#Grappling

Four earn double titles at European Grappling Championships

Sunday, June 2, 2024 - 11:51 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (May 29) -- The dominance of Individual Neutral Athletes was challenged by the field in the Grappling Gi competition at the European Grappling Championships in Baku. After AINs won all 10 gold medals in men's grappling, they were stopped to five in Grappling Gi.

Magomedbek TEMEEV (AIN), Artur AGASHIRINOV (AIN) and Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA) upgraded their silver medals to gold in grappling while Shamil MAZHIDKHANOV (AIN) repeated as the European champion.

Jerzy IZDEBSKI (POL), Samy MEZACHE (FRA) and Mateusz MAZUR (POL) were bronze medalists in grappling but managed to win the gold medal in Grappling Gi with some stunning performances.

In women's Grappling Gi, Alicja IRENA (POL) upgraded her silver to gold at 53kg, avenging her loss to Carlota PRENDES (ESP) in the final. Olesia ZHURAVLEVA (AIN) repeated as the champion at 58kg as did Alsu IANSHINA (AIN) at 71kg and Justyna SITKO (POL) at 90kg.

Laila OHLHOFF (GER) made sure she capped off her run at 64kg with a gold medal, beating Veronika KARAKHONOVA (AIN), 6-5, in a thrilling final.

RESULTS

Men’s Grappling Gi

58k
GOLD: Jerzy IZDEBSKI (POL) df. Ilia ABRAMENKO (AIN), via submission

BRONZE: Vahid ALAKBAROV (AZE) df. Bohdan CHORNEI (UKR), via submission

62kg
GOLD: Magomedbek TEMEEV (AIN) df. Dmytro BARANOV (UKR), 7-4

BRONZE: Wojciech GRYZ (POL) df. Philippe ALILAT (FRA), via forfeit
BRONZE: Vladimir KOZLOV (AIN) df. Mykola NYKYFORUK (UKR), via submission

66kg
GOLD: Artur AGASHIRINOV (AIN) df. Giorgi RAZMADZE (GEO), 2-2

BRONZE: Gazimagomed TAGAEV (AIN) df. Bartosz TYRKIEL (POL), via submission
BRONZE: Giovanni SUAREZ (ESP) df. Vadym SKRYNYTSIA (UKR), 4-2

71kg
GOLD: Kurban KADIEV (AIN) df. Sandor LAKATOS (HUN), 3-0

BRONZE: Nico PULVERMUELLER (GER) df. Vladyslav POHORILOV (UKR), 11-0
BRONZE: Dzhimsher RAZMADZE (GEO) df. Piotr DUDZINSKI (POL), 8-0

77kg
GOLD: Magomed DAURBEKOV (AIN) df. Iker CAMARA (ESP), 3-1

BRONZE: Adilkhan VALIEV (AIN) by forfeit
BRONZE: Dumitru CEBAN (MDA) df. Arthur LEROY (FRA), 2-2 in overtime

84kg
GOLD: Samy MEZACHE (FRA) df. Eneko DIEZ PUEBLA (ESP), 3-2

BRONZE: Igor DZIAG (POL) df. Pawel JAWORSKI (POL), via submission (0-4)
BRONZE: Pierre MANZO (FRA) df. Rasul ABDULVADUDOV (AIN), 5-4

92kg
GOLD: Mateusz MAZUR (POL) df. Mantas DAUBLYS (LTU), via cautions (6-2)

BRONZE: Pablo ESTEPA NIETO (ESP) df. Murat KHASANOV (AIN), via disqualification
BRONZE: Imran KHAMIDOV (AIN) df. Levente LAKY (HUN), via submission

100kg
GOLD: Shamil MAZHIDKHANOV (AIN) df. Francisco MARTINEZ VILA (ESP), 18-0

BRONZE: Ivan MALIN (UKR) df. Andrzej IWAT (POL), via decision
BRONZE: Vasif SAFARBAYOV (AZE) df. Arnold OCULI (FRA), 8-2

130kg
GOLD: Eldar RAFIGAEV (MDA) df. Eldar MAMMADOV (AZE), via submission (0-2)

BRONZE: Wojciech WILK (POL) df. Viktor KLIUEV (AIN), 2-0

Women’s Grappling Gi

53kg
GOLD: Alicja IRENA (POL) df. Carlota PRENDES (ESP), 7-5

BRONZE: Kristina RAU (GER) df. Daria LUKIANCHIKOVA (AIN), via submission

58kg
GOLD: Olesia ZHURAVLEVA (AIN) df. Irina KUPRINA (AIN), via submission

BRONZE: Jazmin ARJONA (ESP) df. Paulina STASKIEWICZ (POL), 5-3

64kg
GOLD: Laila OHLHOFF (GER) df. Veronika KARAKHONOVA (AIN), 6-5

BRONZE: Anna CASTELLS (ESP) df. Joanna ZABULEWICZ (POL), 2-1
BRONZE: Daria CHIBISOVA (UKR) df. Viktoriia PANCHENKO (UKR), via submission

71kg
GOLD: Alsu IANSHINA (AIN)
SILVER: Alycia QUENEE (FRA)
BRONZE: Emily GUENZLER (GER)

90kg
GOLD: Justyna SITKO (POL)
SILVER: Alena VLASOVA (AIN)
BRONZE: Paula MARTINEZ (ESP)

#WrestleSamokov

U.S. puts 2 in U20 Worlds finals; Kurugliyev closer to title

Monday, August 18, 2025 - 15:01 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 18) -- Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) earned himself a chance to win his first U20 world title after he made it to 92kg final Monday in Samokov, Bulgaria.

Kurugliyev, a former world U17 champion, has made the trip to World U20 Championships twice before this year but finished fifth in 2023 and won bronze in 2024, both at 97kg. He moved down to 92kg for this year's tournament and already upgraded his medal.

In a tough semifinal against returning bronze medalist Anar JAFARLI (AZE), Kurugliyev won a close bout 9-6, thanks to an early four-pointer move which gave him a huge advantage. Jafarli got a couple of takedowns but never seemed to trouble the Kazakhstan wrestler.

Kurugliyev will now face Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) in the final after the Uzbekistan wrestler pinned Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW) in the other semifinal at 92kg.

Poyonov, the Asian U20 champion, blocked Gadzhibatyrov in one of the attacks and then kept him on the mat, pinning his shoulders for the win. Poyonov will look to become the first Uzbekistan wrestler to win gold since 2022.

The U.S. got two finalists on Monday at 65kg and 79kg. At 65kg, Luke STANICH (USA) defeated European U20 and U23 champion Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) with some of the best wrestling in Samokov. Stanich kept his positions and defense and ultimately managed to score a takedown in the second period to beat Dzhandubaev 3-1 in the semifinals.

He will face Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) for the gold medal after the Japanese wrestler blanked Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 10-0, using a series of stepouts and lace. Uchida is a product of the Yamanashi Gaikun University, the same university that produced world champion Masanosuke ONO (JPN) and Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN).

Pan-American U20 champion William HENCKEL (USA) defeated Asian U20 champion AMIT (IND), 5-4, using a takedown and gut-wrench in the first period. He scored a stepout when put on activity period and then added a takedown and turn. Amit blocked the second turn attempt for two points but Henckel led 5-2 at the break.

Amit managed a stepout and point for passivity from Henckel but that was all for him as the U.S. wrestler moved into the final in which he will face returning bronze medalist and senior Asian champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI).

At one point in the semifinal, Yousefi was down against European U20 bronze medalist Said SAIDULOV (UWW). But he managed to score takedowns at regular intervals to defeat Saidulov 15-7.

At 57kg, Sumit MALIK (IND) dominated his semifinal against Ion BULGARU (MDA) and won 11-3 and booked place in the final against Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) who held on to a nervous 3-1 win over Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) in the other semifinal.

Malik got on board first when he scored a stepout during his activity clock. He added a stepout and takedown to make it 4-0 at the break. He kept his attacks and got another takedown and stepout in the second period to build a 7-0 lead.

Bulgaru finally hit back with a takedown on the edge to cut the lead to 7-2 but Malik kept relentless forward pressure, scoring a stepout and takedown to lead 10-2. Both wrestlers were cautioned for open hands on faces but that did not affect Malik, who won 11-3 win.

Ozdamirov, who showed some crafty wrestling throughout the day, denied Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), 3-1, thanks to a takedown in the second period.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) vs. Sumit MALIK (IND)

SF 1: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) df. Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), 3-1
SF 2: Sumit MALIK (IND) df. Ion BULGARU (MDA), 11-3

65kg
GOLD: Luke STANICH (USA) vs. Reiji UCHIDA (JPN)

SF 1: Luke STANICH (USA) df. Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW), 3-1
SF 2: Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) df. Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) vs. William HENCKEL (USA)

SF 1: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Said SAIDULOV (UWW), 15-7
SF 2: William HENCKEL (USA) df. AMIT (IND), 5-4

92kg
GOLD: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) vs. Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) df. Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW), via fall
SF 2: Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) df. Anar JAFARLI (AZE), 9-6