#kaspeuro2018

Live Notebook - European Championships (Day Three)

By Eric Olanowski

1:20 PM - That'll do it for the morning session on Day 3. We'll be back at 5:15 PM (local time) for the women's wrestling semifinals and the Greco-Roman finals. 

1:08 PM -  Ainztane GORRIA GONI (ESP) scores an early takedown and takes the 2-0 lead on 2017 silver medalist, Emilia Alina VUC (ROU). Vuc immediately comes up to her feet, hits a headlock and picks up the fall with just over a minute gone in the first period. 

12:52 PM -  Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), U23 world champion trails Oksana LIVACH (UKR), 4-0 after the first minute of wrestling. Demirhan closed out the first period with three takedowns and takes the 6-5 lead into the second period. Livach headlocks Demirhan to her back and takes the 9-8 lead, but a late takedown for the Turk gives her the 10-9 victory. 

12:35 PM -  Mariya STADNIK (AZE), seven-time Euro champion is making her way to Mat C. Stadnik picks up back-to-back technical superiority victories. The second 10-0 victory came against Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) in just under three minutes. 

12:26 PM - Yasemin Adar, 2017 world champion leads 2015 world bronze medalist Epp MAE (EST), 4-0 after a feet to back single leg. Adar starts the second period with another thunderous four-point throw to take the 8-0 lead. Her snap-down-spin-behind gives her the 10-0 technical superiority victory. 

12:16 PM - Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), 2017 world bronze medalist is making her way to Mat C. Larroque's takedown in the first period gives her the 2-0 over Monika MICHALIK (POL) heading into the second period.  

12:09 PM - 50kg WW - Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) picks up the first fall of the day over Fatme MANDEVA (BUL). The Russian had a commanding 6-0  lead before throwing the Bulgarian to her back for the fall. 

12:00 PM - Yasemin ADAR (TUR)  2017 world champion and Olympic silver medalist, Mariya STADNIK (AZE) will be headlining the third day of wrestling. Stadnik has never suffered a defeat at a European Championship will be looking for her eighth European gold medal. 

Start of action
11:00 AM -  Qualification rounds for WW 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg, and 76kg
11:00 AM - Repechage for GR 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg, and 97kg

 

#BeachWrestling

Sakurai swaps mat for sand, wins Beach Wrestling gold

By Vinay Siwach

TOKYO (May 13) -- Paris Olympic champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) made a return to competition for the first time since August last year. However, it was not on the mat.

Sakurai, who won gold medal at 57kg in Paris, returned to compete in beach wrestling. She wrestled at the Japan Beach Wrestling National Team Qualifying Tournament held in Tachikawa, Tokyo on Sunday and won gold at 60kg

"It may sound strange for me to say it, but I felt that I was suited to it," Sakurai was quoted by Japan Olympic Committee.

Sakurai, who is not entered for the June 19-22 Meiji Cup, Japan's qualifying tournament for the World Championships in September, is now qualified to compete for Japan in Beach Wrestling this year.

"Since I am qualified for the international tournament, I will try to participate," she said. "I want to be number one. I'll practice on the sandy beaches of Kochi [Prefecture]."

The three-time world champion, however, did not rule out the possibility of returning to the mat soon.

"I am still practicing on the mat and when I feel like I am ready, I will be back on the mat," she said.