#kaspeuro2018

Friday Nights Euro C'ship Finals Set in Women's Wrestling

By Eric Olanowski

Host nation Russia along with five other nations put wrestlers into the finals of the 2018 European Championships at The Palace of Sport Youth in Dagestan, Russia. 

Russia led the way by placing three wrestlers in the Friday nights (6:00 PM) finals, while Belarus and Bulgaria each a pair of wrestlers in the finals. The remaining three wrestlers hailing from Azerbaijan, Finland, and Sweden. 

2017 world champion Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR)

At 53kg, 2017 world champion Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) capitalized on two takedowns and a step out to defeat Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), 5-2 in a very slow paced match. 

In the other semifinal, Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) trailed after giving up a four-point arm spin to Poland's Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL). The Russian remained calm and took the outright lead after picking up her third takedown, ultimately winning the bout, 6-5. 

53kg
GOLD - Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) vs. Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)

Semifinal - Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), 5-2.
Semifinal - Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) df. Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL), 6-5.
 

Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), European Championship finalist at 57kg. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

57kg
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) will grapple with Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) in the 57kg gold-medal bout. Ologonova stole her spot in the finals from Azerbaijan's Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 3-2.

The Russian picked up the match-winning takedown with 13-seconds left, closing out the match listening to the Azerbaijan coaching staff pound the mat in disgust. 


GOLD - Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) vs. Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS)

Semifinal - Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) df. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 3-2 
Semifinal - Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL) df. Emese BARKA (HUN), 7-1 
Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS), one of three Russian women to make Friday nights finals. 

62kg
The third Russian to make it to the finals was Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) who routed Germany's Luzie MANZKE, 8-2. Trazhukova kicked started the point scoring friendzy with a four-point throw and closed the match with a takedown and exposure. 


GOLD – Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) vs. Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)

Semifinal - Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) df. Luzie MANZKE (GER), 8-2 
Semifinal - Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL) df. Veranika IVANOVA (BLR), 10-2 65kg
 
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), 65kg European Championship finalist. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

65kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) will take on Finland's 2015 world runner-up, Petra OLLI (FIN) in the 65kg gold-medal bout. 

Olli, the 2017 U23 European champion extended her lead to 1-0 lead after a takedown to a gut wrench. The Bulgarian coaches questioned the call and threw the challenge block. Olli was award the point for the failed challenged and beat Viktoria Ivanova BOBEVA (BUL), 6-0.


GOLD – Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN) vs. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)

Semifinal - Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) df. Henna Katarina JOHANSSON (SWE), 6-1  
Semifinal - Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN) df. Viktoria Ivanova BOBEVA (BUL), 6-0 

Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist. 

72kg
Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist is Sweden's lone women's wrestling finalist at the fourth day of action. She dominated her way to an 8-1 semifinal victory over Turkey's Beste ALTUG and will wrestle Belarus' Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA in Friday nights final.

GOLD - Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) vs. Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)

Semifinal – Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) df. Beste ALTUG (TUR), 8-1
Semifinal - Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) df. Alena PEREPELKINA (RUS), 7-5 

#UnitedWorldWrestling

Wrestlers, coaches successfully complete ITA anti-doping seminars

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (June 25) -- In it's aim to empower wrestlers and others to play clean, United World Wrestling was of the leading International Federations in the International Testing Agency's IF webinar series on anti-doping.

After the completion of the series, a total of 1906 certificates were delivered to wrestlers, coaches and support staff related to wrestling.

The ITA webinar series consisted of three sessions, held every Wednesday from April 9, moderated by either anti-doping specialists or former Olympians.

UWW made it mandatory for all wrestlers participating in the U17, U23, and Senior World Championships, as well as for wrestlers included in the Registered Testing Pool [RTP] list.

This was a significant jump for UWW in the sheer number of participants of the webinars. Last year, for the first season of the ITA IF webinar series in collaboration with UWW, participation was mandatory for wrestlers competing at the World U20 Championships in Pontevedra.

This was also the first time that UWW asked the athletes participating in Grappling and Pankration/Amateur MMA styles to attended the webinars, another leap in guiding, educating and informing the community on anti-doping rules and responsibilities.

All National Federations were made aware of these webinars through a circular from UWW.

"Clean sport education is a cornerstone for clean sport. UWW is bound by the World Anti-Doping Code to plan, implement and promote education, and it remains committed to safeguarding athletes’ health and the integrity of its sport. As part of the global anti-doping movement led by WADA, UWW is also part of a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport. In line with this, all associated Grappling & Pankration Federation must understand and recognize their role and put into place the rules, policies and systems necessary to fulfil their duties under UWW Anti-Doping Rules. UWW Associated Grappling & Pankration Federations are also responsible for providing anti-doping education to ensure that athletes receive proper guidance on clean sport," the circular read.