BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (August 18) -- For a second year in a row, Iran will finish with only one Greco-Roman gold at the U20 World Championships in Bratislava. While it was enough to win the team title last year, Iran is all-but-out of the Greco-Roman team title race this year.
But among all the gloom around its performance, Iran found one star made for the future.
Two years after he won the U17 world title, Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) added a U20 world title to his name at just 18 years of age.
Shamsipour, who captured the imagination of Iran after the 2024 U17 gold, may have changed his celebrations after winning but his performance on the mat remained the same.
He won three out of four bouts, including final, via technical superiority while one was a close 3-1 affair. In the final, he outclassed Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO), 12-2, never letting Karumidze come close to upsetting him.
Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) won the world title at 55kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)
Shamsipour was off right away and managed to get the par terre in the final. He managed to lift Karumdize and score a beautiful throw for four points to lead 5-0 at the break.
Karumidze was slowly killing his body as he engaged more with Shamsipour who scored an easy go-behind. As he tried to lift and throw the Georgian, Shamsipour landed on his own back on to give up two points.
Shamsipour did not put the brakes on his attacks despite being 7-2 up and managed another takedown with 1:22 remaining. Ten seconds later, he got another easy takedown to make the score 11-2 at which Georgia challenged but lost, giving one more point to Shamsipour.
“I was in good shape,” Shamsipour said. “Based on the coaches’ analysis, the plan was for me to start working on his arms from the first period and try to force the first passivity warning. Once I started doing that, I could see that he was really struggling, so I just kept going with the same strategy.”
Among his bouts, the Khuzestan wrestler said that the bout against Khojiakbar KUCHKAROV (UZB) in the semifinals was the most difficult. Kuchkarov had blanked Shamsipour, 8-0, in the bronze-medal bout at the U23 World Championships last year.
But Shamsipour prevailed this time as he turned Kuchkarov from par terre to collect his 3-1 win.
“My toughest opponent was the wrestler from Uzbekistan because I had wrestled him before," he said. “I couldn’t afford to take any risks. At the U23 Worlds, I was really upse. But here, I got my revenge.”
Contrary to his celebrations after winning the U17 world gold in 2024, Shamsipour kept it simple after the final on Tuesday.
“I was younger, I made a lot more noise and showed a lot more excitement after that competition,” he said. “This time it was different. I knew I had to stay calm, take it one match at a time, and move forward step by step. Physically, the wrestlers at this level are stronger. Age and weight are both very important factors.”
While he has not made his senior debut, Shamsipour revealed that he will try and qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
"I hope I can always make my parents proud like this and achieve my dream of winning an Olympic gold medal," he said. "The 2028 Olympics is my goal, and that’s what I’m focused on right now."
Mingiian GORIAEV (RUS) turns Salih YAZICI (TUR) during the 72kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)
At 72kg, Mingiian GORIAEV (RUS) denied U20 European champion Salih YAZICI (TUR), 12-3, the gold medal. Goriaev got the par terre in the first period and turned Yazici two times to lead 5-0.
Goriaev, who is a 2025 U20 European champion, gave up a stepout before blocking a headpinch from Yazici to get two points. He gave up a takedown but still led 7-3 and continued to pressure, and scored a stepout. He finished the bout with a takedown and turn to win 12-3.
The gold medal helped Russia take a crucial lead in the team title race. Russia currently has 102 points at the top position with Armenia and Uzbekistan in second and third position, respectively.
Kazybek KALMAGAMBETOV (KAZ) won the 67kg gold medal in Bratislava. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)
In one of the most memorable finals of the tournament, Kazakhstan managed to earn the gold medal at 67kg after Kazybek KALMAGAMBETOV (KAZ) defeated Mikhail MARKOUSKI (BLR), 13-7.
Kalmagambetov got put in par terre first and Markouski scored a turn to lead 3-0 before Belarus challenged, asking for foul but lost it to give one point to Kalmagambetov.
When the Kazakhstan wrestler was given the par terre advantage, he turned Markouski but also gave up two exposure points which gave Markouski a 5-4 lead. Kazakhstan was quick to challenge the scoring.
Kazybek KALMAGAMBETOV (KAZ), right, and Mikhail MARKOUSKI (BLR) battle it out during the 67kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)
On review, Markouski's move to block Kalmagambetov was illegal as he had locked his hands behind the head. He was cautioned and bout restarted in par terre with the Kazakhstan wrestler leading 6-3.
Markouski blocked the second gut-wrench attempt from Kalmagambetov cleanly to make the score 8-5 before scoring two stepouts to make it 8-7.
Kalmagambetov scored a stepout and then blocked Marouski's throw to score four points and complete a thrilling win, giving his country the gold medal.
RESULTS
55kg
GOLD: Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) df. Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO), 12-2
BRONZE: Khojiakbar KUCHKAROV (UZB) df. Maxim SARMANOV (MDA), 9-1
BRONZE: Emin JAVADLI (AZE) df. Hiro SAKAMOTO (JPN), 11-1
67kg
GOLD: Kazybek KALMAGAMBETOV (KAZ) df. Mikhail MARKOUSKI (BLR), 13-7
BRONZE: Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) df . Iliya ALIKHANI (IRI), via fall
BRONZE: Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN) df. Mohamed ABDELREHIM (EGY), 11-2
72kg
GOLD: Mingiian GORIAEV (RUS) df. Salih YAZICI (TUR), 12-3
BRONZE: Mohamed IBRAHIM (EGY) df. Jorge GOMEZ (MEX), 6-0
BRONZE: Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) df. Gor KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 7*-7
97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Ilia KOMAROV (RUS), 4-1
BRONZE: Erik TER MATEVOSYAN (ARM) df. Arman MKRTCHYAN (GEO), 3*-3
BRONZE: Pauli PERKIOE (FIN) df. Fakhrikamol KOMILJONOV (UZB), 9-0
