U23 Worlds: For Tevanyan, first title worth the wait

Sunday, October 23, 2022 - 00:21 By Vinay Siwach

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (October 22) -- Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) rarely expresses emotions on the mat. A rather calm personality during the bout, Tevanyan wore a worried look as the referees reviewed a challenge from Hamza ALACA (TUR).

With 20 seconds left in the 65kg gold medal bout at the U23 World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain, Tevanyan led 7-2 but Alaca got a gut wrench in which he spun Tevanyan 360 degrees hoping to get four points. The referees, however, awarded only two.

Even a successful challenge would only make it 7-6, Tevanyan did not want to be in a situation where the match can see more twists. And though there were no surprises at the end as Alaca lost the challenge and only got two points, it was a relief for Tevanyan than a celebration.

He thanked the small group of Armenian fans that were present in the Municipal Pavillion in Pontevedra before the victory lap as he captured his first-ever world title.

"Only at the end of the match, when there was a challenge, I was worried," Tevanyan said.

If you are wondering why it was such a big deal, Tevanyan remembers the last U23 World Championships in which he finished as the silver medalist. In the final 10 seconds, he gave up a takedown and then Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) spun him for two. And what Alaca did was similar to that.

Akmataliev won the gold last year at 70kg. Tevanyan did not want to finish with silver again.

"I have been waiting for so long to become the world champion," he said. "I was going to Belgrade to win the gold but seems like I wasn’t prepared enough. Last year I was wrestling at 70kg weight class."

Ever since bursting onto the scene for beating Iszmail MUSZUKAJAEV (HUN) in the 65kg final at the 2020 Individual World Cup in Belgrade, Tevanyan has shown the spark but he failed to light it on the big stage.

In March 2021 he defeated Haji ALIYEV (AZE) but failed to win at the Olympics and finished ninth at the 2021 World Championships. But is slowly working out for him in 2022. He won the prestigious Takhti Cup in Iran, and almost reached the bronze medal bout in Belgrade before capping off the season with a world title.

"I have been working hard together with the coaches," he said. "We corrected all the mistakes, and now you can see the result of our hard work."

In Pontevedra, he captured the 65kg gold with the win over Alaca to finally emerge as one of the wrestlers to take over 65kg. In the semifinals, he defeated Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) 7-6 in an evenly fought bout. Japanese youngster Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) also troubled Tevanyan but the Armenian managed to win 5-4.

Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) completes an attack on Hamza ALACA (TUR) in the 65kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

In the final, he was leading 3-2 with a minute remaining when he got the arm trap and extended his lead to 7-2. But he still countered later in the bout. Luckily, it was only for two points and not four for Alaca.

"That was an interesting final," he said. "The opponent was very good. I wouldn’t say that the beginning of the match was intense but later during the challenge, I was worried if they will give 2 or 4 points."

The Tokyo Olympian will now try to qualify for the Paris Olympics at the 2023 World Championships next year.

"I will now go back to Armenia, get some rest and start training even harder for the next year because the next year is very important since there will be Olympic qualifying World Championships," he said.

Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) won the U23 World title at 70kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

While Tevanyan ended his title drought, it was yet another silver at World Championships for Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) who lost the 70kg final against U23 European champion Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) in a dramatic manner.

The favorite Yazdani led 2-2 at the break and got involved in a bearhug with Elbakidze which ended in a disaster for him. Elbakidze never let off his grip and Yazdani landed on his back as he tried a big throw. Elbakidze led 6-2 and Yazdani looked desperate.

Elbakidze avoided contact and it was just over a minute left that Yazdani was able to score a takedown, cutting the lead to 6-4. Then he got a lifeline.

Elbakidze was put on the activity clock and Yazdani had to play out the 30 seconds and needed a takedown to win. But Elbakidze shot a double-leg which Yazdani defended for a while but ultimately fell to the pressure, canceling out the activity clock. Nothing worked for him and he ended with his third silver in as many World Championships finals.

Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) reacts after winning the 79kg final against Daulet YERGESH (KAZ). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Georgia got its second world champion as Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) defeated Daulet YERGESH (KAZ), 5-3kg, in the 79kg final.

After getting a point for passivity, Gamkrelidze scored a takedown right before the break to lead 3-0. Yergesh was more active in the second period but Gamkrelidze did not want to engage and it was with just 35 seconds remaining that Yergesh got a stepout.

Yergesh needed two more points for criteria and went for a duck under but as he tried getting up, Gamkrelidze slammed him on the mat, earning himself two more points. He did give up a takedown but it was too little too late as the Georgian won 5-3.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) defeated Tanner SLOAN (USA) in the 97kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) successfully defended his 97kg gold with a tense 5-3 win over Tanner SLOAN (USA).

Azarpira got a single leg against Sloan and almost managed to take him down but Sloan defended, before scoring a takedown. But in the second period, Azarpira scored a stepout in the activity period before adding one more to take a 3-2 lead with a minute and 30 seconds remaining. He extended it to 4-2 with less than a minute remaining.

In the dying seconds of the bout, Sloan launched an attack and got hold of Azarpira's legs. But at no time did Azarpira make three-point contact with the mat and Sloan did not receive a point.

"The final match was a hard match," Azarpira said. "I pretty much knew it would be a tough match. I put in a lot of effort for this tournament after the U20 Worlds in Bulgaria. I had a bad experience in Bulgaria and couldn't get the medal that I wanted, I ended up in third place.

"After that, I tried very hard and was very organized in my preparation for this tournament and thank god I was successful."

At the U20 Worlds in Sofia, Azarpira suffered a surprising 6-4 loss to Rifat GIDAK (TUR) and returned home with a bronze. It was a wake-up call for Azarpira who went there thinking that he would return as a champion.

"Before Sofia, I went in thinking I was guaranteed the gold," he said. "I ended up not getting what I expected. After that, I gathered myself and trained hard and with discipline in order to get the gold here and thank god that happened."

Aman SEHRAWAT (IND) became India's first U23 world champion. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

India's first U23 champion

India entered only one wrestler in freestyle and he is returning home with a gold and history. Aman SEHRAWAT (IND) won the 57kg gold medal in Pontevedra, becoming the first Indian to be crowned a U23 world champion.

In the final, he faced Ahmet DUMAN (TUR) and started as the underdog as Duman enjoyed a field day Friday, winning all three of his bouts via technical superiority.

He began on a similar note, scoring a stepout in the first 15 seconds. Sehrawat was called passive as Duman led 2-0 at the break.

It all changed after the 30-second interval as Sehrawat's relentless attacks, with a shade of Olympic silver medalist Ravi KUMAR (IND) in them, stunned Duman.

Attack per attack, the two-time U17 world bronze medalist racked up points and led 6-2. Duman got an opportunity to turn it around but failed to get a lace going after scoring a takedown. Sehrawat never gave him a chance again.

A 12-4 win sealed the deal for the Indian, who was orphaned at the age of 11 years. He won the first gold after seven silver medals across all styles for the country.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Aman SEHRAWAT (IND) df. Ahmet DUMAN (TUR), 12-4

BRONZE: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Hansana GANEGODAGE (SRI), via walkover
BRONZE: Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) df. Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO), 17-7

65kg
GOLD: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Hamza ALACA (TUR), 8-4

BRONZE: Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN) df. Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ), 7-7
BRONZE: Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) df. Kianhossein MAHMOUD (IRI), 11-8

70kg
GOLD: Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) df. Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI), 8-4

BRONZE: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Yahya THOMAS (USA), 4-0
BRONZE: Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 8-5

79kg
GOLD: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Daulet YERGESH (KAZ), 5-3

BRONZE: Carter STAROCCI (USA) df. Valentyn BABII (UKR), 11-0
BRONZE: Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) df. Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), 6-4

97kg
GOLD: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. Tanner SLOAN (USA), 5-3

BRONZE: Vasyl SOVA (UKR) df. Ertugrul AGCA (GER), 5-3
BRONZE: Islam ILYASOV (AZE) df. Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO), 7-0

Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) vs. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ)

SF 1: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO), 13-4
SF 2: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR), 5-0

74kg
GOLD: Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (IRI) vs. Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE)

SF 1: Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (IRI) df. Temuri BERUASHVILI (GEO), via inj. def.
SF 2: Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) df. Vasile DIACON (MDA), 4-3

86kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA) vs. Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN)

SF 1: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA), 11-1
SF 2: Tatsuya SHIRAI (JPN) df. Evsem SHVELIDZE (GEO), 4-3

92kg
GOLD: Jacob CARDENAS (USA) vs. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI)

SF 1: Jacob CARDENAS (USA) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 8-0
SF 2: Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) df. Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR), 17-6

125kg
GOLD: Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) vs. Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO)

SF 1: Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) df. Alisher YERGALI (KAZ),
SF 2: Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) df. Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR), 10-0

#JapanWrestling

Paris champ Kiyooka sets up clash with Tanabe, Motoki faces Ozaki

Saturday, June 21, 2025 - 12:44 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (June 21) -- Before his astonishing run to an unlikely Olympic title, Kotaro KIYOOKA was the one doing the chasing. Now at the forefront and looking over his shoulder, he sees a familiar face bearing down on him whom he now has to confront.

Paris Olympic champion Kiyooka advanced to the freestyle 65kg final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships on Saturday, where he will face former Nippon Sport Science University teammate Kaisei TANABE with a ticket to this year's World Championships on the line.

Kiyooka is one of three Paris gold medalists, along with Sakura MOTOKI at women's 62kg and Nao KUSAKA at Greco 77kg, who are making their full-fledged returns to the mat at the Meiji Cup, the second of Japan's two domestic qualifiers for the World Championships in Zagreb in September.

Both Motoki and Kusaka advanced with little trouble to Sunday's finals at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym, with Motoki setting up a highly anticipated clash with Paris 68kg bronze medalist Nonoka OZAKI -- whom she beat out for the spot in Paris at 62kg but is intent on reclaiming that weight class.

Kotaro KIYOOK (JPN) Kotaro KIYOOKA, left, ended up scoring 4 points off this scramble in his semifinal match at freestyle 65kg with Yuto NISHIUCHI. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Unlike the other two, Kiyooka has never been to a senior World Championships. Standing in his way is a formidable opponent in Tanabe, two years his junior who is coming off an impressive victory at the Asian Championships in March in Amman, Jordan. Tanabe only moved up to 65kg last year, and the two had not crossed paths before.

Following the Olympics, Kiyooka spent some time (with Kusaka) competing in the German Bundesliga. But the Meiji Cup marks his first high-level competition since Paris.

"It's been awhile since I've been in an official tournament," the 24-year-old Kiyooka said. "Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics, I'm still a long way away. What's important at this tournament is to come out with a victory.

"I have to make adjustments and prepare mentally for tomorrow. It's not just a one-and-done final, there is also a playoff so I can make it to the World Championships."

Tanabe, the son of NSSU coach and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Chikara TANABE, captured the title at the first domestic qualifier for the world team, the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December, in Kiyooka's absence.

As such, Kiyooka will not only have to beat him on Sunday in the final, but again in a playoff to be held at the end of the session.

As an indication of the depth of Japan in the weight class, even with the retirement of Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO, both Kiyooka and Tanabe had to get over tough hurdles to make the championship match.

In the semifinals, Kiyooka struggled to break through the defenses of two-time world U20 champion and current NSSU star Yuto NISHIUCHI. In the end, he used counters to great effect in an 8-1 win, scoring 4 by stepping over during a scramble and 2 more defending against a single leg.

"I'm not usually the type who scores big points," Kiyooka said. "But I have built myself up physically after the Olympics and I think the result was that I could get the big point."

In his opening match, Tanabe needed a stepout with 20 seconds left to get past Shinnosuke SUWAMA 5-4, before topping Ryuto SAKAKI 5-0 to make the final.

While Kiyooka is a bit unsettled about having a target on his back, he seems ready to face whatever comes his way.

"Up to now, it's always been the reverse situation," he said. "I never had the feeling that I was being chased. But I don't want to lose. As being among those who is aiming for the Los Angeles Olympics, I want to be a big barrier for the others. If you give them an opening, they will use it. I don't want to show them any gaps."

Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) Sakura MOTOKI pries over Shirin TAKEMOTO en route to a 10-0 win in their women's 62kg semifinal. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

As surprising as Kiyooka's run to gold in Paris was, the bigger shock likely came during the qualifying process when an underrated Motoki, who was "only" a world bronze medalist at 59kg, had the audacity to move up and challenge the highly touted Ozaki at 62kg.

But the 2022 world U20 champion believed in herself, and keeps making believers of others. She returned to competition earlier this year in order to qualify for the World U23 Championships.

Victories at the U23 and senior worlds will make her just the third person in history to achieve the "Golden Grand Slam" of Olympic gold combined with all four world age-group titles.

On Saturday, Motoki's toughest test in advancing to the final came in the opener, when she used a low single to score a takedown in each period of a 5-0 win over two-time world U23 champion Yuzuku INAGAKI.

"She has a good defense," Motoki said. "Being able to get through a tough match really boosts my confidence. When you're an Olympic champion, it's only natural that [opponents] try to come up with a strategy against you.

"In that light, I have to figure out a way to become stronger from the start of Olympic qualifying. That's still under development."

Like Kiyooka, Motoki will have to beat the Emperor's Cup champion twice to secure a place on the world team, and Ozaki won't make it easy.

"She's a really strong wrestler," Motoki said. "I will have to summon up all of my power and try my best."

Nao KUSAKA (JPN) Nao KUSAKA sets up a 4-point overhead lift of Naoki KADODE during their semifinal at Greco 77kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At Greco 77kg, Kusaka chalked up a pair of technical falls to advance to the final, where he will face the Emperor's Cup champion in Kodai SAKURABA, a 2022 Asian bronze medalist whom he aced out in the qualifying for Paris.

In the semifinals, Kusaka romped to a 12-1 victory over Naoki KADODE. After giving up a stepout, he came back with three of his own. Then he got behind and dropped backwards for 4, then ended the match with a 4-point lift at 2:04.

In other weight classes that will finish with medal matches on Sunday, longtime rivals and former NSSU teammates Katsukai ENDO and Kyotaro SOGABE set up their latest clash in the final at Greco 67kg.

Asian bronze medalist Endo, the Emperor's Cup champion, defeated 2021 world bronze 63kg medalist Kensuke SHIMIZU 7-3 in the semifinals, while Paris Olympian Sogabe rallied for a 13-6 win over 2023 world U23 bronze medalist and fellow NSSU alum Haruto YABE.

With Paris bronze medalist Yui SUSAKI still on post-Olympic hiatus, Remina YOSHIMOTO remained on track for a shot at a second world title at women's 50kg when she stormed to 10-0 victories over a pair of teenagers. She will face Umi ITO in a repeat of the Emperor's Cup final, which she won 3-2.

Emperor's Cup champion Rin SAKAMOTO, who has taken the rare collegiate path of going to the United States to compete at Oklahoma State University, advanced to the final at Freestyle 57kg and a showdown with Kento YUMIYA.

U23 Worlds: For Tevanyan, first title worth the wait

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Paris champ Kiyooka sets up clash with Tanabe, Motoki faces Ozaki