SARAJEVO (August 29) – Returning world champion Efan AEINI (IRI) steamrolled his way into the gold medal bouts, averaging more than 15 points per match on the opening day of freestyle at the Cadet Wrestling World Championships.
Aeini, last year’s champion at 46kg, racked up a pair of technical falls and a fall before stopping challenger Petr KONSTANTINOV (RUS) in a semifinal shoot-out, 14-11, at 50kg.
In Saturday evening’s gold medal bouts at Sports Hall Amel Beckovic, Aeini takes on Anil ANIL (IND), who also notched a pair of technical falls in the morning session.
Joining Aeini in the finals will be Amirmohammad YAZDANICHERATI (IRI), who stopped Asian bronze medalist Islom ILKHOMOV (UZB) and European runner-up Kara DOGAN (TUR). Yazdanicherati meets Ivan OKONESHNIKOV (RUS) for the gold medal at 46kg.
Along with Okoneshnikov, Russia also advanced wrestlers to the finals in the two heaviest categoris on Saturday’s schedule. Slavik NANIEV (69kg) meets European bronze medalist Ismail ABDULLAYEV (AZE) and David-Soslan LAVOEV (85kg) takes on Asian bronze medal winner Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) in the day’s finale.
At 58kg, Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN) and Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) will duel for the gold medal.
In the morning session, Motoyama forged a 10-7 win over Asian silver medalist Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) in the semifinals while Diakomihalis wrapped up former world runner-up Fazil HASANOV (AZE) for a quick fall in the round of 16.
Freestyle
42kg (16 entries)
Gold – Amir Mohammad YAZDANICHERATI (IRI) v Ivan OKONESHNIKOV (RUS)
Bronze – Islom ILKHOMOV (UZB) v Irlasbek NURAKHMET (KGZ)
Bronze – Tzvetan MUSTAFOV (BUL) v Shahin MUKHTAROV (AZE)
Semifinal – Amir Mohammad YAZDANICHERATI (IRI) df. Irlasbek NURAKHMET (KGZ), 7-7
Semifinal – Ivan OKONESHNIKOV (RUS) df. Shahin MUKHTAROV (AZE), 6-1
50kg (23 entries)
Gold – Anil ANIL (IND) v Erfan AEINI (IRI)
Bronze – Ertugrul KAHVECI (TUR) v Tumentsogt BOLD (MGL)
Bronze – Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) v Petr KONSTANTINOV (RUS)
Semifinal – Anil ANIL (IND) df. Tumentsogt BOLD (MGL) by TF, 10-0, 3:03
Semifinal – Erfan AEINI (IRI) df. Petr KONSTANTINOV (RUS), 14-11
58kg (25 entries)
Gold – Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN) v Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (USA)
Bronze – Connor McNEICE (CAN) v Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI)
Bronze – Fazil HASANOV (AZE) v Soslan GUCHAKOV (RUS)
Semifinal – Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN) df. Amir Hossein KAVOUSI (IRI), 10-7
Semifinal – Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) df. Soslan GUCHAKOV (RUS), 10-5
69kg (25 entries)
Gold – Ismail ABDULLAYEV (AZE) v Slavik NANIEV
Bronze – Iveriko JULAKIDZE (GEO) v Mojtaba OSMAVANDANI (IRI)
Bronze – Taro UMEBAYASHI (JPN) v Samy HAMDY AMIN (EGY)
Semifinal – Ismail ABDULLAYEV (AZE) df. Mojtaba OSMAVANDANI (IRI) 8-6
Semifinal – Slavik NANIEV (RUS) df. Samy HAMDY AMIN (EGY), 6-4
85kg (21 entries)
Gold – David-Soslan LAVOEV (RUS) v Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)
Bronze – Sombir SOMBIR (IND) v Nail SAIYER (TUR)
Bronze – Owen WEBSTER (USA) v Rahid HAMIDLI (AZE)
Semifinal – David-Soslan LAVOEV (RUS) df. Nail SEIYAR (TUR), 6-1
Semifinal – Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) df. Rahid HAMIDALI (AZE), 2-1
