#WrestleBudapest

European Olympic Games Qualifier Entries

By Eric Olanowski

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 10) --- Hungary's capital city of Budapest will host 280 athletes from 35 different nations for the European Olympic Games Qualifier (March 18-21). The top two wrestlers at each weight class will qualify their nation for August's Tokyo Olympic Games.

The European Olympic Games Qualifier will be the third qualifying event for the Olympic Games. Wrestlers who finished top-six at the '19 World Championships in Nur-Sultan and top-two at the Pan-American Olympic Qualifier punched their nation's ticket to The Games.

Wrestling begins on Thursday, March 18, and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

Freestyle

57kg
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE)
Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR) 
Georgi Valentinov VANGELOV (BUL)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) 
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)
Simone Vincenzo PIRODDU (ITA)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Razvan Marian KOVACS (ROU) 
Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)

65kg
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR)
Vladimir Vladimirov DUBOV (BUL)
Juan Pablo GONZALEZ CRESPO (ESP)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) 
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Abdellatif MANSOUR (ITA)
Elmedin SEJFULAU (MKD)
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
George BUCUR (ROU)
David HABAT (SLO)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR)

74kg
Eriglent PRIZRENI (ALB)
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE)
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR)
Ali Pasha Ruslanovich UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
Jonatan ALVAREZ DIAZ (ESP)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Charles André AFA (FRA)
Amir Reza GHASEMIKIA (GBR)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Andrius MAZEIKA (LTU)
Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Tajmuraz Mairbekovic SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Denys PAVLOV (UKR)

86kg
Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Ali SHABANAU (BLR)
Akhmed Adamovitch MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Ville Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA)
Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO)
Ahmed Ruslanovic DUDAROV (GER)
Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE)
Istvan VEREB (HUN)
Patrik SZUROVSZK I(HUN)
Milan MESTER (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOVI (SR)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR)


Rio Olympic bronze medalist Albert SARITOV (ROU) will compete at 97kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

97kg
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR)
Ahmed Sultanovich BATAEV( BUL)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER)
Timofei XENIDIS (GRE)
Milan Andras KORCSOG (HUN)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Albert SARITOV (ROU)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR)
Mahamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR)
Georgi Lyubomirov IVANOV (BUL)
Jose CUBA VAZQUEZ (ESP)
Jere Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Shamil SHARIPOV (RUS)


 '17 world champion Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) will be Russia's rep at 77kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Greco-Roman

60kg
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Soslan DAUROV (BLR)
Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO)
Juuso Aleksi LATVALA (FIN)
Etienne KINSINGER (GER)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Stig Andre BERGE (NOR)
Dawid Andrzej ERSETIC (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Ardit FAZLJIJA (SWE)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)

67kg
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
Islambek DADOV (AZE)
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Ivo Krasimirov ILIEV (BUL)
Elmer Joakim MATTILA (FIN)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Balint KORPASI (HUN)
Ruben MARVICE (ITA)
Edgaras VENCKAITIS (LTU)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Daniel Mattias SOINI (SWE)}
Atakan YUKSEL (TUR)
Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)
Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW)

77kg
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Matias Olavi Iisakki LIPASTI (FIN)
Johnny Just BUR (FRA)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Pascal EISELE (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Roman ZHERNOVETSKI (ISR)
Luca DARIOZZI (ITA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Mateusz Lukasz WOLNY (POL)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Fatih CENGIZ (TUR)
Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)

87kg
Artur SHAHINYAN (ARM)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Tarek Mohamed ABDELSLAM SHEBLE MOHAMED (BUL)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Vili Tapio ROPPONEN (FIN)
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)
Dimitrios PAPADOPOULOS (GRE)
Fabio PARISI (ITA)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) 
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)
Kristoffer Zakarias BERG (SWE)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)

97kg
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE)
Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR)
Kiril Milenov MILOV (BUL)
Artur OMAROV (CZE) 
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA)
Ramsin AZIZSIR (GER)
Laokratis KESIDIS (GRE)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
Balazs KISS (HUN)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Pontus Johan LUND (SWE)
Oleksandr SHYSHMAN (UKR)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Georgi CHUGOSHVILI (BLR)
Radoslav Plamenov GEORGIEV (BUL)
Stepan DAVID (CZE)
Konsta Johannes MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Nikolaos NTOUNIAS (GRE)
Adam VARGA (HUN)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Sergei SEMENOV (RUS)
Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB)
Mykola KUCHMII (UKR)

London Olympic champion Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) will compete at 76kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Women's Wrestling 
 

50kg
Natallia VARAKINA (BLR)
Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL)
Taru Marketta VAINIONPAEAE (FIN)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Iwona Nina MATKOWSKA (POL)
Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)
Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR)

53kg
Leyla GURBANOVA(AZE)
Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR)
Sezen Behchetova BELBEROVA (BUL)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Nina HEMMER( GER)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Szimonetta Timea SZEKER (HUN)
Jessica Cornelia Francisca BLASZKA (NED)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
Sofia Magdalena MATTSSON (SWE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)

57kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Laura MERTENS (GER)
Emese BARKA (HUN)
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)

Rio Olympic runner-up Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR) headlines the 62kg entries. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

62kg
Tetiana OMELCHENKO(AZE)
Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER)
Sara DA COL (ITA)
Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)

68kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)

Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR)
Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Irina RINGAC I(MDA)
Agnieszka Jadwiga WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL)
Alexandra Nicoleta ANGHEL (ROU)
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)


76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Gozal ZUTOVA (AZE)
Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
Mariya Gerginova ORYASHKOVA (BUL)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Georgina Olwen NELTHORPE (GBR)
Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE)
Zsanett NEMETH (HUN)
Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
Eleni PJOLLAJ (ITA)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR) 
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)

#WrestleAthens

Greece gets Greco finalist at U17 Worlds; Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan keep up

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 29) -- Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan continued their superb show in Greco-Roman at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece by earned two more spots in the finals.

On day one, the two countries, along with Georgia, were the only ones to enter multiple wrestlers in the final. On Tuesday, they added more while hosts Greece managed to enter one wrestler in the final, just the third-ever in Greco at World U17 Championships.

Asian U17 champion and returning bronze medalist at 71kg Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) led the way for his country, reaching the final after beating returning silver medalist from 65kg Yusif AHMADLI (AZE), 9-5, in the semifinal.

Ahmadli raced to a 5-0 lead from par terre but Valiev scored two stepouts before the break to cut the lead to 5-2. He got par terre in the second but failed to score any points. However, another stepout made it 5-4. Valiev kept pushing the pace of the bout and managed an awkward throw for four points. Azerbaijan challenged in vain as Valiev got the win.

It is at this weight class that Greece will look to bag a gold medal as Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE) became just the third finalist for Greece at a World U17 Championships after he defeated Marlen MEIRBEKULY (KAZ), 9-8, in a thrilling semifinal. 

Soulis led 8-4 with 10 seconds remaining in the bout when Meirbekuly hit a four-pointer to make it 8-8. However, Soulis had the criteria with a scoring action of four points, two points and two points while Meirbekuly had actions of one point, one point, two points and four points.

The second finalist for Uzbekistan came at 51kg after Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) reversed the par terre and then scored four gut-wrenches to beat Polat KARADENIZ (TUR), 9-1, in the semifinals. He will face Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) in the final who got a stepout with 18 seconds left against Asian U17 champion Islam KURBANOV (KGZ) to beat him 4-3 in the other semifinal.

Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) became the star for Kyrgyzstan as he surprised European champion Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE) with a big headlock throw for four points to start the semifinal. A lost challenge from Azerbaijan made it 5-0 for Kumarbekov.

With no passivity call in the second period, Kumarbekov kept his pace and Huseynli tried some desperate moves, getting for a takedown which gave Kumarbekov a 7-0 win.

It would have been an Kyrgyzstan-Iran final but Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) had other ideas. He rallied from behind to beat Benyamin KHEZLI (IRI).

The Iranian took just 20 seconds to get on board with a takedown and turn that was only awarded after a challenge from Iran. He took a 4-0 lead against Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) who used some solid arm-drags to score a stepout and then a takedown to cut it to 4-3.

As the time ran out, Zhangazhol dished out one more attack and got the headlock for four points. While Khezli got a counter turn, that was not enough for a win as Zhangazhol kept his 7-6 lead. Iran challenged the final move but it was a clear throw from Zhangazhol. The loss left Khezli in tears.

At 60kg, European bronze medalist Denys SEREDIN (UKR) suffered a heartbreaking loss in the semifinals as Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ) used a front headlock throw for four points with just 00:03 left on the clock to win 5-1 and earn a place in the final.

Seredin had defended well for the full match and was leading 1-1 on criteria but he let his guard down for the final five seconds of the bout.

Ysakbaev will take European silver medalist Ali NAZAROV (AZE) in the final after the Azerbaijani defeated Abolfazl ZARE (IRI) 1-1 in the other semifinal. Nazarov was winner based on the criteria that he scored the first point in an 1-1 scoreline match.

At 92kg, Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW), who was seventh last year, booked a spot in the final this year after a 3-1 win over Ionut PATRU (ROU). Both wrestler got par terre positions but Patru was docked two points for headbutting in the second period which proved to be the difference between the two.

Winning the gold, however, will be a big ask for Kasyan as he faces Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) in the final after he cleaned up Ahmet UZUN (TUR) 7-0 in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ)

SF 1: Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) df. Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE), 7-0
SF 2: Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) df. Benyamin KHEZLI (IRI), 8-6

51kg
GOLD: Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) vs. Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE)

SF 1: Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) df. Islam KURBANOV (KGZ), 4-3
SF 2: Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) df. Polat KARADENIZ (TUR), 10-1

60kg
GOLD: Ali NAZAROV (AZE) vs. Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ)

SF 1: Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ) df. Denys SEREDIN (UKR), 6-1
SF 2: Ali NAZAROV (AZE) df. Abolfazl ZARE (IRI), 1-1

71kg
GOLD: Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) vs. Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE)

SF 1: Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) df. Yusif AHMADLI (AZE), 9-5
SF 2: Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE) df. Marlen MEIRBEKULY (KAZ), 9-8

92kg
GOLD: Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW)

SF 1: Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Ahmet UZUN (TUR), 7-0
SF 2: Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW) df. Ionut PATRU (ROU), 3-1