#WrestleDortmund

Record-Breaking Ukraine Wins WW Team Title at #WrestleDortmund

By Vinay Siwach

DORTMUND, Germany (July 2) --- If three gold, a silver and a bronze were not enough on Thursday, Ukraine women went a notch better and captured four gold and a silver medal on the final day of women's wrestling in Dortmund.

In a dominant show on the mat, five Ukraine wrestlers were competing for the gold medal at the junior European Championships on Friday and all but one failed to win the top medal, giving the country the team title ahead of Russia.

This is the second time that each wrestler from the Ukraine women's team has won a medal at the junior Euros, a feat they had achieved in 2008 in Kosice, Slovakia.

The night in Dortmund could not have begun better as Natalya KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR) won the gold medal with a fall against Venera NAFIKOVA (RUS) at 4:06 in the 53kg final. Two quick takedowns in the first period made it 4-0 for the Ukrainian before she used a double leg and pinned Nafikova to the mat.

Throughout the tournament, both Klivchutska and Nafikova were the best wrestlers at 53kg with the latter winning all her bouts via fall or techical superiority while the Russian showed some exceptional defence in crunch situations to pull off close wins.

The 57kg final was even quicker as Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) gave no chance to Patrycja STRZELCZYK (POL) and claimed the gold medal in a minute and 45 seconds with a 10-0 score.

In the first 30 seconds, Vynnyk, a silver medalist at senior Euros, got a takedown and gut to lead 4-0. Then she performed a quick go behind to lead 8-0. Her unmatched speed gave her another take down and a lace made it 10-0. The Ukrainian outscored her opponents 30-2 in four bouts.

Alina KASABIEVA (RUS) df Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR)Alina KASABIEVA (RUS) defeated Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) 12-2 in the 62kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

In another Ukraine-Russia final, this time it Russia which came out on top. At 62kg, Alina KASABIEVA (RUS) gave a counter-attacking masterclass to beat Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) 12-2.

Both exchanged takedowns early with Zelenykh, a U23 Euro silver medalist in May, leading 2-0 but Kasabieva hit back with a takedown and a leg-turk to make it 4-2, the score at the break. Zelenykh continued to hit blank attacks which gave the Russian many openings for takedowns and she completed them with ease.

In the end Kasabieva, a bronze medalist at cadet Worlds, easily secured a technical superiority win against her more accomplished wrestler. This denied Ukraine a chance to have a perfect day.

In one of the bronze medal bouts at 62kg, Iva GERIC (CRO) created history by defeating Nadzeya BULANAYA (BLR) 1-1. The win made her the first Croatian to win a medal in women's wrestling at junior Euros.

Iva GERIC (CRO)Iva GERIC (CRO) is the first Croatian to win a medal in women's wrestling at junior Euros. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Incidentally, she was the first-ever woman wrestler from Croatia to win a medal at European Championships at any age-group. She achieved the feat in 2019 when she won a bronze medal at the cadet level in Faenza, Italy.

Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) survived a scare at 65kg as Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) mounted a comeback from 0-8 down to make it 7-8 in the final but time ran out before she could script an stunning win.

It was a shock surrender from Skobelska as she led 8-0 at the break and gave up all seven points in the second period. She began with a takedown and caught the Hungarian in a leg lace to lead 6-0. She added two more points with another takedown.

But Szabados' efforts in the second period were not enough as she failed to get one more point for the win. But this was an improvement for her as she won her first silver medal at European Championships after winning two bronze before.

Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) df. Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) won the gold medal at 65kg in Dortmund. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The final gold medal bout was between Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) and Individual World Cup bronze medalist Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK) but it turned out to be anti-climatic.

The Ukrainian began with an ankle pick to lead 2-0 and added a double leg takedown to make it 4-0. At the break, she was leading 6-0 against the former cadet European champion.

The second half began with a powerful double leg and Alpyeyeva exposed the Slovak to a pin. With both shoulders firmly on the mat, the referee called it a fall, giving the Ukrainian the gold in just 3:55.

RESULTS WW

53kg
GOLD: Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR) df Venera NAFIKOVA (RUS), via fall

BRONZE: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df Emine CAKMAK (TUR), 13-3
BRONZE: Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) df Nikolett NAGY (HUN), 10-0

57kg
GOLD: Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) df Patrycja STRZELCZYK (POL), 10-0

BRONZE: Anastasia KOZLOVA (RUS) df Alesia HETMANAVA (BLR), 4-2
BRONZE: Anna MICHALCOVA (CZE) df Jannicke STROEMNES (NOR), 4-2

62kg
GOLD: Alina KASABIEVA (RUS) df Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR), 12-2

BRONZE: Iva GERIC (CRO) df Nadzeya BULANAYA (BLR), 1-1
BRONZE: Viktoria OEVERBY (NOR) df Chiara HIRT (GER), 4-3

65kg
GOLD: Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) df Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 8-7

BRONZE: Alina MAKSIMAVA (BLR) df Amina CAPEZAN (ROU), 4-2
BRONZE: Viktoria VESSO (EST) df Luisa SCHEEL (GER), via fall

72kg
GOLD: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK), via fall

BRONZE: Nazar BATIR (TUR) df Jennifer ROESLER (GER), 10-3
BRONZE: Mariam GUSEINOVA (RUS) df Urszula PIOTROWSKA (POL), via fall

#WrestleBucharest

Stadnik wins 10th European title; Adar makes golden return

By Vinay Siwach

BUCHAREST, Romania (February 15) -- A lot of focus before the European Championships this year was on Riza KAYAALP (TUR) going past Aleksandar KARELIN's record of 12 European gold medals. Understandable as those are the only two wrestlers with European titles in double digits.

But on Thursday, a woman joined the two legends with her 10th European gold medal -- Mariya STADNIK (AZE).

At the age of 35 years, Stadnik remains unbeaten in Europe winning the gold medal at 50kg at the European Championships in Bucharest, Romania.

The fact that she did that without conceding a point in three matches speaks volumes about her level even so later in her career which has spanned over 15 years now.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) pins Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) in the 50kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Stadnik wrestled former European champion Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) in the final and never faced a real threat. Demirhan tried to hit a whizzer but Stadnik stopped her and scored two points. That made Demirhan cautious of attacking Stadnik and kept her distance. Stadnik led 3-0 at the break for a passivity point.

Demirhan tried pushing Stadnik out in the second period but the latter blocked her again and tripped her for a four-pointer. Turkiye challenged the call and won as the jury ruled it was only a stepout, making the score 4-0 in Stadnik's favor. But Stadnik did not take long to hit a four-pointer and secure the fall in four minutes and two seconds.

In her earlier bouts, Stadnik defeated Milana DADASHEVA (AIN) in two minutes and 12 second while Oksana LIVACH (UKR), the finalist last year, managed to hold Stadnik for six minutes but dropped her semifinal bout 6-0.

Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) celebrates after winning the 59kg gold medal in Bucharest. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Azerbaijan won a second gold medal at 59kg as Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) defeated Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) 3-3 in the final. With that, Kolesnik won her first career championship title ever.

Kolesnik led Filipovych 1-1 on criteria as both wrestlers were given activity time and both failed to score. As soon as her activity time ended, Filipovych hit a single-leg attack and scored a takedown with a minute and 26 seconds remaining in the match.

But still time left in the bout Kolesnik hooked Filipovych's leg using her own and tried coming on top. The referee did not confirm any control but did caution the Ukrainian athlete for blocking. Azerbaijan challenged asking for a takedown and it was confirmed by the jury, giving Kolesnik a 3-3 criteria lead and 24 seconds to defend.

She would go on to defend her lead and win the gold medal, becoming the second woman wrestler from Azerbaijan to win the senior European title.

The defending champion at 59kg and the favorite to repeat Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) pulled out of the competition after suffering an injury in her quarterfinal against Tamara DOLLAK (HUN). Nichita was reported to have broken ribs.

Yasemin ADAR (TUR)Yasemin ADAR (TUR) won her seventh European title on Thursday. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Yasemin ADAR (TUR) became the second most successful woman wrestler in Europe after she won her seventh gold medal, only behind Stadnik's 10. She won her first title in 2016 and has since won in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. She also has a silver medal from 2020.

Wrestling in the final against Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR), Adar did not contact much in the first period, giving Shustova a passivity point and a 1-0 lead at the break. But she shifted gears in the second period, hitting a double-leg for a takedown and a turn to lead 4-1 while Shustova was on the activity clock. As the clock expired, Adar led 5-1.

As Shustova attempted a desperate low single, Adar got around and threw her for a four which Ukraine challenged. Shustova seemed to have control on Adar and Ukraine asked that its wrestler should get the four. It lost the challenge and Adar led 10-1. Adar would finish the final with a takedown and a 12-1 score with a minute remaining.

Buse TOSUN (TUR)World champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) won her first European title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

World champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) gave Turkiye a second gold medal, winning her first European title after she won the 68kg gold medal against Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR).

Tosun won silver medals in the last two editions of the European Championships but managed to cross the final hurdle, five months after becoming a world champion at 68kg.

After a minute of little action, Tosun hit trip on Sova and got while Sova rolled over Tosun to get two points for herself, making the score 4-2 in Tosun's favor. Sova was called passive in the second period which awarded Tosun another point to make it 5-2.

Andreea ANA (ROU)Andreea ANA (ROU) won her third straight European title and first at home. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Andreea ANA (ROU) defended her 55kg gold medal dominantly in front of her home crowd to give Romania a gold medal at this European Championships. This was Ana's third consecutive European gold medal.

Wrestling Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) in the final, Ana built a 4-0 lead. She hit a counter in the second period and got a takedown which Moldova challenged but lost making it 7-0 for Ana. She would hit a snap takedown and a counter to finish the bout 11-0 with 22 seconds remaining on the clock.

 

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RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), via fall (10-0)

BRONZE: Milana DADASHEVA (AIN) df. Oksana LIVACH (UKR), 17-15
BRONZE: Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) df. Ana PIRVU (ROU), 10-0

55kg
GOLD: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 11-0

BRONZE: Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), via fall (8-11)
BRONZE: Roksana ZASINA (POL) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 7-3

59kg
GOLD: Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) vs. Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR), 3-3

BRONZE: Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) df. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Patrycja GIL (POL) df. Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU), via fall (7-2)

68kg
GOLD: Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR), 5-2

BRONZE: Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) df. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU), via fall
BRONZE: Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) df. Khanum VELIEVA (AIN), via fall (8-8)

76kg
GOLD: Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR), 12-1

BRONZE: Bernadett NAGY (HUN) df. Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), 8-3
BRONZE: Enrica RINALDI (ITA) df. Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU), 5-2