RIGA (March 12) – Riza KAYAALP (TUR) won his sixth continental crown at the European wrestling championships on Saturday night and Russian wrestlers swept the other three titles on offer the first day of Greco-Roman competition.

Kayaalp, last year’s European Games gold medalist, pinned Aleksander CHERNETSKI (UKR) after squirming out of an attempted front headlock and throw, and then flattening the world bronze medalist for the fall at 3:37.

“I’m really happy now to have won six European titles, but I want to continue until I win 10,” Kayaalp said after his match. “I would also like to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games and some more world championships to become one of the best wrestlers ever.”

But before Kayaalp won his sixth European title, London 2012 bronze medalist Mingiyan SEMENOV (59kg), Beijing 2008 gold medalist Islambek ALBIEV (66kg) and 2013 world champion Nikita MELNIKOV (98kg) grabbed the first three gold medals for Russia.

Semenov, a world silver medalist in 2014, went up against Beijing 2008 bronze medalist Roman AMOYAN (ARM) and converted on a par terre chance in the first period for an early 6-0 lead in the 59kg final.  Semenov sealed the technical fall with a step-out one minute into the second period.

“I’m happy with the win since it is my first European title,” said Semenov. “But my focus is helping Russia qualify (the 59kg weight category) for the Olympic Games and then qualifying for that position.”

Albiev, also with an eye on a possible return to the Olympic Games this summer, took advantage of a par terre chance to arch 2014 world champion Davor STEFANEK (SRB) over for a 4-0 lead midway through the first. An arm throw in the second, then, sealed the technical fall for Albiev.

“I have a number of niggling little injures and so the coaches and I have not been working too much in par terre,” Albiev said after his win. “So I was surprised and happy that I could execute my technique in that situation.”

At 98kg, Melnikov handed two-time world champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) his first loss since their last meeting in the finals of the 2013 world championships.

Melnikov only needed one chance in par terre to launch Aleksanyan over for four points, which stood throughout the second period for a 4-0 victory and his first-ever senior European crown.

Russia’s fourth entry on Saturday was Vitali SHCHUR (RUS), who wrestled in the bronze medal matches at 130kg and stumbled, 2-1, to Johan EUREN (SWE).

Euren, still trying to rehabilitate a shaky right knee after surgery, confided “Maybe I shouldn’t be wrestling, but there’s no time left and I have to wrestle now if I want a chance to be considered for the Olympic Games.”

Even though the right knee was bandaged with a supporter, Euren battled Kayaalp in the semifinals nearly even and then lifted Shchur for a two-point turn in the bronze medal for a 2-1 victory.

Results

Greco-Roman

59kg (20 entries)

Gold – Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS) df. Roman AMOYAN (ARM) by TF, 8-0, 4:00

Bronze – Donior ISLAMOV (MDA) df. Kristijan FRIS (SRB) by TF, 8-0, 2:34

Bronze – Dmitriy TSYMBALIUK (UKR) df. Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) by TF, 9-0, 2:06 

66kg (23 entries)

Gold – Islambek ALBIEV (RUS) df. Davor STEFANEK (SRB) by TF, 9-0, 3:33 

Bronze – Kamran MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Edgaras VENCKAITIS (LTU), 6-4

Bronze – Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Nikita MASJUKS (LAT), 6-4

98kg (20 entries)

Gold – Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS) df. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), 4-0 

Bronze – Cenk ILDEM (TUR) df. Dimitri TIMCHENKO (UKR), 6-6

Bronze – Aleksander HRABOVIK (BLR) df. Orkhan NURIEV (AZE), 6-0

130kg (19 entries)

Gold – Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Aleksander CHERNETSKI (UKR) by Fall, 3:37 (2-2)

Bronze – Johan EUREN (SWE) df. Vitali SHCHUR (RUS), 2-1 

Bronze – Iosif CHUGOSHVILI (BLR) df. Eduard POPP (GER), 4-1