#WrestleFaenza

Edmond Nazaryan, Son of Two-Time Olympic Champ Armen Nazaryan, Wins European Title

Wednesday, June 19, 2019 - 18:50 By Eric Olanowski

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FAENZA, Italy (June 19) -- Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL), the son of the three-time world and two-time Olympic champion Armen NAZARYAN (BUL), followed in his father’s footsteps and won a European title on Wednesday night. Armen, the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic champion, was not only on hand to see his son win his second consecutive continental title, but he was in his corner and was able to lift Edmond off the mat with a hug after his title-winning efforts. Now, Edmond just needs five more golds to catch up to his father who won seven European titles during his storied career.

Through his four matches in Faenza, Nazaryan was only tested once on his road to the 51kg title. That test came against returning cadet European bronze medalist Nihad GULUZADE (AZE), who he edged 7-7 in the quarterfinals. Outside of his quarterfinals match with Guluzade, the Bulgarian blanked William Morten REENBERG (DEN), Armen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), and his finals opponent Baris ERBEK (TUR) by a combined score of 23-0 en route to the gold. 

To repeat as European champion, Nazaryan picked up an early step-out, then tacked on an inactivity point leading Erbek, 2-0. With his Turkish opponent in the par terre position, Nazaryan circled out towards his opponent's head and locked up a front head pinch, and ended the match after scoring on three consecutive rolls. 

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) only needed 34-seconds to pick up the fall in the 72kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Meanwhile, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) improved on his runner-up finish from last year with a 34-second fall in the 71kg finals. 

Gutu, the reigning world and Youth Olympic Games champion, was expected to take on reigning European champion Stepan STARODUBTSEV (RUS) in the finals, but that match took place earlier than expected. The pair of returning European finalists drew into the same side, and it was Gutu who exacted revenge on the man who handed him his only loss of 2018, scoring the 6-1 quarterfinal victory.

In the gold-medal match, Gutu only needed 34 seconds to pick up a fall against Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO). Early in the first period, Gutu hit a duck under, then transitioned to double under hooks and planted Chkhaidze on his back for the fall and earned his first European title since 2017 when he won the U15 European title in Belgrade, Serbia. 

Maksim SKURATOV (RUS) was one of three Russian gold medalist who helped his country win the Cadet European team title. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

On the team side of the competition, the Russian Federation entered the third day of wrestling with a 23 point advantage over Azerbaijan and closed out the Cadet European Championships with 178 points and the team title. They medaled in eight weights and had three champions. 

Azerbaijan, who had a pair of Day 2 champs and another one on Day 3, held onto their second spot and finished with 135 points. In addition to their trio of champions, Azerbaijan also had a silver-medal winner and two bronze-medal finishers. 

Mate GOKADZE’S gold medal at 110kg helped push Georgia into the third spot with 117 points. Like Azerbaijan, Georgia also finished with a silver medalist and two bronzes. 

Women’s wrestling takes center stage on Thursday. The Day 4 competition starts at 11:30 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

RESULTS 

Final  Greco-Roman Team Scores
GOLD – Russia (178 points)
SILVER – Azerbaijan (135 points)
BRONZE – Georgia (117 points)
Fourth – Turkey (108 points)
Fifth – Armenia (95 points)

48kg
GOLD - Farid SADIKHLI (AZE) df. Daniial AGAEV (RUS), 10-1 
BRONZE - Miroslav Mariov EMILOV (BUL) df. Kaspars BONDARENKO (LAT), 4-2 
BRONZE - Homeros ARAKELYAN (ARM) df. Rokas CEPAUSKAS (LTU), 9-0 

51kg
GOLD - Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) df. Baris ERBEK (TUR), 8-0 
BRONZE - Armen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Nihad GULUZADE (AZE), 6-3 
BRONZE - Volodymyr VOITOVYCH (UKR) df. Kirill CHETKAREV (RUS), 8-7

60kg
GOLD - Maksim SKURATOV (RUS) df. Mert ILBARS (TUR), 11-0         
BRONZE - Artsiom KLITSUNOU (BLR) df. Rafet Selim RASHID (BUL), 5-1 
BRONZE - Nika BROLADZE (GEO) df. Arturs SESKENS (LAT), via fall

71kg 
GOLD - Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO), via fall 
BRONZE - Allahverdi ALIYEV (AZE) df. Stepan STARODUBTSEV (RUS), 3-1 
BRONZE - Simon Christer BORKENHAGEN (SWE) df. Aliaksei PIAKHOTA (BLR), 7-0 

92kg
GOLD - Mate GOKADZE (GEO) df. Said MUSAEV (RUS), 8-0 
BRONZE - Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Razmik KURDYAN (ARM), 12-1 
BRONZE - Omer AYGUL (TUR) df. Adolf BAZSO (HUN), 6-1 

#WrestleTirana

U23 Euros: Yakushenko grabs 97kg gold; Georgia wins GR team title

Friday, March 14, 2025 - 21:27 By United World Wrestling Press

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TIRANA, Albania (March 14) -- Ukraine was out of the top five in Greco-Roman team rankings before the 97kg gold medal bout Friday at the U23 World Chamionships. But Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) made sure that Ukraine improves, he helped it climb to number two spot.

Yakushenko won the 97kg gold medal after beating Richard KARELSON (EST) 4-1 in the final to take Ukraine's tally to 99 points, more than third-placed Turkiye (98 points), Azerbaijan (91 points) and Moldova (85 points).

Georgia won the team title, its fifth at the U23 European Championships in 10 editions, with 133 points. It won two golds, one silver and three bronze medals.

Yakushenko, who won his third consecutive gold internationally, would be proud of his campaign in Tirana, Albania as he gave no chance to his opponents in four bouts.

His four victories included one over former world U20 champion and Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (UWW) in the first bout. He defeated the senior European bronze medalist 7-3.

In the final, Yakushenko denied Karelson a piece of history. Karelson was hoping to became the first Estonian to win the U23 European gold in Greco, adding to his historic U20 European gold from 2022.

Karelson got the first par terre advantage however Yakushenko calmly defended the position. When he got the chance in the second period, Yakushenko turned Karelson to lead 3-1. He lifted Karelson, hoping for a throw but managed only a out-of-bounds for one point to make it 4-1.

That was enough for Yakushenko to win the gold medal, adding to his collection of U20 world and European golds from last year. Karelson, too, would take some confidence with his campaign despite the loss in the final as the silver medal was his first in three years of international competitions.

Georgia won two gold medals Friday to reach the top of the podium. Dimitri KHACHIDZE (GEO) and Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) won the 60kg and 67kg finals respectively to add to Georgia's tally.

Khachidze gave no chance to Melkamu FETENE (ISR) in the 60kg final and needed only 50 seconds to win 9-0. He launched an arm throw for four before using an arm-drag to take control and launch another four-point throw. Fetene challenged but in vain.

The gold medal an improvement for Khachidze who finished fifth last year while Fetene was a silver medalist. With another silver, Fetene now has five age-group European medals, none of them gold.

Khozrevanidze needed a successful challenge to keep his lead in the 67kg final against Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW). After taking a 3-1 lead by turning Makaranka from par terre, Khozrevanidze was docked two points for offensive head-butting but he challenged the decision and on review, there was no foul.

The successful challenge restored Khozrevanidze's 3-1 lead which he held for the remaining one minute to win, completing the set of U17, U20 and U23 European golds for the 20-year-old.

At 82kg, Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) also completed his set of age-group European medals with gold after beating Gamzat GADZHIEV (UWW), 3-1, in the final.

The world U17 champion and world U20 silver medalist had a lacklusture 2024, winning only a silver medal [U20 European Championships] in five competitions. But he began 2025 with bronze at the Zagreb Open and now added a gold medal.

After both wrestlers had had their par terre positions, Solovei led 1-1 on criteria. But Gadzhiev was called passive again and put in par terre. As the third passivity in the match doesn't offer any points, Solovei, who led the bout, scored a turn to steer clear with a 3-1 lead.

It was too much for Gadzhiev to cover and Solovei was happy to pocket the gold medal, a huge confidence booster before steps on the mat at 77kg  in Bratislava, Slovakia for the senior European Championships in second week of April. He was chosen ahead of Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) who has shown slump in his form. Gutu won the 77kg bronze medal in Tirana.

Returning bronze medalist at 72kg Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) climbed to the top of the podium this year after he defeated Danil GRIGOREV (UWW), 3-2, in the gold-medal bout.

Nurullayev, a former world U23 medalist, scored a turn from par terre and before giving up a stepout but held on to his 3-2 to lead to win gold for Azerbaijan.

Photo

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Dimitri KHACHIDZE (GEO) df. Melkamu FETENE (ISR), 9-0

BRONZE: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) df. Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM), 9-3
BRONZE: Mert ILBARS (TUR) df. Bohdan HRYSHYN (UKR), 5-0

67kg
GOLD: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) df. Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW), 3-1

BRONZE: Daniial AGAEV (UWW) df. Bredi SLINKERS (NED), 9-0
BRONZE: Azat SARIYAR (TUR) df. Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL), 5-2

72kg
GOLD: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Danil GRIGOREV (UWW), 3-2

BRONZE: Oleh KHALILOV (UKR) df. Rokas CEPAUSKAS (LTU), 5-1
BRONZE: Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) df. Vasile ZABICA (MDA), 7-2

82kg
GOLD: Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) df. Gamzat GADZHIEV (UWW), 3-1

BRONZE: Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) df. Elmin ALIYEV (AZE), 4-1
BRONZE: Frederik MATHIESEN (DEN) df. Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO), 12-4

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 4-1

BRONZE: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (UWW) df. Muhittin HELVACI (TUR), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: Luka GABISONIA (GEO) df. Luka KATIC (SRB), 9-0