#WrestleWarsaw

LIVE BLOG: European C'ships (Day Two)

Tuesday, April 20, 2021 - 09:26 By Eric Olanowski

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WARSAW, Poland (April 20) --- We're live from Warsaw, Poland with the second day of freestyle action. 

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

WATCH: European Championships 

Returning freestyle champs in action Tuesday:
74kg - Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA) (Lost in 1/8 final)
86kg - Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) (Made it to the 86kg finals)
125kg - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) (Lost in qualification round)

17:45: That's a wrap for the semifinal session. The medal matches kick off at 18:00 (local time). We'll see you back here in 15 minutes, wrestling fans. 

17:26: What a thriller! Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO) scored a takedown with 8 seconds left to upset Ali SHABANAU (BLR), 3-2. 

17:17: For a second consecutive match, Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) erased a five-point deficit. In the quarterfinals, he upset '18 world silver medalist Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), then just shocked Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS), 6-5. In addition to those two wins, he also scored a massive win over two-time world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA). 

Semifinal Results:
61kg
GOLD - Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) vs. Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Eduard GRIGOREV (POL), 4-2
SEMIFINAL - Andrii DZHELEP (UKR) df. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO), 5-3

74kg
GOLD - Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) vs. Miroslav Stefanov KIROV (BUL)
SEMIFINAL - Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS, 6-5
SEMIFINAL - Miroslav Stefanov KIROV (BUL) df. Valentin BORZIN (MDA), 5-0

86kg
GOLD - Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) vs. Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO) 
SEMIFINAL - Artur NAIFONOV (RUS) df. Boris MAKOEV (SVK), 9-0|
SEMIFINAL - Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO)  df. Ali SHABANAU (BLR), 3-2

92kg
GOLD - Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) vs. Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
SEMIFINAL - Magomed KURBANOV (RUS) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 6-2
SEMIFINAL - Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) df. Hajy RAJABAU (BLR), 5-4

125kg
GOLD - Taha AKGUL (TUR) vs. Sergei KOZYREV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR), 4-0
SEMIFINAL - Sergei KOZYREV (RUS) df. Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 10-0

14: 50: The freestyle semifinals are set! We'll take a break until 16:45 and come back for the start of semifinal action. Then, we'll roll right into the Day 2 finals, which are expected to start at 18:00. 

14:33: What a comeback! Salkazanov erased a five-point deficit against Kentchazde and moved into the 74kg semifinals. 

14:19: Individual World Cup champion Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) is coming up in two matches on Mat C.

14:10: Can Salkazanov keep his hot streak alive? He's coming off a massive win over two-time world champion Frank Chamizo and will take on '18 world silver medalist Avtandil Kentchazde next on Mat A. 

13:53: Had to take a short break to get some photos up on Instagram, but we're back at it again. The quarterfinals are underway on Mat A & B. Mat C has two more 1/8 final matches and then will roll right into the quarterfinals. 

13:32: That was short-lived! Naifonov scored nine unanswered points and moved into the quarterfinals with a 10-2 win over Magmedsaidov. 

13:27: There's an upset brewing over on Mat B. Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE) leads two-time European champion Artur NAIFONOV (RUS), 2-1, with short time left in the first period. 

13:14: Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) ends Chamizo's bid for a third straight European title. The Slovakian trailed 2-2 with 15 seconds left when he scored a takedown and a left-sided trap arm gut wrench to win, 6-2.

13:11: We have a close one going on on Mat B. Frank Chamizo trailed Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) but scored a takedown and leads 2-2 on criteria.

13:08: One of the three returning European champions that are in action today, Artur NAIFONOV (RUS), is coming up next on Mat B.

12:59: In his Serbian debut, Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) (formally known as Khetig TSABOLOV (RUS)) falls to world runner-up Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), 10-7. Cabolov, the '14 world champion and '17 world runner-up, transferred after falling to Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) in the '20 Russian National finals. 

12:53: '19 world champion Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) is coming up on shortly on Mat A. 

12:48: Four-time world medalist Ali SHABANAU (BLR) will take on Dzhemal ALI (BUL) in two matches on Mat A. 

12:42: Gocen upsets world bronze medlaist Reichmuth, 5-4, and moves into the 86kg 1/8 round. 

12:34: Swiss Olympian Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI) is taking on Osman GOCEN (TUR) on Mat B.

12:30:  Daniel SARTAKOV (GER) found himself on the inactivity clock twice. On two separate occasions, he was in deep on a single let against Chamizo but was unable to finish. The Italian moves on with a 4-0 win. 

12:26: Two-time world champion Frank Chamizo is wrestling now on Mat B.

12:14: It's going to take some time to get my feet back under me! I was so excited for that match that I lost focus on what else was going on! 

12:09: Akgul back peddles and gives up the one point for fleeing the hold. That doesn't matter to him as he still commanded the five-point advantage. The Olympic champ hung on to win, 6-1. 

12:08: Akgul stops another Petriashvili shot and leads 6-0. The reigning three-time world champion is starting to get frustrated.

12:07: Taha is on FIRE! He scored two first-period takedowns and heads into the second period leading 4-0. 

12:06: Geno and Taha are up on Mat A! 

11:54: We're still a while out, but Chamizo will be up in six matches on Mat B. He's the defending two-time European champion and is looking for his fifth overall continental gold.

11:30: All eyes will be on Mat A / Bout 70 as Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Taha AKGUL (TUR) will clash for what feels like the 100th time. Between the two, they've won every world or Olympic title since the ’14 World Championships and every continental gold medal since the ’12 European Championships.

#WrestleAthens

China wins two golds; India defends women's team title

Friday, August 1, 2025 - 19:07 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- India managed to win its second straight women's team title at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece on Friday. India finished with 151 points, thanks to its two gold, three silver and one bronze medal in 10 weight class.

The United States, which did not finish on the podium last year, bounced back in style and finished second, just nine points behind India with 142 points. Japan was third with 113 points. The U.S. and Japan both had two champions as well.

China had three champions in Athens and a silver medalist. However, it only had nine wrestlers and three of them did not contribute any points to the team total. It finished fourth with 107 points. Third-placer in 2024 Kazakhstan managed to earn itself a top-five finish with 69 points.

After the 73kg gold medal on Thursday, China added two more on Friday through Min ZHAO (CHN) at 69kg and Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) at 53kg after the two won their respective finals in contrasting fashion.

Zhao, wrestling at her first international tournament, did not have much trouble seeing off European 17 champion Ayla SAHIN (GER), 13-2, in the 69kg final.

The 15-year-old managed to open the scoring by a ankle pick of the far foot of Sahin and then turned her for two more points. Sahin scored two points when she tried to cradle Zhao but that was the only dominating move of the match for her.

Sahin tried a leg attack but Zhao countered hit with a headpinch and got four points. She hit another one for two points to lead 10-2. A deep single gave her another takedown for a 12-2 technical superiority win. Germany challenged but there was nothing to be reviewed. A lost challenge awarded Zhao another point to make her score 13-2.

Jiaqing JIANG (CHN)Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) defeated Epenesa ELISON (USA) in the 53kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The second gold medal for China came from Jiang who had to defend with all might to beat Epenesa ELISON (USA) in the 53kg final and win the world title.

Jiang got a 6-0 lead against Elison but the U.S. wrestler mounted a comeback in the second period. She scored a takedown to cut the score to 6-2. Another takedown helped her make it 6-4. Jiang got one point for reversal and extended her lead to 7-4. Elison got Jiang for a big throw but the referees called it a foot-stomp, a second earlier, and did not score any points.

There was one more sequence where it seemed that Jiang had her three points touch on the mat but neither referees score nor the U.S. corner challenged. She eventually won 7-4.

Fernandez repeats

The U.S. did get one gold medalist on Friday. After Morgan TURNER (USA) became a two-time world champion on Thursday for the U.S., Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) also achieved the feat as she defended her 61kg title against YASHITA (IND) in the final.

Fernandez was never slow to start and Yashita was on the backfoot straightaway. Yashita was put on the activity clock and Fernandez did not wait for it to end and got the takedown. She led 3-0 before another takedown made it 5-0. She turned Yashita using a leg-lace and made it 9-0.

There is no waiting game for Fernandez as she performed one more leg attacked for a takedown and finished the bout 11-0.

"A little pressure [as I] went into it," Fernandez said. "I just want that really bad. It just come together. I was just keep on wrestling. I could just keep on wrestling and test myself and just see what things I need to get better to be the best of myself. I just love to wrestle so. Every opportunity again, I want to think it."

Fernandez, who is still 16 and eligible for the U17 competitions next year as well, can became the first U.S. wrestler to win three gold medals at the World U17 Championships.

"All you can say is that next year, that's my goal," she said.

Hanano OYA (JPN)Hanano OYA (JPN) won the 46kg gold medal in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan also claimed a gold medal Thursday to win its first gold medal of the tournament.

Hanano OYA (JPN) put on a defensive masterclass in the 46kg final against Janka SILLEI (HUN) and won the gold medal with a 3-0 score line. Oya got her first point when Sillei was put on activity clock but the Hungarian failed to score in the 30 seconds.

In the second period, a hard-fought takedown gave Oya two more points and then she locked Sillei and held her position in the final seconds to avoid any upset.

"I can't believe I actually won, but when I stood on the podium and sang the national anthem at the end, I was so happy," Oya said. "I'm really grateful to my teachers and everyone who supported me."

Talking about the final, Oya said that while she was not able to score many points, she was content that she did not let her opponents score on her as well, especially in semifinal and final.

"The opponent in the final [Sillei] was very strong, and there were no opportunities to score. It turned into a very close match," she said. "I don't know how to describe it. The same was true for the [bout against] United States in the semifinals. The Hungarian wrestler in the final were also very strong, so I realized that I need to practice even harder and aim for higher goals."

History for Uzbekistan

No woman from Uzbekistan has ever been a world champion in wrestling but Friday will be registered as a historic day in Uzbekistan's history.

Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB), the Asian U17 champion, became the first-ever women's world champion in wrestling from Uzbekistan. She defeated An NAKANISHI (JPN), 11-0, in the 40kg final and created history for her country.

Before Shonazarova, three other Uzbekistan wrestler had reached the final of Women's Wrestling at different World Championships but no one was able to win gold until Shonazarova changed that.

RESULTS

40kg
GOLD: Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB) df. An NAKANISHI (JPN), 11-0

BRONZE: Asema ASANGARYEVA (KGZ) df. Valia HARSAN (ROU), 2-0
BRONZE: Maisie ELLIOTT (USA) df. Finja STRAUCH (GER), 6-0

46kg
GOLD: Hanano OYA (JPN) df. Janka SILLEI (HUN), 3-0

BRONZE: Jaclyn BOUZAKIS (USA) df. Irina TSYDEEVA (UWW), 12-2
BRONZE: Maria GKIKA (GRE) df. Kamila KUCHMA (UKR), 4-3

53kg
GOLD: Jiaqing JIANG (CHN) df. Epenesa ELISON (USA), 7-4

BRONZE: Rion OGAWA (JPN) df. Margarita IARYGINA (UWW), 8-0
BRONZE: Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN) df. Farida ABDRAKHMANOVA (KAZ), via fall (10-0)

61kg
GOLD: Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) df. YASHITA (IND), 11-0

BRONZE: Barbara BAGER (HUN) df. Varvara ALISEYENKA (UWW), 3-0
BRONZE: Zalina TOTROVA (UWW) df. Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO), 8-0

69kg
GOLD: Min ZHAO (CHN) df. Ayla SAHIN (GER), 13-2

BRONZE: Solomiia PETRIV (UKR) df. MANISHA (IND), 5-2
BRONZE: Shakhizada DAULETZHAN (KAZ) df. Linda MARTINEZ (MEX), 4-1