Kayaalp, Maskevich Dominate Through Finals; Russia Wins WW Title

Friday, April 23, 2021 - 20:37 By Vinay Siwach

WARSAW, Poland (April 23) -- No spectators were allowed at the Sportowa COS Torwar stadium in Warsaw, but if they were, Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) and Riza KAYAALP (TUR) would have received the loudest cheer as both made it the finals of their respective weight categories in style.

While their both reached the summit clash, their paths were contrasting. Kayaalp used his experience to set up the opponents before dominating them in the three wins he needed to reach the final at 130kg. Kayaalp is chasing his 10th senior European title and is one step away from that.

Maskevich was more aggressive and had some hiccups before he entered the final at 87kg. After battling a world medalist, a world champion and even coming from behind to win, the young Belarussian phenom will look to win his first senior European title on Saturday.

Kayaalp led the way as three Turkish wrestlers made it to the final followed by two from Russia. Azerbaijan, Hungary, Belarus, Serbia and Georgia also had a finalist each.

The senior European Championships in Warsaw, Poland entered its fifth day with Greco-Roman action beginning in five weight categories – 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg. The medal bouts of the five women's weight category were also held as Russia won the team title.

Close to two months after he won the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series gold medal, Kayaalp was back on the mat. Beginning with the qualification round, the Turkey legend got going with a technical superiority win over Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR).

In the quarterfinal, Alin CIURARIU (ROU) had no chance one Kayaalp had been down on the mat. He completed a 8-0 win over the Romanian to move into the semifinal.

He took some time but once Eduard POPP (GER) was called for inactivity, Kayaalp got two turns and then a fall to reach his 11th European championship final.

Testing him in the final on Saturday will be 2019 World bronze medalist and European Games champion Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) who defeated Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU) 5-0 in the other semifinal.

This will be a rematch of the 2019 European Championships final which the Turkey wrestler won with ease.

Kiryl MASKEVICH European Championships 2021 — Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) reacts after beating Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) in Warsaw. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Another rematch in the final will be at 87kg as Maskevich will face Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) for the gold medal. The two met four months ago at the Individual World Cup in Belgrade, for a quarterfinal spot which Maskevich, the eventual champion, won 10-3.

Maskevich was one to enthrall live viewers from the word go as he opened up with a big opening round win against multiple time world medalist Viktor LORINCZ (HUN). He launched a pair of lifts to finish the bout in the first period itself with a score of 9-0.

But his tournament was well over when Individual World Cup winner at 82kg Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) led, 6-0. Maskevich then launched a headlock to pin the Russian to his back and he held it long enough to get the fall. He let out a loud roar before consoling his opponent.

Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO) was his next victim as he scored a 9-1 win over the Georgian to reach the semifinal and win it against Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) 9-1.

Serbian transfer from Georgia Datunashvili had a field as well on the other side of the 87kg bracket as he defeated world champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR), 1-1, in the quarterfinal before humbling Rio Olympic bronze medalist and world silver medalist Denis KUDLA (GER),2-1, in the semifinal.

At 55kg, a pair of world champions failed to reach the finals as Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) defeated 2019 world champion at 55kg Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), 9-0, in the quarterfinals before losing his semifinal against Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) 5-4.

This was Azizli's second straight win over Tsurtsumia after winning the semifinal at the 2018 World Championships. But he could not keep up his performance as he lost 4-5 against Sefershaev.

Azizli led 2-1 in the semifinal after the first period as he gave a point for inactivity but Sefershaev failed to roll him, instead gave up two points.

The second period saw Azizli getting another passive warning which made the score 2-2. A pushout, which was challenged by Russia, gave him a 4-2 lead which was intact until 18 seconds were left in the bout.

Sefershaev jumped over Azizli and grabbed him for a reverse lock and exposed him for two. The call was challenged by Azerbaijan but with no luck. In the end, it was a close, heartbreaking loss for Azizli.

From the other side of the bracket, 2018 world bronze medalist Ekrem OZTURK made it to the finals after beating Rudik MKRTHCHYAN (ARM), 5-4, and producing a technical superiority win over Artsiom KATSAR (BLR) in the semifinal.

Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) European Championships 2021

Another thriller was seen at 63kg as World Cup winner Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) scored nine points in the second period after trailing 0-5 against junior European champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) to win 9-5.

As if waiting for the passivity call against Abuladze, Lokyaev lifted him twice for four-point throws and won the battle.

He will face Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) in the final as the Azerbaijan wrestler defeated Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT) 7-1. Had the Latvian wrestler reached the final, it would have been his country's first senior European medal in 83 years.

Mammadov and Lokyaev wrestled in the quarterfinal at the Individual World Cup in November last year with the Russian claiming a 2-0 win.

Another world champion to make it to the final with ease was Tamas LORINCZ (HUN). He had little to no trouble to reach the 77kg final against Yunus BASAR (TUR).

In the semifinal, Lorincz won 5-0 against Michael WIDMAYER (GER) while Basar was happy with a 4-0 win over Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR), who had earlier ended the tournament for 72kg world champion Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) with 12-3 win.

Ringaci avenges loss, Russia win title

As soon as the 65kg final finished, Irina RINGACI (MDA) ran to her coach for a long hug. The Moldova wrestler ran back to the mat as the referee raised her hand as the champion of Europe. While it was an overwhelming feeling for her, it became even more emotional given the manner in which she won the gold medal.

Over four months ago, Ringaci was in the final of the Individual World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia, and a win away from winning the gold. But all her dreams came crashing down as Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) defeated her, 14-4.

Cut to April in Warsaw, the two faced each other in the European Championships final, and this time, Ringaci makes no mistake and claims a technical superiority 10-0 win over Rizhko.

Ringaci got a body lock from behind to send Rizhko flying for a four before she came out on top in scramble she initiated using a slide-by. Two chest wrap exposures were enough for her to claim the gold medal in the Polish capital.

That denied Ukraine three gold medals which could have propelled them to a team title on the final day of women's wrestling. Russia claimed the title after Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) won the 53kg gold medal while Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) won the bronze at 72kg.

Ukraine's two gold medals came via Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) at 62kg as she denied Marianna SASTIN (HUN) her first European gold medal. Alla BELINSKA (UKR) also won a gold medal for her country as she defeated Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) 6-3 in the 72kg final.

Sastin tried hard to get a big attack in the final seconds of the 62kg final but Koliadenko was strong enough to hold her 4-1 lead and win the gold medal. This was Sastin's seventh European medal but none of them the top one.

Olympic silver medalist Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS)'s troubles continued at 62kg as she lost the bronze medal bout 0-5 to Veranika IVANOVA (BLR). On Thursday, she had suffered a loss by fall in the semifinal.

The second bronze at 62kg went to Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL) as world silver medalist Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) opted out.

In the 53kg final, Khoroshavtseva was totally dominant against Rio Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) and gave no chance to her in the final. Three takedowns and a lost challenge from Greece handed her a 7-0 win.

The bronze medal at 53kg went to Iulia LEORDA (MDA) who defeated Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE) 10-0 and Annika WENDLE (GER) who came out on top against Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 8-1.

Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) ended the dream run and home country's gold medal hope Anhelina LYSAK (POL) by beating her 15-4 in the 57kg final.

Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) fought out a close bronze medal bout against Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) at 57kg but won 8-7. Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) completed a victory via fall over Francesca INDELICATO (ITA) to win the second bronze at the weight.

Kriszta INCZE (ROU) and Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL) captured the bronze medals at 65kg with a 4-3 win and a victory by fall over IrIna Petrovna NETREBA (AZE) and Alina ANTIPOVA (LAT), respectively.

In the final weight category of the day, 72kg, Dalma CANEVA (ITA) battled it out against Maria SELMAIER (GER) for a 3-2 win and the bronze medal. Zakharchenko won the other with an 11-0 win over Merve PUL (TUR).

Greco-Roman Semifinal Results

55kg
GOLD - Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) vs. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)

SEMIFINAL - Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 5-4
SEMIFINAL - Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) df. Artsiom KATSAR (BLR), 8-0

63kg
GOLD - Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) vs. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)

SEMIFINAL - Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) df. Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 9-5
SEMIFINAL - Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT), 7-1

77kg
GOLD - Yunus BASAR (TUR) vs. Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)

SEMIFINAL - Yunus BASAR (TUR) df. Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR), 4-0
SEMIFINAL - Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) df. Michael WIDMAYER (GER), 5-0

87kg
GOLD - Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) vs. Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)

SEMIFINAL - Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) df. Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN), 9-1
SEMIFINAL - Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) df. Denis KUDLA (GER), 2-1

130kg
GOLD - Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)

SEMIFINAL - Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Eduard POPP (GER), via fall
SEMIFINAL - Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU), 5-0

European Championships 2021 WW 62kg podium

Day Five WW Medal Results

53kg
GOLD - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), 7-0

BRONZE - Iulia LEORDA (MDA) df. Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE - Annika WENDLE (GER) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 8-1

57kg
GOLD - Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Anhelina LYSAK (POL), 15-4

BRONZE - Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 8-7
BRONZE - Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) df. Francesca INDELICATO (ITA), via fall

62kg
GOLD - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Marianna SASTIN (HUN), 4-1

BRONZE - Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) df. Valeria KOBLOVA ZHOLOBOVA (RUS),5-0
BRONZE - Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL) df. Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL), via fall

65kg
GOLD - Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR), 10-0

BRONZE - Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU) df. IrIna Petrovna NETREBA (AZE), 4-3
BRONZE - Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL) df. Alina Aleksandra ANTIPOVA (LAT), via fall

72kg
GOLD - Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL), 6-3

BRONZE - Dalma CANEVA (ITA) df. Maria SELMAIER (GER), 3-2
BRONZE - Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) df. Merve PUL (TUR), 11-0

#JapanWrestling

Ono entered at 57kg, Susaki at 50kg for All-Japan Championships

Thursday, December 4, 2025 - 15:34 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 4) -- After winning both the U20 and senior world titles at freestyle 61kg within a two-month span in the autumn of 2024, Masanosuke ONO all but disappeared from the Japanese wrestling scene.

That culminated with his announcement in March this year that, having left Yamanashi Gakuin University, he had committed to wrestle at U.S. collegiate powerhouse Penn State. He has not been seen on the mats of Japan since.

Ono will compete once again in his home country, dropping down from 61kg to 57kg for the upcoming Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym, according to the entry list announced Thursday by the Japan Wrestling Federation.

The tournament, to be held December 18-21, will also serve as the domestic qualifier for next year's Asian Championships, and the first of two qualifiers for the Asian Games and World Championships in 2026.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN) will compete at 50kg at the Emperor's Cup. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Among other notable recent absentees appearing on the entry list is Yui SUSAKI, the 2021 Tokyo Olympic champion at 50kg who had to settle for a bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She will compete at 50kg, putting to bed speculation that she might move up to the 53kg division.

"This will be a tournament to start me anew on the road to the Los Angeles Olympics," Susaki said in an online press conference with the Japanese media, as reported by Wrestling-Spirits.jp.

"In order to reclaim the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics, as a challenger starting from scratch, I want to win in a Yui Susaki-esque way of wrestling."

The 21-year-old Ono had been a question mark with the tournament falling in the middle of the Penn State season. But the decision to redshirt Ono -- the system of allowing him to train with the team while withholding him from competition to maintain an extra year of eligibility -- opened the door for him to make the trip back to Japan.

Assuming he does not have trouble making weight, he should be the class of the 57kg field, with his toughest competition most likely coming from two-time Asian bronze medalist Rikuto ARAI.

One opponent he won't have to contend with is Paris Olympic champion Rei HIGUCHI, who decided to continue delaying his return to action. Also missing is defending champion Rin SAKAMOTO, who was injured at the World Championships. With Sakamoto also across the Pacific at Oklahoma State University, it prevents a rare clash of U.S.-based wrestlers.

Susaki only returned to action in September, and both of her forays were at 53kg. That, and the well-publicized move up to 57kg by Akari FUJINAMI, the 53kg champion in Paris, fueled conjecture that Susaki might also move up.

Susaki started at the National Sports Festival, where she competed at 53kg if for no other reason that it was one of only two women's weight classes in the competition. She lost a defensive-oriented 2-1 decision to 2024 world 55kg champion Moe KIYOOKA in the quarterfinals, marking her first loss to a Japanese opponent in six years.

"Losing at the National Sports Festival gave me the chance to look inside myself," Susaki said. "The result was really disappointing, but I'm glad I took part and was grateful for the opportunity."

Now 26, the four-time world champion is firmly determined to regain the Olympic gold that eluded her in Paris with a heart-breaking last-second loss to Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) in the opening round.

"I truly was shown just how difficult and challenging it was to win at the Paris Olympics. It also gave me a chance to reflect on the preparation process leading up to the competition and what was needed mentally for the Olympics. I will work hard to use that experience to make sure I win the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics."

Susaki's top challengers at the Emperor's Cup appear to be world U23 bronze medalist Umi ITO and Haruna MORIKAWA, the world U23 champion at 53kg.

Meanwhile the presence of Fujinami, who added the world U23 title in October to her burgeoning resume, has been immediately felt at 57kg. Despite being an Olympic weight class, the division drew just nine others who will look to end the 21-year-old superstar's 147-match winning streak.

Her most potentially dangerous opponent could be Asian champion Sara NATAMI. At the National Sports Festival, she was losing 8-1 at 62kg to world 59kg champion Sakura ONISHI when she countered a takedown attempt by slamming her to her back for a fall.

Paris Olympic and 2025 world champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Golden trio at women's 62kg; returns of Paris champs Fumita, Kagami

As with any Japan competition that has world or Olympic berths at stake, a number of weight classes could see clashes between multiple wrestlers with global successes as they jockey for position in the run-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

And in one case, there are three at once, while two other weight classes could have direct clashes of champions from this year's worlds in Zagreb, Croatia.

At women's 62kg, Paris and 2025 world gold medalist Sakura MOTOKI will renew her rivalry with two-time former world champion Nonoka OZAKI, while Onishi moves up from 59kg to join the mix and can't be overlooked.

At women’s 68kg, reigning world champion Ami ISHII could lock horns with Miwa MORIKAWA, the gold medalist at 65kg, while at freestyle 74kg, we could see a battle between Zagreb winner Kota TAKAHASHI and 70kg titlist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI.

Like Susaki, all of Japan's large group of Paris medalists took some time off to bask in the spotlight before gradually returning to the mat over the past two years.

Two of the remaining gold medalist holdouts -- Kenichiro FUMITA and Yuka KAGAMI -- will both take the mat for the first time since their Paris victories at the Emperor's Cup.

Fumita, who won an elusive gold medal in Paris at Greco 60kg after taking the silver at Tokyo 2021, is entered at 63kg, where he will aim for a fifth national title and first since 2022. Kagami is entered at her gold medal-winning weight of women's 76kg. Their own rustiness may be more of a factor then the opponents.

While away from competition, Fumita spent the ensuing time experimenting with different methods as he looks to expand his reportoire.

"I have some anxiety, but I'm also looking forward to it," Fumita told Wrestling-Spirits.jp. "I achieved my goal in Paris, and on top of that, I've been taking a good look at wrestling. it. It was a year and four months full of new experiences. This will be a battlefield to reveal my new wrestling. I want to show wrestling that is free and unrestrained."

Fumita said he observed the nerves shown by fellow Paris gold medalists Nao KUSAKA (Greco 77kg) and Kotaro KIYOOKA (freestyle 65kg) when they returned to mat ahead of him at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships last spring.

"Before their matches, both of them looked pale," Fumita said. "I want to focus on fighting without putting too much pressure on myself. For better or worse, I want to fight thinking of myself as a different person than I was in Paris."

Other intriguing weight classes include freestyle 65kg, where Kiyooka may have to contend with Asian champion Kaisei TANABE, Asian 61kg champion Takara SUDA and two-time world U20 champion Yuto NISHIUCHI.

Two gold medalists from Tokyo who took time off for marriage and childbirth are back, with Mayu SHIDOCHI (nee MUKAIDA) challenging Moe Kiyooka at women's 55kg and Yukako INAMURA (nee KAWAI) entered at 59kg.

In Greco, rising star Taizo YOSHIDA, a bronze medalist at both the U20 and senior worlds this year at 82kg, has moved up to 87kg, where he will challenge two-time defending champion So SAKABE.

Kayaalp, Maskevich Dominate Through Finals; Russia Wins WW Title

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Ono entered at 57kg, Susaki at 50kg for All-Japan Championships