#WrestleBudapest

Belarus Crowns Three Champs, Armenia’s Tevanyan Keeps Hot Streak Alive

By Eric Olanowski

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 19) --- Belarus crowned three freestyle champions at the European Olympic Qualifier, while Armenia’s Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) kept his hot streak alive and proved his serious contender to leave the Tokyo Olympic Games with gold around his neck.

Yesterday, Ali SHABANAU (BLR), Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) and Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) bagged Olympic berths for Belarus, and today, they capped off the competition with golds at 86kg, 97kg, and 125kg, respectively.

Shabanau, the four-time world medal-winner, controlled his 86kg gold-medal match against Osman GOCEN (TUR with his patented left-side underhook. He stayed patient and calculated with his attacks off that hook, using it to pick up three takedowns in the finals, and after a lost Turkish challenge, he walked away with a 7-0 win and the 86kg gold medal.

At 97kg, Hushtyn had a fairly even battle with Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR) but came up clutch with a short-time takedown to win back-to-back golds for Belarus. He defeated the Turkish wrestler, 5-4.

Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) was Belarus' third champion on the day. He was awarded the 125kg title after his final opponenet Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER) injury defaulted out of the title bout.

Meanwhile, Tevanayn turned heads again and continued to prove that he’s a true threat to leave Tokyo with Olympic gold.

He stunned three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV 9-0 in the 65kg finals.

Since December, he has wins over Olympic champion Vlad KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), world bronze medalist Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN), two-time world medalist Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), and now three-time world champion Aliyev.

Tevanayn was on the inactivity clock in the second period when he blew the doors on the match wide open. He snapped Aliyev down for a takedown and caught the Azeri's left arm in a trapped arm gut wrench. He rolled twice to his left with that trapped arm gut and led 7-0 before closing the match out with one final takedown to claim gold, 9-0.

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) also claimed gold for Armenia on Friday night.

In the 57kg finals, Harutyunyan scored a takedown with a textbook head outside single and carried the one-point lead into the second period. The 21-year-old built a comfortable 8-1 lead after a counter-offensive go behind and a pair of below the hip exposures. Harutyunyan’s Bulgarian opponenet tried everything he could to close the gap, but the Armenian took the safe route out, conceding a late takedown and bellying out.  Harutyunyan won the match 8-3.

The final gold medal of the day went to Georgia's '18 world runner-up Avtandil KENTCHADZE. His 74kg finals opponent Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE) injury defeated out of the finals, giving the Georgian the final freestyle gold of the competition.

RESULTS
 

57kg
GOLD - Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Georgi Valentinov VANGELOV (BUL), 8-3
BRONZE - Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) df. Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO), via injury default
BRONZE - Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) df. Petru CRACIUN (MDA), via forfeit

65kg
GOLD - Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Haji ALIYEV (AZE), 9-0
BRONZE - Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) df. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), via injury default
BRONZE - Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) df. Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 5-3

74kg

GOLD - Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE), via injury default
BRONZE - Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 8-6 BRONZE - Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Ali Pasha Ruslanovich UMARPASHAEV (BUL), 4-2

86kg
GOLD - Ali SHABANAU (BLR) df. Osman GOCEN (TUR), 7-0
BRONZE - Boris MAKOEV (SVK) df. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), 7-5
BRONZE - Piotr IANULOV (MDA) df. Akhmed Adamovitch MAGAMAEV (BUL), 4-4

97kg
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) df. Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR), 4-3
Erik Sven THIELE (GER) df. Albert SARITOV (ROU), 4-3
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA) df. Ahmed Sultanovich BATAEV (BUL), 3-0

125kg
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) df. Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER) , via injury default
Shamil SHARIPOV (RUS) df. Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT), 8-0
Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Paris KAREPI (ALB), 11-0

 

#WrestleBudapest

Live Blog: #WrestleBudapest European Championships Day 6

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (April 2) -- Another Greco-Roman day at the European Championships in Budapest. The final five weight classes will be in action as the championships enter the business end.

After 10 action-packed sessions, it all comes down to Greco-Roman and the Budapest crowd loves the oldest form of wrestling.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

15:25: Felix BALDAUF (NOR) pulls out injured as Kiril MILOV (BUL) wins the 97kg quarters. That's the end of the morning session in Budapest. The semifinals will begin in an hour and 20 minutes. Do tune in later for the evening session

15:15: An 8-4 win and spot in the semifinal for Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR) at 97kg. Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR) will have to wait if he gets a chance for the bronze medal. On Mat B, Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) with a 9-0 win against Laokratis KESIDIS (GRE).

15:03: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) with a come back from 5-0 down. He defeats world silver medalist and Ranking Series winner Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) at 82kg. That also means that a rematch between Akbudak and Huseynov will have to wait 

15:00: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) stops Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) in the quarterfinals. The junior world champion wins 5-2 to advance to the semifinals

14:55: Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) is riding on a first-period takedown and leads Tamas LEVAI (HUN) 2-0. A blank second period as Huseynov will win 2-0 over Levai

14:45: Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) enthralling the local crowd as he leads Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) 6-2 at the break. Incredible counter-attacking wrestling from Vancza. He extends that lead to 8-2 after exposure. He gets the win via technical superiority 10-2

14:25: Morten THORESEN (NOR) will have to wait for his second European gold. He goes down 9-0 against Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM).

14:15: Kristupas SLEIVA ((LTU) tried his best but a four-point throw from Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) made the difference as the Georgian won 5-2

13:55: Into tonight's semifinals! Kerem KAMAL (TUR) is looking dominant at 60kg. He beats Helary MAEGISALU (EST) 12-1 and will wrestle in the semifinals later tonight

13:33: Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) with a 7-1 victory over Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE) at 97kg. He had finished with a silver medal at the Ranking Series event in Istanbul

13:25: Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) keeps it tidy with a 5-1 victory over Petr NOVAK (CZE) at 82kg. An exposure from par terre and two points for leg four by Novak.

13:18: Junior and U23 world champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) warms up with a 9-1 victory over Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER) at 67kg. He had finished 5th at the World Championships in Oslo.

13:15: U23 European champion Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) scrapes to a 4-4 win over Johnny BUR (FRA). He scored a takedown with 44 seconds remaining to win the bout.

13:00: Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) is looking unstoppable today. He has two technical superiority wins now. Ivo ILIEV (BUL) his latest victim

12:45: Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) was down 7-0 against Jakub BIELESZ (CZE) but scores 15 unanswered points to win his opening bout at 72kg

12:40: Tokyo silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) in trouble against Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL). He is down 7-2 after getting thrown for four and committing a leg-foul. But Sahakyan may be losing his bleeding time as he has a cut over his eye. But he manages to defend his lead and win 7-2

12:35: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) begins his quest for the second European title with an 8-1 win against Erik TORBA (HUN)

12:20: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) with an incredible start to his first European Championships. A strong par terre game gets him a 9-0 win over Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR) 

12:00: Kerem KAMAL (TUR), chasing his first senior European title, begins with a 9-0 win over Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) 

11:55: Two technical superiority wins to start. Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) beats Christoph BURGER (AUT) at 67kg while Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) defeats Daniel BOBILLO VIGIL (ESP) at 60kg 

11:30: Welcome to day six of the European Championships. Another Greco-Roman day in Budapest as wrestlers from 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg are competing.