#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 

#development

ASDEC Chair Niamkey Leads Workshop on Sports Development

By United World Wrestling Press

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (May 9) -- Collaboration, innovation and open exchange was at the heart of a two-day workshop, organised by the ASOIF Sport Development and Education Commission (ASDEC) on May 5 and 6 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The meeting brought together more than 60 participants from 30 International Federations (IFs) for two days of peer exchange and practical discussion on key issues shaping the future of sport development.

Held in a collaborative and informal setting, the workshop focused on topics including coach development, officiating, National Federation support, and the evolving delivery of sport development programme.

During the workshop, Olympic Solidarity hosted roundtable discussions giving participants an opportunity to exchange feedback, ideas and perspectives on existing programmes and future collaboration opportunities.

Participant feedback strongly highlighted the value of the workshop as a trusted environment for open discussion, practical learning and networking across International Federations. Many participants - particularly first-time attendees, but also experienced delegates who had attended numerous workshops - emphasised the importance of having a collaborative and non-political space in which to share challenges, ideas and experiences openly.

ASDEC Chair Deqa NIAMKEY, Development Director at United World Wrestling, highlighted after the workshop:

"The ASDEC Workshop 2026 was a great success, offering International Federations a wide range of relevant topics, including updates on the current trends and landscape of sports business industry, participation programmes, and strategies for entering new markets," Niamkey said.

"The workshop also fostered meaningful discussions with key partners focused on the development and growth of our sports. It continues to serve as an important platform for networking, exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and transferring knowledge, all in line with ASOIF’s broader good governance strategy."

The workshop concept is fully aligned with the third strategic pillar of the ASOIF Strategy 2026–2032, which focuses, among other priorities, on developing and modernising platforms for shared learning and adding value by addressing member priorities and sector developments.

Read More: From AI to Officiating, ASOIF Workshop Explores Future of Sport Development