#BudaWrestle2018

Wrestling Elects New Bureau Members, Announces Host Cities Through 2021

By Tim Foley

BUDAPEST (October 19) – The United World Wresting Bureau and Congress held meetings and elections this week ahead of the 2018 Wrestling World Championships in Budapest, covering a range of important topics, including the allocation of host cities through 2021.

The Congress, who met Friday, began with a minute of silence in remembrance for the victims of last month’s Maiwand Wrestling Club in Kabul. Lalovic also announced the organization would dedicate significant resources to the club’s rebuilding effort.

“We must never accept these cowardly acts,” said Lalovic “We must stand together in support of our family members.”

The Congress gathers bi-annually to discuss a range of topics. The 2018 Congress focused on a complete financial review, new initiatives in women’s wrestling, media outreach, and the promotion of associated styles. Congressional representatives also voted for new bureau members, with a total of seven positions available. Six seats were up for election based on it being the end of their six-year term. The seventh had been vacated earlier in the year with the departure of Rasoul KHADEM (IRI).

Zamel Sayyaf Al SHAHRANI (QAT), Daulet TURLAKANOV (KAZ), and vice presidents Stan DZIEDIC (USA) and Natalia YARYGIN (RUS) were each re-elected and to serve six-year terms. Newly elected bureau members Pedro SILVA (POR) and Peter BACSA (HUN) will also serve until 2024.

Ms. ZHANG Xia of China was elected to replace Khadem and will serve until 2022.

Mr. Lalovic, As part of an ongoing dialogue supported by the Olympic movement, also oversaw a friendly handshake between representatives for the Republic of Korea and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, with the sides trading kind words and wishing each other good luck during the world championships.

The United World Wrestling bureau met Thursday and approved a series of guidelines aimed to improve the sportsmanship of coaches and athletes.

Coaches and athletes who receive two yellow cards in a match will now be given a red card and face immediate disqualification from the tournament. They are also encouraged to celebrate gold medal victories but are asked to refrain from bronze medal celebrations and elaborate religious gestures while on the field of play.

It was also announced that plans were being constructed so that in the future coaches would be required to attain a United World Wrestling license to coach athletes at events.

In an effort to stabilize the calendar and allow national federations and host cities the proper time to prepare for championships, the Bureau also announced the allocation of several continental and world championships for 2019-2021.

2019 World C’Ships

Senior: Astana, KAZ

U23: Budapest, HUN

Junior: Tallinn, EST

Cadet: Sofia, BUL

Veterans: Tblisi, Geo


2020 World Championships

U23: Tampere, FIN

Junior: Belgrade, SRB

Cadet: Tatabanya, HUN

Veteran: Athens, GRE


2021 World C’Ships

Senior: Oslo, NOR

Cadet: Budapest, HUN


2019 European C’Ships

Senior: Bucharest, ROM

U23: Novi Sad, SRB

Junior: Pontevedra, ESP

Cadet: Faenza, ITA


2020 European C’Ships

U23: Salzburg, AUT

Junior: Skopje, MKD

Cadet: Chisinau, MDA


2021 African C’Ships

All: Marrakech, MAR


2019 Pan-American C’Ships

Senior: Buenos Aires, ARG

Junior: Guatemala City, GUA

Cadet: Morelia, MEX


2020 African C’Ships

All: Alger, ALG


2021 Asian C’Ships

Senior: Almaty, KAZ


2019 Asian C'Ships

Senior: Xi’an, CHN

Junior: Beirut, LBN

Cadet: Taichung, TPE
 

2020 Africa/Oceania Olympic

All: El Jadida, MAR
 

2019 African C’Ships

All: Tunis, TUN

 

 



 

 

#WrestleTirana

Three nations aim to get first Greco U23 world champs

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 21) -- Kyrgyzstan, the United States and Uzbekistan will stand a chance to crown their first-ever U23 world champion in Greco-Roman.

It was after the countries had one finalist each on day one of the U23 World Championships that kicked off in Tirana, Albania on Monday.

The United States and Uzbekistan have already had a historical day, confirming their first-ever U23 World Championships medals in Greco-Roman. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) reached the 82kg final while Alisher GANIEV (UZB) made it to the 55kg final. Both countries had fifth as their best finishes before Monday in the history of the U23 Worlds, which came into existence only in 2017.

Kyrgyzstan will be banking on Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) to win the first Greco-Roman gold medal at U23 Worlds after he reached the 67kg final. Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) is the only other Greco wrestler to reach the final in 2019 but lost.

Georgia and Armenia were the only countries with two finalists on day one of the tournament. Surprisingly, Iran managed only one finalists out of the five weight classes that were in action.

Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) tries to complete at throw. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) and Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) were the two finalists for Georgia at 67kg and 72kg respectively. Both had finished with silver medals at the U20 World Championships in 2021 but will look to win the gold together on Tuesday.

Chkhikvadze defeated Daniial AGAEV (AIN), 4-4, in the semifinal with a correct throw in the last minute to take two points and a criteria lead. He will now take on Beishekeev who defeated Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL) 10-0 to win the other semifinal.

Giorgi was in much more control of his 7-0 win over Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ) in the semifinal and will now take on Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM). The two had met in the semifinals of the U20 World Championships in 2021 and Giorgi won that meeting.

Khachatryan took no time to see off Georgios BARBANOS (SWE) 9-0 in the semifinal, his fourth technical superiority in the tournament, including a fall over Danial SOHRABI (IRI).

The second Armenian to reach the final was Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) at 97kg after he held off senior European silver medalist Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) 3-3 in the semifinal. Both exchanged par terre and one turn in gut-wrench but Khloyan performed it in the second period, keeping the criteria to him.

He will face Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) in the final. Khaslakhanau won his semifinal Richard KARELSON (EST), 2-1.

Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) confirmed the U.S. first ever Greco medal at U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. has already achieved its best result ever in U23 Worlds in Greco but Melelashvili would look to make it golden on Tuesday. He will face Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) in the final.

Melelashvili wrestled Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) in the semifinal and fell behind 3-0 at the break. But he returned the favor to Aliyev in the second period. Initially not scored, Melelashvili got the two points for a gut wrench after a challenge. Naghousi defeated former U20 world champion Deni NIKAEV (GER), 6-1, in the semifinal.

Ganiev has already won Uzbekistan's first-ever U23 World Championships medal but will look to win one more bout and get his name in history books in golden. He humbled Nihad GULUZADE (AZE) 9-0 in the semifinals and will now face Dinislam BAMMAPTOV (AIN).

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) vs. Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN)

SF 1: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Nihad GULUZADE (AZE), 9-0
SF 2: Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) df. Pridon ABULADZE (GEO), 4-1

67kg
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) vs. Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL), 10-0
SF 2: Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Daniial AGAEV (AIN), 4-4

72kg
GOLD: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) vs. Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) df. Georgios BARBANOS (SWE), 9-0
SF 2: Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ), 7-0

82kg
GOLD: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) vs. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)

SF 1: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Deni NAKAEV (GER), 6-1
SF 2: Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) df. Elmin ALIYEV (AZE), 3-3

97kg
GOLD: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) vs. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)

SF 1: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) df. Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN), 3-3
SF 2: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 2-1