European Games

Russian Trio Advances to Greco-Roman Finals at European Games

Friday, June 28, 2019 - 19:08 By United World Wrestling Press

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MINSK, Belarus (June 28) - Russia made a statement on the opening day of the Greco-Roman competition at the European Games, advancing all three of their wrestlers to Saturday's gold-medal finals. 

Returning world champion Stepan MARYANYAN (60kg) and Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (77kg), along with 2018 European bronze medalist Zaur KABALOEV (67kg), earned semifinal victories for Russia.

Maryanyan, a European Games champion in 2015, was untested in his semifinal match against Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR). He cruised to a 9-0 technical superiority. Maryanyan built a 7-0 lead after the first period and put the match away early in the second period. He will face Erik TORBA (HUN) in the gold-medal match.

Torba came from behind to defeat Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO), a 2016 junior world champion, 6-5. Chkhartishvili used a four-point throw in the first period, which helped him take a 5-3 lead at the break. Torba, though, kept the pressure on and scored a passivity point before scoring with a turn to take the lead. He then held off the Georgian for the victory.

Chekhirkin, like Maryanyan, picked up a technical superiority without surrendering a point in the semifinals. His semifinal victory came over Yunus BASAR (TUR), 8-0. After getting pushed in his first match, the 33-year-old Russian has outscored his last two opponents 14-0. In tomorrow's gold-medal match at 77kg, Chekhirkin will meet Karapet CHALYAN (ARM).

Chalyan reached the finals by beating Tamas LORINCZ (HUN), an Olympic silver medalist and three-time world medalist. Lorincz scored first off a passivity to take a 1-0 lead, which is all the scoring that happened in the opening period. Chalyan came back in the second period, scoring a takedown early in the second period and adding another takedown a short time later, which proved to be enough to get him the victory.  

Kabaloev blanked Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR) 4-0 in the semifinals at 67kg, scoring all four of his points in the first period. The other semifinal winner at 67kg was Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), a U23 and junior world champion, who defeated Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) 5-0. 

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD - Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) vs. Erik TORBA (HUN)
SEMIFINAL - Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) df. Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR), 9-0
SEMIFINAL - Erik TORBA (HUN) df. Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO), 6-5

67kg
GOLD - Zaur KABALOEV (RUS) vs. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Zaur KABALOEV (RUS) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR), 4-0
SEMIFINAL - Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Karen ASLANYAN (ARM), 5-0

77kg
GOLD - Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) vs. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM)
SEMIFINAL - Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) df. Yunus BASAR (TUR), 8-0 
SEMIFINAL - Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) df. Tamas LORINCZ (HUN), 4-1
 

#USAWrestling

Paris Olympic Champ Elor Makes Winning Return After Child Birth

Saturday, May 16, 2026 - 11:49 By United World Wrestling Press

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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, United States (May 15) -- Three months after giving birth, Paris 2024 Olympic champion Amit ELOR (USA) returned to competition at the United States World Team Trials Challenge tournament in Louisville.

The 22-year-old Elor pinned her way to win the tournament and book her stop for the Final X, the U.S. tournament, to be held on June 19, to select its team for the 2026 World Championships.

The two-time world champion wrestled Pan-American champion Precious WIESER (USA) in the 72kg final and pushed her lead to 11-0 before converting her final takedown into a fall with 29 seconds left.

This was Elor's first appearance since the same this tournament a year ago. She pulled out of the 2025 Final X due to health issues and later announced her pregnancy.

In other bouts, two-time world medalist Macey KILTY (USA) also pinned her way to Final X. Following a technical fall in the semifinals, Kilty pinned Claire DI CUGNO (USA) 66 seconds into final at 62 kg. With the victory, Kilty now sets up a rematch of the U.S. Open final against recent Pan-Am champion Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) at Final X.

At 53kg, Elena IVALDI (USA) secured a technical superiority win over Sydney PETZINGER (USA) in a high-scoring, 23-12, contest. Ivaldi, leading 15-12 at one point, put the match away with eight-straight points to seal the win.

Two-time U17 world champion Morgan TURNER (USA) needed a late takedown to confirm her 10-8 win over Felicity TAYLOR (USA) at 50kg. In a back-and-forth battle, Taylor grabbed an 8-7 lead with seven seconds to go with a takedown on the edge of the mat. On the ensuing restart, Turner scored two points off an ankle pick, and a lost challenge sealed the 10-8 victory.

The 55kg spot went to Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA) who won 6-0 over Alexandra HEDRICK (USA) while at 65kg, 2023 world bronze medalist Jennifer PAGE (USA) outlasted Emma BRUNTIL (USA), 4-2.

Alexis JANIAK (USA), a age-group world medalist, secured her Final X spot at 59kg as she edged out two-time age-group world medalist Amani JONES (USA), 4-1.

Each winner of the tournament is paired against the U.S. Open champion in a best-of-three series at Final X to determine the representative for the U.S. at the 2026 World Championships. Final X will take place on June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Three Final X matchups were already determined in women’s freestyle, 57kg, 68kg and 76kg.

In Freestyle, Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) made it to Final X after winning the World Team Trials Challenge tournament. Lee scored a 13-3 win over Anthony KNOX (USA) at 57kg. Lee’s victory sets up a rematch against three-time age-group world champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA), who beat Lee at the U.S. Open last month.

In the 61 kg final, U23 world champion Jaxen FORREST (USA) won against Benjamin DAVINO (USA), 11-1. Forrest previously beat Davino in the finals at the NCAA National Championships, 4-2, and Davino came back to beat Forrest in the U.S. Open semifinals, 8-4.

Paris 2024 Olympian Zain RETHERFORD (USA) made his return to the mat in style and won the 70kg tournament title. In low-scoring bouts, Retherford won his semifinal match on Thursday, 3-2, then edged Caleb HENSON (USA) in the final, 2-1.

At 125kg, after what was ruled a pin early on, Mason PARRIS (USA) rallied and claimed the victory. An early scramble ended with Isaac TRUMBLE (USA) initially being rewarded with a fall. However, after a challenge, the call was overturned after being called for a choke. After the challenge, the match was all tied at 2-2, and Parris bounced back to take a 14-6 lead. He held off a late rally from Trumble to secure the 14-12 victory.

David CARR (USA) won at 74 kg after he defeated Jayden JAMES (USA), holding off a late charge from James to secure the 9-7 decision and advance to Final X.

Final X Match-Ups

Women's Wrestling

50kg: Katie GOMEZ (USA) vs. Morgan TURNER (USA)
53kg: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) vs. Elena IVALDI (USA)
55kg: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) vs. Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA)
57kg: Helen MAROULIS (USA) vs. Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)
59kg: Abigail NETTE (USA) vs. Alexis JANIAK (USA)
62kg: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) vs. Macey KILTY (USA)
65kg: Kayla MIRACLE (USA) vs. Jennifer PAGE (USA)
68kg: Kennedy BALDES (USA) vs. Isabella MIR (USA)
72kg: Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) vs. Amit ELOR (USA)
76kg: Kylie WELKER (USA) vs. Dymond GUILFORD (USA)

Freestyle

57kg: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) vs. Spencer LEE (USA)
61kg: Marcus BLAZE (USA) vs. Jaxen FORREST (USA)
65kg: Real WOODS (USA) vs. Bowen BASSETT (USA)
70kg: Ridge LOVETT (USA) vs. Zain RETHERFORD (USA)
74kg: James GREEN (USA) vs. David CARR (USA)
79kg: Levi HAINES( USA) vs. Chance MARSTELLER (USA)
86kg: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) vs. Kyle DAKE (USA)
92kg: Trent HIDLAY (USA) vs. Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA)
97kg: Kyle SNYDER (USA) vs. Stephen BUCHANAN (USA)
125kg: Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) vs. Mason PARRSI (USA)