#kaspeuro2018

Kayaalp Wins Eighth Euro Gold, Vlasov Snags Third

Tuesday, May 1, 2018 - 20:07 By Eric Olanowski

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KASPIYSK, Russia (May 1) - Three-time world champion and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Riza Kayaalp added to his record haul of European titles on Tuesday night in Dagestan, winning his eighth continental gold medal in front a packed house at the Palace of Sport and Youth in Kaspisk.

Kayaalp came into the 130kg finals bout outscoring his opponents 18-0 but ceded a point early in the first period against Vitalii SHCHUR’s (RUS) when the Turk was hit with a one-point passivity. Kayaalp shook off the disappointment and stopped Shchur’s gut wrench attempts from the top position.

The second period was all Kayaalp as he outpaced Shchur 2-0 to earn the 2-1 win and his record eighth European title, the most of any Turkish wrestler.

Roman VLASOV (RUS) uses a four-point throw to beat 2017 world champion Victor NEMES (SRB). (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

Not to be outshone at home, two-time Olympic champions Roman VLASOV (RUS), dominated in his finals match to capture a third European title. Vlasov went into the 77kg gold-medal on a tear, racking up 18 points in his first three matches, all without giving up a point. However, after an accidental head-butt in the first minute of his finals against 2017 world champion Viktor NEMES (SRB) opened up a gash above his left eye Vlasov ceded his first point.

Facing the Russian with his first deficit of the tournament. Up to that point, the two-time Olympic champion had outscored his first three opponents by a combined score of 18-0.

After increasing his pace in the second period, when the clock neared the two-minute mark, the two-time world champion got his opportunity to go in the par terre position. With the cheers of “Roman” throughout the Palace of Sport and Youth, the Russian locked up a highlight-reel belly-to-belly four-point throw on Nemes, giving him the 5-1 victory and returning himself to the top of the 77kg weight class.

 “When you win,” Vlasov said after winning his match, “It always feels like it’s the first time.”

Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) celebrates after winning his first European title. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

At 87kg, 2017 world bronze medalist Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) scored the first point of the bout by earning a passivity point. The Georgian picked up two additional points off a gut wrench, giving him the 3-0 lead. Bekkhan OZDOEV (RUS) finally got on the board after picking up a pushout. He would earn a one-point passivity call, bringing the score to 3-2 with just over a minute left.

Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU) gets his hands raised after beating 2016 Olympic bronze medalists, Stig Ande BERG (NOR), 3-2.

Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU) kicked off the 63kg gold-medal bout with a pair of pushouts to take the 2-0 lead over 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, Stig Ande BERG (NOR) and never looked back, Mihut, who was competing in his second senior-level European championships, improved on his eighth-place finish from a year ago with the 3-2 win over Berge.

Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), the winner of the 55kg gold-medal bout picked up the 8-0 technical superiority victory over Estonia’s Helary MAEGISALU. 

RESULTS
55kg
GOLD: Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df. Helary MAEGISALU (EST), 8-0 

BRONZE: Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) df. Nedyalko Petrov PETROV (BUL), 12-4
BRONZE: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) df. VasilII TOPOEV (RUS), 6-6

63kg
GOLD - Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU) df. Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR), 3-2 

BRONZE - Zaur KABALOEV (RUS) df. Nikolay Ivanov VICHEV (BUL), 9-0
BRONZE - Donior ISLAMOV (MDA) df. Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO), 2-1

77kg
GOLD - Roman VLASOV (RUS) df. Viktor NEMES (SRB), 5-1 

BRONZE -  Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) df. Alex BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE), 7-2
BRONZE - Elvin MURSALIYEV (AZE) df. Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO), 6-2

87kg
GOLD - Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) df. Bekkhan OZDOEV (RUS)

BRONZE - Denis KUDLA (GER) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 3-1
BRONZE - Kristoffer BERG (SWE) df. Mikita KLIMOVICH (BLR), 9-0

130kg
GOLD -  Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Vitalii SHCHUR (RUS), 2-1

BRONZE – Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Miloslav Yuriev METODIEV (BUL), 5-0
BRONZE - Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) df. Balint LAM (HUN), 3-1

#WrestleBudapest

Big-throwing Machado claims debut Ranking Series gold

Monday, July 21, 2025 - 11:08 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 20) -- Thamires MACHADO (BRA) made brief headlines at the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifiers in Mexico. She threw Amit ELOR (USA) for a lateral drop for four points. Machado had Elor in trouble which could have seen Elor, the champion in Paris Games, lose early. However, Machado fizzled out and lost her bout 6-4.

A year later on Saturday, the Brazilian won her first major gold medal at the Budapest Ranking Series after a stunning show of strength and big throws at the Ranking Series over the weekend.

"In every practice back home, I try to do the four-point moves. I want to throw," Machado said after receiving the gold medal.

In other weight classes, Grace BULLEN (NOR) had another epic match with Irina RINGACI (MDA) and won gold at 65kg and Kennedy BLADES (USA) won another Ranking Series gold to remain undefeated at 68kg going into the World Championships.

European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) and Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) won at 55kg and 62kg respectively.

Machado, competing in her first-ever Ranking Series event, won the 76kg gold medal with wins over Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and world U20 champion PRIYA (IND) in semifinal and final, respectively.

In the gold-medal bout, Machadofaced former world U17 and U20 champion Priya and used a similar lateral drop like she did against Elor to score a four-pointer over Priya in the first minute.

Priya was pushing for a stepout and Machado used that momentum to drop her for four-points. It was catch-up from there on for Priya who failed to score any points in the first period. She got a stepout in the second get on board. Struggling to get to Machado's legs, Priya forced another stepout to make it 4-2.

Machado was put on the activity clock in the last minute but she was happy to conceded that point than to go for all-out attack during those 30 seconds. Priya also waited for the activity clock to expire before pushing for a point, perhaps a mistake to take her foot of the pedal in the final minute.

During that time, Machado managed to catch her breath and defended all attacks, including one in the last five seconds to win 4-3 and the gold medal.

"I am happy to win this gold medal in Ranking Series," she said. "This is so special for me"

In the semifinals, Machado got the better of Medet Kyzy, who opened the scoring with a double-leg takedown for two points. She led 3-0 at the break as Machado failed to score after being put on the 30-second activity clock.

Machado got her first points when she defended a leg attack from Medet Kyzy and scored a go-behind takedown. She then launched a powerful gut-wrench and turned her three times to lead 8-3. Two stepouts in quick succession for Medet Kyzy cut Machado's lead to 8-5 but the Kyrgyzstan wrestler had only a minute left to score more points and secure the win.

As they scrambled for the final minute, Machado and Medet Kyzy locked each other at the edge but it was the latter who fell outside of the zone first which gave another point to Machado with 33 seconds left. Machado held her positions better than Medet Kyzy and managed to score another stepout to lead 10-5 and win the bout.

Born in one of the favellas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Machado was part of one of the social project by the local council which taught wrestling to young kids. She joined the program and managed to learn wrestling.

In 2019, she won gold medal at the Pan-Am U20 Championships, her second ever competition. For five years, she was away from wrestling, but in 2024, she returned and won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix and was second at the 2025 Pan-Am Championships.

Bullen survives Ringaci

If both remain at the same weight class in the future, the Bullen-Ringaci rivalry can be the most fearsome in Women's Wrestling. The latest example was their 65kg final in Budapest where Bullen, down 16-8, pinned Ringaci was claim her second win over the former world champion in four months.

Ringaci, who needed one more turn from par terre or just survive the pin from Bullen, was frustrated with yet another loss and pushed aside Bullen after the bout.

The match began with a wonderful counter from Ringaci, who hit a cut-back after a Bullen snap to pass-by and got four points. Watch above. While Bullen survived the fall attempt, she fell behind 6-0.

A little later, it was Ringaci's chance survive a pin attempt from Bullen who lifted Ringaci well over her waist-level and slammed her for four. The first period ended with Bullen leading 6-6 on criteria.

Bullen tried the exact move of snap to pass-by in the second period and this time she succeeded, scoring two points and taking a clear 8-6 lead. Ringaci scored a takedown 30 seconds into the second period and scored six more points using three gut-wrenches. As she was going for the final turn to win the bout, Bullen blocked and got the headlock to pin Ringaci.

An aghast Ringaci was left in tears as Bullen herself was shocked to have won the bout, having snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

At 68kg, Kennedy BLADES (USA) had a fine tournament, winning her second Ranking Series event and third tournament of 2025. In the final, she defeated Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 13-2, a wrestler she had defeated 10-0 at the Zagreb Open in February.

The only bout she was not able to win via technical superiority was her semifinal against Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) as the Bulgarian was able to stop Blades to a 6-2 win. Blades had little injury scare in the final few seconds of the match but managed to continue.

Verbina captured the 55kg gold medal after a controlled 6-1 win over Karla GODINEZ (CAN) in the final while Tandelova blanked Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) 3-0 in the 62kg final.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Karla GODINEZ (CAN), 6-1

BRONZE: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), 10-0

62kg
GOLD: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 3-0

BRONZE: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. Nikolett SZABO (HUN), 10-0
BRONZE: MANISHA (IND) df. Krystsina SAZYKINA (UWW), via fall (9-0)

65kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), via fall (10-16)

BRONZE: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) df. Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Macey KILTY (USA) df. Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR), 10-4

68kg
GOLD: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 13-2

BRONZE: Brooklyn HAYS (USA) df. Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), 5-4
BRONZE: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 11-1

76kg
GOLD: Thamires MACHADO (BRA) df. PRIYA (IND), 4-3

BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW), 11-0
BRONZE: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Seoyeon JEONG (KOR), 12-1