#HungarianGP2019

Eight Reigning World Medalists Competing This Weekends at Hungarian Grand Prix

Thursday, February 21, 2019 - 15:13 By Eric Olanowski

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GYOR, Hungary (February 21) – The Hungary Grand Prix returns in 2019 as one of United World Wrestling four Greco-Roman Ranking Series events. The two day tounrament, which begins on Saturday, features over 175 wrestlers from 25 different nations.

Azerbaijan's reigning world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI headlines the entry list which includes a total of eight returning world medalists. 

Every weight except 55kg will have at least one world or Olympic medalist entered, with 130kg leading the charge with eight combined world and Olympic medalists. 

Budapest World Medalists
Gold
60kg - Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) 

Bronze 
60kg - WALIHAN Sailike (CHN) 
72kg - Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) 
77kg - KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) 
77kg - Viktor NEMES (SRB) 
82kg - Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) 
97kg - Mihail KAJALA (SRB) 
130kg - KIM Minseok (KOR) 

The Deepest Weight: 130kg (Sunday Night) 
Super-Heavyweight (130kg) features four wrestlers who've combined for a total of six world medals and two Olympic top-three finishes. 

The two Olympic medalists entered at 130kg are London runner-up Heiki NABI (EST) and Rio bronze medalist Sabah SHARIATI (AZE). 

In addition to Nabi’s Olympic silver medal in 2012, he also medaled at four world championships, including a gold at the 2006 and 2013 world championships and a bronze in 2014. Most recently, Nabi fell short in the 2017 world finals, departing Paris with a silver. 

Nabi, who finished in fifth at the 2018 world championships, brings 20 Ranking Series points (20rsp) and is the eighth-ranked wrestler in the world coming into the Hungary Grand Prix. 

Outside of the Olympic medal winners, world bronze medalists KIM Minseok (KOR) and Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) are also wrestling at 130kg. 

Kim wrapped up last year’s Budapest world championships with a bronze, while Acosta Fernandez completed his 2017 season with a third-place finish. 

Acosta (28rsp) is coming off a third-place finish at the Zagreb Open and jumped up to the third spot in the latest rankings, and Kim (25rsp) lost in the opening round of Zagreb Open but is still ranked No. 5 in the world. 

Reigning world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) will be wrestling up a weight at 60kg for the third time in his career. (Photo: Martin Gábor)

World Champion Azizli Moves Up to 60kg  (Sunday Night) 
Eldaniz Azizli, KIM Seunghak (KOR), and WALIHAN Sailike (CHN) lead a tight pack of competitors at 60kg. 

Azerbaijan’s reigning 55kg world champion Eldaniz Azizli could be the safest bet to take top billing, but the Azeri has struggled in his two previous outings at 60kg. 

Before his run to the top of the podium in Budapest, Azizli wrestled up at 60kg at the Oleg Karavaev Memorial and Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Tournament in 2018, failing to medal at both tournaments, finishing in fifth and tenth place respectively. 

Kim Seunghak (12rsp) and Walihan Sailike (25rsp), the pair of 60kg world bronze medalists, are the other two wrestlers who have a shot at earning the eight first-place points. 

Walihan won the 2018 world bronze medal and is ranked third in the world coming into the Hungarian GP, while Kim, the 2017 world bronze medalist, finished in fifth place at the Zagreb Open and No.16 in the world. 

Kim and Nemes to Rekindle Rivalry (Sunday Night) 
Without a doubt, the two favorites to reach Sunday’s 77kg finals are Korea’s Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo and 2017 world champion Viktor NEMES (SRB). The pair, who have reached the top of the world podium, are looking to rekindle their rivalry from 2015 where Kim knocked off Nemes 3-2 in the second round of the World Championships. 

Both guys won bronze medals at the 2018 world championships and sit inside the top-five of the latest world rankings. 

Kim (25rsp) finished in third place at the Zagreb Open and is ranked No. 3 in the world, while Nemes (25rsp) is making his 2019 Ranking Series debut and is ranked No. 4 in the world. 


Rio Olympic runner-up Shinobu OTA (JPN) won the last meeting with Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR). The two can meet again in Saturday night's finals. (Photo: Martin Gábor)

The Clash of Rio Olympic Medalists at 63kg (Saturday Night) 
At 63kg, Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) and Shinobu OTA (JPN) could meet in what would be a rematch of their quarterfinal round match at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The last time the pair met, the Japanese wrestler grabbed the 4-0 victory, using a head pinch and a high-level shot, which put him into the Olympic semifinals. 

Ota went on to finish with silver, and Berge fought back, winning a pair of matches to capture the bronze medal. 

Olympic Bronze Medalist Chunayev Makes Ranking Series Debut (Saturday Night)
Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), one of Greco-Roman’s most consistent wrestlers over the past five years, will wrestle in the first Ranking Series event of his career. 

Chunayev, who is entered at 72kg, has wrestled in four world championships and the Rio Olympic Games since 2014, and won a title in 2015, and a pair of world and Olympic bronze medals. The only year he did not medal was in 2017 when he finished in seventh place.

Possible Collision of World Champs at 67kg (Sunday Night) 
World champions Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) and RYU Hansu (KOR) are favored to meet in the 67kg finals, and it could mean a turn in tides for weight class supremacy for the pair of Asian stars.

Korea’s two-time world champion Ryu Hansu has been one of Asia’s top-men at this weight since winning his first world title in 2013. He earned his second world title in 2017.

Ryu also has three Asian titles on his resume. Most recently, Ryu won the 2018 Asian Games last season in Jakarta. 

Endo is making his second Ranking Series appearance. Last year, he competed at the Vehbi Emre, where he finished in tenth place. 

U23 Talent Litters 82kg (Saturday Night)
The 82kg weight class is littered with U23 world-level talent and features three guys who have at least reached the finals at the U23 world championships. 

Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) won the U23 world title in 2018, while Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) and Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) each fell short in the finals. 

Bisultanov dropped the 2018 finals, and Gobadze lost in 2017 finals. 

Belarus’ two-time world medalist Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) will also wrestle at 82kg. He’s the only wrestler who has reached the podium on the senior level. Sasunouski fell in the 2015 finals and won the bronze medal last year in Budapest. The Belarusian is the fourth-ranked wrestler in the world at 82kg and has 25 Ranking Series points (25rsp). 

Reigning World Bronze Medalist Kajala Favored at 97kg (Saturday Night)
Reigning world bronze medalist Mihail KAJALA (SRB) is the clear favorite at 97kg coming into the Hungarian Grand Prix.  The Serbian is looking to continue his 2018 hot streak, where he claimed at least a bronze medal in every competition he entered. 

Kajala reached the finals of the 2018 Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament and the European Championships and grabbed bronze medals at the World Championship, Mediterranean Games, and the Grand Prix of Zagreb. 

Kajala enters the Hungarian Grand Prix with 25 Ranking Series points and is the fourth-ranked wrestler in the world at 97kg.

Ghanderian Standing Alone at 87kg (Sunday Night)
Iran’s Yousef Ahmad GHADERIAN is the lone senior-level medalist entered at 87kg. He represents Iran at three consecutive world championships beginning in 2015, where he defeated Kazakhstan’s Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) 4-0 to win the bronze medal. 

Wide Open Weight: 55kg (Saturday Night)
Alexandru Vasile BOTEZ (ROU) and Reza Kheirollah KHEDRI (IRI) are only two wrestlers who have won world medals, and they’ve both come at the age-group level. 

Iran’s Reza Kheirollah Khedri captured the 2011 cadet world title and the 2015 junior world title, and Romania’s Alexandru Botez grabbed the 2013 cadet world bronze medal. 

SCHEDULE

Friday (February 22) 
Till 12:00 - Final entries for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97 kg
16:00 - Technical conference – all teams 
17:00 - Draw – GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97 kg

Saturday (February 23) 
08:00 - Medical examination & Weigh-in for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97kg
10:00 - Qualification rounds and repechage for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97kg
Till 12:00 - Final entries for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
16:30 - Draw – GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
17:00 - Opening Ceremony 
18:00 - Finals for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97kg Award ceremonies 

Sunday (February 24) 
8.30 - Medical examination & Weigh-in for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
10.00 - Qualification rounds and repechage for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
16.00 - Finals for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg and Award ceremonies

#WrestleTirana

Ukraine Wins Team Title after Record Gold Haul

Saturday, April 25, 2026 - 07:28 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 24) -- After three gold medals on Thursday, Ukraine added three more in Women's Wresting on Friday to win the team title at the European Championships in Tirana.

Two young stars in Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) and Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and two-time Olympic medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) were the three champions for Ukraine. The six gold medals is record in the country's history, improving on last year's performance of four golds.

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It also won a silver and a bronze medals to finish with 193 points, well ahead of second-placed Turkiye which had 122 points. Poland finished third with 114 points.

"This performance for Ukraine was historic because we’ve never had a result like this before," Koliadenko said. "We’ve broken our previous record. Our previous record was seven finals and four golds. The team gave it their all. I’m so happy for the whole team."

Magdalena GLODEK LISZEWSKA (POL) won gold for Poland at 57kg while Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) earned at silver at 76kg which helped the country to third place. With the gold medal, Glodek became the first wrestler from Poland to win gold at European Championships in six years and first in Women's Wrestling in nine years.

The one remaining gold, at 62kg, was won by Grace BULLEN (NOR) in dramatic fashion, coming back from 9-0 down to pin Amina TANDELOVA (UWW).

Yefremova, 19, got the session to a good start for Ukraine with a win over 34-year-old defending champion Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) in a tight 53kg final. Prevolaraki, who had won gold in 2025 on her 14th attempt, looked good to repeat when she got the first points on board in the final through Yefremova's passivity.

But in the second period, Yefremova used a fireman's carry to put Prevolaraki's back on the mat for two points. While she did not get the fall, Yefremova's 2-1 lead was enough for her to defend even as Prevolaraki made continuous attacks.

"Such intense emotions for me," Yefremova said. "I came here convinced I’d win a medal, but I didn’t think I’d make it to the final because I knew there were more experienced athletes here. But I still had a little bit of hope in myself that I could reach the final and win that gold. I didn’t think it would all turn out this way for me."

Yefremova, a former U17 world champion and U20 world silver medalist, was making waves in Women's Wrestling before being suspended for 18 months a positive dope test.

"I can’t say I’m particularly worried about the fact that the wrestlers are more experienced than me," she said. "I’m just used to forging ahead, regardless of the obstacles. I’ve got a goal, and I’m going for it. I don’t really have anything else on my mind."

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) celebrates after winning the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Koliadenko earned her fourth European title without giving up a single point throughout the tournament, a fact that left even her surprised. After two technical superiority wins in the quarterfinal and semifinal, Koliadenko faced world silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) in the 65kg final. She controlled the final throughout and forged a 9-0 victory.

"I hadn’t planned on finishing with a clean slate -- not losing a single point throughout this European Championship. It went quite smoothly for me," Koliadenko said.

The 27-year-old first wrestled at the European Championships in 2020, winning a bronze medal. Her gold medals came in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2026. In 2025, she finished with a bronze as well, taking her total medal count to six.

"I suppose experience does play a part, and over the years every competition becomes quite a challenge psychologically," she said. "Physically, you’re always prepared, but mentally it’s a bit tough. Especially given the rather uncomfortable situation in Ukraine at the moment and all of that affects our results."

Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR)Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) scores exposure points on Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) in the 72kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 72kg, U20 and U23 world champion Sokolovska found a way to beat Choluj despite trailing for four points. Choluj was put on activity clock but she used a double-leg attack during the 30-second period to score a takedown which was scored two points.

As the match progressed Choluj found it difficult to answer the pressure from Sokolovska who managed a go-behind to score her first point before getting two more for exposure in the same scramble to lead 4-2 with 1:34 remaining.

Choluj challenged the call but it was a takedown and a clear cradle with no foul. The lost challenge added one more point to Sokolovska's score. Choluj managed a stepout with 28 seconds left but failed to score a takedown in the remaining time which could have given her the criteria victory.

Sokolovska, trained by her Greco-Roman wrestler father, won the gold at her debut European Championships to cap off a memorable tournament for Ukraine.

Apart the these three, Oksana LIVACH (UKR), Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) were the other three champions for Ukraine in Tirana.

Glodek Ends Poland's Wait

Poland's gold medal winner Glodek who denied Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR), who finished with a silver medal for a second time in a row.

After both wrestlers exchanged passivity points, Suleyman led 1-1 on criteria as her point was the latest. But Glodek used a strong snapdown to score a quick takedown and lead 3-1.

Suleyman tried her best to score a match-winning takedown including an arm throw but landed on her own back to give two more points to Glodek who ended a six-year wait for Poland to have a European champion in wrestling.

For Poland, Maogmedmurad GAZHIEV (POL) had won gold in Freestyle in 2020 while Monika MICHALIK (POL) won gold in Women's Wrestling in 2017.

 

Photo

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), 2-1

BRONZE: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) df. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (UWW), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Annika WENDLE (GER) df. Roksana ZASINA (POL), via fall (2-3)

57kg
GOLD: Magdalena GLODEK LISZEWSKA (POL) df. Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR), 5-1

BRONZE: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW), via fall
BRONZE: Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Evelina HULTHEN (SWE), via fall

62kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW), via fall (5-9)

BRONZE: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) df. Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), 3-1
BRONZE: Naemi LEISTNER (GER) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 5-1

65kg
GOLD: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 9-0

BRONZE: Natalia KUBATY (POL) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 11-6
BRONZE: Beyza AKKUS (TUR) df. Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE), 4-2

72kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), 5-3

BRONZE: Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) df. Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK), 3-0
BRONZE: Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Karolina POK (HUN), 9-6