Vishvajit More Makes History, Becomes First Indian Greco-Roman Wrestler to Reach U23 World Championships Final

The two-time U23 World Championships bronze medallist defeats reigning U20 world champion Armin Shamsipour and Russia’s Malik Gigiev to set up a gold-medal clash against Georgia’s Koba Karumidze in Las Vegas.

Vishvajit More scripted a historic moment for Indian wrestling on Tuesday, becoming the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler to reach a final at the U23 World Championships in Las Vegas. The 55kg wrestler produced three hard-fought victories, including a significant quarter-final upset over reigning U20 world champion Armin Shamsipour of Iran, before defeating Russia’s Malik Gigiev in the semi-finals.

Already India’s only Greco-Roman wrestler to have won two medals at the U23 World Championships, More has now taken another step forward in his international career. The two-time bronze medallist will have an opportunity to become India’s first gold medallist in Greco-Roman wrestling at the U23 World Championships when he faces Georgia’s Koba Karumidze in the final.

More’s run to the title bout was built on his ability to handle pressure in closely contested matches. He began the day with a 10-8 victory over Mexico’s Isaac Marin Mata before producing one of the standout performances of the tournament against Shamsipour.

More Stuns U20 World Champion Shamsipour

The quarter-final against Shamsipour presented a major challenge, with the Iranian arriving as the reigning U20 world champion and one of the contenders for the title. More, however, delivered a commanding performance. He executed a four-point throw to establish control and secured an 8-1 victory, booking his place in the semi-finals. Shamsipour appeared to suffer a shoulder injury during the bout, but More’s performance ensured that the Indian progressed to the last four.

The result gave More a significant opportunity to make history, but another difficult opponent stood between him and the final.

More faced Malik Gigiev of Russia in a tense semi-final that featured dramatic momentum shifts, challenges and crucial scoring exchanges. The Indian earned the first par terre position after making three attempts at arm throws. However, when More lifted Gigiev from the par terre position and attempted a throw, the Russian countered effectively to collect four points.

More responded with a front headlock and managed to throw Gigiev for four points of his own. Following a lengthy review, the Indian moved ahead 5-4. The second period remained closely contested, with neither wrestler receiving a passivity call. More managed to extend his advantage by earning a stepout while countering Gigiev’s attack, taking the score to 6-4.

The contest became even more tense in the closing seconds. With 10 seconds remaining, More stopped wrestling to complain about a headbutt, prompting Russia to challenge a stepout decision. The challenge was unsuccessful, adding another point to More’s total.

More eventually secured a 7-4 victory, confirming his place in the final and creating a landmark moment for Indian Greco-Roman wrestling.

More will face Koba Karumidze of Georgia in the 55kg final, with both wrestlers having negotiated dramatic semi-final encounters. Karumidze defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Barsbek Asankozhoev 8-6 in a bout that featured a remarkable turnaround. Asankozhoev initially established a 6-0 lead, but Karumidze responded with a six-point sequence to level the contest at 6-6, although the Kyrgyz wrestler held the advantage on criteria.

Further scoring left the contest at 8-8, with Asankozhoev again ahead on criteria. Georgia challenged the decision, and a review awarded two points only to Karumidze, giving the Georgian wrestler an 8-6 victory. The final now presents More with an opportunity to turn his historic run into a gold medal. Victory would make him the first Indian wrestler to win a Greco-Roman gold at the U23 World Championships.

The 130kg category also produced a landmark achievement, with China’s Wenhao Jiang reaching the U23 World Championships final for the first time for his country in Greco-Roman wrestling. Jiang defeated Estonia’s Kevin Uspenski 9-1 in the semi-final, using a four-point throw to help secure victory by technical superiority. He will face Russia’s Ali Iliasov, the reigning U20 world champion, in the final.

Iliasov reached the title bout after pinning Kazakhstan’s Jokhar Uzarov. Both wrestlers attempted a bodylock, but the Russian managed to bring Uzarov down and secure the fall. Jiang will therefore face a formidable challenge as he attempts to become China’s first U23 world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Other Semi-Final Results

The semi-finals across the other weight categories produced several competitive match-ups. In the 63kg category, Japan’s Manato Nakamura defeated Russia’s Igor Punchenko 5-3, while Iran’s Erfan Jarkani beat Türkiye’s Servet Angi 5-1.

At 87kg, Iran’s Yasin Yazdi edged Norway’s Martin Ljosaa 3-1, while Kazakhstan’s Temirlan Turdakyn defeated Russia’s Aleksandr Krikukha 2-1.

In the 77kg category, Egypt’s Moustafa Alamel din defeated Ukraine’s Irfan Mirzoiev, while Hungary’s Levente Levai beat Armenia’s Samvel Terteryan. Scores for those two bouts were not provided in the available results.

For India, however, the spotlight belongs firmly to More. His progression from two-time bronze medallist to the country’s first U23 Greco-Roman finalist marks a significant breakthrough. With one match remaining, he stands on the brink of an achievement that would establish a new milestone for Indian wrestling on the world stage.