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European Championships 2026 Day 3: Women's Wrestling Highlights

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 - 08:27 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 22) -- After two days of intense Greco-Roman action, the European Championships will shift to Women's Wrestling with five weight classes - 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | Women's Wrestling Preview

https://link.uww.org/UWWPlus

12:40: Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA), leading her 50kg quarterfinal, 9-3 with 45 seconds left in the match against Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU), suffers a 19-9 loss. Vuc scores a takedown to cut the lead to 9-5. She then trips Liuzzi for another takedown for two points and then turns her six times to finish the bout.

12:25: Oksana LIVACH (UKR), the defending champion at 50kg and wrestling first time in quarterfinals, uses a strong gut-wrench to beat Svenja JUNGO (SUI), 12-1, and advance to the semifinals.

12:05: Martina KUENZ (AUT), chasing her first European title, with a flurry of quick action and she finishes her quarterfinal against Elmira YASIN (TUR), 10-0. Big step towards winning the gold medal.

11:55: Defending champion at 76kg Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) does not let Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) settle in their 76kg quarterfinal. She scores two takedowns to lead 4-0 before a flurry of stepouts. She finishes the match with a takedown on edge, 10-0.

11:45: Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) gets her second win of the tournament as she uses a gut-wrenches to beat Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) 10-0 and advance to the semifinals at 68kg.

11:40: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW), the defending champion at 55kg, goes down to U23 world silver medalist Tuba DEMIR (TUR) in the quarterfinals. Demir pushed the pace of the match and led 8-0. As Verbina was working on a takedown, Demir scored a counter exposure but Verbina quickly turned it around and made it 10-2 to avoid a technical superiority. Verbina challenged the first exposure but lost which made the score 11-2. A takedown and turn cut the lead to 11-6 but Demir managed another takedown at the end to win 13-6, downing the defending champion

11:30: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) works up an 8-0 victory over Veronika KONSEVICH (MKD) at 55kg. Malanchuk used four different takedowns to score her points.

11:25: Martina KUENZ (AUT), the returning bronze medalist at 76kg, opens the second period with a big throw and then holds Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (UWW) on the mat to secure the fall.

11:15: Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE) secures a fall over Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL) in just 27 seconds at 68kg.

11:05: U23 world silver medalist and returning bronze Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) takes her time but she works on an 11-0 victory over Fanni NAGY NAD (SRB) and advance to the quarterfinals at 76kg.

10:55: First match at 68kg and defending champion Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) faces Karolina DOMASZUK (POL). Shauchuk, who recently won the U23 European title as well, starts off with a 10-0 technical superiority win.

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Muhamet Malo 2025 Ranking Series Day 4 Recap

Saturday, March 1, 2025 - 09:28 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (March 1) -- Four Women's Wrestling weight classes and two Greco-Roman weight classes as Muhamet Malo 2025 Ranking Series enters day four in Tirana. Here's the recap of day three

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

15:35: Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) and Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) received cautions for negative wrestling but Beishekeev had two activity points and turn from par terre in the 67kg semifinal as he defeated Khetsuriani 6-2 to make the final.

The former U17 world champion and 2024 U23 world champion Beishekeev will wrestle Valentin PETIC (MDA) for the gold after the Moldovan survived a spirited comeback from Bagdat SABAZ (KAZ) in the other semifinal to win 13-8

15:20: Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT) thought he has earned his first Ranking Series medal after he gut-wrenched Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ) for an 8-0 win in the 63kg semifinal. However, Choibekov challenges the first takedown and on review, it is deemed a risk from Choibekov and all points are cancelled. Choibekov then takes a 4-1 lead before a big throw gets him four more. A 9-3 win for Choibekov.

He will face Kerem KAMAL (TUR) in the final who defeated Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) 5-1 in the other semifinals.

15:05: Medet KYZY AIPERI (KGZ) storms into the 76kg final with 10-0 win over Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR). She scored three takedowns and huge reverse lift for four to win. She will take on Dymond GUILFORD (USA) who pulled off a 14-1 win over Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ).

14:55: Samantha STEWART (CAN) with yet another Ranking Series final. She beats Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) 5-2 at 57kg after two takedowns to one. She will take on Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) for the gold medal as the Turkish defeated Amanda MARTINEZ (USA), 9-3.

14:40: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) manages to scrap out a tough win against Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) at 53kg. Malanchuk caught Kiyooka in a bow-arrow lock and rolled her for a 6-0 lead. But Kiyooka regrouped and scored two takedowns to cut the lead to 6-4. Malanchuk kept shooting for the legs and Kiyooka kept defending with double underhooks. A caution against Malanchuk for hair-pulling and Kiyooka gets another point. Malanchuk gets two points out of a scramble and Kiyooka is forced to defend the situation. Malanchuk leads 8-5 at the break.

Kiyooka with a snapdown and go-behind to begin the second period. Another takedown when she finally gets the lead 9-8. Malanchuk challenges the last takedown as she had her hand between the bended knee as defense. The points are cancelled as Kiyooka's action is deemed dangerous, bending the knee more than 90 degrees. Malanchuk lead 8-7 with 2 minutes remaining. A stepout for Kiyooka but Malanchuk leads 8-8 on criteria. Finally, a takedown for lead for Kiyooka which Malanchuk blocks with open fingers. Kiyooka leads 11-8 and restart in par terre from which she turns Malanchuk to lead 13-8. Malanchuk makes a desperate attempt but Kiyooka go-behind for two points and a 15-8 win.

On Mat B, Andreea ANA (ROU) got two points for Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) failure to score in the activity clock and give ones for the same. She hangs on for a 2-1 win against Yetgil to book a spot in the final against Kiyooka.

The semifinals begin at 14:30 local time

13:20: Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) enters the 67kg semifinals with a 7-1 win over Abu AMAEV (BUL). After losing a challenge very early in the bout, Khetsuriani managed to lead 5-1 from par terre. He scored a stepout in the second was awarded the second passivity advantage as well which propelled him to a 7-1 win.

13:05: A last second stepout for Andreea ANA (ROU) to beat Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) at 53kg! With 20 seconds left, Malysheva led 3-0 but Ana scored a takedown to make it 3-2 with 10 seconds on the clock. She went for the leg straightaway and carried Malysheva outside the zone for one to win 3-3.

13:00: Yuxuan LI (CHN) manages to score a takedown on Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) but that is all. Kiyooka rallies to pile up takedowns to beat Li 12-2 in three minutes and 23 seconds. 

12:45: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) with a 44 seconds technical superiority win over Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL) in the 76kg quarterfinals. Alpyeyeva is a former U23 world champion and has been at 72kg for Ukraine for long but changing to the Olympic weight class of 76kg now

12:40: Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) cannot find a way to penetrate Kerem KAMAL's (TUR) defense. The two met at 63kg and Mohsen Nejad got the first par terre. No score. Kamal was on top in the second period but failed to score. But with a 1-1 criteria lead to Kamal, Mohsen Nejad was forced to score but his desperate attempt lands him on his back and Kamal gets four for a 5-1 win.

12:30: Two quarterfinals results which happened at different times. Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) beats Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) 12-1 to move into the semifinals while Medet KYZY AIPERI (KGZ) takes full six minutes to beat Enrica RINALDI (ITA) 9-0.

12:15: Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) makes a statement with a win over Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) at 72kg. Glaude never let Bakbergenova to go for the big moves and counter with her takedowns. She beats the Kazakh 7-2.

12:10: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) with a fall at 72kg Round 2 against Linda MACHUCA (ARG). The fall makes it extremely likely that she will top the group

11:55: Huge win for Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) over Leri ABULADZE (GEO). The bout at 67kg was Abuladze trying to switch to an Olympic weight class. However, that proves too much for him right now. Khetsuriani got the par terre and then was about to score when Abuladze committed a leg foul. Abuladze challenge but lost which made the score 4-0 for Khetsuriani. He defended par terre in the second period and won 4-1

11:41: On Mat A, three-time world silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOV (KAZ) holds on to a 3-1 win over Alla BELINSKA (UKR) in Round 1 of 72kg.

11:40: World champion Moe KIYOOKA (JPN), who is now trying to be at 53kg since Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) has moved up to 57kg, wins her first bout over Felicity TAYLOR (USA) 8-0. Kiyooka was on the leg lace quite a few times but was defended well but Taylor. But Kiyoola still managed a 10-0 win with a minute and 16 seconds remainig.

11:30: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) takes out Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) at 76kg in the opening round. Alpeyeyeva with leg attacks that clearly unsettled Yamamoto who likes to stay on upper body. A 9-1 win for Alpyeyeva.

11:20: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) takes her time but manages to beat Meile ZHANG (CHN) 11-0 with 36 seconds left. Great start for Medet Kyzy is a slightly stacked weight class.

11:10: Morten THORESEN (NOR) just blanked Sebastian NAD (SRB) at 67kg! Extreme pace from Thoresen to get two passivity calls and stepouts in his wins.

11:00: Day four of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. No rain today and bright sunshine blesses Tirana. Women's Wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestlers will be on the mat.