#WrestlePlovdiv

Live Blog: U23 European Championships Day 5

Friday, March 11, 2022 - 08:44 By Vinay Siwach

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PLOVDIV, Bulgaria (March 11) -- The U23 European Championships move to day five with freestyle action in five weight classes. The wrestlers from 57kg, 65kg, 70kg, 79kg and 97kg will try to reach the semifinals later tonight. Senior World bronze medalist Horst LEHR (GER) is also in the mix.

MATCH ORDER | LIVE STREAM

1320: We finish the session with an incredible comeback from Ivailo TISOV (BUL) against Demin LIUTCANOV (MDA). He was down 8-2 and then 14-8 but secures a fall to move into the semifinals at 57kg.

1310: Senior World bronze medalist Horst LEHR (GER) was trailing 2-0 until the final minute but blasted a double leg attack and secured the fall

1245: Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) looks unstoppable today. He has his second fall of the day he moves into the 70kg semifinals

1240: What a bout we had. Bayramov and Alaca put on a show for the fans. Bayramov began with a four-point double and then laced two times to lead 9-1. But Alaca scripted a comeback to be 11-8 but Bayramov stayed composed to win it.

1210: Returning silver medalist Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) with a fall in 21 seconds over Roland BIRO (HUN) at 70kg

1200: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) with a fall over Abdulvasi BALTA (TUR). The two were involved in a tough battle but the Greece wrestler with a big four-pointer to lead 13-3 but secured the fall

1145: Junior Worlds silver medalist Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) begins with a big 12-1 win over Stilyan ILIEV (BUL)

1143: Ugrelidze with a small comeback as he cuts Alaca's lead to 8-4. There is still a minute to go in the bout. Can the Georgian cause an upset? He can't. Alaca wins 8-5.

1130: Cadet world champion Hamza ALACA (TUR) is now on Mat A against Gia UGRELIDZE (GEO). He starts with a takedown and then two leg laces to make it 5-0. A duck under for two more. 

1115: Welcome to day five of the U23 European Championships in Plovdiv. We will have Hrachya MARGARYAN (ARM) beginning against Dominik LARITZ (SUI) on Mat A 

#WrestleZagreb

Maroulis returns to Worlds final after three years

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 20:38 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- Helen MAROULIS (USA) wrestled three bout on Tuesday at the World Championships and secured three pins. She spent only 6 minutes and 28 seconds in those three pins to reach the 57kg final at the World Championships on Tuesday in Zagreb.

Maroulis, a two-time world champion, will now wrestle for gold against Il Sim SON (PRK), one of the two wrestlers from the DPR Korea to make it to the final on Tuesday.

In all three of her pins, Maroulis used the iconic foot-sweep to get the fall. The first victim was Emine CAKMAK (TUR) who was pinned in a minute. Japan's world U23 champion Himeka TOKUHARA (JPN) held her fort for some time but Tokuhara missed a shot and Maroulis got the two-on-one before sweeping her for the fall in 2 minutes and 17 seconds.

In the semifinals, Maroulis wrestled European champion Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) and took a 1-0 lead for the latter's inactivity. But as soon as the second period began, Maroulis went straight to work and hit the sweep to get the fall and a place in the final.

She will face an unfamiliar challenge in the final as  Il Sim SON (PRK) who defeated Olympic bronze medalist Kexin HONG (CHN), 12-2, in the other semifinal. Son was one of the two finalist for the DPR Korea, a country which won its gold at 55kg on Tuesday.

The other wrestler from the DPR Korea to reach the final was Asian bronze medalist Myonggyong WON (PRK) who handed 2021 world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) her first international loss.

Yoshimoto, Asian champion in 2025, had it under control for the most the match before conceding a takedown with just 23 seconds left on the clock. Won was relentless in her attacks to break Yoshimoto in the final 20 seconds.

For the gold, she will face 2024 world U20 champion Yu ZHANG (CHN) who secured a fall over Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) after taking a 9-0 lead.

At 65kg, former world champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) defeated another world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) in the semifinal, 10-0. Morikawa impressed with her attacks and scored five different takedowns to finish the match via technical superiority.

World U23 silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) will look to stop Morikawa from winning her second world title after a dream run to the final at 65kg. She defeated two-time world bronze medalist Macey KILTY (USA) in the morning session and completed a 13-3 technical superiority Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) in the semifinals.

Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) booked a final against Genesis REASCO (ECU) after she handed a 10-5 defeat to European champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) in the semifinals.

In an all South American semifinal, Reasco scored a takedown in the last minute to stun Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), 5-3. Potrille was leading 3-3 on criteria with a minute left but Reasco scored the two-point takedown and held on to her lead for the win, becoming the first Ecuadorian wrestler to reach a World Championships final.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Myonggyong WON (PRK) vs. Yu ZHANG (CHN)

SF 1: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL), via fall (9-0)
SF 2: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), 3-2

57kg
GOLD: Helen MAROULIS (USA) vs. Il Sim SON (PRK)

SF 1: Il Sim SON (PRK) df. Kexin HONG (CHN), 12-2
SF 2: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW), via fall (5-0)

65kg
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) vs. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW)

SF 1: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL), 13-3
SF 2: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), 10-0

76kg
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) vs. Genesis REASCO (ECU)

SF 1: Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) df. Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), 5-3
SF 2: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 10-5