WRESTLING – BAHRAIN’S star wrestler Shamil Sharipov narrowly missed out on a place in the final and will today battle for a bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 125kg category of the Senior World Championships 2025, which got underway yesterday in Zagreb, Croatia.
After stringing together three sensational wins in his division’s early stages, Sharipov lost his semi-final bout against second seed Amir Hossein Abbas Zare of Iran on points, 3-7.
Sharipov, the sixth seed, was in fantastic form throughout the day but came up short against his higher-ranked rival with a shot at the gold medal on the line.
In the quarters, Sharipov pinned Abdulla Kurbanov representing United World Wrestling (UWW) to advance to the last four. The Bahraini grappler used a well-timed counter lift to roll back Kurbanov directly on his back and secure the fall at the two-minute mark.
Previously, Sharipov had a similar victory by fall against Buheeerdun Buheeerdun of China in the round of 16; while in the qualifying round, the 28-year-old claimed a victory by superiority against Filip Koscic of Croatia.
Following his tight loss in the semis last night, Sharipov still has a chance to come away with a medal from this year’s worlds, which would be his first at this level of the prestigious UWW event. He now awaits his opponent in one of two bouts for third place, scheduled to be held today. Sharipov’s rival will be the winner of the repechage match between Jonovan Darius Smith of Puerto Rico and Solomon Manashvili of Georgia.
Sharipov is one of six wrestlers flying Bahrain’s flag in the men’s freestyle programme in the world championships. The others are Paris 2024 Olympic champion and 2023 world champion Akhmed Tazhudinov competing in the 97kg, Alibeg Alibegov in the 65kg, Magomedrasul Asluev in the 74kg, Khidir Saipudinov in the 79kg, and Magomed Sharipov in the 92kg.
Asluev, Saipudinov, and Magomed Sharipov are all also wrestling today, while Tazhudinov and Alibegov begin their quests for gold tomorrow.
Asluev, the seventh seed in the 74kg, gets his medal bid underway against Ivan Kusyak from Ukraine in the round of 32. Saipudinov, also seeded seventh in the 79kg division, will first be facing Levi David Hanes from the US in the qualifying round. Magomed Sharipov will begin his 92kg medal bid against Takashi Ishiguro from Japan in the qualification round. Should he win, he will move on to a mammoth task against top seed Mirlani Maisuradze from Georgia.
Bahrain’s wrestlers have so far won two medals in the history of the Senior World Championships. Tazhudinov’s gold in 2023 was the first-ever title captured by the kingdom in the UWW meeting.
Adam Batirov had earlier clinched a silver medal for Bahrain in the men’s freestyle 70kg division at the 2018 edition of the worlds.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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