#WrestlePontevedra

Nitu Notches Win Over World Silver Medalist Zakharcheno, Makes 72kg Finals

Thursday, June 6, 2019 - 18:13 By Eric Olanowski

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PONTEVEDRA, Spain (June 6) – Romania’s Maria NITU stunned defending junior world runner-up Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS), 9-8 in the semifinals and will take on two-time European champion Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) in Friday night’s 72kg gold-medal bout. 

In the semifinals, Nitu surrendered the first takedown of the match, but never trailed after giving up that first takedown. Nitu scored back-to-back counter-offensive takedowns and grabbed the 4-2 lead. The Romanian gave up a stepout shortly before the first period ended and carried the 4-3 lead into the second period. 

After the break, Nitu stopped another shot attempt from Zakharchenko and scored her third takedown of the bout, extending her lead to 6-3. Nitu’s lead was cut to a point after Zakharchenko scored her second takedown; but that was only short-lived, as Nitu’s fourth takedown extended her lead to 8-5. 

The match got interesting with 15 seconds left when Nitu gave up a four-point inside trip and trailed 9-8. Shortly after awarding the four points, the referees came together and changed the call, giving two instead of the four. The change in points meant Nitu still had the 8-7 lead. A failed Russian challenge gave the Romanian her ninth point and the two-point lead.

Nitu back peddled and surrendered a stepout as time expired, but held on to the 9-8 upset victory. 

Nitu will meet Belarus’ two-time European champion Anastasiya Zimiankova in the gold-medal match. The Romanian’s win stopped a rematch of the 2019 U23 European finals between Zimiankova and Zakharchenko, which was won by the Belarusian. 

Zimiankova, who'll be making her fifth age-level European finals, reached the Friday night finals after head locking last year’s cadet European bronze medalist Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) in the semifinals. 

The Friday night finals begin at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

RESULTS

53kg 
GOLD - Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) vs. Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df. Emma MALMGREN (SWE), 7-2
SEMIFINAL - Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS) df. Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA), 10-0 

57kg 
GOLD - Maryia HULIDA (BLR) vs. Alina AKOBIIA (UKR
SEMIFINAL - Maryia HULIDA (BLR) df. Gaëlle RUIZ (FRA), 6-1  
SEMIFINAL - Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (RUS), via fall 

62kg 
GOLD - Mariia LACHUGINA (RUS) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA)
SEMIFINAL - Mariia LACHUGINA (RUS) df.  Ramina MAMEDOVA (LAT), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR), 6-2 

65kg 
GOLD - Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) vs. Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) df. Viktoria VESSO (EST), 10-3 
SEMIFINAL - Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR) df. Noémi SZABADOS (HUN), 7-2 

72kg 
GOLD - Maria NITU (ROU)  vs. Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Maria NITU (ROU) df. Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS), 9-8 
SEMIFINAL - Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), via fall

#WrestleZagreb

Yousofi wins gold in Zagreb to enter Iran's 130kg race

Sunday, February 9, 2025 - 19:32 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 9) -- Iran has selection headache at 130kg. But it's a good one to have.

With Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) and Fardin HEYDAYTI (IRI) already fighting for the spot, Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) has thrown his hat in the process with gold medal at the Zagreb Open.

The 2021 world champion last competed internationally in the 2023 Budapest Ranking Series but returned as the new Olympic cycle began. And his first victim was European champion Sergey SEMENOV (AIN) who stunned Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the 130kg final to win gold.

Yousofi defeated Sememnov 10-1 in the opening bout, stopped Koppany LASZLO (HUN) 6-1 and won 9-1 against Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE).

In the final, Yousofi was put in par terre first against Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) tried the gut wrench but was blocked by Yousofi for two points. Then came the series of stepouts, a typical Iranian style of wrestling as Yousofi claimed a 9-1 victory the gold medal.

Iran's second gold medal came at 82kg as Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) defeated Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), 6-2, in the final. Szilvassy is a world silver medalist, having lost to Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) in the final in Tirana last year.

Farokhi was too much for Szilvassy who failed to keep up with the force of Farokhi and gave up stepouts as well.

But Iran would be disappointed at the results of 72kg as both Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Danial SOHRABI (IRI) lost to 19-year-old Levente LEVAI (HUN). Geraei suffered a loss in the semifinals while Sohrabi was stunned in the final by the teenager.

The final began in a very untraditional manner with Sohrabi getting cautioned for finger grabbing, which gave Levai a 2-0 lead. He was also put in par terre but Levai failed to score but still enjoyed a 3-0 lead.

Sohrabi came back with two stepouts and one point for par terre to make it 3-3 but he trailed on criteria as he was cautioned for two points early in the bout. Unaware of the criteria winner, Sohrabi was not in any attacking mode but with around a minute remaining, he realized that he is trailing on criteria.

A series of desperate attacks were made including one flying squirrel but Levai managed to defend all of them. Sohrabi asked for a challenge for the flying squirrel but no points were awarded on review, giving an extra point to Levai for lost challenge and a further cushion for victory.

In a weight class which had two world champions from Tirana, none finished on the podium. The 60kg weight class had Edlaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) but both lost to the unheralded Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) who in turn lost to U23 world champion and compatriot Alisher GANIEV (UZB) 9-0 in the semifinals.

From the other side of the bracket, Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) made it to the final against Ganiev who was leading 4-0 when a moment of brilliance from Tibilov changed it all.

In the second period of the match, Tibilov scissor jumped over Ganiev and the spun the Uzbek like a cartwheel for four points. The move gave Tibilov a 4-4 criteria lead and Uzbekistan challenged the call but lost to make the score 5-4. A second passivity further extended his lead to 6-4.

At 55kg, Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) denied Iran a gold medal, blanking Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI), 6-0.

Sargsian beats Khaslakanau

Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) suffered a heartbreaking elbow injury at the World Championships in Belgrade in 2023. After more than a year of being away from action, Sargsian marked his return with a gold medal at 97kg. He defeated former U20 world champion and Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 5-2, in the final.

Khaslakhanau was awarded the first par terre advantage of the final but he failed to score a point from that position. Soon, Sargsian launched a sag bodylock for four points which Khaslakhanau challenged for a leg four. But it was clean move from Sargsian who now led 5-1.

Khaslakhanau was giving another passivity advantage in the second period but he failed to score from that as well as Sargsian defended his 5-2 lead with ease.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) df. Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI), 6-0

BRONZE: Brady KOONTZ (USA) df. Artium DELEANU (MDA), 9-1

60kg
GOLD: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 6-4

BRONZE: Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) df. Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 9-0
BRONZE: Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) df. Huseyn GARIBOV (AZE), 9-1

72kg
GOLD: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Danial SOHRABI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) df. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE), via inj. def.

82kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), 6-2

BRONZE: Mihail BRADU (MDA) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 2-1
BRONZE: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Vasile COJOC (ROU), 9-0

97kg
GOLD: Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) df. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 5-2

BRONZE: Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) df. Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI)
BRONZE: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 7-1

130kg
GOLD: Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI)

BRONZE: Marat KAMPAROV (AIN) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE: Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Koppany LASZLO (HUN), via fall