BUCHAREST (June 17) – Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) has ruled European pinweights for three years as champion, but this week she moves up to 48kg in a bid for a fourth consecutive crown as the European Junior Wrestling Championships get under way in Bucharest.

If successful, Selishka would become the third woman to win four junior European titles after Anita SCHAETZLE (GER), 1997 to 2000, and Petra OLLI (FIN), 2011-2014.

Meanwhile, Georgia and Azerbaijan each send a pair of junior world champions into the fray in Greco-Roman and freestyle as many of the top wrestlers, aged 17 to 20, arrive in the Romanian capital for the championships.

Georgia sends world champs Ramaz ZOIDZE (66kg) and Zviadi PATARIDZE (120kg) out on the second day of competition in Greco-Roman in hopes of a repeat team title. Ali CENGIZ (TUR) will be a third world champion in action in the classic style.

Azerbaijan counters in freestyle with world champs Makhir AMIRASLANOV (55kg) and Teymur MAMMADOV (66kg), with a chance to send out a third world champion Nurmagomed GADZHIEV, who is listed as an alternate 96kg.

Defending champions from last year’s meet in Istanbul include Pataridze and Islam ABBASOV (AZE) in Greco-Roman while Enes USLU (TUR) and Yuri VLASKO (RUS) are the returning champs in freestyle.

Along with Selishka, Patrizia LIUZZI (ITA) and Grace BULLEN (NOR) seek repeat titles in the women’s events.

More than 400 wrestlers, aged 17 to 20, are expected to compete in 24 weight categories at the Polyvalent Hall Bucharest through Sunday, June 26.

Tuesday-Wednesday, June 21-22: Greco-Roman

European cadet champion Miakhdi YAKHIAEV (RUS) is scheduled the kick off the championships against junior bronze medalists Levani KAZJARADZE (GEO) and Etienne KINSINGER (GER) at 60kg.

Evgeni GENCHEV (BUL), a silver medalist at last year’s European meet in Istanbul, and cadet world silver medalists Soslan FANZIEV (AZE) and Robert ERSEK (POL) hope to be in the medal matches at 96kg at the end of the opening day.

On the second day, defending champ Islam BBASOV (AZE)  looks forward to a chance to avenge a loss to Ali CENGIZ (TUR) in the final at the junior world final at 84kg last August in Brazil.

Pataridze, meanwhile, will attempt to win his sixth consecutive age-group title dating back to the 2013 cadet world championships in Serbia.

Junior world champ Zoidze, also a bronze medalist at the European under-23 meet in March, heads the field at 66kg along with Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), a double silver medalist as a cadet and junior at 60kg last year.

Thursday-Friday, June 23-24: Women’s Wrestling

For the first time in four years, Selishka will not lead off the women’s events at 44kg, opening the door for Istanbul silver medalist Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR), bronze medal winner Oksana LIVACH (UKR) and 2015 European cadet champ Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU).

Defending champ Bullen squares off with European cadet winner Anzhelina LYSAK (UKR) at 59kg, while cadet world champion Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) comes in as the favorite at 67kg along with Istanbul silver medalist Elis MANOLOVA (AZE).

Seliska headlines the second day of women’s wrestling at 48kg but will face challenges from 2013 European cadet champ Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS) and 2014 cadet world silver medalist Mariana KOLOS (UKR).

Luizzi comes in the favorite at 55kg as defending champ, but European cadet champion Alina KAZYMOVA (RUS) and runner-up Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL) will be eager to test the next level of age-group competition.

Saturday-Sunday, June 25-26: Freestyle

Junior world bronze medalist Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS), 70kg champion at the prestigious Yarygin Grand Prix in January, leads the first day of action in freestyle at 74kg. Istanbul 2015 bronze medal winner Murad SULEYMANOV (AZE) will likely also be in the mix for the medals.

At 96kg, Istanbul winner Yuri VLASKO (RUS) is back to try for a second title, while junior world champ Nurmagomed GADZHIEV (AZE), who also won the European under-23 meet in March, is listed as an alternate to Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (AZE).

The final day of the championship will feature junior world champ Amiraslanov and European silver medalist Naim MIKYAY (BUL) at 55kg while 66kg world champ Mammadov and European champ Enes USLU (TUR) headline the entries at lightweight.

Junior world runner-up Dzianis KHRAMIANKOV (BLR), a bronze medal winner in Istanbul, tops the field at 84kg while teammate Vitali PESNIAK (BLR) is joined by European cadet champion Alimagomed ALIKHMAEV (AZE) in the race to the top of the medals podium.

Schedule

Monday, June 20

17:30- 19:00 – Medical Examination & Weigh-in: GR 50, 60, 74, 96kg

Tuesday, June 21

10:00-14:00 – Elimination Rounds & Repechage: GR 50, 60, 74, 96kg
17:30-19:00 – Medical Examination & Weigh-in: GR 55, 66, 84, 120kg
19:00-19:30 – Opening Ceremony
19:30-21:30 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: GR 50, 60, 74, 96kg

Wednesday, June 22

10:00-14:00 – Elimination Rounds & Repechage: GR 55, 66, 84, 120kg
16:00-17:45 – Medical Examination & Weigh-in: FW 44, 51, 59, 67kg
18:00-20:00 - Finals & Award Ceremonies: GR 55, 66, 84, 120kg

Thursday, June 23

10:00-14:00 – Elimination Rounds & Repechage: FW 44, 51, 59, 67kg
16:00-17:45 – Medical Examination & Weigh-in: FW 48, 55, 63, 72kg
18:00-20:00 - Finals & Award Ceremonies: FW 44, 51, 59, 67kg

Friday, June 24

10:00-14:00 – Elimination Rounds & Repechage: FW 48, 55, 63, 72kg
16:00-17:45 – Medical Examination & Weigh-in: FS 50, 60, 74, 96kg
18:00-20:00 - Finals & Award Ceremonies: FW 48, 55, 63, 72kg

Saturday, June 25

10:00-14:00 – Elimination Rounds & Repechage: FS 50, 60, 74, 96kg
16:00-17:45 – Medical Examination & Weigh-in: FS 55, 66, 84, 120kg
18:00-20:00 - Finals & Award Ceremonies: FS 50, 60, 74, 96kg

Sunday, June 26

10:00-14:00 – Elimination Rounds & Repechage: FS 55, 66, 84, 120kg
18:00-20:00 - Finals & Award Ceremonies: FS 55, 66, 84, 120kg