#WrestlePontevedra

Bakir Bullies His Way to Second Consecutive European Title

Tuesday, June 4, 2019 - 19:20 By Eric Olanowski

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PONTEVEDRA, Spain (June 4) – When you talk about unstoppable Turkish forces competing in the heavyweight division, you often hear names like Yasemin ADAR, Taha AKGUL, or Riza KAYAALP, all of which hold either world or Olympic titles. A name that soon may be added to that list of unstoppable Turkish greats could be Muhammet BAKIR (TUR). Though he doesn’t quite have the resume to stack up to those other Turkish superstars, Bakir, the son of 2001 European runner-up Fatih BAKIR (TUR), is well on his way to adding his name into those discussions. 

Bakir, who holds an undefeated international record, just added a second consecutive European title to his resume and did so without surrendering a single point. En route to his 130kg Junior European title, Bakir outscored his four opponents 24-0, including a 4-0 shutout win in the gold-medal bout against Russia’s Osman SHADOV. He also blanked cadet world bronze medalist Tomasz Jacek WAWRZYNCZYK (POL), along with Robinzon ESADZE (GEO) and Dariusz VITEK (HUN). 

Dating back to last year when Bakir won a world and European title at the cadet level, he’s compiled a 13-0 record and shutout 11 of those opponents. Maybe more impressive, Bakir has outscored his world and continental championship opponents 83-4.  

The next time Bakir is expected to compete will be the Junior World Championships in Tallinn, Estonia (July 12-18). 

Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) ended the 87kg gold-medal match after 68 seconds of wrestling. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Russia Leads Georgia by 17 Heading into Final Day of Greco-Roman 
The Russian Federation (100 points) heads into the final day of the Greco-Roman competition at the Junior European Championships with a 17-point lead over second place Georgia (83 points). 

Russia medaled in all five weights on the second day of wrestling but fell short in three of their four gold-medal bouts. Their lone champion came at 87kg where Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) only need 68 seconds to put away David LOSONCZI (HUN) with a takedown and four consecutive gut wrenches. 

Russia’s three silver-medal winners were Anvar ALLAKHIAROV, Khamid ISAEV, and Osman Shadov, who dropped the 55kg, 77kg, and 130kg gold-medal bouts, respectively. Their bronze-medal finisher was Adam GAUZHAEV who stuck Gytis KULEVICIUS (LTU) in the 63kg third-place match. 

Pridon ABULADZE (GEO) scored seven unanswered points to steal the 55kg title from Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS). (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Abuladze Scored Seven Unanswered to win 55kg Title 
Georgian coaches, towing their nation’s flag, poured onto the mat as time expired after Pridon ABULADZE scored seven unanswered points to stun Anvar Allakhiarov, 7-6 in the 55kg gold-medal bout. 

Abuladze trailed 6-0 but put together an impressive 7-0 run to steal the gold medal from his Russian opponent. 

Early in the first period, Abuladze, who was working off a left side underhook, allowed Allakhiarov to limp arm out and sneak behind for the 2-0 lead. Abuladze’s Russian opponent quickly jumped to a trapped arm gut wrench and extended his lead to 4-0. Abuladze conceded a second opening-period takedown, a slick misdirection duck under, and trailed 6-0. 

Before the whistle sounded to end the first period, Abuladze got on the board with an exposure and a step out. After being down by six points, Abuladze only trailed by three points heading into the final three minutes. 

The match-deciding points came from a four-point arm spin in the second period, giving Abuladze the one-point advantage and ultimately the 55kg gold medal. 

U23 world bronze-medal finisher won his first international gold medal with a 4-1 victory over Khamid ISAEV in the 77kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Levai Wins 77kg Gold, His First International Title 
Tamas LEVAI’s (HUN) resume is littered with top-three placements, and it may be hard to believe, but none have been gold-medal finishes. He’s a U23 world bronze-medal finisher, a multiple time European bronze medal finish, and now, Levai's a junior European champion. 

Levai reached the top of the podium for the first time of his international career with a dominant 4-1 win over Russia’s Khamid ISAEV (RUS) in the 77kg finals. His Tuesday night win capped off arguably the most impressive and dominant runs to a 2019 Greco-Roman junior European title. To win his gold medal, Levai went 5-0, only surrendered one point and combined to outscore his five opponents 38-1. 


Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) overpowered Leri ABULADZE (GEO) in the 63kg gold-medal bout, 8-2. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Toprak Torches Abuladze to Win 63kg Title 
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) torched Leri ABULADZE (GEO) in the 63kg finals, scoring the overpowering 8-2 win. 

The Turkish wrestler scored a step out and inactivity point in the first period and carried a 2-0 lead into the closing three minutes. To start the second period, Toprak found himself back peddling and tried to throw his Georgian opponent, but instead gave up two points and trailed 2-2 on criteria. In the second period, Torpak poured on the points, scoring two stepouts, and a tornado-like arm spin to win the gold medal, 8-2. 

RESULTS

Team Scores (After Day 2)
GOLD - Russia (100 points)
SILVER - Georgia (83 points)
BRONZE - Turkey (66 points)
Fourth - Hungary (60 points)
Fifth - Belarus (50 points)

55kg 
GOLD - Pridon ABULADZE (GEO) df. Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (RUS), 7-6 
BRONZE - Artium DELEANU (MDA) df. Vladyslav KUZKO (UKR), 6-0
BRONZE - Zaur ALIYEV (AZE) df. Gevorg SUKIASYAN (ARM), 3-1 

63kg 
GOLD - Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) df. Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 8-2 
BRONZE - Aliaksandr PECHURENKA (BLR) df. Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM), 9-0 
BRONZE - Adam GAUZHAEV (RUS) df. Gytis KULEVICIUS (LTU), via fall 

77kg 
GOLD - Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df. Khamid ISAEV (RUS), 4-1 
BRONZE - Mikita KAZAKOU (BLR) df. Dmytro VASETSKYI (UKR), 11-6 
BRONZE - Nika SHERBAKOVI (GEO) df. Arminas LYGNUGARIS (LTU), 3-1 

87kg 
GOLD - Ilia ERMOLENKO (RUS) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), 8-0 
BRONZE - Ihar YARASHEVICH (BLR) df. Jacob Edward LOGAARD (SWE), 7-1  
BRONZE - Giorgi KATSANASHVILI (GEO) df. Michal Andrzej DYBKA (POL), 8-4 

130kg 
GOLD - Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) df. Osman SHADOV (RUS), 4-1
BRONZE - Dariusz Attila VITEK (HUN) df. Tomasz WAWRZYNCZYK (POL), 10-1 
BRONZE - Nikola MILATOVIC (NOR) df. Raman ULASAU (BLR), 3-2

#WrestleSamokov

Greco trained Sokolovska wins women's 76kg gold

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 09:07 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- "Have you ever seen her shoot for the legs? You haven’t!"

Vladimir SOKOLOVSKI has long been Greco-Roman coach in Ukraine. So when he put his daughters in wrestling, he trained them in Greco-Roman. Both Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) would perform upper body moves in competition and tried to complete the matches with fall.

In 2019, Krystyna won a bronze medal at the World U17 Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Out of her four wins, two were via fall and one via technical superiority.

Six year's later and back in Bulgaria for the World U20 Championships, Sokolovski's younger daughter Nadiia went a step further and won the gold medal at 76kg in Samokov on Thursday.

Just like her father had taught her Sokolovska performed those arm-drags to perfection. She scored takedowns, big throws and falls. Out of her four wins to gold, three victories were via fall, including one in the final. It was only her quarterfinal against Elmira YASIN (TUR) that the Ukraine wrestler won 5-2.

"I won three out of four bouts by fall," Sokolovska said after the final. "I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like to mess around with opponents for too long. I like to finish earlier, I always do things the way it’s comfortable for me. If I need to work on endurance, then I work on it. But if I get a chance, why not finish earlier?"

The final was no different story as Sokolovska finished the match in just 48 seconds, pinning former world U20 champion PRIYA (IND). The Ukraine wrestler first scored a takedown using arm-drag for two points. When Priya attacked after restart, Sokolovska did not let the Indian stand up and locked up a cradle as Priya sat in a squat position.

Sokolovska turned Priya on her back and then secured a fall to be crowned world champion.

"I still haven’t fully realized that I won," she said. "I had only competed once at the World U17 Championships and I placed fifth. This is my second World Championship and I really wanted to wrestle against the Asians and the Americans.

"I didn’t get the chance to wrestle an American, but I did get to wrestle an Asian -- just what I wanted."

Sokolovska is now a European and World U20 champion, with an unbeaten run in nine matches. Even at the European U20 Championships, she won five matches and three of them were via fall.

"I work only with the upper body in standing position. I have a strong upper body," she said.

But Sokolovska said that she will not rush herself to the senior level and plan her debut. Her father, who is also her coach, will devise a program that fits her training.

"I understood that it’s not always necessary to focus only on wrestling," she said. "You need to take psychological breaks. Play rugby or go swimming, take a mental break from the mat."

Momoko KITADE (JPN)Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final against Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In other weight classes, the United States, China and Japan won gold medals on day five of the tournament. Japan now has a firm grip on the Women's Wrestling team title.

After two golds medals on Thursday, Japan earned third one as Momoko KITADE (JPN) won the 65kg final. She held off Margarita SALNAZARIAN's (UWW) onslaught in the second period, winning the 65kg final, 9-5, to secure the gold medal.

The first period belonged to Kitade as her speed and strength were no match for Salnazarian who was down 6-0 at the break. But Kitade's conditioning gave way for Salnazarian's comeback. She scored two takedowns to cut the lead to 7-4. However, Kitade still held her positions and scored two stepouts and made the score 7-5.

Salnazarian pressured Kitade towards the zone but she was never able to score as Kitade turned her and scored two stepouts. She got 9-5 lead and defended it for the final 40 seconds.

Everest LEYDECKER (USA)Everest LEYDECKER (USA) celebrates after winning the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. won its first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at this World U20 Championships through Everest LEYDECKER (USA) who had a dominant run to gold. After winning her three bouts via technical superiority on Wednesday, Leydecker seemed in no trouble in the final.

She raced to an 8-0 lead against REENA (IND) in the final after scoring a takedown using a leg attack. She then cross ankled Reena and turned her three times for the lead. There was little action after that in the match as Leydecker kept her strong defense despite being called passive and cautioned for points as well. But Leydecker had enough lead to not be trouble by those warning.

At 62kg, YANGZHEN (CHN) made a dream international debut by winning the 62kg gold medal in a thrilling final against former world U17 champion Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE). Down 6-0, Yangzhen managed to score six points in the second period and win the final, 6-6, on criteria.

Mammadova, who won World U17 gold in 2022, raced to a 6-0 lead with three counter exposure points and almost pinned Yangzhen. But in the second period, Yangzhen mounted the comeback, scoring a takedown from single leg and then got a turn using a strong gut-wrench.

With the clock ticking, Yangzhen needed one takedown for the win and she scored exactly that to lead 6-6 on criteria. Mammadova had one minute to reclaim the lead but Yangzhen managed to play the clock and win on criteria.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Everest LEYDECKER (USA) df. REENA (IND), 10-2

BRONZE: So TSUTSUI (JPN) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 5-3
BRONZE: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU), 6-2

62kg
GOLD: YANGZHEN (CHN) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-6

BRONZE: Shirin TAKEMOTO (JPN) df. Neevis RODRIGUEZ (MEX), 9-7
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Busra EFE (TUR), 8-0

65kg
GOLD: Momoko KITADE (JPN) df. Margarita SALNAZARIAN (UWW), 9-5

BRONZE: Iryna BORYSIUK (UKR) df. Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY), 12-2
BRONZE: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Daniella NUGENT (USA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. PRIYA (IND), via fall

BRONZE: Diana TITOVA (UWW) df. Evelin UJHELJI (SRB), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Cancan LIU (CHN) df. Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL), 6-0