#WrestleBelgrade

#WrestleBelgrade U23 World Championship Entries

By Eric Olanowski

BELGRADE, Serbia (October 21) --- After a 760-day layoff due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 620 wrestlers from 58 different nations will converge in Belgrade, Serbia, for the ’21 U23 World Championships.

Greco-Roman action kicks off the competition on Monday, November 1. The Russian Wrestling Federation’s ’21 senior world medalists Sergei KUTUZOV and Artur SARGSIAN headline the style’s 232 entries. Kutuzov went 4-1 in Oslo while outscoring his first four opponents 34-5 before falling to Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) in the 72kg finals. Sargsian finished with a 97kg bronze medal and suffered his lone defeat to eventual champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI). 

Women’s wrestling action starts on the third day of the competition, November 3. Tokyo Olympians Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) and Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) are the biggest stars entered in women’s wrestling’s 148 wrestler field. Medet Kyzy is fresh off a ’21 senior world bronze-medal finish. She’ll compete at 76kg. The other Tokyo Olympians, Nichita and Larroque, will compete at 59kg and 65kg, respectively.

Freestyle’s 239 wrestlers close out the competition beginning on Friday, November 5. As the entries sit, ’21 world medalists Ernazar AKMATALIEV, Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) are all expected to make the trip to Belgrade.

Akmataliev reached the finals in Oslo but dropped his final match against Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) and fell one match short of becoming the first Kyrgyz FS wrestler to win a world title. Harutyunyan and Akakarov each dropped one bout but fought back and finished with bronze medals.

The ’21 U23 World Championships begin on November 1 and can be followed live on www.uww.org. 

57kg
Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Dzmitry SHAMELA (BLR)
Logan James SLOAN (CAN)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Saurabh Madhukar IGAVE (IND)
Ali Abolfazl GHOLI ZADEGAN KOLOUKHI (IRI)
Simone Vincenzo PIRODDU (ITA)
Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ)
Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
Meshal Adullah A ALJAYZANI (KSA)
Petru CRACIUN (MDA)
Ganbayar NAMSRAI (MGL)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Ramazan ABDURAKHIMOV (RWF)
Nils LEUTERT (SUI)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Hafiz Can HASDEMIR (TUR)
Vladlen OPANASENKO (UKR)
Patrick Ryan GLORY (USA)
Arslan RAKHIMOV (UZB)

61kg
Endrio AVDYLI (ALB)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Intigam VALIZADA (AZE)
Jason Guy LUNEAU (CAN)
Arman Norik ELOYAN (FRA)
Muhammad MOKAEV (GBR)
Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO)
Nico MEGERLE (GER)
Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)
Suraj Rajkumar KOKATE (IND)
Majid Almas DASTAN (IRI)
Daniel PUCINO (ITA)
Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ)
Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ)
Faisal Khalid E ALDOSSARY (KSA)
Soufiane KABIL (MAR)
Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)
Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL)
Artur Sergeevitch CHEBODAEV (RWF)
Mohamed GIBBATEH (SLE)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Ahmet DUMAN (TUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)
Christopher CANNON (USA)
Sardor RUZIMOV (UZB)

65kg
Hrachya MARGARYAN (ARM)
Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Stilyan Yanchev ILIEV (BUL)
Jacob Tizoc ALEXANDER TORRES (CAN)
David KOPRIVA (CZE)
Marwane Ahmed YEZZA (FRA)
Ross Taylor CONNELLY (GBR)
Iveriko JULAKIDZE (GEO)
Leon GERSTENBERGER (GER)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Marcell BUDAI KOVACS (HUN)
Parvinder PARVINDER (IND)
Seyedhassan Seyedhossein EBADIMERMETI (IRI)
Colin John REALBUTO (ITA)
Adil OSPANOV (KAZ)
Gilbert Mbevoni KABOCHE (KEN)
Aibek TOKTOGUL UULU (KGZ)
Ahmed Fawzi M BARAHMAH (KSA)
Abdelwahad BADRI (MAR)
Pavel GRAUR (MDA)
Tugsjargal ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Sebastian C RIVERA (PUR)
Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU)
Ibragim ABDURAKHMANOV (RWF)
Sulaiman KARGBO (SLE)
Cavit ACAR (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)
Domonick Petro DEMAS (USA)
Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB)

70kg
Elmaz KRYEZIU (ALB)
Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Daniil AMELYANCHYK (BLR)
Trystan Hideki KATO (CAN)
Sergio Peter GODOY VITE (ECU)
Bacar NDUM (GBS)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Shamil USTAEV (GER)
Christos CHRISTOFORIDIS (GRE)
Botond GULYAS (HUN)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Aliakbar Aliasghar FAZLIKHALILI (IRI)
Raul ZARBALIEV (ISR)
Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)
Temuujin MENDBILEG (MGL)
Norbert MOLNOS (ROU)
Rezuan KAZHAROV (RWF)
Viktor Stiven VOINOVIC (SRB)
Tobias PORTMANN (SUI)
Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK)
Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK)
Cuneyt BUDAK (TUR)
Denys BOROHAN (UKR)
Jacori Tyrese TEEMER (USA)
Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB)

74kg
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE)
Davud ALIZALAU (BLR)
Nikolay Iliev DIMITROV (BUL)
Devan Jarred LARKIN (CAN)
Caetano ANTONIO SA (GBS)
Temuri BERUASHVILI (GEO)
Tino RETTINGER (GER)
Parveen MALIK (IND)
Mohmmadsadegh Biglar FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI)
Naftali Hertz HOROWITZ (ISR)
Jacopo MASOTTI (ITA)
Akezhan ABDIKHAMIT (KAZ)
Mathayo Matonya MAHABILA (KEN)
Rabii REGANI (MAR)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Serhan SHAKIROV (MKD)
Szymon WOJTKOWSKI (POL)
Jonathan PARRILLA RAMOS (PUR)
Krisztian BIRO (ROU)
Chermen VALIEV (RWF)
Sheku KASSEGBAMA (SLE)
ANDRIJA IVANOVIC (SRB)
Isa DEMIR (TUR)
Vadym KURYLENKO (UKR)
Peyton Gaylord ROBB (USA)
Asomiddin HASANOV (UZB)

79kg
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE)
Yahor AKULICH (BLR)
Oktay Ruzhdi HASAN (BUL)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Goga MAMIAURI (GEO)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Botond LUKACS (HUN)
Vicky VICKY (IND)
Ali Bakhtiar SAVADKOUHI (IRI)
Bibarys NURYLLAULY (KAZ)
Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA)
Batzul DAMJIN (MGL)
Hammam J H ABUSNAINA (PLE)
Magomed MAGOMAEV (RWF)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Tanguy DARBELLAY (SUI)
Ramazan SARI (TUR)
Valentyn BABII (UKR)
Michael Anthony LABRIOLA (USA)
Otabek SALOMOV (UZB)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Mher MARKOSYAN (ARM)
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Ilya KHAMTSOU (BLR)
Dzhemal Rushen ALI (BUL)
Hunter Jeffery LEE (CAN)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Sandeep Singh MANN (IND)
Sajjad Saberali GHOLAMI (IRI)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Salvatore DIANA (ITA)
Islyambek ILYASSOV (KAZ)
Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Kornelijus STULGINSKAS (LTU)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Layth A H ABUSHRAIM (PLE)
Cezary Marek SADOWSKI (POL)
Amanula RASULOV (RWF)
Emre CIFTCI (TUR)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR)
Myles Porter WILSON (USA)
Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB)

92kg
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR)
Kolyo Dimitrov DIMITROV (BUL)
Julien CHOQUETTE (CAN)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Johannes MAYER (GER)
Singh GURADESHWAR (IND)
Amirhossein Biglar FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI)
Davide COSSU (ITA)
Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ)
Gheorghe ERHAN (MDA)
Orgilokh DAGVADORJ (MGL)
Stole EFTIMOV (MKD)
Azamat ZAKUEV (RWF)
Viliam OROSS (SVK)
Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)
Denys SAHALIUK (UKR)
Santino Michael BONACCORSI (USA)
Rustam SHODIEV (UZB)

97kg 
Islam ILYASOV (AZE)
Vasil PAULIUCHENKA (BLR)
Tsvetan Danielov EVTIMOV (BUL)
Richard Phillip Junior DESCHATELETS (CAN)
Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO)
Milan Andras KORCSOG (HUN)
Sahil SAHIL (IND)
Ali Reza Abbasali ABDOLLAHI (IRI)
Yunus GAFUROV (KAZ)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL)
Michal Jan BIELAWSKI (POL)
Shamil Imam GADZHIALIEV (RWF)
Sven Janovitj ENGSTROEM (SWE)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Danylo STASIUK (UKR)
Jonathan Leonard AIELLO (USA)

125kg 
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Martin SIMONYAN (ARM)
Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (BLR)
Georgi Lyubomirov IVANOV (BUL)
Aly Medhat Abde BARGHOUT (CAN)
Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO)
Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE)
Mohit MOHIT (IND)
Ali Mohammadebrahim AKBARPOURKHORDOUNI (IRI)
Lior ALTSHULER (ISR)
Aaron Anthony JOHNSON (JAM)
Bakdaulet OSSERBAY (KAZ)
Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA)
Redjep HAJDARI (MKD)
Blas Alejandro ORTIZ ALAYON (PUR)
Alen KHUBULOV (RWF)
Anil Berkan KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR)
Anthony Lawrence CASSIOPPI (USA)
Namoz ABDURASHIDOV (UZB)

Artur SARGSIAN (RWF), fresh off his senior world bronze-medal finish, will compete at 97kg in Belgrade. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Greco-Roman 

55kg 
Bajram SINA (ALB)
Ashot MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Nihad GULUZADE (AZE)
Denis Krasimirov DEMIROV (BUL)
Ramaz SILAGAVA (GEO)
Steven ECKER (GER)
Arshad ARSHAD (IND)
Poya Soulat DAD MARZ (IRI)
Alpamys DASTANBEK (KAZ)
Akyikat KULZHIGIT UULU (KGZ)
Artiom DELEANU (MDA)
Snorre Harsem LUND (NOR)
Grzegorz Krzysztof HILDEBRAND (POL)
Denis Florin MIHAI (ROU)
Mavlud RIZMANOV (RWF)
Sebastian KOLOMPAR (SRB)
Adem Burak UZUN (TUR)
Taras KRUPSKYI (UKR)
Taylor Craig LA MONT (USA)
Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB)
 

60kg
Tigran MINASYAN (ARM)
Hleb MAKARANKA (BLR)
Miroslav Mariov EMILOV (BUL)
Jeremy Renzo PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO)
Vikas VIKAS (IND)
Mehdi Seifollah MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI)
Tommaso BOSI (ITA)
Nursultan BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)
Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ)
Meshal Adullah A ALJAYZANI (KSA)
Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA)
Olivier Tomasz SKRZYPCZAK (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RWF)
David NOVIC (SRB)
Dimitar Ivaylov SANDOV (SUI)
Jui Chi HUANG (TPE)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Ihor KUROCHKIN (UKR)
Dylan Steven GREGERSON (USA)
Mukhammadkodir YUSUPOV (UZB)

63kg
Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
Hasan MAMMADLI (AZE)
Antonio Jordan RUIZ MORA (ECU)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Andrej GINC (GER)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Neeraj NEERAJ (IND)
Ali Reza Ayat Ollah NEJATI (IRI)
Assaukhat MUKHAMADIYEV (KAZ)
Faisal Khalid E ALDOSSARY (KSA)
Corneliu RUSU (MDA)
Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL)
Georgii TIBILOV (RWF)
Zolt ZONAI (SRB)
Ahmet UYAR (TUR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)
David Arthur STEPANIAN (USA)
Kamol KUZIEV (UZB)

67kg
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)
Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM)
Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Ivo Krasimirov ILIEV (BUL)
Julian Stiven HORTA ACEVEDO (COL)
Elmer Joakim MATTILA (FIN)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Nils BUSCHNER (GER)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Mohammad Javad Saadat REZAEI (IRI)
Ignazio SANFILIPPO (ITA)
Mukhamedali MAMURBEK (KAZ)
Marlen ASIKEEV (KGZ)
Ahmed Fawzi M BARAHMAH (KSA)
Adomas GRIGALIUNAS (LTU)
Diego Alberto MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX)
Jacob TANGEN (NOR)
Vasile Alexandru DOSOFTEI (ROU)
Miakhdi Abubakarovitch IAKHIAEV (RWF)
Ugljesa GAJIC (SRB)
Kadir KAMAL (TUR)
Oleksii MASYK (UKR)
Alston Jon NUTTER (USA)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)

72kg
Kevin KUPI (ALB)
Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO)
Luka MALOBABIC (CRO)
Denis MERTL (CZE)
Marcos SANCHEZ SILVA MEJIAS (ESP)
Joni Pekka KOMPPA (FIN)
Otar ABULADZE (GEO)
Idris Hanpasaevic IBAEV (GER)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Vikas VIKAS (IND)
Amir Ali ABDI (IRI)
Azat SADYKOV (KAZ)
Iigilik SATYMKUL UULU (KGZ)
Mihai PETIC (MDA)
Sergei KUTUZOV (RWF)
Sheku KASSEGBAMA (SLE)
Aron PINTER (SRB)
Oliver OLAH (SVK)
Erik Arthur PERSSON (SWE)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Andrii KULYK (UKR)
Benjamin Davis PEAK (USA)
Jamol JUMABAEV (UZB)

77kg
Ardit NDOJ (ALB)
Samvel GRIGORYAN (ARM)
Shirkhan GULIYEV (AZE)
Mikita KAZAKOU (BLR)
Zlatomir Dinkov EMILOV (BUL)
Brandon CALLE PEREZ (COL)
Jakub BIELESZ (CZE)
Edvin KIN (EST)
Akseli Elias YLI HANNUKSELA (FIN)
Nikoloz TCHIKAIDZE (GEO)
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Sajan SAJAN (IND)
Amin Yavar KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)
Luigi RINALDI (ITA)
Rassul ZHUNIS (KAZ)
Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Patryk Adam BEDNARZ (POL)
Sergei STEPANOV (RWF)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Aleksa ILIC (SRB)
Per Albin OLOFSSON (SWE)
Daler REZA ZADE (TJK)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)
Erkan ERGEN (TUR)
Dmytro VASETSKYI (UKR)
Britton Wayne HOLMES (USA)
Dilshod OMONGELDIYEV (UZB)

82kg
Gagik HAKOBYAN (ARM)
Yauheni YUROU (BLR)
Jose Esteban MOSQUERA MURILLO (COL)
Karlo KODRIC (CRO)
Sebastian PETRAC (CRO)
Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
Otto Eemeli KETONEN (FIN)
Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO)
Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE)
Moric KISMONI (HUN)
Rohit DAHIYA (IND)
Mohammad Aziz NAGHOUSI (IRI)
Dias KALEN (KAZ)
Beksultan NAZARBAEV (KGZ)
Arminas LYGNUGARIS (LTU)
Mustapha AFIRAOU (MAR)
Exauce MUKUBU (NOR)
Shamil Letkaevitch OZHAEV (RWF)
Branko KOVACEVIC (SRB)
Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)
Mats Ola Lukas AHLGREN (SWE)
Samet YALDIRAN (TUR)
Dmytro GARDUBEI (UKR)
Thomas George BRACKETT (USA)
Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB)

87kg
Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM)
Mahammad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR)
Svetoslav Nikolaev NIKOLOV (BUL)
Filip SMETKO (CRO)
Matej MANDIC (CRO)
Andreas VAELIS (EST)
Markus Tapani SIHTOLA (FIN)
Temuri TCHKUASELIDZE (GEO)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Kumar SUNIL (IND)
Naser Ghasem ALIZADEH (IRI)
Simone FIDELBO (ITA)
Maksat SAILAU (KAZ)
Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ)
Abdelali EL FALLAKI (MAR)
Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA)
Ruben Elias BEEN (NOR)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Aleksandr Andreevitch KOMAROV (RWF)
Mario VUKOVIC (SRB)
Muhittin SARICICEK (TUR)
Vitalii ANDRIIOVYCH (UKR)
Spencer WOODS (USA)

97kg​​
Albert YEGHIKYAN (ARM)
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Uladzislau PUSTASHYLAU (BLR)
Mariyan Iliyanov MARINOV (BUL)
Ondrej DADAK (CZE)
Richard KARELSON (EST)
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO)
Patrick NEUMAIER (GER)
Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Deepanshu DEEPANSHU (IND)
Morteza Rasoul ALGHOSI (IRI)
Luca SVAICARI (ITA)
Daulet DOSSYBAYEV (KAZ)
Daniiar SHERIMBEKOV (KGZ)
Arnoldas BARANOVAS (LTU)
Marcus WORREN (NOR)
Gerard Cyprian KURNICZAK (POL)
Artur SARGSIAN (RWF)
Aleksandar SIMOVIC (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR)
Oleksandr YEVDOKIMOV (UKR)
Nicholas Allen BOYKIN (USA)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE)
Diego Jesus ALMENDRAS RODRIGUEZ (CHI)
Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO)
Franz RICHTER (GER)
Nikolaos NTOUNIAS (GRE)
Dariusz Attila VITEK (HUN)
Aryan PANWAR (IND)
Amin Mohammadzaman MIRZAZADEH (IRI)
Anton SAVENKO (KAZ)
Nikola MILATOVIC (NOR)
Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU)
Mikhail LAPTEV (RWF)
Vladan ZIVKOVIC (SRB)
Delian Hossein ALISHAHI (SUI)
Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)
Fatih BOZKURT (TUR)
Sviatoslav KALASHNIKOV (UKR)
Brandon Hunter METZ (USA)

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), the '21 world bronze medalist, will compete at 76kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg

Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE)
Anastasiya YANOTAVA (BLR)
Samantha Francesca ROMANO (CAN)
Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Shivani PAWAR (IND)
Kamila APEKOVA (KAZ)
Maria LEORDA (MDA)
Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL)
Stefania Claudia PRICEPUTU (ROU)
Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RWF)
Yung Hsun LIN (TPE)
Sarra HAMDI (TUN)
Aynur ERGE (TUR)
Tetiana PROFATILOVA (UKR)
Emily King SHILSON (USA)

53kg 
Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE)
Hanna VARABYEVA (BLR)
Taylor Kennedy MCPHERSON (CAN)
Szimonetta Timea SZEKER (HUN)
Ankush ANKUSH (IND)
Carmen DI DIO (ITA)
Ellada MAKHYADDINOVA (KAZ)
Emma Nekesa WANGILA (KEN)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Ekaterina VERBINA (RWF)
Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)
Ronna Marie HEATON (USA)

55kg
Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Viktoryia VOLK (BLR)
Virginie KAZE GASCON (CAN)
Anju ANJU (IND)
Ainur ASHIMOVA (KAZ)
Enkhzul BATBAATAR (MGL)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Aleksandra SKIRENKO (RWF)
Zainab BARRIE (SLE)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Khrystyna Zoryana DEMKO (UKR)
Alexandra Wray HEDRICK (USA)

57kg
Hanna VAHER (BLR)
Hannah Fay TAYLOR (CAN)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Nitika NITIKA (IND)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ)
Nazira MARSBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Maral BATTSOOJ (MGL)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Othelie Annette HOEIE (NOR)
Patrycja GIL (POL)
Viktoriia VAULINA (RWF)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)
Cheyenne Brooke SISENSTEIN (USA)

59kg
Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR)
INVILLE (CAN)
Anne Beatrice NUERNBERGER (GER)
Anna Hella SZEL (HUN)
Pushpa PUSHPA (IND)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Lolita OBOLEVICA (LAT)
Atika EL ASLA (MAR)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (RWF)
Ebru DAGBASI (TUR)
Antonyna KULAHINA (UKR)
Michaela Hope BECK (USA)

62kg
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)
Tatsiana PAULAVA (BLR)
Raya Zhanetova KYOSEVA (BUL)
Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Radhika RADHIKA (IND)
Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Anastasiia PAROKHINA (RWF)
Anna FABIAN (SRB)
Hsin Ping PAI (TPE)
Yagmur CAKMAK (TUR)
Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)
Emma Patricia BRUNTIL (USA)

65kg
Albina DRAZHI (ALB)
Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE)
Alina MAKSIMAVA (BLR)
Izabel Mariyanova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Miki Elizabeth ROWBOTTOM (CAN)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Nisha NISHA (IND)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
Winrose ALIVISA (KEN)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT)
Kamila Czeslawa KULWICKA (POL)
Dinara KUDAEVA SALIKHOVA (RWF)
Linnea Antonia SVENSSON (SWE)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)
Asli DEMIR (TUR)
Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR)
Ashlynn Justine ORTEGA (USA)

68kg
Natallia BELSKAYA (BLR)
Kendra Augustine Jocelyne DACHER (FRA)
Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER)
Viktoria FELHO (HUN)
Monika MONIKA (IND)
Albina KAIRGELDINOVA (KAZ)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Vusala PARFIANOVICH (RWF)
Tindra Linnea SJOEBERG (SWE)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Oksana CHUDYK (UKR)
Alyvia Nicole FISKE (USA)

72kg
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
Alexia Rose SHERLAND (CAN)
Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER)
Divya KAKRAN (IND)
Eleni PJOLLAJ (ITA)
Alexandra ZAITSEVA (KAZ)
Kornelija ZAICEVAITE (LTU)
Maria larisa NITU (ROU)
Marina SUROVTSEVA (RWF)
Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)
Merve PUL (TUR)
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)
Kayla Marie MARANO (USA)

76kg​​​​​
Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR)
Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL)
Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
Bipasha BIPASHA (IND)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Dilnaz MULKINOVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Diana Elena VLASCEANU (ROU)
Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RWF)
Andela PRIJOVIC (SRB)
Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR)
Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR)
Kylie Renee WELKER (USA)

#WrestleZagreb

Kayaalp wins record equaling 12th European gold

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (April 22) -- ​It's a monk-like walk for Riza KAYAALP (TUR) you have seen a million times over in the last 18 years. He emerges from the call room and walks slowly to the mat. A determined look on his face, there is no last-minute cracking of the fingers or rubs on his arms. He looks in the zone.

In Zagreb on Saturday, at stake is a European title. But for Kayaalp, a win will tie him with Aleksandr KARELIN (RWF), a 12-time European champion, apart from being a three-time Olympic and nine-time world champion.

The 12 titles are the most for a wrestler in Europe. No one has been able to come close to that record of Karelin. Until Kayaalp, who had 11 golds till Saturday.

As Kayaalp walks to the center of the mat, standing in front of him is Sabah SHARIATI (AZE), a wrestler taller than Kayaalp. But that's it. That's the only advantage Shariati has against Kayaalp.

Kayaalp, battling a hamstring injury, will push around Shariati before defending a one-point lead for more than 90 seconds to claim a record-equaling 12th European gold medal. For a record that many thought will never be broken, Kayaalp has equaled it.

The traditionalist will remind Kayaalp of Karelin's nine world titles. Some fans will call for Kayaalp's losses against four-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) and call the Cuban better. 

Kayaalp and Karelin have different wrestling styles. One is built like a giant human, taller than all the average ones you meet. He would pick wrestlers for fun and do the famous reverse left as if it was child's play. He terrorized his opponents.

Kayaalp has none of that. He works on his opponents, sometimes forcing them to take an upper hand. Then he comes back in the second period to secure those criteria wins. He gut-wrenches those massive bodies with ease. And he is the most well-groomed wrestler that steps on the mat. Maybe Yunus BASAR (TUR) comes close.

But it's not Kayaalp's fault that he is compared to Karelin or Lopez. It's not Kayaalp's fault that he was born in an era with a different rule set of wrestling and more countries. It's definitely not Kayaalp's fault that he'll break wrestling records set by some of the best wrestlers in history.

At the Zagreb Arena on April 22, he was the best.

Riza KAYAALP (TUR)Riza KAYAALP (TUR) tries to score over Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) in the 130kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

As the mountain-like bodies of Kayaalp and Shariati collide, Kayaalp's force wakes up Shariati who seemed slow to start. But he quickly springs to action. The only problem is that Kayaalp is too strong to be pushed around.

43 seconds into the bout, Kayaalp has the first point – a stepout after he pushes Shariati out of the zone. Shariati was always in danger of conceding a stepout as he barely came close to the center of the mat.

Shortly after, the referee declares Shariati passive and he is forced into par terre. Kayaalp is up 2-0 and if he can execute a turn here, it could seal the match. He builds up momentum by moving toward the right. No turns for Kayaalp despite getting 30 seconds on the top.

The second period opens with both wrestlers adopting a more aggressive approach. Kayaalp and Shariati are trying hard to push each other. This time, Kayaalp is called passive. Shariati has a chance to win this as the forced par terre gives him one point. An additional point would boost his chances of victory.

A turn from a par terre can be it. Shariati takes forever to get his hands locked around the mammoth Kayaalp. He builds momentum but is unable to budge Kayaalp.

A minute and a half to go before the end, Kayaalp is in visible pain as he clutches on to his hamstring. But he is aware that he needs to defend his lead. He battles on in pain, blocks Shariati, and even gets warned for locking fingers, but he keeps going.

And as the referee sounds the final whistle, Kayaalp falls to the mat. He holds his hamstring and shakes his head, as if to say this wasn't the best idea. It takes him 30 seconds to get back on his feet. The referee raises his hand and Kayaalp becomes the 12-time European champion.

There have been worse days for Kayaalp physically, but he had to wrestle in the final at the European Championships, even if it meant more suffering for his already immobilized body. He had to do it for the fans who consider him a national hero, for the victims of the earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria in February [of which Kayaalp was one of the first to join the rescue operations], and for his daughter back in Ankara, who addressed him as "champion, champion" before he left for Zagreb.

A subdued celebration shows him walking with the Turkish flag. He then calmly steps off the mat before waving toward the stands. A loud cheer erupts in the Zagreb Arena. It may not be a perfect win for five-time world champion, but for his fans, he is on par with Karelin, at least in Europe.

Adem UZUN (TUR)Adem UZUN (TUR) celebrates after beating Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) in the 55kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Turkiye's other star of the day was Adem UZUN (TUR) who surprised himself and everyone in Zagreb by capping off his dream run with a gold medal over defending European and world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE).

Uzun was definitely the find of the tournament as he defeated European and world silver medalist Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) in the semifinals and followed that up with a technical superiority, 11-3, victory over Azizli to capture his first European title.

Azizli got the activity point in the first period he managed to score two points from par terre to take a 3-0 lead against Uzun. In the second period, Uzun got the par terre advantage and executed the trap-arm gut to roll Azizli five times and secure the win.

Azizli called for medical attention as soon as the final was finished. He complained of pain in his elbow and chest area, something he has previously experienced as well.

That did not stop Uzun from celebrating a well-deserved gold medal in his debut European Championships and he did it in domination fashion as all three of his wins in Zagreb were via technical superiorities.

Amoyan, Abuladze repeat

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) had no business winning the 77kg gold medal as he trailed 4-2 with just 13 seconds left. The defending champion was down two points against Viktor NEMES (SRB) who had his second European title in his hands.

But it was not to be. Amoyan launched an overhead jump and managed to land Nemes on his back, a move popularly known as the Flying Squirrel, to script a comeback that left Zagreb in awe.

"I thought that was four points. I didn’t really see if the leg was there or not," Amoyan said. "At the moment I can’t even describe my feelings. It was very unpredictable. I couldn’t really believe it. But when I saw the points, I was very happy. I really wanted to win. I would say that I came to the European championships to win the gold medal."

Apart from that one moment of brilliance from Amoyan, the final was dominated by Nemes. He scored a turn from par terre to take a 3-0 lead and added a pushout to make it 4-0 at the break. Furthermore, he defended from his par terre position, not conceding a single point.

With 17 seconds left in the match, Amoyan stepped back to gain momentum for the jump and brought down Nemes with a back exposure for four points. Nemes, expectedly, challenged the call, but the original decision stood. A point was added to Amoyan's score for the lost challenge.

"I believed in myself till the very end. And I did it," he said.

The U23 world champion ran to his corner to celebrate the improbable win, hugging his coach Roman AMOYAN (ARM), a two-time European champion and bronze medalist from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Amoyan won his world title at 72kg in 2021 but moved to the Olympic weight class of 77kg last year. He finished with a bronze medal in Belgrade but wants to win the gold this year.

"I don’t like to think ahead, but I will do everything to win the World Championships gold and then start getting ready for the Olympics," he said. "There is no such opponent, who I really want to wrestle against. I am prepared for anyone in any weight class. 77kg weight class is one of the toughest, you never know who is going to win."

Leri ABULADZE (GEO)Leri ABULADZE (GEO) scores the four points on Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

At 63kg, in a repeat of the 2022 final, Leri ABULADZE (GEO) defeated Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) for a second straight year to win the gold. Last year, Abuladze got one turn from par terre to win 3-1. In Saturday's final, he got one big throw from par terre to beat Mammadov 5-1.

Mammadov got the first par terre and attempted a turn but Abuladze, perhaps with fresh legs, prevented him from scoring any points. But when Abuladze got the par terre advantage, he lifted Mammadov using the same hand-to-elbow grip to score a four-point throw.

Mammadov got the first par terre and attempted a turn, but Abuladze defended well and prevented him from scoring.

Abuladze now has two European Championships gold medals, a bronze medal, a U23 world title and two silver medals at the World Championships. At the U17 and U20 levels, Abuladze has won silver medals at the World Championships.

Among all of his goals this year, winning the senior world title is at the top of the list.

"I am number one in the ranking," Abuladze said. "The World Championships are in September. I've lost matches in the last two years, and I've lost two finals. Now I'm more motivated, not double but triple, to become the world champion."

Since 63kg is not an Olympic weight class, will Abuladze go down to 60kg or bump up to 67kg in a bid to go to Paris?

"I'm thinking about taking part in the Olympic Games in Paris," he said. "But as I told you, I'm going to rest first and I can't say anything for sure in advance. I will have consultations with the coaches and we will decide all this. I would like to take this moment to wish the entire Muslim world a wonderful Eid-al-Fitr."

Istvan TAKACS (HUN)Istvan TAKACS (HUN) celebrates after winning the 87kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hungary also got a gold medal from the first set of the Greco-Roman finals as U23 world champion Istvan TAKACS (HUN) won his first European title with a 5-2 win over Ali CENGIZ (TUR).

Takacs' performance in Zagreb was underlined by the fact that he defeated Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) 3-2 in the quarterfinals and Damin VON EUW (SUI) 5-1 in the semifinals.

In the final, however, he was in trouble as he got countered by Cengiz when he was trying to get a throw from par terre. Cengiz managed to put his feet on the mat and Takacs lost momentum, falling onto his back. The referees deemed it a leg foul from Cengiz and awarded two points for Takacs. But after a challenge, the decision was reversed and Cengiz led 2-1 at the break.

Takacs was more attacking in the second period and was awarded when he countered Cengiz's attack for a takedown from the side. Cengiz grabbed Takacs' singlet and was penalized two points. The bout resumed in par terre but no more points were scored, giving Takacs a 5-2 win over Cengiz.

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) reached the final at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Aleksanyan returns to finals

Out of the seven 2022 European Championships finalists who were in action on Saturday, only two made it to the finals on a thrilling day in Zagreb.

At 60kg, in what promises to be an exciting matchup, Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) and Victor CIOBANU (MDA) will face off in the final after both dominated their bouts including the semifinals.

Returning silver medalist Nazaryan, son of former Olympic champion Armen NAZARYAN (BUL), defeated Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) 5-1 in the semifinal while Ciobanu, a world champion from 2021, returned to the 60kg category after almost two years at 63kg and overcame Georgii TIBILOV (SRB) 5-2 in the other semifinal.

But the bout of the day was in the quarterfinals when Ciobanu pinned defending champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) after the score was 17-8.

The only other finalist to make it to the final in Zagreb as well was Kiril MILOV (BUL) who will wrestle world champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) in the 97kg for the gold medal.

Milov gave no chance to Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) in the semifinal and won 7-0. Aleksanyan is returning to the European Championships for the first time since 2020 when he won gold. He defeated Artur OMAROV (CZE) 9-0 in the semifinal.

Aleksanyan, Olympic champion from 2016 and silver medalist in Tokyo, will be hoping to win his sixth European title.

At 67kg, 20-year-old Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) stormed to his first European final with a 7-1 win over defending champion Murat FIRAT (TUR) in the semifinals. Already a world bronze medalist, Jafarov will face Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) in the final. Khetsuriani, who finished fifth at the World Championships, defeated Mihai MIHUT (ROU), 10-1.

Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) became the first Greco-Roman wrestler from France to reach the European final since 1997. And he made the moment even more memorable as he achieved the feat by beating world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) 6-3 in the 72kg semifinal.

He will now aim to become the first European champion from France since 1995 and for that, he will have to overcome Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE). The world silver medalist defeated Selcuk CAN (TUR) 2-1 in the other semifinal.

At 82kg, world champion Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) pinned defending European champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) in the semifinal to reach his first final at the event. He will now face Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) who overcame Mihail BRADU (MDA), 3-1, in the other semifinal.

sd

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Adem UZUN (TUR) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 11-3

BRONZE: Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) df. Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM), 9-0
BRONZE: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df. Stefan GRIGOROV (BUL), 7-1

63kg
GOLD: Leri ABULADZE (GEO) df. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) df. Jacopo SANDRON (ITA), 1-1
BRONZE: Abu AMAEV (BUL) df. Mehmet CEKER (TUR), 6-2

77kg
GOLD: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Viktor NEMES (SRB), 6-4

BRONZE: Yunus BASAR (TUR) df. Oliver KRUEGER (DEN), 8-0
BRONZE: Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), via inj. def.

87kg
GOLD: Istvan TAKACS (HUN) df. Ali CENGIZ (TUR), 5-2

BRONZE: Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 3-0
BRONZE: Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) df. Damian VON EUW (SUI), 5-2

130kg
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Sabah SHARIATI (AZE), 2-1

BRONZE: Oskar MARVIK (NOR) df. Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU), via fall (7-2)
BRONZE: Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU), 1-1

Day 6 Semifinals

60kg
GOLD: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) vs. Victor CIOBANU (MDA)

SF 2: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) df. Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM), 5-1
SF 1: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) df. Georgii TIBILOV (SRB), 5-2

67kg
GOLD: Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) vs. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)

SF 1: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Murat FIRAT (TUR), 7-1
SF 2: Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) df. Mihai MIHUT (ROU), 10-1

72kg
GOLD: Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) vs. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) 

SF 1: Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) df. Selcuk CAN (TUR), 2-1
SF 2: Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) df. Ali ARSALAN (SRB), 6-3

82kg
GOLD: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) vs. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)

SF 1: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), via fall
SF 2: Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) df. Mihail BRADU (MDA), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Kiril MILOV (BUL) vs. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Artur OMAROV (CZE), 9-0
SF 2: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df. Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA), 7-0