Gutu returns, Mihai ends drought at U23 Europeans

Tuesday, March 14, 2023 - 19:10 By Vinay Siwach

BUCHAREST, Romania (March 14) -- For a period of one year from mid-2018, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) dominated every competition participated in. He won the U17 World and European Championships along with the Youth Olympics sandwiched between the two.

But for the next six tournaments, Gutu failed to win a gold medal and reached the final in only one. He ended the title drought with a gold at the U20 European Championships in 2021. He defended his title a year later but that was the only highlight of the year as he fell in the U20 and U23 World Championships.

After beginning 2023 with silver and bronze at the two Ranking Series, Gutu on Tuesday warmed up for the European Championships with a gold medal at the U23 European Championships in Bucharest, Romania. The U23 title means that only the senior gold is left to win and complete the set of continental titles.

The 21-year-old wrestled defending champion Khasay HASANLI (AZE) in the 77kg final and was in trouble early as Hasanli got the par terre. Gutu wanted to sneak out of the position but got stuck and gave up two points. But when Hasanli tried to lift Gutu for another throw, he lost balance and Gutu got the two points for exposure. Then came the trademark front headlock by which he scored another two points to lead 4-3 at the break.

Gutu did not relent in the second period as well and scored two pushouts as Hasanli struggled to match his pace for six minutes. The Moldovan won 6-3 for his first gold of the year.

David LOSONCZI (HUN) celebrates after beating Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) in the 87kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostandin Andonov)

Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) was not as lucky as Gutu and failed to complete his set of European titles as he fell in the 87kg final for the second straight year.

David LOSONCZI (HUN) followed Istvan TAKACS (HUN) in denying Bisultanov in the final as he scrambled through for a 4-3 win in Bucharest.

World silver medalist Bisultanov got the par terre in the first period and scored an arm trap gut to lead 3-0. He did remain aggressive in the second period but the referees called him passive and Losonczi got the par terre.

Losonczi, a bronze medalist at the 2022 World Championships, managed to get a turn just in time to gain a 3-3 criteria lead which Bisultanov challenged for a foul. However, he lost the challenge as the referees deemed it a clean move and Losonczi got a 4-3 lead.

Despite his desperate efforts to score a point, Bisultanov, who got a second par terre position, fell short. But he would be hoping to turn around things by the time the European Championships, in which he is the defending champion, knock on the door in a month's time.

Denis MIHAI (ROU) won the 55kg gold medal at home. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Mihai's home run

After 13 attempts, Denis MIHAI (ROU) finally got his much-deserved gold medal at a championships as he won the 55kg weight class. The victory was made sweeter as he made a comeback in the final to win at home.

Mihai has been in the finals of different championships over the years but failed to win a gold medal. But Tuesday was different as he defeated Karapet MANVELYAN (ARM) 7-3 in the final.

After a slow first period in which Mihai led 1-0 for Manvelyan's passivity, wrestling picked up pace in the second as Mihai was called passive and Manvelyan scored from par terre to lead 3-1.

Mihai received a second par terre position and this time made no mistake, scoring a stunning front throw for four points for a 5-3 lead. As Manvelyan tried to regain the lead, he got countered by Mihai who scored two more points to win 7-3.

The crowd went into a frenzy as soon as the final whistle blew with Mihai acknowledging the praise and falling onto the mat to soak the moment.

Tino OJALA (FIN) defeated Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO) in the 63kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Ojala gets one for Finland

As an early contender for breakout performer of the tournament, Tino OJALA (FIN) won his first major gold medal on Tuesday. The wrestler became only the second from Finland to win a gold medal at U23 European Championships after Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) who won at 97kg in 2019.

Ojala's victory at 63kg meant that defending champion Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO), who lost 5-4, was denied a second straight gold medal.

A correct throw from par terre in the first period gave Ojala a 3-0 lead in the final but Shotadze answered with a takedown using an arm throw 30 seconds before the break to cut the lead to 3-2.

Shotadze got the par terre position in the second period but failed to score. However, he still led 3-3 on criteria for scoring the last point.

Ojala got his chance to reverse the lead as Shotadze was called for passivity. He scored a gut wrench to take a 5-3 lead, a huge moment in the bout which saw only a stepout more action and Ojala winning 5-4.

Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) won his first U23 European title after beating Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (UKR). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 130kg, U20 world champion Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) won his first U23 European title after beating Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO), 4-1, in the final.

Vyshnyvetskyi led only 1-0 at the break, a point for Tsopurashvili's passivity. But he did not slow down in the second and scored via exposure when Tsopurashvili tried doing a bearhug. Georgia challenged the call and lost to give Vyshnyvetskyi a 4-0 lead in the final.

The Ukrainian was called passive later in the second period but that was all the damage that occurred to him as Tsopurashvili failed to score from par terre and left the gold medal to his opponent.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df. Karapet MANVELYAN (ARM), 7-3

BRONZE: Muhammet CAKIR (TUR) df. Sabolc LOSONC (SRB), 9-0
BRONZE: Eduard STRILCHUK (UKR) df. Leonid MOROZ (MDA), 8-3

63kg
GOLD: Tino OJALA (FIN) df. Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO), 5-4

BRONZE: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Andrii SEMENCHUK (UKR), 11-0
BRONZE: Mairbek SALIMOV (POL) df. Ismail CULFA (TUR), 10-2

77kg
GOLD: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Khasay HASANLI (AZE), 6-3

BRONZE: Deni NAKAEV (GER) df. Khvicha ANANIDZE (GEO), 9-1
BRONZE: Mykyta POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Sahan ACAR (TUR), 3-2

87kg
GOLD: David LOSONCZI (HUN) df. Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN), 4-3

BRONZE: Muhutdin SARICICEK (TUR) df. Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL), 2-1
BRONZE: Hovhannes HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA), via fall

130kg
GOLD: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Giorgi TSOPURASHVILI (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Albert VARDANYAN (ARM) df. Marcel ALBINI (CZE), 6-1
BRONZE: Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) df. Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE), 4-0

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds: Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan put two each in Greco finals

Monday, July 28, 2025 - 16:33 By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 28) -- Athens and Olympics are incomplete without each other. The Olympic flame is lit in Athens, as a mark of ancient Olympics and modern Olympic restarting in Athens in 1896.

So as the World U17 Championships kicked off in Athens on Monday, the opening ceremony had to be about the fire of the flame. The wrestlers too were fired up in action on the mat.

Wrestlers from seven different countries made it to the Greco-Roman finals on day one of the tournament which began with 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia entered two wrestlers each in Tuesday's finals.

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Kazakhstan's run began with 48kg as Asian U17 champion Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ) earned himself a chance to win a world title after he defeated Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN), who was 12th last year at the World U17 Championships, in a back-and-forth semifinal at 48kg.

Yamamoto led 2-0 but Kumaruly hit a headlock throw for four points on the edge and got a 4-2 lead. But the Japanese was not one to give up. He scored a takedown and turn to reclaim the lead, 6-4. Kazakhstan challenged the scoring and won it as the first throw from Yamamoto was not considered as control.

Kumaruly led 4-4 on criteria and then executed a similar throw for four points and won the semifinal 8-4. He will face Asian U17 bronze medalist Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) in the final after the Uzbekistan wrestler defeated Baris SOYLU (TUR) in the semifinal.

Soylu began with a two-pointer counter to get on the scoreboard but failed to turn Hasanov from par terre. He led 3-0 going into the break and then defended his par terre position in the second period to give himself a good chance to reach the final.

However, Hasanov mounted a comeback with a front headlock throw four points to lead 5-3, and later added a takedown and a turn to win 11-3.

Asian U17 champion Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) reached the World U17 Championships final at 55kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Another Asian U17 champion reached the final in Athens as Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) defended a pushing Aditya GUPTA (IND) in the 55kg semifinals. He booked a place in the final against Nurali ASKAR (KAZ), who finished fifth at the Asian U17 Championships, in what will be a rematch of the semifinal from Vietnam.

Abdirasulov had a big four-point throw and raced to a 6-0 lead in the semifinal against Gupta who managed to get one on board with a stepout. Gupta then got lucky as Abdirasulov tried an arm-spin but landed on his back and Gupta completed the control for four points. However, Abdirasulov kept his 6-5 lead for the remaining 90 seconds to win the semifinal.

Aksar turned Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) from par terre to lead 3-0 in the other semifinal and gave up just a stepout when he was put in par terre to win 3-2. Barotov was hoping to becoming just the second wrestler from Tajikistan to reach a World Championships final in Greco-Roman.

Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO), European U17 champion, reached the 65kg final in Athens and will taken on Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), an opponent he defeated in Euro final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A rematch of the European U17 Championships will be played at 65kg after Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) and Janes NAZARYAN (ARM) made it to Tuesday's gold-medal bout. Tavberidze had humbled Nazaryan 9-0 in the final in Skopje in June.

Tavberidze outperformed ANUJ (IND) in the semifinal, scoring eight points from gut-wrench in the semifinal period to win 9-1 while Nazaryan had to work a little harder against Yehor TARASENKO (UKR) in the other semifinal.

He got the first par terre position and scored a drop on Tarasenko for four but Ukraine challenged and the call was overturned. With a 1-0 lead, Nazaryan defended the position from par terre in the second period. As Tarasenko let off of the hold, Nazaryan scored a takedown and won 3-1.

Tavberidze took out Dosbol SHAMIL (KAZ) in his opening bout 5-3 before beating Maxim DAMASCHIN (MDA) in the 1/8 final. He blanked Shohijahon BOBOEV (TJK) in the quarterfinals.

Nazaryan had an equally good run to the final as he defeated Pan-American U17 champion Arseni KIKINOU (USA), Huseyn ISGANDAROV (AZE) and Kyliane EDDOUH (FRA).

Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) pinned Nurislam OSKONBAEV (KGZ) in the 80kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) showed why he is one of the top upcoming wrestlers as he slammed Nurislam OSKONBAEV (KGZ) with a bodylock four and then secured the fall in the 80kg semifinal. He is now one win away from winning the world title.

But standing between him and gold medal is Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) who needed a late stepout to beat Ismail BEREKET (TUR), 2-1 in the other semifinal. The Georgian finished fifth at the European U17 Championships but in 92kg.

In what turned out be a poor day for Iran, the defending team champions, Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) gave it something to cheer about after making the 110kg final. That was the finalist for Iran on Monday.

Taking on Temuri SIMSIVE (GEO) in the semifinals, Delrouz had a takedown sandwiched between his two par terre points to win 4-0.

Asian U17 champion HARDEEP (IND) defeated Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR) in the 110kg semifinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

He will take on Asian U17 champion HARDEEP (IND) who denied Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR) another chance to be in the final. The Turkiye wrestler had finished fifth last year.

Capkan got the 1-0 lead in the semifinal but Hardeep bounced back with a stepout. Capkan managed to get one back and take a 2-1 lead but that was the last point he scored.

Hardeep came back with a takedown and then got the par terre point in the second period and won the semifinal 4-2.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ) vs. Bunyod HASANOV (UZB)

SF 1: Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) df. Baris SOYLU (TUR), 12-3
SF 2: Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ) df. Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN), 8-4

55kg
GOLD: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) vs. Nurali ASKAR (KAZ)

SF 1: Nurali ASKAR (KAZ) df. Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK), 4-2
SF 2: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) df. Aditya GUPTA (IND), 6-5

65kg
GOLD: Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) vs. Janes NAZARYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Janes NAZARYAN (ARM) df. Yehor TARASENKO (UKR), 3-1
SF 2: Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) df. ANUJ (IND), 9-1

80kg
GOLD: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) vs. Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB)

SF 1: Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) df. Nurislam OSKONBAEV (KGZ), via fall (4-2)
SF 2: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) df. Ismail BEREKET (TUR), 2-1

110kg
GOLD: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) vs. HARDEEP (IND)

SF 1: HARDEEP (IND) df. Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR), 4-2
SF 2: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) df. Temuri SIMSIVE (GEO), 4-0

Gutu returns, Mihai ends drought at U23 Europeans

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U17 Worlds: Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan put two each in Greco finals