European Games

Mattsson, Sadulaev Look for Second Titles at European Games

Wednesday, June 26, 2019 - 18:53 By United World Wrestling Press

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MINSK, Belarus (June 26) - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) claimed victories in the semifinals of the European Games on Wednesday and now stand one win away from winning their second titles. 

The 29-year-old Mattsson, a six-time world medalist and 2016 Olympic bronze-medal winner, reached the finals at 53kg by defeating Nina HEMMER (GER) 10-2. All the points scored came in the first period. Mattsson's first European Games title in 2015 came at 55kg. 

She will meet Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR) in the gold-medal match. Khavaldzhy stunned two-time European champion Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) 7-4 in the semifinals. Orshush led for most of the match until Ukrainian mounted a late comeback to pull out the victory. With Orshush leading 4-1, Khavaldzhy scored a takedown with 35 seconds remaining in the match before picking up multiple exposures to win by three.

Sadulaev, a 2016 Olympic champion and three-time world champion, advanced to the finals at 97kg by earning his third straight shutout victory. He topped world No.8 Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) 6-0, with five of his points coming in the first period. He will meet Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) for the gold medal. 

Gadzhiyev shut out Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) in the other semifinal at 97kg. Gadzhiyev, a European bronze medalist and past junior world champion, built a 3-0 lead in the first period and added two second-period takedowns while shutting down Mchedlidze's offense.

The 65kg gold-medal final will feature a pair of world champions, Haji ALIYEV (AZE) and Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO).

Aliyev, a three-time world champion, overcame a slow start to defeat Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR) 4-4 on criteria. Ohannesian controlled the first period, scoring off a passivity and then securing a takedown to grab a 3-0 lead at the break. Aliyev came out strong in the second period, picking up a takedown to cut the deficit to 3-2. With 22 seconds left, Aliyev scored a takedown to go ahead and held on for the criteria win.

Khinchegashvili, a 2016 Olympic champion, trailed 1-0 at the break in his semifinal match against two-time world bronze medalist Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), but came back to win 8-2 to reach the gold-medal match.

In women's wrestling at 68kg, two-time European champion Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) knocked off world No.1 and returning world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) 4-2. Bratchikova scored first with a step out and then countered an attack for a takedown to build a 3-0 lead. Cherkasova inched closer with a takedown in the first minute of the second period to cut the deficit to 3-2. With 14 seconds remaining Bratchikova, extended her lead with a step out and held on for the victory.

Bratchikova will face Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) for the gold medal. Grigorjeva defeated Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) 10-3 in the semifinals. 

RESULTS

Freestyle 

65kg
GOLD - Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) vs. Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) df. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), 8-2
SEMIFINAL - Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR), 4-4

97kg
GOLD - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) vs. Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR), 6-0
SEMIFINAL - Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) df. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 7-0

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) vs. Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) df. Nina HEMMER (GER), 10-2
SEMIFINAL - Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR) df. Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS), 7-4

68kg
GOLD - Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) vs. Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) df. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU), 10-3
SEMIFINAL - Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) df. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), 4-2
 

#WrestleIstanbul

Spencer Lee one step closer to Olympic dream

Friday, May 3, 2024 - 12:37 By Vinay Siwach

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ISTANBUL, Turkiye (May 3) -- The world will finally see the return of Spencer LEE (USA) on a big stage. The one-time phenom is coming to Istanbul in a bid to qualify the United States for the Paris Olympics at 57kg.

Lee is a former U17 and U20 world champion and was primed to be the next superstar from the U.S. However, he could never get going at the international stage and only participated in an international tournament in 2024, eight years after his U20 world title. At the Pan-Am Championships this year, Lee won the gold medal at 57kg.

Despite his three NCAA titles and a college record a few can dream of, Lee hasn't returned to the international scene partly due to injuries and partly due to his college commitments. After two surgeries, battles with health, a heartbreaking loss in NCAAs, a long return and wins over former Iowa teammate Thomas GILMAN (USA) at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Lee is finally here.

"I’ve had such a tough time trying to stay healthy and trying to compete to the best of my ability,” Lee said after winning the trials. "I’m still not healthy but I’m healthy enough to wrestle hard against really, really good opponent.”

That's what he will have to do in Istanbul. In the 57kg bracket, Lee will be unseeded and can be drawn against any of the big names in the first round. Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), former U23 world champion AMAN (IND), world silver medalist Alireza SARLAK (IRI) and local star Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR) are a few names he will have to keep an eye on.

The field also includes world bronze medalists Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) and Horst LEHR (GER) along with former European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MGL), Asian Games silver medalist Chong Song HAN (PRK) and Andrii YATSENKO (UKR).

If his opponents need a form check, Lee won four bouts at the trials, outscoring his opponents 35-11 with wins over Tokyo bronze medalist Gilman and Zane RICHARDS (USA). And his attacks are solid as ever as Gilman found out in the best-of-three series.

Three wrestlers in each Olympic weight class will receive Paris 2024 quotas in Istanbul, two being the winners of the semifinals and the third will be decided with a playoff between the two bronze medal winners. Lee would hope to secure it as the winner of the semifinal and avoid going, if fortunate, through repechage.

Apart from qualifying the U.S. in Istanbul, there is extra motivation for Lee to win in Istanbul. Lee's mother, Carry, is from France where she met Lee's father, Larry, both judokas. And, he can become the first Olympic champion for the U.S. in the lowest weight class since 2008.

Lee is aware that the road to Paris is still 'long and hard'. But the 25-year-old is ready.

"I have work to do."