Eriomenco, Amirov Return to U23 European Finals

Friday, March 13, 2026 - 18:47 By Vinay Siwach

ZRENJANIN, Serbia (March 13) -- World bronze medalist and returning champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) will try to defend his 63kg Greco-Roman title at U23 European Championships on Saturday.

Eriomenco reached the final in Zrenjanin, Serbia after a dominated performance on Friday, winning three bouts with little trouble. In the semifinals, Eriomenco blanked Rati KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO), 4-0.

But standing between him and a second straight gold medal is Dordzhi SHUNGURTSIKOV (RUS), bronze medalist at the 2025 U23 World Championships, in which Eriomenco won silver.

Shungurtsikov did not have a smooth passage to the final but managed to hold off Jan GAMELIUS (SWE), 4-3, in the semifinal. Both wrestlers scored one turn each when put in par terre but Shungurtsikov did it in the second period to hold 3-3 criteria lead. Sweden challenged the correct throw but lost which made the score 4-3.

Russia was the most successful country on Friday with four finalists. Apart from Shungurtsikov, Alibek AMIROV (RUS), Imam ALIEV (RUS) and Danil GRIGOREV (RUS) will also wrestle for gold.

Defending champion Alibek AMIROV (RUS) will look to repeat after he sailed through to the 55kg final and will take on Farid SADIKHLI (AZE). Amirov used a gut-wrench to beat Sercan KESGIN (TUR), 9-0, in the semifinal.

Sadikhli managed to turn Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO) and take a 3-3 criteria lead for scoring the last point and won with the same score.

Returning silver medalist at 87kg Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) will look to win gold this time when he takes on Imam ALIEV (RUS) in the final. Karchaidze dominated the semifinal, winning 11-1 against Yassine BEN LABED (POL), who earlier defeated Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO).

Aliev faced tough challenge from Martin LJOSAAK (NOR) in the other semifinal and needed more than a few stepouts to win 13-7.

For Grigorev, the semifinal against U17 world champion Kiryl VALEUSKI (BLR) was a low scoring one as he won 3-0. Interestingly, there was no par terre in the second period of the bout.

He will face Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM) in the final after the Armenian held off former U17 world champion Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA), 1-1, winning the match on criteria of scoring first point.

At 130kg, U20 world and European champion Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) entered his first U23 European Championships final after a 6-0 shutout victory over Sebastian WARCHOL (POL) in the semifinal.

For the gold medal, Darabos will face Aramayis HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), a surprise finalist. He defeated Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR), 6-0, after two counter attacking takedowns. Yankovskyi was hit with a leg foul when defending during the second takedown.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Farid SADIKHLI (AZE) vs. Alibek AMIROV (RUS)

SF 1: Alibek AMIROV (RUS) df. Sercan KESGIN (TUR), 9-0
SF 2: Farid SADIKHLI (AZE) df. Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO), 3-3

63kg
GOLD: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) vs. Dordzhi SHUNGURTSIKOV (RUS)

SF 1: Dordzhi SHUNGURTSIKOV (RUS) df. Jan GAMELIUS (SWE), 4-3
SF 2: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Rati KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO), 4-0

77kg
GOLD: Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM) vs. Danil GRIGOREV (RUS)

SF 1: Danil GRIGOREV (RUS) df. Kiryl VALEUSKI (BLR), 3-0
SF 2: Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM) df. Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA), 1-1

87kg
GOLD: Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) vs. Imam ALIEV (RUS)

SF 1: Imam ALIEV (RUS) df. Martin LJOSAAK (NOR), 13-7
SF 2: Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) df. Yassine BEN LABED (POL), 11-1

130kg
GOLD: Aramayis HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) vs. Laszlo DARABOS (HUN)

SF 1: Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) df. Sebastian WARCHOL (POL), 6-0
SF 2: Aramayis HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR), 6-0

2026 U23 European Championships

Sokolovska, Shauchuk Earn U23 European Golds

Thursday, March 12, 2026 - 17:02 By Vinay Siwach

ZRENJANIN, Serbia (March 12) -- Senior European champion Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR), U20 world champion Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and three former U20 European champs earned gold medals on Thursday at the U23 European Championships in Zrenjanin, Serbia.

Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) won close finals in 59kg and 50kg, respectively while Gerda TEREK (HUN) dominated her 55kg gold-medal bout.

Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR), right, celebrates after winning the 68kg final in Zrenjanin, Serbia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Shauchuk, who won the 68kg gold medal at the European Championships last year, had a tough final against Alina SHEVCHENKO (RUS). She scored a stepout to open the scoring and then used a snap to score a takedown and lead 3-0. She used a trap-arm gut to turn Shevchenko twice and extend her lead to 7-0. Shevchenko scored a point for reversal.

In the second period, Shevchenko managed to score a takedown and turn to cut the lead to 7-5. She then got on another leg attack but Shauchuk pancaked her and scored two points to lead 9-5. A late stepout gave her the victory.

Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), right, defeated Patrycja CUBER (POL) in the 76kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 76kg, Sokolovska, who is trained in Greco-Roman, did not look in trouble at all as she defeated Patrycja CUBER (POL), 8-0, and win the gold medal. She now has the top medal at the U17, U20 and U23 continental levels.

Cuber could never get through the defense of Sokolovska who managed to score takedowns at regular intervals. With the silver medal, Cuber has now lost the finals at U17, U20 and U23 European Championships.

Kerymova gave Ukraine the second gold medal of the night as she won the final at 50kg. Wrestling Aleksandra KOPYLOVA (RUS) for the gold medal, Kerymova managed to scrape through a close 2-1 victory, thanks to an activity clock point and a stepout in the second period.

Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) scores the match-winning takedown during the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Azerbaijan won the gold medal at 59kg when Hurbanova defended her tittle. She was called passive in the first period and gave up point to Marta HETMANAVA (BLR)Hetmanava but managed to score a takedown in the second period and led 2-1. She had to defend her lead for two minutes and 14 seconds to win the title.

Gerda TEREK (HUN) turns Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE) using the leg-lace. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 55kg, Terek completed her dominant run with a 10-0 victory over Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE) in the final. This was her second victory via technical superiority while the other two via fall.

A stepout put Terek on board in the final before an activity clock point and another stepout made it 3-0. Terek soon sprung into action and scored a takedown before two turns via leg-lace to lead 9-0 at the break. She took only 12 seconds in the second period to score the one point needed for the technical superiority win

Carla JAUME (ESP)

Jaume, Vilk in Line for Historic Golds

Earlier in the day, Carla JAUME (ESP) and Veronika VILK (CRO), two bronze medalists from last year's U23 European Championships, created history for their respective countries by reaching the finals at 53kg and 76kg, respectively.

Jaume, Spain's first-ever world silver medalist for Spain in Women's Wrestling, became the first Spanish wrestler to reach the U23 European final. She defeated Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (RUS), 8-5, at 53kg to achieve the feat.

Vilk reached the 76kg final for Croatia to become the country's first-ever U23 European finalist in Women's Wrestling. She pinned Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL) to create history.

Vilk is the first Croatian wrestler to become a world champion in any level and style. She etched her name in history in 2022 when she won the U17 world title in Istanbul.

The two will now look to create further history on Friday when they wrestle in their respective finals. Jaume will take on Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) who pinned Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE) in the other 53kg semifinal.

Vilk will face Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR) who survived late attacks from Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU) to win her 76kg semifinal 4-2.

In other weight classes, senior European bronze medalist and former U20 world champion Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) will take on defending champion and U23 world silver medalist Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (BLR) at 57kg.

Martynava and Filipovych dominated their semifinals, with the former pinning Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR). Filipovych blanked Amory ANDRICH (GER), 8-0, to enter the gold medal bout.

At 62kg, senior world bronze medalist Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) will look to win her first U23 Euro title after she reached the final. She defeated Naemi LEISTNER (GER), 11-0, to book her spot in the gold medal bout against Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) who needed a late stepout to beat Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 3-3.

Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS) and Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR) both picked up falls in their semifinals and will face each other in a bid to win gold at 65kg. Koshkina pinned Maria PANTIRU (ROU) while Tsiarenia pinned Saga SVENSSON (SWE).

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. Aleksandra KOPYLOVA (RUS), 2-1

BRONZE: Svenja JUNGO (SUI) df. Ana ROTARU (ROU), 2-2
BRONZE: Sviatlana KATENKA (BLR) df. Zerda DEMIR (TUR), 7-2

55kg
GOLD: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE), 10-0

BRONZE: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df. Nesrin SYULEYMANOVA (BUL), 10-0
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Valeryia MIKITSICH (BLR), 11-0

59kg
GOLD: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. Marta HETMANAVA (BLR), 2-1

BRONZE: Olha PADOSHYK (POL) df. Sevim AKBAS (TUR), 5-3
BRONZE: Ana PUIU (ROU) df. Viktoria BOYNOVA (BUL), 13-3

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (RUS), 10-5

BRONZE: Karolina POK (HUN) df. Karolina DOMASZUK (POL), 4-1
BRONZE: Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) df. Ayse ERKAN (TUR), 4-2

76kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Patrycja CUBER (POL), 8-0

BRONZE: Mariia SILINA (RUS) df. Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL), 2-0

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) vs. Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

SF 1: Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) df. Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE), via fall (4-2)
SF 2: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) df. Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (RUS), 8-5

57kg
GOLD: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) vs. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (BLR)

SF 1: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), 8-0
SF 2: Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (BLR) df. Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR), via fall

62kg
GOLD: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (RUS)

SF 1: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 3-3
SF 2: Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) df. Naemi LEISTNER (GER), 11-0

65kg
GOLD: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS) vs. Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR)

SF 1: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS) df. Maria PANTIRU (ROU), via fall (8-1)
SF 2: Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR) df. Saga SVENSSON (SWE), via fall (4-0)

72kg
GOLD: Veronika VILK (CRO) vs. Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR)

SF 1: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL), via fall (6-0)
SF 2: Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR) df. Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU), 4-2

Eriomenco, Amirov Return to U23 European Finals

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Sokolovska, Shauchuk Earn U23 European Golds