Yakushenko Win Away From Second Straight U23 World Title

LAS VEGAS, United States (October 12) -- Defending champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR), battling a shoulder injury, entered his second straight U23 World Championships final after a tough day in Las Vegas.

Yakushenko posted two wins only by a point difference to reach the 97kg semifinals against Hadi SEYDI (IRI). The Ukrainian had defeated Seydi last year at the U20 World Championships and was the favorite on Monday.

Seydi did keep Yakushenko in the check initially but then failed to match the pace of Yakushenko who scored a stepout to take 2-1 lead. Seydi was also cautioned that eventually gave Yakushenko a 4-1 win.

He will face former U20 world champion Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (BLR) for the gold medal after the Belarus wrestler defeated Darius KIEFER (GER), 5-1, in the other semifinal.

Khaslakhanau will be etching to get one back against Yakushenko who defeated him at the U23 World Championships, 3-3, last year and then 3-1 earlier this year at the U23 European Championships final.

Defending champion at 60kg Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) stormed back into the final and is a win away from defending the gold medal. He defeated Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 4-2, in the semifinal. Aliyev scored a takedown in the final minute of the match to change the result of the match.

He will face Aibek AITBEKOV (KAZ) for the gold medal after the Kazakhstan wrestler survived the semifinal against former U17 world champion Yevhen POKOVBA (UKR), 5-4. But wrestler exchanged four-point throws in the first period but Aitbekov's had a par terre point.

Fromer U20 world champion Erzu ZAKRIEV (RUS) has a chance to add a U23 world title to his name after dominating his way to the 67kg final. Zakriev gave up a arm-drag takedown against Mohammad KAMALI (IRI) for two points but then punished the Iranian with two four-point throws to win 13-2.

Azar SARIYAR (TUR) will try to stop Zakriev in the final after reaching the final. He defeated Takaku SUZUKI (JPN), 10-6, in the other semifinal thanks to a challenge decision in his favor. In an exchange of throws, Suzuki was awarded four points which gave him a 10-6 but Türkiye challenged and the four-point was awarded to Sariyar, making him the winner.

RESULTS

60kg
SF 1: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) df. Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 4-2
SF 2: Aibek AITBEKOV (KAZ) df. Yevhen POKOVBA (UKR), 5-4

67kg
SF 1: Erzu ZAKRIEV (RUS) df. Mohammad KAMALI (IRI), 13-2
SF 2: Azat SARIYAR (TUR) df. Takaku SUZUKI (JPN), 10-6

72kg
SF 1: Yussuf ASHRAPOV (KAZ) df. Ibrahim OZDEMIR (TUR), via fall
SF 2: Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) df. Nilson SINISTERRA (COL), 3-2

82kg
SF 1: Abolfazl MOHMEDI (IRI) df. Ramazan ARAPKHANOV (RUS), 5-0
SF 2: Martik PETROSYAN (ARM) df. Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE), 3-2

97kg
SF 1: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI), 4-1
SF 2: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (BLR) df. Darius KIEFER (GER), 5-1