#WrestleRome

Anthony, Moore Star for USA with Gold at Matteo Pellicone

Saturday, March 6, 2021 - 22:59 By Vinay Siwach

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OSTIA, Italy (March 7) --- Victory ANTHONY (USA) had been to five Ranking Series before arriving in Rome for the Matteo Pellicone event. For all her efforts, she had won two bronze medals scattered over 2019 and 2020.

Despite being one of the top wrestlers at 50kg, Anthony somehow had failed to finish at the top of the podium at major international events. But Saturday was different.

Wrestling at her second Matteo Pellicone event, the USA wrestler showcased why she is still a force to reckon by winning the gold medal after defeating European champion Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL) 15-10 in the final on Saturday.

This was USA's second gold medal in women's wrestling as Taymara Mensah-Stock won the gold at 68kg on Friday.

"It was the biggest win for me in recent history which is like five years," Anthony said. "This is the first tournament where I have wrestled to my potential, peak ability. I am really happy with that."

Anthony's performance in Rome was perhaps one of the best in the tournament. She wrestled hard for six minutes with precise attacks and clean finishes. Even while she was trailing, she did not lose her cool.

Like all champions, she stepped her game when it was most needed. Two-time World Championships and returning silver medalist Emilia Alina VUC (ROU) was the favorite to win the category buy Anthony even destroyed her with a 10-0 win in the semifinals.

Running high on that confidence, she won a thrilling final. She led Selishka 9-3 at the break after a series of takedowns. But the experienced Bulgarian scripted a turnaround in the second period. She first had a single leg takedown which brought down the difference to 7-9 before an exposure gave her the lead 9-9 on criteria. With the clock ticking and limited options available, Anthony used her trademark trip to get four points and win the gold medal 13-10.

"At the beginning I was like I was going to tech her in the first few minutes," she said. "It's like you can come out on top of this roller-coaster instead of, this has happened in the past, I end up losing that match. I felt that edge in this final and I just reset myself. It's like a clap and every time. It's like a neutral energy and I'm not worried."

Kollin Raymond MOORE (USA) wrestles Alireza Mohammad KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI)

The 29-year-old was not the only American to stun a favorite. U23 World silver medalist Kollin MOORE (USA) handed senior world silver medalist at 92kg Alireza Mohammad KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) a 3-3 criteria win in the 97kg final.

Both wrestlers exchanged a point each for step out before the Iranian scored a takedown to lead 3-1. His continued pressure on Moore was about to pay off with a step out but the American survived the push and countered with a double leg to score a takedown. That give him the lead on criteria and the gold in Rome.

The only defending champion to have a smooth sailing was Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) as she claimed her second consecutive gold medal in Rome with a 4-0 win over former world bronze medalist Diana WEICKER (CAN). Phogat won her two bouts via fall and did not concede a single point en route the summit clash.

Vinesh PHOGAT (IND)

In the final, Phogat scored the first takedown with a snap after she was warned for passivity. She later completed a double-leg takedown to make it 4-0. She defended her lead despite Weicker getting a hold of her leg a couple of times in the bout.

"I am not satisfied with this performance at all. I won but I want to attack more," Phogat said. "I want my score to be more than 4-0. While my mind knows that but my body is not allowing me to do it."

Phogat's wins in the morning session saw her pin fellow Indian Nandini SALOKHE (IND) before winning the same way against Samantha STEWART (CAN) in the semifinal. The gold medal on Saturday was Phogat's third consecutive Ranking Series gold medal and fourth medal overall at the event.

At 55kg, Jacqueline Del Rocio MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU) won the gold medal while Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ) came home with a silver. Abigail Elizabeth NETTE added the third gold medal for USA in Rome as she beat Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ) in the Nordic system at 59kg.

Elsewhere, in men's 125kg Amarveer DHESI (CAN) continued his rise by winning his second-ever gold medal at the Ranking Series event. In Nordic style competition, Dhesi first defeated SUMIT (IND) 14-4 before handing Pan Am champion Anthony Robert NELSON (USA) a 5-0 blanking. In Round 4, he pinned Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ).

But Round 5 was anti-climatic as he suffered a 11-0 defeat at the hands of Asian champion Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ). He still finished with the top medal due to his earlier results. Nelson finished with the bronze medal.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

Final #WrestleRome WW team scores
GOLD: Kazakhstan (129 points)
SILVER: Canada (89 points)
BRONZE: Italy (88 points)
Fourth: USA (75 points)
Fifth: India (69 points)

50kg
GOLD: Victoria ANTHONY (USA) df. Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL) 15-10
BRONZE: Elina Amilia VUC (ROU) df Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ) via inj. def.

53kg
GOLD: Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) df. Diana WEICKER (CAN) 4-0
BRONZE: Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN) df. Nandini Bajirao SALOKHE (IND) via fall

55kg
GOLD: Jacqueline Del Rocio MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU) df. Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ)
BRONZE: Ambra CAMPAGNA  (ITA)

59kg
GOLD:  Abigail Elizabeth NETTE (USA) df. Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Rebbeca DE LEO (ITA)

65kg
GOLD: Gaukhar MUKATAY (KAZ) df Veronica BRASCHI (ITA) 8-0

Men's Freestyle

97kg
GOLD: Kollin Raymond MOORE (USA) df. Alireza Mohammad KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) 3-3
BRONZE: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) df. Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) 6-1
BRONZE: Hayden Nicholas ZILLMER df. Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR) 7-4

125kg
GOLD: Amarveer DHESI (CAN)
SILVER: Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Anthony Robert NELSON (USA)

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Women's Wrestling Preview

Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 15:12 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 16) -- Six 2025 champions will look to defend their gold medal in Women's Wrestling at the European Championships starting next week. But the tournament will also see a return of a few veteran stars in Tirana.

Among the returning champions will be Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), who ended a 24-year wait for Greece to have European champion in Women's Wrestling, now going for her second title at 53kg.

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Just as is the case globally, there’s no shortage of depth in the 53kg weight class in Europe and a number of wrestlers can upset the Greek wrestler.

Two former champions, Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) and Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (UWW), are returning to the continental championships for the first time since 2024. The two met in the final at the 2024 edition with the latter winning the gold medal.

Tirana will also mark the return of prodigious talent Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR), a former U17 world and U20 European champion. She will be among the many Ukrainians favorites to win gold in their respective categories.

Apart from the four, Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), Gerda TEREK (HUN) and Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) are also in contention to finish on the podium.

Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), right, will look to defend her 76kg title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Strong Ukraine Squad
Ukraine have won the women’s team title in each of the last three editions and are set to defend it, thanks to a strong squad heading to Tirana. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) at 50kg and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) at 76kg will look to repeat as champions while U20 world champion Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) will make her senior debut at 72kg.

Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) at 57kg and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) at 59kg have good chances to finish on the top of the podium as well.

Livach will be the favorite at 50kg despite the likes of returning silver medalist Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR), U23 European champion Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), returning bronze medalist Natallia VARAKINA (UWW) and rising star Svenja JUNGO (SUI).

Alpyeyeva stunned the wrestling world by winning the 76kg gold medal last year by beating Yasemin ADAR (TUR) in the final. While both bronze medalists from 2025, Martina KUENZ (AUT) and Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (UWW) are returning, it’s U23 world silver medalist Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) who likely to be the biggest challenger to Alpyeyeva.

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) is hoping to return to the top of the podium at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Two-time Olympic medalist and former European champion Koliadenko will lead the charge at 65kg. After being denied last year by Irina RINGACI (MDA) in the semifinals, Koliadenko will be looking to bounce back and add to her previous three European gold medals.

While the absence of Ringaci and last year's champion Grace BULLEN (NOR), who has moved to 62kg should make things easier, Koliadenko still has some tricky opponents in Tirana. World silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) should be the biggest challenger for Koliadenko.

Greco-trained Sokolovska, who won the U20 world title at 76kg, will be at 72kg replacing European and world champion Alla BELINSKA (UKR) this year. In a stacked weight class, she will be challenged by Olympic medalist and former European champion Buse TOSUN (TUR), who moved down to 68kg last year and finished with a bronze medal. But she is back to 72kg, switching spots with Nesrin BAS (TUR), 2025 silver at 72kg, who is now at 68kg.

U23 European champion Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) will be another tough competitor for Sokolovska along with world medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL).

Nesrin BAS (TUR)Nesrin BAS (TUR) will present her challenge at 68kg this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Bas' Golden Chance 
Bas at 68kg will be keen on claiming the top position in European after falling short at the continental and world level last year. She lost finals at 72kg at both the competitions in 2025.

Bas, a three-time U23 world champion, will face returning champion Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) who recently won the U23 European gold. Shauchuk has been rising quickly through the ranks and she defeated Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) in the final last year to stun the Bratislava crowd. 

Shauchuk should be ready for a tougher outing as Bas brings more skill set and Zelenykh will be keen on revenge. Former U23 European champion Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) will be the dark horse.

Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) is the defending champion at 55kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Verbina Eyes Second Straight Gold
Defending champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW), also a world silver medalist, could have had a smooth sailing to the gold medal but the entry of former European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) just added to the challenge of defending the title. While these two go in as favorites, keep an eye out for Tuba DEMIR (TUR) who has the potential to go deep into this bracket as well.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) is eyeing her fifth European gold medal in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Bullen Favorite at 62kg
Grace BULLEN (NOR) spent most of 2025, a year after the Olympics, at 65kg in which she also won gold at the European Championships. But the four-time champion is returning to 62kg and will be the favorite at the weight class to win her fifth title to go with her two silver medals.

Bullen defeated Ringaci in a memorable final last year, but she should have less trouble winning gold this year. U23 European champion Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) should be her biggest threat along with former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), and former U23 world and European champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN).

Returning silver medalist Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), who has notched up a series of good results recently, will also be looking to return to the final and challenge Bullen.

With defending champion at 57kg Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) giving the European Championships a miss, returning silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) has the chance to improve the color of her medal. Among other contenders are returning bronze medalists Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Solomiia VYNYYK (UKR). Former U20 European champion and U20 world silver medalist Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR) will also be looking to at least finish on the podium for Norway.

Another returning silver medalist from Turkiye hoping to upgrade her medal is Bediha GUN (TUR), who lost to Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) last year in the final at 59kg.

Sidelnikova’s absence will make things only slightly easier for Gun in Tirana but world silver medalist Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) is expected to pose a serious threat as she chases her first-ever European medal.

Finalists from February’s U23 European Championships, Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Marta HETMANAVA (UWW) are also entered and it won’t be a shock if the two make the final. Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), silver medalist at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in February, will be among the contenders as well.