TIRANA, Albania (April 22) -- Ukraine kicked off Women's Wrestling at the European Championships with four finalists in five weight classes including two defending champions in Tirana.

Defending champion Oksana LIVACH (UKR) and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) made it to the finals at 50kg and 76kg, respectively hiwle Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) and Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) reached the final at 55kg and 59kg.

At 68kg, the only weight class in which Ukraine did not get a finalist, a blockbuster final is set between U23 world champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) and defending champion Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW).

Livach used her aggressive style to score multiple stepouts in her 6-2 victory over Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) and set up a rematch of 2025 European final against Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) who was at her defensive best against Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU) and won 6-0.

Alpyeyeva reached the final after a clinical 4-0 victory over Martina KUENZ (AUT) in the semifinal. She will now face former European champion Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) who moved past Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 3-1, in a low scoring semifinal.

Malanchuk at 55kg came alive in the second period, scoring six points and a fall over U23 world silver medalist Tuba DEMIR (TUR). She led 1-1 on criteria at the break but she hit a double-leg attack and tried to hold Demir on the mat for fall but she survived.

Demir tried a leg-attack but Malanchuk countered it and held Demir on the mat and secured the fall with 1:45 remaining.

She will now face former European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) who saw off Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-0, in the other semifinal.

Vynnyk, all but lost in the semifinal against Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 6-2, tripped the Azerbaijan wrestler with less than 10 seconds remaining to claim a stunning victory and enter the 59kg final. After the trip, Vynnyk also scored exposure points.

She will now face Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) who held defeated Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), 4-2, in a low scoring bout. Wrzesien led 3-1 and was in danger of giving up a takedown when Lipatova got on a single-leg attack. However, the Poland wrestler defended well and gave up only a stepout. Lipatova challenged but lost it to give one more point tp Wrzesien.

Bas vs Shauchuk

Defending champion at 68kg Shauchuk defeated Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), 4-3, scoring two second-period takedowns. Shauchuk had beaten the Romanian in the final last year. But for the gold this year, Shauchuk will take on Bas, a U23 world champion and returning silver medalist from 72kg.

Bas had no trouble completing a 12-1 technical superiority win over Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the other semifinals.

RESULTS

50kg
SF 1: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU), 6-0
SF 2: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW), 6-2

55kg
SF 1: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), via fall
SF 2: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-0

59kg
SF 1: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 6-2
SF 2: Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), 4-2

68kg
SF 1: Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) df. Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), 4-3
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 12-1

76kg
SF 1: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 4-0
SF 2: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 3-1