opened a new training facility in Bern last month with much celebration. With an aim to bring wrestling out of the shadows in Bern and Switzerland, WAB has been making consistent efforts and celebrated a successful year with the opening of the new club.

The United World Wrestling has also donated equipment to WAB and has overviewed the constant progress of the club.

Around 130 guests attended the opening and among them were companions and supporters of the WAB, who contributed in various ways to the successful year of the young club.

The club was founded in 2018 and set itself a goal of constructing and expanding the training premises which was completed on November 25.

“Sport unites! The guest list is a mixed bag of people who are seeing a wrestling mat for the first time today and others who have been in the sport their whole lives," Robin Pietschmann, Team Manager, said emphasizing how representative the event is of an important cornerstone of the WAB.

The club was sourced via a crowdfunding project, which was carried out in the spring of 2022 on the “I believe in you” platform.

"The occasion is therefore also an opportunity for us today to say a big merci to those who have diligently supported and donated," Nadine Pietschmann added at the opening.

The WAB has successfully achieved promotion to the National League B [Swiss Wrestling Challenge League which the active team achieved a few weeks ago.

The Swiss Wrestling Federation also sent a representative to this special occasion. The head of the league, Gabriel Christen, congratulated the Wrestling Academy Bern on the new club and training facility and also emphasized the exemplary youth work of the young club.

"Nothing is as old as yesterday's success," emphasized Robin Pietschmann at the end, which in no way diminished the joy and pride of what was achieved. He also pointed that the next steps will be much more difficult than the previous ones.

The official part ended with a demonstration by some members of the WAB active team. The interested audience got a spectacular insight into the training operations and also into the basics of wrestling.

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 World Championships 2025 Day 7 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 26) -- The U23 World Championships will see only Freestyle action on day seven. Four weight classes till semifinals are -- 61kg, 65kg, 86kg and 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

14:40: A clash between Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) and Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) at 97kg. Babaloo began well but Yoshida with his high-paced wrestling has Babaloo in all sorts of trouble. Yoshida was trying to pin Babaloo but referees called a foul. Iran challenged for a singlet foul but there was none. Yoshida led 5-2 after that review. He then scored two stepouts and three takedowns to win 13-2

14:30: SUJEET (IND) takes out Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) at 65kg. He was put on the clock twice and was down 2-0. But he finally got a point when Magomedov was put on the clock. Sujeet hit a low single to make it 3-2 before he scored a stepout to seal a spot in the semifinal with a 4-2 win.

14:15: Technical superiority 12-0 win for Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) over Andranik AVETISYAN (ARM) as he moves into the 65kg semifinals. Nishiuchi does seem to struggle a little bit with his conditioning. Will be a factor in the semifinals? 

14:05: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) gets the best of Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) in a heated 86kg bout. Balaian scored a takedown and point for activity in the second period to lead 3-1. He then forced Tcokaev a stepout before countering Tcokaev's desperate attack to score two points and win 6-1

13:55: Umidjon JALALOV (UZB), world bronze medalist in Zagreb, crafts three takedowns in his 6-1 victory over Aykhan ABDULLAZADA (AZE) and advance to the semifinals at 65.

13:50: Jaxen FORREST (USA) opens his 61kg campaign with a 13-0 masterful victory over Vasile MARCU (MDA). High-schooler Forrest missed out on a medal in Zagreb, losing a thriller in his bronze-medal bout

13:40: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) downs Rocco WELSH (USA) 7-4 at 86kg. Welsh hit a big four pointer to lead 6-4 but Iran challenged the call. On review, the four points were awarded to Rahmani as he hit countered the double-leg attack. Both exchange stepout but Rahmani wins the bout.

13:05: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) with some crafty wrestling to sail through Yasin REZAEI (IRI) at 65kg. He also got a four-pointer in that 11-0 win. Magomedov is two-time U23 world champion at 61kg.

13:00: A point for activity point and a takedown for Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) for a 3-0 but Mykyta HONCHAROV (UKR) hits a takedown with 26 seconds left to make it 3-2. Jalalov defends that lead to win at 65kg.

12:40: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) needed two dramatic attacks in the final 25 seconds to win against Ahmet YAGAN (TUR) at 86kg. Down 3-1, Rahmani hit a takedown on the edge which was awarded one point for stepout after challenge, but he got an attack with 10 seconds left which was exposure two points and he won 4-3. Turkiye challenged the call but this time lost the challenge.

12:30: SUJEET (IND) with his second technical superiority win at 65kg. He scores five takedowns and one stepout to beat Dominik JAGUSZ (POL), 11-0.

12:25: Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) falls to Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA). Magamodov looked completely off color in his 7-4 loss at 86kg.

12:15: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) and Gabriele NICCOLINI (ITA) had a little heated moment in their 86kg bout. Balaian was clearly the superior wrestler as he wins 10-0 and advance at 86kg. Balaian helps Niccolini off the mat and it's all good

11:45: Defending 97kg champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) takes his own time but starts off with an 11-1 victory over Ibrahim BENEKLI (TUR) at 97kg. The match is followed by world bronze medalist Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) finishing with a 10-0 victory over Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN).

11:25: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) takes out U20 world champion at 61kg Marcus BLAZE (USA) at 65kg. Sharip Uulu scored a takedown to lead 3-1 and Blaze had to score a takedown to win. He managed to only score a stepout. He also challenged for a singlet pull but it was ruled that Sharip Uulu got his fingers stuck in stimulation and did not stop any attack. The lost challenge made it 4-2, the winning score of Sharip Uulu

11:05: SUJEET (IND) gives up the first takedown but then launches a spree of attacks to finish the bout 12-2 against Fiodor CEAVDARI (MDA) and advance at 65kg.

10:50: Two-time U20 world champion Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN) begins his U23 career with a 10-0 win over Ryan DAHCHA (CAN) at 65kg. Nishiuchi is the favorite to win the gold medal here

10:40: World U23 champion Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) was challenged by ASHISH (IND) in his first bout at 86kg but he scores two exposures for four points which gives him 6-4 lead which he defends in the second period and win.

10:25: After the early repechage rounds, the qualifications of the four Freestyle weights are underway here. If you are wondering why there is a time change for the start of the competition, the daylight saving have commenced in Europe.