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WATCH: Grand Prix Zagreb Open Greco-Roman Finals

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (January 31) -- Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) led his country to three gold medals at the Grand Prix Zagreb Open Sunday, marking his comeback to the competition after Tokyo Olympics with a gold. Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR) at 77kg and Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) at 82kg were the other two gold medalists from Ukraine in the Croatian capital.

Turkey also had three gold medal winners which helped them claim the Greco-Roman team title with Ahmet UYAR (TUR), Murat FIRAT (TUR) and Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) finishing at the top of the podium. Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR), Adullah TOPRAK (TUR) and Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) won silver medals.

Ukraine finished second with 129 points, 51 points short of Turkey. Norway was third in the team ranking as they collected 77 points. Romania and Sweden finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Apart from Turkey and Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Belarus and Norway each had a champion.

After missing the home World Championships in Oslo last year, Felix BALDAUF (NOR) returned to win the 97kg gold medal by beating Mikalai STADUB (BLR) 4-0 in the final. He won a point for Stadub's passivity to lead 1-0 at the break. The Belarusian was again called passive in the second period which extended Baldauf's lead to 2-0. He fended off a desperate move from Stadub to win 4-0.

Young star Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) had an unfortunate end to his dream run in the tournament as Radzik KULIYEV (BLR) pulled off a 1-1 win for the 87kg gold medal. The Belarusian had the criteria after six minutes of the bout.

Ukraine had the chance to win the fourth gold medal but Viktor PETRYK (UKR) pulled out of the 60kg final to finish with a silver and Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) was named the champion.

Denis MIHAI (ROU) also denied a gold medal to Ukraine when he defeated Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR) 11-6 after mounting a comeback in the 55kg Round 3 bout. Mihai was trailing 3-6 but stuck a arm-throw at the break to lead7-6. He kept on the pressure and ultimately scored two more takedowns in the second period. The weight class was played under the Nordic system and Mihai became the champion as he won both his bouts while Sahradin finished with a 1-1 record.

Uyar defeated compatriot Yildirim 5-3 in a back-and-forth 63kg title to win the gold medal. Yildirim lead 3-1 with two minutes remaining but Uyar scored a four-point throw with 41 seconds remaining.

At 67kg, Firat dominated proceedings in the final as he beat Morten THORESEN (NOR) 4-1. He was awarded a point for Thoresen's inactivity and then scored two points for a throw. A pushout gave him one more. Thoresen got a point in the second period but could take advantage of the par terre position.

Yakoliev defeated Albin OLOFSSON (SWE) 8-1 in a one-sided final at 77kg. Olofsson tried a headlock but Yakoliev finished on top and then got the turn to lead 4-0. The Ukraine wrestler was passive but Olofsson did not score any points from par terre. The two got in a body lock and Yakoliev threw for four more points, winning 8-1.

At 82kg, Filchakov spoiled the party for the home fans as he beat local star Filip SACIC (CRO) 3-1 in the final. Sacic got the first point but Filchakov scored from reversal and led 1-1 at the break. Sacic almost got a takedown in the second period but the Filchakov managed to reverse it before the Croatian took control. Two points were awarded to Filchakov as he won 3-1.

At 130kg, Turkey's Yildirim and Bozkurt were in for a tense battle but the latter had to forfeit because of injury just 18 seconds into the bout. Yildirim would claim the gold while Bozkurt finished with a silver medal.

ZAGREB OPEN FINAL RESULTS

55kg Denis MIHAI (ROU) df Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR) 11-6
60kg Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df Viktor PETRYK (UKR) via injury
63kg Ahmet UYAR (TUR) df Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR) 5-3
67kg Murat FIRAT (TUR) df Morten THORESEN (NOR) 4-1
72kg Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) 2-1
77kg Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR) df Albin OLOFSSON (SWE) 8-1
82kg Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) df Filip SACIC (CRO) 3-1
87kg Radzik KULIYEU (BLR) df Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) 1-1
97kg Felix BALDAUF (NOR) df Mikalai STADUB (BLR) 4-0
130kg Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) df Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) via injury

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World Championships 2025 Live Blog: Day 7 GR 60kg, 72kg, 97kg

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 19) -- The World Championships day seven will see three Greco-Roman weight classes -- 60kg, 72kg and 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

12:20: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) steps closer to his first world medal as he beats Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (UWW), 5-0, at 72kg. Both par terre positions to Nasibov in that match

12:15: Michael PORTMANN (SUI) continues his winning run as he now defeated Selcuk CAN (TUR), 8-2, at 72kg. 

12:07: Kaito INABA (JPN), Asian medalist, begins his quest for a world medal with a 5-5 criteria win over Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) at 60kg. 

12:01: It takes a while to sort out an interesting exchange between Olympic bronze medalist and five-time Asian medalist Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) and Mohamed GABR (EGY) at 97kg. Dzhuzupbekov tries to spin behind off an arm drag, but Gabr catches the arm and steps over. On challenge, both are given a 2-point exposure, with Dzhuzupbekov having the last-point criteria. That gives him the win when there is no scoring in the second period, with the customary late challenge only making the score 3-2.

11:50: Former world silver medalist Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW) loses the advantage by giving up the first passivity point against Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) at 97kg, but he doesn't need it. Put on top in par terre in the second period, he hits a 2-point throw, which he quickly follows with a gut wrench. He gets an added bonus of a 2-point fleein penalty, and is put back on top. But his bear hug throw attempt goes awry and he only gets a stepout. No matter, he walks away an 8-1 winner.

11:25: Olympic bronze medalist and 2023 world champion Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) picks up a quick 4 against Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE), then uses his speed to get behind for two takedowns to advance at 97kg with an 8-0 victory in 2:17.

11:24: Asian champion Danial SOHRABI (IRI) gives up a quick stepout to Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ), but responds with one himself. Put on top in par terre, Sohrabi wastes no time, firing off four rolls for a 10-1 win in just over two minutes at 72kg.

11:24: Host Croatia loses its presence in a span of minutes, when Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO) falls 4-1 to Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) at 72kg on Mat C, and shortly after on Mat B, NITESH (IND) gets a late gut wrench to oust Filip SMETKO (CRO) 3-2 at 97kg.

11:17: Two-time Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), searching for his first world medal, begins with an 8-0 superiority win over Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL) at 72kg.

11:08: European champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) bulls his way to three stepouts in the second period and a 4-0 victory over Alejandro SANCHO (USA) at 72kg.

11:08: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO), winner of the Ranking Series events in Budapest and Tirana, gets the first chance in par terre against  two-time world bronze medalist Selcuk CAN (TUR) at 72kg, but his roll is annulled on challenge for a leg foul. Can fares much better when he gets the chance, throwing Lomadze for 2 and holding on for a 3-1 win.

11:00: Not to be for Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) at 72kg. The Japanese was trying to win a medal in Greco-Roman, two years after he won the world gold medal in Freestyle 70kg. But Michael PORTMANN (SUI), he drops his opening bout 2-1. Portmann scored a stepout apart from the par terre points.  

10:30: The World Championships will continue with Greco-Roman with 60kg, 72kg and 97kg in Zagreb