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

Ranking Series: Double delight for Japan, Sujeet gives India gold

Thursday, July 17, 2025 - 22:39 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 17) -- Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN) and world silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) showed on Thursday why they will be prime contenders for gold medal at the World Championships in Zagreb in September.

Suda and Aoyagi earned two gold medals at 61kg and 70kg respectively, and reminded the world about Freestyle powerhouse Yamanashi Gakuin University in Japan.

Suda, who has not lost a match this year, won his second Ranking Series gold medal in 2025, adding to his gold from Tirana. But he needed a big comeback in the 61kg final against Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the dying seconds, winning 5-3.

Zhumashbek Uulu led 3-1 with 13 seconds remaining in the match when Suda used a snap to off balance Zhumashbek Uulu and go behind. He tried a takedown but then switches the direction and brings Zhumashbek Uulu to the mat, back first.

Zhumashbek Uulu tried to defend it with a whizzer but failed and Suda turned on his head without any danger to get the two points and win 3-3 on criteria. Kyrgyzstan challenged the call but on review, Suda was awarded four points and the scored changed to a 5-3 win for the Japanese.

In February, Suda won the gold medal in Tirana after an 8-8 victory over Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) and then won the Asian Championships gold medal over UDIT (IND) 6-4 in March.

Zhumashbek Uulu, who won Mongolian Open in June at 65kg, returned to 61kg after an year of competing at 65kg. He defeated Udit earlier in the day and reached the final but failed to cross the final hurdle.

With the win, Suda has clearly shown signs that he will be a gold-medal threat in Zagreb at 61kg, a weight class won by his high school and university teammate Masanosuke ONO (JPN) in 2024.

Aoyagi, who had also won gold medal in Tirana, was more dominant in his gold medal run. In Tirana, European silver medalist Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) had pulled out injured in the final.

Incidentally, he made the final against Aoyagi in Budapest on Thursday and this time he decided to wrestler. However, the winner was the same.

Aoyagi used a head-in-the-hole move to score four points in his 8-0 victory in the final of the 70kg weight class. Andreasyan had no answer to Aoyagi's attack despite being in advantageous positions during the final.

The Armenian was put on the activity clock during which he failed to score and gave up four points. Aoyagi, leading 5-0, won a challenge when Andreasyan was awarded two points for a takedown but on review, it was clear that Andreasyan had both his feet outside before completing a takedown.

With a 6-0 lead, Aoyagi scored a beautiful duck-under for two points and lead 8-0, the final score for the winner.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND) celebrates after beating Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Sujeet ends Indian drought

India failed to win any gold medals at the senior level in 2025 as it drew blank at the Asian Championships in March and Mongolian Open in June. However, Asian U23 champion SUJEET (IND) ended that curse for India by winning the 65kg gold medal in Budapest.

While he has age-group world and continental medals, Sujeet's run in Budapest and gold medal can be considered his biggest medal yet as he defeated Paris bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) in the first bout, European U23 silver medalist Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) in the quarterfinal and world medalist Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the semifinal.

Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) was up in the final and Sujeet, who showed glimpses of Tokyo bronze medalist Bajrang PUNIA (IND), made sure he doesn't let his guard down in the last match.

Sujeet conceded an activity point in the first period and was down 1-0 at the break against Rahimzade. But as soon as the second period began, Sujeet put pressure on Rahimzade, who kept dropping on his knees in the zone to avoid the pushout.

But Sujeet did not back down and scored a takedown when Rahimzade was on the activity clock. Leading 3-1, Sujeet added another takedown and completed a 5-1 victory over Rahimzade and captured the gold medal, his first of Ranking Series events.

At 57kg, world U20 champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) needed three straight comebacks to win the gold medal. He defeated Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) 3-1 in the final to capture his first gold at the senior level.

Lilledahl scored a takedown using a reattack with 20 seconds remaining in the match against Bazarganov to clinch a 3-1 win. His semifinal victory over RAHUL (IND) was even more dramatic as he managed to come back from 6-2.

Rahul used a leg-turk to score six point and lead 6-2 but Lilledahl scored a stepout and then blocked an attempted duck-under and put Rahul's back on the mat for two points. In the final 20 seconds, he threw off Rahul when the Indian was trying to hit a double-leg attack and won 7-6. In his first bout of the day, he scored a pushout with just 0.01 seconds left on the clock and dashed the dreams of Niklas STECHELE (GER).

World silver medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) returned to 79kg from 86kg and instantly showed results, winning the gold medal in Budapest. He blanked Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 5-0, in the final

At 125kg, Bahrain won its second gold of the tournament as Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) defeated Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 5-3.

Photo

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 3-1

BRONZE: RAHUL (IND) df. Niklas STECHELE (GER), 4-0
BRONZE: Aryan TSIUTRYN (UWW) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

61kg
GOLD: Takara SUDA (JPN) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 5-3

BRONZE: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR), 4-3
BRONZE: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) df. Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), 7-7
BRONZE: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 9-0

70kg
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 8-0

BRONZE: Sina KHALILI (IRI) df. Austin GOMEZ (MEX), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) df. Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI), 11-4

79kg
GOLD: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 5-0

BRONZE: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Lucas KAHNT (GER), 10-0
BRONZE: Fariborz BABAEI (IRI) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 2-0

97kg
GOLD: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) df. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), 11-0

BRONZE: Jonathan AIELLO (USA) df. Juhwan SEO (KOR), 10-0
BRONZE: Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) df. Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 9-4

125kg
GOLD: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 5-3

BRONZE: Robert BARAN (POL) df. Demetrius THOMAS (USA), 6-0
BRONZE: Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) df. Vladislav BAJCAJEV (HUN), 3-0