#WrestleBucharest

Moldova’s Ciobanu and Denmark’s Bisultanov Make History at European C’Ships

Sunday, April 14, 2019 - 20:40 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

BUCHAREST, Romania (April 14) – Moldova’s Victor CIOBANU and Denmark’s Rajbek BISULTANOV reached the top of the European championship podium and made history for their countries on the closing day of the wrestling in Bucharest. 

In the 60kg finals, Victor Ciobanu pulled off perhaps the biggest upset of these European Championships, defeating defending world and European champion Sergey EMELIN (RUS), 5-5, on criteria, and became the first-ever Moldovan Greco-Roman European champion.  

The Moldovan caught the Russian off balance in the opening period, capitalizing on a four-point offensive maneuver, and took the 4-0 lead into the second period. In the final period, the Russian fired back and gained the 5-4 lead, but a late stepout handed the Moldovan wrestler the 5-5 criteria advantage, and ultimately his nations first continental title.

And in the 82kg finals, Rajbek Bisultanov ended Denmark’s 93-year drought without a European gold medal, becoming the first wrestler from his nation to circle the mat with a Danish flag since Johannes JACOBSEN did so at the Riga European title in 1926. 

Bisultanov fell behind 1-0 to Georgia’s Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), but scored two exposure points and a takedown, ending the opening frame with a 4-1 lead. In the closing period, the Danish wrestler was dinged for a caution-and-two but held on to win 4-3. 

Meanwhile, Abuiazid MANTSIGOV and Musa EVLOEV capped off the 2019 European Championships with individual gold medals, bringing their overall total to five golds, and helping the Russian Federation repeat as Greco-Roman team champions, 60 points ahead of second-place Turkey. 

Russia, who entered Day 7 with a 34 point lead, extended their lead on the final day with their two champions, a second place finish from Sergey Emelin, and bronze medal wins from Artem SURKOV and Aleksandr KOMAROV.

In total, Russia closed out the European Championships with medals in nine of ten weight classes. They had five champions, a second-place finisher, and three bronze medal winners. 

Turkey, who finished in second place with 132 points, finished the day with a solo champion, a runner-up finish from Cengiz ARSLAN, and bronze medal finishes from Kerem KAMAL and Emrah KUS. 

Turkey’s Day 7 champion, Atakan YUKSEL, gave his country their second gold medal of the weekend. Yuksel trailed for four and a half minutes but picked up an inactivity point, followed by a pair of exposures to win, 5-1, against Poland’s Gevorg SAHAKYAN. 

Azerbaijan (76 points), Germany (72 points), and Georgia (71 points) rounded out the top-five team finishers at the 2019 European Championships. 

RESULTS
GOLD - Russia  (192 points)
SILVER - Turkey (132 points)
BRONZE - Azerbaijan (76 points)
Fourth - Germany (72 points)  
Fifth - Georgia (71 points) 

60kg 
GOLD - Victor CIOBANU (MDA) df. Sergey EMELIN (RUS), 5-5 
BRONZE - Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Virgil MUNTEANU (ROU), 4-1  
BRONZE - Lenur TEMIROV (UKR) df. Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO), 9-0 

67kg 
GOLD - Atakan YUKSEL (TUR) df. Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL), 5-1 
BRONZE - Artem SURKOV (RUS) df. Sachino DAVITAIA (GEO), 2-1
BRONZE - Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Mate NEMES (SRB), 4-2 

72kg
GOLD - Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) vs. Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR), 9-6
BRONZE - Dominik ETLINGER (CRO) df. Hrant KALACHYAN (ARM), 4-3
BRONZE - Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) df. Ilie COJOCARI (ROU), 2-1

82kg
GOLD - Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) df. Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), 4-3 
BRONZE - Emrah KUS (TUR) df. Hannes WAGNER (GER), 2-1 
BRONZE - Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS) df. Vili Tapio ROPPONEN (FIN), 8-0 

97kg 
GOLD - Musa EVLOEV (RUS) df. Kiril Milenov MILOV (BUL), 8-0 
BRONZE - Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN) df. Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE) , 3-2
BRONZE - Daigoro TIMONCINI (ITA) df. Fatih BASKOY (TUR), 2-1

Zhumanarova, Medet Kyzy give Kyrgyzstan double gold at ISG 2025

Thursday, November 20, 2025 - 17:27 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 20) -- Kyrgyzstan was the most successful nation on day three of the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 with three gold medals out of five on offer.

Three weight classes in women's and two in Freestyle were in action in Riyadh at the Games and Kyrgyzstan captured three gold medals with Paris Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) leading the way.

Zhumanazarova powered her way to the 68kg gold medal. Facing Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) in the final, Zhumanazarova hit a counter four-pointer to extend her lead to 7-0 before hitting a takedown and turn to finish the final 11-0.

"It was an easy tournament for me," Zhumanazarova said. "I have not wrestled well since Paris majorly due to the ankle injury I suffered."

Now that she is back to full fitness and winning, Zhumanazarova aims to compete more often year with Asian Championships, World Championships and Asian Games lined up.

"Next year, I will make sure to compete at all three major tournaments," she said.

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) celebrates after beating Damola OJO (NGR) in the 76kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Joining Zhumanazarova on the top of the podium was world silver medalist and Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) who came alive in the second period of the 76kg final against Damola OJO (NGR).

Ojo led 1-1 on criteria when she scored a stepout in the second period but Medet Kyzy scored a takedown and then moved to the legs to lock a lace and turn Ojo four times for an 11-1 technical superiority.

Medet Kyzy's gold medal was the second for Kyrgyzstan in women's wrestling, same as Nigeria. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan finished the competition with one gold each.

Esther KOLAWALE (NGR)Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) defeated Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) with a last-second takedown in the 62kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U23 world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) needed a final-second takedown against Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) to win the 62kg gold medal. She scored a takedown when Mammadova was on the activity clock to lead 3-0 and hoped to run out the clock with that lead.

However, Mammadova got on a single-leg attack in the second period which she converted into a takedown during the Nigerian's activity period. Kolawale tried to open the fingers of Mammadova which made the referees dock on point for caution, making it 4-3 for Mammadova with 16 seconds left. 

Kolawale first scored a stepout with 12 seconds remaining to make it 4-4 but Mammadova had the criteria lead because of the caution against Kolawale. But she then hit a takedown with three seconds on the clock to claim a 6-4 and the win as well.

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) scores on Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Amouzad dominates to gold

World champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) had not trouble in winning the 65kg gold medal after he defeated Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), 12-2, in the final.

Kudiev gave an early scare when he scored a takedown on Amouzad to go 2-0 up but the Iranian gather himself and scored three stepouts before the break to lead 3-2. Kudiev then tried to hit a double-leg but Amouzad countered with a beautiful chest wrap throw for four points to make it 7-2.

Tajikistan challenged, asking for two points but at no point in the exchange did Kudiev manage to expose or control Amouzad who now led 8-2 for the lost challenge. Two stepouts and a takedown later, Amouzad captured the gold medal with a technical superiority win.

Earlier in the day, Amouzad faced world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) in the quarterfinals and came out on top 4-0. The win included three stepout and one point for Jalolov's passivity.

Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ)Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) counters Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) to score four points. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kyrgyzstan won gold medals not only in Women's Wrestling but also in Freestyle as Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) won at 57kg, beating Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 9-3, in the final.

Karachov had a field day in Riyadh as he defeated world and Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) in the quarterfinals before a convincing win in the final.

Bazarganov was down 2-1 with 24 seconds left in the final when he hit a strong snap on Karachov who managed to stay on his feet and countered with a duckunder and get four points.

Bazarganov got one point for reversal but Azerbaijan challenged the call, asking for four points but lost it as Karachov never came in danger. The Kyrgyzstan wrestler then scored a match-ending takedown to win 9-3.

 

Photo

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

62kg
GOLD: Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-4

BRONZE: Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR) df. Rebecca AMONGI (UGA), 
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Aylah MAYALI (PLE), 11-0

68kg
GOLD: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB), 11-0

BRONZE: Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE) df. Halima AKTER (BAN), via forfeit
BRONZE: Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) df. Ndiffo AIMELDA (CMR), via fall (6-0)

76kg
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Damola OJO (NGR), 11-1

BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) vs. Elmira YASIN (TUR), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: Samar HAMZA (EGY) df. Wilita PELAGIE (CMR), 5-1

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 9-3

BRONZE: Ali MOMENI (IRI) df. Sayed ZAZAI (AFG), 11-0
BRONZE: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Ismael CAMARA (GUI), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), 12-2

BRONZE: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 8-3
BRONZE: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) df. Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), 10-0