MACON, France (August 30) – Wrestlers from Central Asia thundered into France on Tuesday and toppled three European champions to advance to the Greco-Roman finals at the Junior World Wrestling Championships in Macon.

Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) rolled up a technical fall over 2015 junior world silver medalist Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) in only 49 seconds in the semifinals at 50kg while Kaly SULEIMANOV (KGZ) stunned Mikhail RAHMONOV (AZE) with a technical fall at 3:39 at 60kg.

Also on the first day of competition, Tamerlan SHADUKAEV (KAZ) rallied late in the 74kg semifinal against 2015 junior world bronze medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) for a 3-3 victory and a finals berth opposite European bronze medal winner George Vlad MARIEA (ROU).

Mariea, meanwhile, came from behind with a late bodylock and takedown for a 6-2 win over 2015 junior world silver medalist Akhmed KAYTSUKOV (RUS) to earn his place in the 74kg final at LE SPOT arena.

At 96kg, Bopembe-Arsen SYCHEV (BLR), a bronze medal winner at the 2014 cadet world championships, upended European junior champion Ruslan BEKUZAROV (RUS), 5-1, in the round of 16 and marched into the gold medal final against European junior silver medalist Giorgi MELIA (GEO).

In Tuesday evening’s finals, Bakhromov meets 2013 cadet world runner-up Vladislav MELNIKOV (RUS) at 50kg while Suleimanov takes on Entienne KINSINGER (GER), a bronze medal winner at both the European junior and European under-23 championships.

Results

Greco-Roman

50kg (15 entries)
Gold – Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) v Vladislav MELNIKOV (RUS)
Bronze – Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) v Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Bronze – Adilet TAALAIBEKOV (KGZ) v Sergey SIMONYAN (ARM)

Semifinals – Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) df. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) by TF, 9-0, 0:49
Semifinals – Vladislav MELNIKOV (RUS) df. Sergey SIMONYAN (ARM), 6-4

60kg (27 entries)
Gold – Etienne KINSINGER (GER) v Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ)
Bronze – Aleksander HRUSHYN (UKR) v Taylor LAMONT (USA)
Bronze – Seydylla TAZAYEV (TKM) v Mikhail RAHMANOV (AZE)

Semifinals – Etienne KINSINGER (GER) df. Taylor LAMONT (USA), 2-1 
Semifinals – Kaly SULAIMANOV (KGZ) df. Mihail RAHMANOV (AZE) by TF, 10-2, 3:39

74kg (33 entries)
Gold – Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ) v George Vlad MARIEA (ROU)
Bronze – Abubakr ALIMOV (UZB) v Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Bronze – Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) v Akhmed KAYTSUKOV (RUS)

Semifinals – Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ) df. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), 3-3
Semifinals – George Vlad MARIEA (ROU) v Akhmed KAYTSUKOV (RUS), 6-2

96kg (24 entries)
Gold – Giorgi MELIA (GEO) v Bopembe-Arsen (SYCHEV) BLR)
Bronze – Yuta NARA (JPN) v Tracy HANCOCK (USA)
Bronze – Ruslan BEKUZAROV (RUS) v Kevin BAUMANN (EST)

Semifinals – Giorgi MELIA (GEO) df. Tracy HANCOCK (USA), 12-8 
Semifinals – Bopembe Arsen SYCHEV (BLR) df. Kevin BAUMANN (EST) by TF, 11-2, 2:25