#Rome2018

Nine Nations Qualify Wrestlers for Tuesday's European Junior Greco-Roman Finals

By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (July 30) - The opening day of the 2018 European Juniors kicked off today in Rome, Italy and nine nations qualified a wrestler for tomorrow’s Greco-Roman finals. Russia was the lone nation to put more than one wrestler in the finals, as Oleg AGAKHANOV (RUS) and Egor KADIROV (RUS) each reached the finals of their respective weight classes. 

Oleg Agakhanov gave Russia their first finalist after he outscored Artsiom SHUMSKI (BLR), 10-0 to make the 130kg finals. 

Agakhanov, the 2017 Vantaa Painicup will go head-to-head with Germany’s Cerro Pelado International bronze medalist, Franz RICHTER for the heavyweight title. In the semifinals, Richter blasted through Beka MAKARIDZE (GEO), 8-2 to make his way to the European Junior gold-medal bout. 

Egor KADIROV (RUS) is one of two Russian wrestlers who made the Greco-Roman finals on the opening day of the 2018 European Junior Championships. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

Egor KADIROV (RUS) was the second Russian wrestler to make the finals, shutting out 2016 Cadet World team representative, Vahe POGHOSYAN (ARM), 9-0 to make the 77kg championship match. 

In the finals, Kadirov, the 2016 Vantaa Painicup champion will wrestle Bulgaria’s 2016 Cadet World team representative, Zahari ZASHEV. 

Nearly all of the finalists have previous age-level European Championship experience, but none have reached the gold-medal bout, meaning five first time continental champions will be crowded tomorrow. 

The day two Greco-Roman finals are scheduled to begin on Tuesday at 6:00 PM local time. (Click HERE for full schedule)

Finals Match-ups   
57kg - Giovanni FRENI (ITA) vs. Tigran MINASYAN (ARM)
63kg - Maksim NEHODA (BLR) vs. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)
77kg -  Egor KADIROV (RUS) vs. Zahari Rosenov ZASHEV (BUL)
87kg Temuri TCHKUASELIDZE (GEO) vs. Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
130kg - Oleg Kahaberovitch AGAKHANOV (RUS) vs. Franz RICHTER (GER)

Russia, Belarus wrestlers to compete under UWW flag

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 21) -- All eligible wrestlers from Russia and Belarus will now compete under United World Wrestling flag.

The UWW Bureau, which met on February 5, gave a green signal for wrestlers who previously competed under neutral flag as Individual Neutral Athletes, to compete under UWW Flag effective immediately. This also includes the staff of the two countries.

However, UWW will continue with UWW anthem for ceremonies with no reference to the flag, symbols, or coat of arms of Russia and Belarus will be authorized.

Furthermore, no team ranking will be considered of these two countries at any championships.

This is the third major update for eligibility of wrestlers from Russia and Belarus. UWW had announced the first set of eligibility criteria for Russia and Belarus wrestlers in 2023. The criteria was further revised in 2024 to state that only evidence of direct military participation in the war against Ukraine or public declarations [in written or orally] in support of the war and/or of their promoters or participants will be considered to declare an athlete as ineligible.