Georgia Grabs Greco-Roman U23 European Team Title

Wednesday, March 6, 2019 - 21:05 By Eric Olanowski

NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 6) – Georgia (178 points) wrapped up the Greco-Roman team title at the U23 European Championships, 11 points ahead of second-place Russia (167 points). They closed out the final day of Greco-Roman wrestling with a solo gold medalist and brought their tournament championship total to five.

Ramaz ZOIDZE was Georgia’s fifth overall gold medalist. He won the 72kg title with a controlling 7-1 victory over Russia’s Magomed YARBILOV (RUS).

Georgia’s second Day 3 finalist was Giorgi MELIA (GEO). Melia fell to Finland’s Arvi SAVOLAINEN, 4-1, in the 97kg gold-medal match. The Georgian led 1-1 on criteria but gave up a late takedown and a lost challenge dropping the match, 4-1. Although he didn’t leave as a titleholder, Melia’s silver medal still helped Georgia win the team title by claiming his 20-second place points.

Meanwhile, second-place Russia had a trio of Day 3 finalists but only walked away with a single champion.

Alen MIRZOIAN claimed Russia’s second overall gold of the tournament, blowing out the host nation’s Sebastian NAD, 10-0, in the opening period of the 67kg gold-medal bout.

Mirzoian grabbed the 1-0 lead with a passivity point, then quickly went to work in the par terre position. The Russian picked up two points from a leg foul and added a point from a failed Serbian challenge, which brought the score to 4-0. The returning U23 European champion closed out the match 10-0 with a four-point throw and a gut wrench for good measures.

In the 82kg finals, Zotlan LEVAI (HUN) trailed 1-1 on criteria before picking up the match's first takedown to steal the gold medal from Russia’s third finalist Vaag MARGARIAN, 3-1.

Levai's Wednesday night win gave him his second U23 European title. He also won the 2017 U23 European title.

The final gold medal of the day went to Kerem KAMAL, who defeated Romania’s Razvan ARNAUT in the 60kg gold-medal bout and helped Turkey finished in third place in the team race.

In the finals, Kamal scored the first passivity points, but a Romanian reversal evened the match at 1-1. The Turkish wrestler scored a late period step out and regained the lead, 2-1, heading into the closing period.

Kamal started the second period with a pair of step outs, extending his lead to 4-1. Kamal stopped an arm throw attempt and wrapped up his second consecutive U23 European Championships with a gold medal, bringing his overall age-group European gold medal bout to five.

Georgia won the Greco-Roman team title with 178 points. Russia had 167 points and finished in second place. Turkey, Romania, and Ukraine rounded out the top-five respectively.

Greco-Roman
Team Scores
GOLD – Georgia (178 points)
SILVER – Russia (167 points)
BRONZE - Turkey (141 points)
Fourth – Romania (78 points)
Fifth – Ukraine (70 points)

60kg
GOLD - Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Razvan ARNAUT (ROU), 5-1
BRONZE - Ivo Krasimirov ILIEV (BUL) df. Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR), 4-2
BRONZE - Sadyk LALAEV (RUS) df. Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO), 7-0

67kg
GOLD - Alen MIRZOIAN (RUS) df. Sebastian NAD (SRB), 10-0
BRONZE - Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Valentin PETIC (MDA), 8-0
BRONZE - Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR) df. Alexandru SOLOMON (ROU), 7-4

72kg
GOLD - Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) df. Magomed YARBILOV (RUS), 7-1
BRONZE - Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR) df. Juan Sebastian AAK (NOR), 9-5
BRONZE - Stoyan Stoychev KUBATOV (BUL) df. Islambek DADOV (AZE), 4-2

82kg
GOLD - Zotlan LEVAI (HUN) vs. Vaag MARGARIAN (RUS), 3-1
BRONZE - Hasan Basri YILDIRIM (TUR) df. ltun VAZIRZADE (AZE), 2-0
BRONZE - Stanislau SHAFARENKA (BLR) df. Svetoslav NIKOLOV (BUL), via fall

97kg
GOLD - Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) df. Giorgi MELIA (GEO), 4-1
BRONZE - Ibrahim TIGCI (TUR) df. Ruslan BEKUZAROV (RUS), 5-0
BRONZE - Vladen KOZLIUK (UKR) df. Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE), via fall

#Pankration

World Combat Games: Ukraine dominates Pankration with six golds

Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - 17:37 By United World Wrestling Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (October 25) -- Five months ago, they led Ukraine’s march at the Pankration World Championships. On Wednesday, they continued the European powerhouse’s fine run at the World Combat Games in Riyadh as Ukraine grabbed six out of the 10 possible gold medals across men's and women's categories.

Ukrainian athletes reigned supreme in four out of the five categories in the men’s event, with Oleksandr HULIAIEV (71kg), Kyrylo HOROBETS (84kg), Roman KIZIUK (92kg), Bohdan HNIDKO (100kg) winning gold medals.

Ali GULIYEV (AZE) was the only non-Ukrainian to win a gold medal on Wednesday. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

World champion Ihor ZHOVNIR (UKR) suffered a shock defeat in the semifinals to eventual silver medallist Sabit ZHUSSIP (KAZ), which dented Ukraine’s hopes of winning all six gold medals in the men’s section. Ali GULIYEV (AZE) won the gold medal in the 66kg weight class by beating Zhussip.

In the women’s event, Anna BEZHENAR (53kg) and Daria CHIBISOVA (65kg) finished on top of the podium on a memorable day for the country’s athletes at the World Combat Games.

Huliaiev hardly broke a sweat during his three bouts in which he did not concede a single point. He began with a submission win over Ali SHARIFOV (AZE) in the quarterfinals and followed it up with a 5-0 verdict against Zhassulan AKIMZHAN (KAZ) in the semifinals. In the final, Huliaiev defeated Marvin BELECCIU (ROU) via submission after a 10-1 lead to win the gold medal.

Kyrylo HOROBETS (UKR) won the 80kg final 4-2 against Khasan NAFULLAEV (UZB). (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

It wasn’t as easy for Horobets, who began with a 14-5 win over Turkman MAMMADLI (AZE) before conjuring a 10-3 win against Samat SHAGYRAYEV (KAZ) – whom he had beaten in the World Championship final – in the last four. In the final, Horobets beat Khasan NAFULLAEV (UZB) 4-2.

Kiziuk, too, was dominant on his way to the top of the podium as he won all his bouts via superiority. He began by overcoming Daniel GOREA (MDA) 13-1 in the quarterfinals before beating Islom BALTAEV (UZB) 15-1 in the semis. In the final, Kiziuk defeated Duman BALMUKHANOV (KAZ) 13-1.

In another rematch of the World Championship title bout, Hnidko beat Diyar NURGOZHAY (KAZ) 13-1 technical superiority to complete a double over his opponent and win another gold medal.

Anna BEZHENAR (UKR) won the 53kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Meanwhile, in the women’s bouts, Bezhenar was quick off the blocks as she downed Dimitra PAFRA (GRE) via submission in her opening match before defeating Danielle LENTINI (CAN) 11-2 in the semifinals. In the title round, the Ukrainian defeated world championship bronze medallist Mukhlisa NABIJONOVA (UZB) 10-3.

Ukraine’s final gold medal of the day came from Chibisova in the 65kg category. Chibisova defeated Alessia AMENDOLA (ITA) and Esmira MAMMADOVA (AZE) in the early rounds before beating Meruyert IBRAYEVA 9-3 to win the gold.

Khilola SOBIROVA (UZB) earned the 57kg gold medal at the World Combat Games. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Uzbekistan, the United States and Germany were other countries that won gold medals in the women’s events.

Khilola SOBIROVA (UZB) defeated Viktoriia SYNIAVINA (UKR) 6-3 to give Uzbekistan a memorable title in the 57kg category while Lorena CUBERO (GER) gave Germany their first gold medal, beating Vincenza AMENDOLA (ITA) 5-1 in the 70kg final.

The four medalists at 80kg with Madeline SCHELLMAN (USA) with the gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The long gold medal for the U.S. was won by Madeline SCHELLMAN (USA) as her opponent Mereke ZHUNUSSOVA (KAZ) was called unfit to continue and injured after Schellman had built a 10-1 lead in the final. Schellman won the gold in the 80kg category.

Georgia Grabs Greco-Roman U23 European Team Title

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World Combat Games: Ukraine dominates Pankration with six golds