European Games

World No.1's Beleniuk, Semenov Among Greco Semifinalists at European Games

Saturday, June 29, 2019 - 11:21 By United World Wrestling Press

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MINSK, Belarus (June 29) - World No.1 Greco-Roman wrestlers Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) and Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) were among the dozen wrestlers to reach the semifinals of the European Games in Greco-Roman on Saturday at the Minsk Sports Palace. 

Beleniuk, a 2015 world champion and 2016 Olympic silver medalist, opened his tournament at 87kg with a tough test against 2017 world champion Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM). The Armenian scored first and led 1-0 at the break, but Beleniuk scored five unanswered points in the second period to win 5-1. He then claimed a 9-1 technical superiority over Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL). Beleniuk will face world No.6 Radzik KULIYEU (BLR) in the semifinals.

Also at 87kg, two-time U23 world medalist Islam ABBASOV (AZE) topped two-time world bronze medalist Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) in the quarterfinals. His semifinal opponent will be Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), who advanced to the semifinals by beating Bekkhan OZDOEV (RUS). Ozdoev knocked off two-time returning world champion Metehan BASAR (TUR) 5-0 in a preliminary match, scoring all five of his points in the opening period.

Semenov, a returning world champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, opened with a 2-0 victory over Jello KRAHMER (GER) before defeating U23 world silver medalist Osman YILDIRIM (TUR) 7-1 in the quarterfinals. He will now meet Kiryl HRYSHCHANKA (BLR), one of three semifinalists for Belarus. The other semifinal at 130kg pits world No.7 Oskar MARVIK (NOR) against European silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO).

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), a 2016 Olympic champion and three-time world champion, had to come from behind in each of his first two matches on Saturday to reach the semifinals at 97kg. In his first match, Aleksanyan gave up the first point against 2017 world bronze medalist Revazi NADAREISHVILI (GEO), but came back to win 2-1. In the quarterfinals, Daniel GASTL (AUT) took a 1-0 lead on Aleksanyan to the break. The 27-year-old Armenian came back with three unanswered points in the second period to win 3-1. His semifinal opponent will be two-time U23 world champion Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS). 

Olympic bronze medalist Cenk ILDEM (TUR) moved into the semifinals at 97kg with a 7-5 victory over world No.5 Mihail KAJALA (SRB). Ildem will face Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) in the semifinals.

Saturday's semifinal matches are scheduled to begin at 18:00 local time.

SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS

87kg
SEMIFINAL - Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) vs. Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Radzik KULIYEU (BLR) vs. Zhan BELENIUK (UKR)

97kg
SEMIFINAL - Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR) vs. Cenk ILDEM (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS) vs. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)

130kg
SEMIFINAL - Kiryl HRYSHCHANKA (BLR) vs. Sergey SEMENOV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) vs. Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
 

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Cuba’s Trujillo Diaz honored with IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 09:29 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 24) — Wrestling coach Raul TRUJILLO DIAZ (CUB) received the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award on Monday during a ceremony at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The award was presented by IOC President Kirsty COVENTRY and Sergii BUBKA, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Entourage Commission.

Trujillo Díaz has been one of the key figures in the inexorable rise of Cuba as one of the leading nations in Greco-Roman, with more than 52 years of coaching experience. He coached the Cuban and Portuguese national teams across five editions of the Olympic Games.

Cuba

“I am very honoured to receive this extraordinary recognition, Trujillo Diaz said. “I would like to thank the IOC, all the athletes I have coached over the past 50 years, the other wrestling coaches and people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes in the sport to which I have dedicated my life. All were my motivation and example. I also want to take the opportunity to thank United World Wrestling (UWW). And a big thank-you to someone very special who has always been with me – my family – for their great support.”

One of the legends he has trained is five-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), who at Paris 2024 became the first athlete in any sport to win five consecutive Olympic gold medals in the same event. Others who have been trained by Trujillo Diaz are Rio 2016 champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) and Luis ORTA (CUB), the 60kg champion at Tokyo 2020.

As well as introducing training innovations that have helped lead his nation to success, Trujillo Díaz has published numerous research papers and articles on wrestling science and pedagogy. He has also worked widely for UWW across Latin America as an educator, bringing the breadth of his knowledge and experience to new generations of athletes and coaches.

Alongwith Truillo Diaz, volleyball coach Lang PING also received the IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award.

"It's really special to be here with all of you and to celebrate our two coaches for their incredible commitment and their lifetime of work in serving their athletes to become the best athlete, but also the best humans that they can be," said IOC President Kirsty Coventry during the ceremony. "So many of us who compete in sport know and understand that the lessons that we learn in sport will guide us in our everyday life after and this is where the role of coaches is so important,” she added.