#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

#WrestleNoviSad

Fujinami wins U23 world gold with perfect debut at 57kg

Saturday, October 25, 2025 - 00:37 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 24) -- Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) said she was 'a little nervous' before coming to Novi Sad for her first international tournament at 57kg.

On the mat, however, the Paris Olympic champion showed no signs of nerves.

Fujinami won her first U23 world title, extended her win streak to 145 matches dating back to 2017 and made a golden debut at the new weight class. Even more remarkable was the manner in which she won her all bouts, via technical superiority.

"It was my first match in a long time," Fujinami said. "I think it was a tournament where I was able to show my skills I had practiced, feeling relieved and have fun playing in the competition."

In the 57kg final, it took Fujinami only five second to hit that outside single against Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) and score the first takedown. Another similar attack and she was up 4-0. A go-behind made it 6-0 and a transitioned double-leg attack gave her four points as she won 10-0.

"I could feel the power of my opponents in the new weight class," Fujinami said. "I still had to reduce weight but I feel that I moved very well on the mat.

"As for the final, when it comes to handling when (my) head is outside, foreign players are strong [in dealing with that], so I have honed my skills a lot. It's a move that doesn't let the opponent get together, or to tackle."

Fujinami, who won the Japan's Queens Cup in April to qualify for the U23 World Championships, decided to skip the Meiji Cup and in turn the World Championships in Zagreb, as she would not be ready physically for the challenge.

The U23 Worlds, however, laid a perfect platform for her to test herself as she gears up for the all-important Emperor's Cup in December. In Novi Sad, she spent a total of 8:22 on the mat in four bouts with little trouble.

"I wasn't aware of it at all," she said about winning every bout via technical superiority. "I thought I was just doing what I had been doing. This time, I was practicing not only tackles but also snaps. It's a move like Masanosuke ONO, who dropped his opponent down. I want to practice more and more and make it a technique that can score."

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) won the gold medal at 57kg at the U23 World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The competition at Emperor's Cup, which Fujinami wants to win in order to compete at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in 2026, will be much tougher. Apart from the regulars at 57kg including Sara NATAMI (JPN), Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) and Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), a possible return of fellow Paris Olympic champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), may spice up the competition.

Fujinami also has eyes on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and in particular wrestling one wrestler -- Helen MAROULIS (USA).

"I respect Helen Maroulis a lot," she said. "But now I am at 57kg and I must beat her."

In other women's wrestling finals on Friday, Kazakhstan got its first-ever U23 world champion in women's wrestling after Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) held on to a thrilling win against Tuba DEMIR (TUR) at 55kg.

Omirbek got a takedown to start the final as Demir was put on the activity clock. She then turned Demir three times using an underhook from behind and stretching the other arm of Demir for exposure. As the sequence finished, Omirbek was up 9-0.

Demir made a match out of it when she hit a slick ankle pick and landed Omirbek in danger for four points which she got after a challenge. A double-leg attack gave her two more points to make it 9-6.

The dramatic part of the final began now as Demir added another takedown to cut the lead to one point, 9-8, before exposing Omirbek for danger but the referees scored it as neutral as the Kazakhstan wrestler may not been have in danger position.

Not disheartened by the decision, Demir launched another attacked and almost got the stepout with 15 seconds left. However, the referees called it par terre position for both wrestlers and no points were given. Turkiye decided to challenge this time only to lose it and give a 10-8 lead to Omirbek.

After Demir missed her desperate shot, Omirbek circled and got behind to get two more points before bursting into a celebration with her coaches.

Turkiye's gloomy mood changed a little when Nesrin BAS (TUR) won her third U23 world title at 68kg in a dominant fashion. Bas now has three golds and one silver U23 Worlds.

The European and world silver medalist was facing Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the final and at no point she seemed in any danger of losing her title. She began with a single leg for takedown before a fireman's carry added two more point to her score.

It was way to simple from there on as Bas used a low single, go-behind and elevated leg takedown to finish the match 10-0. She joins Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Alenxadrin GUTU (MDA) as three-time U23 world champions.

At 65kg, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) pinned Yuqi RAO (CHN) in the final using a fireman's carry and finishing the bout in just a minute and four seconds to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 12-8

BRONZE: NISHU (IND) df. Albina RILLIA (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Amory ANDRICH (GER) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-5

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Neha SHARMA (IND) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE: Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) df. Emine CAKMAK (TUR), 6-4

65kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. Yuqi RAO (CHN), via fall (4-0)

BRONZE: PULKIT (IND) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), 8-4 
BRONZE: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) df. Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB), 10-0

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Gerda BARTH (GER), 4-2
BRONZE: SRISHTI (IND) df. Karolina POK (HUN), 6-1

Women's Wrestling Semifinal

53kg
GOLD: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Hansika LAMBA (IND)

SF 1: Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR), 5-2
SF 2: Hansika LAMBA (IND) df. Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), 11-0

59kg
GOLD: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) vs. SARIKA (IND)

SF 1: Ruka NATAMI (JPN) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: SARIKA (IND) df. Olha PADOSHYK (POL), 12-6

62kg
GOLD: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Immacolata DANISE (ITA), via fall
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Astrid MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN), 8-5

Freestyle Semifinal

74kg
GOLD: Halit OZMUS (TUR) vs. Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA)

SF 1: Halit OZMUS (TUR) df. Magomed KHANIEV (AZE), 7-3
SF 2: Mitchell MESENBRINK (USA) df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), 7-4

92kg
GOLD: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) vs. Mobin AZIMI (IRI)

SF 1: Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW) df. Ion DEMIAN (MDA), 12-1
SF 2: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) df. Ivan CHORNOHUZ (UKR), 12-1