#kaspeuro2018

Azerbaijan and Russia Send All Five to Day Five Semifinals

Friday, May 4, 2018 - 12:07 By Eric Olanowski

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KASPIISK, Russia (May 4) - Azerbaijan and Russia ended session one undefeated at 2018 European Championships in Dagestan, Russia. Each nation will have five wrestlers represented in tonight’s semifinals which begin at 5:15 PM (local time). 

Poland and Belarus each have a pair of wrestlers vying for a spot in tomorrow’s championship match, while six other nations will be represented by at least a solo competitor. 

The highlight of the day came in what many consider to be the deepest weight class of the tournament, 65kg. Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS), the 2017 65kg European Champion scored two takedowns and a counter exposure to shut out 2016 Olympic champion and reigning 61kg European champion, Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), 6-0. 

Also of note at 65kg, Slovenia’s David HABAT (SLO) picked up two wins and will wrestle three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE) for a spot in tomorrow’s #KaspEuro2018 finals. If Habat is able to pull out a win in tonight’s semifinals, he would be Slovenia’s first European finalist ever. 

SEMIFINAL MATCH-UPS
57kg 
Semifinal - Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR) vs. Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) 
Semifinal - Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP) vs. Zavur UGUEV (RUS)

65kg
Semifinal - Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) vs. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL) 
Semifinal - David HABAT (SLO) vs. Haji ALIYEV (AZE)

70kg 
Semifinal - Murtazali MUSLIMOV (AZE) vs. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
Semifinal - Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) vs. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS)

79kg
Semifinal - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) vs. Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) 
Semifinal - Mihaly NAGY (HUN) vs. Martin OBST (GER)

97kg
Semifinal - Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) vs. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) 
Semifinal - Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) vs. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)

#kaspeuro2018

Lalovic Welcomes Ukraine’s Decision to Compete at European Wrestling C’ships

Friday, April 20, 2018 - 13:36 By Tim Foley

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 20) – United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic has welcomed today’s decision by Ukraine Minister of Youth and Sport to allow its nation’s wrestlers to attend the 2018 Senior European Wrestling Championships in Kaspiysk, Russia.

Earlier this month, the Minister of Youth and Sport in Ukraine banned athletes from competing in Russia, as a response to the two nation’s ongoing political conflict. However, the Ukrainian Wrestling Federation, supported by Lalovic, voted last week to attend the championships and was reinforced by today’s announcement.

“We welcome today’s decision by the minister,” Lalovic said. “Politics should never interfere with sport and we look forward to seeing the Ukrainian team compete in Kaspiysk.”

Lalovic, who is also a member of the IOC Executive Board, has been a vocal advocate for open sport. As head of the wrestling federation since 2013 Lalovic has been active in promoting positive interactions between nations both on and off the field of play.

The 2018 Senior European Wrestling Championships begin April 30th at the Ali Aliev Palace of Youth and Sports in Kaspiysk. Russia is the defending team champions in men’s freestyle and women’s wrestling, while Hungary captured the first-place team trophy in Greco-Roman.