#WrestleBudapest

Mattsson and Koliadenko Sail to European OG Qualifier Golds

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

#WrestleBaku, #WrestleParis

Aliyev leads as Azerbaijan wins six Paris 2024 quota at European qualifier

By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 7) -- Haji ALIYEV (AZE) on the mat in front of a packed stadium in Baku for an Olympic spot. The fans cheered every time he scored. It only got louder as he inched towards victory. As the final whistle blew, Aliyev stretched his arms and fell on the mat even as the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku was defeaning.

Two-time Olympic medalist Aliyev, 32, qualified Azerbaijan for the Paris Olympics at 65kg with an entertaining 6-4 victory over European champion Islan DUDAEV (ALB). Aliyev was back.

Since winning the silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics, Aliyev has not dominated the 65kg weight class. He finished fifth at the 2022 World Championships and eighth at the 2023 edition.

Azerbaijan was losing confidence in its star as the Paris Olympics came closer with it still to earning a qualification. Aliyev was under pressure and his conditioning was being questioned. And a few youngsters were knocking on the door.

Yet, Aliyev entered the European OG Qualifier in Baku as the favorite. In front of the home crowd and as the captain of the Azerbaijan Freestyle team, Aliyev had to deliver.

After seeing off Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) and Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN), Aliyev faced Dudaev for Paris qualification. Dudaev won the European Championships in Bucharest in February after defeating Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (AIN).

He threatened to beat Aliyev, leading 3-0 at the break. But Aliyev managed to get on a single leg and score a takedown to close the gap to 3-2. He again hit the same shot and got a takedown before using the lace to make it 6-3. Dudaev tried hard but Aliyev was too good with his defense and only gave up a stepout for one up.

Azerbaijan will most likely give Aliyev the spot in Paris 2024, his third in his career. Aliyev will be looking to win his third Olympic medal after a bronze medal in Rio 2016 and a silver in Tokyo 2020.

The second Paris 2024 quota at 65kg was won by Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) who defeated Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 2-1, in the other semifinal. The two wrestlers exchanged passivity but Sacultan was put on the activity clock in the second period, giving Dzebisashvili the criteria win. 

Aliyev's win was one of the five that Azerbaijan had to become the first country to win all six Freestyle Olympic quotas. Apart from Aliyev, Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE), Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) earned quotas.

Rzazade seemed in a hurry to be off the mat as he opened the scoring against former European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MKD). He kicked off the bout with a stunning ankle pick for a takedown in the first five seconds of the bout and tried to soak in the Baku pressure by pacing around the mat as Egorov took time to return to the center.

In the second period, Rzazade scored a stepout when Egorov was on the activity clock, giving Rzazade a 4-0 lead. Egorov scored a takedown and was given one more point for Rzazade's fleeing at the end but the Azerbaijan wrestler won 4-3 to win the quota at 57kg.

Former world bronze medalist Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN) defeated Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 7-3, in a one-sided semifinal to earn the second quota at 57kg.

At 86kg, Nurmagomedov showed his skills to beat Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 4-1, to earn a qualification. He also defeated Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) in the quarterfinals.

Wrestling internationally for the first time since 2021, Olympic and world bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) confirmed his Paris 2024 spot after a gritty 4-0 win over Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO). In the quarterfinal, Naifonov held off European champion Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) 2-1.

Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) confirmed the qualification at 125kg after he defeated Alen KHUBULOV (BUL), 7-0. The other qualification went to Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) who defeated Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 9-2.

A last-minute replacement for Abdulrashid SADULAEV (IND), Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (AIN) still got the job done of qualifying after he defeated Illia ARCHAIA (UKR), 11-0 to earn the Paris 2024 quota.

The second spot at 97kg was won by Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN) after his opponent Radoslaw BARAN (POL) pulled out due to an injury he suffered in the quarterfinal.

At 74kg, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) did let the ghost of past affect him as he held on to a 8-8 win over Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) in a thrilling bout.

Chamizo trailed 8-6 but got awarded two caution points and almost scored a takedown which was reverted on challenge and Bayramov got a criteria win and an Olympic quota.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (AIN) held on to a 3-2 win over European champion Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) to win the quota. All five points were technical points.

 

fg

RESULTS

57kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) df. Vladimir EGOROV (MKD), 4-3
SF 2: Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN) df. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), 7-3

65kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) df. Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 2-1
SF 2: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Islam DUDAEV (ALB), 6-4

74kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), 8-8
SF 2: Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (AIN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 3-2

86kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 4-0
SF 2: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 4-1 

97kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Alikhan ZHABRAILOV (AIN) df. Illia ARCHAIA (UKR), 11-0
SF 2: Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN) df. Radoslaw BARAN (POL), via inj. def.

125kg Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) df. Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL), 9-2
SF 2: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) df. Alen KHUBULOV (BUL), 7-0