#Rome2018

Komarov Wins Fourth European Junior Gold

By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (August 1) - Russia inserted four wrestlers into gold medal bouts on the final day of Greco-Roman action at the 2018 European Junior Championships and won two gold medals, bringing their overall tournament total to four gold medals. 

Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS) and Artur SARGSIAN (RUS) were the two Russians who were successful in their championship matches on the third day of wrestling in Rome. 

Komarov, the three-time age-level world champion and most dominant Junior in the world defeated Nicu Samuel OJOG (ROU), 5-2 in the 82kg gold medal bout. 

The four-time age-level European champion trailed 2-1 after surrendering a pair of step outs in the opening minute of the bout. Shortly after, the Russian stopped an arm-spin attempt and scored the match's first takedown, taking the 3-2 lead.

Komarov, who remains undefeated on his international career (cadet, junior and senior) scored his second takedown of the match and extended his lead to three points. Ultimately, his takedown to close out the opening period ended up being the final points of the bout which give Russia their third Greco-Roman gold medal of the competition. 

Artur Sargsian gave Russia their second gold medal of the day and fourth overall with a dominating 8-0 shutout performance over Markus RAGGINGER (AUT) in the 97kg championship match. 

The Russians pace was too high for Ragginger to match, as he bolted out to a 6-0 lead, scoring a takedown along with a massive four points off a throw to end the first period with a six-point lead. 

Sargsian's shuck-by with 30 seconds left ended the match and gave him his first continental championship gold medal. 

Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Germany won the remaining three gold medals on the final day of Greco-Roman competition. 

At 60kg, Germany’s 2015 cadet world bronze medalist, Andrej GINC (GER), rolled over Abu AMAEV (RUS), 11-1 to win his second age-level continental medal. 

Ginc scored the match's first takedown with a head-pinch after back peddling for nearly 30 seconds, ultimately controlling the 2-1 lead.

After a short break for clock issues, last year’s European Championship 12th place finisher scored an enormous five-point move, extending his lead to 7-1. He followed that up with a four-point throw, ending the match 11-1 and giving Germany their first Greco-Roman gold medal since Hannes Wagner’s (GER) gold medal in 2015. 

After giving up the final takedown, Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR) hung on to beat Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO), 5-3 in the 67kg finals. 

The two traded a pair of passivity points before Liavonchyk opened the match up with two turns, taking the 5-1 lead. The action was blown dead, and the finalists were brought up to their feet where Khetsuriani scored a takedown, closing the gap in the score to 5-3.  But, time was on Liavonchyk’s side, and he was able to hold on to take the match, 5-3. 

In the plodding 72kg finals, Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) and Magomed YARBILOV (RUS) traded passivity points before Ganizade was awarded two points for a correct throw, winning the championship bout, 3-1. 

RESULTS 
European Junior Greco-Roman Team Scores
GOLD – Russia (195 points)
SILVER - Georgia (113 points)
BRONZE – Armenia (101 points)
Fourth – Belarus (91 points)
FIFTH – Ukraine (80 points)

60kg 
GOLD – Andrej GINC (GER) df. Abu Muslim Aptievitch AMAEV (RUS), 11-1

BRONZE – Ararat MANUCHARYAN (ARM) df. Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO), 6-0
BRONZE –  Jacopo SANDRON (ITA) df. Ivan CHERKAS (UKR), 5-0 

67kg 
GOLD –  Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR) df. Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO), 5-3 

BRONZE – Miakhdi Abubakarovitch IAKHIAEV (RUS) df. Mahammadali HASANOV (AZE), 8-0 
BRONZE –  Ismail GUN (TUR) df. Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR), 8-0 

72kg 
GOLD – Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) df. Magomed YARBILOV (RUS), 3-1 

BRONZE –  Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Nikoloz TCHIKAIDZE (GEO), 9-1 
BRONZE –  Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df. Anthony Ezra SANDERS (GER), 9-0 

82kg
GOLD –  Aleksandr Andreevitch KOMAROV (RUS) df. Nicu Samuel OJOG (ROU), 5-2 

BRONZE –  Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) df. Erik ELOYAN (ARM), 8-0
BRONZE –Vitalii ANDRIIOVYCH (UKR) df. Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL), 9-0 

97kg
GOLD – Artur SARGSIAN (RUS) df. Markus RAGGINGER (AUT), 8-0 

BRONZE –  Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) df. Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE), 9-0 
BRONZE –  Luca SVAICARI (ITA) df. Damian VON EUW (SUI), 8-6 

#Rome2018

Nine Nations Qualify Wrestlers for Tuesday's European Junior Greco-Roman Finals

By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (July 30) - The opening day of the 2018 European Juniors kicked off today in Rome, Italy and nine nations qualified a wrestler for tomorrow’s Greco-Roman finals. Russia was the lone nation to put more than one wrestler in the finals, as Oleg AGAKHANOV (RUS) and Egor KADIROV (RUS) each reached the finals of their respective weight classes. 

Oleg Agakhanov gave Russia their first finalist after he outscored Artsiom SHUMSKI (BLR), 10-0 to make the 130kg finals. 

Agakhanov, the 2017 Vantaa Painicup will go head-to-head with Germany’s Cerro Pelado International bronze medalist, Franz RICHTER for the heavyweight title. In the semifinals, Richter blasted through Beka MAKARIDZE (GEO), 8-2 to make his way to the European Junior gold-medal bout. 

Egor KADIROV (RUS) is one of two Russian wrestlers who made the Greco-Roman finals on the opening day of the 2018 European Junior Championships. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

Egor KADIROV (RUS) was the second Russian wrestler to make the finals, shutting out 2016 Cadet World team representative, Vahe POGHOSYAN (ARM), 9-0 to make the 77kg championship match. 

In the finals, Kadirov, the 2016 Vantaa Painicup champion will wrestle Bulgaria’s 2016 Cadet World team representative, Zahari ZASHEV. 

Nearly all of the finalists have previous age-level European Championship experience, but none have reached the gold-medal bout, meaning five first time continental champions will be crowded tomorrow. 

The day two Greco-Roman finals are scheduled to begin on Tuesday at 6:00 PM local time. (Click HERE for full schedule)

Finals Match-ups   
57kg - Giovanni FRENI (ITA) vs. Tigran MINASYAN (ARM)
63kg - Maksim NEHODA (BLR) vs. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)
77kg -  Egor KADIROV (RUS) vs. Zahari Rosenov ZASHEV (BUL)
87kg Temuri TCHKUASELIDZE (GEO) vs. Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
130kg - Oleg Kahaberovitch AGAKHANOV (RUS) vs. Franz RICHTER (GER)