#WrestleBudapest

Live Blog: #WrestleBudapest European Championships Day 4

Thursday, March 31, 2022 - 09:11 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 31) -- The fourth day of the European Championships in the Hungary capital and the five weight classes of women's wrestling will be in action.

After some top action in freestyle, the medals in women's wrestling will be decided Thursday and Friday. But before that, the wrestlers have to win their qualification and semifinals bouts.

Keep an eye on Kriszta INCZE (ROU), Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR), Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL), Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR), Anhelina LYSAK (POL), Anna SCHELL (GER), Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), Iulia LEORDA (MDA), and Buse TOSUN (TUR).

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

13:10: The final bout of the morning session, Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR) beats Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) in a thrilling bout. Yaneva led 1-1 on criteria but Tosun with a takedown to lead 4-2. She is cautioned once but ultimately wins 4-3

12:45: Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) with a victory via fall over Viktoria VESSO (EST) and she will wrestle in the semifinals.

12:35: In a battle of U23 World champions, Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) gets the fall over Anhelina LYSAK (POL) at 57kg. The first period was slow but Akobiia had a big four before getting the fall in the second period

12:22: U23 European champion Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) gets a 3-0 win over Annika WENDLE (GER). She will move into the semifinals at 53kg.

12:15: Natalia KUBATY (POL) with a fall over Olivia HENNINGSSON (SWE). Kubaty completely dominated that bout and she is into the semifinals

12:00: Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) delights the home fans with a 12-2 win over Jenna HEMIAE (FIN). She locked the hands of Hemiae and continued to expose her before finishing the bout early in the second period.

11:50: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) gets the second win of the day. She beats Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP) 13-0 at 53kg.

11:42: On Mat C, Anna FABIAN (SRB) was down 3-3 on criteria but scores a reversal in the final 10 seconds to win 4-3 against Nikolett SABZO (HUN). On Mat A, Kriszta INCZE (ROU)with a four-point throw at the end to win 4-2 against Asli TUGCU (TUR).

11:40: Tatiana RIZKHO (UKR) starts the day with a top victory over Elis MANOLOVA (AZE). In their Round 1 bout, Rizkho wins 7-0. 

11:30: Welcome to day four of the European Championships. Some studs of women's wrestling are about to take the mat in their quest to win a European medal.

#UWWAwards

UWW History Makers of 2025: Kougioumtsidis, Reasco, Sultangali

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:29 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- United World Wrestling has announced the History Makers of the Year 2025. The performance of these three wrestlers transcended competition and produced a once-in-a-generation accomplishment.

Freestyle’s History Maker 2025: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

If there’s one nation that’s draped in sports tradition, it’s Greece, but surprisingly enough, the nation had never produced a male wrestling world champion.

Prior to 2025, wrestlers from Greece were 0-3 in gold-medal matches and had not reached a world finals since 1991. Then came 23-year-old Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS who stunned the world by defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final to become his nation’s first-ever world champion.

Up until Kougioumtsidis' victory, Georgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) lost both of his world finals matches and Iraklis DESKOULIDIS (GRE) lost the final in 1991. The lone Greek woman to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold on home soil in 2002.

"I'm very lucky that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country." He continued, saying, “I'm the first male [from Greece] who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

Women’s Wrestling History Maker: Genesis REASCO (ECU)

Reasco made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion, which came two years following Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) silver-medal finish at the 2023 World Championships where she still become the Ecuador's first-ever world medalist.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over two-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), which came one match removed from knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Greco-Roman’s History Maker: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)

Sultangali ended a 26-year Greco-Roman drought, giving Kazakhstan their first Greco world champion since 1999 with a very quick victory over Uzbek youngster Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg finals at the World Championships.

Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals between 2018 and 2022, only needed 1:07 to cap off masterful first-period 9-0 win over Asian runner-up GANIEV (UZB).

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened. Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, "I am happy that my country is happy."