#WrestleNoviSad

U23 European C'ship Entries

By Eric Olanowski

NOVI SAD, Serbia (February 28) - United World Wrestling has released the rosters for the 2019 U23 European Championships, which take place March 4-10 at Novi Sad, Serbia's SPENS Sports Hall. 

Greco-Roman wrestling kicks off the seven-day tournament and will be followed by women's wrestling and freestyle. 

Freestyle 
57kg

Vaghinak MATEVOSYAN (ARM)
Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)
Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Nico MEGERLE (GER) 
Gamzatgadzhi KHALIDOV (HUN)
Mihail LAPP (MDA) 
Haljit OSMAN (MKD)
Gary GIORDMAINA (MLT) 
Vasyl ILNYTSKYI (POL) 
Razvan Marian KOVACS (ROU) 
Amirkhan GUVAZHOKOV (RUS)
Martin GATIA L(SVK) 
Saban KIZILTAS (TUR)
Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)


Russia's 2018 junior world champion Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) will at 61kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka) 

61kg
Hrachya MARGARYAN (ARM)
Asgar MAMMADALIYEV (AZE)
Uladzislau KOIKA (BLR)
Carlos ALVAREZ IGLESIAS (ESP)
Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Karoly KISS (HUN)
Natanel SAIDOV (ISR) 
Vitalie BUNICI (MDA) 
Elmedin SEJFULAU (MKD)
Costel TARCOCI (ROU) 
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Selehattin SERT (TUR)
Valentyn BLIASETSKYI (UKR)

65kg
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Gabriel JANATSCH (AUT) 
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Dzianis MAKSIMAU (BLR)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Justin MUELLER (GER) 
Roman ASHARIN (HUN)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) 
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU) 
Saiyn KAZYRYK (RUS)
Elbrus CHERTKOEV (SVK) 
Selim KOZAN (TUR)
Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR)

70kg
Gevorg MKHEYAN (ARM)
Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE)
Aliaksandr KURYSHTA (BLR)
Mihail Iliev GEORGIEV (BUL)
Iveriko JULAKIDZE (GEO)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Artem AUGA (LTU) 
Vasile DIACON (MDA) 
Andrew AZZOPARDI (MLT) 
Patryk Krzysztof OLENCZYN (POL) 
Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS)
Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) 
Omer Faruk CAYIR (TUR)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)

74kg
Khachatur PAPIKYAN (ARM)
Dzhemal Rushen ALI (BUL)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Giorgi SULAVA (GEO)
Eduard TATARINOV (GER) 
Daniel ANTAL (HUN)
Andrius MAZEIKA (LTU) 
Gheorghi PASCALOV (MDA) 
Mateusz Dariusz KAMPIK (POL) 
Nikita SUCHKOV (RUS)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) 
Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR)
Denys PAVLOV (UKR)



Radik VALIEV (RUS) will try to defend his U23 Euro title from a year ago. He'll wrestle at 79kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

79kg
Simon Christian HARTMANN (AUT) 
Rashad YUSIFLI (AZE)
Uladzislau YELISEYEU (BLR)
Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO)
Kevin LUCHT (GER) 
Botond LUKACS (HUN)
Dan Or TSESARSKY (ISR) 
Ivan ICHIZLI( MDA) 
Krzysztof Grzegorz SADOWIK (POL) 
Radik VALIEV (RUS)
Jakub SYKORA (SVK) 
Ramazan Ishak SARI (TUR)
Adlan BATAIEV (UKR)

86kg
Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE)
Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR)
Marchelo Ivanov KYUCHUKOV (BUL)
Daniel HERRERO AVERCHENCO (ESP)
Syerus ESLAMI (GBR)
Zaur BERADZE (GEO)
Johannes Martin DEML (GER) 
Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR) 
Gabriele DORO (ITA)
Andrian GROSUL (MDA) 
Bujamin NUISHI (MKD)
Michal Jan BIELAWSKI (POL) 
Arsen-Ali MUSALALIEV (RUS)
Arif OZEN (TUR)
Demid KARACHENKO (UKR)

92kg
Sargis HOVSEPYAN (ARM)
Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE)
Aliaksei RUDZIANOK (BLR)
Alejandro CANADA PANCORBO (ESP)
Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO)
Ilja MATUHIN (GER) 
Bendeguz TOTH (HUN)
David LABKOVSKY (ISR) 
William RAFFI (ITA)
Gheorghe ERHAN (MDA) 
Batyrbek TCAKULOV (RUS)
Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)
Vasyl SOVA (UKR)


Georgia's reigning 97kg U23 world champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI will compete at 97kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

97kg
Alimagomed ALIKHMAEV (AZE)
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER) 
Kristof WITTMANN (HUN)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU) 
Shamil Alievitch MUSAEV (RUS)
Aleksandar PANTELIC (SRB)
Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR)
Magamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)

125kg
Islam Aslangereyvic ABUEV (AZE)
Vitali PIASNIAK (BLR)
Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO)
Dominik KLANN (GER) 
Mihaly NAGY (HUN)
Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA) 
Kamil Tomasz KOSCIOLEK (POL) 
Vitalii GOLOEV (RUS)
Georgii NOGAEV (SVK) 
Huseyin Mehmet CIVELEK (TUR)
Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR)


Six-time age-group world champion Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) has entered his named into the U23 European Championships. He'll try to defend his title from last season. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

Greco-Roman 
Norayr HAKHOYAN (ARM)
Ziyad ZEYNALOV (AZE)
Dzmitry RADZEVICH (BLR)
Enrick Jean Flavien BATAILLE (FRA)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Bence KOVACS (HUN)
Maksym VYSOTSKYI (ISR) 
Giovanni FRENI (ITA)
Artium DELEANU (MDA) 
Florin TITA (ROU) 
Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS)
Sebastian KOLOMPAR (SRB)
Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
Vladyslav KOROSTELOV (UKR)

60kg
Armen MELIKYAN (ARM)
Ihar DROZD (BLR)
Ivo Krasimirov ILIEV (BUL)
Mikkel LASSEN (DEN)
Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO)
Antonio MARTINS CABRAL (POR)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) 
Sadyk LALAEV (RUS)
Dejan PETROVIC (SRB)
Ardit FAZLJIJA (SWE)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR)

63kg
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
Mikayil RAHMANOV (AZE)
Aliaksandr PECHURENKA (BLR)
Nikalas Petrov SULEV (BUL)
Ott SAAR (EST)
Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO)
Andrej GINC (GER) 
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Cezary Bartosz NOWAK (POL) 
Julinho Benjamim CORREIA DJU (POR)
Mihai Irinel BOTEZ (ROU) 
Roman Aleksandrovich IVANOV (RUS)
Miljan DUKANOVIC (SRB)
Virgil Alexander BICA (SWE)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)

67kg
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Nestar Nedkov NESTAROV (BUL)
Alejandro Ruslan CONCEPCION CASTILLO (ESP)
Giorgi KURTANIDZE (GEO)
Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER) 
Bence BALATONI (HUN)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) 
Valentin PETIC (MDA) 
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Mateusz Radoslaw SZEWCZUK (POL) 
Pedro Miguel DE MATOS OLIVEIRA DE MORAIS CA (POR)
Alexandru SOLOMON (ROU) 
Alen MIRZOIAN (RUS)
Sebastian NAD (SRB)
Flavio FREULER (SUI)
Haci KARAKUS (TUR)
Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)

72kg
Hrant KALACHYAN (ARM)
Christoph BURGER (AUT) 
Islambek DADOV (AZE)
Andrei DZIAMBITSKI (BLR)
Stoyan Stoychev KUBATOV (BUL)
Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Oliver KAJTAN (HUN)
Titas KERSEVICIUS (LTU) 
Valeriu TODEREAN (MDA) 
Juan Sebastian AAK (NOR)
Bartlomiej Daniel KLIMEK (POL) 
Magomed YARBILOV (RUS)
Aleksa ERSKI (SRB)
Denis HORVATH (SVK) 
Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR)
Ihor BYCHKOV (UKR)


Russia's 2018 junior world champion Islam OPIEV (RUS) will make his U23 debut at the U23 European Championships. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

77kg
Nasir HASANOV (AZE)
Anton SAKHNO (BLR)
Zahari Rosenov ZASHEV (BUL)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Daniel VARGA (CZE)
Matias Olavi Iisakki LIPASTI (FIN)
Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO)
Karan MOSEBACH (GER) 
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Luca DARIOZZI (ITA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU) 
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Maksym ZAKHARCHUK (POL) 
George Vlad MARIEA (ROU) 
Islam OPIEV (RUS)
Andrija Luka MALETIN (SRB)
Norbert SIPKA (SVK) 
Khalid KERCHIYEV (SWE)
Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR)
Elmar NURALIIEV (UKR)

82kg
David HALBEISEN (AUT) 
Eltun VAZIRZADE (AZE)
Stanislau SHAFARENKA (BLR)
Svetoslav Nikolaev NIKOLOV (BUL)
Karlo KODRIC (CRO)
Vili Tapio ROPPONEN (FIN)
Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO)
Zotlan LEVAI (HUN)
Victor BUZU (MDA) 
Filip Piotr CHRZASZCZ (POL) 
Vaag MARGARIAN (RUS)
Branko KOVACEVIC (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Hasan Basri YILDIRIM (TUR)
Vitalii ANDRIIOVYCH (UKR)

87kg
Nazarshah FATULLAYEV (AZE)
Anton KURS (BLR)
Yoan Danielov DIMITROV (BUL)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO)
Toni Heikki Herman METSOMAEKI (FIN)
Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Dariusz Attila VITEK (HUN)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU) 
Gazi KHALILOV (RUS)
Zarko DICKOV (SRB)
Aleksandar Georgije STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR)

97kg
Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE)
Dzmitry KAMINSKI (BLR)
Ondrej DADAK (CZE)
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Giorgi MELIA (GEO)
Jan ZIRN (GER) 
Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Robert ERSEK (HUN)
Marcel Adam KASPEREK (POL) 
Ruslan BEKUZAROV (RUS)
Boris PETRUSIC (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Ibrahim TIGCI (TUR)
Vladen KOZLIUK (UKR)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE)
Bopembe Arsen SYCHEV (BLR)
Ante MILKOVIC (CRO)
Artur VITITIN (EST)
Konsta Johannes MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO)
Franz RICHTER (GER) 
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL) 
Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU) 
Oleg Kahaberovitch AGAKHANOV (RUS)
Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB)
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR)
Vladyslav KOVALENKO (UKR)


Budapest bronze medalist Oksana LIVACH (UKR) is set to compete at 50kg the U23 Euro championships. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

Women's Wrestling 
50kg
Turkan NASIROVA (AZE)
Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR)
Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL)
Bianka RECZI (HUN)
Ramona ERIKSEN (NOR)
Katarzyna KAMINSKA (POL) 
Maria Alexandra CIOCLEA (ROU) 
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS)
Aynur ERGE (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

53kg
Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE)
Katsiaryna PICHKOUSKAYA (BLR)
Kremena Krasimirova PETROVA (BUL)
Annika WENDLE (GER) 
Agata Marta WALERZAK (POL) 
Suzanna Georgiana SEICARIU (ROU) 
Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR)

55kg
Jeannie Agnes KESSLER (AUT) 
Darya SINKAVETS (BLR)
Sezen Behchetova BELBEROVA (BUL)
Ellen RIESTERER (GER) 
Szimonetta Timea SZEKER (HUN)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL) 
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) 
Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS)
Pia KOCBEK (SLO)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Anastasiya KRAVCHENKO (UKR)

57kg
Valeryia YARMOLA (BLR)
Elena Heike BRUGGER (GER) 
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Dominika Ewa KULWICKA (POL) 
Aleksandra NITSENKO (RUS)
Elif YANIK (TUR)
Alina AKOBIIA (UKR)


Reinging junior world champion Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) will try to improve on her U23 Euro runner-up finishes from the past two season. She'll wrestle at 59kg.  (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

59kg
Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) 
Zelfira SADRADDINOVA (RUS)
Anna FABIAN (SRB)
Emma Margareta Charlotte JOHANSSON (SWE)
Hatice Ece TEKIN (TUR)
Anhelina LYSAK (UKR)

62kg
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luzie MANZKE (GER) 
Daria BOBRULKO (RUS)
Maria JUHASZOVA (SVK) 
Derya BAYHAN (TUR)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)

65kg
Kathrin MATHIS (AUT) 
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Veranika EISMANT (BLR)
Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Hedda Haug STRAND (NOR)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU) 
Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS)
Elin Elisabeth FORSBERG (SWE)
Asli TUGCU (TUR)
Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR)


Russia's four-time age-group world champion Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) will try to imporve on her U23 Euro runner-up finish from a year ago. She's entered at 68kg.  (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

68kg
Jeyla NAGHIZADE (AZE)
Yauheniya ANDREICHYKAVA (BLR)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL) 
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)
Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR)

72kg
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
Alexandra Nicoleta ANGHEL (ROU) 
Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)
Beste ALTUG (TUR)
Yelyzaveta TISKAROVA SAIDAKOVA (UKR)

76kg
Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR)
Georgina Olwen NELTHORPE (GBR)
Francy RAEDELT (GER) 
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Diana Elena VLASCEANU (ROU) 
Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS)
Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR)
Romana VOVCHAK (UKR)

SCHEDULE
Sunday (March 3)
 
17:00 - Draw GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Monday (March 4)
9:30 - Medical examination & Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
14:30 - Draw GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Semi Final GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Tuesday (March 5) 
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
9:45 - Medical Examination & Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
14:30 - Draw WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
16:45 - Opening Ceremony
17:15 - Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18: 00 - Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Wednesday (March 6) 
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
9:45 -  Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
14:00 - Draw WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg 
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18: 00 - Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg

Thursday (March 7)
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
14:00 - Draw FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18: 00 - Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg

Friday (March 8) 
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
14:00 - Draw FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
17:15 - Semi Final FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
18: 00 -  Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg

Saturday (March 9) 
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
17:15 - Semi Final FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18: 00 -  Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Sunday (March 10) 
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
16:00 - Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg

2026 U23 European Championships

Flying Islamgereev Wins U23 European Gold

By Vinay Siwach

ZRENJANIN, Serbia (March 10) -- Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (RUS) has become an internet sensation in the last 24 hours.

At the U23 European Championships in Zrenjanin, Serbia, Islamgereev, scored a buzzer-beating 'flying squirrel' move over Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) at 86kg. The video, posted by United World Wrestling, has spread beyond the combat sports world and to masses.

While the move itself has been around for long, no wrestling video has attained the level of virality as Islamgereev's move has, At least not since Snoop DOGG and Kevin HART discussed Mohammadali GERAEI's (IRI) acrobatics on their channel after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

"Everyone was shocked," Islamgereev said. "My videos are everywhere now, I can’t even keep up with Instagram anymore, I’m all over the feed. Everyone congratulated me, absolutely everyone. People are surprised, shocked. Everyone is asking how this even happened."

During the 86kg quarterfinal, Islamgereev was trailing 8-3 with 15 seconds left in the match against Magamadov, the favorite to win gold in Zrenjanin. Islamgereev scored a stepout and caution point to cut the lead to 8-5 with 7 seconds left.

At this point, the Russian coaches had hands on their hands as winning from was impossible. Or so it seemed.

Islamgereev took a few steps forward towards Magamadov, who stayed low to avoid a double-leg attack which could have cost him two or four points. But the Russian jumped over Magamadov and locked him from behind while himself being upside down and slammed the French wrestler to score four points.

"Honestly, I have a lot of respect for my opponent," he said. "Rakhim is a very tough wrestler. At the beginning of the match things weren’t going my way, I made a lot of mistakes. There were literally only a few seconds left, probably around 10 seconds, when I pushed him out. Then there were about 7 seconds remaining.

"I couldn’t get to his legs at all. I thought to myself that since I couldn’t attack from below, I would try from above. So I jumped. It just happened that way, he kind of… I caught him really well, and he also turned a bit, and I managed to catch him in that moment and score four points. It was very unexpected, but very pleasant."

Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (RUS)Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (RUS) won the 86kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The move meant that Islamgereev won 9-8. France challenged the call but there was little doubt that it was for four points and it was confirmed on review. The lost challenge added another point for Islamgereev who won 10-8.

"He was standing very low and I couldn’t make a leg attack," he explained. "So I decided to try from above. At the end, there were only a couple of seconds left, there was no time to think too much. In that moment you either take the risk or end up with nothing. I took the risk. That’s how it happened, I jumped.

"The main thing is first to fake an attack to the legs and trick him. As soon as he leans down, you need to jump upward so he can’t catch your legs. Then you have to be careful, you need to land on both feet so you can lift him and score four points."

As the crowd erupted, Islamgereev celebrated and pointed towards his coach Asker YUSUPOV, who in the stands and jumping around celebrating the victory.

"Yes, of course [I remember the reaction of the crowd], especially my coach," he said. "I looked at him and he was so happy, literally jumping. I think it was the first time in my life I saw him that joyful."

In the final on Wednesday, he defeated Ahmet YAGAN (TUR), 2-1, to become the U23 European champion.

The Dagestan native, who was born in the village Kostek, has been training in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug in central Russia. He also won a silver medal at the U20 World Championships last year.

"This is a lesson for me that you should never give up," he said. "You always have to believe, first in God and then in yourself. By doing that, you prove to yourself that, you can win and pull it off no matter how many seconds are left. Even with just a few seconds remaining, even when you need four points, you can still come back and do it."

Islamgereev was the fourth Russian to win the gold medal in Freestyle and Khabib DAVUDGADZHIEV (RUS) became the fifth after he defeated Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE), 4-1, in the 125kg final.

Russia won the team title with 199 points, while Azerbaijan was second with 170 points. Armenia finished third with 116 points.

Azerbaijan captured a gold on Wednesday through Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) at 92kg after he defeated Fatih ALTUNBAS (TUR), 11-0, in a controlled final.

Armenia also won a gold medal, at 61kg, with Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM) beating Jeyhun ALLAHVERDIYEV (AZE), 2-1, in the final.

Mikayelyan was leading 1-1 on criteria after both wrestlers exchanged passivity points but he scored a stepout to take a 2-1 lead which Allahverdiyev failed to break.

Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA)Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA) celebrates after winning the gold medal at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Itaev Downs Wagin

Zagreb Open Ranking Series bronze medalist Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA) defeated U20 European champion Manuel WAGIN (GER) to win the 74kg gold medal. He became only the third wrestler from France to win the gold at U23 Europeans in Freestyle.

Itaev was cautious to start but Wagin's lack of concentration allowed him to score a takedown which put Itaev on the board with two points. He scored a stepout to lead 3-0 at the break.

A scramble in the second period made it 5-3 and Wagin tried a desperate chest-wrap but Itaev brought him down in danger to score four points and all but seal the match. Wagin scored a front head roll for two points but lost the final, 9-5. Germany challenged in vain and the lost challenged added one more point to Itaev's score.

"I am very happy," Itaev said. "Step-by-step I am improving. Wagin is my friend and very intelligent wrestler but I managed to win. Hopefully, I can win a senior medal as well."

Photo

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM) df. Jeyhun ALLAHVERDIYEV (AZE), 2-1

BRONZE: Andrii SHOKALIUK (UKR) df. Besir ALILI (MKD), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Tolga OZBEK (TUR) df. Vasile MARCU (MDA), 2-1

74kg
GOLD: Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA) df. Manuel WAGIN (GER), 10-5

BRONZE: Saba KOBAKHIDZE (GEO) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 11-4
BRONZE: Magomed BAITUKAEV (RUS) df. Aliaksandr HULNIK (BLR), 11-2

86kg
GOLD: Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (RUS) df. Ahmet YAGAN (TUR), 2-1

BRONZE: Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) df. Vasif KHUDIYEV (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) df. Marius RETCO (MDA), 4-3

92kg
GOLD: Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) df. Fatih ALTUNBAS (TUR), 11-0

BRONZE: Alexandru BORS (MDA) df. Krisztian ANGYAL (HUN), 11-0
BRONZE: Mustafagadzhi MALACHDIBIROV (RUS) df. Knyaz IBOYAN (ARM), 10-0

125kg
GOLD: Khabib DAVUDGADZHIEV (RUS) df. Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE), 4-1

BRONZE: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Aleksandre ABRAMISHVILI (GEO), 14-4
BRONZE: Khachatur KHACHATRYAN (ARM) df. Stsiapan MANDRYK (BLR), 10-0