He had led the reigning Olympic and five-time world champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev, from Russia but competing as a neutral, 9-2 in the semi-finals when his opponent withdrew due to injury at the Štark Arena.

The injury meant Sadulaev missed out on securing a Paris 2024 Olympics place, although the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes has not been decided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Tazhudinov, the 20-year-old who switched from Russia to Bahrain earlier this year, had beaten three-time world and defending champion Kyle Snyder of the US 11-0 in the quarter-finals, and went on to win the final 8-1 by fall against Azerbaijan's Magomedkhan Magomedov.

Bronzes went to Givi Matcharashvili of Georgia 6-2 against Turkey's İbrahim Çiftçi and Snyder by walkover against Sadulaev.

Çiftçi took the other Paris 2024 place with a walkover against the injured Sadulaev.

Sadulaev had been cleared to compete as a neutral despite a picture emerging of him in attendance at a pro-war rally organised by Russian President Vladimir Putin in March last year.

Athletes who have supported the war in Ukraine or are affiliated to the military are prohibited from competing as neutrals under the IOC's conditions adopted by United World Wrestling (UWW).

After two bronze medals at the World Championships, Ismail Musukaev of Hungary triumphed in the men's freestyle 65kg with an 11-0 thrashing of Puerto Rico's Sebastian Rivera.

Russia's Shamil Mamedov, competing as a neutral, took bronze with an 8-6 victory over the defending champion Rahman Amouzad of Iran.

Armenia's Vazgen Tevanyan sealed joint third with a 5-1 victory against Maxim Saculţan of Moldova.

The four medallists each secured places at the Paris 2024 Olympics, along with Amouzad who won a play-off against Saculţan for the fifth available place through the World Championships in the weight category.

Japan's Haruna Okuno was among the first women's freestyle winners in Belgrade, following her 55kg success in Paris in 2017 and 53kg victory in Budapest in 2018 with another victory in the 55kg category.

She overcame the 2019 world champion Jacarra Winchester of the United States 4-2 in the final, with Moldova's Mariana Drăguțan claiming bronze 3-2 against Karla Godinez of Canada and Germany's Anastasia Blayvas 2-2 against India's Neha Sharma, competing under the UWW flag due to the suspension of her country's National Federation.

China's Zhang Qi was the other women's freestyle winner on the fourth day of the World Championships, winning the 59kg final 4-1 against Yuliya Tkach of Ukraine.

Jennifer Rogers of the United States won bronze by fall in a 4-0 contest against Azerbaijan's Alyona Kolesnik, and Norway's Othelie Høie triumphed 5-1 over Germany's Elena Brugger.

The 55kg and 59kg are both non-Olympic weight categories.

Tomorrow is set to feature women's freestyle finals in the 65kg, 50kg, 57kg and 76kg.