#kaspeuro2018

Olympic Champ Aleksanyan and Pair of Olympic Medalists Headline Wednesday's Greco-Roman Finals

Wednesday, May 2, 2018 - 08:10 By Eric Olanowski

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KASPIYSK, Russia (May 2) - Artur “The White Bear,” Aleksanyan remained supreme on his quest to winning his fourth European title. The Armenian has suffered two defeats in the past five seasons, both coming at the European Championships. Aleksanyan last won a European title in 2014 but has won three world titles and an Olympic gold medal. 

The 2016 Olympic champion will get his opportunity to seize his first gold medal in four years when he takes on Mikheil KAJAIA (SRB) in the 97kg finals. Aleksanyan enters the European finals after scoring technical superiority victories over his first three opponents.

Serbia’s Kajaia is wrestling in his third European Championships and has outperformed his eleventh-place finish from a year ago. 

Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) will look to add a European gold medal to his collection of Olympic and world medals. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), the 24-year-old Olympic bronze medalist and U23 world champion shutout Denmark’s Fredrik Holmquist BJERREHUUS (DEN), 5-0 in the first 67kg semifinal, This marked the third time in as many matches that Bolvadze blanked his opponent. 

He’ll take on Artem SURKOV (RUS), the two-time European champion and two-time world bronze medalist in the gold-medal bout at 67kg. Surkov bested Poland’s Dawid KARECINSKI to make his third trip to the European finals.

Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), 2016 Olympic bronze medalist will be looking for his first European gold medal since 2015. 

The finals at 72kg will feature two previous European champions in Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) and Adam KURAK (RUS). 

Chunayev, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2015 world and European champion fancied his way to the finals by capturing four wins on the day, including an 11-3 semifinal victory over Georgia’s Luri LOMADZE (GEO). 

Kurak, the 2014 European champion picked up a trio of victories on the day. Most notably, the Russian avenged his loss from the bronze-medal bout of the 2017 World Championships, defeating Balint KORPASI (HUN), 3-3.  


2017 world champion Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) will wrestle tonight for his first European title. (Photo by Tony Rotundo)

The 82kg finals will feature a pair of first time European finalist in Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) and Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR).

Manukyan, the 2017 world champion started his day by shutting out 2016 Olympian Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO), 6-0. He followed that up by picking up two additional wins, including a dominating 8-0 performance over Hungary’s Laszlo SZABO (HUN) in the semifinals. 

Sasunouski squeaked out his first two wins before picking up the 9-0 technical superiority victory over 2015 European Games finalist, Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE). 

Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) picked up a 9-0 technical superiority victory to seal his spot in the 60kg finals.

Sergey EMELIN (RUS) and Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) both picked up 9-0 technical superiority victories in the semifinals and will wrestle for the 60kg gold on Wednesday night. 

Emelin used a set of four guts to go along with a passivity point to defeat Jacopo SANDRON (ITA), 9-0. 

Mammadov also scored eight points off gut wrenches, picking up his 9-0 technical superiority semifinal victory over Georgia’s Dato CHKHARTISHVILI. 

RESULTS
60kg 
GOLD: Sergey EMELIN (RUS) vs. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)

Semifinal: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Jacopo SANDRON (ITA), 9-0
Semifinal: Sergey EMELIN (RUS) df. Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO), 9-0 

67kg
GOLD - Artem SURKOV (RUS) v. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)

Semifinal - Artem SURKOV (RUS) df. Dawid KARECINSKI (POL), 3-1
Semifinal - Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Fredrik BJERREHUUS (DEN), 5-0

72kg
GOLD – Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) v. Adam KURAK (RUS)

Semifinal – Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) df. Luri LOMADZE (GEO), 11-3
Semifinal – Adam KURAK (RUS) df. Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL), 5-2 

82kg
GOLD: Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) vs. Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM)

Semifinal: Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) df. Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), 9-0
Semifinal: Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) df. Laszlo SZABO (HUN), 8-0

97kg
GOLD: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Mikheil KAJAIA (SRB)

Semifinal: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN), 10-0 
Semifinal: Mikheil KAJAIA (SRB) df. Ramsin AZIZSIR (GER), 3-1 

#WrestleSamokov

U.S. puts 2 in U20 Worlds finals; Kurugliyev closer to title

Monday, August 18, 2025 - 15:01 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 18) -- Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) earned himself a chance to win his first U20 world title after he made it to 92kg final Monday in Samokov, Bulgaria.

Kurugliyev, a former world U17 champion, has made the trip to World U20 Championships twice before this year but finished fifth in 2023 and won bronze in 2024, both at 97kg. He moved down to 92kg for this year's tournament and already upgraded his medal.

In a tough semifinal against returning bronze medalist Anar JAFARLI (AZE), Kurugliyev won a close bout 9-6, thanks to an early four-pointer move which gave him a huge advantage. Jafarli got a couple of takedowns but never seemed to trouble the Kazakhstan wrestler.

Kurugliyev will now face Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) in the final after the Uzbekistan wrestler pinned Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW) in the other semifinal at 92kg.

Poyonov, the Asian U20 champion, blocked Gadzhibatyrov in one of the attacks and then kept him on the mat, pinning his shoulders for the win. Poyonov will look to become the first Uzbekistan wrestler to win gold since 2022.

The U.S. got two finalists on Monday at 65kg and 79kg. At 65kg, Luke STANICH (USA) defeated European U20 and U23 champion Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) with some of the best wrestling in Samokov. Stanich kept his positions and defense and ultimately managed to score a takedown in the second period to beat Dzhandubaev 3-1 in the semifinals.

He will face Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) for the gold medal after the Japanese wrestler blanked Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 10-0, using a series of stepouts and lace. Uchida is a product of the Yamanashi Gaikun University, the same university that produced world champion Masanosuke ONO (JPN) and Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN).

Pan-American U20 champion William HENCKEL (USA) defeated Asian U20 champion AMIT (IND), 5-4, using a takedown and gut-wrench in the first period. He scored a stepout when put on activity period and then added a takedown and turn. Amit blocked the second turn attempt for two points but Henckel led 5-2 at the break.

Amit managed a stepout and point for passivity from Henckel but that was all for him as the U.S. wrestler moved into the final in which he will face returning bronze medalist and senior Asian champion Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI).

At one point in the semifinal, Yousefi was down against European U20 bronze medalist Said SAIDULOV (UWW). But he managed to score takedowns at regular intervals to defeat Saidulov 15-7.

At 57kg, Sumit MALIK (IND) dominated his semifinal against Ion BULGARU (MDA) and won 11-3 and booked place in the final against Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) who held on to a nervous 3-1 win over Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ) in the other semifinal.

Malik got on board first when he scored a stepout during his activity clock. He added a stepout and takedown to make it 4-0 at the break. He kept his attacks and got another takedown and stepout in the second period to build a 7-0 lead.

Bulgaru finally hit back with a takedown on the edge to cut the lead to 7-2 but Malik kept relentless forward pressure, scoring a stepout and takedown to lead 10-2. Both wrestlers were cautioned for open hands on faces but that did not affect Malik, who won 11-3 win.

Ozdamirov, who showed some crafty wrestling throughout the day, denied Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), 3-1, thanks to a takedown in the second period.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) vs. Sumit MALIK (IND)

SF 1: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) df. Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), 3-1
SF 2: Sumit MALIK (IND) df. Ion BULGARU (MDA), 11-3

65kg
GOLD: Luke STANICH (USA) vs. Reiji UCHIDA (JPN)

SF 1: Luke STANICH (USA) df. Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW), 3-1
SF 2: Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) df. Viktor BOROHAN (UKR), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) vs. William HENCKEL (USA)

SF 1: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) df. Said SAIDULOV (UWW), 15-7
SF 2: William HENCKEL (USA) df. AMIT (IND), 5-4

92kg
GOLD: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) vs. Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Sherzod POYONOV (UZB) df. Gadzhimurad GADZHIBATYROV (UWW), via fall
SF 2: Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) df. Anar JAFARLI (AZE), 9-6