Russia Claims 3 Freestyle Golds at CISM Military World Games

By Ali Feizasa

WUHAN, China (October 22) -- World champion Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV led a strong Russian team at the 7th CISM Military World Games in Wuhan, China, that captured three of the six gold medals in freestyle. 

The 23-year-old Rashidov cruised to a 10-0 technical superiority in the finals at 65kg over Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) and finished the tournament with four technical superiorities in four matches.

Khetik TSABOLOV (74kg) and Artur NAIFONOV (86kg) also claimed titles for Russia. 

Tsabolov, a 2014 world champion, won his second CSIM Military Games title with a 12-0 technical superiority over Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) at 74kg.  Naifonov, a 2019 world bronze medalist, downed Ahmed DUDAROV (GER) by 10-0 technical superiority to earn gold at 86kg.

Taha Akgul (TUR), 2016 Olympic champion and two-time world champion, won gold at 125kg by shutting out two-time Asian champion Yadollah Mohebi (IRI), 30, in the finals. 

Mohammad Mohammadian (IRI) edged Aliksandr HUSHTYN (BLR), 3-2, in the finals at 97kg. Mohammadian scored a dominant 11-0 technical superiority in the semifinals over three-time European medalist Vladislav Baitsaev (RUS).

Pak Un GWANG (PRK) after winning gold at 57kg (Photo: Xinhua News Agency)

The first gold medal in wrestling at the CISM Military World Games went to Pak Un GWANG (PRK), who pinned Andrei DUKOV (ROM) in the 57kg finals.

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Pak Un GWANG (PRK) Pinned Andrei DUKOV (ROM)
BRONZE: Max NOWRY (USA) df. Subiri MWAZEMBE (TAN) by forfeit
BRONZE: Justin LEHR HORST (GER) df. Andrii YATSENKO (UKR), 15-6

Semifinals
Andrei DUKOV (ROM) TF. Max NOWRY (USA), 10-0
Oak Un GWANG (PRK) df. Andrii YATSENKO (UKR), 14-6

65kg
GOLD: Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) TF. Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) df. Kim Han SONG (PRK), 5-4
BRONZE: Tian Zhen GUANG (CHN) TF Bavyrzhan TOREBEK (KAZ), 12-2

Semifinals
Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) TF Bavyrzhan TOREBEK (KAZ), 10-0
Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) df. Kim Han SONG (PRK), 8-0

74kg
GOLD: Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) TF Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ), 12-0
BRONZE: Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) df. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), 4-1
BRONZE: Lee Seung BONG (KOR) df. Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), 8-2

Semifinals
Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) TF Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), 12-2
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) df. Lee Seung BONG (KOR), 5-1

86kg
GOLD:  Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) TF Ahmed DUDAROV (GER), 10-0
BRONZE: Ahmad BAZRI (IRI) df. Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ), 14-5
BRONZE-Mher MARKOSYAN (ARM) df. Uitmen ORGODOL (MGL), 10-10

Semifinals
Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) TF Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ), 13-2
Ahmed DUDAROV (GER) df. Uitmen ORGODOL (MGL), 4-1

97kg
GOLD: Mohammad Hossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) df. Aliksandr HUSHTYN (BLR), 3-2
BRONZE: Fatih YASARLI (TUR) df. Huwatibieke BAHETIHAN (CHN), 4-2
BRONZE: Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS) df. Andriy VLASOV (UKR), 7-0

Semifinals
Mohammad Hossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) TF Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS), 11-0
Aliksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) TF Huwatibieke BAHETIHAN (CHN), 11-0

125kg
GOLD: Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Yadollah MOHEBI (IRI), 3-0
BRONZE: Zhiwei DENG (CHN) TF Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE), 11-0
BRONZE: Robert BARAN (POL) df. Oleksandr KOLDOVSKYI (UKR), 2-0

Semifinals
Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Robert BARAN (POL), 4-0
Yadollah MOHEBI (IRI) TF Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE)