BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (August 21) -- The U20 World Wrestling Championships enter day six with four Freestyle weight classes -- 57kg, 65kg, 79kg and 92kg. Ismail KHANIEV (RUS), who won gold medal at 74kg last year, is at 79kg this year.
Semifinals will begin at 17:00 hours
57kg Semifinals
Nurtilek ZAMIRBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Magomed MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) vs. Isaiah CORTEZ (USA)
65kg semifinals
Takuto OSEDO (JPN) vs. Ivan OKSIUK (POL)
Bowen BASSETT (USA) vs. Zalimkhan UMAROV (RUS)
79kg semifinals
Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) vs. Ryan BURTON (USA)
Tristan ALEKSANDROV (EST) vs. Ismail KHANIEV (RUS)
92kg semifinals
Darius SAS (ROU) Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI)
Beibarys YERGALI (KAZ) Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO)
14:00: Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO), a former U17 world champion who has not replicated those results at U20 level, gets to the 92kg semifinal after a 16-6 win over U20 European champion Artur TOGOEV (RUS). Kurashvili catches Togoev in a gut-wrench
13:55: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) with his big throws and easily beats Alan TSAGARAEV (BLR), 11-0, at 92kg. He will face Darius SAS (ROU) for a place in the final at 92kg.
13:50: Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) gives up an early takedown but jumps back in and beats Bohdan OLEKSIIENKO (UKR), 12-2, at 79kg and advance to the semifinals. Khaniev rarely looks in trouble at this level.
13:45: 2023 U17 European champion Magomed MAGOMEDOV (RUS) takes out Yamato OGAWA (JPN) at 57kg. He scored a takedown against Ogawa's point for passivity to lead 2-2 on criteria. Ogawa got to Magomedov's legs but the Russian countered to come out on top and get a 4-2 win
13:40: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) with a typical push and takedown mix to beat Eljan ISMAYILZADA (AZE), 13-2, and enter the semifinals at 79kg. The Asian champion is in solid form here in Bratislava
13:35: Aliasghar TATHASHTIKEH (IRI) with a stepout with three seconds left to pull off a 4-4 criteria comeback win over Zalimkhan UMAROV (RUS) at 65kg. It seemed like that but Umarov throws a challenge. Tathashtikeh jumped over Umarov to score that point but he first landed outside the zone and the counter in not valied. Umarov gets a 5-3 win and will face Bowen BASSETT (USA) in the semifinals at 65kg
13:32: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) feels the heat of the U20 level as Giorgi MAISURADZE (GEO) scores four points on him but the former U17 world champion Rashidov had built an early lead. He scores a takedown late in the bout to lead 9-2 before giving up a late score but harmless
13:25: Unreal from Bowen BASSETT (USA) as he plunders Haci ZADE (TUR), 12-2 after giving up the initial takedown. He shoot multiple times on the legs and managed to finish all of the as Zade just surrendered
13:20: Takuto OSEDO (JPN) unleashes the leg lace on U20 Asian champion Isa ISAKOV (KGZ) and reaches the semifinals at 65kg with a 10-0 win.
The quarterfinals will begin at the same time on all three mats
13:05: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) wins one for Iran, beating Hisashi KONISHI (JPN), 12-2 at 92kg. The two-time U20 world bronze medalist is chasing his first title. He gave up the opening point but played around Konishi with some beautiful throws and takedowns to complete the victory.
12:55: Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) hands Iran another loss as he beats Sobhan ESMI (IRI) at 79kg, 10-0. Khaniev has not given up a point so far in the tournament.
12:45: Asian champion Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) opens 79kg with an 13-2 win over Yasin UZUN (TUR) but not before much drama. Gharehdaghi and Uzun are both hit with a caution each but the Japanese leads 4-3. Uzun however cannot keep up with the pace and Gharedaghi score multiple takedowns to win the bout and advance to the quarterfinals
12:30: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) started his bout against Naran BARKHAS (MGL) on a slow note but switches the pace with a takedown and turns to lead 8-0 at the break. He finishes with another takedown in the second period and reach the quarterfinals
12:25: Raiden HOBSON (PLW) would feel a bit unlucky that he got Magomed MAGOMEDOV (RUS) as his first opponents at the U20 World Championships. Magomedov wins 10-0 in quick time and books his spot against Yamato OGAWA (JPN) in the 57kg quarterfinals
12:20: Yamato OGAWA (JPN) makes it to the 57kg quarterfinals with a 4-2 win over RUPESH (IND). Ogawa scored a takedown and turns Rupesh for a 4-0 lead. He keeps Rupesh at a distance for the remaining match but gives up a harmless takedown at the end
12:10: Bowen BASSETT (USA) with a 41-second fall over Bashir VERDIYEV (AZE) at 65kg. Bassett with a stepout and then settles for exposure. He keeps Verdiyev pinned on the mat and gets the fall
12:05: Zalimkhan UMAROV (RUS), making his international debut, takes out Maxim DIMOV (MDA), 14-7 at 65kg. The match was in balance at the beginning but Umarov chipped away with takedowns to build his lead and eventually beat the U20 European champion
12:00: Isa ISAKOV (KGZ), the U20 Asian champion, with a 10-1 win over Rohit KUMAR (IND) at 65kg. Isakov got the takedown and used the trap-arm gut to lead 8-0. The bout dragged but Isakov never gave up points.
11:15: Former U17 world champion and Japan's senior world team member Yamato OGAWA (JPN) uses the leg lace to beat Sasha PETROSYAN (ARM), 10-0, at 57kg
11:10: Dunia SIBOMANA (COD), the U20 African champion, mounts a comeback and beats Danoush JOWKAR (GBR) at 57kg. Sibomana was down 6-2 but he broke Jowkar and worked on his takedown to take a 7-7 criteria lead. He then scores a takedown and turn to eventually win 11-7
11:00: Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) with a fireman's carry and a four-pointer before he rolls to an 11-0 technical superiority win against Arnold TAKACS (HUN) at 79kg
10:45: Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB), a former U17 world champion and U20 Asian champion, starts his U20 world campaign with a 12-1 win over Pavlo ILNYTSKYI (POL) at 57kg.
10:35: The repechage rounds are done and we move into the qualification rounds. Bowen BASSETT (USA), a bronze medalist at U20 World Championships in 2024, starts the 2026 champaign with an 11-0 win over Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ) at 65kg
10:00: Among the toughest weight classes, the 57kg weight category will be in action in Bratislava. Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) will also be taking the mat at 79kg and hopefully see a final against Asian champion Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN)
