#WrestleBudapest: Aliyev, Muszukajev to clash for European gold

Monday, March 28, 2022 - 17:25 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 28) -- Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE) marked his return to the mat by reaching the final of the European Championships in Budapest. In that process, he set an exciting final against fellow Tokyo Olympian Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN).

The Azerbaijan star led four wrestlers from his country into the final, making it the most successful nation on the first day of the competition.

DAY 1 PHOTO GALLERY

Aliyev wrestled Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) in the semifinal, and after giving up the initial takedown, he came back to secure a comfortable 12-2 win. He used a big five-point suplex to end the bout.

In his two Monday bouts, Aliyev looked rusty due to the seventh-month break after the Tokyo Games. But if the three-time European champion wants to win his fourth gold, he will have to step up against a familiar foe in Muszukajev in Tuesday night's final.

Iszmail MUSZAKAJEV Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) made it to his first-ever European Championships final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The two met in the final of the 2020 Individual World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia, in which the Hungarian wrestler stunned the three-time world champion to win the gold.

Muszukajev began with a 10-0 technical superiority win which included a double-leg throw that earned him five points. In the semifinal, he wrestled Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL) and managed to close off that bout with a suplex to win, 11-0.

He led 1-0 at the break, ironically for a point for inactivity. In the second period, he began with a double leg and got two laces, grabbing the 7-0 lead before the big four-point move.

The rematch Tuesday can be another thriller as the two looked in control of their game. Aliyev's defense will be put to test once again against the sneaky attacks of the Hungarian world bronze medalist from 2019.

Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) throws Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) for four points. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

At 57kg, U23 world champion Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) stunned Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinal by finishing the bout in just two minutes. The 10-0 win marked his entry to his first-ever European Championships final.

He will face Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) in the gold-medal bout, in what will be a historic match. North Macedonia has never had a wrestler reach the final of a European Championships since 1999, but Egorov did that by beating Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 10-0. He got an arm trap to finish it quickly.

The two other Azerbaijan wrestlers who reached the final were Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) and Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE). They will wrestle for gold at 79kg and 97kg, respectively.

Ashirov faced Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) in the semifinal, and after a couple of hiccups, managed to secure a spot in the final. Gamkrelidze scored a takedown and then scored two more via gut-wrench. Ashirov answered with a single leg takedown and cut the lead to 4-2.

In the second period, Ashirov body locked the Georgian for four points to take the lead 6-4. The two traded step-outs and Gamkrelidze scored a takedown to make it 7-7 with Ashirov leading on criteria.

Gamkrelidze tried two desperate attempts in the final 17 seconds and gave up six points on those. He lost the semifinal, 13-7.

Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) became the first-ever wrestler from Greece to enter a European final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Ashirov will face U23 European champion Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), as he beat Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR) 15-10 in the other semifinal. The Greek wrestler took a 2-0 lead before Akdeniz managed to score two but also gave up two in the scramble.

The second period began with another scramble with Akdeniz scoring via crotch-lift but he lost control gave up two before an exposure add two more for Kougioumtsidis. A reversal gave Akdeniz one point.

A four-point throw at this point gave a comfortable 12-5 lead to Kougioumtsidis, and in the end, he won 15-10 to become the first wrestler from his country to reach the final in 19 years.

In the first 97kg semifinal, Magomedov scored two takedowns in the first period to lead 4-0 at the break against Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), but the Polish wrestler managed to start the second period with a takedown before Magomedov scored for himself.

Baranowski managed another takedown in the final five seconds but it was too little too late, as Magomedov reached the final with a 6-4 win.

Earlier in the day, the Azerbaijan junior world silver medalist handed a beating to World bronze medalist Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO), 14-7.

Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN), red, reached the final of the European Championships at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hungary had its second finalist in Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN). He comfortably made it past Erik THIELE (GER) in the second semifinal, 8-1. He also made it to the semifinal after beating a World medalist in Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD), 6-4.

The only wrestler who managed to stop Azerbaijan from making it a perfect evening was Zurabi IAKOBASHVILI (GEO) who won a thrilling semifinal at 70kg against U23 European champion Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE).

Bayramov and Iakobashvili left it all on the mat as the latter led 3-0 at the break. But Bayramov came back strong in the second period with a takedown to cut the lead to 3-2. A passivity call against the Georgian made it 3-3 giving Bayramov the lead on criteria.

Iakobashvili had 50 seconds to score a point for the win, and with seven seconds remaining he did that with a step-out to win 4-3.

He will now take on Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) in the final. The bronze medalist from the European Championships last year wrestled Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) in the semifinal and beat him 6-2.

His superior defense frustrated Grahmez and Andreasyan managed to take a 4-0 lead at the break. But the two exchanged two points each in the second period but it was not enough for Grahmez to reach his first continental final.

Tuesday's medal bouts, along with the second-day semifinals of the remaining five weights; 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg begin at 16:45 (local time).

Hungary

RESULTS:

FS Semifinals

57kg
GOLD: Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) vs Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)

SF 1: Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) df Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 10-0
SF 2: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) df Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)

SF 1: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 12-2
SF 2: Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) df Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), 11-0

70kg
GOLD: Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) vs Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) df Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE), 4-3
SF 2: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA), 6-2

79kg
GOLD: Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) vs Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

SF 1: Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) df Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 13-7
SF 2: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR), 15-10

97kg
GOLD: Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN) vs Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)

SF 1: Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN) df Erik THIELE (GER), 8-1
SF 2: Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), 6-4

#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest: Ana ends Romania's WW title drought at European Championships

Thursday, March 31, 2022 - 20:55 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 31) -- Not many can say that winning the U23 World Championships was the start of something special for them. It may be the pinnacle of their career. But for Andreea ANA (ROU), winning the gold in Belgrade last year was the break she wanted.

Four months after becoming Romania's first-ever woman to win gold at World Championships, the 22-year-old has become her nation's first-ever senior European champion in women's wrestling. Add to that the maiden U23 European gold she won two weeks ago in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Romania has had nine finalists over the years at the senior Euros but none had crossed the final hurdle. But Ana defeated Ukraine's young superstar Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR), 7-5 in the 55kg with a thrilling buzzer-beating four-pointer.

"I think the gold in Belgrade helped me break the mental block I had in finals. That is why I had a lot of bronze and silver medals," Ana had said in Plovdiv.

Perhaps that helped her remain calm even when she was trailing by two points with just 11 seconds. Ana and Khomenets matched each move-for-move and it was only an inactivity point that separated the two. Ana led 1-0 at the break but soon increased the pace of the bout and scored a takedown 33 seconds into the second period.

Khomenetes also matched that and 39 seconds later and scored two takedowns inside 30 seconds to lead 4-3. She added a step-out and had a 5-3 lead with just 11 seconds remaining.

When it looked all over, Ana managed to blast a double-leg and score four points and end Romania's wait for a gold medal in women's wrestling at the senior event.

"I am feeling good and proud of myself," Ana said. "I have a lot of emotions and sensations and I am happy that it ended like this. I know she [Khomenets] is strong but my technique was better to win."

Ana, who competes in a non-Olympic weight class of 55kg, had been to Tokyo Olympics at 53kg but failed to win a medal. She is now training to win a medal in Paris but has to decide which Olympic weight class to go -- 53kg or 57kg.

"I have to decide which weight class to move. I am not sure yet," she said.

Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) won her first senior European title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Turkey won its third-ever gold medal at the European Championships when Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) pinned defending champion Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) in just a minute and 55 seconds.

The 26-year-old was caught off guard when Selishka went for a takedown at the beginning but in the same sequence, Demirhan overturned it and scored two for herself.

The former U23 world champion from Turkey continued to put pressure on Selishka and ultimately managed to keep the Bulgarian to her back and get the fall.

"I am very happy to win gold," Demirhan said. "This was the first time I wrestled my opponent [Selishka] and I can't believe it."

Demirhan's coming-of-age performance was a testimony of how the 50kg wrestler has grown since winning the gold at the U23 Worlds five years ago.

In her semifinal, she defeated two-time Olympian and world silver medalist Amilia VUC (ROU) who she had lost to in the '18 European semifinal. Selishka had defeated Demirhan at the Yasar Dogu in the 2020 final and the Olympic qualification tournament in 2021.

"I beat all the opponents that I lost to in the past and this is my first gold at the senior level so I am very happy," she said.

Yasemin ADAR (TUR) is now a five-time senior European champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The day got better for Turkey when Yasemin ADAR (TUR) added a fifth gold medal to her collection of European gold medals after defeating long-time rival Epp MAE (EST) in the final. In a slow-paced final at 76kg, Adar was called passive first and Mae led 1-0 at the break. But Adar led 1-1 on criteria in the second period for Mae's passivity.

Wrestling after eight months, Adar, who won Turkey's first-ever medal in women's wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics, then defended all of Maee's attacks for the final minute. Mae's desperate attacks resulted in a counter from Adar and gave the Turkey wrestler two points.

"It's after two years I am wrestling at the Europeans and the first time since the Olympics," Adar said. "I was not in Warsaw. I am very happy to win five Euros."

The 3-1 win helped Adar maintain her perfect record over Mae. Adar has defeated the '21 World silver medalist in her previous three meetings, two of them coming at the continental level.

"I always tell the young girls on the team that follow your dreams," she said. "All five medals are the same. Only a gold medal can run with the flag on the mat and that's very important for me."

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) defeated Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) twice in Budapest to win gold. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Moldova's golden pair wins again

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) and Irina RIGACI (MDA) became two-time senior European champions as they dominated their respective final at 59kg and 68kg respectively. Just two weeks ago, the two had captured gold medals at the U23 European Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria as well.

In a bracket with only seven wrestlers, Nichita outscored her opponents 26-3 with two wins over Jowita WRZESIEN (POL). After beating the Poland wrestler in the opening round 4-2, Nichita repeated that performance in the final winning 4-1.

Wrzesien scored the opening takedown but Nichita answered with a takedown and led 2-1. The Poland World bronze medalist kept the former U23 world champion quiet for the first four minutes but then she switched levels in the final two minutes to win.

Irina RINGACI (MDA) won her second senior European title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Ringaci was more dominant in the final against Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) as hit a whizzer and then added three takedowns to win 10-0 in four minutes.

"One more gold medal in my collection," Ringaci said. "My opponents were well-prepared but my wrestling had proved who is the best."

Since moving to the Olympic weight class of 68kg, the junior and senior world champ has consistently improved.

"The Olympics are coming so I have to move up to 68kg and be ready to wrestle in this category," she said. "I am happy I’ve won as it was one of my dreams to become a senior European champion."

But there is scope for improvement as she was almost out of the final after trailing 9-1 against Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE). But she scored 12 unanswered points in the second period and ultimately got the pin.

"In the first period when the score was 7-1, I knew I had to attack to score the points, but when the score was 9-1 I was still ready to wrestle till the end," she said.

Greco-Roman begins Friday at the European Championships with five weight classes.

WW semifinal

53kg
GOLD: Emma MALMGREN (SWE) vs Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)

SF 1: Emma MALMGREN (SWE) df Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL), via fall
SF 2: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), via fall

57kg
GOLD: Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) vs Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)

SF 1: Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) df Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER), 8-1
SF 2: Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) df Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), via fall

62kg
GOLD: Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) vs Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)

SF 1: Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) df Natalia KUBATY (POL), 10-0
SF 2: Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), 5-3

65kg
GOLD: Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) vs Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)

SF 1: Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) df Kriszta INCZE (ROU), 2-1
SF 2: Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) df Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL), via fall

72kg
GOLD: Anna SCHELL (GER) vs Buse TOSUN (TUR)

SF 1: Anna SCHELL (GER) df Kendra DACHER (FRA), 9-4
SF 2: Buse TOSUN (TUR) df Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 7-1

WW Medal Results

50kg
GOLD: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df Miglena SELISHKA (BUL), via fall

BRONZE: Emilia VUC (ROU) df Lisa ERSEL (GER), via fall
BRONZE: Anna LUKASIAK (POL) df Turkan NASIROVA (AZE), 6-4

55kg
GOLD: Andreea ANA (ROU) df Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR), 7-5

BRONZE: Bediha GUN (TUR) df Nova BERGMAN (SWE), 5-4
BRONZE: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) df Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER), via fall

59kg
Final: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), 4-1
Bronze: Elena BRUGGER (GER) df Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 9-0

Final standing:
GOLD: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
SILVER: Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
BRONZE: Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)

68kg
GOLD: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), 10-0

BRONZE: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), 5-2
BRONZE: Natalia STRZALKA (POL) df Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 7-4

76kg
GOLD: Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df Epp MAEE (EST), 3-1

BRONZE: Enrica RINALDI (ITA) df Catalina AXENTE (ROU), 4-4
BRONZE: Bernadett NAGY (HUN) df Mariya ORYASHKOVA (BUL), 8-2

#WrestleBudapest: Aliyev, Muszukajev to clash for European gold

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#WrestleBudapest: Ana ends Romania's WW title drought at European Championships