2026 U23 European Championships

Magamedkhanov, Gaidarli Stop Russia Gold Sweep at U23 European Championships

Tuesday, March 10, 2026 - 23:18 By Vinay Siwach

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ZRENJANIN, Serbia (March 9) -- Russia needed the calm of the Khaniev brothers to help it return to winning ways at the U23 European Championships after it suffered two shocking losses in the Freestyle finals on Tuesday.

After qualifying five finalists in as many weight classes on Monday, Russia expected to win all five gold medals, 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg, on Tuesday.

It began well with Aiandai ONDAR (RUS) winning the first gold of the evening as he defeated former U20 European champion Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE), 7-3, in the final. He scored all his points in the second period after an actionless first period.

But panic spread in the Russian camp when Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) pulled a rabbit out of the hat by pinning Dzhambulat KIZINOV (RUS) when the Russian was leading 8-0 in the 65kg final.

A few moments later U20 world silver medalist Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) downed defending champion Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS), 3-2, in the 70kg final. He scored a stepout in the final 30 seconds to take a 2-2 criteria lead before a lost challenge from Russia added one more point to his score.

The Khaniev brothers -- Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) and Takhir KHANIEV (RUS) -- salvaged some lost pride for Russia by sweeping the 79kg and 97kg gold medals, respectively as Russia ended with three gold and two silver medals. It has three more wrestlers going for gold in Freestyle on Wednesday.

Magomedkhan MAGAMEDOV (BLR)Magomedkhan MAGAMEDOV (BLR) celebrates after winning the 65kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Magamedkhanov, Gaidarli Win

The first shock came in the 65kg final when Magamedkhanov, down 8-0, had little chance of victory as Kizinov needed only two more points to finish the final.

However, Magamedkhanov shot deep and Kizinov answered with a chestwrap defense. But as he tried to roll over Magamedkhanov, Kizinov's back got planted on the mat and Magamedkhanov kept him in this position and the referee called the fall.

Kizinov was shell-shocked as he took time to realize that he was the losing wrestler. Russia threw a pointless challenge, though confirmed falls cannot be challenged unless a foul has been committed. Kizinov accepted his fate as Magamedkhanov's hand was raised.

Then came the 70kg final with returning champ Eltemirov a clear favorite over Gaidarli, a U23 world bronze medalist last year.

Eltemirov led 2-0 when he was hit with an activity clock and as he failed to score any points in that 30-second window, Gaidarli got his first point on the board.

With 36 seconds left in the bout, Gaidarli pushed Eltemirov out of the wrestling zone to earn another point and lead 2-2 on criteria of last point scored. Eltemirov tried various holds to score a point to lead and win but Gaidarli defended. Russia threw a helpless challenge only to see another point added to Gaidarli's score for losing it.

"This is my biggest victory [yet]," Gaidarli said. "You could even say it’s bigger than the World Championship in Bulgaria, because gold is still gold. I consider this my greatest achievement so far."

Gaidarli won a silver medal at the U20 World Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria last year. In a tense final against PJ DUKE (USA) at 70kg, the American defeated Gaidarli, 7-5.

"I would also like to wrestle Duke again and take revenge," he said. "I think we will meet again more than once."  

The sizable Moldovan crowd cheered as Gaidarli's hand was raised and they hung around to get photos with the U23 European champion from Moldova, only the second in the country's history in Freestyle.

Takhir KHANIEV (RUS)Khaniev brothers, Takhir and Ismail, pose with their gold medals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Khaniev Brothers Turnaround

The scene turned from somber to cheerful when Khaniev secured an 11-0 victory over Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE) in the 79kg final.

He opened the scoring with a stepout before Amiraslanov was put on the activity clock. Amiraslanov failed to score in the designated 30 seconds which gave a point to Khaniev who also scored a stepout to lead 3-0 at the break. A takedown and two high gut-wrenches extended his lead to 9-0 before using a head outside single-leg attack to finish the bout 11-0 just before the clock was about to expire.

"I’m satisfied, but there were some mistakes on my part," Ismail Khaniev said. "I’m only partly satisfied with my wrestling itself. I could have wrestled better and executed more technical actions."

Having won the gold medal at the U23 European Championships last year as well, Khaniev was aware of the competition and did not put himself under undue pressure.

"I already had the experience, I felt confident on the mat, and there wasn’t much pressure," he said. "Our next goal is the Russian Championships. If I qualify there, then the next step would be the World Championships. Otherwise, I will compete for a spot at the U20 World Championships."

 

His elder brother Takhir was quicker as he defeated former U20 European champion Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR), 10-0, in three minutes and 25 seconds in the 97kg final.

Takhir, who defeated world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) in Tirana, was called passive and on cue he scored a takedown and turn to lead 4-0. He extended his lead to 6-0 with another takedown and a little later, he locked Prymachenko from behind but could only score a stepout along with a point for the Ukrainian's fleeing. 

And 25 seconds into the second period, he finished the bout with an identical move as his brother, head outside single-leg, and score the match-winning takedown.

Photo

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Aiandai ONDAR (RUS) df. Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE), 7-3

BRONZE: Nikoloz BOTCHORISHVILI (GEO) df. Rassoul GALBOURAEV (FRA) 
BRONZE: Arman HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Artsiom PAULIUCHENKA (BLR), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) df. Dzhambulat KIZINOV (RUS), via fall (3-8)

BRONZE: Musa AGHAYEV (AZE) df. Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM), 6-4
BRONZE: Viktor BOROHAN (UKR) df. Yusuf TUMER (TUR), 12-6

70kg
GOLD: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS), 3-2

BRONZE: Davit MARGARYAN (ARM) df. Marcel WAGIN (GER), 5-2
BRONZE: Ramik HEYBATOV (AZE) df. Mykyta SARIIEV (UKR), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) df. Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE), 11-0

BRONZE: Ibrahim YAPRAK (TUR) df. Mateusz PEDZICKI (POL), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO) df. Aliaksandr VIARBITSKI (BLR), 8-7

97kg
GOLD: Takhir KHANIEV (RUS) df. Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR), 10-0

BRONZE: Zafar ALIYEV (AZE) df. Emirhan KILIC (TUR), 19-9
BRONZE: Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Nikolaos KARAVANOS (GRE), 4-0

Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM) vs. Jeyhun ALLAHVERDIYEV (AZE)

SF 1: Jeyhun ALLAHVERDIYEV (AZE) df. Besir ALILI (MKD), via inj. def. (12-5)
SF 2: Levik MIKAYELYAN (ARM) df. Tolga OZBEK (TUR), 10-3

74kg
GOLD: Manuel WAGIN (GER) vs. Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA)

SF 1: Manuel WAGIN (GER) df. Magomed BAITUKAEV (RUS), 7-1
SF 2: Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 7-2

86kg
GOLD: Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (RUS) vs. Ahmet YAGAN (TUR)

SF 1: Bozigit ISLAMGEREEV (RUS) df. Vasif KHUDIYEV (AZE), 3-2
SF 2: Ahmet YAGAN (TUR) df. Artur KOSTIUK (UKR), 4-2

92kg
GOLD: Fatih ALTUNBAS (TUR) vs. Ali TCOKAEV (AZE)

SF 1: Fatih ALTUNBAS (TUR) df. Krisztian ANGYAL (HUN), 6-2
SF 2: Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) df. Mustafagadzhi MALACHDIBIROV (RUS), 6-4

125kg
GOLD: Khabib DAVUDGADZHIEV (RUS) vs. Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE)

SF 1: Khabib DAVUDGADZHIEV (RUS) df. Aleksandre ABRAMISHVILI (GEO), 6-3
SF 2: Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE) df. Stsiapan MANDRYK (BLR), 3-2

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds: Fujinami ready for first international test at 57kg

Friday, October 10, 2025 - 10:32 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO, Japan (October 9) -- She already has an Olympic gold and two senior world titles, not to mention a 141-match winning streak that dates back to her junior high school days. And there is that undefeated record against non-Japanese opponents.

So what has compelled Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) to even bother entering the U23 World Championships, a tournament that, on paper at least, she should have no problem winning?

Rest assured there is method to what she would not regard as madness. It is all part of a grand plan, centered on the 21-year-old's much-publicized move from 53kg directly up to the next Olympic weight of 57kg with eyes firmly on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"This will by my first world tournament since I moved up in weight class," Fujinami said in an interview via social media. "I want to try out what I have been practicing, and get an idea of where I stand in terms of my current ability. I also want to identify areas to work on ahead of the All-Japan Championships in December."

Fujinami tops the marquee as she makes her debut at the U23 World Championships, to be held October 20-27 in Novi Sad, Serbia. Currently in her senior year at Nippon Sports Science University, it will be just her third competition since she cruised to the 53kg gold at the Paris Olympics, where she won all four matches by either fall or technical superiority.

The two other outings -- one a collegiate team event in November 2024 and the other the Japan Queen's Cup in April at which she qualified for the U23 Worlds -- did not provide much of a workout. She won a total of four matches in a combined time of 7:11 without giving up a point.

Fujinami expressed no concerns about her extended absence from top-level competition. "This will be my first tournament in six months," she said. "I'm not worried about regaining my match feeling. For the Olympics, I had about a seven-month blank."

Fujinami had at first planned to try for the senior worlds, but decided she would not be ready as she makes the physical adjustment to 57kg. So will we see a bulked-up Fujinami in Novi Sad?

"Compared with the time when I was in the 53kg class, my natural weight is more than then," Fujinami said. "I am also going to have cut weight before the tournament at 57kg. I'm also working hard on weight training, and I'll try to show the effects of that in the matches."

Despite her exalted status, Fujinami knows not to take any opponent lightly – a lesson she learned fully well when she won her second senior world title in 2023. In the quarterfinals, she was stunned when Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) tagged her for five points early in the match and seven overall, marking the most points ever scored upon her by a non-Japanese.

Although Fujinami came back to take the lead and win by fall, it showed any lapse can lead to disaster – which, ironically, makes the sport more appealing for her.

“You never know what will happen in a match,” Fujinami said. “But I think that’s what makes it interesting. For me, a match is like a presentation of yourself, so I will go into it aiming to win while having fun.”

In Novi Sad, Fujinami may have to share some of the spotlight with compatriot, fellow Paris Olympic gold medalist and recently crowned senior world champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN).

A victory by Motoki at 62kg would make her the third member of the “Golden Grand Slam” club -- those who have combined an Olympic gold with titles on the senior and all three age-group levels. The two current members are Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Amit ELOR (USA).

Ironically, circumstances beyond her control worked against Fujinami ever having a chance to also gain entry into the club.

A world U17 champion in 2018, she was deprived twice of chances to win a U20 world title – first in 2021 when Japan opted to not send a team during the pandemic, and again in 2022 when an injury forced her to withdraw. Those same years she qualified for the U23 worlds, but missed out for the same reasons.

This time, her preparations have gone without a hitch. "I've been able to continue to train and practice without any major injuries," she said.

Prior to securing a second Olympic gold in Los Angeles, Fujinami has a more immediate goal — winning her first at the Asian Games, to be held next October in Nagoya / Aichi Prefecture, which borders her native Mie Prefecture. Because of the early deadline for entries, she needs a victory at the All-Japan Championships in December to make the Japanese squad.

“My goals are to win gold at the Asian Games in Nagoya and at the Los Angeles Olympics,” she said. “To achieve those goals, I’ve dedicated myself to strengthening myself during this period. It’s been a time for me to look inside myself and explore my wrestling. Now the time has come to show the results.”