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European Champions Khvostova and Priceputu Set to Clash in Thursday Night's Finals

Wednesday, June 5, 2019 - 18:12 By Eric Olanowski

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PONTEVEDRA, Spain (June 5) -- Daria KHVOSTOVA (RUS) returned to the European Championships for the first time since 2016 and is one match away from repeating the run that she had in Stockholm when she won the 43kg cadet European title. On Thursday night, she’ll wrestle two-time European champion and last year’s U23 world bronze medalist Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU) in the gold-medal bout. 

Khvostova, who’ll wrestle for her second age-level continental title, kick-started her day with a 12-3 win over Taru VAINIONPAEAE (FIN). The Russian obliterated returning cadet world silver medalist Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE), 10-0 in the quarterfinals; then she capped off her run to the finals with a 10-2 win over last year’s European bronze medalist Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA). 

She’ll take on Romania’s U23 world bronze medalist Stefania Priceputu in the 50kg finals. Priceputu, the two-time European champion, will be looking for her first continental title since 2017 after she fell in the bronze-medal bout of last year’s Junior European Championships.

On her way to the finals, Priceputu scored wins over Erika ZSIDEKOVA (SVK) and Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR); then trailed 1-1 on criteria but scored a counter-offensive takedown with 51 seconds left to defeat Mariia VYNNYK (UKR). 

The Day 4 finals begin on Thursday at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

RESULTS

50kg 
GOLD - Daria KHVOSTOVA (RUS) vs. Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU)
SEMIFINAL - Daria KHVOSTOVA (RUS) df. Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA), 10-2 
SEMIFINAL - Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 3-1 

55kg
GOLD - Anna Hella SZEL (HUN) vs. Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Anna Hella SZEL (HUN) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 10- 1
SEMIFINAL - Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) df. Darya SINKAVETS (BLR), 10-0 

59kg 
GOLD - Erika BOGNAR (HUN) vs. Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Erika BOGNAR (HUN) df. Angelika Agnieszka MYTKOWSKA (POL), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR) df. Kristina MIKHNEVA (RUS), 9-1 

68kg 
GOLD –  vs. Kadriye AKSOY (TUR) vs. Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE)
SEMIFINAL - Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE) df. Khrystyna MALIAVKA (UKR), 5-4 
SEMIFINAL - Kadriye AKSOY (TUR) df. Johanna MEIER (GER), 12-4 

76kg 
GOLD - Bernadett NAGY (HUN) vs. Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Bernadett NAGY (HUN) df. Marina SUROVTSEVA (RUS), 5-4 
SEMIFINAL - Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR) df. Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER), 8-5 

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Nitu Notches Win Over World Silver Medalist Zakharcheno, Makes 72kg Finals

Thursday, June 6, 2019 - 18:13 By Eric Olanowski

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PONTEVEDRA, Spain (June 6) – Romania’s Maria NITU stunned defending junior world runner-up Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS), 9-8 in the semifinals and will take on two-time European champion Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) in Friday night’s 72kg gold-medal bout. 

In the semifinals, Nitu surrendered the first takedown of the match, but never trailed after giving up that first takedown. Nitu scored back-to-back counter-offensive takedowns and grabbed the 4-2 lead. The Romanian gave up a stepout shortly before the first period ended and carried the 4-3 lead into the second period. 

After the break, Nitu stopped another shot attempt from Zakharchenko and scored her third takedown of the bout, extending her lead to 6-3. Nitu’s lead was cut to a point after Zakharchenko scored her second takedown; but that was only short-lived, as Nitu’s fourth takedown extended her lead to 8-5. 

The match got interesting with 15 seconds left when Nitu gave up a four-point inside trip and trailed 9-8. Shortly after awarding the four points, the referees came together and changed the call, giving two instead of the four. The change in points meant Nitu still had the 8-7 lead. A failed Russian challenge gave the Romanian her ninth point and the two-point lead.

Nitu back peddled and surrendered a stepout as time expired, but held on to the 9-8 upset victory. 

Nitu will meet Belarus’ two-time European champion Anastasiya Zimiankova in the gold-medal match. The Romanian’s win stopped a rematch of the 2019 U23 European finals between Zimiankova and Zakharchenko, which was won by the Belarusian. 

Zimiankova, who'll be making her fifth age-level European finals, reached the Friday night finals after head locking last year’s cadet European bronze medalist Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) in the semifinals. 

The Friday night finals begin at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

RESULTS

53kg 
GOLD - Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) vs. Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df. Emma MALMGREN (SWE), 7-2
SEMIFINAL - Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS) df. Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA), 10-0 

57kg 
GOLD - Maryia HULIDA (BLR) vs. Alina AKOBIIA (UKR
SEMIFINAL - Maryia HULIDA (BLR) df. Gaëlle RUIZ (FRA), 6-1  
SEMIFINAL - Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (RUS), via fall 

62kg 
GOLD - Mariia LACHUGINA (RUS) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA)
SEMIFINAL - Mariia LACHUGINA (RUS) df.  Ramina MAMEDOVA (LAT), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR), 6-2 

65kg 
GOLD - Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) vs. Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) df. Viktoria VESSO (EST), 10-3 
SEMIFINAL - Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR) df. Noémi SZABADOS (HUN), 7-2 

72kg 
GOLD - Maria NITU (ROU)  vs. Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Maria NITU (ROU) df. Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS), 9-8 
SEMIFINAL - Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), via fall