#WrestleNoviSad

Four Russian Women Punch Tickets to Day Four Finals

By Eric Olanowski

NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 6) – Russian women won four of five semifinal matches, qualifying a quartet of wrestlers for Thursday night’s U23 European championship women’s wrestling finals.

The four Russian women who will compete for gold on Thursday night (18:00 local time) are Nadezhda SOKOLOVA, Viktoriia VAULINA, Khanum VELIEVA, and Daria SHISTEROVA. 

At 50kg, Russia’s Sokolova threw Turkan NASIROVA (AZE) to her back early in the first period and scored the fall, locking up her first European finals appearance since her 2016 title-winner performance. 

She’ll wrestle 2018 world bronze medalist Oksana LIVACH (UKR) in the 50kg gold-medal bout. To reach the finals, Livach shutout Poland’s Katarzyna KAMINSKA, 10-0, and locked up her spot in the finals. The Ukranian wrestler led 4-0 in her semifinals match against Kaminska before closing the match out with a takedown and a pair of leg laces. 

Russia’s second finalist is Viktoriia Vaulina. Vaulina was up 8-0, but surrendered six straight points to her German opponent and only led 8-6. A late headlock for the Russian increased her lead by four points and pushed her into the finals with a 12-6 victory. 

She’ll have to defeat Turkey’s Eda TEKIN to take the home 55kg gold medal. Tekin trailed 4-1 with under 20 seconds left when she picked up a takedown and an exposure, stealing the match, 5-4. 

Four-time age-group world champion Khanum Velieva is the third Russian competing for a Day 4 gold medal. Velieva used three takedowns and a step out to score the 7-0 shutout over Ukraine’s Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA in her semifinals match. 

Velieva will wrestle Natalia STRZALKA (POL) for the 68kg gold medal. 

Strzalka scored nine unanswered second-period points after trailing 4-0 and grabbed the 9-4 victory over Yauheniya ANDREICHYKAVA (BLR). 

Russia’s remaining semifinal winner was Daria Shisterova, who led 1-0 but had to capitalize on a pair defensive of takedowns in the second period to defeat Romana VOVCHAK (UKR), 5-2. 

She’ll take on Turkey’s Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR) in tomorrow’s finals. Ozbege shutout Italy’s Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 9-0, to reach her first European finals. 

The lone weight not featuring a Russian finalist is 59kg. 

Moldova’s Anastasia NICHITA will meet Ukraine’s Anhelina LYSAK in the 59kg gold-medal match.   

Nichita only needed a little over a minute to pick up the 10-0 technical superiority victory over Russia’s Zelfira SADRADDINOVA to lock up a spot in the finals.

Her finals opponent Lysak trampled Emma Margareta JOHANSSON (SWE), 12-1 in her semifinals bout. 

Thursday’s finals begin at 18:00 (local time) and can be watched live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS
50kg 
GOLD - Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS) 
SEMIFINAL - Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Katarzyna KAMINSKA (POL), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS) df. Turkan NASIROVA (AZE), via fall 

55kg
GOLD - Eda TEKIN (TUR) vs. Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Eda TEKIN (TUR) df. Sezen BELBEROVA (BUL), 5-4 
SEMIFINAL - Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS) df. Ellen RIESTERER (GER), 12-6 

59kg 
GOLD - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) vs. Anhelina LYSAK (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Zelfira SADRADDINOVA (RUS), 10-0
SEMIFINAL - Anhelina LYSAK (UKR) df. Emma Margareta JOHANSSON (SWE), 12-1 

68kg 
GOLD - Natalia  STRZALKA (POL) vs. Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Natalia STRZALKA (POL) df. Yauheniya ANDREICHYKAVA (BLR), 9-4 

SEMIFINAL - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR), 7-0 

76kg
GOLD - Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS) vs. Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS) df. Romana VOVCHAK (UKR), 5-2 
SEMIFINAL - Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR) df. Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 9-0 

Development

Successful Level 2 Coaching Course held in Bulgaria

By United World Wrestling Press

PAZARDZHIK, Bulgaria (November 6) – The Bulgarian Wrestling Federation organized a Level 2 Coaching course to help improve and provide training for their coaches.  This 5-day course was held in conjunction with Olympic Solidarity, Bulgarian Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling. 

The Level 2 course was led by UWW Certified Educator Mr. Georgi Sredkov (BUL).

The course was held from 15-20 October and was attended by 40 coaches and 6 athletes. “I point to my many years of experience to emphasize that, from a professional point of view, the seminar held by G. Sredkov was indeed at a very high professional level, with enormous benefit for all participants and especially for young coaches. The selection of the topics and issues in the sport of wrestling, the arrangement of the topics and the inclusion of free discussions submitted by the participants, greatly increases the quality and effect of this seminar.” said Mr. Georgi Kalchev (European Champion and World Medalist). 

This course focuses on the foundational skills to be a great coach.  The topics included: key factor analysis, introducing new techniques, communication skills, improving coaching skills, risk management and safety, and athlete safeguarding.  The participants learned and practiced their skills through theoretical and practical evaluations throughout the course. “Thanks to Georgi Sredkov for the seminar. Everything he offered us in the seminar was completely useful and beneficial.” said Emil Budinov (Olympic Coach).

Additional Comments from Participants

My participation was extremely useful for me as a coach. We exchanged experiences and I learned new practices with which I can upgrade my coaching activity.” – Miroslav Geshev (European Medalist and National Coach)

“I am personally very pleased that I had the opportunity to attend this seminar. I managed to learn many interesting things that will be useful for the development of our wrestling.” – Georgi Dumkov (Club Coach)

“Thanks for the fruitful seminar, especially the way of presentation. Special thanks to Georgi Sredkov - 5-day seminar full of content, excellently structured - balance between theory and practice.” – Vasil Popov (European Champion)