#WrestlePlovdiv

Abakarov, Gadzhiev Hungry for More after Taking Azerbaijan to Team Title

Sunday, March 13, 2022 - 20:12 By Vinay Siwach

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PLOVDIV, Bulgaria (March 13) -- Azerbaijan could not have asked for better preparation for the senior European Championships. It won four gold and three bronze at the U23 European Championships to claim the freestyle team title to make a serious statement before Budapest.

Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) and Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) were the two stars Sunday as they won the gold at 74kg and 86kg respectively, further establishing themselves as big names in the two Olympic weight classes.

Abakarov, who won a bronze medal at the Oslo World Championships, needed only 42 seconds against Lilian BALAN (MDA) to win 10-0. A combination of arm trap and gut-wrench helped him to win the gold with ease but he is looking at the bigger picture.

"I could win easily today," Abakarov said. "But this competition is not the main one since I compete at the senior level.

"For me, the senior European Championship is more important now. I haven’t been training for a while because of the injury and this was a trial event for me."

Since jumping to 86kg in 2020 in a bid to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, Abakarov has had mixed success. But he wants to start this Olympic cycle on a better note.

"I feel that I can compete at a higher level," he said. "I hope I’ll be a leader of this weight class by the time of the Paris Olympics."

That will take some doing as Olympic champion David TAYLOR (USA) and world champion Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) have dominated the weight class for more than six years now. Abakarov wrestled Taylor in Oslo and even scored points on him before losing.

"It was our first match and next time  I’ll be more confident," he said. "I’ll be ready to wrestle against the leaders. I should work on my physical shape as all the wrestlers from this weight category like Taylor, Yazdani, Naifonov are physically very well prepared."

The former U23 world silver medalist also praised fellow gold medalists Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Gadzhiev.

"I think that Gadzhiev at 74kg is good enough to compete at senior level," he said. "Bayramov at 65kg is also a good wrestler even though he is still young [21-years-old]. In a year or two, he will compete against the leaders."

Dzhabrail GAZHIEVDzhabrail GAZHIEV (AZE), blue, is now a two-time U23 European champion. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Gadzhiev wrestled for the full period of his 74kg final against Krisztian BIRO (ROU) and won 8-1. After being called passive in the first period, he went for a four-pointer and lead 4-1. He then earned two more points with a double-leg and continued for a leg-lace to make it 8-1. He was happy to hold on to his lead until the clock expired.

"Everything worked out successfully," Gadzhiev said. "It wasn’t easy at all. All the wrestlers are well prepared. But it's Azerbaijan's common success and our hard work."

Gadzhiev had won the 70kg U23 European title last year but he thinks that 74kg is a better category for him. But Azerbaijan has a two-way battle at 74kg with U23 world champion and Tokyo Olympian Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) also looking to stay at the same weight. But the two wrestled in the final at the Dan Kolov Invitation tournament last month with Gadzhiev winning the bout 2-1.

"At 74kg all the wrestlers are very good, but I want to be the leader," he said. "If I really want to achieve results, with the help of God I will get it. I came here with my coaches to become a champion. It was my prior intention to win the European championship."

Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR)Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) won the gold medal 61kg. (Photo: UWW / Konstadin Andonov)

Turkey also won two gold medals but finished eight points behind Azerbaijan in the team race with 151 points. Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) defeated Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 4-1 in the 61kg final while Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) beat Joshua MORODION (GER), 10-0 in the 92kg final.

Ormanoglu was passive in the first period while Arsamerzouev was called passive in the second period. But the Turkey wrestler scored a stepout in the activity time to lead 2-1. Arsamerzouev tried hard to get a point for the win but failed. A desperate arm-spin ended in Ormanoglu getting a takedown and two points.

Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) won the gold medal at 92kg. (Photo: UWW / Konstadin Andonov)

At 92kg, Akturk and Morodion were involved in a slow-paced final with the former scoring all 10 points via stepout.

The fifth gold of the night went to Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) as he denied Milan KORCSOG (HUN) from becoming his country's first-ever U23 European champion. In the 8-1 win, Manashvili never looked in trouble and overpowered Korcsog.

His gold helped Georgia win the third spot in the team race as they finished with 149 points, just two behind Turkey.

A few of these wrestlers will now be in Budapest, Hungary as the action shifts to the senior European Championships, the second continental championships of the year.

Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO)

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) df Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 4-1

BRONZE: Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO) df Ruhan RASIM (BUL), 10-0
BRONZE: Norik HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df Besir ALILI (MKD), 10-0

74kg
GOLD: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) df Krisztian BIRO (ROU), 8-1

BRONZE: Vasile DIACON (MDA) df Dimitar ANGELOV (BUL), 10-3
BRONZE: Ismet CIFTCI (TUR) df Menua YARIBEKYAN (ARM), 2-1

86kg
GOLD: Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) df Lilian BALAN (MDA), 10-0

BRONZE: Emre CIFTCI (TUR) df Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 4-3
BRONZE: Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) df Mher MARKOSYAN (ARM), 7-2

92kg
GOLD: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df Joshua MORODION (GER), 10-0

BRONZE: Daviti KOGUASHVILI (GEO) df Redjep HAJDARI (MKD), 10-0
BRONZE: Ilia HRISTOV (BUL) df Gheorghe ERHAN (MDA), via fall

125kg
GOLD: Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) df Milan KORCSOG (HUN), 8-1

BRONZE: Adil MISIRCI (TUR) df Lior ALTSHULER (ISR), 7-3
BRONZE: Aydin AHMADOV (AZE) df Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE), 7-3

#WrestleTirana

Ukraine Wins Team Title after Record Gold Haul

Saturday, April 25, 2026 - 07:28 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 24) -- After three gold medals on Thursday, Ukraine added three more in Women's Wresting on Friday to win the team title at the European Championships in Tirana.

Two young stars in Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) and Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and two-time Olympic medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) were the three champions for Ukraine. The six gold medals is record in the country's history, improving on last year's performance of four golds.

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It also won a silver and a bronze medals to finish with 193 points, well ahead of second-placed Turkiye which had 122 points. Poland finished third with 114 points.

"This performance for Ukraine was historic because we’ve never had a result like this before," Koliadenko said. "We’ve broken our previous record. Our previous record was seven finals and four golds. The team gave it their all. I’m so happy for the whole team."

Magdalena GLODEK LISZEWSKA (POL) won gold for Poland at 57kg while Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) earned at silver at 76kg which helped the country to third place. With the gold medal, Glodek became the first wrestler from Poland to win gold at European Championships in six years and first in Women's Wrestling in nine years.

The one remaining gold, at 62kg, was won by Grace BULLEN (NOR) in dramatic fashion, coming back from 9-0 down to pin Amina TANDELOVA (UWW).

Yefremova, 19, got the session to a good start for Ukraine with a win over 34-year-old defending champion Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) in a tight 53kg final. Prevolaraki, who had won gold in 2025 on her 14th attempt, looked good to repeat when she got the first points on board in the final through Yefremova's passivity.

But in the second period, Yefremova used a fireman's carry to put Prevolaraki's back on the mat for two points. While she did not get the fall, Yefremova's 2-1 lead was enough for her to defend even as Prevolaraki made continuous attacks.

"Such intense emotions for me," Yefremova said. "I came here convinced I’d win a medal, but I didn’t think I’d make it to the final because I knew there were more experienced athletes here. But I still had a little bit of hope in myself that I could reach the final and win that gold. I didn’t think it would all turn out this way for me."

Yefremova, a former U17 world champion and U20 world silver medalist, was making waves in Women's Wrestling before being suspended for 18 months a positive dope test.

"I can’t say I’m particularly worried about the fact that the wrestlers are more experienced than me," she said. "I’m just used to forging ahead, regardless of the obstacles. I’ve got a goal, and I’m going for it. I don’t really have anything else on my mind."

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) celebrates after winning the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Koliadenko earned her fourth European title without giving up a single point throughout the tournament, a fact that left even her surprised. After two technical superiority wins in the quarterfinal and semifinal, Koliadenko faced world silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) in the 65kg final. She controlled the final throughout and forged a 9-0 victory.

"I hadn’t planned on finishing with a clean slate -- not losing a single point throughout this European Championship. It went quite smoothly for me," Koliadenko said.

The 27-year-old first wrestled at the European Championships in 2020, winning a bronze medal. Her gold medals came in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2026. In 2025, she finished with a bronze as well, taking her total medal count to six.

"I suppose experience does play a part, and over the years every competition becomes quite a challenge psychologically," she said. "Physically, you’re always prepared, but mentally it’s a bit tough. Especially given the rather uncomfortable situation in Ukraine at the moment and all of that affects our results."

Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR)Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) scores exposure points on Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) in the 72kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 72kg, U20 and U23 world champion Sokolovska found a way to beat Choluj despite trailing for four points. Choluj was put on activity clock but she used a double-leg attack during the 30-second period to score a takedown which was scored two points.

As the match progressed Choluj found it difficult to answer the pressure from Sokolovska who managed a go-behind to score her first point before getting two more for exposure in the same scramble to lead 4-2 with 1:34 remaining.

Choluj challenged the call but it was a takedown and a clear cradle with no foul. The lost challenge added one more point to Sokolovska's score. Choluj managed a stepout with 28 seconds left but failed to score a takedown in the remaining time which could have given her the criteria victory.

Sokolovska, trained by her Greco-Roman wrestler father, won the gold at her debut European Championships to cap off a memorable tournament for Ukraine.

Apart the these three, Oksana LIVACH (UKR), Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) were the other three champions for Ukraine in Tirana.

Glodek Ends Poland's Wait

Poland's gold medal winner Glodek who denied Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR), who finished with a silver medal for a second time in a row.

After both wrestlers exchanged passivity points, Suleyman led 1-1 on criteria as her point was the latest. But Glodek used a strong snapdown to score a quick takedown and lead 3-1.

Suleyman tried her best to score a match-winning takedown including an arm throw but landed on her own back to give two more points to Glodek who ended a six-year wait for Poland to have a European champion in wrestling.

For Poland, Maogmedmurad GAZHIEV (POL) had won gold in Freestyle in 2020 while Monika MICHALIK (POL) won gold in Women's Wrestling in 2017.

 

Photo

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), 2-1

BRONZE: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) df. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (UWW), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Annika WENDLE (GER) df. Roksana ZASINA (POL), via fall (2-3)

57kg
GOLD: Magdalena GLODEK LISZEWSKA (POL) df. Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR), 5-1

BRONZE: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW), via fall
BRONZE: Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Evelina HULTHEN (SWE), via fall

62kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW), via fall (5-9)

BRONZE: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) df. Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), 3-1
BRONZE: Naemi LEISTNER (GER) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 5-1

65kg
GOLD: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 9-0

BRONZE: Natalia KUBATY (POL) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 11-6
BRONZE: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE), 4-2

72kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), 5-3

BRONZE: Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) df. Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK), 3-0
BRONZE: Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Karolina POK (HUN), 9-6