#WrestleNoviSad

Opening Day Semifinals Set at U23 European C'ships

Monday, March 4, 2019 - 14:28 By Eric Olanowski

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 4) – The Russian Federation only dropped one match in the opening session of the U23 European Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, and inserted four of five wrestlers into Monday’s semifinals.

The four Russian wrestlers competing for a spot in the Tuesday night’s finals are Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS), Islam OPIEV (RUS), Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), and Oleg AGAKHANOV (RUS). 

At 55kg, Viktor Vedernikov will have the tall task of ending Nugzari TSURTSUMIA’s (GEO) twelve-month run where he’s won the U23 European and world gold medals. 

Returning 55kg U23 European bronze medalist Florin TITA (ROU) will wrestle Bence KOVACS (HUN) in the other 55kg semifinal. 


Russia's 2018 junior world champion Islam OPIEV (RUS) will wrestle Monday at 18:00 (local time) for a spot in the 77kg U23 European finals. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

Defending junior world champion Islam Opiev is looking to make his first continental finals appearance since winning his 2015 European cadet title. He’ll wrestle Georgia’s 2015 European junior bronze medalist Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) for a spot in the 77kg finals. 

Hungary’s returning U23 world bronze medalist Tamas LEVAI (HUN) will take on Turkey’s Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) in the second 77kg semifinal. 

At 87kg, Russia’s third semifinalist Gazi Khalilov will look to end Ivan HUKLEK's (CRO) attempt at making back-to-back U23 European finals. Last year, Huklek finished with a silver medal. 

In the second 87kg semifinal, Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU) can become Lithuania’s second Greco-Roman U23 European finalist ever if he can defeat Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO). 

Oleg Agakhanov is the fourth Russian opening day semifinalist. He’ll lace up against Romania’s BEREI (ROU) in the first 130kg semifinal. 

On the bottom half of the bracket at 130kg, Georgian big-man and six-time age-group world champion Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) will wrestle Lenard BEREI’s (ROU) and attempt to make his second consecutive trip to the U23 European finals. Pataridze is the defending U23 European and world champion at this weight. 

The lone weight class not featuring a Russian semifinalist is 63kg. 

On the top half of the 63kg bracket, Erik TORBA (HUN) and Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO) will wrestle for a spot in the finals, while Armenia’s 2018 U23 European bronze medalist Slavik GALSTYAN will take on defending U23 world bronze medalist Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) on the bottom half of the bracket. 

Monday’s semifinals begin at 18:00 (local time) and will be live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

SEMIFINALS 
55kg 
Bence KOVACS (HUN) vs. Florin TITA (ROU)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS)

63kg
Erik TORBA (HUN) vs. Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO)
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) vs. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)

77kg 
Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) vs. Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) vs. Islam OPIEV (RUS)

87kg 
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU) vs. Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) vs. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS)

130kg 
Artur VITITIN (EST) vs. Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO)
Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU) vs. Oleg AGAKHANOV (RUS)

#BeachWrestling

Beach Wrestling: Ukraine, U.S. best at U17 World Championships

Monday, September 23, 2024 - 09:23 By United World Wrestling Press

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KATERINI, Greece (September 21) -- Ukraine and the United States emerged as the best teams at the Beach Wrestling World Championships at the U17 level in the men's and women's categories respectively.

The U17 and U20 World Championships was held in Katerini over eight weight classes in men's and women's categories. Ukraine won the men's part while the U.S. claimed the team title in women's despite not winning a gold medal in four weight classes.

Romania won two gold medals in the men's U17 with Lucian SOMANDRU (ROU) beating Christos XENAKIS (GRE), 3-0, in the 50kg final and Magor LORINCZ (ROU), who had finished ninth last year, dominated Yurii PYHULSKYI (UKR) in the 80kg, winning the gold medal 5-0.

The two other gold medals were won by Mirzakhan GASHYMOV (UKR) and Anri GOGUADZE (GEO) at 60kg and 70kg respectively.

Gashymov was the gold medalist as Ukraine swept the podium, winning the silver and bronze medals as well. He defeated Nazar VELINSKYI (UKR), 4-1, in the final.

Goguadze also faced compatriot Koba GOGUADZE (GEO) in the 70kg final and won the final via superiority.

Ukraine finished with 72 points to finish first with Romania second with 56 points. Georgia was third with 49 points.

The team title race was closer in women's as the U.S. finished first with 60 points with three silver medals. France, with two gold medals, managed to finish with 50 points and at the second spot. Ukraine was third with 39 points.

The 40kg weight class saw only two participants with Alexandra COVACI (ROU) beating Alina MACI (ROU), 3-1, in the final. Romania only got 25 team ranking points for the gold medal.

France won the gold medals at 60kg and 70kg. Thea ROUSSEL (FRA) defeated Kennedie SNOW (USA), 4-0, in the 60kg final to deny the U.S. a gold medal. A few minutes later, Lise LANDOUZY (FRA) defeated Piper ZATECHKA (USA), 3-0, in the 70kg final to give France a second gold.

The U.S. also had a finalist at 50kg but Reisa KOJIMA (JPN) dominated the final to beat Jayden KELLER (USA), 4-1, to win a gold medal for Japan as well.

RESULTS

U17 Men's BW

50kg
GOLD: Lucian SOMANDRU (ROU) df. Christos XENAKIS (GRE), 3-0

BRONZE: Stanislav DIACONU (MDA) df. Oleksandr KARA (UKR), 3-1

60kg
GOLD: Mirzakhan GASHYMOV (UKR) df. Nazar VELINSKYI (UKR), 4-1

BRONZE: Stepan MINCHEV (UKR) df. Benjamin GRAHAM (USA), via fall

70kg
GOLD: Anri GOGUADZE (GEO) df. Koba GOGUADZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Dmytro KURSENKO (UKR) df. Dmytro YEMETS (UKR), 3-2

80kg
GOLD: Magor LORINCZ (ROU) df. Yurii PYHULSKYI (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Charilaos CHAITIDIS (GRE) df. Andrii PAVLIUK (UKR), 4-2

U17 Women's BW

40kg
GOLD: Alexandra COVACI (ROU) df. Alina MACI (ROU), 3-1

50kg
GOLD: Reisa KOJIMA (JPN) df. Jayden KELLER (USA), 4-1

BRONZE: Oleksandra KARBOVSKA (UKR) df. Sarina GUNN (USA), 3-0

60kg
GOLD: Thea ROUSSEL (FRA) df. Kennedie SNOW (USA), 4-0

BRONZE: Georgia CHASAMPALIOTI (GRE) df. Alina SVIRKO (UKR), 4-2

70kg
GOLD: Lise LANDOUZY (FRA) df. Piper ZATECHKA (USA), 3-0

BRONZE: Sadie EVANS (USA) df. Anna NITSEVYCH (UKR), 4-0