#WrestleWarsaw

LIVE BLOG: European C'ships (Day Five)

By Eric Olanowski

WARSAW, Poland (April 23) -- The fifth day of wrestling at the European Championships welcomes in Greco-Roman action to the mix.

Friday's Schedule:
11:30 - Qualification round
16: 45 - Semifinals
18:00 - Finals

WATCH: European Championships 

17:48: That'll do it for Greco-Roman action. We'll take a 10-minute break and start the women's wrestling medal matches. 

17:40: Riza does it. He'll wrestle for a TENTH European title on Saturday night.

17:33: Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) keeps his four-month hot-streak alive and inserts himself into the 87kg finals with a 9-1 win over Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN).

17:21: Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) defeated Michael WIDMAYER (GER), 5-0, and will wrestle for his fourth European title tomorrow night. He'll take on Yunus BASAR (TUR) in the 77kg gold-medal match.

17: 11: If Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT) win his semifinals match, he'd become the first Latvian wrestler to medal at the European Championships since '38.

HE'D END AN 83 YEAR DROUGHT!

17:03: Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) trailed late but used an acrobatic flying squirrel to upset '18 world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 5-4. He'll wrestle Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) on Saturday night for 55kg gold. 

16:55: We're back to action in Poland. It'll be the Greco-Roman semifinals, followed by the women's wrestling finals, which will start at 18:00. 

Final Matches (As they come in): 

55kg
GOLD - Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) vs. Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 5-4
SEMIFINAL - Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) df. Artsiom KATSAR (BLR), 8-0

63kg
GOLD - Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) vs. Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) df. Leri ABULADZE (GEO), 9-5
SEMIFINAL - Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT), 7-1

77kg
GOLD - Yunus BASAR (TUR) vs. Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
SEMIFINAL - Yunus BASAR (TUR) df. Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR), 4-0
SEMIFINAL - Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) df. Michael WIDMAYER (GER), 5-0 

87kg
GOLD - Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) vs. Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
SEMIFINAL - Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) df. Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN), 9-1
SEMIFINAL - Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) df. Denis KUDLA (GER), 2-1

130kg
GOLD - Riza KAYAALP (TUR) vs. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Eduard POPP (GER), via fall 
SEMIFINAL - Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) df. Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU), 5-0

14:46: That'll do it for this morning's Greco-Roman coverage. We'll meet back here at 16:45 for the Greco-Roman semifinals. The Day Five women's wrestling finals will begin at 18:00. 

14:40:  Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) upsets two-time world champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR), 1-1, and is headed to the 87kg semifinals.  

14:28: In the battle of world champions that just wrapped up on Mat B, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) breezed to a 10-1 win over Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO). He'll square off with Individual World Cup champion and rising star Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) in tonight's 55kg semifinals.

14:15: Riza is not playing today! The nine-time European champion has wrestle twice today and has outscored his opponents 18-1 en route to the semifinals. Kayaalp will wrestle Tokyo Olympian Eduard POPP (GER) for a spot in the 130kg finals. 

14:08: World champions  Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) just took the mat on Mat B! The winner moves into the 55kg semifinals.

Semifinal Matches (As they come in): 

55kg
SEMIFINAL - Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) 
SEMIFINAL - Ekrem OZTURK (TUR) vs. Artsiom KATSAR (BLR)

63kg
SEMIFINAL - Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS) vs. Leri ABULADZE (GEO) 
SEMIFINAL - Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) vs. Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT) 

77kg
SEMIFINAL - Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR) vs. Dmytro PYSHKOV (UKR) 
SEMIFINAL - Michael Felix WIDMAYER (GER)  vs. Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)

87kg
SEMIFINAL - Turpan Ali Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN) vs.
Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) 
SEMIFINAL - Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) vs.  Denis Maksymilian KUDLA (GER) 

130kg
SEMIFINAL - Eduard POPP (GER) vs. Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU) vs. Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)

13:37: I suggest posting up on Mat B and staying there for a while! 

13:25: ARE YOU KIDDING? Maskevich strikes again! He was down 6-0 against fellow Individual World Cup champion Milad Valerikovitch ALIRZAEV (RUS) but used a lateral drop to pick up the fall. He'll wrestle the winner of Yoan Danielov DIMITROV (BUL) and Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO) next.

13:10: Coming up next on Mat B, it'll be a matchup of Individual World Cup champions between Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) and Kiryl Maskevich.

12:59: Two-time world champion Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) is wrestling next on Mat B. It'll be his second competition of the year. He competed and won gold at January's Grand Prix of Zagreb.

12:46: Denis KUDLA ?? may be one of my most underrated wrestlers in the world. His resume is stacked with medals, but you rarely hear about him. He's coming up soon on Mat A (Bout 306).

Olympic Games: ?
World Championships: ??
European Championships: ???

12;23: '19 world champion Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) starts his day off with a quick 9-0 thumping of Denis HORVATH (SVK). He'll wrestle two-time U23 world champion ('17 & '18) Daniel CATARAGA (MDA) in eight matches (Bout 330)  on Mat B. 

12:14:  Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) IS MUST-WATCH TV! ? He just ran through ???? Viktor LORINCZ (HUN), 9-0, in the opening period and barely broke a sweat.He'll wrestle again in nine matches (Bout 328) on Mat B. #WrestleWarsaw

11:55: Kayaalp led 1-1 after the opening three minutes of wrestling, but scored eight second-period point from five gut wrenches and defeated Cherneyskyy, 10-1.

11:40: Today, we'll be paying attention to Riza KAYAALP (TUR). The Turkish big man begins his quest for his TENTH European title. He'll wrestle Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR) in the fourth match on Mat C.

11:30: There will be one women's wrestling repechage match on each mat, then we'll roll right into the Greco-Roman matches.

#WrestleSamokov

U20 Worlds: Japan gets 2 more finalists, Kajal stuns Robinson

By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 21) -- Two-time World U20 silver medalist Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) earned herself a chance to finally win the gold medal as she reached the final for the third time at 50kg in Samokov on Thursday.

The U.S. wrestler scored three technical superiority wins in three bouts to reach the final in which she will take on 2023 world U17 champion Rinka OGAWA (JPN) also looks in good form.

In the semifinals, Jimenez used her leg-lace to good effect and humbled Diana RYSOVA (UKR), 14-3. Ogawa also used the leg-lace to beat SHRUTI  (IND), 10-0.

Jimenez had reached the final in 2022 but lost to Umi ITO (JPN) and then in 2023, she lost to Yanrong LI (CHN) to finish with a silver medal. She also has a silver medal from World U23 Championships after dropping the final against Ito again.

Japan got its second finalist on Thursday when Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) pinned Abigale COOPER (USA) after building a 9-0 lead. She will now wrestle for gold against European U20 champion Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) who leg-laced SAARIKA (IND) for a 10-0 win.

At 72kg, Asian U20 champion and world U17 silver medalist this year KAJAL (IND) stunned defending champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) in a wild semifinal. Robinson got the first takedown and exposure for a 4-0 lead. But Kajal scored a takedown and turned Robinson in the same sequence. The U.S. challenged the second turn but it was given two points as Kajal took a 5-4 lead.

There was no turning back for the Indian from that as she scored two four-point throws and two takedowns in her 13-6 win over Robinson.

Kajal now chance the challenge of returning silver medalist Yuqi LIU (CHN) who dominated her semifinal against Haticenur SARI (TUR) and won 13-2. Liu will look to her upgrade silver from last year to gold.

Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM)Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) reached the 60kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Greco-Roman action also began at the World U20 Championships Samokov on Thursday with two weight classes -- 60kg and 82kg.

Two 18-year-olds reached the 60kg final in Greco-Roman as European U20 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) and Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) won their respective semifinals in dominant fashion.

Javadov was wrestling senior European bronze medalist Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) and scored a headlock for four and kept Lolua on the mat for a fall. This was Javadov's third win over Lolua in four encounters.

The 2024 world U17 champion will now face Mkhitaryan who gut-wrenched SURAJ (IND) after a headlock throw for four and win 8-0. India challenged the decision but lost it to add one more point to his score.

At 82kg, a potential rematch from 2023 World U17 Championships final was denied after Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) lost his semifinal at 82kg to Asian U20 champion Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ).

Yoshida, a returning bronze medalist, was put in par terre in the first period and Seitkaliyev hit suplex for four before turning Yoshida twice to win 9-0.

In the other semifinal, European U20 champion Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) blanked Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 9-0. Shkarin had lost to Yoshida in Istanbul and finished with a silver medal.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) vs. Rinka OGAWA (JPN)

SF 1: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) df. Diana RYSOVA (UKR), 14-3
SF 2: Rinka OGAWA (JPN) df. SHRUTI (IND), 10-0

53kg
GOLD: Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) vs. Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

SF 1: Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) df. SAARIKA (IND), 10-0
SF 2: Natsumi MASUDA (JPN) df. Abigale COOPER (USA), via fall

72kg
GOLD: Yuqi LIU (CHN) vs. KAJAL (IND)

SF 1: Yuqi LIU (CHN) df. Haticenur SARI (TUR), 13-2
SF 2: KAJAL (IND) df. Jasmine ROBINSON (USA), 13-6

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) vs. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) df. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), via fall
SF 2: Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) df. SURAJ (IND), 9-0

82kg
GOLD: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) vs. Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 9-0
SF 2: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) df. Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 9-0