#WrestleBucharest

Semenov denies Kayaalp European gold, history

By Vinay Siwach

BUCHAREST, Romania (February 13) -- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) seemed unstoppable. He got the par terre position, he got the stepout in the second period to reduce the chances of a passivity call against him, the stands were full of his supporters and his family was waiting patiently like everyone else.

Kayaalp was two minutes and 30 seconds away from becoming a 13-time European champion. He was on track. Then Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) wrapped Kayaalp with his arms like a seatbelt and threw the 130kg wrestler for a slam. He held Kayaalp in that position till the referee called it a pin.

In a match where Kayaalp was hoping to go past Aleksandar KARELIN's record of 12 European Championships gold medals, Kayaalp got pinned and fell short. Semenov would get the pin with just over two minutes remaining in the bout.

"I’ve been practicing that throw for a long time, it’s my signature move," Semenov said.

Sergei SEMENOV (AIN)Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) pins Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the 130kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Leading 1-0 at the break after his par terre advantage, Kayaalp got a stepout to make it 2-0. Semenov remained calm and began pushing Kayaalp toward the zone with a body lock. Kayaalp maintained his distance from Semenov. As Semenov tried to push Kayaalp more, the latter resisted it and Semenov was smart enough to use Kayaalp's forward momentum to complete the throw.

Kayaalp was on the mat. The Bucharest crowd let out a sigh together. Semenov was not letting Kayaalp move. The referee asked for a pin and the judges confirmed it.

A heartbroken and shocked Kayaalp took his time to stand up but he knew that it was over. He will have to wait to be Europe's most successful wrestler.

Semenov on the other hand rushed to his coach who slammed him in a celebration.

"Everyone knows, that only a few can clinch, but I could do it and I felt that I could make that throw and I’ve done it," Semenov said. "I think we wrestled equally. He pushed me out at the beginning of the second period, but I was calm and I knew I could score points."

Despite his celebrations, Semenov showed to his opponent, walking to him after both were off the mat and sharing a hug.

"I didn’t pay attention to his records. He is a legendary wrestler," he said. "It’s even more enjoyable to win against such wrestlers, there is two times more motivation. It’s possible to say that it’s one of the biggest victories in my career."

Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB)Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB) won his first-ever European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Turkiye suffered more heartbreak as world champion Ali CENGIZ (TUR) dropped his 87kg final 4-1 against Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB) who won his first European gold medal.

As soon as the final began, Komarov used an arm drag to pull Cengiz who fled towards the zone. Komarov scored a stepout and was also awarded a point for Cengiz's fleeing. He was awarded the par terre advantage but Cengiz did well to avoid conceding any points. In the second period, Cengiz got the par terre advantage but he appealed to the referee that Komarov was blocking his attack.

The referee called it clean and Turkiye challenged. The jury upheld the decision of the referee, giving one more point to Komarov.

"I am very thrilled, I don't even know what to say, to be honest," Komarov said. "I was ready and I did some good wrestling. I'm very satisfied with everything that happened today."

The 87kg weight class was one of the deepest brackets in Bucharest and Komarov had to go through beating defending champion Istvan TAKACS (HUN), Tokyo Olympic champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) and Islam ABBASOV (AZE) in the semifinal. However, Komarov said that he did not think too much about the bracket.

"I didn't look at the draw before the competition day," he said. "When I finally saw the draw, to be honest, I was very surprised in that moment. But, I set my head that I have to suffer and that I have to do what I do and what we practiced at the training."

Bucharest hosted the European Championships in 2019 and Komarov was part of that competition. He finished with a bronze medal which was his first international loss. In January, he was in Zagreb for the Ranking Series and won bronze.

"I went Porec for training camp after Zagreb," he said. "There were 250 athletes  and after a couple of days we went back home to rest and then we went to Zrenjanin for 10 days for training."

In two months, Komarov will be looking to win an Olympic quota for Serbia in Baku, 

"It is my wish and goal to get quota for the Olympic Games," he said. "I'm focused on that right now, it is my goal, and with God's help everything ends up like I wish to be."

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) throws Yunus BASAR (TUR) for four points in the 77kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Amoyan wins third gold

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) won his third consecutive European gold medal and second at 77kg after beating Yunus BASAR (TUR) 7-0 in a very one-sided final.

Basar never got going in the final as Amoyan got the first par terre and scored an out-of-bounds point which he got only after a challenge. Leading 2-0 at the break, there was no change in strategy from Amoyan in the second period and he continued his offense wrestling. Amoyan scored a takedown and then lifted Basr for a four-point throw.

Basar challenged the move but the jury saw no foul in any sequence, giving Amoyan a 7-0 lead and the win.

"Winning third time was particularly challenging because all my opponents were preparing specifically for me. I am thrilled," Amoyan said. "The Turkish wrestler [Basar] is one of the strongest wrestlers in our weight class. I never underestimate him, always prepare to wrestle him 100 percent to show my wrestling, and on the mat, the one who is in the best shape wins at that moment."

Amoyan was a world champion at 72kg but has won two bronze medals since moving to the Olympic weight class of 77kg. 

"I'm doing everything to become a world champion in the 77 kg category. I will prepare properly. It's time to forget this victory and move forward. Time will reveal everything," he said. "I will prepare for the Olympics just like I prepare for other tournaments. I need to be mentally prepared to win gold there, and it's not far away."

At 55kg, Artium DELEANU (MDA) became the second Moldova wrestler to became the European champion in Greco-Roman after he pinned Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE).

Mammadov had a 3-0 lead but Deleanu used a body lock to pin Mammadov down in the 55kg final.

Azerbaijan did win a gold medal as world silver medalist Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) defeated Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR), 2-1 in the 63kg final. The gold was Mammadov first-ever gold medal at a world or continental championships.

df

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Artium DELEANU (MDA) df. Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE), via fall (5-3)

BRONZE: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), via fall (9-0)
BRONZE: Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM) df. Stefan GRIGOROV (BUL), 8-0

63kg
GOLD: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR), 2-1

BRONZE: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) df. Stefan CLEMENT (FRA), 1-1
BRONZE: Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) df. Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LTA), 9-0

77kg
GOLD: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Yunus BASAR (TUR), 7-0

BRONZE: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO), 8-0
BRONZE: Adlet TIULIUBAEV (AIN) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), 13-4

87kg
GOLD: Aleksandar KOMAROV (SRB) df. Ali CENGIZ (TUR), 4-1

BRONZE: Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) df. Alex KESSIDIS (SWE), 12-1
BRONZE: Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 2-1

130kg
GOLD: Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) df. Riza KAYAALP (TUR), via fall (4-2)

BRONZE: Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) df. Oskar MARVIK (NOR), 2-2
BRONZE: Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA) df. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO), via fall (9-0)

#WrestleBucharest

Nine return to defend European titles in Women's Wrestling

By Vinay Siwach

BUCHAREST, Romania (February 5) -- Nine out of the ten Women's Wrestling European champions will return to the European Championships, hoping to defend their gold medals in Bucharest next week. The one not coming, Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) is yet to recover from an injury which also kept her out of the World Championships.

Two of them, Andreea ANA (ROU) and Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), will be the most keen on repeating as European champions. In Zagreb last year, they gave the double gold to Romania but next week, wrestling at home will give them extra motivation to repeat.

Ana and Anghel will be in the non-Olympic weight classes 55kg and 72kg respectively. Ana is a two-time European champion and will be the favorite in Bucharest. If any, former age-group European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (AIN) can trouble Ana as she returns to competition. Ukraine is sending Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) while Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), Roksana ZASINA (POL) and Tuba DEMIR (TUR) are also in the field.

Anghel, who defeated 68kg world champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) to win the gold medal at 72kg last year, can have a tougher time this year. 68kg European champion Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) is moving to 72kg after losing her place to Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) at 68kg. Kendra DACHER (FRA), age-group world medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), U23 world champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) are also in this weight class.

Yasemin ADAR (TUR)Yasemin ADAR (TUR) is a six-time European champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

2022 world champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) is returning to the mat after one year, having skipped all competitions after the 2023 Euros. She will, despite her time off, be the favorite to win the 76kg gold medal. Adar is chasing her seventh European title after six golds and a silver medal.

Former European champion Epp MAE (EST) will be her biggest threat as she also looks to return after a medalless World Championships. Mae recently trained in Japan with world champion Yuka KAGAMI (JPN). Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR) will also hope to make the final.

Turkiye's world champion in 2023, Tosun will be at 68kg. She had a disastrous start to the year, losing her first-round bout at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in January. Tosun will look to put that behind her and start afresh for the Bucharest tournament.

To avoid any disappointments, Tosun will have to navigate past world bronze medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), 65kg European champion Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) and former European champion Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR). Larroque won the European Championships gold medal in 2021 and will be keen on getting back on the top of the podium.

Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN)Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN) will look to win her first European title since 2020. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Two world silver medalists, Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN) at 53kg and Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) at 59kg, will also be in action in Bucharest.  

Kaladzinskaya last wrestled at the European Championships in 2020 and won the gold medal. She will start as the favorite at 53kg despite the likes of Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) and Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) entered for the tournament.

Kaladzinskaya won the silver medal at the World Championships, dropping the final to Akari FUJINAMI (JPN). It was her first competition since winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Malmgren, the two-time defending champion, will have her task cut out this year. She lost to Kaladzinskaya at the World Championships but that loss can only be a lesson for the former U20 world champion.

Former Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (AIN), Sztalvira ORSUS (HUN), Iulia LEORDA (MDA) and Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) can upset the field in Bucharest and finish on the podium.

Defending champion Nichita is the clear front-runner for the gold at 59kg. After finishing with a silver medal at the World Championships at 57kg, Nichita returned to competition in Zagreb but suffered a loss to Kexin HONG (CHN).

Nichita will be drawn at random into the bracket as she has no ranking at 59kg. The top seed will be Othelie HOIE (NOR), a returning European bronze medalist and world bronze medalist. Age-group world medalists Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) and Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN) can also finish on the podium.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) and Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) put a thriller in the 62kg semifinal last year. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 62kg, world bronze medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR) will have a chance to win her first European gold medal since 2020. She was a silver medalist last after suffering a heartbreaking loss to Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) in the final. She will have a chance to win the gold medal this year. Koliadenko has moved to 65kg for this tournament and is replaced by veteran Yuliia TKACH (UKR) which will also be a big test for Bullen.

Tkach, the silver medalist at 59kg from last year, has moved to 62kg after world bronze medalist Koliadenko moved up to 65kg. Tkach has every trick up her sleeve to keep Bullen at bay. But the Norway wrestler has improved leaps and bounds in recent times and can be called the favorite for this event.

One wrestler who will be waiting keenly to meet Bullen on the mat is Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL). She suffered a 7-6 loss to Bullen in the semifinal last year and finished with a bronze medal. Dudova, a former world champion at 59kg, is still trying to find her feet at 62kg. The two can only meet in the final, thanks to being seeded one and two.

Former U20 world champion Alina KASABIEVA (AIN) will also like to finish on the podium.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) became a nine-time European champion last year. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

At 50kg, Mariya STADNIK (AZE) will look to extend her record streak of 10 European titles [12 as she has two European Games gold as well]. Last year, Oksana LIVACH (UKR) gave Stadnik a scare in the final but the Azerbaijan wrestler controlled the second period to keep her energy and win the gold.

A year older at 35, Stadnik will once again be tested by the young wrestler who will be participating in Bucharest. Livach will look to avenge the loss from last year while Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) and Emilia VUC (ROU) will also have a chance to upset the wrestling legend.

The 57kg weight class will see a new European champion as Hrushyna has not entered for her title defense. Tokyo silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) will be the favorite along with returning silver medalist Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL). Veteran Veronika CHUMIKOVA (AIN) and U20 world champion Aurora RUSSO (ITA) and former world bronze medalist Anhelina LYSAK (POL) are also entered.

World bronze medalist and returning silver medalist Irina RINGACI (MDA) will be at 65kg, hoping to win the gold that she dropped against Hristova last year. Ringaci will be tested by Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), Kriszta INCZE (ROU) and world bronze medalist at 62kg Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR).