#Yariguin2019

Khizriev Upsets Akgul, Russia Wins Four Golds on Day Three

Saturday, January 26, 2019 - 16:43 By Eric Olanowski

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KRASNOYARSK, Russia (January 26) - Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), Anzhela FOMENKO (RUS), Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS), and Anzor KHIZRIEV (RUS) won gold medals on the third day of competition at the Ivan Yariguin, bringing Russia’s freestyle and women’s wrestling gold medal total to nine.

Akhmed Chakaev, the two-time world bronze medalist, held off Nachyn KUULAR (RUS), 2-1, in a relatively slow-paced 65kg gold-medal bout,  handing Russia their first freestyle gold medal of the day.

Chakaev significantly slowed the pace of the match down with his underhook and paid the price for doing so, getting dinged for an inactivity point in the opening period to trail 1-0. But it was Chakaev who carried the 2-1 lead into the closing period after scoring on a hip lift from Kuular’s high crotch attempt. 

The second period remained scoreless until Kuular snuck behind Chakaev and threw him for four-points shortly after the clock hit zero. The points were award to Kuular and he led 5-2, but Chakaev and his corner were adamant that the time had expired before Kuular scored the four points. After a referees review, it was obvious that Chakaev’s right foot was in bounds as time expired, giving world-class Chechen the 2-1 victory and his second Yariguin title in the past three years. 

Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov won the 79kg round-robin tournament, avenging his first round loss to Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS). 

Gadzhimagomedov dumped Ramazanov to his back for four-points and extended his lead to 6-1 with a first period high crotch. Gadzhimagomedov ultimately defeated Ramazanov 6-2 to reach the top of the Yariguin podium for the fourth time.

Anzor Khizriev, Russia’s third freestyle champion of the day, scored a pair of crotch lifts in the second period and knocked off two-time world and Rio Olympic champion Taha AKGUL (TUR), 7-3, in the 125kg gold-medal match.

Anzhela Fomenko won the fourth and final Russian gold medal of the day, picking up an injury default win over Anna SHCHERBAKOVA (RUS) in the 68kg women's wrestling gold-medal match.  

Mongolia, led by 2015 world champion SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg, won a pair of gold medals on the third day of action in Krasnoyarsk.

Soronzonbold only needed 31 seconds to grab the fall over fellow Mongolian Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) in the 68kg title bout, landing the world champion her second overall Yariguin gold medal, and first since 2015. 

SUKHEE Tserenchimed (MGL) was the second Mongolian wrestler who won a gold medal on the third day of competition. Sukhee capped off her path to a Yariguin title with a 10-5 win over Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS). In addition to her finals wins over Khoroshavtseva, Sukee also scored wins against U23 world champion Grece BULLEN (NOR) and 2017 world bronze medalist Becka LEATHERS (USA). 

The United States’ Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) claimed the final women’s wrestling gold medal to close out the third day of wrestling when she scored a 6-4 come-from-behind win over Natalia MALYSHEVA (RUS) in the 53kg finals.

Hildebrandt, the 2018 world runner-up, fired off a shot on the sound of the opening whistle and locked up the 2-0 advantage.

The American carried the 2-0 lead into the final frame, but her Russian opponent stole the 2-2 criteria advantage with an early second period takedown. The Russian extended her lead to 4-2, shucking-by the American and scoring her second takedown of the period. 

In the closing minute, Hildebrandt tied the match at four-all and grabbed the lead on criteria after she stopped a gut wrench attempt and planted Malysheva on her back. The Russian fought off her back and the Hildebrandt scored two additional exposures points before time expired to become the seventh American female to win a Yariguin title.

The Ivan Yariguin wraps up tomorrow morning with the four freestyle and two women’s wrestling finals. 

RESULTS

Freestyle 

65kg
GOLD - Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) df. Nachyn KUULAR (RUS), 2-1 
BRONZE - Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) df. Cristian Damian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB), 2-1 
BRONZE - Batmagnai BATCHULUUN (MGL) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 4-2 

79kg
GOLD - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS), 6-2
BRONZE - Alexander David DIERINGER (USA) df. Alan ZASEEV (RUS), via inj. def. 

125kg 
GOLD - Anzor KHIZRIEV (RUS) df. Taha AKGUL (TUR), 7-4 
BRONZE -  Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (RUS) df. Zhiwei DENG (CHN), 9-7 

Women’s Wrestling 

53kg 
GOLD - Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Natalia MALYSHEVA (RUS), 6-4 
BRONZE - Leila KARYMOVA (RUS) df. Haley Ruth AUGELLO (USA), via inj. def.
BRONZE - Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL) df. Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS), 11-6 

57kg
GOLD - Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS), 
BRONZE - Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL) df. Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL), 13-9
BRONZE - Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR) df. Becka Anne LEATHERS (USA), via inj. def. 

62kg 
GOLD - Anzhela FOMENKO (RUS) df. Anna SHCHERBAKOVA (RUS), via inj. def. 
BRONZE - Uliana TUKURENOVA (RUS) df. Yaquelin ESTORNELL ELIZASTIGUE (CUB), 7-0 

68kg 
GOLD - SORONZONBOLD Battsetseg (MGL) df. ENKH AMAR Davaanasan (MGL), via fall. 
BRONZE - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Iuliia MAKSIMOVA BARTNOVSKAIA (RUS), 9-0 
BRONZE - Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)df.  Rio WATARI (JPN), 4-3 

#WrestleTirana

Proud to Break Karelin's Record: Says Kayaalp After 13th European Gold

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - 21:34 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 21) -- Soon after he broke Aleksandr KARELIN's record of 12 European Championships gold medals, Riza KAYAALP (TUR) was asked to go through the journey of winning 13 European gold medals in his career.

Kayaalp gave a smirk before going on to replay his journey from his first European Championships title in 2010.

"When you look back, you realize you’ve made 15 finals," Kayaalp said after winning the 130kg gold medal in Tirana. "Back then, I was just thinking whether I could win one or two medals. But then, making the final every time at the European Championships, it’s like a child being born and growing up to 15 years old.

"That’s how long this journey has been. It’s difficult. It requires great consistency. It requires respect for what you do."

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READ MORE: Kayaalp's 13 - New Gold Standard in Europe

Kayaalp's consistency led him to 15 European Championships finals from which he won 13, taking him past Karelin's record. Apart from 2026, Kayaalp won gold in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2010.

"It’s an incredible feeling," he said. "This was my 15th final, and in my 15th final, I achieved my 13th title. I truly believe I’ve set a record that will be very difficult to break. This title is especially valuable to me because achieving such long-term and consistent success -- especially in Europe, where there are very strong nations -- is not easy. I’m very proud to have broken such a big record."

READ MORE: Riza KAYAALP Breaks Karelin's 26-Year Old Record 

Wrestling Tirana for the record, Kayaalp won four bouts, including a 1-1 criteria win against Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) bruised Kayaalp with aggressive wrestling.

"The matches were not easy. I had tough matches," he said. "One of my matches ended 1–1. In the semifinal, I can say I was subjected to some disrespect from a strong opponent in a very intense bout. But compared to those, the final match was more meaningful for me."

WATCH: All of Kayaalp's 13 European Gold Medals

But the final followed a different script as Kayaalp used his gut-wrench to beat Darius VITEK (HUN), 7-1, and finally claim the gold after falling short in 2024 and missing the tournament in 2025.

"When it became 7-0, well, I’m an athlete who doesn’t like to concede points," he said. "I don’t like giving points away, so I managed to protect that score. I can say I went through the second period quite comfortably, and having a 7–0 lead helped."

The 16-year dominance in Europe has taken a big part of Kayaalp's career but the five-time world champion believes that his commitment sets an example for the young wrestlers in Turkiye. 

"This comes from the respect I have for wrestling," he said. "If I’m going to do this, I have to do it at the highest level. I believe this success came because I always aimed to be the best. I’ve always done it with love.

"There are tens of thousands of wrestlers in Turkiye. We’ve been able to set an example for them. That’s very important. There are also many people around the world who look up to us."

WATCH: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs Darius VITEK (HUN)

Though they were not present in Tirana, Kayaalp dedicated his title to his wife and daughter. He shared that when he was away from wrestling, his daughter would pray for his return to the mat.

"[I want to dedicate this medal] to my wife and daughters, who have always been by my side through both good and bad times," he said. "To my family, to my father, to everyone who loves us, to my coaches, my fellow athletes, and to the Turkish people. I dedicate this great success to all of them."