Beach wrestling

Rudulov Wins Gold at Odessa Beach Wrestling World Series, Earns 'Best Throw' Award

By United World Wrestling Press

ODESSA, Ukraine (August 12) - Competing in his home country, 2017 beach wrestling world champion Semen RADULOV (UKR) turned in a strong performance at the Odessa Beach Wrestling World Series, winning gold and picking up the award for "Best Throw" of the competition.

Radulov, a 2016 European bronze medalist in freestyle wrestling, claimed the gold medal at 70kg with a with a 3-1 victory in the finals over Timothy BOX (USA). He was a silver medalist at last year's Beach World Championships, as well as a silver medalist at the Rio Beach Wrestling World Series in May.


Semen RADULOV (UKR) executing another flying fireman's carry in the event quarterfinal. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

The 29-year-old Ukrainian won the award for "Best Throw" in his semifinal match with a high amplitude, flying fireman’s carry.  By winning the award, Rudulov earned 1000 CHF. It marks the second straight time he has won the award. In Rio, Rudulov won the award after scoring with a blast double leg on the opening day of the competition.

Ukraine ran away with the team title in the men's competition on the strength of two champions and seven medalists. Joining Rudulov as a champion for Ukraine was Serghii PONOMARENKO at 80kg.

Moldova crowned a champion as Piotr IANULOV shut out Viktor SOLOVIOV (UKR) at 90kg.


Moldova's Piotr IANULOV (r) shut out Viktor SOLOVIOV (UKR) at 90kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE) edged Roman DOVHALIUK (UKR) to earn the title in the +90kg weight category.

In the women's competition, Ukraine won three of the four gold medals and captured the team title by 68 points.

Ukraine's gold medalists in the women's competition were Kateryna MASHKEVYCH (50kg), Valeriia SEMONKINA ZLATOVA (60kg) and Anna MAZURKEVYCH (70kg).

Champion aleriia SEMONKINA ZLATOVA (60kg) of Ukraine. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Aikaterini PITSIAVA (GRE) won the gold medal at +70kg.

The fourth and final Beach Wrestling World Series event will take place September 7-8 in Zagreb, Croatia.

RESULTS

Men's Beach Wrestling

70kg

GOLD: Semen RADULOV (UKR)
SILVER: Timothy BOX (USA)
BRONZE: Yehor MURADYAN (UKR)

80kg

GOLD: Serghii PONOMARENKO (UKR)
SILVER: Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
BRONZE: Georgios KOULOUCHIDIS (GRE)

90kg

GOLD: Piotr IANULOV (MDA)
SILVER: Viktor SOLOVIOV (UKR)

+90kg

GOLD: Oyan NAZARIANI (AZE)
SILVER: Roman DOVHALIUK (UKR)
BRONZE: Mahamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)

Team Standings

1. Ukraine 90
2. Greece 27
3. Azerbaijan 25
4. Moldova 25
5. United States 20

Women's Beach Wrestling

50kg

GOLD: Kateryna MASHKEVYCH (UKR)
SILVER: Mariia HEORHIIEVA (UKR)
BRONZE: Kristina BERMAN SHNYPKO (UKR)

60kg

GOLD: Valeriia SEMONKINA ZLATOVA (UKR)
SILVER: Yana KUZMINA POLTAVSKA (UKR)
BRONZE: Valeriia ODINTSOVA (UKR)

70kg

GOLD: Anna MAZURKEVYCH (UKR)
SILVER: Olha CHALIUK (UKR)
BRONZE: Yevheniia FOKINA (UKR)

+70kg

GOLD: Aikaterini PITSIAVA (GRE)
SILVER: Halyna KOVALSKA (UKR)
BRONZE: Cathrine FRILSETH (NOR)

Team Standings

1. Ukraine 95
2. Norway 27
3. Greece 25
4. United States 10

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 2 Highlights: Yazdani in 97kg final

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 5) -- The Ranking Series event, Zagreb Open, enters day two and it will be Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) making his 97kg debut for Iran. The Olympic champion at 74kg in 2016, and two-time Olympic silver medalist at 86kg, is chasing that second gold, this time at 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

13:45: 55kg WW semifinals - World silver medalist Verbina EKATERINA (UWW) with a 1-1 victory over Nagisa HARADA (JPN) in the semifinals. She got an activity point in the second period to keep the criteria lead. Ekaterina will face Karla GODINEZ (CAN) in the final after the Canadian defeated Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA), 2-1, in another low scoring semifinal.

13:30: 50kg WW semifinals - Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) with a controlled 8-2 win over Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) at 50kg. She will wrestle NEELAM (IND) for the gold medal. Neelam defeated MUSKAN (IND), 7-4, in an all-Indian semifinal

13:20: 125kg semifinals - A fall for Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) over Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) in just over two minutes as he reaches the final at 125kg. He will face Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) in the final after the U.S. wrestler scored an 11-1 win over Robert BARAN (POL).

13:10: 97kg semifinals - Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) with a quick fall over Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) in the first semifinal. Now he earns himself a chance to wrestle against Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) after Iranian managed another technical superiority win. While it's rare on Yazdani, Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) scored two takedowns on Yazdani but failed to keep the pressure before losing 14-4

12:55: 92kg semifinals - Mobin AZIMI (IRI) gets a dominant 11-0 win over Dustin PLOTT (USA) as he used a double-leg for four to finish. He earns a chance to avenge his 5-5 loss to Trent HIDLAY (USA) in the final after the American scored another come-from-behind victory. He defeated Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA), 3-3, to setup the gold medal bout against Azimi

12:40: 79kg semifinals - Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) is back in the Ranking Series final with a 10-1 victory over Otari ADEISHVILI (GEO). He looked in complete control of the bout. Khadjiev will face Dean HAMITI (USA) for the gold medal after he defeated Evan WICK (USA), 6-5, in a thrilling semifinal

12:15: Trent HIDLAY (USA) once again shows how to come back and win a bout. Down 6-0 against Abofazl RAHMANI (IRI), he scores a four-pointer and keeps the pressure on the Iranian to win 11-9 and make his spot in the semifinal at 92kg.

11:45: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) gives up a takedown against Richard VEGH (HUN) but that is the only slip in an otherwise dominant bout at 97kg. Two four point throws for Yazdani as he advances to the semifinals.

11:35: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) with a big four-pointer in her 5-0 win against Beatrice FERENT (ROU) at 55kg. The world silver medalist is the favorite to win gold here.

11:25: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) bounces back from his loss to Trent HIDLAY (USA) and beats Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) in his second bout at 92kg round robin. Azimi managed to score a takedown with less than 30 second left to beat Rahmani 4-3.

11:10: Two quick results at women's 50kg. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) beats Kendra RYAN (USA) 12-1 at 50kg before NEELAM (IND) also wins via technical superiority, 10-0, against Agata GOLUCHOWSKA (POL). 

11:00: 92kg world champion Trent HIDLAY (USA) makes a comeback from 5-0 down to beat Mobin AZIMI (IRI) 5-5 in the group stage bout. Hidlay scored a takedown in the second period before adding two stepouts. Iran challenged the second one but lost which gave the criteria lead to Hidlay

10:50: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) doesn't the trademark jump before entering the mat but his bout against Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) is a typical Yazdani bout. He uses the underhook to start scoring and then rallies to score takedowns at will before turning Suleimanishvili and winning his bout 11-0

10:45: Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) wrestled well but it is Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (UWW) who manages to win 6-4 at 97kg and win the opening bout.

10:30: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will be on Mat B but before that, a few big results in Zagreb. Richard VEGH (HUN) manages to hang on for a 3-0 victory over Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) at 97kg.