MACON, France (4 September) – Khasan BADRUDINOV (RUS) secured a third junior world medal on Sunday and Russia’s quartet all advanced to the gold medal matches on the final day of the Junior World Wrestling Championships.
Badrudinov stormed from behind for an 8-7 win over Andrey YATSENKO (UKR) to qualify for his second junior world final in three years and a berth opposite 2014 cadet world silver medalist Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) in the 55kg final at Le Spot arena.
Badrudinov, the 2014 junior world champion and a bronze medal winner last year, will lead off for a Russian squad that includes Akhmed USMANOV (66kg), Arsenali MUSALALIEV (84kg) and Kazbek KHUBULOV (120kg).
Usmanov, a fifth-place finisher at the prestigious Ali Aliev tourney in July, roared past Orkhan ABASOV (AZE) in the semifinals, 12-1, and will take on Enes USLU (TUR) in the 66kg final.
Uslu, the 2015 European junior champion, opened with a 7-5 win over 2015 junior world silver medalist Yuhi FUJINAMI (JPN) and capped his march in to the gold medal match with a 13-3 technical fall over Asian junior runner-up Vikas VIKAS (IND).
Usmanov and Uslu will be followed by teammates in the 84kg final as Musalaliev, a bronze medal winner one year ago in Brazil, and Osman GOCEN (TUR) -- wrestling for his first international title after defeating European junior champion Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE), 7-5, in the semifinals.
Musalaliev, for his part, rolled up a 14-4 win against 2015 junior world silver medalist Dzianis KHRAMIANKOV (BLR) at 3:41 of their semifinal.
At 120kg, 2014 European junior bronze medal winner Khubulov defeated Asian junior champion Amir Reza AMIRI (IRI), 8-6 in the round of 16 and advanced quietly along the bottom of the bracket, reaching the final with a 2-0 victory over Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL).
In the tourney finale, Khubulov meets Umar ISRAILOV (AZE), who defeated European junior runner-up Huseyin Mehmet CIVELEK (TUR), 5-2, in the semifinals.
-- Results --
Freestyle
55kg (20 entries)
Gold – Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) v Khasan BADRUDINOV (RUS)
Bronze – Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) v Takumi TASHIRO (JPN)
Bronze – Daton FIX (USA) v Andrey YATSENKO (UKR)
Semifinals – Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) df. Takumi TASHIRO (JPN) by TF, 11-1, 4:39
Semifinals – Khasan BADRUDINOV (RUS) df. Andrey YATSENKO (UKR), 8-7
66kg (30 entries)
Gold – Akhmed USMANOV (RUS) v Enes USLU (TUR)
Bronze – Valentin SANFRATELLO (FRA) v Orkhan ABASOV (AZE)
Bronze – Yuhi FUJINAMI (JPN) v Vikas VIKAS (IND)
Semifinals – Akhmed USMANOV (RUS) df. Orkhan ABASOV (AZE), 12-1, 5:06
Semifinals – Enes USLU (TUR) df. Vikas VIKAS (IND) by TF, 13-3, 5:10
84kg (25 entries)
Gold – Arsenali MUSALALIEV (RUS) v Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Bronze – Majid MURATOV (UZB) v Dzianis KHRAMIANKOV (BLR)
Bronze – Krzysztof SADOWIK v Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE)
Semifinals – Arsenali MUSALALIEV (RUS) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOV (BLR) by TF, 14-4, 3:41
Semifinals – Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE), 7-5
120kg (8 entries)
Gold – Umar ISRAILOV (AZE) v Kazbek KHUBULOV (RUS)
Bronze – Milahy NAGY (HUN) v Huseyin CIVELEK (TUR)
Bronze – Amir Reza AMIRI (IRI) v Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Semifinals – Umar ISRAILOV (AZE) df. Huseyin CIVELEK (TUR), 5-2
Semifinals – Kazbek KHUBULOV (RUS) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 2-0
