Astana, 24 October. The 2025 world champion Aidos Sultangali (up to 60 kg) and Iskhar Kurbayev (up to 55 kg) lost their semi-finals at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana and will fight for bronze medals on 25 October, the results of the first day show.
The first day of competition was devoted to Greco-Roman wrestling: the wrestlers went from the round of 32 to the semi-finals, and no medal bouts were held. Kurbayev began with a win over Japan's Kagetora Okamoto (5:2), then beat Uzbekistan's Ikhtiyor Botirov (2:1). The Kazakh wrestler is ranked 37th in the world, his opponent second. In the semi-final Kurbayev lost to Iran's Payam Ahmadi, 1:7. Sultangali, ranked third, lost his semi-final to Japan's Koto Gomi, 1:5.
Two other Kazakh wrestlers went out earlier. Merey Maulitkanov (up to 77 kg) beat South Korea's Kang Hyun-jin 9:0 in the round of 32, defeated Armenia's Malkhas Amoyan in the round of 16, but lost to Bulgaria's Stoyan Kubatov (3:4) in the quarter-final; he will keep a chance of bronze if Kubatov reaches the final. Ibragim Magomadov (up to 82 kg) got past Italy's Luca Dariozzi on criteria at 3:3 but lost to Qatar's Shahin Badaghimofrad (3:4) in the round of 16, and the Qatari's exit in the quarter-final denied the Kazakh wrestler repechage bouts.
The bronze-medal bouts will take place on 25 October after 18:00. The first four sets of medals of the championships will be decided in Astana on the same day.
What it means: The hosts started the world championships without a finalist but with two chances of a medal on the second day. The reigning world champion Sultangali will not be able to defend his title.
Who benefits: For Kazakhstan's team, a bronze in either bout would open the medal count at the home championships. Japan and Iran have wrestlers who beat the Kazakhs and will fight for gold.
Background: The World Wrestling Championships are being held at the Barys Arena in Astana from 24 October to 1 November: about 900 athletes from around 100 countries are competing for 30 sets of medals in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's wrestling. Kazakhstan is hosting the senior world championships for the first time since 2019.
