WALBRZYCH, Poland (March 26) – Petra OLLI (FIN) won her fifth straight continental age-group championship crown and Russia bagged a complete set of medals on the first day of women’s freestyle at the European Under-23 Wrestling Championships.

Olli, who won four junior titles from 2011 to 2014, added the under-23 crown with the a 6-1 triumph over 2013 junior world champion Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) in the 60kg gold medal final at Aqua Zdroj Sports Center in Walbrzych.

“I was a little shy (tentative) in the first period, but I relaxed in the second and was able to wrestle my way,” said Olli. “I’ve wrestled Svetlana before in training camps and have lost a couple of times to her there,” added Olli, confiding that “It feels really good to have this out of the way.”

Looking ahead, Olli said she planned to wrestle at 60kg at the first European Games in Baku this June, but added her main goal in 2015 is the Las Vegas world championships which will serve as the first qualification event for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, two-time European junior champion Nadezhda FEDOROVA (RUS) grabbed the first gold medal of the evening with a series of low-level attacks for an 8-4 win at 48kg over 2013 junior world runner-up Alina VUC (ROU).

Fedorova’s gold medal along with Lipatova’s silver and a bronze medal from another 2013 junior world silver medalist Tatiana MOROZOVA (69kg) helped Russia to a complete set of medals on the first day of competition and 29 points – ahead of Turkey (28) and Ukraine (26).

Turkey qualified all four of its entries on the first day for the bronze medal matches and came away with medals from Evin DEMIRHAN (48kg) and Hafize SAHIN (60kg).

After stumbling in the morning session, Ukraine came back with bronze medals from 2013 junior world runner-up Larysa SKOBLYUK (55kg) and World Cup ace Oksana HERHEL (60kg).

Belarus also snared a pair of bronze medals from 2012 senior world champion Vanesa KALDZINSKAYA (48kg), who ended a two-year medal drought, and silver medalist Zalina SIDAKOVA (55kg). 

At 55kg, Paris Grand Prix runner-up Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) scored two four-point takedowns off a pair of ankle picks against Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL), then capped her first-ever international triumph with a headlock to fall at 2:12.

In the day’s finale, Fanny GRADIN (SWE) tripped Anna SCHELL (GER) to her back in the 69kg final and pressed for the fall for her first championship crown abroad. 

Medal Final Results:

48kg (13 entries)
Gold - Nadezhda FEDOROVA (RUS) df. Alina VUC (ROU), 8-0
Bronze - Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Karalina TJAPKO (LAT), 8-0
Bronze - Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) df. Olga SHNAIDER (UKR), 5-0

55kg (11 entries)
Gold - Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) df. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) by Fall, 2:12 (12-0)
Bronze - Larysa SKOBLYUK (UKR) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), 6-2
Bronze - Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) df. Anastassia KRASNOVA (EST) by TF, 10-0, 0:29

60kg (10 entries)
Gold - Petra OLLI (FIN) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 6-1
Bronze – Hafize SAHIN (TUR) df. Madzina SIDAKOVA (BLR), 8-5
Bronze - Oksana HERHEL (UKR) df. Victoria BOBEVA (BUL) by Fall, 2:51 (8-0)

69kg (12 entries)
Gold - Fanny GRADIN (SWE) df. Anna SCHELL (GER) by Fall, 2:12 (4-0)
Bronze - Klaudia SANDOR (HUN) df. Sinem TOPCU (TUR) by Fall, 5:01 (12-4)
Bronze - Tatiana MOROZOVA (RUS) df. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) by TF, 12-0, 3:19

La Turquie a qualifié les quatre lutteuses qu’elle avait inscrites le premier jour pour les match pour le bronze, et Evin DEMIRHAN (48kg) et Hafize SAHIN (60kg) ont remporté deux titres.

Après une mauvaise session le matin, l’Ukraine a remporté des médailles de bronze grâce à la vice championne du monde de 2013 Larysa SKOBLYUK (55kg) et grâce à Oksana HERHEL (60kg).

La Biélorussie a également remporté deux médailles de bronze grâce à la championne du monde senior de 2012 Vanesa KALDZINSKAYA (48kg), qui n’avait pas gagné de médaille depuis deux ans, et grâce  la médaillée d’argent Zalina SIDAKOVA (55kg). 

A 55 kg, la vice championne du Grand Prix de Paris Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) a remporté son tout premier titre internationale par tombé en 2 :12 grâce à un headlock face à Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL).

Dans les finales du jour, Fanny GRADIN (SWE) a mis Anna SCHELL (GER) sur le dos en finale à 69 kg et a gagné par tombé, remportant ainsi son premier championnat à l’étranger.

Résultats:

48kg (13 inscriptions)
Or - Nadezhda FEDOROVA (RUS) df. Alina VUC (ROU), 8-0
Bronze - Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Karalina TJAPKO (LAT), 8-0
Bronze - Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) df. Olga SHNAIDER (UKR), 5-0

55kg (11 inscriptions)
Or - Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) df. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) par tombé, 2:12 (12-0)
Bronze - Larysa SKOBLYUK (UKR) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), 6-2
Bronze - Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR) df. Anastassia KRASNOVA (EST) par SP, 10-0, 0:29

60kg (10 inscriptions)
Or - Petra OLLI (FIN) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 6-1
Bronze – Hafize SAHIN (TUR) df. Madzina SIDAKOVA (BLR), 8-5
Bronze - Oksana HERHEL (UKR) df. Victoria BOBEVA (BUL) par tombé, 2:51 (8-0)

69kg (12 inscriptions)
Or - Fanny GRADIN (SWE) df. Anna SCHELL (GER) par tombé, 2:12 (4-0)
Bronze - Klaudia SANDOR (HUN) df. Sinem TOPCU (TUR) par tombé, 5:01 (12-4)
Bronze - Tatiana MOROZOVA (RUS) df. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) par SP, 12-0, 3:19