BANGKOK (February 18) – Iran advanced two more to the Greco-Roman finals and Japan kicked off the women’s events with a pair in the gold-medal matches on Thursday, the second day of the Asian wrestling championships.

With two finalists -- Saman ADBVALI (59kg) and Afshin BYABANGARD (71kg) -- and a chance to win a medal in all categories, Iran has virtually sewn up the Greco-Roman team title despite a semifinal loss at 85kg by Yousef GHADERIAN (IRI).

Ghaderian, last year’s Asian titlist at 80kg, squares off for a bronze medal with 2013 Asia runner-up PARK Jinsung (KOR) after a 5-3 upset loss to Mohammadali SHAMSIDDINOV (UZB).

Takhti Cup winner Abdvali notched a pair of technical falls at 59kg and turned back the challenge of World Military Games champion Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ) in the semifinals. Abdvali will face 2010 Asian Games silver medalist Kanybek ZHOLCHUBEKOV (KGZ) in the championship final.

Former world bronze medalist Byabangard meets Nurbek KHOLMUHAMATOV (UZB) in the 71kg final, after holding on for a 1-0 win over 2010 Asian Games silver medalist Darkhan BAYAKHMETOV (KAZ) in the quarterfinals.

In the middleweight final, Shamsiddinov tests 2014 Asia champion Zhanarbek KENZHEEV (KGZ) – giving Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan a pair of finalists each in the gold medal matches.

For the home team, South East Asian Games champion Ritisak PRAVAN (THA) advanced in repechage with a technical fall win over Khasan SUFIEV (TJK) at 59kg and will square off with Ainagulov for a chance to become Thailand’s first Greco-Roman medalist in the Asian championships.

Meanwhile, a pair of two-time junior world champions Risako KAWAI (63kg) and Rino ABE (75kg) advanced to the gold medal finals as the women’s events got under way at Bangkok Youth Center.

Kawai, the senior world silver medalist at 63kg last September, started slowly with an 8-4 win against former junior world bronze medalist XU Rui (CHN), but stormed into the finals with a technical fall over SEO Heejeong (KOR).

Abe muscled her way into the 75kg finals with a 3-1 win over former Asia cadet runner-up Kiran KIRAN (IND) and will face Asian Games bronze medalist OCHIRBAT Burmaa (MGL) for the gold.

Greco-Roman

59kg (13 entries)
Gold – Saman ABDVALI (IRI) v Kanybek ZHOLCHUBEKOV (KGZ)
Bronze – Ritisak PRAVAN (THA) v Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ)
Bronze – Gaurav SHARMA (IND) v KIM Eun-Bin (KOR)

Semifinals – Saman ABDVALI (IRI) df. Mirambek AINAGULOV (KAZ), 10-6
Semifinals – Kanybek ZHOLCHUBEKOV (KGZ) df. KIM Eun-Bin (KOR) by TF, 8-0

71kg (9 entries)
Gold – Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) v Nurbek KHOLMUKHAMMATOV (UZB)
Bronze – Darkhan BAYAKHMETOV (KAZ) v Didar AMANNAZAROV (TKM)
Bronze – XU Kai-xiang (TPE) v ZHANG Ridong (CHN)

Semifinals – Afshin BYABANGARD (IRI) df. Didar AMANNAZAROV (TKM) by Fall, 2:00 (6-0)
Semifinals – Nurbek KHOLMUKHAMMATOV (UZB) df. ZHANG Ridong (CHN) by TF, 8-0, 1:41

85kg (11 entries)
Gold – Muhammadali SHAMSIDDINOV (UZB) v Zhanarbek KENZHEEV (KGZ)
Bronze – PARK Jinsung (KOR) v Yousef GHADERIAN (IRI)
Bronze – KONG Liang (CHN) v Shobhit KUMAR (IND)

Semifinals – Muhammadali SHAMSIDDINOV (UZB) df. Yousef GHADERIAN (IRI), 5-3
Semifinals – Zhanarbek KENZHEEV (KGZ) df. Shobhit KUMAR (IND) by TF, 14-0, 1:51

Women’s wrestling

63kg (10 entries)
Gold – RIM Jong-Sim (PRK) v Risako KAWAI (JPN)
Bronze – XU Rui (CHN) v Anita ANITA (IND)
Bronze – Nilufar GADAEVA (UZB) v SEO Heejeong (KOR)

Semifinals – RIM Jong-Sim (PRK) df. Anita ANITA (IND), 7-4
Semifinals – Risako KAWAI (JPN) df. SEO Heejeong (KOR) by TF, 10-0, 0:58

75kg (10 entries)
Gold – Rino ABE (JPN) v OCHIRBAT Burmaa (MGL
Bronze – QIANDEGEN Chagan (CHN) v Kiran KIRAN (IND)
Bronze – Lalakhan ORINBAEVA (UZB) v Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)

Semifinals – Rino ABE (JPN) df. Kiran KIRAN (IND), 3-1
Semifinals – OCHIRBAT Burmaa (MGL) df. Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) by Fall, 1:43 (2-2)