Giorgos Pilidis wrote his history in the world wrestling. The golden boy of greek wrestling took the bronze medal in 58kg in World Championship Cadets in Athens. He achieved a unique record, winning 6 medals in World and European Championships of Boys, something that none athlete has done before in free wrestling.
His tears in his award showed that this athlete has the potential to make a history, not only in wrestling but also in World Athletics. In the full-crowed stadium at Ano Liosia, Amiran Cardanov’s athlete made his best match in the event against the Indian Rachoul Rachoul. Obviously without any anxiety Giorgos Pilidis tried to push the Indian from the start in order to take advantage of his speed against his tall opponent. At the end of the first 2min period, he took the lead with 2-1 score and in the second period made it 6-1. Pilidis made a takedown on his opponent in the final minutes, which he tried from the first minute in order to take the bronze medal.
Right after the match, came to surface all the anxiety, the pressure, the stubbornness, but also the disappointment that he wasn’t present in the final of the category. The prodigy child burst in tears and his friends tried to comfort him. Giorgos Pilidis showed that -despite the disappointment- he can fight and win, thus the tears don’t match in such an athlete.
Pilidis: “I wanted the gold medal, not the record.”
“It wasn’t my goal to have 6 medals. My goal was a gold medal in the World Championship. Probably I didn’t exercise too much. From the moment I started wrestling my goal was to take the World Championship, but I didn’t managed to. As far as the draw concerned, when you want to take the gold, you don’t care who is first and second. You don’t have to think about your opponent. You have to win them all. The presence of the people in the first game made me nervous which in the end I tried to impugn it”, told Giorgos Pilidis, who continued: “I want to thank my coach for the strong and hard work, also my grandfather who introduce me to the sport, and all the people who came to support me. They gave me strength.”
Trambakoulas:” This medal made Pilidis even more impressive”
“Giorgos Pilidis made a unique record in greek wrestling and despite the tears, he made all the Greeks proud. This medal made Pilidis even more impressive. Every year he is in the pedestal, proving that is one of the best in the world sport. He made us happy and we hope in the next year to show more things. But also it’s important the acquisition of two 7th positions, proving that the hard work pays off in the last years. Step by step we scale in the sport, the greek sport, and it’s obviously from the Children that wrestle”, was mentioned by the president of the Greek federation wrestling, Dimitris Trambakoulas.
Kouvelos: ”He deserved more”
“I am fan of athletics and especially in wrestling which is one of the most historic sports. It all began from here, our country. I am very happy to be here and watch such a big event as the Olympic Cadets. This is how the Olympic hall of wrestling is being worth it. Also it’s very important the presence of the people who came to watch such exciting matches. It is very pleasant that I was present in the conquest of bronze medal by Giorgos Pilidis. He deserved more, but these happen in athletics. I have to congratulate the greek federation of wrestling, that without any governmental help, it had manage to organize such an event that brings money to our country. The sports tourism is very important and I am really close to this try”, said the president of the International Olympic Academy, Isidoros Kouvelos.
Martidis in repechage
As for the other greek participants, Giannis Martidis will wrestle in repechage. The Georgian Giorgy Gkegkelasvili, qualified in the final of 46kg as he won with 10-6 score Adlan Askarov from Kazakhstan and that was a second chance for the greek athlete. Martdis will face Tofig Alijiev (AZR).
In the round of 16 of 76 kg Stavros Alevizos lost with technical down from Islam Alief (AZR). In the qualifiers of 100kg, Griogos Vrodos also lost with technical takedown from Akas Adil (Ind), whilst with the same way Christos Christoforidis lost in the qualifiers of 54kg from Bladimery Gramelitze (GRG). Christofos Loizidis in 63kg at free wrestling didn’t manage to qualify in the round of 16. Although, he took the lead with 4-1, he eventually lost with a technical takedown.
One winning and two lost finals for the Azerbaijan team
The Azerbaijan team was on the brink on these day at Olympic Centre of Ano Liosia. In the final of 42kg, Alixashan Amirli (AZR) won 1-0 to Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). Giorgi TCHOLADZE (GEO) and Kaisei TANABE (JPN) took the bronze medal.
Azerbaijan also lost the gold medal in the 50kg category. Mahir MAMMADZADA (AZE) didn’t had the best end in the match against Fedor BALTUEV (RUS). Akbar KURBANOV (KAZ) and Farrukh SHARIPOV (UZB) took the third step of the pedestal.
In the category of 58kg, Ryuto SAKAKI (JPN) took the gold medal against Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE). Giorgios Pilidis and Cavit ACAR (TUR) took the bronze medal.
In 69kg of free wrestling the world champion was William Francis LEWAN JR (USA). In the final he won Daud IBRAGIMOV (AZE). Soslanbek BUDAEV (RUS) and Mohammad Ashghar NOKHODILARIMI (IRI) took the bronze medal as well.
Finally, in 85 kg the gold medal was taken by Alan BAGAEV (RUS) after winning Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI). Gavin Lee HOFFMAN (USA) and Danylo STASIUK (UKR) were shared the third step of the pedestal.
Five finals in the last day of the Championship
The Olympic world Cadets is completed on Sunday (10/9). The schedule in the final day is full of awards to the winners and of course is terminated with five finals. Awards will be given also to 3 countries with the most medals in possession in free wrestling. The categories’ finals: 46kg, 54kg, 63kg, 76kgand 100kg.
The Greek National Tourism Organization, the Region of Attica and the Municipality of Fylis are supporters of the event. Theoni Waters and Ipirotiki are sponsors of the games, while Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) , Cosmote TV and Sportime are Communication Sponsors.
