#WrestleWarsaw

LIVE BLOG: European C'ships (Day Four)

By Eric Olanowski

WARSAW, Poland (April 22) -- Freestyle is in the rearview mirror, as women's wrestling takes center stage on Day Four at the '21 European Championships.

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

WATCH: European Championships 

Finals matchups (as they come in): 
53kg 

GOLD - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) vs. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
SEMIFINAL - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) df. Iulia LEORDA (MDA, 9-0 
SEMIFINAL - Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 11-2 

57kg 
GOLD -Anhelina LYSAK (POL) vs. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) 
SEMIFINAL - Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 11-0 
SEMIFINAL - Anhelina LYSAK (POL) df. Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR), via fall 

62kg
GOLD - 
Marianna SASTIN (HUN) vs. Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) 
SEMIFINAL - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Valeria KOBLOVA ZHOLOBOVA (RUS), 5-2
SEMIFINAL - Marianna SASTIN (HUN) df. Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL), via injury

65kg
GOLD - 
Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA)
SEMIFINAL - Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) df. IrIna Petrovna NETREBA (AZE), 11-1 
SEMIFINAL - Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL), 13-2 

72kg
GOLD - Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Yuliana YANEVA (BUL)

SEMIFINAL - Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL) df. Dalma CANEVA (ITA), 3-1 
SEMIFINAL - Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS), via fall 

17:37: That's a wrap for the women's wrestling semifinals. We'll take a 25-minute break and meet back here for the Day Four finals, which start at 18:00 (local time).

17:07: Marianna SASTIN (HUN), the 37-year-old Hungarian, moved into the 62kg after Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL) injury defaulted out of the semifinals. She'll take on the winner of Valeria KOBLOVA ZHOLOBOVA (RUS) and Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR). 

17:04: WOW! Down by SEVEN points, Lysak tossed Hrushyna to her back and records the fall to move into the 57kg finals.

16:58: Anhelina LYSAK (POL) will take the mat against European Olympic Games Qualifier champion Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR). Lysak is the first of three wrestlers from Poland who we'll see in tonight's semifinals. 

16:45: We're back with the women's wrestling semifinals. These will take around an hour or so. Once the matches wrap up, we'll roll into the Day Four finals at 18:00. 

13:11: That wraps up the morning session. We'll take a break until 16:45. Semifinal action will be up first, then we'll roll right into the Day Four medal matches. 

Semifinal matches (as they come in): 

53kg 
SEMIFINAL - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) vs. Iulia LEORDA (MDA) 
SEMIFINAL - Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) vs. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) 

57kg 
SEMIFINAL - Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) vs. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) 
SEMIFINAL - Anhelina LYSAK (POL) vs. Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) 

62kg
SEMIFINAL - 
Valeria KOBLOVA ZHOLOBOVA (RUS) vs. Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) 
SEMIFINAL - Marianna SASTIN (HUN) vs. Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL) 

65kg
SEMIFINAL - 
IrIna Petrovna NETREBA (AZE) vs. Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) 
SEMIFINAL - Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA) 

72kg
SEMIFINAL - Dalma CANEVA (ITA) vs. Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL)
SEMIFINAL - Alla BELINSKA (UKR) vs. Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)

12:44: Marianna SASTIN (HUN) made her European debut in '01. She'll wrestle tonight for a spot in the 62kg finals. If he wins, she'd be guaranteed a seventh career European medal.

12:39: Prevolaraki shuts out Wendle, 6-0, and moved into the semifinals. She'll take on the winner of  Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) and Zeynep YETGIL (TUR). 

12:35: Tokyo Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) is taking on European bronze medalist Annika WENDLE (GER) on Mat B.

12:21: Kurachkina and Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA) had to wait ten minutes for their quarterfinals match but they are wrestling on Mat B.

12:14: And just like that, we're rolling into the quarterfinals.

11:57: Three-time European medalist Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) is making her return to the Russian lineup for the first time since winning gold at the '20 Individual World Cup. Although she has three European medals, Lipatova is still looking for her first continental gold. She has a pair of silver medals and a bronze. Her most recent medal came in '19, when she dropped her finals match to Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL). 

*Dudova is wrestling for gold in tonight's finals, which start at 18:00!

11:45: '18 Eurpean champion Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) starts her day of with a massive 10-0 win over Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL). The Bulgarian just won the European Olympic Qualifier and qualified her nation for the Olympic Games at 57kg.

11:43: Looking out the bout sheet, it looks like we have around 30 matches during this morning's session so it'll be a quick one.

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open Day 5 Greco Finals Set

By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 9) -- The Zagreb Open 2025 enters its final day with a full day of Greco-Roman wrestling. Wrestlers in 55kg, 60kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg and 130kg will be in action.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | BISULTANOV WINS GOLD

14:00: Two losses for Azerbaijan in the 130kg semifinalsAliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) beats Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) 9-1 and Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) drops his bout 4-3 against Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN). Kandelaki was leading 3-0 but tripped on the mat and Maeenpaeae scored a go behind and turn to win 4-3.

13:52: Quick finishes to the 97kg semifinals! Artur SARGASIAN (AIN) gets a turn, a throw and another turn to beat Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) 9-0 to enter the final. He will take on Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) also scored a technical superiority win over Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI). 

13:45: Big win for Gholamreza FAROKHI (AZE) who beats Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) 11-3. Farokhi was 3-0 down but got a bodylock for four to lead 4-3 in the first period. He scored a takedown as Gurbanov fell while fleeing a hold and then rolled him three times for six points using a trap-arm. He will take on world silver medalist Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) in the final after the Hungarian defeated Mihail BRADU (MDA) 4-3.

13:35: In the two 72kg semifinals, both of which were Iran vs Hungary, the two countries share a win each. Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) falls to Levente LEVAI (HUN) 1-1 despite Geraei getting two par terre advantages. However, in the other semifinal, Danial SOHRABI (IRI) takes out Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) 6-1 to enter the final.

13:25: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) with a high-paced win over Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) in the other 60kg semifinal. He gets both par terre advantages and also scores a turn to win 4-0. Ganiev vs Tibilov final.

13:20: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) may have beaten two world champion but he can't get past U23 world champion and compatriot Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg semifinals. Bakhramov is put in par terre first and Ganiev reels off with two turns before a big four-point throw to win 9-0.

13:00: First semifinals at 55kg. European champion Artium DELEANU (MDA) suffers a big upset as Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI) scores four turns from par terre to win 9-0. He will take on Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) in the final who defeated Brady KOONTZ (USA) 5-0 in the other semifinal.

12:20: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) gets a walk over from world champion Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) who hurt his shoulder in the previous bout at 72kg

12:15: Alisher GANIEV (UZB), U23 world champion at 60kg, just gut wrenched Maxwell BLACK (USA) for a 8-0 win. He will wrestle Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) in the 60kg semifinals.

12:00: A 97kg bout that was missed due to all the Bakhramov hype! Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) registered a 3-2 win over Alex SZOKE (HUN).

11:40: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) has to be the most unfazed wrestler today! After beating Edlaniz AZIZLI (AZE), he takes out another world champion in Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) at 60kg. After a 4-0 lead, Bakhramov got thrown for four points but comes out all guns blazing in the second period to earn a par terre advantage. As he tries to turn Mammadli, a foul committed by the Azerbaijan which was confirmed on challenge. With 7-4 lead, Bakhramov hits a beautiful throw for four. Two stepouts in the final minute but Bakhramov holds on for a 11-6 win

11:30: Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) survived a fall attempt from Iman Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI) after the latter blocked a headpinch attempt. Geraei was down 3-2 but keeps his calm to win 8-3 at 72kg

11:15: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) comes out with a top quality win over Hamidreza BADKAN (IRI) at 97kg. No issue for the Paris Olympian

Wrestling on Mat C is on hold as there is some issue with the mat. Action will resume soon

11:00: 2021 world champion at 130kg, Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) gets his par terre going and rolls to an 11-1 win over European champion Sergei SEMENOV (AIN)

10:50: U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB) opens his day with a 8-0 technical superiority win over Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) at 60kg. At just 18, Ganiev has built a great resume for himself.

10:45: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) needed 49 seconds in the second period to see off Melkamu FETENE (ISR) in his opening bout at 60kg! The world champion is hoping to be Azerbaijan's rep for the European Championships.

10:30: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) has tossed Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) around from par terre! Azizli, world champion at 55kg, is wrestling at 60kg in Zagreb but perhaps it's not meant to be. Bakhramov with two lifts and easy 9-0 win

10:15: At the Non-Olympic World Championships in Tirana last year, Benjamin PEAK (USA) stunned the wrestling world with a 11-3 victory over Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) at 72kg. However, Sunday is a different story as Geraei draws him first bout here in Zagreb and toys with Peak to win 11-0.

10:10: That is a great start for Iran as Hamidreza BADKAN (IRI) pulls off a 2-1 victory over Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) at 97kg.

10:00: Big wrestling day in Zagreb with six Greco-Roman weight classes in action. We have a few current and former world champions wrestling