#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest Day Six Finals Preview Show

Saturday, April 2, 2022 - 19:54 By Eric Olanowski

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It’ll be an all-Greco final on Day Six, where we’ll crown continental champs at 55kg, 63kg, 77g, 87kg and 130kg

At 55kg, world champs Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) will meet for the fifth time in their career. The Azeri owns the 4-0 advantage against the energetic Georgian heading into tonight’s bout.

At 63kg, fans will be treated to the finals matchup between last year’s Euro runner-up Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) and world silver medalist Leri ABULADZE (GEO).

In the 77kg finals, Yunus BASAR (TUR) will try to stop Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) from improving on his 2021 European silver medal.

Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN), the U23 European silver medalist, will look to keep his hot streak alive against Nicu O-JOG (ROU) in the 87kg gold-medal bout.

We’ll close out the day with Riza KAYAALP (TUR) looking to cap off his quest for an 11th European title. He’ll wrestle Italy’s Danila SOTNIKOV for the 130kg gold.
 

Saturday’s gold-medal bouts:
55kg: Eldaniz AZIZLI ?? vs. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA ??
63kg: Taleh MAMMADOV ?? vs. Leri ABULADZE ??
77kg: Malkhas AMOYAN ?? vs. Yunus BASAR ??
87kg: Nicu OJOG ?? vs. Turpan BISULTANOV ??
130kg: Riza KAYAALP ?? vs. Danila SOTNIKOV ??

#UWWAwards

Kougioumtsidis, Antim, Jafarov named 2023 Rising Stars

Wednesday, December 13, 2023 - 09:24 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 13) -- Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), ANTIM (UWW) and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) have been named as UWW's Rising Stars of the Year for their phenomenal performances in 2023.

Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) has shown his mettle in the past but the 2023 World Championships made him the one for the future. He began the year with gold at the U23 Europeans, silver at the senior Europeans and his run in Belgrade made him the Rising Star in Freestyle.

At the Olympic weight of 74kg, he opened the World Championships by beating Olympic silver medallist Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (AIN), stunned world silver medallist Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and almost checked Kyle DAKE (USA) in the semifinals. He then returned to earn a Paris Olympic quota by beating Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE).

 

In women's wrestling, ANTIM (UWW) was awarded the Rising Star for her performances in 2023. She won a silver medal in her senior Asian Championships debut, defended her U20 world title and then won a bronze medal at the World Championships at 53kg. It was her first senior-level World Championships and an unfazed Antim handed defeats to world champion Dom PARRISH (USA), Roksana ZASINA (POL) and European champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE). She came in touching distance of entering the final but was stunned in the final second of the semifinal by Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA.

The medal in Belgrade made the 19-year-old the youngest Indian to win a medal at the World Championships. Soon after, Antim traveled to Hangzhou, China for the Asian Games and won a bronze medal at 53kg.

Teenage phenom Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) Hasrat Jafarov another step towards stardom as he added a World Championships silver medal to his resume as he reached the 67kg Greco-Roman final. Not only that, Jafarov won his first European title, gold at the Ranking Series and is now the biggest threat for gold for the Paris Olympics. In Belgrade, he defeated Kristizan VANCZA (HUN), Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) before settling for silver.

Jafarov already has world titles at the U20 and U23 level and his remarkable rise at just 20 years of age wins him the Rising Star award in Greco-Roman.