#WrestleKyiv21

XXIV Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers and Coaches Memorial Entries

By Eric Olanowski

The XXIV Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers and Coaches Memorial Entries will take place in Kyiv on February 26-28 and will feature nearly 600 participants from 33 different nations.

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVhm78Vnhay9CDvwKxN6jKq6w5UqNP3TG

57kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Karen ZURABYAN (ARM) 
Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) 
Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) 
Aryian TIUTRIN (BLR) 
Dzimchyk RYNCHYNAU (BLR) 
Dzmitry SHAMELA (BLR) 
Mikyay NAIM (BUL) 
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) 
Otari GOGAVA (GEO) 
Niklas STECHELE( GER) 
Ali GHOLI ZADEGAN KOLOUKHI (IRI) 
Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)
Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR (KGZ)
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
Petru CRACIUN (MDA) 
Andrei DUKOV (ROU) 
Razvan-Marian KOVACS (ROU) 
Nils LEUTERT (SUI) 
Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)
Roman GUTSULIAK (UKR)
Serhii TERZI (UKR)
Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR)
Nodirjon Safarov (UZB)

61kg
Razmik PAPIKYAN (ARM) 
Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE) 
Intigam VALIZADE (AZE) 
Lachinau ASADULLA (BLR) 
Uladzislau KOIKA (BLR) 
Arman ELOYAN (FRA) 
Beka LOMTADSZE (GEO) 
Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO) 
Viktor LUZEN (GER) 
Richard VILHELM (HUN) 
Ikromzhon KHADZHIMURADOV (KGZ)
Leonid COLESNIC (MDA) 
Ivan GUIDEA (ROU) 
Nino LEUTERT (SUI) 
Ali KARABOGA (TUR) 
Cabbar DUYUM (TUR) 
Saban KIZILTAS (TUR) 
Andrii DZHELEP (UKR)
Oleksandr EVSEENKO (UKR)
Valentyn BLIASETSKII (UKR)
Volodymyr BURUKOV (UKR)
Angelo RINI (USA) 

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), a '19 world bronze medalist, will compete at 65kg. (Photo: Kadir Calisan)

65kg
Amar LAISSAOUI (ALG)
Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM) 
Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) 
Dzabrayil GADZHIEV (AZE) 
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) 
Andre BEKRENEU (BLR) 
Dzianis SALAVEI (BLR) 
Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR) 
Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) 
Juan Pablo GONZALEZ (ESP) 
Marwane YEZZA (FRA) 
Quentin STICKER (FRA) 
Davit TLASHADZE (GEO) 
Giorgi TCHOLADZE (GEO) 
Shmagi TODUA (GEO) 
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) 
Aibek TOKTOGUL (KGZ)
Alibek OSMANOV (KGZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Maxim SAGULTAN (MDA) 
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU) 
Stefan-Iounut COMAN (ROU) 
Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) 
Andrii SVYRYD (UKR)
Denys BOROGAN (UKR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)
Gor OHANNESIAN (UKR)
Ivan BILEICHUK (UKR)
Mykyta GONCHAROV (UKR)
Petro BILEICHUK (UKR)
Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR)
Vitalii GODYNA (UKR)

70kg
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) 
Aliaksandr PAULIUCHENKA (BLR) 
Dillon WILLIAMS (CAN) 
Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO) 
Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) 
Alehander SEMISOROV (GER) 
Daniel ANTAL (HUN) 
Erfan ELAHI (IRI) 
Hertz HOROWITZ (ISR) 
Islambek OROZBEKOV (KGZ)
Gheorghe ROBU (MDA) 
Mihail SAVA (MDA) 
Tobias PORTMANN (SUI) 
Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK) 
Selahattin KILIÇSALLAYAN (TUR) 
Andrii NUGUMANOV (UKR)
Igor NYKYFORUK (UKR)
Ivan KUSYAK (UKR)
Maksym LAVROV (UKR)
Mykhailo GURSKYI (UKR)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)
Yegor MURADYAN (UKR)
Connor KIEVMAN (USA) 

74kg
Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG)
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM) 
Varuzhan KAJOYAN (ARM) 
Simon MARCHL (AUT) 
Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) 
Azamat NURIKAU (BLR) 
Ali-Pasha UMARPASHAEV (BUL) 
Miroslav KIROV (BUL) 
Jasmit PHULKA (CAN) 
Jonathan ALVAREZ (ESP) 
Pablo GARCIA(ESP) 
Charles AFA (FRA) 
Giorgi SULAVA (GEO) 
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) 
Lennard WICKEL (GER) 
Csaba VIDA (HUN) 
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) 
Mohammadsadegh FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI) 
Mitch FINESILVER (ISR) 
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ)
Elaman DOGDURBEK (KGZ)
Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA) 
Stanislav NOVAC (MDA) 
Vasile DIASON (MDA) 
Andrzej SOKALSKI (POL) 
Kamil RYBYCKI (POL) 
Marcin MAJKA (POL) 
Mateusz KAMPIK (POL) 
Patrick OLENCZYN (POL) 
Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU) 
Zurab KAPRAEV (ROU) 
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI) 
Soner DEMİRTAS (TUR) 
Ali ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
Denys PAVLOV (UKR)
Kasum KASUMOV (UKR)
Semen RADULOV (UKR)
Vadym KURYLENKO (UKR)
Yevgenii DYBOVYI (UKR)
Zelimkhan TOGUZOV (UKR)
David BERKOVICH (USA)

79kg
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) 
Rashad YUSIFLI (AZE) 
Toghrul ASGAROV (AZE) 
Andrei KARPACH (BLR) 
Yahor AKULICH (BLR) 
Oktay HASAN (BUL) 
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA) 
Nika KENTCHADZE(GEO) 
Tariel GAPHRINDAS HVILI (GEO) 
Zurab ERBOTSONASHVILI (GEO) 
Milan MESTER (HUN) 
Hamidreza ZARINPEYKAR (IRI) 
Narbek IZABEKOV (KGZ)
Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ)
Andrius MAZEIKA (LTU) 
Omarskhab NAZHMUDINOV (ROU) 
Vasile-Mandalin MINZALA (ROU) 
Jakub SYKORA (SVK) 
Abdullah ARSLAN (TUR) 
Abdulvasi BALTA (TUR) 
Ramazan SARI (TUR) 
Tarik GUR (TUR) 
Maksym BRES (UKR)
Nazar BOHDANETS (UKR)
Valentyn BABII (UKR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Viacheslav KOPOT (UKR)

Ali SHABANAU (BLR), a four-time world bronze medalist, highlights the entries at 86kg. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

86kg
Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM) 
Benjamin GREIL (AUT) 
Ali SHABANAU (BLR) 
Raman CHYTADZE (BLR) 
Rasul TSIKHAYEU (BLR) 
Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL) 
Dzhemal ALI (BUL) 
Hunter LEE(CAN) 
Saba CHIKHRADZE (GEO) 
Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO) 
Ahmed DUDAROV (GER) 
Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE) 
Amirhossein FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI) 
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR) 
Mirlan CHYNYBEKOV (KGZ)
Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ)
Edgaras VOITECHOVSKIS (LTU) 
Piotr IANULOV (MDA) 
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) 
Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI) 
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) 
Boris MAKOEV (SVK) 
Selim YASAR (TUR) 
Demid KARACHENKO (UKR)
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)
Khasan ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
Mraz DZHAFARIAN (UKR)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR)
Nazar Dod (UKR)
Oleksii SHCHERBAK (UKR)
Rustam DUDAIEV (UKR)
Vladyslav PRUS (UKR)

92kg
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) 
Amarhaji MAHAMEDAU (BLR) 
Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR) 
Haji RAJABAU (BLR) 
Irakli MTSITURI (GEO) 
Mohammad ALITABARFIROUZJAH (IRI) 
Doolotbek ZHAMGYRBEK (KGZ)
Mihai-Nicolae PALAGHIA (ROU) 
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) 
Arif OZEN (TUR) 
Andrii VLASOV (UKR)
Glib GRYNCHENKO (UKR)
Roman RYCHKO (UKR)

London Olympic champion Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) will wrestle at 97kg. (Photo: Martin Gabor)

97kg
Mohammed FARDJ (ALG)
Marzpet GALSTYAN (ARM) 
Islam ILYASOV (AZE) 
Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) 
Vasil PAULIUCHENKA (BLR) 
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL) 
Elisbar ODIKADZE (GEO) 
Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO) 
Wladimir REMEL (GER) 
Timofei XENIDIS (GRE) 
Symbat SULAIMANOV (KGZ)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU) 
Radu LEFTER (MDA) 
Albert SARITOV (ROU) 
Michael MANEA (ROU) 
Suleyman KARADENİZ (TUR) 
Daniil PIDLYPINETS (UKR)
Danylo STASIUK (UKR)
Ivan MALIN (UKR)
Magamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)
Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR)
Vasyl SOVA (UKR)

125kg
Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG)
Hovhannes MAGHAKYAN (ARM) 
Yuri PATRIKEEV (ARM) 
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT) 
Vaxid GALAYEEV (AZE) 
Vitali PIASNIAK (BLR) 
Islam ADIZOV (BUL) 
Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) 
Asghar LAGHARI (GER) 
Daniel LIGETI (HUN) 
Lior ALTSHULER (ISR) 
Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ)
Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA) 
Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) 
Enes KAAN SÖKELEN (TUR) 
Hüseyin SOGUKOGLU (TUR) 
Oktay GUNGOR (TUR) 
Paşa EKREM KARABULUT (TUR) 
Artem GASHENKO (UKR)
Danylo KARTAVYI (UKR)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKII (UKR)
Oleksandr KOLDOVSKYI (UKR)
Vazha DAIAURI (UKR)
Yurii IDZINSKII (UKR)

'19 world champion Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) will compete at 55kg. (Sachiko Hotaka)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM) 
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) 
Ramaz SILAGAVA (GEO) 
Sajjad ABBASPOURRAGANI (IRI) 
Nurmukhmmet ABDULLAEV (KGZ)
Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR)
Taras KRUPSKYI (UKR)
Viacheslav BAYRAKTAR (UKR)
Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) 
Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB) 

60kg 
Abdeldjebbar DJEBBARI (ALG)
Abdelkrim FERGAT (ALG)
Armen MELIKYAN (ARM) 
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) 
Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) 
Ivo ANGELOV (BUL) 
Adam MACFADYEN (CAN) 
Andy JUAN (ESP) 
Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO) 
Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO) 
Gizo MELADZE (GEO) 
Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO) 
Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI) 
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
Andrii SEMENCHUK (UKR)
Andriy MARTYNYUK (UKR)
Ihor KUROCHKIN (UKR)
Mykhaylo STUPIN (UKR)
Mykola YAKHONTOV (UKR)
Viktor PETRYK (UKR)
Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR)

63kg
Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) 
Murad HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) 
Yasin OZAY (FRA) 
Leri ABULADZE (GEO) 
Levan KAVJARADZE (GEO) 
Armin MOHEB SABET (IRI) 
Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR) 
Hevorh ARZUMANIUAN (UKR)
Maksym LIU (UKR)
Myroslav SOLOVIAN (UKR)
Nasrullakh NASIBOV (UKR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)
Vasyl VASYLKIVSKYI (UKR)

67kg
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)
Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) 
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) 
Deivid DIMITROV (BUL) 
Ivo ILIEV (BUL) 
Daniel COLES (CAN) 
Marcos SANCHEZ-SILVA (ESP) 
Stefan CLEMENT (FRA) 
Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) 
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) 
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) 
Mohammad ELYASI (IRI)  
Seyed Danial SOHRAB I(IRI) 
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Marlen ASIKEEV (KGZ)
Anton KUTSENKO (UKR)
Dmytro MIROSHNYK (UKR)
Edem SALIIEV (UKR)
Oleksandr DERKACH (UKR)
Oleksii MASYK (UKR)
Ruslan KUDRYNETS (UKR)
Serhii HRUSHYN (UKR)
Vitaliy FUGLAYEV (UKR)
Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) 
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB) 
Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB)

72kg
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) 
Vladislav MANKEVICH (BLR) 
Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) 
Otar ABULADZE (GEO) 
Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) 
Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) 
Atakan YUKSEL (TUR) 
Andrii KULYK (UKR)
Dmytro PYNKOV (UKR)
Ihor BYCHKOV (UKR)
Mykyta POLITAIEV (UKR)
Vladyslav KRAVCHENKO (UKR)

Two-time world medalist Mohammadali "The Falcon" GERAEI (IRI) is entered at 77kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

77kg
Abdelkrim OUAKALI (ALG)
Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) 
Varuzhan GRIGORYAN (ARM) 
Mikita KAZAKOU (BLR) 
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) 
Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL) 
Jair Alexis CUERO MUNOZ (COL) 
Yuisralembert CARRION (ESP) 
Johnny BUR (FRA) 
Bakuri GOGOLI (GEO) 
Sachino DAVITAIA (GEO) 
Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) 
Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) 
Roman ZHERNOVETSKI (ISR) 
Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Kairatbek TUGOLBAEV (KGZ)
Marcel STERKEUBURG (NED) 
Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR)
Elmar NURALIIEV (UKR)
Oleksandr KUKHTA (UKR)
Pavlo MOLNAR (UKR)
Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR)
Yasaf ZEINALOV (UKR)

82kg
Artavazd VARDANYAN (ARM) 
Rosian DERMANSKI (BUL) 
Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO) 
Demuri KAVTARADZE (GEO) 
Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) 
Kalidin ASYKEEV (KGZ)
Artem MATIASH (UKR)
Dmytro GARDUBEI (UKR)
Hlib SKOROFATOV (UKR)
Iurii SKRIUBA (UKR)
Ivan KRAICHEV (UKR)
Oleksii OSNIACH (UKR)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

Reigning European champion Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) highlights the entries at 87kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Gevorg TADEVOSIYAN (ARM) 
Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) 
Svetoslav NIKOLOV (BUL) 
Tarek ABDELSLAM (BUL) 
Yoan DIMITROV (BUL) 
Yiannis NARLIDIS (CAN) 
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) 
Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) 
Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO) 
Ramin TAHERISARTANG (IRI) 
Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ)
Tyrone STERKENDURG (NED) 
Andrii ANTONIUK (UKR)
Davyd SHADT (UKR)
Dmytro KIYASHOK (UKR)
Ruslan KONIEV (UKR)
Ruslan MAHOMEDOV (UKR)
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR)
Serhii OMELIN (UKR)
Vitalii ANDRIIOVYCH (UKR)

97kg
Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) 
Artur SHAHINYAN (ARM) 
Kiril MILOV (BUL) 
Jesus GASCA (ESP) 
Giorgi MELIA (GEO) 
Irakli KAJAIA (GEO) 
Revazi NADAREISHVILI (GEO) 
Mehdi BALIHAMZEDEN (IRI) 
Beksultan MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ)
Metehan BASAR (TUR) 
Andrii DEHTIAROV (UKR)
Oleksandr YEVDOKIMOV (UKR)
Valentyn SHKLIARENKO (UKR)
Vladlen KOZLUYK (UKR)
Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR)
Zielimkhan DZIHASOV (UKR)
Jahongir TURDIEV (UZB)

130kg
Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG)
David OVASAPYAN (ARM) 
Radoslav GEORGIEV (BUL) 
Jakob KAJAIA (GEO) 
Levani ARABULI (GEO) 
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) 
Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) 
Amir GHASEMIMONJEZI (IRI) 
Roman KIM (KGZ)
Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)
Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR)
Sviatoslav KALASHNIKOV (UKR)
Vladyslav KOVALENKO (UKR)
Vladyslav VORONYI (UKR)
Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) 

'19 world champion Aiusuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) will make her first appearance since winning gold at the '20 Individual World Cup. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg 

Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)
Turkan NASIROVA (AZE) 
Natallia VARAKINA (BLR) 
Viyaleta REBIKAVA-CHYRYK (BLR) 
Madison PARK (CAN) 
Jekaterina JERMALONOKA (LAT) 
Kamile SERNAUSKATE (LTU) 
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) 
Ramona ERIKSEN (NOR) 
Agata WALERZAK (POL) 
Anna ŁUKASIAK (POL) 
Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL) 
Emilia-Alina VUC (ROU) 
Stefania-Claudia PRICEPUTU (ROU) 
Aynur ERGE (TUR) 
Bohdana YASHCHUK (UKR)
Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
Veronika MOSKALOVA (UKR)
Yana SOROKA (UKR)
Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB) 
Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)

53kg 
Lamia CHEMLAL (ALG)
Leyla GURBANOVA (AZE) 
Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE) 
Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) 
Sezen BELBEROVA (BUL) 
Diana WEICKER (CAN) 
Samanta STEWART (CAN) 
Marina RUEDA (ESP) 
Iulia LEORDA (MDA) 
Silje Knutsen KIPPERNES (NOR) 
Alicja CZYŻOWICZ (POL) 
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) 
Roksana ZASINA (POL) 
Andreea-Beatrice ANA (ROU) 
Esra PUL (TUR) 
Zeynep YETGİL (TUR) 
Iryna HUSYAK (UKR)
Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR)
Liliya HORISHNA (UKR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) 

55kg
Othelie Annette HOEIE (NOR) 
Anastasiia KRAVCHENKO (UKR)
Anna VOITOVA (UKR)
Khrystyna-Zoryana DEMKO (UKR)
Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR)
Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR)
Madina USMONJONOVA (UZB)

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) will compete for the first time since closing out the year with gold at the '20 Individual World Cup. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

57kg
Rayan HOUFAF (ALG)
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) 
Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) 
Giullia RODRIGUES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) 
Biliana DUDOVA (BUL) 
Tianna KENNETT (CAN) 
Graciela SANCHEZ (ESP) 
Maria Victoria BAEZ (ESP) 
Nuraida ANARKULOVA (KGZ)
Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) 
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR) 
Angelina ŁYSAK (POL) 
Jowita WRZESIEŃ (POL) 
Magdalena GŁODEK (POL) 
Patrycja GIL (POL) 
Bediha GUN (TUR) 
Mehlika OZTURK (TUR) 
Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR)
Iryna KHARIV (UKR)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB) 
Sevara ESHMURATOVA (UZB) 
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) 

59kg
Ineta DANTAITE (LTU) 
Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR)
Laura Sofia AAK (NOR) 
Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA) 
Nazira MARSBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Oksana MOSKALOVA (UKR)
Sofiia BODNAR (UKR)
Yuliia LISOVSKA (UKR)

62kg 
Amel HAMMICHE (ALG)
Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE) 
Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR) 
Tatsiana PAULAVA (BLR) 
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) 
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) 
Jessica BROUILLETTE (CAN) 
Michelle FEZZARI (CAN) 
Jackeline CASTILLO (COL) 
Lydia PEREZ (ESP) 
Aiusuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Alina Aleksandra ANTIPOVA (LAT) 
Aleksandra WÓLCZYŃSKA (POL) 
Katarzyna MĄDROWSKA (POL) 
Natalia KUBATY (POL) 
Kriszta-Tuende INCZE (ROU) 
Asli TUGCU (TUR) 
Cansu AKSOY (TUR) 
Antonyna KULAHINA (UKR)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
Tetiana RІZHKO (UKR)
Yuliia TKACH (UKR)
Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB) 
Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) 
Rushana ABDIRASULOVA (UZB) 

65kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) 
Irina RINGACI (MDA) 
Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) 
Anastasia OSTAPYK (UKR)
Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR)
Mariia ILCHYSHYN (UKR)
Oksana KUKHTA (UKR)

'20 Individual World Cup champ Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) will compete at 68kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

68kg
Irina NETREBA (AZE) 
Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR) 
Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) 
Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) 
Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) 
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT) 
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) 
Agnieszka WIESZCZEK –KORDUS (POL) 
Natalia STRZAŁKA (POL) 
Alexandra-Nicoleta ANGHEL (ROU) 
Asli DEMİR (TUR) 
Buse TOSUN (TUR) 
Nesrin BAS (TUR) 
Alina BEREZHNA (UKR)
Alina RUDNYTSKA (UKR)
Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)
Anna MAZURKEVYCH (UKR)
Oksana CHUDYK (UKR)
Oryna BILOUS (UKR)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) 

72kg
Gozal ZUTOVA (AZE) 
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)
Romana VOVCHAK (UKR)
Ozoda ZARIPBOEVA (UZB)

76kg 
Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE) 
Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) 
Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA) 
Erica WIEBE (CAN) 
Mae EPP (EST) 
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) 
Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR) 
Patrycja SPERKA (POL) 
Catalina AXENTE (ROU) 
Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR) 
Yasemin ADAR (TUR) 
Anastasiia OSNIACH (UKR)
Anna MELNYK (UKR)
Liudmyla PAVLOVETS (UKR)

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds: U.S. wins 3 golds to shock Iran for FS team title

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (August 3) -- Three gold medals for the United States and Iran's incredible choke on Sunday saw the U.S. defend its Freestyle team title at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece.

Going into the final day, Iran needed to win one bout out of four it had wrestlers in to claim the title irrespective of U.S. results. On the other hand, U.S. needed to win all its four bouts and hope that Iran loses all its matches.

That is exactly what transpired on the mat as U.S. put on an inspired show and won three gold and one bronze medal to reach 154 points. Iran finished with 150 points after its three loses in the finals and one in a bronze-medal bout.

Kazakhstan managed to pip Azerbaijan by one point and finish third with 91 points. Azerbaijan finished fourth 90 points and Japan got 79 points and finished fifth.

Iran and the U.S. had two face-offs in the finals and the latter's wrestlers won both to get huge advantage over Iran.

It began with Keegan BASSETT (USA), who gave hope to U.S. by claiming the gold medal at 45kg, as he pinned Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI) in the final inside the first period.

The first scramble saw the two wrestlers called back to center as neither wrestler was able to break the arm-lock. Bassett got the first takedown to lead 2-0 and then a turn made it 4-0. The American wrestler got another takedown and kept Tahmasbi's back on the mat.

The referees took their time but eventually called the fall, giving Bassett the gold medal at 45kg. Incidentally, its the same weight class his brother Bowen won the world U17 gold medal in 2021.

"Ever since I started wrestling, this was one of my goals to be a world champ," Bassett said. "It feels unbelievable to find a way to do it."

Over the two days he wrestled, Bassett showed how technically sound and physically strong he is at the weight class.

"I wrestled pretty good overall. First match was a little rough; nerves, and it was my first match in about three months," he said. "But I think I got better overall as the weekend went on and that's what I needed."

Four years ago, he was in Budapest watching Bowen win the gold medal in similar fashion as he pinned his opponent in the final. Keegan recalled that day.

"I definitely had that in mind going into this," he said. "Four years, that's unreal. I was there for him when he won in Budapest. I cried then, I cried now. It's just means so much. We work so hard and it's just truly such a surreal moment."

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA), a returning world champion facing another returning world champion Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB), consolidated U.S. position by winning a thrilling 51kg final.

Rashidov was put on the passivity clock in the first period which gave Sanchez a 1-0 lead. He tried to score a go-behind and was awarded two points in the sequence. The U.S. challenged the decision and on review, it was clear that Rashidov never passed behind Sanchez and the two points were removed.

Sanchez came out attacking in the second period and got on a single-leg attack. Rashidov got his best defense of the match and defended that attack. Soon, Sanchez was put on the clock but he got the takedown on the edge with another leg attack to lead 3-0 and also got the activity time removed .

While Rashidov did get a front headlock turn in the final five seconds, Sanchez did not let him another and planted Rashidov's back on the mat for two more points as the time expired.

"I knew he was going to be a tough opponent," Sanchez said. "I got a little tired in the match, but I  kept going, kept digging deep and going through it. I got a couple shots but wasn't able to finish. But my last shot, I was able to take him out of bounce and get the two-point takedown."

Sanchez now has two gold medals at the World U17 Championships, having won at 45kg last year.

"This year I was definitely better than I was last year at controlling my opponent and moving him around," he said. "Not letting them on my legs as much. Last year, I was down like 5-0 in the finals. This year, didn't take me down."

Jayden JAMES (USA) put the U.S. closer to the title as he humbled Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI), 9-2, in the 71kg.

Vahabian was looking for his leg attacks but they never came as James showed some of the best defense of the night. He countered and scored a takedown. That remained the theme of the match as James kept going and did not even return to his corner during the break.

Soon, James had Vahabian broken and he ended the bout as Vahabian tried to pull of a headpinch. The win made U.S. go to 139 points while Iran was on 130 points.

In the 92kg bronze medal bout, Tanner HODGINS (USA) rallied to beat Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 10-0, and took the final tally of U.S. to 154 points.

It was now on Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI), who needed to win his 92kg final, a win which would have propelled Iran to 155 points and the team title.

But David DZEBISOV (UWW) ruined that party. Dzebisov defeated Alizadeh 6-2 in the 92kg final to deny Iran and earn a world title for himself.

Dzebisov scored the first takedown to lead 2-0 but Alizadeh fired one back on the second period to make it 2-2 and lead on criteria. He went into defense mode after that.

He, however, got caught in a tangle with Dzebisov who managed to finish on top and score two points and a lead of 4-2. There was only desperation from Alizadeh after that as he gave up two more points to drop the final 6-2.

In the only final in which neither Iran nor the U.S. featured, SITENDER (IND) won India's first Freestyle gold medal by beating Rihito HIURA (JPN) in the 60kg final.

A takedown masterclass saw Sitender break Hiura to the core and he was not able to finish his attacks nor defend the ones from Sitender.

The gold was first in Freestyle for India at U17 Worlds since 2022 and only the second time ever that the country had gold medals in all three styles.

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Keegan BASSETT (USA) df. Parsa TAHMASBI (IRI), via fall (6-0)

BRONZE: Mirjalol MUKAMMILOV (UZB) df. Arnur NURSAIDOV (KGZ), 4-4
BRONZE: Ibragim VELIULLOV (UWW) df. Bakdaulet AGABEK (KAZ), 9-2

51kg
GOLD: Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) df. Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB), 5-2

BRONZE: Danael ABDYKASSYM (KAZ) df. Temuri TUTARASHVILI (GEO), 9-4
BRONZE: Dzhamal BAKAEV (UWW) df. Haruku SHIINA (JPN), 12-5

60kg
GOLD: SITENDER (IND) df. Rihito HIURA (JPN), 9-4

BRONZE: Hasan HASANOV (AZE) df. Nathan NASH (CAN), 5-4
BRONZE: Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ) df. Arian MEHRALIZADEH (IRI), 9-0

71kg
GOLD: Jayden JAMES (USA) df. Arsham VAHABIAN (IRI), 9-2

BRONZE: Ayubjon BOZORZODA (TJK) df. Jason KEIL (GER), 6-0
BRONZE: Yeghishe MOSESYAN (ARM) df. Farrukhbek JUMANAZAROV (UZB), 7-6

92kg
GOLD: David DZEBISOV (UWW) df. Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI), 6-2

BRONZE: Tanner HODGINS (USA) df. Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Said PASHAYEV (AZE) df. Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ), 5-3