SARAJEVO (August 30) – Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) followed twin brother into the freestyle finals at the Cadet Wrestling World Championships on Sunday, with a chance to add a gold medal to the silver his brother won the night before.
Khusanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) came up short in the 85kg final at Sports Hall Amel Beckovic on Saturday but older brother (by 30 minutes) Khasanboy will get his chance for gold at 100kg in the only final Sunday evening without a Russian entry.
(Editor’s Note: The writer on Saturday mistakenly identified the Rahkimov twin at 85kg as Khasanboy, when it should have been Khusanboy. The writer apologizes for the error and for any confusion that may have resulted.)
The elder Rakhimov squares off against Gable STEVESON (USA) in the championship finale after the American heavyweight defeated Soslan KHINCHAGOV (RUS), 10-5.
Steveson’s triumph prevented Russia from advancing all five of its wrestlers into the gold medal bouts – one day after winning three gold medals and a bronze in the first five weight categories of freestyle.
Aleksei KOPYLOV (46kg) defeated both Asian and European cadet champions on his way to the gold medal finals where he meet European bronze medalist Georgios PILIDIS (GRE).
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (54kg) edged the Youth Olympic Game silver medalist Daton FIX (USA), 3-2, in the quarterfinals to get to the evening bouts, where he will meet 2014 Asia champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN).
Khayrula NURADINOV (63kg) meets the first of two Americans in the gold medal bouts, Jarod VERKLEEREN (USA), who made an early exit from the 2014 world meet but is back to go for gold.
In the penultimate gold medal bout, Aslanbek GVARAMIA (76kg) meets European bronze medal winner Ivan STEFANOV (BUL).
Freestyle
46kg (26 entries)
Gold – Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) v Aleksei KOPYLOV (RUS)
Bronze – Dzmitry YARMOLCHYK (BLR) v Monu MONU (IND)
Bronze – Amir PARASTEH (IRI) v Dylan DEMILIO (USA)
Semifinal – Georgios PILIDIS (GRE) df. Monu MONU (IND), 4-2
Semifinal – Aleksei KOPYLOV (RUS) df. Dylan DEMILIO (USA) by TF, 10-0, 2:41
54kg (25 entries)
Gold – Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) v Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Bronze – Gevorg ABRAMIAN (UKR) v Hamed SIAYHDOOLAN (IRI)
Bronze – Daton FIX (USA) v Abbas RAKHMONOV (UZB)
Semifinal – Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) df. Hamed SIAYHDOOLAN (IRI) by TF, 10-0, 1:17
Semifinal – Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB), 4-1
63kg (24 entries)
Gold – Jarod VERKLEREN (USA) v Khayrula NURADINOV (RUS)
Bronze – Vasili DIACONU (MDA) v Ahmed MEDHIZADEH (IRI)
Bronze – Rui SAKASAI (JPN) v Orkhan ABBASOV (AZE)
Semifinal – Jarod VERKLEREN (USA) df. Ahmed MEDHIZADEH (IRI), 9-5
Semifinal – Khayrula NURADINOV (RUS) df. Orkhan ABBASOV (AZE), 6-5
76kg (26 entries)
Gold – Ivan STEFANOV (BUL) v Aslanbek GVARAMIA (RUS)
Bronze – Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR) v Gabriele DORO (ITA)
Bronze – Ahliman GULIYEV (AZE) v Hamed MANAFIAN (IRI)
Semifinal – Ivan STEFANOV (BUL) df. Gabriele DORO (ITA) by Fall, 1:21
Semifinal – Aslanbek GVARAMIA (RUS) df. Hamed MANAFIAN (IRI) by TF, 13-2, 3:37
100kg (21 entries)
Gold – Gable STEVESON (USA) v Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)
Bronze – Hussain NASIR (IND) v Yakup YERLIKAYA (TUR)
Bronze – Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO) v Soslan KHINCHAGOV (RUS)
Semifinal – Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) df. Yakup YERLIKAYA (TUR), 7-0
Semifinal – Gable STEVESON (USA) df. Soslan KHINCHAGOV (RUS), 10-5
