ATHENS, Greece (Sept. 8) – Freestyle is in full gear at the Cadet World Championships as Azerbaijan holds the early momentum with four wrestlers advancing the semifinals set for Friday evening at Ano Liosia Olympic Hall.

Returning Cadet World silver medalist Mahir MAMMADZADA (AZE) is one win away from returning to the finals. He looked solid in three wins to set a date with Cadet European bronze medalist Niklas STECHELE (GER) in the 50kg semifinals.

Cadet European bronze medalist Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) will be tested by Cadet Asian silver medalist Talgat TYNCHTYKBEKOV (KGZ) in his semifinal at 58kg.

Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE) and Daud IBRAGIMOV (AZE) round out the list of Azerbaijan victors from the morning session. Amirli will take on Kaisei TANABE (JPN) in the 42kg semifinals. Ibragimov goes up against Mohammad Ashghar NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) tonight at 69kg. 

A talented Uzbekistan squad finished right behind Azerbaijan on Friday morning with three wrestlers moving into the semis.

Cadet Asian champion Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB), Cadet Asian silver medalist Mukhammadrasul RAKHIMOV (UZB) and Farrukh SHARIPOV (UZB) will all battle stout European foes this evening. Jalolov looks to qualify for the 42kg finals against Yusuf ERYUCEL (TUR). Rakhimov and Sharipov will battle the Russian duo of Alan BAGAEV (RUS) and Fedor BALTUEV (RUS) at 85kg and 50kg, respectively.

Japan, Turkey and Iran all managed to push two wrestlers into the semifinal round.

Ryuto SAKAKI (JPN) has a tall task in two-time Cadet World silver medalist and Cadet European champion Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) at 58kg. To Sakaki’s favor, Pilidis has shown vulnerabilities in two close wins today.

Turkey will send Cadet European bronze medalist Umur AYBEY (TUR) into the 69kg semifinals against William Francis LEWAN JR (USA). Both Aybey and Lewan won three matches by comfortable margins to open the tournament. 

Cadet Asian champion Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI) remains in the 85kg mix with a semifinal showdown against Cadet Asian bronze medalist Sandeep Singh MANN (IND) looming.

The freestyle semifinals at 42kg, 50kg, 58kg, 69kg and 85kg will take place at 17:30 on Friday night. Immediately following the semifinals, the women return to the mat for their final set of medal matches.

It could be a historic night for Japan as they have a representative in every gold-medal match on the women’s side. India will also have a chance at five medals with one athlete going for gold and four wrestling for bronze.

A live stream of the Cadet World Championships, in addition to schedule, brackets and results, are being provided on the United World Wrestling event page.

Women Finals (40-46-52-60-70kg)

40kg (11 entries)

Gold – Hanano SAKURAI (JPN) vs. Petya Zarkova DELCHEVA (BUL)

Bronze – Caitlyn Ann WALKER (USA) vs. Simran SIMRAN (IND)

Bronze – Amina PONOMAROVA (UKR) vs. Aishan YUSIFOVA (AZE)

46kg (20 entries)

Gold – Ekaterina MIKHAILOVA (RUS) vs. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN)

Bronze – Jekaterina JERMALONOKA (LAT) vs. Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)

Bronze – Ana Maria TORRES RUBIO (ESP) vs. Manisha MANISHA (IND)

52kg (22 entries)

Gold – Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) vs. Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN)

Bronze – Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL) vs. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (RUS)

Bronze – Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) vs. Minakshi MINAKSHI (IND)

60kg (23 entries)

Gold – Anshu ANSHU (IND) vs. Naomi RUIKE (JPN)

Bronze – Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR) vs. Morena DE VITA (ITA)

Bronze – Anastasiia PAROKHINA (RUS) vs. Erika BOGNAR (HUN)

70kg (17 entries)

Gold – Alena TIMOFEEVA (RUS) vs. Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)

Bronze – Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) vs. Karuna KARUNA (IND)

Bronze – Bernadett NAGY (HUN) vs. Kelani Sara Tsugie CORBETT (USA)

Freestyle Results (42-50-58-69-85kg)

42kg (19 entries)

Semifinal – Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE) vs. Kaisei TANABE (JPN) 

Semifinal – Yusuf ERYUCEL (TUR) vs. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

Quarterfinal – Yusuf ERYUCEL (TUR) df. Junior Ismael MEDINA GUAMAN (ECU) by VPO1, 5-4 

Quarterfinal – Kaisei TANABE (JPN) df. Samagan ULAN UULU (KGZ) by VSU, 10-0 

Quarterfinal – Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Giorgi TCHOLADZE (GEO) by VPO1, 6-4 

Quarterfinal – Alihasan AMIRLI (AZE) df. Kudaibergen MURAT (KAZ) by VSU, 11-0 

50kg (26 entries)

Semifinal –  Farrukh SHARIPOV (UZB) vs. Fedor BALTUEV (RUS) 

Semifinal – Mahir MAMMADZADA (AZE) vs. Niklas STECHELE (GER)

Quarterfinal – Mahir MAMMADZADA (AZE) df. Akbar KURBANOV (KAZ) by VPO1, 14-8 

Quarterfinal – Fedor BALTUEV (RUS) df. Dogan KARA (TUR) by VPO1, 8-2 

Quarterfinal – Niklas STECHELE (GER) df. Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) by VPO1, 10-8 

Quarterfinal – Farrukh SHARIPOV (UZB) df. Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL) by VPO1, 6-3

58kg (27 entries)

Semifinal – Talgat TYNCHTYKBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) 

Semifinal – Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) vs. Ryuto SAKAKI (JPN) 

Quarterfinal – Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Cavit ACAR (TUR) by VSU, 10-0 

Quarterfinal – Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) df. Aleksandr SABANOV (RUS) by VPO1, 9-6 

Quarterfinal – Talgat TYNCHTYKBEKOV (KGZ) df. Carlos Antonio MENDOZA PENA (MEX) by VFA, 8-0 

Quarterfinal – Ryuto SAKAKI (JPN) df. Rahul RAHUL (IND) by VFA, 8-1

69kg (23 entries)

Semifinal – Umur AYBEY (TUR) vs. William Francis LEWAN JR (USA) 

Semifinal – Daud IBRAGIMOV (AZE) vs. Mohammad Ashghar NOKHODILARIMI (IRI)

Quarterfinal – William Francis LEWAN JR (USA) df. Soslanbek BUDAEV (RUS) by VPO1, 10-4 

Quarterfinal – Daud IBRAGIMOV (AZE) df. Mykhailo KHRAB (UKR) by VSU1, 12-2 

Quarterfinal – Umur AYBEY (TUR) df. Szymon WOJTKOWSKI (POL) by VFA, 8-1 

Quarterfinal – Mohammad Ashghar NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) df. Davit GEVORGYAN (ARM) by VPO1, 5-4

85kg (23 entries)

Semifinal – Mukhammadrasul RAKHIMOV (UZB) vs. Alan BAGAEV (RUS) 

Semifinal – Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI) vs. Sandeep Singh MANN (IND)

Quarterfinal – Alan BAGAEV (RUS) df. Danylo STASIUK (UKR) by VSU, 10-0 

Quarterfinal – Sandeep Singh MANN (IND) df. Daviti KOCHKIANI (GEO) by VPO1, 4-3 

Quarterfinal – Mukhammadrasul RAKHIMOV (UZB) df. Fuad MAYILOV (AZE) by VPO, 7-0 

Quarterfinal – Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI) df. Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ) by VFA, 11-0