European Games

Stadnik, Marzaliuk to Wrestle for Second European Games Gold Medals

Thursday, June 27, 2019 - 20:04 By United World Wrestling Press

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MINSK, Belarus (June 27) - Two women on opposite ends of the weight categories will wrestle for their second European Games gold medals on Friday.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE) and Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) earned semifinal victories at 50kg and 76kg respectively Thursday at the European Games in Minsk, Belarus. 

Stadnik, a three-time Olympic medalist, gave up the first point in her semifinal match, but came back with six unanswered points to win 6-1. She outscored her opposition 16-1 on Thursday. 

Opposing Stadnik in the finals will be world No.2 Oksana LIVACH (UKR). Livach, a 2019 European champion, shut out Viyaleta CHYRYK (BLR) 5-0 in the semifinals. The 22-year-old Ukranian scored first off a passivity point and led 1-0 at the break. She pulled away in the second period, scoring a takedown off a double leg before exposing Chyryk for an additional two points.

Marzaliuk, competing in her home country, had to come from behind late to beat 2015 world bronze medalist Epp MAE (EST) 5-3 in the semifinals. Marzaliuk led 2-1 at the break after scoring a takedown on the edge of the mat late in the first period. In the second period, Mae scored two consecutive step-out points to take a 3-2 lead. But Marzaliuk was able to secure a takedown in the final 30 seconds to claim the victory. 

She will meet Francy RAEDELT (GER) in the finals. Raedelt rolled to a technical superiority over Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE) in the semifinals. 

At 57kg, Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) scored a last-second takedown to edge Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) 8-6. The two wrestlers traded takedowns in the opening period, and Kurachkina led on criteria at the break. The second period was filled with action as Kurachkina opened with a takedown to extend her lead to 4-2. Nichita then regained the lead, 6-4, with a four-point throw. Kurachkina scored a takedown to make the score 6-6, but she still trailed on criteria. With short time on the clock, Kurachkina scored a takedown, which was initially not awarded, but a successful challenge overturned the call.

The other semifinal winner at 57kg was Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL), who advanced to the gold-medal match with a first-period fall over Bediha GUN (TUR) at 57kg. 

Yuliia TKACH (UKR), a four-time world medalist and 2014 world champion, reached the gold-medal match at 62kg by defeating world No.1 Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) 11-8. Tkach went up 8-4 at the break and held on to win by three. She will face Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE) in the finals. Tkach was a European Games silver medalist in 2015. 

Gambarova used two takedowns to defeat Kriszta INCZE (ROU) in the semifinals. Incze scored first off a step out, but Gambarova took a 2-1 lead on the strength of a takedown off an arm spin. In the second period, Gambarova scored another takedown off an arm spin. 

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling 

50kg
GOLD - Mariya STADNIK (AZE) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 6-1
SEMIFINAL - Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Viyaleta CHYRYK (BLR), 5-0

57kg
GOLD - Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) vs. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), Fall (2:03)
SEMIFINAL - Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), 8-6

62kg
GOLD - Yuliia TKACH (UKR) vs. Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Yuliia TKACH (UKR) df. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), 11-8
SEMIFINAL - Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE) df. Kriszta INCZE (ROU), 4-1

76kg
GOLD - Francy RAEDELT (GER) vs. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Francy RAEDELT (GER) df. Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE), 11-1
SEMIFINAL - Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Epp MAE (EST), 5-3
 

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Asian Championships 2026 Day 1 Greco-Roman Highlights

Sunday, April 5, 2026 - 19:41 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 6) -- For the first time, the Asian Championships will be held in two-day format. The edition in Bishkek will begin with Greco-Roman, followed by Women's Wrestling and then Freestyle. Five Greco-Roman weight classes -- 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg -- are in action on Monday.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

The semifinals will begin at 18:00 local time

55kg
SF 1: Huoying SHI (CHN) vs. LALIT (IND)
SF 2: Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) vs. Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ)

63kg
SF 1: Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM) vs. Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ)
SF 2: Erfan JARKANI (IRI) vs. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB)

77kg
SF 1: Ali OSKOU (IRI) vs. AMAN (IND)
SF 2: Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) vs. Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)

87kg
SF 1: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) vs. Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
SF 2: Sunil KUMAR (IND) vs. Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)

130kg
SF 1: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs. Minseok KIM (KOR)
SF 2: Yuta NARA (JPN) vs. Rafael TSITSUASHVILI (UZB)

13:10: World champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) begins his Asian title defense with a 10-0 win over Roman KIM (KGZ) and advance to the semifinals. He will face Minseok KIM (KOR)

13:03: Returning bronze medalist Yuta NARA (JPN) gets the winning score with a slow-motion gut wrench in the second period, prevailing on last-point criteria 3-3 over two-time Asian U23 silver medalist Jokhar UZAROV (KAZ) to advance to the 130kg semifinals.

12:58: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) gets a gut wrench to the back upgraded to a 4-point move upon his opponent's challenge, giving him a 10-0 victory over two-time bronze medalist Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) and moving him a step closer to a second straight gold, this time up at 87kg after winning at 82kg last year.

12:57: World bronze medalist Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) with some big throws and a fall against Dovletmyrat BAYRAMOV (TKM) at 87kg in just 30 seconds. Zhanyshov vs Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) final will be a treat.

12:50: Sunil KUMAR (IND), the last Indian to win a Greco gold when he did on home soil in New Dehli in 2020, reeled off two gut wrenches from par terre in the second period for a 5-1 victory over Shichang ZHENG (CHN) and a place in the 87kg semifinals. Kumar is also going for his fourth career Asian medal.

12:42: Kaisei TANABE (JPN), last year's champion at freestyle 65kg looking to make history with a victory at Greco 63kg, minimized the points scored by Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ), but failed to get enough of his own and came out on the short end of a 4-3 score. Taalaibek Uulu had the first chance in par terre, but even though he lifted Tanabe off his feet, he could only get a 1-point throw out of it. Taalaibek Uulu then got in on a bear hug and lifted Tanabe again, but only got a takedown out of that situation to lead 4-0 at the break. Tanabe got a chance at par terre and hit a gut wrench to cut the gap to 1, but could not pull out the win.

12:32: Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), aiming to improve on his two bronze medals from 2023 and 2025, rips off four straight rolls from par terre and he's into the 55kg semifinals with a 10-0 win over Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI). The Iranian side pushed the challenge button before the first roll, looking for a leg foul, but the scoring was upheld.

12:25: Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), a bronze medalist in 2024, makes short work of Amro SADEH (JOR), storming to a quick 9-0 win to earn a semifinal date with Makhmudov.

12:23: There cannot be a better way to find a way to win a Greco-Roman bout that a five-point throw! AMAN (IND) does exactly that in his quarterfinal against Halishan BAHEJIANG (CHN) at 77kg. Aman was down 4-1 but got on a duckunder and locked Bahejiang and completes a perfect throw for five points and wins 6-4

12:20: Ali OSKOU (IRI), Zagreb Open Ranking Series champion at 77kg, defends from par terre twice, against Yeonghun NOH (KOR) and he does that well, once with 25 seconds remaining to win 5-2 and advance to the semifinals.

12:18: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) with another spectacular throw as he defeats Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ) 9-1 to gain a place in the semifinals. Makhmudov is put on the bottom of par terre, but wiggles his way out and gets behind for a takedown. Then the fun starts, as he hits a high-flying 4-point throw to lead 6-1. In the second period, Makhmudov gets the top position, and he quickly executes a gut wrench that ends the proceedings.

12:10: Roman KIM (KGZ) gets the home crowd going, getting four straight rolls from par terre to knock off Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL) 9-0 at 130kg. Batbayar is one of a few wrestlers who will be doing the Greco-Freestyle double in Bishkek — he's the Asian U23 champion in freestyle!

12:08: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI), the reigning world champion at 82kg, has moved up to the Olympic weight of 87kg and gets off to a good start, overwhelming Muhammad SULTONZODA (TJK) 9-0 in less than two minutes.

12:05: Hyunwoong CHOI (KOR) survives a battle against Huangsheng WU (CHN) at 63kg. He was leading 11-6 when Wu scored a huge four-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to make it 11-10. But the last desperate attempt ended with Choi getting two points and a 13-10 win

12:02: Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), an Asian champion in 2019 and world bronze medalist in 2023, is looking to regain the magic up a weight at 63kg. He cruises through his opening match, handily defeating  Rayan HAWSAWI (KSA) 8-0.

11:51: Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI), winner at the Zagreb Ranking Series tournament, advances at 55kg with a 4-0 victory over Nurzat KABDYRAKHIMOV (KAZ). Hosseinvand chalks up three points in the first period, then adds a stepout in the second.

11:41: Local star Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) gets the tournament off to an exciting start with a 4-point bear hug en route to a 7-3 victory over a spunky Isami HORIKITA (JPN) in the opening match at 77kg. Makhmudov, a two-time Olympic medalist and two-time world champion aiming for his fourth career Asian gold, used a bear hug to power Horikita to the mat, then added a 2-point roll for 6-1 lead. In the second period, Makhmudov got the passivity point, but when he tried a gut wrench from par terre, Horikita stepped over for a 2-point exposure. But that was the end of the scoring and Makhmudov was safely through. 

11:15: The Asian Championships will get underway in Bishkek with Greco-Roman. Five weight classes with local hero Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) in action as well.