#WrestleWarsaw

LIVE BLOG: European C'ships (Day Three)

Wednesday, April 21, 2021 - 09:35 By Eric Olanowski

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WARSAW, Poland (April 21) -- We've made it to the third day of wrestling at the European Championships. Women's wrestling action takes center stage today with the freestyle medal matches starting at 18:00 (local time).

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

Returning women's wrestling European champions in action today:
50kg - Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
59kg - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
59kg - Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
68kg - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
76kg - Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)

WATCH: European Championships 

14:40: That wraps up our coverage of the morning session. We'll see you back here at 16:45 for the women's wrestling semifinals. The freestyle finals will start at 18:00.

Semifinal Matches (As they come in): 
50kg
SEMIFINAL - Winner 174 vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL) vs. Winner 207

55kg
SEMIFINAL - Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) vs. Jessica Cornelia Francisca BLASZKA (NED)
SEMIFINAL - Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) vs. Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL)

59kg
SEMIFINAL -  Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) vs. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
SEMIFINAL - Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR) vs. Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL) 

68kg
SEMIFINAL - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) vs. Nesrin BAS (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) vs. Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)

76kg
SEMIFINAL - Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) vs. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Epp MAEE (EST) vs. Cynthia Vanessa VESCAN (FRA)

13:36: Defending European champions Grace BULLEN (NOR) and Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) are wrestling now on Mat A.

13:13: Returning European silver medalist Jessica BLASZKA (NED) is wrestling on Mat A.

13:02: Both wrestlers collect inactivity points in the second period, but it's Vorobeva who comes out on top, 3-1. She take on Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) in a rematch of the European Olympic Games Qualifier finals. 

12:54 Vorobeva leads Focken, 1-0, after the first three minutes.

12:53: There's an upset brewing on Mat A. World runner-up Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) trails Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR) by two points heading into the final two minutes of the match. 

12:40: World champion  Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) and Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) will clash on Mat C (Bout 203) shortly. 

12:26: That's the match of the morning thus far! Livach wins the battle of world bronze medalists and takes down Demirhan, 12-8. She'll face the winner of Emilia VUC (ROU) and Natallia VARAKINA (BLR).

12:21: Two-time world champion Mariya STADNIK (AZE) will make her long-awaited return against world bronze medalist Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) in five matches on Mat A. She hasn't wrestled since the '19 World Championships. 

12:16: World bronze medalists Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) and Oksana LIVACH (UKR) are wrestling over on Mat B. We're less than two minutes into the match and there are already 14 points on the board!

12:08: You know the dump is coming, but it's nearly impossible to stop. Vorobeva gets to her signature move and pins  Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) in less than 90 seconds in her opening-round match. 

11:53: We have an issue, but it's a good one to have. We have too many stars coming up that it's hard to keep track of! First up will be Olympic gold and silver medalist Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) on Mat A. In her last competition, she qualified Russia for the Olympic Games at 76kg after she won the European Olympic Qualifier.

11:38: We'll start the day with some freestyle repechage action before we transition into our full day of women's action.

#WrestleBratislava

Sidakov vs Valiev set for European gold at 74kg

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 - 15:03 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 8) -- Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) will wrestle for the European gold medal for the first time in his career.

The four-time world champion, who last and only time wrestled at the European Championships in 2016, entered the 74kg final in Bratislava, Slovakia on Tuesday. He will take on Paris Olympic bronze medalist Chermen VALIEV (ALB) for the gold medal.

Sidakov defeated Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 2-0, in the 74kg semifinal after he took out four-time European champion Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 4-2, in a close quarterfinal.

Valiev defeated Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE) 6-0 in the other semifinal as he countered in style while keeping his attacks. He scored from leg-attack when Novruzov was on the activity clock and countered an attempted attack from Novruzov for another takedown.

A stepout made it 6-0 as Valiev booked his spot in the final against Sidakov, who won their last meeting 3-2 three years ago.

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) battles Zelimkhan HARUTYUNYAN (ALB) in the 61kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 61kg, Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) moved to the final after beating Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) 5-2 in a thrilling semifinal. Harutyunyan scored a takedown and lace to lead 4-0 in the first period and maintained the lead for a long time before Abakarov hit a arm-throw for two points. Harutyunyan kept the 4-2 lead despite Abakarov's desperate attempts to score.

The four-time European champion will face Zavur UGUEV (UWW) for the gold medal after the Tokyo Olympic champion rocked Dzmitry SHAMELA (UWW) 10-0 in a one-sided semifinal. Mixing his attacks, Uguev hit a double-leg for four to finish the bout.

Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW)Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) hits a cradle throw on Artur NAIFONOV (UWW) in their 86kg semifinal during the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The 86kg final will between Olympic champion Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) and Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW), a rematch of the 2020 European final at 79kg which Kadzimahamedau won.

Kadzimahamedau had to pull out his iconic cradle for four to pull off a win over Artur NAIFONOV (GRE). He was trailing 3-2 when he hit the move and secured a 6-3 win.

Ramazanov entered the final after he had a field day in Bratislava. He secured a fall over over Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) in the semifinal. He was ahead 5-0 before a big double-leg attack for two points and figure-four turn made it 9-0. He held Jezierzanski on the back and secured the fall.

Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) returned to the European final, although in a new weight class. The Paris Olympic bronze medalist at 86kg was wrestling at 92kg and survived a scare against former European champion Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR), winning 3-3 on criteria.

Akturk fell behind 2-1 and scored a stepout with 10 seconds left on the clock to make it 2-2 but Kurugliev led on criteria for his takedown in the first period. Turkiye challenged the call asking for a takedown but lost the challenge to make 3-2 for Kurugliev.

Akturk scored another stepout but that was all he could do in the final 10 seconds and Kurugliev won 3-3.

He will take on Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) for the gold medal after the Azerbaijan wrestler defeated world silver medalist Mirani MAISURADZE (GEO) 5-2 in the other semifinal.

At 125kg, Paris Olympic bronze medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) will clash with Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) for the gold medal after the two had to dug deep in the semifinals.

Meshvildishvili hung on for a 8-5 win over Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW) after the latter made it 6-5.

Manashvili scored a four-pointer to beat Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 8-3 and enter the gold medal bout.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) vs. Zavur UGUEV (UWW)

SF 1: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), 5-2
SF 2: Zavur UGUEV (UWW) df. Dzmitry SHAMELA (UWW), 10-0

74kg
GOLD: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) vs. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW)

SF 1: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 6-0
SF 2: Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 2-0

86kg
GOLD: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) vs. Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW)

SF 1: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) df. Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL), via fall (9-0)
SF 2: Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) df. Artur NAIFONOV (UWW), 6-3

92kg
GOLD: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) vs. Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)

SF 1: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 5-2
SF 2: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) df. Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR), 3-3

125kg
GOLD: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) vs. Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO)

SF 1: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 8-5
SF 2: Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 8-3