#kaspeuro2018

Azerbaijan and Russia Send All Five to Day Five Semifinals

Friday, May 4, 2018 - 12:07 By Eric Olanowski

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KASPIISK, Russia (May 4) - Azerbaijan and Russia ended session one undefeated at 2018 European Championships in Dagestan, Russia. Each nation will have five wrestlers represented in tonight’s semifinals which begin at 5:15 PM (local time). 

Poland and Belarus each have a pair of wrestlers vying for a spot in tomorrow’s championship match, while six other nations will be represented by at least a solo competitor. 

The highlight of the day came in what many consider to be the deepest weight class of the tournament, 65kg. Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS), the 2017 65kg European Champion scored two takedowns and a counter exposure to shut out 2016 Olympic champion and reigning 61kg European champion, Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), 6-0. 

Also of note at 65kg, Slovenia’s David HABAT (SLO) picked up two wins and will wrestle three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE) for a spot in tomorrow’s #KaspEuro2018 finals. If Habat is able to pull out a win in tonight’s semifinals, he would be Slovenia’s first European finalist ever. 

SEMIFINAL MATCH-UPS
57kg 
Semifinal - Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR) vs. Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) 
Semifinal - Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP) vs. Zavur UGUEV (RUS)

65kg
Semifinal - Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) vs. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL) 
Semifinal - David HABAT (SLO) vs. Haji ALIYEV (AZE)

70kg 
Semifinal - Murtazali MUSLIMOV (AZE) vs. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
Semifinal - Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) vs. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS)

79kg
Semifinal - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) vs. Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) 
Semifinal - Mihaly NAGY (HUN) vs. Martin OBST (GER)

97kg
Semifinal - Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) vs. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) 
Semifinal - Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) vs. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)

2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games

Oborududu Named Athlete Role Model for 2026 Dakar YOG

Monday, June 15, 2026 - 11:13 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (June 15) -- Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) was announced as one of the 36 Athlete Role Models for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.

Oborududu, a silver medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has been a stalwart in Nigerian sports and represented the country for close to two decades. In Tokyo, she made history by winning silver medal at 68kg in Women's Wrestling, becoming Nigeria’s first‑ever Olympic medallist in the sport.

The four-time Olympian was also a 14-tim African champion, a record that still stands. She compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and finished fifth.

The Athlete Role Models will provide mentoring and workshop training to young athletes on site during Dakar 2026. They will be on the ground in Senegal to engage with competing athletes, providing support and advice around competition and taking part in educational workshops. These workshops cover topics such as career management, injury prevention and mental preparation, among many other things.

The group will also attend training sessions, engage with the local community, support the athletes from the sidelines and be there to congratulate them at victory ceremonies.

The Dakar 2026 YOG will take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026, bringing together around 2,700 young athletes aged up to 17 across three host zones: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.