#WrestleZagreb

China sweeps Zagreb Open; Abuladze, Nasibov win Greco golds

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (January 13) -- Out of the six Olympic weight classes, China won medals in five including three golds.

That was the level of domination China showed as Women's Wrestling closed at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series on Saturday, the penultimate day of the competition.

After Feng ZHOU (CHN) won the gold medal in 68kg and Ziqi FENG (CHN) finished with a silver medal in 50kg on Friday, Qianyu PANG (CHN) won gold at 53kg, Kexin HONG (CHN) won gold at 57kg, and Juan WANG (CHN) won a silver medal at 76kg.

Pang was on a mission as she began with a fall and continued to dominate her next bouts. In the semifinals, Pang pinned Min ZHANG (CHN) to confirm a spot on the Chinese team for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek in April. Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN) injury defaulted in the final to give Pang the gold.

Joining her on the team is Asian Games bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN) who also had to beat compatriot Qi ZHANG (CHN) to clinch a spot and the gold medal.

World bronze medalist at 59kg Qi ZHANG (CHN) tried to challenge Hong in the final but Zhang failed break through and dropped the final 7-2. Hong had earlier beaten Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) 3-1 to reach the final and make a statement.

Juan WANG (CHN) failed to win the gold medal at 76kg after dropping the final 2-1 against world silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ). Wang was called passive twice while Medet Kyzy was wanred only once.

Medet Kyzy, who suffered a knee injury in the World Championships final, showed no signs of discomfort throughout the day. She pinned Rita TALISMANOVAAA (AIN) in the opening bout followed by another pin over Justina DI STASIO (CAN) to set up a quarterfinal against Adeline GRAY (USA).

Unfazed by the six-time world champion Medet Kyzy got to work and scored a four-pointer to open hte scoring. She then got a lace and won 10-0. A 5-0 win over Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) in the semifinals saw her reach the final.

Gray returned to win the bronze medal like Kennedy BLADES (USA) who defeated Kylie WELKER (USA) via fall to win the second gold medal.

Nasibov makes golden return

Tokyo silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) punched above his weight on Saturday to stun the wrestling world. He defeated world silver medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) via fall in the 67kg semifinal. Jafarov got the third par terre advantage with Nasibov lead 2-2 on criteria. As soon as Jafarov tried to score a gut wrench, Nasibov caught him during the turn and pinned him.

In the final, Nasibov defeated Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA) 4-3 and clinch the gold medal.

63kg world champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) is unbeaten since last year's European Championships and continued his streak in Zagreb as he won the title over Virgil BICA (SWE).

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RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Qianyu PANG (CHN) df. Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) df. Dominique PARRISH (USA), via fall
BRONZE: Annika WENDLE (GER) df. Min ZHANG (CHN), 5-3

57kg
GOLD: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Qi ZHANG (CHN), 7-2

BRONZE: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE), 14-4
BRONZE: Yongxin FENG (CHN) df. Hannah TAYLOR (CAN), 10-0

72kg
GOLD: Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR) df. Fanni NAGY NAD (SRB), 5-0

76kg
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Juan WANG (CHN), 2-1

BRONZE: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Kylie WELKER (USA), via fall
BRONZE: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), 3-0

Greco-Roman

63kg
GOLD: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df. Virgil BICA (SWE), 9-0

BRONZE: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT), 9-1
BRONZE: Jacopo SANDRON (ITA) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), via inj. def.

67kg
GOLD: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA), 4-3 

BRONZE: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY), 5-1 
BRONZE: Aslan VISAITOV (AIN) df. Sebastian NAD (SRB), 4-3 

#WrestleBucharest

European Championships Day 3 women's wrestling semis set

By United World Wrestling Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (February 14) -- After two breathtaking days of Greco-Roman, the European Championships enters day three with women's wrestling. Five weight classes in action will be 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 2 REPORT

Semifinals for the evening session

50kg
Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) vs. Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR) vs. Mariya STADNIK (AZE)

55kg
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) vs. Roksana ZASINA (POL)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) vs. Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)

59kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) vs. Patrycja GIL (POL)
Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) vs. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)

68kg
Buse TOSUN (TUR) vs. Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR) vs. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)

76kg
Enrica RINALDI (ITA) vs. Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR)
Yasemin ADAR YIGIT (TUR) Bernadett NAGY (HUN)

13:00: Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) locked both of Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) arms and tried a pin. However, Nichita with a great defense to avoid the fall. She controls the remaining bout to win 7-2. 

12:40: Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) falls to Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) in the 68kg quarterfinals. In a low-scoring bout, Hristova beats Larroque 3-2 at 68kg.

12:30: A fall for Bose TOSUN (TUR)! Khanum VALIEVA (AIN) thought she had a chance but failed to stop Tosun's attacks and got pinned. Tosun moves into the 68kg semifinal against Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)

12:22: Mariya STADNIK (AZE) rolls to a technical superiority win over Milana DADASHAEVA (AIN) and moves into the semifinals at 50kg. She is going for her 10th European title, already a record

12:15: Home favorite and defending champion at 55kg Andreea ANA (ROU) uses leg lace against Sezen BELBEROVA (BUL) and moves into the quarterfinals for Romania.

12:00: Defending champion at 59kg Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) begins with a technical superiority over Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) and she moves into the quarterfinals in which she will face Tamara DOLLAK (HUN)

11:45: Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) with a big upset at 76kg as she defeats former European champion Epp MAE (EST) 3-2 in the 1/8 finals Mae led 2-0 but was called passive before Gaucaite scored a stepout. Mae challenged the call but it was confirmed and a lost challenge made it 3-2 for Gaucaite.

11:30: Returning silver medalist Oksana LIVACH (UKR) scores four points in the first period and then holds Anna LUKASIAK (POL) in the second period for a 4-1 win at 50kg. She was cautioned for a hair pull which cost her a point.

11:15: Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) has a slow start but she controls her opening bout against Noémi SZABADOS (HUN) well to win it 3-0 and advance to the quarterfinals at 68kg.

11:00: The qualification round of women's wrestling will begin with 68kg. Khanum VELIEVA (AIN) beats Laura GODINO (ITA), Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR) beats Eyleen SEWINA (GER) and Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE) is pinned by Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE).

10:45: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), in the Greco-Roman repechage at 82kg, gets a big 9-0 win over Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE).

10:30: Welcome to the third day of the European Championships and we have women's wrestling in five weight classes.