13 years later, Bulgaria is once again rejoicing with a world title in wrestling! Semen Novikov triumphed in the 87 kg category in the classical style of the world championship in Astana, Kazakhstan, after defeating Iranian Alireza Mohammadipiani 4:0 in the final bout.
The 28-year-old Olympic champion from Paris 2024 once again proved to be an insurmountable obstacle for the same opponent. Two years ago, Novikov defeated Mohammadipiani in the final of the Olympic Games, then with a score of 7:0. This time the fight was significantly more contested, but the Bulgarian national once again showed why he is among the leading names in world wrestling.
The first half ended 1:0 in favor of Novikov. The Iranian was put on the ground, but the Bulgarian wrestler was unable to extract more than one point from the situation.
After the fight resumed, Novikov increased his lead after he managed to push his opponent off the mat. Until the final signal, the Olympic champion demonstrated excellent defense, physical endurance and the necessary activity to prevent Mohammadipiani from taking advantage of his opportunities.
In the final seconds, the Bulgarian delivered the decisive blow with a successful counterattack, which brought him two more points and the final victory with 4:0.
Thus, Semen Novikov brought the first gold medal for Bulgaria at the World Championship in Kazakhstan and ended the long wait for a new world champion in men's wrestling.
The last time a Bulgarian athlete reached the world peak was in 2013, when Ivo Angelov won the title in the classical style. Now Novikov has once again returned Bulgaria to the top of the world stage.