#WrestlePlovdiv

Live Blog: U23 European Championships Day 4

By Vinay Siwach

PLOVDIV, Bulgaria (March 10) -- The U23 European Championships enters day four with the final five weight classes of women's wrestling in action. A few of the junior stars will be eyeing glory at the U23 level and the front runners Thursday are the Hungary and Poland teams.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

1350: On Mat C, Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER) had no answer Tuende ELEKES (HUN) attacks. The Junior World Championships silver medalist Schneider falls 5-0 in the 72kg quarterfinals

1345: U23 World Championships silver medalist Kendra DACHER (FRA) remains calm despite trailing against Eleni PJOLLAJ (ITA). Down 5-4, she came out with a four-point throw and secured an 8-5 lead. She did give up two more points but that did not matter much.

1325: Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) beats Patrycja GIL (POL) at 57kg. Gil had a 6-4 lead heading into the final minute but Kamaloglu scored via a head pinch and got the two for exposure to lead 6-6. Gil had six seconds to score a point to win but she fails.

1315: Viktoria VESSO (EST) on Mat C against Birgul SOLTANOVA  (AZE). Vesso was trailing 7-6 in the final 10 seconds but a fleeing caution against Soltanova gives her the win, 7-7 on criteria.

1300: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) gets the fall over Ameline DOUARRE (FRA). Beautiful cradle to end the bout in the first period

1215: Patrycja GIL (POL) with a big four-pointer against Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) and she comes on top in the battle of two returning silver medalists. Dollak goes down 13-2

1200: Merve KARADENIZ (TUR) with a controlled win over Kelsey BARNES (GBR). The Great Britain wrestler to make it to the U23 Europeans.

1145: What a start we had. Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) and Sezen BELBEROVA (BUL) were involved in a battle. Dollak had a 7-4 lead with less than 40 seconds left but Belberova snuck out a single-leg attack to left and scored four points. But Dollak scored an ankle pick for a takedown to win 9-8

1130: We are beginning with only two mats. 72kg will have a Nelson system.

#BeachWrestling

Asian Beach Games: Iran Sweeps Men's Golds; India Wins 2 in Women's

By United World Wrestling Press

SANYA, China (April 29) -- Iran swept the gold medals in men's Beach Wrestling at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, winning all four finals.

In women's, India won two golds, hosts China one and Sri Lanka won a historic gold medal, its first of the Games which began on April and will close on April 30.

The gold rush of Iran began when Aliakbar ZAROUDI (IRI) defeated SIDDHARTH (IND) convincingly in the 70kg final, 3-0. The second gold medal came at 80kg as Ali GHOLAMI (IRI) pinned Muhammad Asad ULLAH (PAK) in the final.

In two of the matches of the day, Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) defeated former Beach Wrestling world champion Muhammad INAM (PAK), 3-0, not letting the Pakistan wrestler stay in his defensive shell as he is rather used to.

The +90kg final between Seyedamirreza SAHRAEIMAHALI (IRI) and the seven feet tall Da LU (CHN) also ended in Iran winning 3-0, dashing the hopes of hosts China winning at least one gold in men's weight categories.

"It is the best gift for the people back home," said ​Iran coach Ali BAZYAR. "I hope this brings some happiness during the tough times our nation is navigating."

PRIYA (IND)PRIYA (IND) won the gold medal in +70kg weight category in Sanya. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

India Wins 2 Golds

India had two finalists in women's and both came home with gold medals. Former U17 and U20 world champion PRIYA (IND) earned the gold medal in +70kg in a thrilling final against Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL). Priya needed a late point to win 3-2 against a tiring Zorigt to give India its third gold of the Games.

The second gold came from Pushpa YADAV (IND) who stunned Asian champion and local favorite Mengyu XIE (CHN), blanking her 3-0 in the 60kg final.

But Jia LONG (CHN) made sure the host China claim at least one gold in Beach Wrestling as she won the 70kg gold medal over Thi Linh DANG (VIE), pinning the Vietnam wrestler in the final.

Sri Lanka's historic gold in Beach Wrestling was won by Nipuni HEWA PEDIGE (SRI), who held on to a 3-1 victory over Thi Kim Oanh DOAN (VIE) in the 50kg final.

“This is my first international medal, and it is a gold medal, so I am very happy with my performance," Hewa Pedige was quoted as saying by OCA.

RESULTS

Men's Beach Wrestling

70kg
GOLD: Aliakbar ZAROUDI (IRI) df. SIDDHARTH (IND), 3-0

BRONZE: Adis RAKHAT UULU (KGZ) df. Muhammad ABDULLAH (PAK), 3-0

80kg
GOLD: Ali GHOLAMI (IRI) df. Muhammad Asad ULLAH (PAK), via fall

BRONZE: Feng LU (CHN) df. Yermakhan KOSHKINBAYEV (KAZ), 3-0

90kg
GOLD: Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI) df. Muhammad INAM (PAK), 3-0

BRONZE: Turbold GANBOLD (MGL) df. Peilong LI (CHN), 3-1

+90kg
GOLD: Seyedamirreza SAHRAEIMAHALI (IRI) df. Da LU (CHN), 3-0

BRONZE: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Muzafar ZHAPPUEV (KGZ), 3-0

Women's Beach Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Nipuni HEWA PEDIGE (SRI) df. Thi Kim Oanh DOAN (VIE), 3-1

BRONZE: Funa YANO (JPN) df. Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND), via inj. def.

60kg
GOLD: Pushpa YADAV (IND) df. Mengyu XIE (CHN), 3-0

BRONZE: Thi My Hanh NGUYEN (VIE) df. Youngjin KWON (KOR), 4-0

70kg
GOLD: Jia LONG (CHN) df. Thi Linh DANG (VIE), via fall

BRONZE: Jaspreet KAUR (IND) df. Beibit SEIDUALY (KAZ), 2-0

+70kg
GOLD: PRIYA (IND) df. Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL), 3-2

BRONZE: Wenji LI (CHN) df. Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ), 2-0