#BuchaWrestU23

World Champions Gempei and Sukhee advance to U23 Semifinals

By Taylor Miller

Photo of Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) by Sachicko Hotaka.

BUCHAREST, Romania – The semifinals for Thursday at the 2018 U23 World Championships have been set and features two World champions.

Highlighting the semifinalists at 65 kg is returning U23 World champion Ayana GEMPEI (JPN), who is also a 2016 Junior World champion and a 2018 Senior World bronze medalist.

To earn her second spot in the U23 World finals, Gempei will have to go through 2018 Junior World bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR).

The other 65 kg semifinal will feature 2017 U23 World bronze medalist Moa NYGREN (SWE) and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Elis MANOLOVA (AZE).

There are three past age-group World medalists in the semifinals at 57 kg.

On the top side of the bracket, 2014 Senior World champion and 2015 Senior World silver medalist Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) will battle this year’s University World runner-up Alexandria TOWN (CAN).

Meanwhile on the bottom half, 2017 U23 World silver medalist and 2018 Junior World silver medalist Qi ZHANG (CHN) will go head-to-head with 2018 Junior Asian champion Akie HANAI (JPN), who knocked off 2017 Senior World bronze medalist Becka LEATHERS (USA) in the qualification round.

Photo of Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR).

At 53 kg, two-time Cadet World silver medalist Andreea ANA (ROU) will face 2018 University World silver medalist Momoka KADOYA (JPN), while two-time Junior World bronze winner and 2018 Military World champion Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) will battle two-time Junior World medalist Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR).

At 62 kg, we’ll see 2018 Senior World runner-up Yukako KAWAI (JPN) take on home country’s Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU), who is a 2016 University World silver medalist and 2013 Cadet World bronze winner.

Also moving on to the semis at 62 kg was 2017 U23 World silver medalist Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) and two-time age-group World silver medalist Luisa NIEMESCH (GER).

At 72 kg, two-time age-group World bronze medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) will challenge Buse TOSUN (TUR), who won bronze at the 2018 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Tosun is also a 2013 Junior World silver medalist.

In the other 72 kg semi, 2017 Junior World bronze medalist and hometown favorite Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) against Xiaoqian WANG (CHN).

Semifinal matchups

53 kg
Andreea ANA (ROU) vs. Momoka KADOYA (JPN)
Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) vs. Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR)

57 kg
Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) vs. Alexandria TOWN (CAN)
Qi ZHANG (CHN) vs. Akie HANAI (JPN)

62 kg
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) vs. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)
Yukako KAWAI (JPN) vs. Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)

65 kg
Moa NYGREN (SWE) vs. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Ayana GEMPEI (JPN) vs. Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)

72 kg
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) vs. Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) vs. Xiaoqian WANG (CHN)

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Greco-Roman Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 20) -- The European Championships in underway in Tirana, Albania with five Greco-Roman weight classes -- 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg. The big question is if Riza KAYAALP (TUR) will be successful in breaking Aleksandr KARELIN's record of 12 European gold medal.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | GRECO-ROMAN BRACKETS | UWW PREVIEW

Semifinals

55kg
Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) vs. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) vs. Omer RECEP (TUR)

63kg
Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) vs. Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Mairbek SALIMOV (POL) vs. Sergey EMELIN (UWW)

77kg
Robert FRITSCH (HUN) vs. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) vs. Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)

87kg
Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE) vs. Semen NOVIKOV (BUL)

130kg
Darius Attila VITEK (HUN) vs. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) vs. Riza KAYAALP (TUR)

13:25: Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) books his spot in the semifinals at 87kg after an 8-0 technical superiority win over Dogan KAYA (TUR). Novikov with a big throw for four to start the bout before he scores a takedown to go 6-0 up at the break. He takes 36 seconds in the second period to score two stepouts and win.

13:20: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) is into the 87kg semifinals at the European Championships after a technical superiority win over Ihar YARASHEVICH (UWW). Bisultanov with a takedown to start the match before he is awarded the par terre position. He manages exposure points to lead 5-0. A stepout in the second period makes it 6-0. Yarashevich tries a front headlock throw but Bisultanov blocks him and lands on top for the match-winning two points.

13:15: Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR), a returning bronze medalist, is into the semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) at 87kg. No last second problems for Filchakov like last year in which Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) defeated him with 2 seconds remaining.

13:10: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) is in total shock after Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) throws him twice using the front headlock for four-pointers and finishes the match 10-2. Yilmaz scored the first takedown but Gutu answered quickly with one of his own. He then continued the scramble for the two big throws.

13:00: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) goes big from par terre and scores a four-point throw to make it 7-0. He then scores an takedown to complete a 9-0 victory over Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) and advance to the semifinals at 77kg.

12:53: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) may have crossed his biggest hurdle towards winning the 13th gold medal as he holds off Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) in the 130kg quarterfinals, 1-1. Kayaalp gets the first par terre and manages half turns so no points. Kamparov gets the second par terre which gives him the point but Kayaalp holds the criteria. The Turkiye wrestler was struggling in the final minute but manages to stop Kamparov's attacks.

12:40: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) with two four-pointers against Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA) and he advances to the 130kg semifinals. Hlinchuk looking good for a medal here

12:35: World champion at 55kg Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) goes all big and fast and he wins Stefan GRIGOROV (BUL), 9-0. Two takedowns and two turns from par terre were his scoring action

12:30: Defending champion at 63kg Kerem KAMAL (TUR) shows up big time in the quarterfinals and takes out U23 world champion Ziya BABASHOV (AZE).

12:20: Olympic champion and returning silver medalist Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) gets his second victory at 87kg as he beats Marjan KOLA (ALB), 9-0, and advances to the quarterfinals.

12:15: Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) continues his good form from Dan Kolov Nikola Petrov tournament in which he won gold, and beats Alan OSTAEV (UWW), 1-1, to start his campaign at 87kg

12:05: An emotional moment for world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) after his opening round loss to Ihar YARASHEVICH (UWW). Komarov dropped his match 5-2 and was about to take off his shoes, a sign of retirement, but the Serbian coaches run and pull him off the mat and stop him from retiring, for now.

11:55: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) with three stepouts in his 9-0 technical superiority win over Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM). When he scored the last stepout for an 8-0 score, Armenia challenged but lost it which added one more point to Bisultanov's score

11:50: Four-time European champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) with a controlled 4-0 win over Edvin BAFF (SWE) at 77kg. He got the par terre in the first period before scoring a throw for two points. He got the par terre in the second period as well to win 4-0.

11:48: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) went murder-mode on Vilius SAVICKAS (LTU) from par terre, scoring two massive reverse throws and wins 10-0

11:33: Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) holds off for a 1-1 criteria victory over Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) in his 130kg bout. Next up for him is Riza KAYAALP (TUR). Can Kamparov stop Kayaalp from making history?

11:30: No rust from 12-time European champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) as he uses an arm-throw to pin Albert VARDANYAN (ARM) and start his quest for a historic 13th title at 130kg.

11:22: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), a former U23 world champion at 97kg and still looking small for 130kg, gets three turns from par terre and beats Jacob LOGAARD (SWE), 7-1 at 130kg.

11:15: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), a former U20 world champion, with a massive arm throw for four and holds Apostolos TSIOVOLOS (GRE) for a victory via fall at 130kg.

11:02: Defending champion at 63kg Kerem KAMAL (TUR) with a technical superiority victory over Maksym LIU (UKR). Kamal with turn from par terre to lead 3-0 and Liu is called for a defensive leg foul. Ukraine challenges but the foul is confirmed and Kamal leads 6-0 and the bout restarts in par terre. A side throw for four to finish the bout 10-0

10:58: Paris Olympic bronze medalist and former European champion Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) with a technical superiority victory over Matej MANDIC (CRO). He scored four turns from par terre to win 9-0

10:50: Looking for his first European medal, U23 world champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) starts off with a 4-0 victory over Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) at 87kg. He gets the stepout and par terre in the first period and then a takedown to win the match.

10:42: Returning silver medalist medalists at 77kg Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) begins his 77kg campaign with a 8-2 victory over Marcos SANCHEZ (ESP).

10:30: Welcome to the Albanian capital Tirana as the European Championships kicks off with Greco-Roman weight classes.