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European Championships Day 2 GR semis set

Tuesday, February 13, 2024 - 08:10 By United World Wrestling Press

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BUCHAREST, Romania (February 13) -- The European Championships enters its second day with five more Greco-Roman weight classes. Wrestlers in 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg will be on the mat Tuesday and try to make a place in the final.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 REPORT

Here are the semifinals for Tuesday

60kg
SF 1: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) vs. Sadyk LALAEV (AIN)
SF 2: Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) vs. Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)

67kg
SF 1: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) vs. Morten THORESEN (NOR)
SF 2: Murat FIRAT (TUR) vs. Ruslan BICHURIN (AIN)

72kg
SF 1: Selcuk CAN (TUR) vs. Narek OGANIAN (AIN)
SF 2: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) vs. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE)

82kg
SF 1: Alperen BERBER (TUR) vs. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
SF 2: Islam ALIEV (AIN) vs. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)

97kg
SF 1: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) vs. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
SF 2: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)

15:15: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) with a 8-0 technical superiority win over Georjig TIBILOV (SRB) and he moves into the 60kg semifinal. He will now take on Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) for a place in the gold-medal bout.

15:00: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) rolls into the semifinal at 72kg with a 9-0 win over Matias LIPASTI (FIN). On the other side of the bracket, Selcuk CAN (TUR) will be up against Narek OGANIAN (AIN) after both posted comprehensive wins.

14:45: A big semifinal at 97kg as Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) faces Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN). Aleksanyan scored a 7-3 win over Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) while Khaslakhanau defeated Anton VIEWEG (GER) 9-0 in the quarterfinal.

14:30: Returning silver medalist Kiril MILOV (BUL) will fall to U23 world champion Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) 4-0 as the Individual Neutral Athlete continues to impress in the new weight class.

14:25: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) got thrown for a big four Abu AMAEV (AIN) but that didn't trouble him in beating Amaev 15-4 and moving into the semifinals of the 67kg weight class.

14:15: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) is finally on the mat for his first bout, almost four hours since the session started. Viktor PETRYK (UKR) gets the first par terre advantage and he scores the turn to lead 3-0. Petryk then tries an arm-spin which is blocked by Ciobanu and he gets a takedown after a challenge. Another takedown and turn as he races to a 10-3 lead at the break. A quick takedown after the break and Ciobanu wins 12-3 at 60kg. He moves into the quarterfinals

14:00: The first quarterfinals are beginning in 97kg. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) is up against Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) and he gets a par terre advantage. Savolainen with stepouts on either side of the breaks and a second par terre advantage as well to win 4-0 and enter the semifinal.

13:40: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) continues his winning run. Up against world bronze medalist Mate NEMES (SRB), who has moved up to 72kg for this tournament, Nasibov scores two stepouts in a 3-1 win over Nemes

13:05: 82kg world champion Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE) is up against U20 and U23 world silver medalist Alperen BERBER (TUR). Huseynov put in par terre but no score for him. But Berber with a bodylock for four and a turn which is not scored. Turkiye asked for a challenge but the action was outside the zone. Berber led 5-1 at the break. Hyseynov is cautioned for finger locks and Berber gets two more points to lead 7-1. That's how the match will end. What a big win for the young gun from Turkiye.

12:45: Defending champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) defends from par terre in the first period against Sebastian NAD (SRB) and then scores a takedown, and adds a beautiful throw to win 6-1 in the 67kg bout.

12:30: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) warms up with a 9-1 win over Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR). The next match in 97kg saw Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) with a big throw against Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE) and win 9-0.

12:15: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) looks in solid form as he takes out world bronze medalist and top seed Artur OMAROV (CZE) 9-0 at 97kg. He got four rolls from par terre to win the bout. Kiril MILOV (BUL) also moves into the next round with an 8-0 win.

12:05: In a repechage bout in 87kg, Zhan BELENUIK (UKR) rolls back the day and holds off Istvan TAKACS (HUN) 1-1 and makes it to the bronze medal bout

11:55: Drama in the 60kg Kerem KAMAL (TUR) vs Georgij TIBILOV (SRB)! Tibilov seemed to have pinned Kamal but Turkiye challenged and on review, there was a stepout. Tibilov led 3-3 on criteria when Kamal tried to push him out. But as Tibilov was evading, he got behind Kamal who was penalized for a singlet foul. Turkiye again challenged but lost which gave Tibilov a 7-3 lead. Kamal, desperate for a four-point throw, jumped over Tibilov who grabbed him and pin. Tibilov suggested that Kamal may have tried to bite him. Both wrestlers were separated by the referee.

11:35: Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) survives a touch opening bout. He got a 3-0 lead at the break and managed to stop Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (AIN) from scoring any points in the second period from par terre. Nasibov scored a stepout in the second period to lead 4-1. Towards the end of the bout, Nasibov was cautioned for headbutting, thus giving Liavonchyk two points. But Nasibov held on for a 4-3 win.

11:20: Former U23 European champion Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) is still trying to find the same success at the senior level. He has a bronze medal at the European Championships. He starts his campaign at 67kg with a big 9-0 win over Andrea SETTI (ITA). A five-point throw as well.

10:55: U23 world champion at 87kg Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) decided to move to 97kg and faced Tamas LEVAI (HUN) first up. But no troubles for Murtazaliev at the new weight class. He wins his first bout 6-0 and sets up a 1/8 final against world bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE).

10:30: The first day of the European Championships saw Riza KAYAALP (TUR) reach the final at 130kg whereas Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) lost his semifinal at 63kg after beating world champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO). Ali CENGIZ (TUR) and Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB) set up a final at 87kg

10:15: Second day at the European Championships and we are going in with five weight classes. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) are going to defend their titles.

In Taraz, Burroughs puts on a double-leg show

Friday, November 3, 2023 - 17:47 By Vinay Siwach

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TARAZ, Kazakhstan (November 3) -- The talk around Jordan BURROUGHS's (USA) return to 74kg was dominated by his weight cut. After spending three years at 79kg, the United States star was returning to the Olympic weight class on Friday at the DA Kunayev tournament.

Burroughs put those doubts to rest by reaching the final at 74kg with three dominant wins in Taraz, Kazakhstan. He will now be looking to win his first gold at 74kg at any level since the 2020 Pan-Am Championships title.

"I'm adjusting to the new weight class, again," Burroughs said after his semifinal. "I have not been at 74kg for three years. I have got a lot of rust that I have to knock off. I have a lot of things working against me but I feel good."

 

Opening the tournament with a 9-2 win over Yerkhan BEXULTANOV (KAZ), Burroughs was quick on his feet with fake attacks and a change of directions. He combined that with go-behinds for takedowns and also used some turns. A forfeit got him a place in the quarterfinals against Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB) which he won 9-2.

"Taking it one match at a time was my plan coming in here," he said.  It's not going to be easy but confident that I could get the job done."

If those wins were not enough, Burroughs won his semifinal against Yerbarys SATYBALDY (KAZ) 10-0 to enter the final on Saturday. He will now take on former Asian champion Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ), perhaps Burroughs' biggest test yet in his return.

"All things considered, my age, time of the year, what lies ahead of me, and what lay behind me, I feel solid," he said.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) outscored his opponents 28-3 in three bouts.

Since winning his record-breaking sixth world title in Belgrade last year, Burroughs has been dealt with some blows on the mat. In December, he lost to Ali SAVADKHOUI (IRI), his first career loss to an Iranian wrestler. Earlier this year, he failed to make the U.S. team at 79kg after losing to Chance MARSTELLER (USA).

Coach Brandon SLAY, who is with Burroughs in Taraz, finds a silver lining in him not making the world team in June.

"The silver lining, if there was one of not making the World Team, was he got to start his descent earlier," Slay said. "If wrestled in Serbia then he would have taken some time off after that and it would probably be a lot harder for him to get down to this weight so early."

The plan to wrestle at the DA Kunayev tournament was also part of the return to the Olympic weight class as there is no international competition left this year. Slay explained that the team did not come in with any game plan but wanted Burroughs to move more.

"I don't think there was necessarily a change in game plan," he said. "The main encouragement for him is to move his hands and move his feet because when he's moving, he's a very dangerous wrestler. He's hard to get his hands on. He's faking. He's really dangerous.

"When standing, just like most wrestlers, if you're a bird in a tree not moving at all, right, you're easier to shoot. So when he's floating and fluttering and moving his hands and feet then he's on track."

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) will wrestle Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) in the final on Saturday.

Burroughs not only moved but he attacked every bout. He trapped opponents for gut-wrench, strapped the legs, countered their attacks, and scored stepouts at will. And while there was a two-kilogram exemption at the tournament, Burroughs was doing this at 74.4kg.

"We got a little workout with him this morning and he was 74.4kg," Slay said. "He's only 0.4kg over scratch. He's scoring lots of points, getting in on his shots, and then he's still moving his feet, even at the very end of the match. I'm pleased. I think we have to keep that [wrestle at 74kg in almost three years] in mind."

Burroughs certainly rolled back the years with his performance on Friday in an almost packed Taraz Arena. And like at every tournament he wrestles, it did not matter if he was tired after his bouts, everyone wanted a photo clicked with him.

"There are not a lot of 35-year-old people who are competing like me," Burroughs said. "Anytime I am at a tournament, I am a title threat. It's fun to be always in the race."

Burroughs is not only the title threat like always, there is one more thing in order.

"Doubles still work."

He will hope that it works on Saturday as well.