Belarus Crowns Three Champs, Armenia’s Tevanyan Keeps Hot Streak Alive

Friday, March 19, 2021 - 16:46 By Eric Olanowski

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 19) --- Belarus crowned three freestyle champions at the European Olympic Qualifier, while Armenia’s Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) kept his hot streak alive and proved his serious contender to leave the Tokyo Olympic Games with gold around his neck.

Yesterday, Ali SHABANAU (BLR), Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) and Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) bagged Olympic berths for Belarus, and today, they capped off the competition with golds at 86kg, 97kg, and 125kg, respectively.

Shabanau, the four-time world medal-winner, controlled his 86kg gold-medal match against Osman GOCEN (TUR with his patented left-side underhook. He stayed patient and calculated with his attacks off that hook, using it to pick up three takedowns in the finals, and after a lost Turkish challenge, he walked away with a 7-0 win and the 86kg gold medal.

At 97kg, Hushtyn had a fairly even battle with Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR) but came up clutch with a short-time takedown to win back-to-back golds for Belarus. He defeated the Turkish wrestler, 5-4.

Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) was Belarus' third champion on the day. He was awarded the 125kg title after his final opponenet Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER) injury defaulted out of the title bout.

Meanwhile, Tevanayn turned heads again and continued to prove that he’s a true threat to leave Tokyo with Olympic gold.

He stunned three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV 9-0 in the 65kg finals.

Since December, he has wins over Olympic champion Vlad KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), world bronze medalist Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN), two-time world medalist Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), and now three-time world champion Aliyev.

Tevanayn was on the inactivity clock in the second period when he blew the doors on the match wide open. He snapped Aliyev down for a takedown and caught the Azeri's left arm in a trapped arm gut wrench. He rolled twice to his left with that trapped arm gut and led 7-0 before closing the match out with one final takedown to claim gold, 9-0.

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) also claimed gold for Armenia on Friday night.

In the 57kg finals, Harutyunyan scored a takedown with a textbook head outside single and carried the one-point lead into the second period. The 21-year-old built a comfortable 8-1 lead after a counter-offensive go behind and a pair of below the hip exposures. Harutyunyan’s Bulgarian opponenet tried everything he could to close the gap, but the Armenian took the safe route out, conceding a late takedown and bellying out. Harutyunyan won the match 8-3.

The final gold medal of the day went to Georgia's '18 world runner-up Avtandil KENTCHADZE. His 74kg finals opponent Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) injury defeated out of the finals, giving the Georgian the final freestyle gold of the competition.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD - Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Georgi Valentinov VANGELOV (BUL), 8-3
BRONZE - Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) df. Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO), via injury default
BRONZE - Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) df. Petru CRACIUN (MDA), via forfeit

65kg
GOLD - Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Haji ALIYEV (AZE), 9-0
BRONZE - Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) df. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), via injury default
BRONZE - Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) df. Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 5-3

74kg

GOLD - Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE), via injury default
BRONZE - Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 8-6 BRONZE - Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Ali Pasha Ruslanovich UMARPASHAEV (BUL), 4-2

86kg
GOLD - Ali SHABANAU (BLR) df. Osman GOCEN (TUR), 7-0
BRONZE - Boris MAKOEV (SVK) df. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), 7-5
BRONZE - Piotr IANULOV (MDA) df. Akhmed Adamovitch MAGAMAEV (BUL), 4-4

97kg
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) df. Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR), 4-3
Erik Sven THIELE (GER) df. Albert SARITOV (ROU), 4-3
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA) df. Ahmed Sultanovich BATAEV (BUL), 3-0

125kg
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) df. Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER) , via injury default
Shamil SHARIPOV (RUS) df. Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT), 8-0
Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Paris KAREPI (ALB), 11-0

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series 2026 Women's Wrestling Preview: 53kg Wide Open

Friday, July 10, 2026 - 12:03 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 9) -- Preview for United World Wrestling Budapest Ranking Series 2026.

The 53kg weight class will crown a new world champion in Astana later this year after 2025 world champion Haruna MARUYAMA (JPN) failed to qualify through Japan's domestic trials and Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) moved up to 57kg.

The Budapest Ranking Series, scheduled for July 15-19, will offer an early look at the contenders as many of the world's top wrestlers at 53kg gather for the final Ranking Series event of the year.

WATCH LIVE | BUDAPEST RANKING SERIES ENTRIES

Asian champion Jin ZHANG (CHN) headlines the field, which also includes world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND), 55kg European champion Andreea ANA (ROU), former European champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) and United States world team member Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA).

While two leading contenders for the world title, Lucia GUZMAN (ECU) and Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), are not entered, the rest of the field is expected to play a significant role in the medal race in Astana in one of the year's most open weight classes.

Zhang put together a dominant performance at the Asian Championships, highlighted by a victory via fall over Kiyooka. Antim has previous wins over both Zhang and Malmgren and will face another stern test in Budapest while Ana brings considerable international experience. Rodriguez, a former U20 world champion, lost to Guzman at the Pan-American Championships, but her aggressive style continues to make her a difficult opponent.

Joining Zhang on China's team is Yuxuan LI (CHN), a two-time 55kg Asian silver medalist with the ability to upset the favorites. Veteran Roksana ZASINA (POL) is also entered, adding another experienced challenger to the field.

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Tough 68kg Bracket

The 53kg weight class isn't the only one which is offering early insights. The 68kg competition is expected to be equally competitive despite the absence of world champion Ami ISHII (JPN) and bronze medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA).

The field includes Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), former world champion Jia LONG (CHN), 72kg world silver medalist Nesrin BAS (TUR), and former European champion Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR).

Zhumanazarova claimed the Asian title in April and enters Budapest as the favorite, with Long expected to be her biggest challenger. Bas and Shauchuk were set to meet in the European Championships final before the latter withdrew, handing Bas the title.

U23 world champion Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS) will look to win her second consecutive Ranking Series medal after taking silver at the Ulaanbaatar Open. Both European bronze medalists, Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) and Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE), also add depth to the field.

Bullen vs Tandelova II (WATCH: Bullen's Insane Comeback)

A rematch of this year's European Championships final could take place at 62kg after Grace BULLEN (NOR) produced one of the most remarkable comebacks of the season, rallying from a 9-1 deficit to pin Amina TANDELOVA (RUS).

They will be joined by a strong field that includes former world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN), world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), and European medalists Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR). The field also includes Pan-Am champion Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) and former U20 world champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN), who will have the backing of the home crowd.

Nichita Returns

Olympic silver medalist Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) will compete for the first time in nearly two years. Nichita, who became a mother after the Paris Olympics, returns at 59kg as she begins another Olympic cycle.

While she will be expected to win, making her return challenging will be Asian bronze medalist NEHA (IND), former world medalist Othelie HOEIE (NOR), European champion Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), veteran Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), among others in the field.

Wrestling Kexin HONG (CHN) Kexin HONG (CHN) is the Asian champion at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

China's Depth

Two Chinese wrestlers, Kexin HONG (CHN) and Mengyu XIE (CHN), could dominate the 57kg bracket. Both Asian champions, at 57kg and 59kg respectively, Hong and Xie will be challenged by European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR), European bronze medalist Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE), and Amanda MARTINEZ (USA).

India is sending age-group world medalist Neha SHARMA (IND) and U20 world champion TAPSYA (IND).

European champion Oksana LIVACH (UKR) enters as the favorite at 50kg but Olympic and Asian bronze medalist Ziqi FENG (CHN) is among the strongest wrestlers in the weight class and will be a marquee match-up if the two meet.

Other top wrestlers include Pan-American champion Katie GOMEZ (USA) and Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS), capable of upsetting the favorites. Canada has an interesting entry with former 53kg U17 world champion Kaura COLES (CAN), who is making her senior UWW debut at 50kg.

Four extremely talented wrestlers are entered at 72kg with former world silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), European silver medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), Zagreb Open silver medalist Diksha MALIK (IND) and U23 Asian champion Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ). With only three medals available, one of those four contenders will leave Budapest empty-handed.

Note: This preview was uploaded before Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) pulled out of the competition.