Junior competition at the Sports Complex Gazprom for Children, which held last year's adult World Sambo Championships, covers athletes aged 18 to 20 and youth events athletes aged 16 to 18.

Russian and Belarusian athletes are competing as neutrals under the International Sambo Federation banner with their own flag banned due to the war in Ukraine.

In the men's junior events, golds were won by athletes from three different nations in the three categories on the first day.

Pavel Ivanov, a Russian neutral triumphed in the under-58 kilograms against Azerbaijan's Sahib Babayev, Belarusian neutral Uladzislau Norka overcame Kazakhstan's Serik Abdimazhit in the under-79kg final and Uzbekistan's Bektemir Normamatov triumphed at over-98kg against Georgia's Nikoloz Alshibaia.

Russian neutrals won both women's junior events through Alena Alekhina against Uzbekistan's Shakhzoda Azatova at under-59kg and Daria Rechkalova against Uzbekistan's Mavluda Abdullaeva at under-80kg.

In men's junior combat sambo, Russian neutral Idris Abdurashidov won under-64kg gold against Kazakhstan's Serik Shadiyar and Kazakhstan's Kyran Aitbek beat Uzbekistan's Abdurahim Sadullaev in the under-88kg final.

Neutral athletes from Russia won all three women's youth golds - Aliia Mukhametianova against Kazakhstan's Alira Shegelekova at under-50kg, Daria Baranenkova against Mukhlisa Turdieva of Uzbekistan at under-65kg and Alisa Pavlova against Belarusian neutral Palina Lukyanchuk at over-80kg.

Valerii Gerasimenko, a Russian competing as a neutral, earned victory in the men's youth under-98kg final against Armenia's Arsen Hayrapetyan.

However, there were also wins for Kazakhstan's Nurzhan Tumyrzayev against Georgia's Giorgi Dvalishvili at under-53kg and Armenia's Mher Ohanyan against Azerbaijan's Nijat Sultanov at under-71kg,

The World Youth and Junior Sambo Championships is due to run until Sunday (October 8).