WALYBRZYCH, Poland (March 25) – Ruslan ARSANALIEV and Muradin KUSHKHOV won individual titles as Russia stormed from behind for the men’s freestyle team title at the European Under-23 Wrestling Championships.

Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV added a bronze medal on the final day of men’s freestyle competition to give Russia a 61-57 edge over Georgia.

Georgia crowned two champions on the first day of competition for a 37-30 lead but could only manage a single silver medal on Wednesday.

With the team title already decided, Yarygin Grand Prix champion Kushkhov fashioned a 6-0 win over Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final. Yarygin bronze medal winner Arsanaliev wrapped up Ivan KUSYAK (UKR) for a first period fall at 70kg.

Kudiyamagomedov, winner of last summer Golden Grand Prix Final in Baku, raced out to an eight-point lead in the 86kg bronze medal final against European junior bronze medalist Fatih ERDIN (TUR) and eventually secured a 14-4 technical fall in the first period.

In the 86kg gold medal final, Aleksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) waved off his coaches’ plans to challenge a call that left him tied 6-6 with Magomedgadzhi KHATIEV (AZE), instead of leading 10-2, and nailed two leg attack takedowns for an 11-6 triumph.

At 61kg, Medved Prizes winner Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) ducked out of a pair of headlocks in the first period and added a pair of go-behind takedowns in the second for an 8-3 win against Andrii SVYRYD (UKR).

In one bronze medal free-for-all at 70kg, Andrei KARPACH (BLR) overcame a pair of four-point throws to defeat Ishkhan POGHOSYAN (ARM), 21-10, on the strength of three force-out points and a flurry of go-behind points. 

In addition to Russia’s three champions and three bronze medalists for 61 points over two days of freestyle competition, Georgia finished second with 57 points, two champions, two runners-up and a bronze medal.

Azerbaijan was third with two silver and two bronze medalists and 48 points, while Turkey with four bronze medalists and 44 points.

Wrestling continues Thursday with the first day of women’s freestyle with 2012 world champion Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) leading the way at 48kg along with competition at 55kg, 60kg and 69kg. 

Results of the Medal Bouts:
61kg (16 entries)
Gold - Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) df. Andrii SVYRYD (UKR), 8-3
Bronze - Recep TOPAL (TUR) df. Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE), 5-4
Bronze - Mihai ESANU (MDA) df. Giorgi SHAMATAVA (GEO) by Fall, 5:56 (10-3)

70kg (14 entries)
Gold - Rasul ARSANLIEV (RUS) df. Ivan KUSYAK (UKR) by Fall, 1:38 (2-0)
Bronze - Alexandru CODREANU (MDA) df. Zsombor GULYAS (HUN), 3-1
Bronze - Andrei KARPACH (BLR) df. Ishkhan POGHOSYAN (ARM) by TF, 21-10, 5:47

86kg (19 entries)
Gold - Aleksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) df. Magomedgadzhi KHATIYEV (AZE), 11-6
Bronze - Halil ZUBAIROV (MKD) df. Daniel RAMA (ESP), 7-1
Bronze - Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Fatih ERDIN (TUR) by TF, 14-4, 2:41

125kg (11 entries)
Gold - Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS) df. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (GEO), 6-0
Bronze - Ali MAGOMEDABIROV (AZE) df. Danyto KARTAVI (UKR), 8-1
Bronze - Robert BARAN (POL) df. Egor OLAR (MDA), 11-5