#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)

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW President Lalovic Visits Tajikistan

By United World Wrestling Press

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan (April 13) -- United World Wrestling President Nenad LALOVIC visited Tajikistan on Friday and held a meeting Rustam EMOMALI, Chairman of the city of Dushanbe and Chairman of Tajikistan’s National Assembly.

Emomali warmly welcomed Lalovic and the accompanying delegation on the occasion of their first visit to the Tajikistan and to the city of Dushanbe. He noted that the visit represents an important and effective step toward strengthening future cooperation in sport, particularly in wrestling, which is one of the most well-known and popular sports in the country.

Lalovic expressed his gratitude to Emomali for the warm welcome and conveyed his confidence that cooperation with the Tajikistan in this field will be developed at a high and effective level. During the meeting, the parties also discussed in detail the prospects for further cooperation and the development of wrestling in Tajikistan.

Apart from Lalovic, the UWW delegation comprised of UWW Vice-President Akhroldjan RUZIEV, UWW Asian Council President Mohammad AL-AWAMLEH, UWW Bureau Member Cholpon SULTANBEKOVA, UWW Development Staff Adinay KEMELOVA, and Advisor to President of UWW Asia for Women’s Affairs Takhmina KHODZHAEVA.