BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (August 17) -- Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) made history for Japan on Monday. But he did not know about it when he stepped off the mat.
The 2023 U17 world champion Yoshida became Japan's first-ever U20 world champion in Greco-Roman after he captured the gold medal at 87kg at the U20 World Championships.
In the process, he surpassed his own record by becoming Japan's heaviest Greco-Roman world champion as he had won the U17 world title at 80kg, the then heaviest.
"I was not aware of the feat," Yoshida said. "It's an honor."
Before coming to Bratislava, Yoshida was already a senior Asian champion, senior world bronze medalist and a two-time U20 world bronze medalist, all at 82kg. This year, his last year at the U20 level, Yoshida made the jump to 87kg and claimed his second age-group world gold.
"I had won bronze at the U20 level for two consecutive years," Yoshida said. "In terms of ability, I felt I really had to win this and that created pressure. But this year, being my final year, I resolved to simply do what I needed to do, and I competed with that mindset."
Perhaps thriving under the pressure to win gold, Yoshida dominated all five of his bouts. He opened the tournament with a 10-2 victory over Aidan SQUIER (USA), followed it with a 12-3 win over Vladyslav SOLODCHUK (UKR) before blanking defending champion Luca KOCHALIDZE (GEO), 5-0, in the quarterfinals.
Yoshida won via technical superiority against Gabriel STAN (ROU), 8-0, in the semifinals to book a place in the final against Iurik PETROSIAN (ARM).
Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) scores a stepout against Iurik PETROSIAN (ARM) during the 87kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)
The final began in typical Yoshida fashion -- with a stepout as he took a 1-0 lead. Petrosian was soon put in par terre, and Yoshida managed to score points despite not completing his throw to lead 4-0. He then combined power and pressure to score three more pushouts and got a point for Petrosian's fleeing to complete an 8-0 technical superiority win.
Yoshida said his biggest desire is to become an Olympic champion, but he also wants to complete wrestling's Grand Slam by winning gold medals at all World Championships.
"My dream is to become an Olympic champion, but I also have dreams of winning Grand Slam across all categories, the World Championships, and the Olympics," he said. "I feel that if I want to make those dreams a reality, I have to win this year.
"It was the same when I was in the U17 division. Since I managed to win the title in my final year then, my mindset going into this final year is truly different. I’m more determined than ever. With this, you possess overwhelming strength. It is the most important aspect of wrestling. While technique and physical strength are certainly necessary, the most important thing is the resolve to fight, which is the mindset. That mental aspect is truly the most crucial factor."
Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) celebrates after winning the 87kg final at the U20 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)
While three wrestlers, all women, have won all World Championship titles and Olympic gold to complete the Golden Grand Slam, only two Greco-Roman wrestlers have won gold at all World Championships.
Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) was the first to achieve the feat when he won gold at the 2023 World Championships and then Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) completed the Grand Slam in Zagreb last year.
Yoshida will take another step closer to the Grand Slam when he competes at the senior World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan from October 24 to November 1.
Terteryan Ends Drought
Competing at his fifth age-group World Championships, Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM) finally crossed the last hurdle and became a world champion. He defeated Javidan NAHMATOV (AZE), 1-1, in the 77kg final, a rematch of the U20 European Championships final that was also won by Terteryan.
While the final on Monday was not a 4-0 blanking like in Skopje, Terteryan was up to the mark in his defense in his 1-1 criteria win. Terteryan got the first par terre and then defend the position in the second to win the gold medal.
In his previous four age-group World Championships, Terteryan has finished 12th at the 2023 U17 World Championships, fifth at the 2024 U17 World Championships, and seventh at both U20 and U23 World Championships in 2025.
"I trained very hard, corrected all my mistakes," Terteryan said. "I was able to win this time."
During his run on Sunday, Terteryan wrestled four bouts and did not surrender a single point, outscoring his opponents 26-0.
"I didn’t give up a single point, but in the final, there is more pressure and emotional tension," he said. "If I hadn’t been nervous and had wrestled this same opponent [Nahmatov] in a different round, I probably wouldn’t have given up a single point to him either."
As Terteryan is in the same weight class as world champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM), he has worked and trained with the 2024 Paris Olympic bronze medalist. Terteryan credited it for his successful run in Bratislava.
"I train with Amoyan often," he said. "He gives me a lot of advice and guidance. At the last training camp in Dilijan before we came here, Amoyan worked with me constantly. He helped me a lot."
Iliasov Repeats
Ali ILIASOV (RUS) repeated as the U20 world champion at 130kg, this time a little heavier than last year. When he won the gold medal in 2025, Iliasov weighed around 115kg while on Monday, he weighed 120kg.
But the lower weight did not stop him from defending his title as he blanked Kompany LASZLO (HUN), 8-0, despite not scoring any points from par terre. He opened with a stepout before getting the par terre position to lead 2-0 at the break.
The second also began with a stepout and Laszlo was docked a point for fleeing and the same was repeated a few seconds later as Iliasov's lead swelled to 6-0. He completed the match with a takedown.
Ismoilov's Dramatic Comeback
Among the best comeback of the U20 World Championships, Kuvonchbek ISMOILOV (UZB) managed to remove a 7-0 deficit against Salim KAZMAKHOV (RUS) and completed a stunning 9-7 victory in the 63kg final.
Ismoilov got put in par terre in the first period and he gave up three turns as Kazmakhov executed a trap-arm gut-wrench. But as Kazmakhov finished the third turn, Ismoilov managed to break the lock and score a reversal. The then launched two suplex for four points each to take a 9-7 lead with 3:29 remaining in the final.
There was no more action or par terre awarded in the bout and Ismoilov defended his lead to win the 63kg gold that was won by Aytjan KHALMAKHNOV (UZB), who is now a senior world champion, last year.
"This is my first World Championships, and I became the champion," Ismoilov said. "After the defeat at the U20 Asian Championships, I realized my mistakes. It is difficult to put my emotions into words right now, because this gold medal is the result of an enormous amount of hard work."
Training with Khalmakhanov, world silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB) and others in Uzbekistan helped Ismoilov. "They shared their advice and experience with me," he said. "Each of them supported me. I would especially like to mention Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UBZ), he always supported me and gave me valuable advice."
RESULTS
63kg
GOLD: Kuvonchbek ISMOILOV (UZB) df. Salim KAZMAKHOV (RUS), 9-7
BRONZE: Ali GHARIBI (IRI) df. Giorgi TCHIKAIDZE (GEO), 1-1
BRONZE: Tural AHMADOV (AZE) df. Clisman CARRACEDO (ECU), 2-1
77kg
GOLD: Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM) df. Javidan NAHMATOV (AZE), 1-1
BRONZE: Zalan TOPLAK (HUN) df. Giorgi GOGELASHVILI (GEO), 10-2
BRONZE: Amir SAEIDI (IRI) df. Yerkebulan ANAPIYA (KAZ), 5-3
87kg
GOLD: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Iurik PETROSIAN (ARM), 8-0
BRONZE: Aidan SQUIER (USA) df. Gabriel STAN (ROU), 6*-6
BRONZE: Amirhossein NEMATZADEH (IRI) df. Paul MAIER (AUT), via inj. def.
130kg
GOLD: Ali ILIASOV (RUS) df. Koppany LASZLO (HUN), 8-0
BRONZE: Saba PURTSELADZE (GEO) df. Essam HUSSEIN (EGY), 9-0
BRONZE: Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR) df. Cemal BAKIR (TUR), 4-1
