#WrestleRome

Ukraine women snag trio of Pellicone golds

By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (June 23) -- Ukraine women shined at Matteo Pellicone by winning three of four gold-medal matches contested on Thursday, while Azerbaijan closed out the Greco-Roman side of the Ranking Series event with the team title.

The trio of Ukraine winners were Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR), Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) and Alla BELINSKA (UKR).

In Greco-Roman, Azerbaijan had six finalists – including four wrestlers who ascended to the top of the podium – and won the Greco-Roman team title 46 points ahead of second-place Hungary (102 points).

Of the three Ukraine women who summitted the Ranking Series podium Thursday, Belinska, without question, made the biggest splash.

In just her second competition down at 68kg since the 2018 World Championships, Belinska snapped world champion Irina RINGACI's (MDA) 20-match win streak that dated back to August 2021.

Since the 2021 U20 World Championships, Ringaci has been victorious in 20 consecutive matches. Her run spanned the U20 and Senior World Championships, U23 and Senior European Championships, Dan Kolov and the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event.

But Belinska wasn't worried about Ringaci's resume or her win streak. Instead, she had one thing on her mind: flip the script from their March matchup where Ringaci pinned Belinska after leading, 12-0.

In the short-lived 68kg finals in Rome, Belinska snapped the continental champion into a front headlock and caught Ringaci's head near her knee. Then, the 2022 European bronze medalist locked up a cradle, remained composed and was methodical in working to the fall. She remained patient and took her time, using nearly 90 seconds to inch Ringaci's shoulders to the mat for the pin.

With her win on Thursday, Belinska added a third Ranking Series gold to her resume. She also won golds at the '21 Poland Open and '18 Yasar Dogu.

Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) dominated Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 11-1, in the 57kg gold-medal match. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hrushyna and Koliadenko also dominated their final opponents on Thursday, helping Ukraine (95 points) carry the 55-point lead over Brazil (40 points) into Friday, the final day of women's wrestling action.

In the first period of the 57kg finals, Hrushyna snapped Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) down to the mat and worked on a front headlock for nearly 40 seconds before getting to the corner and picking up her first takedown. After a minute of scoreless action, Hrushyna went back to her front headlock and picked up a second go-behind takedown.

With less than a minute to go in the first frame, Hrushyna brought Kamaloglu down to all fours with two-on-one. Then, as the reigning European champ's Turkish opponent tried building back up to her feet, Hrushyna used an underhook throw-by to put four points on the board, increasing her lead to 8-0.

There was some confusion at the end of the scoring sequences, as Hrushyna's corner thought there should have been another set of two awarded. The refs came together and white-paddled the two in question, keeping Hrushyna's lead to 8-0.

In the second period, Hrushyna and Kamaloglu traded step-outs, before the Ukraine wrestler stopped a swing single attempt to her left leg and spun behind for the 11-1 win.

In an all-Ukrainian battle at 62kg, Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Koliadenko cruised to a one-sided 6-0 win over Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR).

While on the shot clock in the first period, Koliadenko shot an open double leg, transitioned into a pair of leg laces and jumped out to the 6-0 lead.

In the second period, Koliadenko switched to a more defensive wrestling style and was never really in danger of surrendering points. Instead, she stayed poised, controlled Prokopevniuk's head with a left-side collar tie and halted the European bronze medalist's high-level attacks.

Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) eased his way to a 4-0 win over Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) in the 77kg finals. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Meanwhile, Hungary, Lithuania and Moldova each had a wrestler win Greco-Roman gold on Thursday. Still, Azerbaijan ended up winning the team title after pushing six wrestlers into the finals.

Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) breezed past Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) in the 77kg finals and defended his Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series titles from '20 and '21. He was the second Hungarian Greco-Roman champion of the week, joining David LOSONCZI (HUN), who won 87kg last night.

Levai controlled the bout against Kaviyaninejad from whistle to whistle and was never threatened by the former U20 world champ. He earned an inactivity point in each period and scored two points from a correct lift.

More importantly, Levai likely punched his ticket to World Championships after beating fellow Hungarian and reigning European champion Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 8-1, in their semifinal meeting.

Mihail BRADU (MDA) celebrates beating Rasoul GARMSIRI (IRI), 2-1, in the 82kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

At 82kg, Mihail BRADU (MDA) used a first-period takedown to edge Rasoul GARMSIRI (IRI), 2-1.

Bradu worked on a front-head pinch when Garmsiri bailed out and conceded the first two points of the match. That lone takedown proved to be the key factor in the match.

In the second period, Bradu was dinged with inactivity when Garmsiri went for a reverse lift and transitioned into somewhat of an unorthodox gut wrench, picking up what seemed to be two exposure. The Moldovan challenged the call, saying his Iranian opponent committed a leg foul. Bradu won the challenge and led, 2-1, with under a minute to go in the match. He held on to the one-point win and grabbed gold at a Ranking Series event for the first time in his career.

The final Greco-Roman gold went to top-ranked Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU). In the 72kg finals, the Lithuanian earned an injury default victory as Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) could not compete in the gold-medal bout.


Yelena MAKOYED (USA) hip tossed Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) during the 76kg finals. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Makoyed's dream run

In her debut senior-level competition, Yelena MAKOYED (USA) shocked the wrestling world en route to winning the 76kg gold medal. 

Makoyed picked up confidence-building wins over European champion Epp MAE (EST), world bronze medalist Martina KUENZ (AUT) and European bronze medalist Catalina AXENTE (ROU) before throttling U23 world champ Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) in the finals. 

In the gold-medal match, Makoyed capitalized on a swing single and led by two points. Then, after the action was blown dead and the wrestlers came up to their feet, the American worked with an underhook when she timed a hip tossed perfectly and tacked on another two points. Her third takedown came with a low-level double, sitting Alpyeyeva to her butt, gaining a 6-0 lead at the end of the first period.

In the second, Makoyed only needed 35 seconds to score four points off a beautiful go-behind to a gut wrench with double boots in, giving her the 10-0 win and first Ranking Series gold. 

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

57kg 
GOLD - Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 11-1

BRONZE - Patrycja GIL (POL) df. Tamara DOLLAK (HUN), via fall
BRONZE - Giullia RODRIGUES (BRA) df. Erika BOGNAR (HUN), via fall

62kg 
GOLD - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), 6-0

BRONZE - Lais NUNES (BRA)  df. Ana GODINEZ (CAN), 8-6

68kg 
GOLD - Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), via fall 

BRONZE - Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) df. Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 4-2
BRONZE - Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) df. Grabriela PEDRO (BRA), 11-0

76kg 
GOLD - Yelena MAKOYED (USA) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 10-0

BRONZE - Martina KUENZ (AUT) df. Catalina AXENTE (ROU), 5-2

Greco-Roman

72kg 
GOLD - Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) df. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE), via inj. def.

BRONZE - Valentin PETIC (MDA) df. Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR), 3-1 
BRONZE - Selcuk CAN (TUR) df. Matias LIPASTI (FIN), 9-0

77kg 
GOLD - Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) df. Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI), 4-0

BRONZE Robert  FRITSCH (HUN) df.Joilson DE BRITO (BRA), 9-0
BRONZE Per Albin OLOFSSON (SWE) df. Luca DARIOZZI (ITA), 6-2

82kg 
GOLD - Mihail BRADU (MDA)  df. Rasoul GARMSIRI (IRI), 2-1

BRONZE - Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) df. Oldrich VARGA (CZE), 2-1 
BRONZE - Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) df. Matteo MAFFEZZOLI (ITA), 3-0

#WrestleRome

Sadulaev Leads Group of Four Russians into Saturday's European Finals

By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (February 13) --- The Russian Federation, led by Abdulrashid SADUALEV (RUS), posted a 13-1 record on the opening day of freestyle wrestling and inserted four of five wrestlers into Saturday night's European finals. 

Sadulaev extended his European win streak to 21 consecutive matches after bringing an unblemished 17-0 record into Rome. 

The four-time world champion and Rio Olympic gold medalist picked up top-ten wins over No. 4 Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD) and No. 6 Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), and also had his hand raised against Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR) and Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE). 

Sadulaev started his day with an 8-2 win over reigning world bronze medalist Nurov. Despite picking up the 8-2 win, he got lateral dropped for two points in the opening period and trailed 2-0.

Sadualev survived another scare in his second match when Bolukbasi locked up a cradle and nearly pinned him. He fought off his back and scored nine unanswered points, winning the match, 9-4. 

In the quarterfinals, he defeated Nurmagomed Gadzhiev, 10-4, in a rematch of last year’s European Games finals. 

In the semifinals, Sadulaev ousted sixth-ranked Odikaze, 6-0. He took Odikadze down three times in the first period and led 6-0 after the opening three minutes of the match. He moved into the European finals for the sixth time after a scoreless second period.

He’ll square off with Olympic bronze medalist Albert SARITOV (ROU) in the 97kg gold-medal match. Saritov slammed Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER), 10-0, and will wrestle for European gold for the first time in his career. 

Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) was one of four Russian wrestlers who reached the European finals with wins on Friday night (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS), Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS) and Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) are the three other Russians who’ll join Sadualev in gold-medal matches on Saturday night. 

Tuskaev defeated Horst LEHR (GER), 5-4, in the semifinals and will take on defending champion Suleyman ATLI (TUR) in the finals. The Russian led Lehr 4-0 in their semifinals match, and though he was outscored 4-1 in the final period, he hung on to win, 5-4.

Tuskaev’s final opponent, Atli, won three matches and is one win away from defending his European crown from last year. Atli defeated No. 3 Stevan MICIC (SRB), 7-5, in the opening round. He tossed Micic to his back with a massive four-point throw and scored a second consecutive win over the Serbian Olympian and “2020 History Maker of the Year” award winner. He also beat Micic in the semifinals at the 2019 World Championships.

In his second match, Atli cruised to a 7-1 win over two-time European medalist Andrei DUKOV (ROU), who knocked off ninth-ranked Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA), 4-4, in his opening-round match. 

Atli wrestled Mihran JABURYAN (ARM) in the semifinals and reached the finals with a 6-3 win over the Armenian. 

Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS) looks to finish on shot on Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) in the 65kg semifinals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

At 65kg, 20-year-old ring star Kurban Shiraev carried over his hot streak from the Ivan Yariguin and made it to the European finals in his senior-level continental debut.

Shiraev, who defeated Rio Olympic champion Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) in the Yariguin finals, tallied four takedowns and stepout against Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) and inserted himself into the finals with a 9-2 win. 

He’ll compete against Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR) in the 65kg gold-medal match. 

Skriabin scorched fourth-ranked Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), 10-0, in their quarterfinals meeting. Then, in the semifinals, Skriabin upended Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), who was fresh off a 7-0 opening round thumping of Rio Olympic champion Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO).

Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) finishes a shot on two-time world runner-up Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) in the 79kg semifinals. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Magomed Ramazanov reached the 79kg European finals in his continental debut. He capped off his day with a win over reigning two-time world silver medalist Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE). Ramazanov stopped the Rio Olympic bronze medalist from reaching the European finals for the seventh time in his career with a 4-2 win. 

Ramazanov and Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) will wrestle for the 79kg gold medal. Kadzimahamedau efficiently handled Dzhemal ALI (BUL), 10-1, in their semifinals meeting.


Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) will wrestle in his fifth European finals. He'll take on Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) in the 70kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Mustafayev and Gadzhiev to Wrestle for the 70kg Gold 
The lone finals match on Saturday night that won’t feature a Russian wrestler will be the 70kg gold-medal match. 

Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) moved pasted Mihail SAVA (MDA) and will meet fourth-ranked Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) in the gold-medal match.

Mustafayev, a returning European finalist, outscored Fati VEJSELI (MKD) and Haydar YAVUZ (TUR), 12-0, and reached the semifinals. He picked up the 5-2 win over Sava and will look to improve on his runner-up finish from a year ago. 

Gadzhiev, a reigning world bronze medalist, outscored Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO), 4-0, in the final 90 seconds of the pair's ultra-physical semifinals bout and claimed the 4-1 victory. He’ll wrestle in the European finals for the fifth time in his career. Gadzhiev is 1-4 in European finals and is hoping to reach the top of the podium for the first time since 2016.  

Gadzhiev European Finals Appearances 
2010 European Championships – Silver 
2015 European Games – Silver
2016 European Championships – Gold 
2017 European Championships – Silver 
2018 European Championships – Silver 

Saturday’s freestyle finals being at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 
57kg
GOLD - Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) vs. Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS) df. Horst Justin Junior LEHR (GER), 5-4
SEMIFINAL - Suleyman ATLI (TUR) df. Mihran JABURYAN (ARM), 6-3 

65kg 
GOLD - Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR) vs. Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 5-1 
SEMIFINAL - Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS) df. Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), 9-1 

70kg
GOLD - Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) vs. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
SEMIFINAL - Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) df. Mihail SAVA (MDA), 5-2
SEMIFINAL - Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df. Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO), 4-1 

79kg
GOLD - Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) vs. Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR) df. Dzhemal Rushen ALI (BUL), 10-1 
SEMIFINAL - Magomed RAMAZANOV (RUS) df. Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE), 4-2 

97kg
GOLD - Albert SARITOV (ROU) vs. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Albert SARITOV (ROU) df. Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df.  Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), 6-0