#WrestleFaenza

Russian Women Outscore Finals Opponents 25-2, Wins Trio of Day 4 Titles

By Eric Olanowski

FAENZA, Italy (June 20) – The Russian Federation capped off the fourth day of wrestling at the Cadet European Championships with women’s wrestling medals in all five weight classes, three of which were golds, and racked up an 18-2 record. Maybe more impressive, their two losses came against the eventual European champions. Russia (110 points) holds a 36-point lead over Ukraine (74 points) heading into the final day of women’s wrestling. 

Four Russian women competed in Day 4 gold-medal matches, but Amina TANDELOVA, Ekaterina GLUKHAREVA, and Olga KOZYREVA walked away as European champions. 

Angelina PERVUKHINA finished with a silver medal, while Olga REKHMETULLOVA (RUS) was able to fight back after her opening round loss to win a bronze medal. 

Amina Tandelova gave the most dominant wrestling nation in the world their first Day 4 gold medal. She picked an opening period takedown, a pair of second-period takedowns, and defeated Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), 6-0 in the 57kg gold-medal match. 

Tandelova’s first takedown came from a high crotch in the first period, but that wasn’t her most impressive move of the period. She did a beautiful job sitting out and boot-scooting to stop a Ukrainian go behind before the first period ended and carried the 2-0 lead into the final two minutes of the match.  

In the second period, a counter-offensive go-behind and a takedown as time expired helped Tandelova improve on her runner-up finish from last year with a 6-0 shutout victory. 

Ekaterina GLUKAREVA (RUS) bullied her way past a frustrated Veronica BRASCHI (ITA), 6-0 in the 65kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Russia’s second 25-point gold-medal winner was Ekaterina Glukhareva who bullied her way past a clearly frustrated Veronica BRASCHI (ITA) in the 65kg finals.

Glukhareva controlled the entire four-minute match with her left underhook, using it to pick up four stepouts and an inactivity point. Gluhareva tacked on two additional points with a defensive stop and handed Russia their second shutout win of the night. 

Olga KOZYREVA (RUS) celebrates after her 12-2 victory Jennifer ROESLER (GER) in the 73kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Olga KOZYREVA (RUS) was two points away from handing Russia their third finals shutout but surrendered a takedown before ending the 73kg gold-medal match with a 12-2 victory over Jennifer ROESLER (GER).

Kozyreva kick-started the match with a snatch single and had the 2-0 lead, then tossed Roesler to her back with a four-point whip over. Kozyreva commanded the early 6-0 lead when she shot an outside double, came up to her feet and brought Roesler back down to the mat for the takedown. She started to celebrate, thinking the referees awarded four points, but instead, she was only given two points and had the 8-0 lead. 

Kozyreva gave up a takedown and carried the 8-2 lead into the final period, but it only took her 28 seconds in the second period to pick up the four points she needed to end the match. Kozyreva closed out the match with a 12-2 victory and improved on her eighth-place finish from the 2017 U15 European Championships.

The fifth day of wrestling in Faenza being tomorrow at 11:30 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

RESULTS

43kg
GOLD - Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. Diana Tancheva PAVLOVA (BUL), via fall 
BRONZE - Olga REKHMETULLOVA (RUS) df. Zenfira HASHIMOVA (AZE), 15-4
BRONZE - Ana Maria NECHIFOR (ROU) df. Anna POLLAKOVA (SVK), via fall 

49kg 
GOLD - Rebekka MARCH (GER) df. Angelina PERVUKHINA (RUS), 6-1
BRONZE - Anastasiya YANOTAVA (BLR) df. Mariia TOMYSHCH (UKR), 3-2 
BRONZE - Natalia Edyta WALCZAK (POL) df. Vestina DANISEVICIUTE (LTU), 10-0

57kg
GOLD - Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) df. Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), 6-0
BRONZE - Othelie Annette HOEIE (NOR) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 4-1 
BRONZE - Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) df. Maarja PLASER (EST), 8-2

65kg 
GOLD - Ekaterina GLUKHAREVA (RUS) df. Veronica BRASCHI (ITA), 7-0 
BRONZE - Yevheniia SIEDYKH (UKR) df. Nora Luca MAJOR (HUN), 4-1 
BRONZE - Zofia POLOWCZYK (POL) df. Daniela SIRBU (MDA), 4-0 

72kg 
GOLD - Olga KOZYREVA (RUS) df. Jennifer ROESLER (GER), 12-2 
BRONZE - Nazar BATIR (TUR) df. Maria Cristina ROSIORU (ROU), 8-1 
BRONZE - Julia FRIDLUND (SWE) df. Nerea IGLESIAS CAMPOS (ESP), via fall 

 

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open FS, GR Preview: Stars try to find space in Olympic weights

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (January 4) -- More than 550 wrestlers will reach Zagreb for the season-opening Ranking Series event and it's no surprise that the Olympic weight classes have higher entries than the non-Olympic ones.

As the qualification for the Paris Olympics this year begins two months later, wrestlers are trying to fit in the respective Olympic weight classes for the Games in August.

That has led to two-time 92kg world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) jump to 97kg on his return to the mat after an absence of more than a year. He last competed at the World Cup in December 2022. His debut there at 97kg ended in a loss to world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA). The two may face again as Snyder is also coming to Zagreb.

Ghasempour will have to make sure he is in peak fitness as he may have to battle with compatriot Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) for the spot on the team.

Another former world and Olympic champion was expected to return to an Olympic weight class but Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), who last competed at 74kg internationally four years ago, pulled out Wednesday.

But the USA will still see a good representation as Jason NOLF (USA) is headed to Zagreb to challenge international stars. The challengers include Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), Yones EMAMI (IRI) among others.

Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) is returning at 74kg as his ban for a doping violation is over.

Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI)Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) will challenge world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) at 125kg. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 125kg, Iran has sent both Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) and world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) as it looks to finalize the team for the Olympics using international competitions. Other world medalists entered in the weight class are Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Mason PARRIS (USA).

As usual, the 65kg weight class will see some big names trying to upset each other. World silver medalist Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) and bronze medalist Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) are both entered along with former world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) who will look to beat Abbas EBRAHIMZADEHSAVADKOUHI (IRI) to cement his place in the Iran national team.

Other mini battles include John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) and Joseph MCKENNA (USA). The latter defeated Diakomihalis in Taraz in November. Azerbaijan may be trying to push Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) at 65kg after Haji ALIYEV (AZE) failed to win the Olympic quota at the World Championships.

92kg world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) is going down to 86kg where he will also have U20 world champion Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 79kg world silver medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), world bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), Osman GOCEN (TUR), Zahid VALENCIA (USA) and Chandler MARSTELLER (USA).

Luis ORTA (CUB)Luis ORTA (CUB) and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) are likely to meet in Zagreb again. The bout will be a rematch of the World Championships final at 67kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

A World Championships final rematch is on the cards at 67kg as world champion Luis ORTA (CUB) and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) are entered. But the weight class also has HUSIYUETU (CHN) who defeated Orta twice last year, Tokyo bronze medalist Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY), Danial SOHRABI (IRI), former world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Tokyo silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR).

The 87kg will also see some big names as Islam ABBASOV (AZE) and 82kg world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) challenge for that one spot on the Azerbaijan team. Former world silver medalist Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) is also entered.

Hungary has decided to go with Istvan TAKACS (HUN) and joint-world champion David LOSONCZI (HUN) while Iran is sending Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI). Marcel STERKENBURG (NED), Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) and Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) can challenge the big names.

Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), a regular at 82kg, is going down to the Olympic weight class of 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Turkiye is trying to find a representative for the qualifiers at 77kg with Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), Yunus BASAR (TUR) and Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) entered for the competition. Basar lost in the Turkish national competition while Yilmaz won gold.

World silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) is entered along with 72kg world champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), Idris IBAEV (GER), former world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), Amir Ali ABDI (IRI), world bronze medalist Nao KUSAKA (JPN), former 72kg world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) and Kamal BEY (USA).

At 97kg, Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE) and Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) are battling for one spot for Azerbaijan while U20 world champion Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) and U23 world champion Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) are also entered. Hungary is sending Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Alex SZOKE (HUN).

World bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE), Tokyo fifth-placer Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), former Asian champion Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) and Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) are also in.

Like last year, Oscar PINO (CUB) will be the favorite to win the 130kg world medal as he competes alongside Sabah SHARIATI (AZE), Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), Lingzhe MENG (CHN), Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) and Adam COON (USA) among others.

At 60kg, Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) will be looking to get back to form after a disappointing World Championships. He will be joined by Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), world bronze medalist Liguo CAO (CHN), 55kg world silver medalist Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), former world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN).