#WrestleNice

Henri Deglane Entries (January 20-23)

By Eric Olanowski

NICE, Frace (January 11) -- In what will be the beginning of yet another calendar year for wrestling, Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane 2022 will kick off things as international competitions resume. The tournament will be held in Nice, France from February 20-23 under strict COVID-19 preventive measures. 

The tournament is headlined by stars including Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) at 68kg in women's wrestling and her teammate at 57kg Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), a three-time world medalist.

A host of young stars are also entered headlined by the USA squad which includes former age-group world championships John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA), Mark HALL (USA) and Zahid VALENCIA (USA).  

U23 World Championships silver medalist Kendra DACHER (FRA) will be carrying the local hopes as she is entered at 72kg. Junior world silver medalist Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) at 86kg will lead the freestyle team for France.

U23 world champion Anhelina LYSAK (POL) is also entered at 57kg and will be joined by her teammate and Olympian Roksana ZASINA (POL) in what looks like a full squad from Poland.

Horst LEHR (GER), a senior world bronze medalist at 57kg, will be the favorite to claim the title as he warms up to a big year ahead.

Junior world champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE) is also entered for the tournament which begins with all 10 weight classes of women on day one followed by six weight classes of freestyle on Day Two, four freestyle and two Greco-Roman weights on Day Three and six Greco-Roman weights on the fourth and final day.

Freestyle

57kg
Guesseppe Ricardo REA VILLARROEL (ECU)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Horst Justin Junior LEHR (GER)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Petru CRACIUN (MDA)
Gary GIORDMAINA (MLT)
Darian Toi CRUZ (PUR)
Thomas EPP (SUI)

61kg 
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Khamzat Timourovitch ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Adam Visrailovitch BIBOULATOV (FRA)
Viktor Viktorowitsch LYZEN (GER)
Nico MEGERLE (GER)
Igor CHICHIOI (MDA)
Nils LEUTERT (SUI)
Daniel Nkrumah DESHAZER (USA)

65kg 
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Carlos ALVAREZ IGLESIAS (ESP)
Carlos GUAL REBASSA (ESP)
Quentin Jean-René STICKER (FRA)
Arman Norik ELOYAN (FRA)
Niklas Dietmar DORN (GER)
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Leon GERSTENBERGER (GER)
Moritz Jonathan LANGER (GER)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Eduard GRIGOREV (POL)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Dominik LARITZ (SUI)
John Michael DIAKOMIHALIS (USA)
Antonio Perry TOLBERT (USA)
Patricio LUGO III (USA)

70kg
Benedikt HUBER (AUT)
Pablo DIEZ PARDO (ESP)
Shamil USTAEV (GER)
NRaul ZARBALIEV (ISR)
Patryk Krzysztof OLENCZYN (POL)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Kevin Gerry MAKOTA STROEM (SWE)
Austin Craig HEADLEE (USA)

74kg
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Magamed DELIEV (FRA)
Osman Kubilay CAKICI (GER)
Richard SCHROEDER (GER)
Tino RETTINGER (GER)
Lucas Marco KAHNT (GER)
Kevin SPIEGEL (GER)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Nathaniel BUTTIGIEG DUGO (MLT)
Nico ZARB (MLT)
Szymon WOJTKOWSKI (POL)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Chandler Shane MARSTELLER (USA)

79kg
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Pablo GARCIA GARCIA (ESP)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Beat Konstantin SCHAIBLE (GER)
Patryk CIURZYNSKI (POL)
David Vincent MC FADDEN (USA)
Joseph Lawrence Michael LAVALLEE (USA)

86kg
Damian IGLESIAS VILELA (ESP)
Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Ahmed Ruslanovic DUDAROV (GER)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Joshua Philipp David MORODION (GER)
Andrian GROSUL (MDA)
Denis BALAUR (MDA)
Filip ROGUT (POL)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Krzysztof Grzegorz SADOWIK (POL)
Owen Douglas WEBSTER (USA)
Mark John HALL II (USA)
Zahid VALENCIA (USA)

92kg
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Adlan Bakirsoultanovitch VISKHANOV (FRA)
Johannes MAYER (GER)
Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL)
Bakhodur KODIROV (TJK)

97kg
Alejandro CANADA PANCORBO (ESP)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER)
Wladimir REMEL (GER)
Michal Jan BIELAWSKI (POL)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)

125kg
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Kamil Tomasz KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Hayden Nicholas ZILLMER (USA)


Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR), the first woman from Africa to reach the Olympic finals, headlines the '22 Henri Deglane entries. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg

Ana Maria TORRES RUBIO (ESP)
Emma Solange Irène LUTTENAUER (FRA)
Justine Fanny VIGOUROUX (FRA)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Szimonetta Timea SZEKER (HUN)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Agata Marta WALERZAK (POL)
Stefania Claudia PRICEPUTU (ROU)

53kg
Maria BLANCO MARTIN (ESP)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Chadia AYACHI (FRA)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Angelina Inez PURSCHKE (GER)
Amory Olivia ANDRICH (GER)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Nova Ilona BERGMAN (SWE)
Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)

57kg
Maria Victoria BAEZ DILONE (ESP)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Amel REBIHA (FRA)
Elena Heike BRUGGER (GER)
Anne Beatrice NUERNBERGER (GER)
Josefine Maria PURSCHKE (GER)
Andrea GRASRUCK (GER)
Luna ROTHENBERGER (GER)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Tamara DOLLAK (HUN)
Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Othelie Annette HOEIE (NOR)
Patrycja GIL (POL)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Magdalena Urszula GLODEK (POL)
Jowita Maria WRZESIEN (POL)

62kg
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER)
Chiara Julie HIRT (GER)
Luisa SCHEEL (GER)
Nataliia SHAFIR MAZUR (ISR)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Viktoria Miriam OEVERBY (NOR)
Natalia Gizela KUBATY (POL)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Olivia Louise HENNINGSSON (SWE)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)

65k​g​​​​​
Nerea PAMPIN BLANCO (ESP)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Gerda BARTH (GER)
Lilly Mariella PFAU (GER)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)

68kg
Marta OJEDA NAVARRO (ESP)
Lorena LERA CELDA (ESP)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Debora LAWNITZAK (GER)
Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER)
Viktoria FELHO (HUN)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL)
Adina Ionela IRIMIA (ROU)

72kg
Kendra Augustine Jocelyne DACHER (FRA)
Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER)
Jennifer ROESLER (GER)
Tuende Emese ELEKES (HUN)
Maria larisa NITU (ROU)

76kg
Francy RAEDELT (GER)

Laura Celine KUEHN (GER)
Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
Marion Brillantes BYE (NOR)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)

#WrestleTirana

Kadzimahamedau, Sadulaev Return to European Finals

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 24) -- Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), David BAEV (UWW), and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) were among the wrestlers who reached the final of the European Championships 2026 in Tirana on Friday.

Kadzimahamedau set up a rematch of the final from 2024 against Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) who defeated Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), 3-0, in a rematch of last year's European final.

After last year's European quest at 86kg, Kadzimahamedau returned to 79kg and continued his crafty wrestling, beating Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 5-1, in the semifinals. He used two different takedowns and an activity period point for his scores.

But it was the quarterfinals in which Kadzimahamedau showed his class, Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO), 11-10. He lead 5-0 when Gaphrindashvili scored a double-leg four-pointer to make it 5-4, changed to 7-5 for Kadzimahamedau after a challenge. After a scramble and stepout, the scores read 10-9 for Gaphrindashvili with 11 seconds left but Kadzimahamedau snuck out a takedown with 3 seconds left to win.

At 97kg, five-time European champion Sadulaev returned to the final after six years after a clinical display throughout the day. In the finals, he got the better of Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL), 12-2, using his gut-wrench to score points.

Sadulaev used a outside single-leg attack to score his first takedown and then turned Magamaev to get a four-point lead. But as he was trying to turn Magamaev again, the Bulgarian blocked him for two points but Sadulaev managed to sneak out of any control. He then managed a takedown and two turns for a 10-2 lead before an easy go-behind finished the bout.

Former world silver medalist Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) will challenge Sadulaev in the final after he defeated Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 12-1, using the leg-lace for five turns.

Defending champion Baev had no trouble in defeated Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 9-2, and returning to the final. But a rising star awaits him next in the 70kg final as U23 European champion Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) defeated Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), 11-0, in the other semifinals.

Gaidarli, who won silver at the U20 World Championships last year, did not give any chance to Muszukajev and turned the match into a one-sided affair.

Dudaev Returns to Final

Home-favorite and Olympic bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) returned to the final of European Championships at 65kg after a 4-0 victory over Islam GUSEINOV (UWW). Dudaev scored a stepout to start the bout before getting a activity point in the first period and lead 2-0. He doubled the lead to 4-0 in the final minute with a takedown which he defended.

Dudaev will take on Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) for the gold medal after Magomedov handed former European champion Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) a heartbreaking, 3-3, criteria loss in the semifinals.

Tevanyan scored a takedown and also a point for stepout but in a later scramble, Tevanyan got countered on a leg attack and gave up a takedown on the edge for two points to Magomedov. Armenia challenged, asking for two points for Tevanyan during the scramble.

However, Tevanyan never got complete control over Magomedov and the lost challenge added to the latter's score to give him criteria. Tevanyan waited to launch the attack and when he did during the final moments of the bout, he could not gets a stepout or takedown despite all the action taking place in the zone.

At 57kg, Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) and Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) will battle it out for the gold medal on Saturday. Mekhtikhanov defeated Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 5-0, in the semifinals after two counter takedowns and point for passivity.

Bazarganov was more active in his semifinal against Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) and worked on his lace to beat the Georgian 11-1.

RESULTS

57kg
SF 1: Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW) df. Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 5-0
SF 2: Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 11-1

65kg
SF 1: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) df. Islam GUSEINOV (UWW), 4-0
SF 2: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), 3-3

70kg
SF 1: David BAEV (UWW) df. Oleksii BORUTA (UKR), 9-2
SF 2: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), 11-0

79kg
SF 1: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) df. Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), 5-1
SF 2: Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) df. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA), 3-0

97kg
SF 1: Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) df. Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL), 12-2
SF 2: Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) df. Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), 12-1