#Grappling

Gold rush for Individual Neutral Athletes at European Grappling

Thursday, May 30, 2024 - 08:20 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (May 28) -- Baku was expecting a grand show of grappling at the European Grappling Championships. But it was not ready for the Individual Neutral Athlete storm that hit.

Sweeping all 10 weight classes, Individual Neutral Athletes won 10 gold medals, making up for the previous championships they missed. Not only that, out of the 10 wins in the final, six of them were via submission.

The first day of the European Championships began with Akhmednabi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) winning the 58kg gold medal over Ilia ABRAMENKO (AIN). The gold medal rush continued with Magomed SHAKHBANOV (AIN) submitting Magomedbek TEMEEV (AIN) in the 62kg final. This was his third victory by submission in three matches.

Khabiob ATLUEV (AIN) at 66kg and Apandi AMAGAEV (AIN) at 71kg also won their gold medal via submission continuing the trend of one-sided finals in Baku.

It took Jakob NAJDEK (POL) to finally stop that trend. But that’s all he did. Ivan LISOGOROV (AIN) may not have gotten the submission but he dominated the 77kg final, beating Najdek 7-0 for the gold medal.

Pawel JAWORSKI (POL) took a step closer by scoring points on Murad ABDULATIPOV (AIN) but failed to go all the way, dropping the 84kg final 4-2. Mukhamed URUSOV (AIN) found it difficult to negate Piotr FRECHOWICZ (POL) but managed to hang on for a 2-2 win and claimed the 92kg gold medal.

100kg world champion Andrzej IWAT (POL) dropped a close semifinal against Shamil MAZHIDKHANOV (AIN) who went on to win the gold medal with a 6-3 win over Manuel PILATO (ITA) in the final.

In the 130kg weight, renamed from the 100+ kg, Daudgadzhi IBRAGIMOV (AIN) managed to hold off Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA) 5-3 to win the gold medal.

Olesia ZHURAVLEVA (AIN)Olesia ZHURAVLEVA (AIN) won all four of her bouts via submission. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

In the women’s grappling competition, Carlota PRENEDES (ESP) recovered from an early loss to Alicja STYPULKOWSKA (POL) in a round-robin to beat the Pole via submission in the 53kg final.

At 58kg, Olesia ZHURAVLEVA (AIN) showed her class, winning four bouts via submission to win the gold with no troubles. She defeated Victoria SHERHIIENKO (UKR) twice, once in round 3 and then in the final, to finish at the top of the podium. In another AIN vs Ukraine final, Irina CHERNYSHOVA (AIN) won the 64kg gold medal over Daria CHIBISOVA (UKR) 10-2.

Alsu IANSHINA (AIN) also dominated her weight class, winning the 71kg gold medal over Alycia QUENEE (FRA) via submission, her third in four bouts.

Justyna SITKO (POL) managed to clinch the 90kg gold medal with a victory by submission over Paula MARTINEZ (ESP).

RESULTS

Men's Grappling

58kg
GOLD: Akhmednabi MAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Ilia ABRAMENKO (AIN), via submission

BRONZE: Illia SVIATUN (UKR) df. Alejandro REYES (ESP), via submission
BRONZE: Jerzy IZDEBSKI (POL) df. Bohdan CHORNEI (UKR), 5-2

62kg
GOLD: Magomed SHAKHBANOV (AIN) df. Magomedbek TEMEEV (AIN), via submission

BRONZE: Loris ZANOLINI (ITA) df. Farhad BAGIROV (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE: Andrii TSVYK (UKR) df. Guillermo GUTIERREZ (ESP), 5-2

66kg
GOLD: Khabib ATLUEV (AIN) df. Artur AGASHIRINOV (AIN), via submission

BRONZE: Giorgi RAZMADZE (GEO) df. Abdulla ABSHAROV (AZE), via submission
BRONZE: Anthony DE OLIVEIRA (FRA) df. Adam VERES KOVACS (HUN), via submission

71kg
GOLD: Apandi AMAGAEV (AIN) df. Ihor DMYTRASH (UKR), via submission

BRONZE: Dzhimsher RAZMADZE (GEO) df. Arsen IBRAGIMOV (AIN), via submission (3-3)
BRONZE: Samuel CHAGNY (FRA) df. Samik RAMAZANOV (AZE), 3-2

77kg
GOLD: Ivan LISOGOROV (AIN) df. Jakub NAJDEK (POL), 7-0

BRONZE: Nikolaos POLYDOROS (GRE) df. Arthur LEROY (FRA), 3-1
BRONZE: Iker CAMARA (ESP) df. Serhii KUZMYCHOV (UKR), via submission

84kg
GOLD: Murad ABDULATIPOV (AIN) df. Pawel JAWORSKI (POL), 4-2

BRONZE: Pierre MANZO (FRA) df. Davud MAGOMEDOV (AIN), 4-4
BRONZE: Samy MEZACHE (FRA) df. Pavlo MAKSYMCHUK (UKR), via submission

92kg
GOLD: Mukhamed URUSOV (AIN) df. Piotr FRECHOWICZ (POL), 2-2

BRONZE: Mateusz MAZUR (POL) df. Mantas DAUBLYS (LTU), 5-3
BRONZE: Levente LAKY (HUN) df. Wilfried EDMUND (FRA), 8-3

100kg
GOLD: Shamil MAZHIDKHANOV (AIN) df. Manuel PILATO (ITA), 6-3

BRONZE: Andrzej IWAT (POL) df. Gamzat GAMZATOV (AIN), via submission (4-4)
BRONZE: Danielius GREBLIUNAS (LTU) df. Tural AZAYEV (AZE), 2-2 in overtime

130kg
GOLD: Daudgadzhi IBRAGIMOV (AIN) df. Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA), 5-3

BRONZE: Ioannis KARGIOTAKIS (GRE) df. Lukasz OLECH (POL), 8-3
BRONZE: Nizami GAFAROV (AZE) df. Mykola MATSEIKO (UKR), 5-3

Women's Grappling

53kg
GOLD: Carlota PRENDES (ESP) df. Alicja IRENA (POL), via submission

BRONZE: Zuzanna KOWALSKA (POL) df. Kristina RAU (GER), 9-7

58kg
GOLD: Olesia ZHURAVLEVA (AIN) df. Viktoriia SERHIIENKO (UKR), via submission

BRONZE: Irina KUPRINA (AIN) df. Jazmin ARJONA (ESP), 11-6

64kg
GOLD: Irina CHERNYSHOVA (AIN) df. Daria CHIBISOVA (UKR), 10-2

BRONZE: Julija STOLIARENKO (LTU) df. Veronika KARAKHONOVA (AIN), via submission
BRONZE: Giulia RODIO (ITA) df. Laila OHLHOFF (GER), 8-2

71kg
GOLD: Alsu IANSHINA (AIN) df. Alycia QUENEE (FRA), via submission

BRONZE: Emily GUENZLER (GER) df. Daniella SANTANA FABELO (ESP), via submission

90kg
GOLD: Justyna SITKO (POL) df. Paula MARTINEZ BORREGUERO (ESP), via submission

BRONZE: Alena VLASOVA (AIN) df. Janina CZYCZYN (POL), 6-2

#WrestleSamokov

Yakushenko, Zakriev one win away from second U20 World gold

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 16:01 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 22) -- Defending champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) returned to the final at 97kg as he once again managed to beat silver medalist Darius KIEFER (GER).

Unlike finals last year, both met in the semifinals this year but the result was no different as Yakusheno was clearly the better wrestler on Friday. After getting the first par terre position, Yakushenko turned Kiefer for two points and then lifted the German for a correct throw for two points for a 5-1 lead.

Kiefer got par terre in the second period and tried to get the turn but managed only a point for stepout from Yakushenko, making the score 5-2. That was all the action in the match as Yakushenko let out a loud cry after victory and so did Kiefer after his loss.

Yakushenko now leads the head-to-head 3-1 with the one loss coming in the European U20 Championships final this year in Carole, Italy.

He will face a new challenge in Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) in the final after the Iranian managed to over come Ilia KOMAROV (UWW) in the second semifinal, which was also a match decided from par terre.

Seydi Avendi led 5-0 at the break and was put in par terre in the second period and Komarov needed two turns for a 5-5 criteria lead. However, he managed to turn Seydi Avendi only once for two points to cut the lead to 5-3.

Iran had a second finalist in 55kg as 2023 world U17 champion Payam AHMADI (IRI) scored a 3-0 victory over Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) in the semifinals. He will face another 2023 world U17 champion in Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) who defeated Daisuke MORISHITA (JPN), 10-2.

Dashdamirov had a difficult opening bout against Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series gold medalist Anil MOR (IND) but managed to hold on to a 9-9 criteria win.

At 72kg, Asian U20 champion Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) and European U20 silver medalist Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) reached the final after impressive wins.

Kodirov face Oliver PADA (FIN) in the semifinal but managed to hold on to an 11-3 technical superiority win as Pada failed to finish his attempted bodylock throws.

Terteryan faced former world U17 champion at 71kg Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) but shut him down with defense to win 5-1.

Zakriev chases second title

Returning world 63kg champion Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) moved up to 67kg for this year's World U20 Championships but followed a similar path to the finals. Zakriev had a troublesome semifinal last year and there was difference this year as he almost got pinned in the semifinals again.

Facing European U20 bronze medalist Fariam MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), Zakriev tried to do a suplex but landed on his back with Mustafayev on top. The Azerbaijan wrestler was awarded two points and he almost sat on Zakriev for the fall but the time ran out in the first period.

He then managed to return with takedown despite Mustafayev's pressure who scored two stepouts. But as Mustafayev tried a big throw, Zakriev landed on top and got four points and won 14-7.

For his second straight gold medal, Zakriev will face Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ), the Asian U20 champion, who had a controlled 5-1 win over Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB).

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI) vs. Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE)

SF 1: Payam AHMADI BALOOTAKI (IRI) df. Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ), 3-0
SF 2: Turan DASHDAMIROV (AZE) df. Daisuke MORISHITA (JPN), 10-2

67kg
GOLD: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) vs. Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW)

SF 1: Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) df. Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB), 5-1
SF 2: Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW) df. Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), 14-7

72kg
GOLD: Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) vs. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Ahmad KODIROV (UZB) df. Oliver PADA (FIN), 11-3
SF 2: Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) df. Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE), 5-1

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) vs. Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI)

SF 1: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Darius KIEFER (GER), 5-2
SF 2: Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) df. Ilia KOMAROV (UWW), 5-3