#Rome2018

Russia Reels in Eleventh Junior Euro Gold Medal

By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (August 4) - After running through the Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling competition, Russia’s dominance trickled over to freestyle as they were able to capture two additional gold medals on the sixth day of competition at the Junior European Championships. 

Thus far, eleven Russian wrestlers have enjoyed hearing their national anthem begin played while standing atop of the podium, and will have three more opportunities to hear it being played on the final day of wrestling in Rome, Italy. 

The duo of Aznaur TAVAEV (RUS) and Chermen VALIEV (RUS) each seized gold medals, helping Russia command the team lead heading into the seventh day of competition. 

In the 65kg finals, Aznaur Tavaev walloped 2014 cadet world bronze medalist, Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA), picking up the 15-4 technical superiority victory to pocket his first continental championship. 

Tavaev trailed early after surrendering a takedown and an exposure but was able to erase the four-point deficit, taking the 4-4 lead on criteria into the second period by picking up a takedown and exposure of his own. 

The Russian exploded in the second period, scoring four-points off a defensive chest-wrap, followed by a failed Moldova challenge to take the imposing 9-4 advantage into the final minute of the match. 

After another defensive scoring sequence, Tavaev closed the match out with a snap-down spin-behind to a trapped-arm gut-wrench, ultimately winning 15-4. 

Chermen VALIEV (RUS) give Russia their eleventh Junior European gold medal. (Photo Max Rose-Fyne) 

Chermen Valiev used a pair of second-period takedowns to narrowly escape Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE), 5-3 in the 70kg gold-medal bout. 

In the opening period, Valiev, the 2014 Cadet World team representative picked up a step-out point before conceding a takedown and a step-out to fall behind 3-1. 

Valiev rebounded in the final period and snatched the two-point lead with a pair of takedowns. The 2017 Ivan Yarygin runner-up narrowly held on to present Russia their second gold medal of the day and eleventh overall. 

Three other Russians will have the opportunity to compete for gold tomorrow, as the competition wraps up with the final freestyle medal match session starting at 6:00 PM (local time). 

RESULTS 

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Day 4 Women's Wrestling Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 23) -- The fourth day of the European Championships will see five Women's Wrestling weight classes -- 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 65kg, 72kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | SADULAEV's RETURN TO EUROPEANS

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12:30: Buse TOSUN (TUR) in a tangle against U23 European champion Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) but she comes out on top and then pins her way to the 72kg quarterfinals.

12:20: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) laces Iris Mathilde THIEBAUX (FRA) and finishes her 65kg quarterfinals 10-0 and in quick time.

12:15: Defending champion Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) begins with a technical superiority win over Annika WENDLE (GER). She won the gold medal at 53kg last year, on her 14th attempt at the European Championships.

12:05: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE), who lost the 2024 European final to Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (UWW), falls to her again, this time 12-5 at 53kg. Kaladzinskaya counter an attack from Malmgren to open the scoring and exposure points gave her a 4-0 lead. Sweden's lost challenge made it 5-0. Malmgren got on a couple of attacks but Kaladzinskaya hit a headlock throw for four which gave her a 9-3 lead. A lot of scramble in the bout but it was always Kaladzinskaya who finished them and Malmgren only got a clean takedown at the end, too little too late.

11:55: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) ends the fairytale of Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) at 53kg with a fall. Yefremova now reaches the semifinals.

11:35: Magdalena GLODEK (POL) with a counter body throw against Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) and then keeps her on the mat for a fall. Vynnyk is left stunned.

11:25: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) stuns Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) at 53kg! The Spain wrestler, first from the country to ever reach a World Championships final, got on a single leg attack in the second period and then arched Yetgil on the mat. Yetgil fouled with hands in Soler's face but she couldn't avoid the fall.

11:22: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR), returning to competition after two years, starts her senior debut with a 5-1 victory over Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) at 53kg.

11:15: Grace BULLEN (NOR), returning champion at 65kg but now down at 62kg, starts slow against Ameline DOUARRE (FRA) but manages to complete a technical superiority 10-0 victory.

11:10: Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), the returning silver medalist at 62kg, starts off with a clinical 10-0 win over Amina CAPEZAN (ROU). She hit a beautiful four-pointer to start the bout before scoring via three different takedowns.

10:55: High-scoring affair at 57kg between Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) and Aleksandra SKIRENKO (UWW). Martynava opened with a huge double for four before Skirenko caught a leg attack to score two. In the second period, Martynava countered Skirenko, slamming her on the mat for two points to extend her lead to 6-2. Skirenko got two points after winning a challenge as she had blocked a headlock throw from Martynava. As the bout resumed in par terre, Martynava escaped and score counter exposure for two points before giving up a counter herself as well. Martynanva, leading 8-6, was driven by Skirenko towards the zone and she thought she had a stepout but Martynava circled back and both wrestled scored exposure points, giving Martynava a 10-8 lead. Skirenko challenged for fleeing at the end but lost it which added another point to Martynava who won 11-8

10:45: Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) blanks Iulia LEORDA (MDA), 7-0, in their opening bout at 57kg. Vynnyk blocks an arm throw from Leorda to score a takedown during Leorda's activity time to lead 3-0. She uses a lace turn to go up 5-0. The final takedown came in the last 10 seconds which gave her the win.

10:30: Five more Women's Wrestling weight classes in action at the European Championships on Thursday.