#WrestleZagreb

European Championships to witness Akgul vs Petraishvili again

Tuesday, April 18, 2023 - 17:30 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (April 18) -- Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) will have a go at each other once again after the two made it to the final for the second year in a row. Last year, Akgul defeated Petriashvili to win the gold and the latter will have a chance to avenge that loss.

After easy pickings in the quarterfinals, both wrestlers had comfortable wins in the semifinals as well. Akgul defeated Abraham CONYEDO (ITA) 4-0 while Petriashvili picked up a 7-4 win over Daniel LIGETI (HUN). Petriashvili gave up a huge four-pointer in that semifinal.

Akgul leads Petriashvili 5-1 in their European head-to-head record and Wednesday will see if Petriashvili can pull one back.

Another rematch from 2022 will be at 74kg as Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) returned to the final in Zagreb. Salkazanov won the thriller in Budapest last year.

The defending champion once again used his defensive skills to outplay his opponents in the morning session. He defeated Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD) 5-0 and Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM) 3-0 before facing Avantdil KENTCHADZE (GEO) in the semifinal. Salkazanov did not change his strategy and managed to see off the Georgian to win 5-1.

Chamizo had a much tougher road to the final as he faced Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) in the opening bout. Gadzhiev had the lead but Chamizo's activity broke the U20 world champion and he lost 9-4. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) must have thought he is in a safe area leading 6-1 against Chamizo in the quarterfinal. But Chamizo worked his way to three takedowns and a stepout to win 8-6. In the semifinal, he defeated Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL) 9-0 before the Bulgarian was injured.

"Last year I was not myself," Chamizo said. "This year I am going to focus a little bit more and let's see what happens."

On his final against Salkazanov, Chamizo said he doesn't like the match-up against Salkazanov as he operates with a completely different style.

"He always beats me," he said. "I don't know why. I don't like wrestling him may be because he doesn't really wrestle. But I am ready. I am not worried about who loses or wins. I am a competitor."

At 61kg, world champion Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) reached his first European Championships final in a mixed performance. He began with an 11-0 win over Niklas STECHELE (GER) and denied Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR) 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

However, the semifinal proved to be a scare as Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO) got four points in the first period. Phartenadze shot for the ankle and got the takedown before adding a back exposure. But Abakarov pulled out a stunning single leg to score two points just before the break. Albania challenged the call and asked for four. On review, it was confirmed that Phartenadze fell on his back from standing and Albania won the challenge to lead 4-4 on criteria.

The second period saw him engage Phartenadze enough to not be called passive but there were no more points in those three points. He moved into the final, only the second Albanian wrestler ever.

He will now face defending champion Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) who easily moved into the final after beating Arman ELOYAN (FRA) 10-0 in the semifinal.

Another defending champion who moved into the final was Myles AMINE (SMR) at 86kg. He had to dig deep in the semifinal against Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) as he was trailing 2-1. But an arm-drag with two seconds remaining gave him the takedown and a 3-2 win. 

He will now face Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), who won the European Championships in 2017 for Russian Wrestling Federation. He defeated Boris MAKOEV (SVK) 5-0 in the semifinal to make his second Euro final.

After three finalists on day one, Azerbaijan added one more on Tuesday as Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) reached his first-ever final at the European Championships after two bronze medals. In the semifinal, he defeated Ermak KARDANOV (SVK) 6-0.

It could have been another world bronze medalist in the final but Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) beat Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) 11-1 in the other semifinal to deny that. He will be looking to defend his title which he won in Budapest.

RESULTS

Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) vs. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)

SF 1: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Arman ELOYAN (FRA), 10-0
SF 2: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) df. Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO), 4-4

74kg
GOLD: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) vs. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)

SF 1: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 5-1
SF 2: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df. Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL), 9-0 via injury default

86kg
GOLD: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) vs. Myles AMINE (SMR) 

SF 1: Myles AMINE (SMR) df. Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL), 3-2
SF 2: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 5-0

92kg
GOLD: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) vs. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)

SF 1: Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 11-1
SF 2: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Ermak KARDANOV (SVK), 6-0

125kg
GOLD: Taha AKGUL (TUR) vs. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)

SF 1: Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Abraham CONYEDO (ITA), 4-0
SF 2: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 7-4

#WrestleBudapest

Yazdani, Jamalov reach final; China dominates WW in Budapest

Friday, June 7, 2024 - 08:34 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 7) -- With three Freestyle and four Women's Wrestling weight classes in action, the Budapest Ranking Series enters day two. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will be competing for the first time since his surgery.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

13:00: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) with some high-paced action in his 86kg semifinal to blank Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) 10-0. He will wrestle for the gold medal at 86kg against Trent HIDLAY (USA).

12:50: ANTIM (IND) hangs on! Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) went all out for a takedown in the final seconds but Antim kept her at bay. A 3-1 win for Antim and she will wrestle for gold at 53kg against Jonna MALMGREN (SWE), a rematch of the bronze medal bout from the World Championships.

12:45: Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) seems to have upped her game since that fifth-place finish at the Asian Championships. She beats Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN) 12-8 in an action-packed bout.

12:35: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) is in the 53kg final without wrestling in Budapest. First, Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) pulled out injured and now Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) is injured.

12:30: Incredible bout between Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) and Anshu MALIK (IND) at 57kg. Nichita trailed 4-3 but she got a stepout and Anshu was cautioned for fleeing which gave Nichita a 5-4 lead with 19 seconds on the clock. Anshu continues the pressure and scores a takedown on the edge to claim a 6-5 lead and the win.

12:15: Kexin HONG (CHN) with a brutal lace over Anhelina LYSAK (POL) to finish the 57kg bout 10-0. 59kg world champion then scores an 11-1 win over Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) to advance to the semifinal.

12:10: Ali Abbas REZAEI (IRI) beats Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) 5-0 in the 74kg quarterfinal. Bayramov was warned for passivity in the first period, he committed two defensive fouls in the second as Rezaei built a 3-0 lead. Bayramov tried getting some opening but Rezaei solid in defense and finished with a solid takedown.

12:00: Jiang ZHU (CHN) blanks VINESH (IND) 5-0. Two counter takedowns for Zhu and a point for Vinesh's inactivity were the points for Zhu. No openings for Vinesh in that bout.

11:55: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) and Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) have set up a semifinal at 86kg. Yazdani with a high-scoring 12-2 win over Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) while Dauletbekov with a controlled 3-0 win over Patrik PUESPOEKI (HUN).

11:50: Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) needs to dig deep to keep Yu ZHANG (CHN) at bay. Zhang kept the pressure high even when trailing 4-3 but Dolgorjav hit a counter to win 6-3 at 50kg.

11:30: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) pulls out of her bout against Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) at 53kg. Malmgren will now wrestle Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) in the semifinal.

11:25:  Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) is looking to grab the 74kg spot for the Paris Olympics for Uzbekistan over Bekzod ABDURAKHAMANOV (UZB) who qualified the weight. He begins that journey with a 5-0 win over Anthony MONTERO (VEN) in Budapest.   

11:15: Quick 10-0 win for ANTIM (IND) over Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB) at 53kg. She sets up a semifinal against Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL). 

11:10: VINESH (IND) begins her 50kg campaign in Budapest with a 10-0 technical superiority over Alisson CARDOZO (COL). She sets up a quarterfinal against Jian ZHU (CHN) which will prove to be a big test. 

11:00: No clutch comeback from Myles AMINE (SMR) this time. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) holds on to a 3-1 lead and beat Amine with that scoreline at 86kg.

10:50: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) was in danger position twice in the match against Ethan RAMOS (PUR) but bailed out both times to race to a 13-2 victory over Ramos who seems to have hurt his back. Once the wrestlers are off mat, Ramos is carried in a stretcher as he is unable to walk.

10:30: Ranking points up for grabs, Olympics opponents facing each other and some Paris 2024 line-ups to be finalized. Day two of the Ranking Series in Budapest has everything to offer.