WATCH: Grand Prix Zagreb Open Greco-Roman Finals

Monday, January 31, 2022 - 16:23 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (January 31) -- Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) led his country to three gold medals at the Grand Prix Zagreb Open Sunday, marking his comeback to the competition after Tokyo Olympics with a gold. Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR) at 77kg and Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) at 82kg were the other two gold medalists from Ukraine in the Croatian capital.

Turkey also had three gold medal winners which helped them claim the Greco-Roman team title with Ahmet UYAR (TUR), Murat FIRAT (TUR) and Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) finishing at the top of the podium. Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR), Adullah TOPRAK (TUR) and Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) won silver medals.

Ukraine finished second with 129 points, 51 points short of Turkey. Norway was third in the team ranking as they collected 77 points. Romania and Sweden finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Apart from Turkey and Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Belarus and Norway each had a champion.

After missing the home World Championships in Oslo last year, Felix BALDAUF (NOR) returned to win the 97kg gold medal by beating Mikalai STADUB (BLR) 4-0 in the final. He won a point for Stadub's passivity to lead 1-0 at the break. The Belarusian was again called passive in the second period which extended Baldauf's lead to 2-0. He fended off a desperate move from Stadub to win 4-0.

Young star Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) had an unfortunate end to his dream run in the tournament as Radzik KULIYEV (BLR) pulled off a 1-1 win for the 87kg gold medal. The Belarusian had the criteria after six minutes of the bout.

Ukraine had the chance to win the fourth gold medal but Viktor PETRYK (UKR) pulled out of the 60kg final to finish with a silver and Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) was named the champion.

Denis MIHAI (ROU) also denied a gold medal to Ukraine when he defeated Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR) 11-6 after mounting a comeback in the 55kg Round 3 bout. Mihai was trailing 3-6 but stuck a arm-throw at the break to lead7-6. He kept on the pressure and ultimately scored two more takedowns in the second period. The weight class was played under the Nordic system and Mihai became the champion as he won both his bouts while Sahradin finished with a 1-1 record.

Uyar defeated compatriot Yildirim 5-3 in a back-and-forth 63kg title to win the gold medal. Yildirim lead 3-1 with two minutes remaining but Uyar scored a four-point throw with 41 seconds remaining.

At 67kg, Firat dominated proceedings in the final as he beat Morten THORESEN (NOR) 4-1. He was awarded a point for Thoresen's inactivity and then scored two points for a throw. A pushout gave him one more. Thoresen got a point in the second period but could take advantage of the par terre position.

Yakoliev defeated Albin OLOFSSON (SWE) 8-1 in a one-sided final at 77kg. Olofsson tried a headlock but Yakoliev finished on top and then got the turn to lead 4-0. The Ukraine wrestler was passive but Olofsson did not score any points from par terre. The two got in a body lock and Yakoliev threw for four more points, winning 8-1.

At 82kg, Filchakov spoiled the party for the home fans as he beat local star Filip SACIC (CRO) 3-1 in the final. Sacic got the first point but Filchakov scored from reversal and led 1-1 at the break. Sacic almost got a takedown in the second period but the Filchakov managed to reverse it before the Croatian took control. Two points were awarded to Filchakov as he won 3-1.

At 130kg, Turkey's Yildirim and Bozkurt were in for a tense battle but the latter had to forfeit because of injury just 18 seconds into the bout. Yildirim would claim the gold while Bozkurt finished with a silver medal.

ZAGREB OPEN FINAL RESULTS

55kg Denis MIHAI (ROU) df Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR) 11-6
60kg Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df Viktor PETRYK (UKR) via injury
63kg Ahmet UYAR (TUR) df Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR) 5-3
67kg Murat FIRAT (TUR) df Morten THORESEN (NOR) 4-1
72kg Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) 2-1
77kg Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR) df Albin OLOFSSON (SWE) 8-1
82kg Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) df Filip SACIC (CRO) 3-1
87kg Radzik KULIYEU (BLR) df Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) 1-1
97kg Felix BALDAUF (NOR) df Mikalai STADUB (BLR) 4-0
130kg Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) df Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) via injury

2026 U23 European Championships

Yakushenko Marches on With Another Gold

Sunday, March 15, 2026 - 19:31 By Vinay Siwach

ZRENJANIN, Serbia (March 15) -- Since 2024, Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) has suffered only one loss -- to Darius KIEFER (GER) in the final of 2025 U20 European Championships.

On either side of that loss, Yakushenko had won two age-group European and three world titles. He has also avenged that loss to Kiefer and now heads the head-to-head, 4-1, with his latest victory over the German coming on Saturday at the U23 European Championships.

A day later on Sunday, Yakushenko added his second U23 European title after he defeated former U20 world champion and Paris Olympian Abubakr KHASLAKHANAU (BLR), 3-1, in perhaps his toughest match of the tournament.

"This [U23] European Championships was really tough for me," Yakushenko said. "Not as easy as I imagined. I thought it would be easier, but overall I think the hardest fights are still ahead."

In the final, Yakushenko was awarded the first passivity point and the par terre position from wihch he lifted Khaslakhanau and brought him towards the edge of the mat but failed to land the Belarussian wrestler in danger. He was awarded a point for the stepout which gave him a 2-0 lead.

Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) tries to throw Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (BLR) during the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Khaslakhanau got his chance in the second period when Yakushenko was put in par terre but failed to score any points. With a 2-1 lead, Yakushenko needed some good defense with two minutes left in the match.

While he had a couple of slip-ups during that time, Yakushenko did not give up any points. He was later warned for fleeing but managed to remain in contact after that. Belarus challenged for fleeing in the last 10 seconds but it was ruled out, adding one more point to Yakushenko's score.

"I had the same plan for all my opponents. It was tough," he said.

This was Yakushenko's third straight win over Khaslakhanau, a senior European bronze medalist and now a two-time U23 world silver medalist to go with his bronze as well.

Yakushenko defeated the Belarus wrestler twice last year -- a 7-3 victory at the U23 European Championships and then a 3-3 win at the U23 World Championships in Novi Sad.

Daniial AGAEV (RUS) completed an 8-0 victory over William REENBERG (DEN) in just 37 seconds. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Agaev Leads Russia to Team Title

In other finals, Russia won two gold medals while Azerbiajan and Armenia won one gold each.

World bronze medalist Daniial AGAEV (RUS) led an inspired performance from Russia as it won the Greco-Roman team title. Russia won the Freestyle team title as well in Zrenjanin.

With 190 points, Russia was the best team. Armenia managed 113 points to finish second and Georgia finished third with 106 points.

Agaev need only 37 seconds to win his 67kg final against William REENBERG (DEN). He scored a takedown and transitioned into a gut-wrench, winning 8-0.

Rabil ASKEROV (RUS) defeated Oliver PADA (FIN), 6-0, in the 72kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Russia's second gold medal came at 72kg Rabil ASKEROV (RUS) blanked Oliver PADA (FIN), 6-0, in the final. Wrestling in only his third international tournament, Askerov began the final with a stepout before getting the par terre position. He did not score any points from the position but led 2-0.

An arm-drag to takedown doubled the lead to 4-0 before the break. In the second period, Askerov got another takedown to extend his lead to 6-0. The takedown also ended any hopes for Pada to get the par terre position.

Askerov would defend his 6-0 and win gold, his first major medal.

Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) uses the seatbelt grip to throw Giorgi KOCHALIDZE (GEO) during the 60kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) captured his first U23 European title after a series of suplex to beat Giorgi KOCHALIDZE (GEO), 9-0, in the 60kg final.

The former U20 champion was awarded the par terre in the first period which gave him a 1-0 lead. Kochalidze did well to defend the position but just as the referee was about to call neutral, Aghajanyan changed to a seatbelt grip and tossed Kochalidze in the opposite direction for two points.

He continued the same move with the seatbelt grip and was awarded four points for the second throw, giving him a 7-0 lead. The third throw was also scored four points, confirming an 11-0 victory for Aghajanyan.

Georgia challenged the decision, hoping that the throws will be scored two points each. But upon review the first throw was scored four points instead of original two points. With the second throw also being a four-pointer, the final was over, 9-0, a technical superiority win for the 2025 U23 world bronze medalist.

Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) celebrates after winning the 82kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Georgia suffered its second loss in the final at 82kg after Tornike MIKELADZE's (GEO) heartbreak against Elmin ALIYEV (AZE), 3-2.

Aliyev was down 2-0 at the break after giving up a stepout and passivity point in the first period. However, he managed to score a stepout at the start of the second period that later proved to be a crucial moment in the final.

Down 2-1, Aliyev was awarded the par terre position, giving him a 2-2 criteria lead. He failed to score any points from par terre but the criteria of scoring the last points remained with him and that enabled him to win the final.

Georgia threw a late challenge, asking for fleeing from Aliyev. But there was no evident fleeing and Georgia lost the challenge, giving one more point to Aliyev, who won 3-2.

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) df. Giorgi KOCHALIDZE (GEO), 9-0

BRONZE: Yevhen POKOVBA (UKR) df. Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE), 3-1
BRONZE: Ilian AINAOUI (FRA) df. Brian SANTIAGO (DEN), 1-1

67kg
GOLD: Daniial AGAEV (RUS) df. William REENBERG (DEN), 8-0

BRONZE: Azat SARIYAR (TUR) df. Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL), 4-1
BRONZE: Farid KHALILOV (AZE) df. Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), 6-3

72kg
GOLD: Rabil ASKEROV (RUS) df. Oliver PADA (FIN), 6-0

BRONZE Faraim MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) df. Leonard IURASCU (ROU), 5-4
BRONZE: Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) df. Ashot KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 4-1

82kg
GOLD: Elmin ALIYEV (AZE) df. Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO), 3-2

BRONZE: Illia VALEUSKI (BLR) df. Szabolcs SZINAY (HUN), 10-1
BRONZE: Gamzat GADZHIEV (RUS) df. Alexander AEMAES (NOR), 9-0

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (BLR), 3-1

BRONZE: Saipula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Robin USPENSKI (EST), 6-4
BRONZE: Darius KIEFER (GER) df. Luka GABISONIA (GEO), 9-3

WATCH: Grand Prix Zagreb Open Greco-Roman Finals

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Yakushenko Marches on With Another Gold