#kaspeuro2018

Olympic Champ Aleksanyan and Pair of Olympic Medalists Headline Wednesday's Greco-Roman Finals

Wednesday, May 2, 2018 - 08:10 By Eric Olanowski

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KASPIYSK, Russia (May 2) - Artur “The White Bear,” Aleksanyan remained supreme on his quest to winning his fourth European title. The Armenian has suffered two defeats in the past five seasons, both coming at the European Championships. Aleksanyan last won a European title in 2014 but has won three world titles and an Olympic gold medal. 

The 2016 Olympic champion will get his opportunity to seize his first gold medal in four years when he takes on Mikheil KAJAIA (SRB) in the 97kg finals. Aleksanyan enters the European finals after scoring technical superiority victories over his first three opponents.

Serbia’s Kajaia is wrestling in his third European Championships and has outperformed his eleventh-place finish from a year ago. 

Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) will look to add a European gold medal to his collection of Olympic and world medals. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), the 24-year-old Olympic bronze medalist and U23 world champion shutout Denmark’s Fredrik Holmquist BJERREHUUS (DEN), 5-0 in the first 67kg semifinal, This marked the third time in as many matches that Bolvadze blanked his opponent. 

He’ll take on Artem SURKOV (RUS), the two-time European champion and two-time world bronze medalist in the gold-medal bout at 67kg. Surkov bested Poland’s Dawid KARECINSKI to make his third trip to the European finals.

Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), 2016 Olympic bronze medalist will be looking for his first European gold medal since 2015. 

The finals at 72kg will feature two previous European champions in Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) and Adam KURAK (RUS). 

Chunayev, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2015 world and European champion fancied his way to the finals by capturing four wins on the day, including an 11-3 semifinal victory over Georgia’s Luri LOMADZE (GEO). 

Kurak, the 2014 European champion picked up a trio of victories on the day. Most notably, the Russian avenged his loss from the bronze-medal bout of the 2017 World Championships, defeating Balint KORPASI (HUN), 3-3.  


2017 world champion Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) will wrestle tonight for his first European title. (Photo by Tony Rotundo)

The 82kg finals will feature a pair of first time European finalist in Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) and Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR).

Manukyan, the 2017 world champion started his day by shutting out 2016 Olympian Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO), 6-0. He followed that up by picking up two additional wins, including a dominating 8-0 performance over Hungary’s Laszlo SZABO (HUN) in the semifinals. 

Sasunouski squeaked out his first two wins before picking up the 9-0 technical superiority victory over 2015 European Games finalist, Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE). 

Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) picked up a 9-0 technical superiority victory to seal his spot in the 60kg finals.

Sergey EMELIN (RUS) and Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) both picked up 9-0 technical superiority victories in the semifinals and will wrestle for the 60kg gold on Wednesday night. 

Emelin used a set of four guts to go along with a passivity point to defeat Jacopo SANDRON (ITA), 9-0. 

Mammadov also scored eight points off gut wrenches, picking up his 9-0 technical superiority semifinal victory over Georgia’s Dato CHKHARTISHVILI. 

RESULTS
60kg 
GOLD: Sergey EMELIN (RUS) vs. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)

Semifinal: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Jacopo SANDRON (ITA), 9-0
Semifinal: Sergey EMELIN (RUS) df. Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO), 9-0 

67kg
GOLD - Artem SURKOV (RUS) v. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)

Semifinal - Artem SURKOV (RUS) df. Dawid KARECINSKI (POL), 3-1
Semifinal - Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Fredrik BJERREHUUS (DEN), 5-0

72kg
GOLD – Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) v. Adam KURAK (RUS)

Semifinal – Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Luri LOMADZE (GEO), 11-3
Semifinal – Adam KURAK (RUS) df. Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL), 5-2 

82kg
GOLD: Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) vs. Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM)

Semifinal: Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) df. Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), 9-0
Semifinal: Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) df. Laszlo SZABO (HUN), 8-0

97kg
GOLD: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Mikheil KAJAIA (SRB)

Semifinal: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN), 10-0 
Semifinal: Mikheil KAJAIA (SRB) df. Ramsin AZIZSIR (GER), 3-1 

#Grappling

Kazakhstan Emerges as Top Nation at Asian & Oceania Grappling

Monday, June 8, 2026 - 13:12 By United World Wrestling Press

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DA NANG, Vietnam (June 6) -- Kazakhstan showed up in style at the Asian & Oceania Grappling Championships, held in Da Nang, Vietnam from June 4 to 6. The country won six gold medals and one silver medals at the senior Grappling event and claimed the team title as well.

Out of the 10 weight classes, Kazakhstan entered only seven grapplers with all seven returning home with a medal. Kazakhstan won the team title with 170 points, far ahead of second-placed Philippines which finished with 89 points. India finished third with 64 points in a nine-team competition.

The first gold medal for Kazakhstan was won by former U20 Asian champion Nurassyl TURUSPEKOV (KAZ) after he won all four of his bouts in round-robin. He won three via submission while one, against J Han TAN (MAS), was by a 3-2 decision. He also won the gold medal at the U20 Grappling event at 71kg, beating Alonso AGUILAR (PHI), 3-2, in the final.

Maral SARTBAEV (KAZ) added the second gold medal by winning all his bouts at 71kg via submission. None of his bouts went the distance and he finished two of the four inside a minute.

Next was Ilyas SAIDULLAYEV (KAZ) who captured the 77kg with three wins. He won his first two bouts via submission but was checked by Welton WEI (MAS) in Round 3 bout. However, Saidullayev came out victorious 5-2 to capture the gold medal. Saidullayev scored pushout to start the bout before the two got holds on each others legs. Saidullayev managed to escape the control Wei from top for two points.

The bout restarted with Saidullayev on but Wei reversed with an arm lock for two points. As time ran out, Wei asked for two more points but the referees saw no points in the sequence even after the challenge, which was lost.

Three grapplers were entered at 84kg and Darkhan YERENBAYEV (KAZ) easily captured the gold medal by winning his two bouts.

Zhassulan YERMENBET (KAZ), a former U23 Asian silver medalist in Freestyle, won the gold medal at 100kg. He defeated Duy Thanh LE (VIE), 11-0, in Round 1 before an 18-0 technical superiority win over  Callum ROBERTS (PHI). In what was a virtual final, Yermenbet defeated compatriot Madi KABYKBAYEV (KAZ), 2-1, to claim the gold medal.

Yerlan SHAKISHOV (KAZ) defended his 130kg title after he submitted Rustam SARTBAEV (KAZ) as only two wrestlers were entered in this weight class.

The only Kazakhstan grappler who failed to win the gold medal was Gomar SHALTABAYEV (KAZ) as Azizbek SHARIPOV (UZB) defended his 92kg gold, helped by a forfeit from Buyannemekh MUNKHSUKH (MGL).

At 58kg, Lord DEL ROSARIO (PHI) won the gold medal with three victories in three bouts in 19 seconds, four seconds, 15 seconds.

Philippines' second gold medal was confirmed by Denzel ALIPIO (PHI) at 62kg as he also won his two bouts via submission. He won his first bout in 13 seconds and second in a minute 17 seconds.

In the lone women's Grappling weight class that was competed, GOLD: Bless YEAP (MAS) captured the gold medal at 58kg after winning three bouts. Madina UVALIYEVA (KAZ) won silver while Lyubov TEMNIKOVA (KAZ) won bronze.

RESULTS

Men's Grappling

58kg
GOLD: Lord DEL ROSARIO (PHI)
SILVER: Yedenkachew TELAHUNE (NZL)
BRONZE: Huynh Tai LE (VIE)

62kg
GOLD: Denzel ALIPIO (PHI)
SILVER: Taller TAMO (IND)
BRONZE: Shivraj CHOUDHARY (IND)

66kg
GOLD: Nurassyl TURUSPEKOV (KAZ)
SILVER: J Han TAN (MAS)
BRONZE: Joaquin MARTE (PHI)

71kg
GOLD: Maral SARTBAEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Abylaikhan TENGIBAYEV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Ho Yee CHIA (MAS)

77kg
GOLD: Ilyas SAIDULLAYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Welton WEI (MAS)
BRONZE: Maksat ARGYNBAY (KAZ)

84kg
GOLD: Darkhan YERENBAYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Rauan ZHAKENULY (KAZ)
BRONZE: Takahisa ODA (JPN)

92kg
GOLD: Azizbek SHARIPOV (UZB)
SILVER: Gomar SHALTABAYEV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Ikram YERSAIYN (KAZ)

100kg
GOLD: Zhassulan YERMENBET (KAZ)
SILVER: Madi KABYKBAYEV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Duy Thanh LE (VIE)

130kg
GOLD: Yerlan SHAKISHOV (KAZ) df. Rustam SARTBAEV (KAZ), via submission (6-0)

Women's Grappling

58kg
GOLD: Bless YEAP (MAS)
SILVER: Madina UVALIYEVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Lyubov TEMNIKOVA (KAZ)

U20 Men's Grappling

62kg
GOLD: Travis RATCLIFF (PHI)
SILVER: Danial BOLAT (KAZ)
BRONZE: Mayank PAL (IND)

71kg
GOLD: Nurassyl TURUSPEKOV (KAZ) df. Alonso AGUILAR (PHI), 3-2

77kg
GOLD: Ilyas SAIDULLAYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Aldiyar KARIMOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Viet Bao BUI (VIE)

84kg
GOLD: Aktilek MARSHALKHAN (KAZ) df. Arlan TAKTAMUSSOV (KAZ), via submission (0-2)

92kg
GOLD: Ilyas ABDULLAYEV (KAZ) df. Ngoc HUYNH (VIE), via submission (3-2)

100kg
GOLD: Yestemir KENZHEGALI (KAZ) df. Ikram YERSAIYN (KAZ), via submission

U20 Women's Grappling

90kg
GOLD: Lily HOUBEN (NZL) df. Kavita CHAUHAN (IND), 15-0

U17 Men's Grappling

54kg
GOLD: Akram TOLEUKHAN (KAZ) df. Muhammad MOHAMED MEERA (MAS), 5-2

58kg
GOLD: Aimurat ONGGARBAYEV (KAZ)
SILVER: Nathaniel NAMA (PHI)
BRONZE: Zun Sin OW (SGP)

63kg
GOLD: Danial BOLAT (KAZ)
SILVER: Zenya SAM (MAS)
BRONZE: Gia Bao BUI (VIE)

69kg
GOLD: Alim ALMATOV (KAZ)
SILVER: Van Toan DOAN (VIE)
BRONZE: Zhen Hoong TAN (MAS)

76kg
GOLD: Shynggyskhan SEIDAKHMET (KAZ)
SILVER: Hassan ALI (PAK)
BRONZE: Angelo SALUD (PHI)

110kg
GOLD: Taylor ROTA (NZL) df. Jie Jun YOU(TPE), via submission (6-5)

U17 Women's Grappling

56kg
GOLD: Charlie RATCLIFF (PHI) df. Thi Ngoc Mai VU (VIE), via submission (11-4)

65kg
GOLD: Thi Loan HOANG (VIE) df. Ruby TAYLOR (NZL), via submission (9-0)

90kg
GOLD: Adel KOMBATUROVA (KAZ)
SILVER: Duong PHAM (PHI)
BRONZE: Zere SYRYMKYZY (KAZ)