#WrestleSamokov

Russia Adds Four Golds, Walks Away with Cadet Euro FS Team Title

By Eric Olanowski

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (June 16) --- Russia reeled in four additional freestyle gold medals and walked away with the cadet European team title -- 75 points ahead of second-place Armenia. In total, Russia won six golds, two silvers, and a bronze medal and only missed medaling in one weight class.

Russia’s four Day Three gold-medal winners Akhmad GALAEV (45kg), Ramzan ISRAPILOV (51kg), Adam ARKHIEV (60kg) and Kantemir SUANOV (92kg). Alu DUKHAEV (RUS) also medaled on Wednesday. He dropped the 71kg finals to Aren ISRAYELYAN (ARM).

Galaev was the first Russian crowned champion on the third day of wrestling in Bulgaria. He picked up a fall over Hayko GASPARYAN (ARM) and won gold at 45kg.

Ramzan Israpilov’s hand was raised in the 51kg finals after Javid JAVADOV (AZE) injury defaulted out of the match. It was his second career continental title. He also won the ’19 U15 European title at 38kg.

Adam Arkhiev claimed a second European title with a one-point (4-3) win over Abdulrahman IBRAHIMOV (AZE) in the 60kg finals.

Kantemir Suanov closed out the day with Russia’s fourth gold. He beat Sali Yusrefov SALIEV (BUL), 3-1, in the 92kg finals.

Armenia (138 points), Georgia (122 points), Azerbaijan (107 points) and Ukraine (93 points) rounded out the top five in the team race.

Wrestling resumes tomorrow at 11:30 (local time) and can be followed on www.uww.org.

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD - Akhmad GALAEV (RUS) df. Hayko GASPARYAN (ARM), via fall
BRONZE - Oleksandr HRYHORYSHYN (UKR) df. Yunus Emre BATTAL (TUR), 6-0
BRONZE - Yusif ISPAROV (AZE) df. Lasha GOGADZE (GEO), 10-7

51kg
GOLD -Ramzan ISRAPILOV (RUS) df. Javid JAVADOV (AZE), via injury default
BRONZE - Tigran BUNIATYAN (ARM) df. Dmytro HUBANOV (UKR), 10-6
BRONZE - Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA) df. Kacper NOWAKOWSKI (POL), 10-0

60kg
GOLD -Adam ARKHIEV (RUS) df. Abdulrahman IBRAHIMOV (AZE), 4-3
BRONZE - Daniel Marian SANDU (ROU) df. Khizir DASIYEV (FRA), 11-0
BRONZE - Giorgi ABULASHVILI (GEO) df. Batuhan BOKE (TUR), 6-5

71kg
GOLD -Aren ISRAYELYAN (ARM) df. Alu DUKHAEV (RUS), 12-1
BRONZE - Cengizhan Ramazan DOGAN (TUR) df. Slavi Rumenov STAMENOV (BUL), 4-4
BRONZE - Giorgi NATOBIDZE (GEO) df. Vadym TSURKAN (UKR), via injury default

92kg
GOLD - Kantemir SUANOV (RUS) df. Sali Yusrefov SALIEV (BUL), 3-1}
BRONZE - Tamaz NIKOLEISHVILI (GEO) df. Roope Eerik Matias KATAJA (FIN), 10-0
BRONZE - Rifat Eren GIDAK (TUR) df. Yaroslav LISNIAK (UKR), 7-0

Pan-American Championships Day 3 Highlights

By Eric Olanowski

CORALVILLE, United States (May 9) -- The third day of wrestling at the Pan-American Championships will welcome in freestyle, while also closing out the final four weights in women's wrestling. The freestyle weights that'll take the mat today are 61kg, 74kg and 86kg, with the final women's weight being 53kg, 59kg, 65kg and 76kg.

12:28: We're going to start 30 minutes earlier than expected. The updated start time is 12:30 (local time)

12:13: That does it for the quarterfinals. We're expected to start at 13:00 but I imagine that'll change. I'll quickly run to see what they plan on doing then post an update shorty.

12:07: Welker just nearly took the roof off this place, scoring three takedowns, two turns and a stepout against Renteria to move into the semifinals. She'll wrestle another Paris 2024 bronze medalist in Marin in the semifinals as the Cuban picked up a 12-2 win in her quarterfinals.

11:53: A lot going on right now. Yepez Guzman just picked up a dominant 11-0 win over Cristelle Noelle RODRIGUEZ DOBLER (USA) and moved into the semifinals at 53kg. Also, Welkeer and Renteria are wrestling now on Mat A. The American is up 5-0 with a stepout and two counter-offenseive go behinds.

11:29: Paris 2024 Olympian Ethan Adrian RAMOS (PUR) is up now on Mat A. He's wrestling Angel Eduardo CORTES BONILLA (PAN).

11:23:  Zahid VALENCIA (USA) just made quick work of Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL), picking up the 10-0 first-period tech fall. The reigning world champion awaits the winner of Pedro Samuel GONCALVES DA SILVA (BRA) and Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG).

11:08: Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN) was just down 4-4 on criteria against Alexis GOMEZ (MEX) but stole the match with a double leg with 2.2 seconds left. Since 65kg is a smaller bracket, that win will give the Canadian at least a silver medal.

11:06: Iowa's own Austin James DESANTO (USA) is coming up next on Mat A. He'll take on Irie Alexander JACKSON (JAM).

10:56: On a side note, we're following the 76kg weight class for a mini documentary so make sure you stayed tuned into UWW+ over the next few weeks to watch the behind the scenes doc on the premier weight class of these Continental Championships.

10:50: Nestor TAFUR BARRIOS (COL) just picked up a win over on Mat A, which means he'll take on reigning world champion Valencia in seven matches on Mat A.

10:45: It's funny how things work. The two women's wrestlers who attended the opening press conference were world bronze medalist Kylie Renee WELKER (USA) and Tatiana RENTERIA (COL). Those two will will wrestle in the first round, 13 matches away (bout 180) on Mat A.

10:25: Today's action will feature two reinging world champions in Zahid VALENCIA (USA) and Genesis REASCO (COL), and three Paris 2024 Olympic medalists in Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)Milaimy MARIN (CUB) and Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL)