#kaspeuro2018

Azerbaijan and Russia Send All Five to Day Five Semifinals

By Eric Olanowski

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)

#WrestleTirana

Pavlov closer to first U23 European title

By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (March 8) -- Age-group world medalist Lev PAVLOV (UWW) led five UWW wrestlers into the finals of the U23 European Championships which got underway in Tirana, Albania on Saturday.

Pavlov is chasing his first U23 European title and seemed destined for, outscoring his opponents 23-0 in the 57kg weight class. He will face Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian defeated Bekir KESER (TUR), 12-2, in the semifinals.

Other stars were Magomed ELTEMIROV (UWW), a U23 world silver medalist, who looked is good touch on the mat. Eltermirov used a stunning underhook throw for four in his 12-2 victory over Umut ERDOGAN (TUR) in the 70kg semifinals.

For the gold medal, Eltermirov will take on former U20 world champion Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) who recently won the Zagreb Open gold medal at 70kg. Heybatov scored a 10-0 technical superiority win over Muhammad ABDURACHMANOV (BEL) in the other semifinal.

Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) set up the 79kg final against Farid JABBAROV (AZE) as both won their low-scoring semifinals. Balaian held on to a 2-1 win over Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR) while Jabbarov scored a 3-1 victory over Umar MAVLAEV (SUI).

Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) was clinical throughout the day and beat Fiodor CEAVDARI (MDA) 10-0 in the semifinals at 65kg. But he will have his toughest opponent yet in the final, two-time returning medalist Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) who scrapped though with a 7-4 win against Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA).

At 97kg, debutant Bady SAMDAN (UWW) secured a fall over Resul GUNE (TUR) with the score 6-6 in the semifinal. He will face U23 world bronze medalist Uladzislau KAZLOU (UWW) who secured a close 2-0 win over David MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Lev PAVLOV (UWW) vs. Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Lev PAVLOV (UWW) df. Vladyslav ABRAMOV (UKR), 10-0
SF 2: Nika ZANGALADZE (GEO) df. Bekir KESER (TUR), 12-2

65kg
GOLD: Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) vs. Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)

SF 1: Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) df. Fiodor CEAVDARI (MDA), 10-0
SF 2: Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) df. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 7-4

70kg
GOLD: Magomed ELTEMIROV (UWW) vs. Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE)

SF 1: Magomed ELTEMIROV (UWW) df. Umut ERDOGAN (TUR), 12-2
SF 2: Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) df. Muhammad ABDURACHMANOV (BEL), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) vs. Farid JABBAROV (AZE)

SF 1: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) df. Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR), 2-1
SF 2: Farid JABBAROV (AZE) df. Umar MAVLAEV (SUI), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Bady SAMDAN (UWW) vs. Uladzislau KAZLOU (UWW)

SF 1: Bady SAMDAN (UWW) df. Resul GUNE (TUR), via fall (6-6) 
SF 2: Uladzislau KAZLOU (UWW) df. David MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 2-0