Kuchmii Crushes Kayaalp's Quest for a Tenth European Title

Monday, February 10, 2020 - 15:08 By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (February 10) --- Mykola KUCHMII (UKR) shocked Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the quarterfinals and halted the Turkish big man’s quest to win a tenth European title.

Kuchmii scored five unanswered points against Kayaalp, the four-time world champion, and handed the Turkish wrestler his first loss at the European Championships since 2009. He’ll wrestle Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) in tonight’s 130kg semifinals.

Alexuc Ciurariu, a two-time European bronze medalist, defeated Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RUS) and Rio Olympic bronze medalist Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) on his road to the semifinals.

The other 130kg semifinal will feature Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) and Levan ARABULI (GEO).

At 55kg, Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) will battle Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) in a matchup of the reigning world champion and reigning European champion. Tsurtsumia, the top-ranked wrestler in the world at 55kg, won the pair’s latest meeting, which came at the 2019 World Championships. The Georgian won that quarterfinals match in Nur-Sutlan, 8-3.

On the opposite side of the bracket, 2018 world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) will square off against Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL). Nazaryan, a 2019 cadet world bronze medalist, is making his debut at the senior level. He has one appearance at the U15 level and seven showings at the cadet level but hasn’t appeared at any junior or U23 events.

Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) will wrestle Islam ABBASOV (AZE) for a spot in the 87kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Second-ranked Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) will go toe-to-toe with reigning European silver medalist Islam ABBASOV (AZE) in one of the 87kg semifinals.

Age-group stars Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS) and Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) will wrestle in the second 87kg semifinal. Komarov is a four-time age-group world champion, and Novikov, who is replacing top-ranked Zhan BELENIUK (UKR), is the reigning two-time U23 world champion.

Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) will wrestle the U23 world bronze medalist Maksim NEHODA (BLR) in the first semifinal at 63kg. Berge, a Rio Olympic bronze medalist, is trying to make it to his third consecutive European finals and fourth overall.

Mihai MIHUT (ROU) and Ibragim LABAZANOV (RUS) will tango in the second 63kg semifinal. Mihut is in the hunt to get back to his second European final and first since he won the 2018 title.

If Mihut and Berge win on Monday night, it'll set up a rematch of the 2018 European finals, which the Romanian won, 3-2.

Zotlan LEVAI (HUN) will wrestle Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR) in the 77kg semifinals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

At 77kg, Zotlan LEVAI (HUN) defeated 2019 world silver medalist Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) and two-time age-group world champion Islam OPIEV (RUS) on his way to the semifinals. He'll meet Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR) for a spot in the Tuesday night finals.

Fifth-ranked Chalyan downed Nicolas Peter CHRISTEN (SUI), Pavel LIAKH (BLR) and 2017 world champion Viktor NEMES (SRB), and will see Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) in the other 77kg semifinal.

The Day One Greco-Roman semifinals kick-off at 16:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

SEMIFINAL PAIRINGS
55kg
SEMIFINAL - Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS) vs. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)

63kg
SEMIFINAL - Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) vs. Maksim NEHODA (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU) vs. Ibragim LABAZANOV (RUS)

77kg
SEMIFINAL - Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) vs. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR) vs. Zotlan LEVAI (HUN)

87kg
SEMIFINAL - Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) vs. Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS) vs. Semen NOVIKOV (UKR)

130kg
SEMIFINAL - Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) vs. Levan ARABULI (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) vs. Mykola KUCHMII (UKR)

SCHEDULE
Monday (February 10)
18:00 - Semifinal GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Tuesday (February 11)
8:30 - Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
8:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
15:30 - Technical conference – all WW teams
15:30 -Draw WW – All weight categories
16:45 - Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18: 00 - Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
18:00 - Award ceremonies

Wednesday (February 12)
8:30 - Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
8:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
16:45 - Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18:00 - Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Award ceremonies

Thursday (February 13)
8:30 - Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
8:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
14:00 - Technical conference – all FS teams
14:00 - Draw FS – All weight categories
16:45 - page4image515539072Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18:00 - Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18:00 - Award ceremonies

Friday (February 14)
8:30 - Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
8:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
16:45 - Semi Final FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
18:00 - Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18:00 - Award ceremonies

Saturday (February 15)
8:30 - Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
8:45 - Medical Examination & Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
16:45 - Semi Final FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
18:00 -Award ceremonies

Sunday (February 16)
8:30 - Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
16:00 - Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 -Award ceremonies
21:30 - Final banquet

#WrestleRome

Trio of Reigning European Champs Punch Ticket to Thursday Night’s Finals

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 - 20:16 By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (February 12) --- Reigning European champions Oksana LIVACH (UKR), Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) and Yasemin ADAR (TUR) punched their tickets to Thursday night’s finals and will look to defend their continental crowns from last year.

Livach won three matches on Wednesday and will square off against Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) in the 50kg finals. She started her day with a two-point win over seventh-ranked Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR). She also defeated Demirhan by two points at last year’s European Championships.

Livach added a 12-2 technical superiority victory over Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA), setting up a semifinals match against U23 world silver medalist Milana DADASHEVA (RUS). She survived the 17-point back-and-forth brawl against the Russian and will face off against Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) in the finals.

Selishka stopped Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR), 10-6, in the semifinals and will meet Livach in a rematch of last year's 50kg European finals.

Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) celebrates after beating Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS), 5-5, in the 59kg semifinals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Bulgaria’s Bilyana Dudova will wrestle rising star Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) for the 59kg gold medal.

Dudova scored seven unanswered points in her semifinals match against reigning world silver medalist Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) and remained in line to defend her European title from last year. She was down 6-0 but scored seven straight points and will meet the young Moldavan who has been on a tear in Rome.

Nichita, who’ll celebrate her 21st birthday next week, went 3-0 on Wednesday, picking up a fall and outscored her other two opponents 20-0 en route to the finals.

She crushed Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN), 10-0, in her opening match, then pinned third-ranked Anhelina LYSAK (UKR) on her way to the semifinals. She reached the finals with a 10-0 shutout win over Laura MERTENS (GER).

The 76kg finals will feature Yasemin Adar and Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS).

Adar won three matches on Wednesday and made it to her fifth straight European finals. The four-time defending champion eked out a 5-4 win against third-ranked Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) in her opening-round match. She followed that match up with a fall over Kamila Czeslawa KULWICKA (POL) and a 10-0 stomping of Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA).

Adar will wrestle Rio Olympic bronze medalist Bukina in a rematch of the 2018 European finals.

Bukina erased a five-point deficit against 2017 world silver medalist Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) and will lace up in her fourth European gold-medal match. She’s 0-3 in her previous three trips to the finals.

Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) locks up a cradle against world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) in their semifinals meeting. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Russia Puts Three into Thursday Night Finals
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) and Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) joined Bukina in the winner’s circle on Wednesday night and will wrestle for European gold on Thursday night.

Olga Khorshavtseva laced her way to a 10-8 victory over Rio Olympic bronze medalist Sofia MATTSSON (SWE). She’ll meet Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR), who edged Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) in the 55kg finals.

Khanum Velieva picked up arguably the biggest win of her young senior-level career and set up a battle with Italy’s unlikely European finalist, Dalma CANEVA (ITA). The Russian three-time age-group world champion dominated the 2018 world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), 11-1, and locked up a finals berth in her first senior-level European appearance.

She’ll square off with Italy’s Dalma Caneva in the 68kg gold-medal match. Caneva won two matches on Wednesday and closed her day out with a stunning 4-2 win over reigning world bronze medalist Anna SCHELL (GER).

The Day Four women's wrestling finals start at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS
50kg
GOLD - Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR), 10-6
SEMIFINAL - Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Milana DADASHEVA (RUS), 9-8

55kg
GOLD - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) vs. Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 9-8
SEMIFINAL - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) df. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE), 10-8

59kg
GOLD - Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) vs. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
SEMIFINAL - Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) df. Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS), 7-6
SEMIFINAL - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Laura MERTENS (GER), 10-0

68kg
GOLD - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) and Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
SEMIFINAL - Dalma CANEVA (ITA) df. Anna SCHELL (GER), 4-2
SEMIFINAL - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), 11-1

76kg
GOLD - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) vs. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), 10-0
SEMIFINAL - Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) df. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 5-5

Kuchmii Crushes Kayaalp's Quest for a Tenth European Title

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Trio of Reigning European Champs Punch Ticket to Thursday Night’s Finals