Mattsson and Koliadenko Sail to European OG Qualifier Golds

Saturday, March 20, 2021 - 16:44 By Eric Olanowski

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 20) --- Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) and Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) sailed to gold medals on Saturday night at the European Olympic Games Qualifier with dominating finals performances at 53kg and 62kg, respectively.

Mattsson put on a stellar performance in the 53kg finals against fellow world champion Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) and claimed her second title of the year.

The Rio Olympic bronze medalist scored four single-leg takedowns and an exposure and ended bout 10-0 with 90 seconds left on the clock. In her two ’21 competitions, she’s captured a pair of golds, but done so in convincing fashion. She's now defeated a world champion in back-to-back tournament finals. In addition to today’s win over two-time world champion Kaladzinskaya, Mattsson also defeated ’19 world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) in the Henri Deglane finals.

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) looks to finish a single leg at the European Olympic Qualifier. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Koliadenko continued her impressive run to the 62kg gold medal with a 15-4 throttling of Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT). She scored three first-period takedowns before making her lone mistake of the competition. The Ukrainian gave up a four-point outside trip, but squirmed off of her back for the reversal and transitioned into a gut wrench. She ended the first period with a five-point lead, 9-4.

In the closing frame, Koliadenko returned the four-point favor. She made the mid-match adjustment and halted a second outside trip attempt from her Latvian opponent and scored four points of her own. Koliadenko closed out the match with a gut wrench and earned the 15-4 technical superiority victory.

Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) claimed 76kg gold with a 2-0 win over Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR). (Photo: Gabor Martin)

There were three forfeits in the finals but the remaining gold-medal match that was contested came at 76kg. In a pretty dull match, London Olympic champ Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) earned two points from an inactivity point and a stepout and defeated Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 2-0.

Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) and Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) claimed gold for Bulgaria at 50kg and 57kg, respectively, on Saturday night. Both of their wins came via injury defaults.

Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) was the final champion that was crowned on Saturday night. Her 68kg finals opponent Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) injury defaulted out of the gold-medal match.

Sunday night’s Greco-Roman medal matches kick-off at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.uww.org.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD - Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), via injury default
BRONZE - Iwona Nina MATKOWSKA (POL) df. Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE), 8-0
BRONZE - Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA) df. Taru Marketta VAINIONPAEAE (FIN), 5-0

53kg
GOLD - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) df. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR), 10-0
BRONZE - Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 5-4
BRONZE - Iulia LEORDA (MDA) df. Leyla GURBANOVA (AZE), 10-0

57kg
GOLD - Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL) df. Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR), via injury default
BRONZE - Emese BARKA (HUN) vs. Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), 7-3
BRONZE - Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), via injury default

62kg
GOLD - Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT), 15-4
BRONZE - Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE) df. Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR), 2-1
BRONZE - Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA) df. Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR), 4-1

68kg
GOLD - Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) df. Khanum VELIEVA (RUS), via injury default
BRONZE - Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), 8-0
BRONZE - Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL) df. Dalma CANEVA (ITA), via injury default

76kg
GOLD - Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) df. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 2-0
BRONZE - Martina KUENZ (AUT) df. Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR), 10-2
BRONZE - Alla BELINSKA (UKR) vs. Mariya Gerginova ORYASHKOVA (BUL), 4-3

#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest: Kamal third time lucky to win European title

Sunday, April 3, 2022 - 18:40 By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (April 3) -- Turkey claimed back-to-back gold medals to close out the European Championships in Budapest.

Overall, Turkey finished with three gold, one silver, and three bronze at the tournament to finish 150 points. However, this was not enough to overtake Azerbaijan which had 165 points and won the Greco-Roman team title. Georgia finished third with 114 points.

Kerem KAMAL (TUR) was third time lucky in the final as he won the gold after previously losing two finals in 2020 and 2021. But in his third final in three years, he defeated former European champ Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) 5-0 to win at 60kg.

"I have been waiting for this for a very long time," Kamal said. "This is my third final and I lost the first final 5-5, the second final 3:1, finally I managed to win the gold medal. I am still very young and have many goals."

After getting a point for Nazaryan's passivity, Kamal managed to score from a step-out to lead 2-0. A second-period takedown and a step-out gave him a comfortable 5-0 lead.

Nazaryan looked like a shadow of himself from Saturday. He had defeated defending champion Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) 10-1 in the semifinal but could not repeat the performance in the final.

Kamal was well aware of Nazaryan's abilities to score from par terre and had planned to not let the Bulgarian get that chance.

"I know exactly who is the father [Armen NAZARYAN] of my opponent in the final," he said. "I know with which technique he became Olympic champion. His son [Edmond] is as good and talented as his father. I knew it would be hard, but I won with my will and stubbornness."

Kamal burst into the scene with three back-to-back world titles and has now added all age-group European titles to his name. Kamal, all recovered from his injury at the U23 Worlds, has his eyes set on a senior World title.

"I suffered a serious injury at the U23 World Championships six months ago," he said. "I know who I am and what I want, and I know that I always want to be the strongest."

Murat FIRAT (TUR) won the gold at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The second gold for the nation came from Murat FIRAT (TUR) as he denied Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) a gold medal at home. In the close final, Firat used an exposure close to the zone to win 3-1.

Vancza had his chance to take the lead when Firat was called passive but he did not manage to score any points from par terre in the second period.

This was Firat's second championships win, seven years after he won the first one at the junior European title in 2015.

Robert FRITSCH (HUN) won Hungary's first gold of the tournament. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hungary did have a home champion as Robert FRITSCH (HUN) upset Rio bronze medalist Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-2, at the 72kg final. In one of the closest bouts of the tournament, Bolkvadze led 1-0 at the break for a passivity point.

But Fritsch bounced back with a gut wrench from par terre to lead 3-1. A reversal point for Bolkvadze but his lead to 3-2 but he managed to hang on for the win.

In a historic feat, Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE) became the first-ever Azerbaijan wrestler to win three European titles.

Wrestling Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) in the 82kg final, Huseynov gave up a point for passivity but defended the par terre position. Georgia asked for a challenge for Huseynov's fleeing but lost it. Huseynov got the second point from Bolkvadze's passivity and kept the 2-1 lead to win the gold.

The final gold of the tournament went to Kiril MILOV (BUL) who upgraded from his silver in 2019. With fond memories of Budapest, he changed the color of his medal with an error-less performance in the final against Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 4-1.

Milov got the match-deciding gut wrench in the second period to defeat the former U23 world champion Savolainen who won the title in Budapest three years ago.

GR medal bouts

60kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df (BUL) Edmond NAZARYAN, 5-0

BRONZE: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) df Razvan ARNAUT (ROU), 5-2
BRONZE: Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) df Erik TORBA (HUN), 5-1

67kg
GOLD: Murat FIRAT (TUR) df Krisztian VANCZA (HUN), 3-1

BRONZE: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) df Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), via fall
BRONZE: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df Sebastian NAD (SRB), 8-1

72kg
GOLD: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) df Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-2

BRONZE: Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) df Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU), 14-7
BRONZE: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO), via fall

82kg
GOLD: Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 2-1

BRONZE: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df Mihail BRADU (MDA), 4-1
BRONZE: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df Pascal EISELE (GER), 6-1

97kg
GOLD: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 4-1

BRONZE: Daniel GASTL (AUT) df Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE), 4-1
BRONZE: Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR) df Felix BALDAUF (NOR), 8-0

Mattsson and Koliadenko Sail to European OG Qualifier Golds

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#WrestleBudapest: Kamal third time lucky to win European title