#WrestleWarsaw

Live Blog: Poland Open Ranking Series, Day Four

By Eric Olanowski

Superstars of women's wrestling will take the mat on day four of the Poland Open Ranking Series event in Warsaw on Friday. (Day 3 Recap)

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

Finals Matches (As they come in):
53kg: Vinesh VINESH (IND) vs. Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR)
57kg: Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR) vs. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) 
59kg: Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ) vs. Elif YANIK (TUR) 
68kg: Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) vs. Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) 
72kg: Nordic Style

12:49: Adekuoroye already took out Olympic champion Maroulis earlier today. She'll take on Rio Olympic silver medalist  Valeria KOBLOVA ZHOLOBOVA (RUS) next on Mat A.

12:40: In the battle of world bronze medalists, Vinesh ends Poleschuk's quest for gold with a 6-2 win. The Indian wrestler trailed 2-0 but scored six straight to close out the match and move into the semifinals. She'll take on Amy FEARNSIDE (USA) for a spot in tonight's finals.

12:27: Another match for two-time European champion Kurachkina, another technical superiority win. She's now outscored her first two opponents 22-2.

12:17: We'll have a showdown between world bronze medalists on Mat A in five matches. It'll be Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) taking on Vinesh VINESH (IND) in the 53kg quarterfinals.

12:05: There's your Performance of the Competition! Adekuoroye just tossed Olympic champion Maroulis twice for four points and scored the dismantling 13-0 win.

11:59: HERE. WE. GO! All eyes should be on Mat C! Superstars Helen MAROULIS (USA) and Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) are wrestling now! 

11:54: Welcome back, Danielle Lappage! The '18 world silver medalist stopped Nasanburmaa Ochirbat, 11-1, in her first match back since she qualified Canada for the Olympic Game back in March of 2020.

11:35: The 68kg is like a mini Olympic bracket. Half of the 16 nations/wrestlers who qualified for the Olympic Games are competing today.
- Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN)
- Nasanburmaa OCHIRBAT (MGL) 
- Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) 
- Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
- Anna Carmen SCHELL (GER) 
- Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
- Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) 
- Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) 

11:32: Patrycja GIL (POL) was down 9-0 against Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) but secured a takedown to a leg turk for the fall!

11:24: World bronze medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) just needed a little wake-me-up to get her day going.  She surrendered an early takedown against Eda TEKIN (TUR) but ended things after scoring 12 straight points. 

11:19: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), "The Dancing Queen," is wrestling European runner-up Tetyana KIT (UKR) on Mat C.

11:13: U23 world champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) wins her first-round match, but clearly pulls Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO'S (RUS) hair during the match. Unfortunately, this is a reoccurring issue for the Turkish wrestler and needs to be addressed.

11:09: Good morning, wrestling fans! The fourth day of wrestling at the Poland Open is here! Let's keep this thing rolling.

2026 U23 European Championships

Perfect Russia Puts Five Wrestlers in Finals at U23 Euros

By Vinay Siwach

ZRENJANIN, Serbia (March 9) -- Five wrestlers took the mat for Russia on day one of the U23 European Championships in Zrenjanin, Serbia on Monday and all five reached the final.

The first continental championships of 2026 began with Freestyle competition in 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg at the Kristalna Dvorana Arena and Russia emerged as the best team.

Led by Takhir KHANIEV (RUS), fresh off his win against world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) in Tirana, Russian wrestlers dominated on their way to the finals, to be played Tuesday.

Khaniev, a U23 world silver medalist at 92kg, wrestled former U17 world champion Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinals and won 14-4, his second victory via technical superiority of the day.

Petriashvili scored the first point when he blocked a throw from Khaniev and got two points. He then scored exposure points during an exchange to lead 4-2. But Khaniev managed to push Petriashvili and eventually broke the Georgian to complete the victory.

He will face former U20 European champion Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR) for the gold medal after the Ukrainian defeated Zafar ALIYEV (AZE), 6-2. Prymachenko never seemed in danger of losing the bout against Aliyev.

Ismail KHANIEV (RUS)Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) will wrestle for the 79kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Khaniev's brother Ismail also made it to the final at 79kg after he outscored his opponents 30-0 in three bouts. He led 9-0 in his semifinal against Mateusz PEDZICKI (POL) before the Poland wrestler complained of a shoulder injury that forced him to abandon the semifinal.

For the gold medal, Khaniev will face Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE) who secured a close 4-1 victory over Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO) in the other semifinal.

Defending champion at 70kg Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS) booked a final against U20 world silver medalist Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) after the two dominated their way to the final.

Eltermirov scored a 11-0 victory over Marcel WAGIN (GER) while Gaidarli managed to beat Mykyta SARIIEV (UKR), 10-0, in the semifinals. Both are yet to give up a point in the tournament so far.

Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR)Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) squares off against Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM) in the 65kg semifinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In a battle of U20 world bronze medalists at 65kg, Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) defeated Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM), 9-6, and enter the final against Dzhambulat KIZINOV (RUS).

Magamedkhanov fell behind 2-0 early in the bout before he closed the gap to 4-3 at the break. In the second period, he scored from a front chest-wrap twice to lead 7-4. When he attempted it for the third time, Musikyan blocked it and scored two points to cut the lead to 7-6.

The Armenian was close to scoring a takedown which would have given him the lead but Magamedkhanov scrambled out of the hold and countered Musikyan for a takedown in the final 10 seconds to win 9-6.

Kizinov was in more control of his semifinal against Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), blanking the Ukrainian 6-0. He scored a point when Borohan was put on the activity clock before a stepout made his lead 2-0. A takedown and turn made it 6-0 before the break. No points were scored in the second period as the Russian entered the final.

Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE)Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) will wrestle for the 57kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 57kg, former U17 world champion Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) will face Aiandai ONDAR (RUS) for the gold medal.

Baghirov, with his stealthy defense, kept Nikoloz BOTCHRISHVILI (GEO) at a distance and led 3-1 with 15 seconds to go. But the Georgian managed to hit a single-leg takedown and dump him outside the zone. However, it was scored only one point for Botchrishvili.

Georgia challenged the call but lost it to add one more point to Baghirov's score. A late takedown sealed his 6-2 victory.

Ondar took 56 seconds to beat Artsiom PAULIUCHENKA (BLR), 10-0, using a trap-arm gut.

Photo

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) vs. Aiandai ONDAR (RUS)

SF 1: Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) df. Nikoloz BOTCHORISHVILI (GEO), 6-2
SF 2: Aiandai ONDAR (RUS) df. Artsiom PAULIUCHENKA (BLR), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) vs. Dzhambulat KIZINOV (RUS)

SF 1: Magomedkhan MAGAMEDKHANOV (BLR) df. Arman MUSIKYAN (ARM), 9-6
SF 2: Dzhambulat KIZINOV (RUS) df. Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 6-0

70kg
GOLD: Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS) vs. Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA)

SF 1: Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS) df. Marcel WAGIN (GER), 11-0
SF 2: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Mykyta SARIIEV (UKR), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) vs. Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE)

SF 1: Ismail KHANIEV (RUS) df. Mateusz PEDZICKI (POL), via inj. def. (9-0)
SF 2: Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE) df. Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO), 4-1

97kg
GOLD: Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR) vs. Takhir KHANIEV (RUS)

SF 1: Ivan PRYMACHENKO (UKR) df. Zafar ALIYEV (AZE), 6-2
SF 2: Takhir KHANIEV (RUS) df. Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 14-4