WALBZYCH, Poland (March 21) – Wrestling’s rising stars descend upon the southwestern Polish city of Walbrzych this coming week for the inaugural European Under-23 Wrestling Championships and a chance to show they are ready for prime time.

Some 350 wrestlers, 18-23 years old, from more than 30 national wrestling federations throughout Europe are expected to compete in the six-day event. And while a number of junior world and European medalists will bring some sparkle to the event, only a handful of wrestlers with success at the senior level will be competing.

As entries continue to arrive, Vanesa KALADZHINSKAYA (BLR) will likely be the only senior world champion to step on the mats at Aqua Zdroj Sports Center. Kaladzhinskaya took the senior 48kg crown in 2012 with a triumph over current world champ Eri TOSAKA (JPN).

Meanwhile, the elephant NOT in the room, nor on the entry list, for these championships is Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS), who won the senior men’s world title at 86kg last September at the age of 18 and is likely focusing on preparations for the Baku 2015 European Games in June.

Sadulaev, who turns 19 in May, most recently romped through the field at the Medved Prizes event in Minsk. Stepping in for Sadulaev will be Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS), winner of the Golden Grand Prix Final last July in Baku.

Yet, while Sadulaev is exceptional in winning a senior world crown after three cadet world titles in a row, many successful wrestlers at the junior level get lost in the shuffle to make their senior national teams and make their mark at top-tier events.

The age group, which roughly corresponds to the age of college wrestlers in North America and East Asia, will give juniors and younger seniors a championship event during their transition to the senior division.

Five of the 24 champions at the senior European championships in Helsinki last year born in 1991, being or turning 23 last year. Meanwhile, five of the 16 champions in the men’s events in Tashkent were also born in 1991 and won their first world titles along with Sadulaev. 

Men’s Freestyle (March 24-25)

The only senior world medalist entered in the men’s events, Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA) takes to the mats on the first day of competition at 65kg. Chamizo won a bronze medal at the 2010 world meet as an 18-year-old hopeful for Cuba at 55kg.

Chamizo could lock horns with Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE) who attempts to follow-up his Paris Grand Prix triumph over world silver medalist Masoud ESMAILPOUR (IRI).

Junior world champion Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) looks to get back on track after finishing third in Paris at 74kg.

Russia has entered Yarygin Grand Prix runner-up Ismail MUSUKAEV (57kg), Golden Grand Prix Final winner Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (86kg) and Yarygin champion Muradin KUSHKHOV (125kg).

Armenia’s Valodya FRANGULYAN (61kg) defeated 2013 world champ Bekhan GOYGEREEV (RUS), 8-2, for the Medved Prizes crown and Grigor GRIGORYAN (70kg) brings a silver medal from last year’s senior European championships to Walbrzych.

Women’s Freestyle (March 26-27)

Senior European champion Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) took a silver medal at the world meet in Tashkent.  Koblova also notched three wins at the recent World Cup meet in St. Petersburg before falling to two-time junior world champ Risako KAWAI (JPN) in the final.

Koblova (58kg) is joined by Russian teammate and world bronze medal winner Valeria LAZINSKAYA (63kg) as the only senior world medal winners entered in the women’s events.

Four-time European junior champion Petra OLLI (FIN) hopes to build on her success this year at the Paris Grand Prix and the Klippan Open, where she defeated senior world silver medalist Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE). Olli, entered at 60kg, is also a three-time junior world bronze medalist.

A challenge for Olli may come from European junior silver medalist Oksana HERHEL (UKR), who notched four wins at the recent World Cup, including decisions over world champions Ratkevich and SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) as well as a fall against senior European champion Johanna MATTSSON (SWE). 

Joining Olli on the first day of women’s events will be 2013 junior world champ at 48kg Elitsa YANKOVA (BUL) who faces the possibility of another showdown with 2013 junior world runner-up Alina VUC (ROU).

A complete set of junior world medalists will be featured on the second day of women’s wrestling at 53kg with champion Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS), runner-up Mercedesz DENES (HUN) and bronze medal winner Liliya HORISHNA (UKR) all on the entry list.

Junior world champ Sabira ALIEVA (AZE) is entered at 75kg along with Paris Grand Prix runner-up Epp MAE (EST), the European junior champ in 2012.

Junior world runner-up at 67kg Dalma CANEVA (ITA) is joined by bronze medalist Ragneta GURBANZADA (AZE) at 63kg while another bronze medalist Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) will test the waters at 69kg. 

Greco-Roman (March 28-29) 

Azerbaijan sends junior world champion Orkhan NURIEV (98kg) and silver medalist Ruhin MIKHAILOV (66kg) into the weekend fray, while junior world champs Murad MAMMADOV (59kg) and Islam ABBASOV (85kg) are listed as alternates.

Soslan FANZIEV (AZE), a cadet world runner-up last year and in his first year in the junior ranks, is listed as the entry at 85kg ahead of Abbasov. Abbasov helped secure Azerbaijan’s first-ever World Cup triumph in Greco-Roman last month in Tehran with a fall in the final against Russia.

Wrestling in the shadow of senior world champion Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM), 2013 junior world champ Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) posted four wins at the World Cup, including a win a 1-1 decision over 2014 European champ Aleksander CHEKHIRKIN (RUS).

A rematch of the 2012 junior world final between Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Victor CIOBANU (MDA) may be in the works on the first day of Greco-Roman with 2012 bronze medalist Nikolai VICHEV (BUL) looking to make it interesting. Ciobanu won the silver medal at last year’s senior Eurorpean championships.

Paris Grand Prix winner Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) won a bronze medal at the junior European meet in Katowice, Poland last summer and hopes the hometown atmosphere can carry him to the podium again. Former European junior champ and Zagreb Open winner Dominik ETLINGER (CRO) will challenge.

World and European junior world runner-up Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) hopes to be in the final bout of the championships on Sunday evening, while 2012 junior world silver medalist Shota GOGISVANIDZE (GEO) to join him.

Schedule
 
Monday, March 23
18:30-19:00 – Weigh-in, Men’s Freestyle 57-65-74-97kg

Tuesday, March 24
10:00-14:00 – Qualification rounds & Repechage, FS 57-65-74-97kg
18:30-19:00 – Weigh-in, FS 61-70-86-125kg
19:00-19:30 – Opening Ceremony
19:30-21:00 – Finals & Award ceremonies, FS 57-65-74-97kg

Wednesday, March 25
10:00-14:00 – Qualification rounds & Repechage, FS 61-70-86-125kg
18:30-19:00 – Weigh-in Women’s Freestyle, 48-55-60-69kg
19:00-21:00 – Finals & Award Ceremonies, FS 61-70-86-125kg

Thursday, March 26
10:00-14:00 – Qualification rounds & Repechage, FW 48-55-60-69kg
18:30-19:00 – Weigh-in, FW 53-58-63-75kg
19:00-21:00 – Finals & Awards ceremonies, FW 48-55-60-69kg

Friday, March 27
10:00-14:00 – Qualification rounds & Repechage, FW 53-58-63-75kg
18:30-19:00 – Weigh-in, Greco-Roman 59-71-80-98kg
19:00-21:00 – Finals & Award ceremonies FW 53-58-63-75kg

Saturday, March 28
10:00-14:00 – Qualification rounds & Repechage, GR 59-71-80-98kg
18:30-19:00 – Weigh-in, GR 66-75-85-130kg
19:00-21:00 – Finals & Award ceremonies, GR 59-71-80-98kg

Sunday, March 29
10:00-14:00 – Qualification rounds & Repechage, GR 66-75-85-130kg
19:00-21:00 – Finals & Award ceremonies, GR 66-75-85-130kg