#kaspeuro2018

Russia Bounces Back To Win Trio of Golds After Azerbaijan Snags Pair

By Eric Olanowski

KASPIISK, Russia - (May 5) - Azerbaijani’s Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) and Haji ALIYEV (AZE) stunned the sold-out Palace of Sport and Youth after picking up buzzer beater takedowns on Russian opponents to win European gold medals. But, the Russian's bounced back to win the final three gold medals on the sixth day of competition at the 2018 European Championships.

Giorgi Edisherashvili stole his second 57kg European title by picking up a four-point throw with three seconds left to defeat last year’s European bronze medalist, Zavur UGUEV (RUS), 4-3. 

Edisherashvili, the back-to-back European champion seized his second crown with a lateral drop on the out of bounds line as he trailed the Russian by three points. 

“Even if you’re losing, you don’t have a right to give up. You have to wrestle until the end of the match. I wanted to wait until the end to take a risk, and that's what I did, risked it all at the end.” 

Haji ALIYEV (AZE), the reigning 61kg world champion gave Azerbaijan their second straight gold medal of the night with a last-second takedown to defeat reigning 65kg European champion, Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS), 8-7. 

Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) gave Russia their first freestyle gold medal of the 2018 European Championships with a 3-1 win over Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) at 70kg. 

“The score wasn’t high because my opponent was very experienced. The luck was just on my side today.” 

Kurbanliev, the 2016 world champion completed his run to his second European title by scoring three one point sequences. The 2014 European champion's lead was cut to 3-1 after being penalized for failing to score on the passivity clock but hung on to win his first European title in four years.

Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) celebrating after defeating Germany’s Martin OBST in the 79kg gold-medal bout.  

Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) locked up back-to-back gold medals for the Russian Federation with a 6-3 victory over Germany’s Martin OBST in the 79kg gold-medal bout. 

Gadzhimagomedov’s three-point first period proved to be the difference in the match as both wrestlers score three points in the final period. 

“Magomed Kurbanliev, Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) and I are good friends and are living in the same hotel room. I was very happy for Magomed, and I hope Abdulrashid wins tomorrow so we can have a gold room.”

Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) closed out the sixth day of competition with a 6-0 shutout over Belarus’ Aliaksandr HUSHTYN. 

"Right now, I'm on top of my physical form like never before...I couldn't become a three-time runner-up, and this time I finally won the gold because of my coaches, family, and friends. We all won this together!" 

Also of note, at 57kg, Stevan MICIC (SRB) grabbed a bronze medal with a 10-0 pummeling of Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP), giving Serbia their first European medal ever. 

RESULTS 
57kg 
GOLD -  Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) df. Zavur UGUEV (RUS), 5-3 

BRONZE - Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR) df. Mihran JABURYAN (ARM), 8-1
BRONZE - Stevan MICIC (SRB) df. Levan VARTANOV (ESP), 10-0 

65kg 
GOLD –  Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS), 8-7

BRONZE – Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) df. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), 8-4
BRONZE -  Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) df. David HABAT (SLO), 8-7 

70kg 
GOLD – Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) df. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), 3-1 

BRZONE -  Murtazali MUSLIMOV (AZE) df. Azamat NURYKAU (BLR), 9-2
BRONZE -  Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) df. Andriy KVYATKOVSKYY (UKR), 3-1 

79kg 
GOLD - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Martin OBST (GER), 6-3

BRONZE - Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) df. Muhammet Nuri KOTANOGLU (TUR), 10-4
BRONZE - Mihaly NAGY (HUN) df. Alexandru BURCA (MDA), 8-1 

97kg
GOLD - Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) df. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR), 7-0 

BRONZE - Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) df. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 5-2 
BRONZE - Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) df. Magomedgadji Omardibirovich NUROV (MKD), 4-0

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 4 Results and Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 7) -- The fourth day of the Ranking Series in Zagreb will see the remaining four Women's Wrestling weight classes in action along with two Greco-Roman weight classes 77kg and 87kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 3 RESULTS

14:55: GR 87kg semifinals - Tamas LEVAI (HUN) gets a 2-1 win over Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) in the semifinals at 87kg to take a step closer to be part of the Hungarian team for the European Championships. But to confirm that, he has to beat Istvan TAKACS (HUN), who won the other semifinals after a desperate arm-throw for four to beat Matej MANDIC (CRO), 6-2.

14:40: GR 77kg semifinals - Ali OSKOU (IRI) with a beautiful throw from par terre to get a 5-0 lead before another turn makes it 7-0. He eventually beats Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 10-1, and advances to the 77kg final. Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) will challenge the Iranian for the gold medal after the Hungarian defeated Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), 7-0, majorly using gut-wrenches.

14:25: 76kg semifinals - Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) with two stepouts and one point for activity clock to take a 3-0 lead against Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) before a lost challenge from Japan adds another point to her score and she wins 4-0. She will take on Tristan KELLY (USA) for the gold medal who scored a four-pointer with seven seconds remaining against PRIYA (IND) to claim a 4-4 criteria victory 

14:10: 72kg semifinals - Buse TOSUN (TUR) is into the final at 72kg after a close 2-2 criteria win over Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN). She was down 2-1 but dragged the Japanese out of bounds to take the criteria and the win. For the gold medal, she will take on Diksha MALIK (IND) who posted a 4-2 win over Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW).

13:55: 57kg semifinals - MANISHA (IND) makes it to the final at 57kg with rather ease, beating Amory ANDRICH (GER), 11-0. She will test herself against Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) in the gold medal bout after the Japanese defeated Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) via fall

13:45: 53kg semifinals - U20 world champion Everest LEYDECKER (USA) takes out world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) 2-2. She scored a takedown in the first period and then defended that score. However, Antim managed to score a stepout alongwith a point for fleeing from Leydecker. With the score 2-2, Leydecker kept the criteria for a bigger technique and won. She will take on Roksana ZASINA (POL) for the gold medal who defeated Annika WENDLE (GER), 8-4, in the other semifinals.

13:15: Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) gets two rolls from par terre and then defends to beat Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ) and move into the semifinals at 77kg.

12:50: Almost five years after they met in the 2021 U17 World Championships, Katie GOMEZ (USA) and ANTIM (IND) meet again on the mat in Zagreb. Antim gets the first takedown an also point for activity clock. Antim extends her lead to 5-0 with another takedown before the break. Constant pressure from Antim and gets two more takedowns to lead 9-0. Antim finishes with an exposure and wins 11-0, avenging that loss from Budapest against Gomez, who went on to win the gold there.

12:35: Everest LEYDECKER (USA), U20 world champion and competing at her first senior international tournament, begins with an 11-0 victory over Anjali KACHHAWA (IND) at 53kg.

12:20: Priya PRIYA (IND), who finished fifth at the World Championships, pins Enrica RINALDI (ITA) at 76kg and moves into the semifinals.

12:05: Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE) drops her 72kg bout against Buse TOSUN (TUR), 2-0. Both activity clock points and then Tosun is solid in defense to post the victory

11:50: In an all Hungarian battle perhaps for the European Championships selection, Robert FRITSCH (HUN) gets the better of Levente LEVAI (HUN), 4-1, at 77kg. A turn from par terre for Fritsch in that win.

11:45: Abdullo ALIEV (UZB) gets the par terre and wastes no time in getting Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) two reverse bodylock throws and two and four points respectively. He then gets a takedown to win the bout via technical superiority at 77kg

11:40: After a longish battle and review, Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA) gets a 15-11 victory over Sydney PETZINGER (USA) at 53kg. 

11:25: Giullia PENALBER (BRA) with a dominant win on U23 world champion Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) at 57kg. Aliyeva never got going and Penalber led 14-4 before getting the fall

11:15: Asian champion at 62kg MASNISHA (IND) has moved down to 57kg. She faces Tindra DALMYR (SWE) in her opening bout and begins well to score a takedown. Dalmyr gets a four-pointer but Manisha controls the rest of the bout and wins 9-4

11:10: Amory ANDRICH (GER) gets a fall over Samantha STEWART (CAN) at 57kg. Stewart has been adjusting to the 57kg weight class but Andrich made short work of Stewart

10:45: Couple of quick results from Greco-Roman. First up is Levente Levai (HUN), European champion at 72kg and now at 77kg, with a 3-0 victory against Mohamed Khalil (EGY). And Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) holding on for a 3-2 victory against Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) at 77kg

10:30: Another day in the and we will see more wrestlers trying to adjust to the Olympic weight classes.