Russia’s Gadzhimurad Rashidov has put on a few pounds — or kilograms — in the last decade years and he’s piled up a stack of international wrestling medals at 61 kilos. 

Hassan Yazdanicharati has nearly doubled in size since 2011 and he’s become an Iranian hero, an Olympic champion and one of the world’s biggest stars along the way. 

Turn back the clock 10 years, though, and Rashidov and Yazdanicharati first made their mark on the international wrestling stage when they clashed for the 50-kilogram Cadet World title. 

Rashidov downed Yazdanicharati in two straight periods in the old international best-of-three-periods format to win his first of two Cadet World titles. 

The Cadet World Championships have been a launching pad for some of the top global stars.

Here’s a sampling of some of the top international wrestlers who have won medals at the Cadet World Championships:

Men’s freestyle 

Georgia 

Geno Petriashvili (three-time World champion) — 2011 Cadet World silver medalist at 100 kilograms. 

India 

Ravi Kumar (2019 World bronze medalist) — Placed eighth at 54 kilograms at the 2013 Cadet World Championships and 17th at 54 kg at the 2014 Cadet World Championships. 

Deepak Punia (2019 World silver medalist) — 2016 Cadet World champion at 85 kilograms. 

Iran

Hassan Yazdanicharati (three-time World and Olympic champion) — 2011 Cadet World silver medalist at 50 kilograms).

Alireza Karimimachiani (three-time World medalist) — 2011 Cadet World silver medalist at 76 kilograms. 

Japan 

Yuhi Fujinami (2017 World bronze medalist) — 2013 Cadet World silver medalist at 63 kilograms; placed 22nd at 54 kilograms at the 2012 Cadet World Championships. 

Rei Higuchi (2016 Olympic silver medalist) — Placed eighth at 58 kilograms at the 2013 Cadet World Championships.  

Takuto Otoguro (2018 World champion) — 2013 Cadet World bronze medalist at 46 kilograms, 2015 Cadet World champion at 54 kilograms. 

Russia 

David Baev (2019 World champion) — 2014 Cadet World champion at 58 kilograms.

Gadzhimurad Rashidov (2019 World champion) — 2011 Cadet World champion at 50 kilograms, 2012 Cadet World champion at 54 kilograms. 

Abdulrashid Sadulaev (five-time World and Olympic champion) — 2012 Cadet World champion at 76 kilograms, 2013 Cadet World champion at 85 kilograms. 

Zavur Uguev (two-time World champion) — 2011 Cadet World champion at 42 kilograms, 2012 Cadet World champion at 46 kilograms. 

Ukraine

Andrey Yatsenko (2017 World bronze medalist) — Cadet World champion at 54 kilograms in 2013 and 2014; Cadet World silver medalist at 50 kilograms in 2012. 

Women’s freestyle 

Finland

Petra Olli (2018 World champion) — 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist at 52 kilograms. 

France 

Koumba Larroque (two-time World medalist) — 2014 Cadet World silver medalist at 60 kilograms, 2015 Cadet World champion at 65 kilograms. 

Japan 

Risako Kawai (four-time World and Olympic champion) — 2011 Cadet World champion at 52 kilograms. 

Mayu Mukaida (two-time World champion) — 2013 Cadet World champion at 52 kilograms. 

Yui Susaki (two-time World champion)— 2014 Cadet World champion at 43 kilograms, 2015 Cadet World champion at 46 kilograms, 2016 Cadet World champion at 49 kilograms. 

Haruna Okuno (two-time World champion) — 2014 Cadet World bronze medalist at 52 kilograms, 2016 Cadet World champion at 52 kilograms. 

India 

Pooja Dhonda (2018 World bronze medalist) — 2011 Cadet World silver medalist at 56 kilograms. 

Moldova 

Anastasia Nichita (2020 European champion) — 2016 Cadet World silver medalist at 56 kilograms; placed 14th at the 2015 Cadet World Championships at 56 kilograms. 

Russia 

Ekaterina Poleshchuk (2019 World bronze medalist) — Placed seventh at 52 kilograms at the 2011 Cadet World Championships. 

Turkey 

Evin Demirhan (2017 World bronze medalist) — 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist at 40 kilograms; placed eighth at 43 kilograms at the 2012 Cadet World Championships. 

Buse Tosun (2018 World bronze medalist) — Placed fifth at 60 kilograms at the 2012 Cadet World Championships. 

Ukraine 

Oksana Livach (2018 World bronze medalist) — Cadet World champion at 38 kilograms in 2013; Cadet World silver medalist at 40 kilograms in 2014. 

Greco-Roman

Azerbaijan 

Islam Abbasov — 2012 and 2013 Cadet World champion at 76 kilograms.  

Georgia 

Nugzari Tsurtsumia (2019 World champion) — Placed 10th at 42 kilograms at the 2013 Cadet World Championships. 

Germany 

Denis Kudla (two-time World and Olympic medalist) — 2011 Cadet World champion at 76 kilograms.

Hungary

Balazs Kiss (2009 World champion) — 1998 Cadet World champion at 83 kilograms. 

Iran 

Alireza Nejati (2019 World bronze medalist) — 2014 Cadet World bronze medalist at 42 kilograms. 

Moldova 

Daniel Catagara (2016 World champion) — Placed 11th at 58 kilograms at the 2012 Cadet World Championships. 

Russia 

Sergey Emelin (2018 World champion, three-time World finalist) — Placed 11th at 58 kilograms at the 2011 Cadet World Championships. 

Turkey 

Ekrem Oeztuerk (2018 World bronze medalist) — 2014 Cadet World bronze medalist at 54 kilograms; placed 24th at 50 kilograms at the 2013 Cadet World Championships.