#BuchaWrestU23

Cartaraga and Pataridze Return to U23 World Finals in #BuchaWrestU23

By Taylor Miller

BUCHAREST, Romania – The first day of the 2018 U23 World Championships have come to a close, but not before two wrestlers earned their second-consecutive U23 World finals bids.

2017 U23 World champion at 71 kg Daniel CARTARAGA (MDA) made his second-straight U23 World finals, this time at 77 kg, pinning 2018 Junior World silver medalist and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Sajan SAJAN (IND) in the first period.

In the finals, Cartaraga will meet 2018 U23 European champion Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN), who knocked off reigning U23 World champion Fatih CENGIZ (TUR) with a 4-1 decision.

Also advancing to his second U23 World finals was Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), who is a five-time age-group World champion, winning three Junior World titles and two Cadet World titles.

To earn a spot in the finals, the Georgian finished off 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) with an 8-0 technical fall in 56 seconds.

Pataridze looks to improve on his silver-medal finish from last year. To do so, he will have to go through 2016 Junior World silver medalist and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) in the 130 kg finals.

Securing his second World medal of the year was Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, two weeks ago. Tsurtsumia edged out 2012 Cadet World bronze winner Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ) in a 2-1 battle.

Waiting for him in the finals is 2018 Russia Nationals champion Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS).

The Russian sailed to the finals after a 9-1 technical fall over 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ). This is Kabaloev’s first World tournament.

At 63 kg, Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) knocked off 2016 Junior World bronze medalist Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) with a decisive 6-3 win.

The other 63 kg semifinal featured another 6-3 decision as Alexandru BICIU (MDA) silenced the Romanian crowd, defeating 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Mihai MIHUT (ROU).

Katsuaki and Biciu will face-off tomorrow for the 63 kg World crown.

The 87 kg finals will feature 2018 Senior Pan American champion Daniel Gregorich of Cuba and Semen NOVIKOV (UKR).

Gregorich defeated U23 European bronze medalist Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), 7-1, while Novikov stunned three-time age-group World champion Islam ABBASOV (AZE) in an 8-5 decision.

Tuesday’s action begins at 10:30 a.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET). Fans can watch live on unitedworldwrestling.com.

Finals matchups

55 kg: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)
63 kg: Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) vs. Alexandru BICIU (MDA)
77 kg: Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
87 kg: Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) vs. Daniel GREGORICH (CUB)
130 kg: Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) vs. Osman YILDIRIM (TUR)

Semifinals results

55 kg
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) dec. Balbai DORDOKOV (KGZ), 2-1
Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) tech. fall Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ), 9-1

63 kg
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) dec. Meysam DALKHANI (IRI), 6-3
Alexandru BICIU (MDA) dec. Mihai MIHUT (ROU), 6-3

77 kg
Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) dec. Fatih CENGIZ (TUR), 4-1
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) win by fall Sajan SAJAN (IND), 2:28

87 kg
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) dec. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 8-5
Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) dec. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), 7-1

130 kg
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) tech. fall Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN), 8-0
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) dec. Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), 5-1

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Day 4 Women's Wrestling Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 23) -- The fourth day of the European Championships will see five Women's Wrestling weight classes -- 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 65kg, 72kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | SADULAEV's RETURN TO EUROPEANS

UWW Plus

12:30: Buse TOSUN (TUR) in a tangle against U23 European champion Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) but she comes out on top and then pins her way to the 72kg quarterfinals.

12:20: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) laces Iris Mathilde THIEBAUX (FRA) and finishes her 65kg quarterfinals 10-0 and in quick time.

12:15: Defending champion Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) begins with a technical superiority win over Annika WENDLE (GER). She won the gold medal at 53kg last year, on her 14th attempt at the European Championships.

12:05: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE), who lost the 2024 European final to Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (UWW), falls to her again, this time 12-5 at 53kg. Kaladzinskaya counter an attack from Malmgren to open the scoring and exposure points gave her a 4-0 lead. Sweden's lost challenge made it 5-0. Malmgren got on a couple of attacks but Kaladzinskaya hit a headlock throw for four which gave her a 9-3 lead. A lot of scramble in the bout but it was always Kaladzinskaya who finished them and Malmgren only got a clean takedown at the end, too little too late.

11:55: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) ends the fairytale of Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) at 53kg with a fall. Yefremova now reaches the semifinals.

11:35: Magdalena GLODEK (POL) with a counter body throw against Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) and then keeps her on the mat for a fall. Vynnyk is left stunned.

11:25: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) stuns Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) at 53kg! The Spain wrestler, first from the country to ever reach a World Championships final, got on a single leg attack in the second period and then arched Yetgil on the mat. Yetgil fouled with hands in Soler's face but she couldn't avoid the fall.

11:22: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR), returning to competition after two years, starts her senior debut with a 5-1 victory over Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) at 53kg.

11:15: Grace BULLEN (NOR), returning champion at 65kg but now down at 62kg, starts slow against Ameline DOUARRE (FRA) but manages to complete a technical superiority 10-0 victory.

11:10: Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), the returning silver medalist at 62kg, starts off with a clinical 10-0 win over Amina CAPEZAN (ROU). She hit a beautiful four-pointer to start the bout before scoring via three different takedowns.

10:55: High-scoring affair at 57kg between Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) and Aleksandra SKIRENKO (UWW). Martynava opened with a huge double for four before Skirenko caught a leg attack to score two. In the second period, Martynava countered Skirenko, slamming her on the mat for two points to extend her lead to 6-2. Skirenko got two points after winning a challenge as she had blocked a headlock throw from Martynava. As the bout resumed in par terre, Martynava escaped and score counter exposure for two points before giving up a counter herself as well. Martynanva, leading 8-6, was driven by Skirenko towards the zone and she thought she had a stepout but Martynava circled back and both wrestled scored exposure points, giving Martynava a 10-8 lead. Skirenko challenged for fleeing at the end but lost it which added another point to Martynava who won 11-8

10:45: Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) blanks Iulia LEORDA (MDA), 7-0, in their opening bout at 57kg. Vynnyk blocks an arm throw from Leorda to score a takedown during Leorda's activity time to lead 3-0. She uses a lace turn to go up 5-0. The final takedown came in the last 10 seconds which gave her the win.

10:30: Five more Women's Wrestling weight classes in action at the European Championships on Thursday.