European Games

Mattsson, Sadulaev Strike Gold Again at European Games; Aliyev Dominates

Thursday, June 27, 2019 - 20:21 By United World Wrestling Press

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MINSK, Belarus (June 27) - On Thursday, Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) captured their second European Games gold medals in as many tries.

One was pushed to limits, while the other did not break a sweat. 

Mattsson, a six-time world medalist and Olympic bronze medalist, held on to defeat Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR) 6-4 in the gold-medal match at 53kg. 

The 29-year-old Swedish wrestler raced out to a 6-0 lead at the break after picking up three takedowns in the first period. Khavaldzhy got on the scoreboard with a takedown early in the second period. Trailing 6-2 late the in the match, Khavaldzhy fired off a shot and scored a takedown and put Mattsson in trouble. She was initially awarded four points for the exchange, which would have given her a 6-6 win on criteria. But Mattsson challenged the call and it was overturned. Two points were taken off the scoreboard, giving Mattsson the victory.

Sadulaev, a 2016 Olympic champion and three-time world champion, added second European Games gold medal to his list of accomplishments after getting an injury default against Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) in the gold-medal match at 97kg. Gadzhiyev walked out on to the mat with a heavily bandaged leg and Sadulaev was given the injury default victory. Sadualev's European Games gold medal in 2015 game at 86kg. 

In a battle of world champions, Haji ALIYEV (AZE) dominated Olympic champion Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) 10-2 to claim the gold medal at 65kg. Aliyev, a three-time world champion and three-time European champion, used a takedown and exposure to grab an early 4-0 lead. He added an additional point after a failed challenge to go up 5-0 at the break. Khinchegashvili inched closer with two one-point scores in the second period, but Aliyev then turned it up. He countered an attacked from the 28-year-old Georgian for a takedown. He added a step out and another takedown to win by eight. 

Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT), a two-time world bronze medalist, defeated two-time European champion Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) 5-3 to win the gold medal at 68kg. It's her second European Games medal after winning a bronze medal in 2015. Grigorjeva was in control most of the match. She scored her first point off a passivity and then added a takedown to lead 3-0 after the opening period. She built her lead to 5-0 in the second period after a takedown. Bratchikova put herself back in the match by scoring a step out followed up by takedown in the final 30 seconds to make the score 5-3. But Grigorjeva would hang on for the win.

Two-time world medalist Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) picked up a bronze medal at 65kg with an 8-5 victory over Andrei PERPELITSA (MDA). Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR) also won a bronze medal at 65kg, beating Valodya FRANGULYAN (ARM), 8-2.

World No. 4 Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) and world No. 8 Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) won the bronze medals at 97kg. Odikadze shut out Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), while Hushtyn earned a 3-1 victory over Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD).

Nina HEMMER (GER) topped Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) 2-0 to earn a bronze medal at 53kg. The other bronze medal at 53kg was won by Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS), who dominated Mercedesz DENES (HUN) 10-0. 

Sofia GEORGIEVA (BUL) and Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) finished with bronze medals at 68kg.

RESULTS

Freestyle 

65kg
GOLD - Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), 10-2
BRONZE - Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) df. Andrei PERPELITSA (MDA), 8-5
BRONZE - Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR) df. Valodya FRANGULYAN (ARM), 8-2

97kg
GOLD - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) Injury
BRONZE - Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) df. Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD), 3-1
BRONZE - Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) df. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 5-0

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) df. Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR), 6-4
BRONZE - Nina HEMMER (GER) df. Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), 2-0
BRONZE - Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) df. Mercedesz DENES (HUN), 10-0

68kg
GOLD - Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) df. Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS), 5-3
BRONZE - Sofia GEORGIEVA (BUL) df. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU), 4-1
BRONZE - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) df. Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), 6-2
 

#WrestleBudapest

Bisultanov preps for Zagreb Worlds with Budapest gold

Saturday, July 19, 2025 - 22:34 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 19) -- After winning the Zagreb Open gold medal in February, Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) had said that his main goal for the year to become a world champion. For that, he skipped European Championships as he had previously won gold there.

He focused on his shortcoming and weight management as he prepared for the World Championships, to be held in September in Zagreb.

With two months to go for that, Bisultanov entered the Budapest Ranking Series to test his preparations, and came out with flying colors. He won the Greco-Roman 87kg gold medal with a scintillating performance in Budapest.

Bisultanov did not break a sweat to reach the final against David LOSONCZI (HUN), who struggled throughout the day, and later pulled out of the final injured.

This was Bisultanov's second Ranking Series gold of the year and is expected to jump to number three in the rankings for 87kg. If all the top five ranked wrestlers are entered for the World Championships, Bisultanov will likely have Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) on side of the bracket.

But a performance like Saturday could potentially see Bisultanov get he better of Novikov, who lost the European Championships final to Losonczi this year.

Bisultanov, who won Thor Masters in June, warmed up with a 4-1 victory over Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) before he blanked Alan OSTAEV (UWW), 8-0, in the quarterfinal.

He faced local wrestlers Tamas LEVAI (HUN) in the semifinal and after a 7-0 lead, he decided it safe and defended from par terre. He gave a late stepout but managed to win 7-2 easily.

A Bisultanov-Losonczi final was what the fans wanted but Losonczi had struggled with his health all day long and decided to not risk it in the final.

He opened his day with tough bout against former European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), winning 3-1. His second match was also against a Serbian wrestler, Andrija MIHAJLOVIC (SRB), and he won 6-1.

It was the quarterfinal in which Losonczi was troubled by world U20 champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) who launched him for a suplex to lead 5-0. But Losonczi roared in the second period, scoring from par terre and getting points for Yevloyev's defensive fouls to win 9-5.

He then managed to keep Islam ABBASOV (AZE) quiet to win 4-0 in the semifinal and entertained the local fans with a back-flip. He would later not wrestle the final and win the silver.

In other two Greco-Roman weight classes of the day, Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) defeated Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), 8-2, in the 72kg final took a big step towards being on the Georgian team of the World Championships.

At 130kg, Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) got the better of Darius VITEK (HUN) in the final to win the gold medal.

RESULTS

72kg
GOLD: Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), 8-2

BRONZE: Otar ABULADZE (GEO) df. Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), 9-0

87kg
GOLD: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) df. David LOSONCZI (HUN), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB), 5-2
BRONZE: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df. Alan OSTAEV (UWW), 5-2

130kg
GOLD: Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) df. Darius Attila VITEK (HUN), 3-1

BRONZE: Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) df. Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN), 5-3
BRONZE: Koppany LASZLO (HUN) df. Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE), 2-1