#WrestleBucharest

Azerbaijan Leads Russia By Five Points Heading into Day Three

Tuesday, April 9, 2019 - 20:17 By Eric Olanowski

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BUCHAREST, Romania (April 9)  -  Haji ALIYEV (AZE) and Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) reached the top of the European podium for the third time in their careers and helped Azerbaijan carry a five-point lead over the Russian Federation into the final day of freestyle wrestling at the European Championships.

Returning European champion Haji Aliyev pitched a shutout against Turkey’s Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN in the 65kg finals and brought his overall continental title total to three. Aliyev now has as many European titles as he does world titles.  


Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) won his third European title after receiving an injury defeat in the 79kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Jabrayil Hasanov was the second Azeri who won a European title on the second day of wrestling at Bucharest’s Pollyvalent Hall. Though it wasn’t the way he wanted to win, the reigning world runner-up won his third European championship with an injury default win over Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) who was unable to compete after injuring his right knee on Monday night in the semifinals.

Azerbaijan also picked up points from Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV'S 70kg second-place finish, and bronze medal finishes from Mahir AMIRASLANOV and Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV at 57kg and 92kg respectively. 

The Russian Federation, thanks to Abdulrashid SADULAEV’s gold-medal performance at 97kg, along with four other medals, head into the last day of freestyle wrestling in second place with 95 points. 

In the 97kg gold-medal bout, Sadulaev scored an opening period stepout, then put his agility and athleticism on display when he nearly jumped over Belarus’ Aliaksandr HUSHTYN, scoring the match-deciding takedown. 

Sadualev’s 3-1 win on Tuesday night gave him back-to-back European titles and brought his overall continental total to four. He also won a European title in 2014 and 2015.

In addition to Sadualev’s 25 points gold-medal finish, Russia grabbed 40 points from two runner-up finishes and 30 points from a pair of bronze medal finishes. 


Suleyman ATLI (TUR) became the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the world with his 57kg win on Tuesday night. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

Turkey, who matched Azerbaijan’s pair of gold medals, sits in a close third place with 87 points. Their two champions were Suleyman ATLI (TUR) and Mustafa KAYA (TUR). 

Atli picked up where he left off after the 2018 World Championships, adding a European title to his resume with an impressive 8-3 showing against Russia’s reigning Ivan Yariguin champion Muslim SADULAEV (RUS). 

The turning point in the 57kg gold-medal bout came when Alti, the 2018 world bronze medalist, scored a takedown and transitioned into a pair of gut wrenches. With that six-point exchange, Alti led 6-1, and never looked back. The Turkish wrestler added another takedown to his total and won the match, 8-3. 

With his win on Tuesday night, Atli moves ahead of reigning world champion Zaur UGUEV (RUS) for the top spot in the world at 57kg with 61 Ranking Series points. 


Mustafa KAYA (TUR) outscored Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE) 6-0 in the second period and won his first European title. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Turkey’s second champion of the day Mustafa Kaya emerged as the victor at 70kg when he outscored Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), 6-0, in the second period after giving up an opening period takedown.

Turkey also collected 20 points from Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN's second-place finish at 65kg and 15 points from Muhammet KOTANOGLU's bronze-medal finish at 79kg. 

Wrestling resumes on Wednesday morning at 11:30 with women’s wrestling, followed by the final five freestyle weight class medal matches at 18:00.

SCHEDULE
Wednesday (April 10) 
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
14:00 - Draw WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg 
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg 
18: 00 - Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg / Award ceremonies

Thursday (April 11) 
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg 
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg page4image2914979424 page4image2914979968
14:00 - Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg 
14:00 - Draw GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg 
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg 
18:00 - Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg / Award ceremonies 

Friday (April 12) 
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg 
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg 
11:30 - Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg 
15:40 - Draw GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
17:15 - Semi Final GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg 
18:00 - Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg / Award ceremonies

Saturday (April 13) 
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg 
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg 
11:30 - Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg 
17:15 - Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg 
18:00 - Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg / Award ceremonies

Sunday (April 14) 
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg 
16:00 - Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg 
18:00 - Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg / Award ceremonies

RESULTS

Team Scores
GOLD - Azerbaijan (100 points)
SILVER - Russia (95 points)
BRONZE - Turkey (87 points)
Fourth - Ukraine (43 points)
Fifth - Belarus (38 points)

57kg 
GOLD - Suleyman ATLI (TUR) vs. Muslim SADULAEV (RUS), 8-3 
BRONZE - Mahir AMIRASLANOV (AZE) df. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 8-4 
BRONZE - Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) df. Andrei DUKOV (ROU), 7-4

65kg
GOLD - Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR), 7-0 
BRONZE - Nachyn KUULAR (RUS) df. Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 5-0 
BRONZE - Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) df. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), via fall 

70kg
GOLD - Mustafa KAYA (TUR) df. Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE), 6-2 
BRONZE - Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df. Semen RADULOV (UKR), 6-0 
BRONZE - Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR), 11-0 

79kg
GOLD - Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) vs. Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
BRONZE - Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Andrei KARPACH (BLR), 7-1
BRONZE - Muhammet KOTANOGLU (TUR) df. Oleksii DOMANYTSKYI (UKR), 5-1 

97kg
GOLD - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR), 3-1 
BRONZE - Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) df. Nicolai CEBAN (MDA), 3-0
BRONZE - Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) df. Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD), 5-0 

#WrestleBratislava

On 14th attempt, Prevolaraki wins historic European gold for Greece

Friday, April 11, 2025 - 22:47 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 11) -- Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) made her first trip to the European Championships in 2011 when she was 19 years old. She competed in 14 European Championships and returned home with eight medals -- four silvers and four bronzes -- over the last 13 years.

Now 33 and competing at her 14th European Championships, Prevolaraki won her first gold medal with a thrilling win over Andreea ANA (ROU), ending a 24-year wait for Greece to have a champion in Women's Wrestling at the continental event. Former world champion Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE) was the last and only other European champion for Greece in Women's Wrestling.

"I am very happy that I managed to earn the gold medal," Prevolaraki said. "I was waiting so many years to be the European champion and I am 33 years old but I managed to do it."

Over the years, Prevolaraki has lost four finals, all to different opponents. But Friday, she managed to keep her composure in a close bout for the win.

"This time I am more experienced and I did not feel any pressure," she said.  I played freely and good things happen when you have no pressure."

Wrestling in Bratislava in the 53kg weight class, Prevolaraki was hit with passivity first and put on the 30-second clock which expired without Prevolaraki scoring to give Ana 1-0 lead.

Ana extended her lead to 3-0 when Prevolaraki tried to hit a cut-back but was unsuccessful in the move. With more than two minutes remaining, Ana tried defending her 3-0 lead but was put on the activity clock when 1:10 were left.

During the 30-second period, Prevolaraki went for the leg-attack but Ana moved and tried getting behind Prevolaraki which she almost did and tried throwing the Greek with a cradle. But Prevolaraki was alerted and did not land in danger and scored a takedown. The activity clock against Ana expired which added another point for Prevolaraki, making the score 3-3 with the Greece wrestler leading on criteria of last point scored.

Romania decided to challenge, a strategic one. Even a lost challenge would need Ana to score a point to win from 4-3 with Prevolaraki lead and 3-3 with criteria to Prevolaraki.

On review, Romania lost the challenge and Prevolaraki led 4-3. Ana hit a sweep single and tried forcing Prevolaraki out of bounds but the Greece wrestler turned it around to get Ana's head out first and get another point to lead 5-3 which she defended and won the gold medal.

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) at the medal ceremony of the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

"I think I have had a good career," she said. "I am sad that I don't have an Olympic medal but I have many European medals and world Championships medals."

Prevolaraki, a four-time Olympian, a rare feat in wrestling, paid tribute to three-time Olympic champion Buvaisar SAITIEV, by wearing a shirt with his photo and message. Saitiev had passed away in March at the age of 49 years.

"The legend [Saitiev] is for all wrestler all over the world and his legend has no bounds. I wanted to pay a tribute to this legend," she said.