#WrestleIstanbul

World Paris Olympic Qualifier 2024 Entry List

By United World Wrestling Press

ISTANBUL, Turkiye (April 29) -- After the World Championships and four continental qualifiers, it all comes down to the last chance World OG Qualifier in Istanbul for the wrestlers hoping to earn a spot for the Paris Olympics.

The qualifier in Istanbul will offer 54 Olympic quotas in each of the six weight classes of the three styles. Every weight category offers three Paris Olympic spots -- one each to the two finalists and one to the winner of the playoff between the two bronze medalists.

Greco-Roman will kick off the competition on May 9 followed by Women's Wrestling and Freestyle finishing it on May 13. All details of the schedule can be found here -- World OG Qualifier Schedule

Freestyle

57kg
Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN)
Zhipeng JIANG (CHN)
Roland TAMBI (CMR)
Peter HAMMER CUDE (CRC)
Guesseppe REA VILLARROEL (ECU)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Tsz Shing LEUNG (HKG)
AMAN (IND)
Alireza SARLAK (IRI)
Simone PIRODDU (ITA)
Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Ben TARIK (MAR)
Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Ali ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Chong HAN (PRK)
Razvan KOVACS (ROU)
Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE)
Thomas EPP (SUI)
Kabe MATJANOV (TKM)
Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)
Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)
Spencer LEE (USA)

65kg
Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN)
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Josh FAILAUGA (ASA)
Shannon HANNA (BAH)
Ayub MUSAEV (BEL)
Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN)
Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
Lachlan MCNEIL (CAN)
Baowen WEI (CHN)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Joshua KRAMER (ECU)
Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM)
Gibriel CHOW (GAM)
Andre CLARKE (GER)
Tsz Hei HEUNG (HKG)
Sujeet SUJEET (IND)
Joshua Stuart FINESILVER (ISR)
Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
Davies ORIWA (KEN)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Lowe BINGHAM (NRU)
Muhammad ABDULLAH (PAK)
Abdullah ASSAF (PLE)
Cristian NICOLESCU (PLW)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Kwang Jin KIM (PRK)
Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU)
Sahid Tejan KARGBO (SLE)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK)
Jelaletdin SEYIDOV (TKM)
Ahmet DUMAN (TUR)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)
Zain RETHERFORD (USA)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)
Ibrahim GUZAN (YEM)

74kg
Cherman VALIEV (ALB)
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Ibragim VELIEV (BEL)
Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN)
Miroslav KIROV (BUL)
Stone LEWIS (CAN)
Michel DOLE BONDELE (CGO)
Yi LI (CHN)
Jacques MONTY (CMR)
Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Shamil USTAEV (GER)
Luis BARRIOS (HON)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
JAIDEEP (IND)
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)
Byungmin GONG (KOR)
Egzon XHONI (KOS)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Raul PALACIOS (MEX)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR)
Krisztian BIRO (ROU)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Tobias PORTMANN (SUI)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Viktor RASSADIN (TJK)
Arslan AMANMYRADOV (TKM)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Jamal ABDUL (UGA)
Vadym TSURKAN (UKR)
*Iman MAHDAVI (UWW)
Abdulkareem AL RABEDHI (YEM)

86kg
Arkadzi PAHASIAN (AIN)
Mushegh MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Ariston BARTLEY (ASA)
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Pedro GONCALVES (BRA)
Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN)
Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Peilong LI (CHN)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)
Yip Cheuk YEUNG (HKG)
Patrik PUESPOEKI (HUN)
Deepak PUNIA (IND)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Atai IZABEKOV (KGZ)
Gwanuk KIM (KOR)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Saad AMANDAR (MAR)
Georgii RUBAEV (MDA)
Noel TORRES (MEX)
Ahmad MAGOMEDOV (MKD)
Pool AMBROCIO (PER)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Ivan MASAKWE (UGA)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Pedro CEBALLOS (VEN)

97kg
Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM)
Thomas BARNS (AUS)
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN)
Tuerxunbieke MUHEITE (CHN)
Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)
Maxwell LACEY (CRC)
Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA)
Babacarr MBOGE (GAM)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER)
Theodoros KYRIAKIDIS (GRE)
Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN)
DEEPAK (IND)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)
Andrei ARONOV (KGZ)
Juhwan SEO (KOR)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)
Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL)
Georgian TRIPON (ROU)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Adam JAKSIK (SVK)
Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)
Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB)
Cristian SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Lyova GEVORGYAN (ARM)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN)
Georgi IVANOV (BUL)
BUHEEERDUN (CHN)
Jose CUBA VAZQUEZ (ESP)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Gino AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
SUMIT (IND)
Abraham CONYEDO (ITA)
Aaron JOHNSON (JAM)
Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN)
Joel TUKAI (KEN)
Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ)
Yeihyun JUNG (KOR)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)
Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)
Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)

Selcuk CAN (TUR)Selcuk CAN (TUR) will look to win the Paris Olympic spot in Greco-Roman 67kg in front of the home crowd in Istanbul. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

60kg
Hleb MAKARANKA (AIN)
Sadyk LALAEV (AIN)
Bajram SINA (ALB)
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Josh FAILAUGA (ASA)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Nedyalko PETROV (BUL)
Nikolai MOHAMMADI (DEN)
Daniel BOBILLO VIGIL (ESP)
Leo TUDEZCA (FRA)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
Christopher KRAEMER (GER)
SUMIT (IND)
Melkamu FETENE (ISR)
Dahyun KIM (KOR)
Rayan HAWSAWI (KSA)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR)
Alexis RODRIGUEZ (MEX)
Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Romio GOLIATH (NAM)
Michal Jacek TRACZ (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE)
Georgij TIBILOV (SRB)
Virgil BICA (SWE)
Umit DURDYYEV (TKM)
Viktor PETRYK (UKR)
Dalton ROBERTS (USA)
*Jamal VALIZADEH (UWW)

67kg
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (AIN)
Aslan VISAITOV (AIN)
Gjete PRENGA (ALB)
Abu AMAEV (BUL)
Ji LENG (CHN)
Dominik ETLINGER (CRO)
Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
Artur JEREMEJEV (EST)
Matias LIPASTI (FIN)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Etienne KINSINGER (GER)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Muhammad ALIANSYAH (INA)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Andrea SETTI (ITA)
Din Mukhamed KOSHKAR (KAZ)
Hansu RYU (KOR)
Ahmed BARAHMAH (KSA)
Adomas GRIGALIUNAS (LTU)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR)
Nilton SOTO GARCIA (PER)
Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Yong Jin RO (PRK)
Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU)
Sahid Tejan KARGBO (SLE)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Niklas Jan Olov Pontus OEHLEN (SWE)
Begmyrat NOBATOV (TKM)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Ellis COLEMAN (USA)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)

77kg
Adlet TIULIUBAEV (AIN)
Tsimur BERDYIEU (AIN)
Kevin KUPI (ALB)
Joilson RAMOS (BRA)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
John YEATS (CAN)
Tongyu CHEN (CHN)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Oliver KRUEGER (DEN)
Marcos SANCHEZ (ESP)
Johnny BUR (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Idris IBAEV (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Vikas VIKAS (IND)
Riccardo ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Dowon LEE (KOR)
Hassan BARNAWI (KSA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Emmanuel BENITEZ (MEX)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Kamil CZARNECKI (POL)
Jonathan VIRUET (PUR)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Per Albin OLOFSSON (SWE)
Bazargeldi EZIMOV (TKM)
Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR)
Kamal BEY (USA)

87kg
Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN)
Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM)
Elias Lauofo VAOIFI (ASA)
Lukas STAUDACHER (AUT)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Ioannis NARLIDIS (CAN)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO)
Daniel GREGORICH (CUB)
Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)
Raido LIITMAEE (EST)
Waltteri LATVALA (FIN)
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)
Hannes WAGNER (GER)
Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE)
Ariel ALFONSO (HON)
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Soh SAKABE (JPN)
Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ)
Sanghyeok PARK (KOR)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Jose VARGAS (MEX)
Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)
Exauce MUKUBU (NOR)
Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL)
Nicu OJOG (ROU)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Alex KESSIDIS (SWE)
Yhlas ABDURAZAKOV (TKM)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

97kg
Artur SARGSIAN (AIN)
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Kaloyan IVANOV (BUL)
Houzhi HAO (CHN)
Filip SMETKO (CRO)
Mathias BAK (DEN)
Richard KARELSON (EST)
Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER)
Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Nitesh NITESH (IND)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN)
Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ)
Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ)
Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA)
Badamdorj BALTMUNKH (MGL)
Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Ramon BETSCHART (SUI)
Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR)

130kg
Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN)
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Sabah SHARIATI (AZE)
Heiki NABI (EST)
Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
Nikolaos NTOUNIAS (GRE)
Darius VITEK (HUN)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Sota OKUMURA (JPN)
Roman KIM (KGZ)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Boris PETRUSIC (SRB)
Eduard BABENOSHEV (TJK)
Aybegshazada KURRAYEV (TKM)
Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)
Moises PEREZ (VEN)

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Four-time Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) will wrestle in Istanbul for a Paris spot in 50kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Viyaleta REBIKAVA (AIN)
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Kamila BARBOSA (BRA)
Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Geneviève MORRISON (CAN)
Rosine NTSA ASSOUGA (CMR)
Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Julie SABATIE (FRA)
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Marina KARAPANAGIOTIDOU (GRE)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ)
Emma WANGILA (KEN)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
Gabija DILYTE (LTU)
Mariana DIAZ MUNOZ (MEX)
Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR)
Yorlenis MORAN (PAN)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Son Hyang KIM (PRK)
Beatrice FERENT (ROU)
Nipuni WASANA (SRI)
Svenja JUNGO (SUI)
Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE)
Thi Xuan NGUYEN (VIE)
 
53kg
Oleksandra KOGUT (AUT)
Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE)
Sabrina GAMA TAPAJOS (BRA)
Irena BINKOVA (BUL)
Karla GODINEZ (CAN)
Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV)
Miriam NGOE WASE (CMR)
Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB)
Maria BAEZ DILONE (ESP)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Sztalvira ORSOS (HUN)
Fabiana RINELLA (ITA)
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Seoyoung PARK (KOR)
Zineb ECH CHABKI (MAR)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Zeltzin HERNANDEZ (MEX)
Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Veronika RJABOVOLOVA (MKD)
Yusneiry AGRAZAL WEST (PAN)
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Nethmi AHINSA (SRI)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)
Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE)

57kg
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN)
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Giullia PENALBER (BRA)
Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Yaynelis SANZ (CUB)
Graciela SANCHEZ (ESP)
Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA)
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ)
Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Youngjin KWON (KOR)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Alma VALENCIA (MEX)
Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL)
Marija CVETANOVA (MKD)
Ester ABRAHAM (NAM)
Othelie HOEIE (NOR)
In Sun JONG (PRK)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Evelina HULTHEN (SWE)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)
Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB)

62kg
Veranika IVANOVA (AIN)
Nachi MASUDA (AUS)
Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Lais NUNES (BRA)
Yaru WU (CHN)
Lydia PEREZ (ESP)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Mansi MANSI (IND)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Hanbit LEE (KOR)
Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA)
Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX)
Arian CARPIO (PHI)
Natalia KUBATY (POL)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
Annatina LIPPUNER (SUI)
Sara LINDBORG (SWE)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Astrid MONTERO (VEN)

68kg
Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN)
Albina DRAZHI (ALB)
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)
Linda MORAIS (CAN)
Qian JIANG (CHN)
Blandine NGIRI (CMR)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Nisha NISHA (IND)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ)
Ohyoung HA (KOR)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Ambar GARNICA (MEX)
Uilau TARKONG (PLW)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK)
Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE)
Alina BEREZHNA (UKR)
Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) 

76kg
Rita TALISMANOVA (AIN)
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN)
Annie ALOISIO (ASA)
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Yuliana YANEVA (BUL)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Samar HAMZA (EGY)
Epp MAE (EST)
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Agoro PAPAVASILEIOU (GRE)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Eunju HWANG (KOR)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE)
Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR)
Maria ACOSTA (VEN)

Iman MAHDAVI and Jamil VALIZADEH are part of the refugee and will be eligible for qualification in Istanbul as both are already qualified as part of the IOC Refugee Team for the Paris 2024. 

#WrestleBratislava

Bullen bullies her way to 65kg gold; Ukraine wins team title

By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 11) -- Grace BULLEN (NOR) had three European title before Friday, all in different weight classes.

She added a fourth European title, in a new weight class by defeating world and two-time European champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) 11-8 in the 65kg final, the heaviest she has competed in. Bullen won her first European title in 2017, winning gold at 58kg. In 2021, she won at 57kg, last year at 62kg and now at 65kg.

"I feel I've come to like jumping over challenges that I think are difficult but I am fully capable of [overcoming]," Bullen said of switching weight classes for Europeans. "Just getting that out there and proving to myself because I feel that every match, I have to prove something to myself. I did that today, even though it was hard coming here."

In what turned out to be the match of tournament in Women's Wrestling, Bullen and Rigaci went toe-to-toe in the 65kg final. Bullen got on board first with a suplex from standing for four but Ringaci immediately answered with a double-leg takedown and gut wrench to make it 4-4 with Bullen leading on criteria for her bigger move. A stepout gave Bullen a 5-4 lead before she defended a leg-attack from Ringaci to maintain the lead at the break.

"I've seen her throws," she said. "I see how she's able to come out of every position like a wizard. She's a hard opponent to have because she knows how to get out of difficult positions. I have more touch and go and she's likes to scramble, and I'm trying to stay out of it and give her as less as points to her."

Ringaci opened the second period with a takedown on the edge for two points and take the lead 6-5. As Ringaci tried her underhooks, Bullen would block with double-leg attacks. Ringaci would try the whizzer only to give taken down by Bullen. In one such attack, Bullen scored a takedown to reclaim the lead before a sequence gave two points each to both wrestler with Bullen lead 9-8.

Bullen went for the armbar and kept Ringaci in danger for the final minute and won her fourth European title.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) celebrates after winning the 65kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

"I'm trying not to [think about the points given]," she said. "I came into the match with some task and it's to wrestle with my style and I'm trying to do it as best as possible, keeping the distance and keeping my attacks as strong and fast. I know that I went up a weight class mainly because I wanted to meet new opponents. It's a new opponents and I get to challenge my wrestling into it and that's why I bumped up a weight class."

The Paris bronze medalist at 62kg said that after the performance in Paris, where she became the first Norway wrestler to win an Olympic medal in 94 years, it was difficult to restart with an aim of reaching the top level again.

"When you've done a great performance and you have to do it all over again," she said. "But it's like it's a new task. She's not an easy opponent to stand in front of as she's challenging and has a lot of experience on the mat. I have huge respect for all my opponents. I want to do great, even though I know it's difficult. So I'm proud of myself that I was able to do that today"

Bullen, who burst on the scene a decade ago with her big moves, won the U17 world and European titles, gold at the Youth Olympic Games in 2014, the world U23 title. As she grew as a wrestler, hopes with Bullen also grew. However, after failing to qualify for the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, Bullen needed a new lease of life for her wrestling.

Shifting base to Georgia and switching her training accordingly did wonders. She moved up to 62kg, won bronze medal at the World Championships and the Paris Olympic Games. That inspired many as a wrestler with South Sudanese heritage stood on the podium at the Olympics in Women's Wrestling.

Despite all the changes, Bullen wants to keep her style.

"I also don't want to lose Grace Bullen as a wrestler," she said. "Many people know me as a person that does a great lift. I want to be remembered as someone who finds a way that I can win matches and still take with me the great aspect of the wrestler that I always have been. I want to be remembered as someone making some great moments and big moves because I like the wow people get through out of it."

Iryna BONDAR (UKR)Iryna BONDAR (UKR) drops Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) for the fall at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ukraine wins team title

Ukraine won two more gold medals on Friday, adding to the two won day before and claimed the team title with 180 points. It was in a battle with Turkiye but the latter ended up with 158 points to be at the second place. Romania finished third with 79 points.

Rising start Iryna BONDAR (UKR) claimed the 62kg gold medal on her senior European Championships debut to add another medal to her resume. She capped her dominant run outscoring her opponents 31-5 including a fall in the final.

"This medal is the best one in my career so far," Bondar said. "It’s the senior level. Out of all the medals I’ve ever won, this is the best — the senior European Championships."

Wrestling Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) in the final, Bondar got on board with a point for Lindborg's inactivity before she swung the Swede using underhook and pinned her on the mat. Lindborg had 30-seconds to survive the pin attempt as the first period would have ended but Bondar controlled her and secured the fall with seven seconds remaining in the first period.

The gold medal is another one for the 21-year-old Bondar who has already won all the age-group continental golds.

"I’ve been working toward this," she said. "I progressed step by step — first in the U20 category. Last year was my final year there, then I moved on to U23. And now, for the first time, I’m competing at the senior level. This is a whole different level of wrestling — senior wrestling is tough and intense.

Among her four wins in Bratislava, Bondar defeated former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) 8-1 in the quarterfinals and handed Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) an 8-4 drubbing in the semifinals.

"[At the senior level], your opponents don’t forgive mistakes — if you do something wrong, even by accident, they immediately punish you," she said. "I’m really happy that I was able to defeat such strong opponents, some of whom have already competed at the Olympics. I’m very happy that I managed to win in my weight class."

Bondar, who is in the same weight class as Paris 62kg silver medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), said that she feels best at 62kg. Koliadenko wrestled at 65kg in Bratislava and won a bronze medal. Bondar, with her gold medal, confirmed her spot on the Ukrainian team for the World Championships, like all other gold or silver medalists from the country.

"I’m not planning to compete in 65kg," Bondar said. "I don’t feel like myself there. This year, I’ve already secured my spot and will go to the World Championship in the 62kg category."

The World Championships will be another big test for Bondar who is hoping to get the better of her Asian rivals who wrestle with more speed and attacks than the European wrestlers.

"Are there tougher opponents? Yes, absolutely. The toughest competitors are from Japan — they are the strongest in the world. You gain technique and experience. You wrestle with opponents you haven’t faced before, more experienced ones. You grow by competing against such athletes. I’m gradually building up speed now, over the summer, and we’ll be preparing for the World Championship."

Alla BLENSKA (UKR)Alla BLENSKA (UKR) celebrates after pinning Nesrin BAS (TUR) for the 72kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ukraine's second gold medal came at 72kg after Alla BELINSKA (UKR) defeated retuning champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) in the final, also via fall.

Bas was called for passivity in the first period and Belinska came out with a perfect headlock throw in the second period to put Bas on the mat and held her for the fall.

Ukraine's wins in the head-to-head bouts against Turkiye helped it claim the team title.

At 57kg, two-time European champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) added a third as she defeated Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 6-4, in the final.

Khoroshavtseva used an outside trip which wasn't successful but she got Kamaloglu in a takedown for two points. Kamaloglu answered with a single-leg takedown and then a turn to lead 4-2.

A snap from Khoroshavtseva helped her get the criteria 4-4 lead and Kamaloglu played catch up for the final two minutes of the bout. Khoroshavtseva used a wrong-direction go-behind for another two points to win her the gold medal, her first since the gold she won in 2021.

"It’s been a long journey and a huge amount of hard work to achieve this kind of result," she said. "I don’t really feel anything at all. The realization will probably come later. For now, it just feels like emptiness — because you gave it your all, and there’s nothing left to feel."

About her final, Khoroshavtseva said that she did not prepare too much and just wanted to wrestle.

"The final match was kind of chaotic, to be honest," she said. "I was more focused on the first day, and by the time the final came, I wasn’t really mentally or physically prepared — I just went out there to wrestle and do whatever I could."

The fifth gold of the night went to Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) who won her first gold medal in her 14th try at the European Championships. She defeated Andreea ANA (ROU) 5-4 in the final.

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Andreea ANA (ROU), 5-3

BRONZE: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) df. Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df. Viyaleta REBIKAVA CHYRYK (UWW), 2-1

57kg
GOLD: Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), 6-4

BRONZE: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Jenna HEMIAE (FIN), 10-3
BRONZE: Solomiia VYNNYK (UWW) df. Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW), 4-3

62kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), via fall (5-0)

BRONZE: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 4-3
BRONZE: Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df. Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR), via fall (7-0)

65kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), 11-8

BRONZE: Dinara KUDAEVA (UWW) df. Olha PADOSHYK (POL), 5-0
BRONZE: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), via fall (6-4)

72kg
GOLD: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), via fall

BRONZE: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), 8-3
BRONZE: Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) df. Kseniia BURAKOVA (UWW), 3-2