Youth Olympic Games

Georgia and Iran Place Two in Greco-Roman Finals

Friday, October 12, 2018 - 15:14 By Tim Foley

Share this article

BUENOS AIRES (October 12) – Wrestling powerhouses Georgia and Iran each placed a pair of wrestlers into Friday night’s Greco-Roman finals at the Youth Olympic Games.

Georgia’s Giorgi TOKHADZE impressed at 51kg defeating his two opponents by fall and  technical superiority, while teammate Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE squeaked past Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM) 3-1 to make the finals at 60kg.

It was a stressful morning for Iranian fans at both Amirreza DEHBOZORGI (45kg) and Mohammad Ghorbanali NOSRATI (IRI) needed come-from-behind performances to make their way into tonight’s final. Dehbozorgi was trailing 1-0 against Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) before fighting his way back to the win, 3-2. Meanwhile, Nosarti trailed Mukhammad EVLOEV (RUS) 3-0 after the first period but scored five unanswered points in the second to earn his ticket to the finals.


Ecuador’s Jeremy PARALTA GONZALEZ  and Japan’s Wataru SASAKI are queued up for finals action at 45kg. The lightweight pair each breezed through their respective groups, filling the auditorium with the cheers of fans, setting up what is certain to be a high flying finale.

Full Results from Session I at the Youth Olympic Games can be found, HERE.

Action resumes at 5pm local/4pm ET.

Greco-Roman, 45kg
GOLD: Amirreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI) v. Jeremy Renzo PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
BRONZE: Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL) v. Arslanbek ZAKIRBAYEV (TKM)
FIFTH: Abdalla M. SHAABAN (EGY) v. Densel Jaffet DE JESUS VALERIO (HON)

Greco-Roman, 51kg
GOLD: Wataru SASAKI (JPN) v. Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO)
BRONZE:  Axel Andre SALAS ESQUIVEL (MEX)  v. Eduardo LOVERA (ARG)
FIFTH: Mehdi JOUINI (TUN) v. Alexander ADINIWIN (MHL)

Greco-Roman, 60kg
GOLD: Elmirbek SADYROV (KGZ) v. Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
BRONZE: Miguel Angel UGALDE AGUILAR (MEX) v. Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM)
FIFTH: Arapo Ngatuerua George KELLNER (NZL) v. Ahmed Abdelhakim MERIKHI (ALG)

Greco-Roman, 71kg
GOLD: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) v. Stepan STARODUBTSEV (RUS)
BRONZE: Lamjed MAAFI (TUN) v. Shu YAMADA (JPN)
FIFTH: Brandon CALLE PEREZ (COL) v. Lynch Xavier Tanglao SANTOS (GUM)

Greco-Roman, 92kg
GOLD: Osman AYAYDIN (TUR) v. Mohammad Ghorbanali NOSRATI (IRI)
BRONZE: Shady Elkhalil Ibrahim A. WEHIB (EGY) v. Mukhammad EVLOEV (RUS)
FIFTH: Ariston Faamalosi BARTLEY (ASA) v. Igor Fernando ALVES DE QUEIROZ (BRA)

 

#WrestleBudapest

Grace Bullen Move: Outside Trip That Defines European Champ

Thursday, July 9, 2026 - 10:31 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 9) -- Grace BULLEN (NOR) lost the most important match of her career while attempting her trademark outside trip, trying to finish the bout with a fall. It came in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games semifinal against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), who countered with a neck bridge, tossing Bullen over for the fall.

UWW+

Despite the mixed results the move has produced over the years, Bullen did not hesitate to use it in the 2026 European Championships final against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS). Trailing 9-0, Bullen hooked her left foot behind Tandelova's heel and brought her down for the fall.

Three months after their epic European 62kg final, Bullen and Tandelova will be at the Budapest Ranking Series from July 15 to 19, the last stop to gain ranking points before the World Championships.

They will be joined by a strong field that includes former world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN), world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), and European medalists Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR).

The field also includes Ana GODINEZ (CAN) and former U20 world champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN), who will have the backing of the home crowd. Two Indians, MANSI (IND) and SAVITA (IND), are also entered among others.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) performs the outside trip against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) during the 62kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The same move also rescued Bullen at the Tirana Ranking Series, where she trailed Mansi before winning 6-5.

Speaking after winning European gold, Bullen acknowledged both the risk and the reward of the move.

"I know it's my go-to when I'm down, but I also lost in that situation, the same place," Bullen said. "I know how it is being on the receiving end, also being an attacker in that situation. But glad it worked out for me.

"It's more risky that way and just locking the leg and going forward it's much less risky, especially for me."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Grace Bullen (@gracebullen7)

 

A pivotal career decision saw Bullen relocate her training base to Georgia under coach Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI. Since moving to 62kg, she has won world and Olympic medals and established herself as one of the division's most dangerous wrestlers. The demanding training in Georgia and the move up in weight have transformed her wrestling and her mindset, even if the results have occasionally fluctuated.

"I'm also getting older," she said. "I have to be wise with how I train and so I keep my shape."

That experience has also made Bullen more patient than she was five years ago.

"I've years of experience in wrestling," she said. "I take losses with a greater smile than I ever did before. Just knowing that this year I was in two ranking series competitions and only won one match, I am more patient with everything. I know that even though I lose, I can win in the future."