U23 Worlds: Masoumi, Firouzpour add more age-group titles

Tirana, Albania (October 26) -- Two years after they won their first U23 world titles, Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) and Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) repeated as U23 world champions in 125kg and 92kg respectively in Tirana, Albania.

Now a six-time age-group world champion, Masoumi showed another dominant performance in the tournament, outscoring his opponents 41-0. A month ago, Masoumi won the U20 world title as well.

Carrying the injured left elbow, Masoumi faced U23 European champion Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) in the final on Saturday and won 11-0 with yet another masterclass in underhooks and aggressive wrestling. Khubulov struggled to find an opening as Masoumi kept an eye on his attempted underhooks.

The gold medal was the 20-year-old's sixth in the age-group World Championships and second at U23 level. However, he has Olympic silver medalist Amirhossein ZARE (IRI) as the biggest domestic competitor, and he will have to beat him next year to be Iran's representative on the senior team.

Iran's second gold as Firouzpour added his second U23 world title to take his total to five. Firouzpour gave up a takedown and turn against Jacob CARDENAS (USA) but looked in control of the 92kg final and won it 11-4.

Firouzpour, who had moved up to 97kg in a bid to be at the Paris Olympics, was back at 92kg at the start of this year and has won all the three tournaments he has participated in.

Defending his gold medal from last year was Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) who defeated rising star from Azerbaijan Ruslan ABDULLAYEV (AZE) in the 61kg. The score was identical to his 4-0 win in the final last year.

"Final match is always different," Magomedov said. "Silver medal for me doesn’t mean anything. I was ready to die. I had a couple of attacks that were needed, scored the points and won the match. I’ve completed the plan that was given to me by my coach."

Abdullayev got on Magomedov's legs a couple of times but failed to finish his attacks. Magomedov, on the other hand, was in no hurry to finish the bout and took his own sweet time to win.

With two U23 gold medals in two years, Magomedov will be moving up to 65kg next season. However, gain weight still remains his biggest challenge.

"I am going to move up to the Olympic weight class of 65kg," he said. "However, my weight is just 66kg, that’s not enough. If I get to 67, 68kg, then I can think of moving to 65kg. I try to wrestle with everyone. Even if there is a chance to wrestle the Japanese guy, I would definitely do that. This kind of experience is very important."

A big result came at 86kg as Arslan BAGAEV (AIN) upgraded his bronze medal from last year to gold in a thrilling final against Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE). After a slow start to the final, Bagaev led 2-1 with two minutes remaining. However, Dzhioev scored a takedownand took a 3-2 lead and kept the pressure on. Dzhioev went for a double-leg attack in the zone but Bagaev countered him with lift and scored four points which were awarded only after Bagaev challenged.

That changed the flow of the bout as Dzhioev needed four points to win and did not get the opening to score any more points, suffering a 6-3 loss.

The win marked the first time Bagaev won a world title and he was relieved. 

"I competed three times at the age-group World Championship, but I couldn’t win in previous years," Bagaev said. "Finally, this year, I managed to win. I probably worked harder than anyone, and luck was on my side."

In the final, wrestling his friend and training partner Dzhioev made it emotional but Bagaev always believed that he will win the final.

"We almost train at the same gym," he said. "Everyone was waiting for this match. I knew I was going to win, I was wrestling till the very end. In the end, we both got a little bit emotional, but this is wrestling, everybody wants to win."

Takahashi's golden run

Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) pulled off one of the most incredible run at the U23 World Championships on one leg, literally. After getting injured against Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA), Takahashi had a heavy strapping on his knee.

In the final, Takahashi pulled out a takedown in the final minute of a tense final against Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) and held on to a 3-1 lead to upgrade his bronze medal from last year to gold.

Takahashi led 1-0 at the break against Toktomambetov was called for passivity in the first period and he failed to score in the activity time. Toktomambetov took a 1-1 criteria lead after Takahashi was put on the activity clock in the second period.

Takahashi kept his attacks and the referee was about to warn Toktomambetov for a second passivity when Takahashi got his takedown on the edge and claimed the lead. He held on to the 3-1 lead, avoiding much contact with Toktomambetov.

How hurt Takahashi was could be judged by the fact that he failed to perform the victory lap with the flag. After he won, the Japan team cheered for Takahashi and was proud that he managed to win the gold medal on one knee.

"I'm very happy and relieved that I won," Takahashi said. "I'm a tackler. I was good at attacking wrestling, and my opponent was very defensive, but I thought I could break down that defense by wrestling like I normally do, so I just did what I always do."

Takahashi threw some light on his style and said that countering is the way of wrestling he has been following since he began the sport.

"What I love most is winning," he said. "I've been doing tackles and attacking wrestling since I was little, so it's fun and I like it when I can make a tackle on my opponent."

Takahashi is registered for the World Championships in Non-Olympic Weight Classes at 79kg but with an injured knee, it will be interesting to see if Takahashi goes on to compete. But if he does, he is ready to challenge the pros.

"In the 79kg weight class, my opponent will be a bit bigger and bigger," he said. "I'm looking forward to seeing how well my speed and attacking wrestling will work against that opponent."

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Ruslan ABDULLAYEV (AZE), 4-0

BRONZE: Abhishek DHAKA (IND) df. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Ebrahim KHARI (IRI) df. Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM), 4-3

74kg
GOLD: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), 3-1

BRONZE: Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) df. Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN), 6-0
BRONZE: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) df. Ismail KHANIEV (AIN), 8-6

86kg
GOLD: Arslan BAGAEV (AIN) df. Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE), 6-3

BRONZE: Yudai TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Joshua MORODION (GER), 9-2
BRONZE: Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 6-5

92kg
GOLD: Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) df. Jacob CARDENAS (USA), 11-4

BRONZE: Ion DEMIAN (MDA) df. Fatih ALTUNBAS (TUR), via fall (8-6)
BRONZE: Mustafagadzhi MALACHDIBIROV (AIN) df. Musza ARSUNKAEV (HUN), 10-1

125kg
GOLD: Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) df. Alen KHUBULOV (BUL), 11-0

BRONZE: Volodymyr KOCHANOV (UKR) df. Aydin AHMADOV (AZE), 11-0
BRONZE: Abdulla KURBANOV (AIN) df. Lucas STODDARD (USA),

Semifinals

57kg
GOLD: Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ) vs. CHIRAG (IND)

SF 1: Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ) df. Ali MOMENI (IRI), 4-3
SF 2: CHIRAG (IND) df. Allan ORALBEK (KAZ), 8-0

65kg
GOLD: Kaiji OGINO (JPN) vs. Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (AIN)

SF 1: Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (AIN) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB), 3-0
SF 2: Kaiji OGINO (JPN) df. Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI), 11-5

70kg
GOLD: Magomed KHANIEV (AZE) vs. Magomed ELTEMIROV (AIN)

SF 1: Magomed ELTEMIROV (AIN) df. Ali KHORRAMDEL (IRI), 5-3
SF 2: Magomed KHANIEV (AZE) df. SUJEET (IND), via fall (8-4)

79kg
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) vs. Feng LU (CHN)

SF 1: Feng LU (CHN) df. Arsen BALAIAN (AIN), 4-2
SF 2: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Masaki SATO (JPN), 12-1

97kg
GOLD: Mahdi HAJILOUEIAN (IRI) vs. Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ)

SF 1: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Shamil GADZHIALIEV (AIN), 7-2
SF 2: Mahdi HAJILOUEIAN (IRI) df. VICKY (IND), 11-8