DORTMUND, Germany (June 29) – Grace BULLEN (NOR) made short work of a solid opponent in Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) in the gold medal final at 59kg on Thursday to bag her third straight title at the Junior European Wrestling Championships.

Bullen, who notched a pair of falls and a technical fall in the morning session, dropped Nichita to her back for four points early in their gold medal final and then added clean takedowns on each side of the break to complete a 10-0 drubbing of last year’s 55kg champ at 3:34.

“This feels really good (to win a third title), especially after winning the senior championship (in May),” Bullen said at Helmut Kornig Halle. “I think expectations were high for me, so I thought I have to prove myself.”

Bullen that she was happy to win both titles in the same year, adding “The senior title, of course, is much bigger – since I had to go from the bronze medal (at the 2015 European Games) to silver (2016) and then the championship.”

Asked if her recent victories have helped to ease the disappointment of not qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Bullen said “Not really, but it helps a little. I think I’m getting better (as a wrestler), but I think the only thing that will help is qualifying for Tokyo (2020).”

In the bronze medal bouts at 59kg, 2016 European junior bronze medalist Maria MATYUSHENKO (RUS) roared back from an early deficit to claim an 10-6 win over last year’s runner-up, Emma JOHANSSON (SWE). Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) pinned Metty GRENERON MONDANGE (FRA) at 6:00 after forging a 6-2 lead.

Meanwhile, Russian entries won two of the other three titles on offer Thursday as reigning junior world champion at 51kg Ksenia NEZGOVOROVA (RUS) edged Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) and Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) wrapped up Hedda Haug STRAND (NOR) by technical fall in the 67kg final.

For Nezgovorova, the win over Bereza was nearly a repeat of their semifinal showdown in Macon last August, won 2-1 by Nezgovorova. Bereza rebounded for the bronze medal.

Velieva, recently crowned Russian national champ, dropped Strand to her back twice off double-leg attacks for a quick eight points and added a single-leg takedown to sew up the technical fall at 1:49.

In the bronze medal finals at 51kg, Annika WENDLE (GER) rolled up a technical fall over Florine SCHEDLER (AUT) at 4:06 while European under-23 bronze medalist Katsiaryna PICHKOVSKAYA (BLR) converted a leg attack to head-and-leg control to pin Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE) at 1:21.

For the bronze medals at 67kg, Kendra DACHER (FRA) dropped in for timely double-leg attacks and fashioned a 7-1 win over Theresa EDFELDER (GER). U23 bronze medal winner Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) scored takedowns on each side of the break for a 4-0 win over Jeyla NAGHIZADE (AZE).

In the lightest weight category, 44kg, 2015 European cadet champion Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU) got rolling midway through the first period with a double-leg takedown for a 2-0 lead and cruised to a 10-0 win over Anzhlika FEDOROVA (RUS) at 4:06.

In the bronze medal matches at 44kg, Inna ROIK (BLR) opened with quick dump to the back for four points and worked her way behind for three more takedowns and a 10-0 victory over Alina SYVAK (UKR). Beata KOSLA (POL) also opened with an arm throw, but held for the 12-second fall over Esra KOC (TUR).

Medal Final Pairings & Semifinal Results

Women’s Wrestling

44kg (9 entries)
Gold – Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU) df. Anzhelika FEDOROVA (RUS) by TF, 10-0, 4:56 

Bronze – Inna POIK (BLR) df. Alina SYVAK (UKR) by TF, 10-0, 2:46 
Bronze – Beata KOSLA (POL) df. Esra KOC (TUR) by Fall, 0:12 (4-0)

Semifinal – Anzhelika FEDOROVA (RUS) df. Inna POIK (BLR), 5-2
Semifinal – Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU) df. Esra KOC (TUR) by Fall, 1:03 (5-0)

51kg (13 entries)
Gold – Ksenia NEZGOVOROVA (RUS) df. Khrytsyna BEREZA (UKR), 4-3

Bronze – Annika WENDLE (GER) df. Florine SCHEDLER (AUT) by TF, 10-0, 4:00 
Bronze – Katsiaryna PICHKOVSKAYA (BLR) df. Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE) by Fall, 1:21 (2-0)

Semifinal – Khrytsyna BEREZA (UKR) df. Annika WENDLE (GER) by Fall, 5:06 (10-0)
Semifinal – Ksenia NEZGOVOROVA (RUS) v Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE) by Fall, 1:17 (4-0) 

59kg (17 entries)
Gold – Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 3:34

Bronze – Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) df. Metty GRENERON MONDANGE (FRA) by Fall, 6:00 (6-2)
Bronze – Maria MATYUSHENKO (RUS) df. Emma JOHANSSON (SWE), 10-6

Semifinal – Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Metty GRENERON MONDANGE (FRA) by TF, 10-0, 4:47
Semifinal – Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Maria MATYUSHENKO (RUS) by TF, 10-0, 2:30

67kg (11 entries)
Gold – Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Hedda Haug STRAND (NOR) by TF, 10-0, 1:49

Bronze – Kendra DACHER (FRA) df. Theresa EDFELDER (GER), 7-1
Bronze – Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Jeyla NAGHIZADE (AZE), 4-0 

Semifinal – Hedda Haug STRAND (NOR) df. Theresa EDFELDER (GER) by TF, 10-0, 5:39
Semifinal – Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) by Fall, 5:13 (13-2)