#WrestleNoviSad

Opening Day Semifinals Set at U23 European C'ships

Monday, March 4, 2019 - 14:28 By Eric Olanowski

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 4) – The Russian Federation only dropped one match in the opening session of the U23 European Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, and inserted four of five wrestlers into Monday’s semifinals.

The four Russian wrestlers competing for a spot in the Tuesday night’s finals are Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS), Islam OPIEV (RUS), Gazi KHALILOV (RUS), and Oleg AGAKHANOV (RUS). 

At 55kg, Viktor Vedernikov will have the tall task of ending Nugzari TSURTSUMIA’s (GEO) twelve-month run where he’s won the U23 European and world gold medals. 

Returning 55kg U23 European bronze medalist Florin TITA (ROU) will wrestle Bence KOVACS (HUN) in the other 55kg semifinal. 


Russia's 2018 junior world champion Islam OPIEV (RUS) will wrestle Monday at 18:00 (local time) for a spot in the 77kg U23 European finals. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

Defending junior world champion Islam Opiev is looking to make his first continental finals appearance since winning his 2015 European cadet title. He’ll wrestle Georgia’s 2015 European junior bronze medalist Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) for a spot in the 77kg finals. 

Hungary’s returning U23 world bronze medalist Tamas LEVAI (HUN) will take on Turkey’s Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) in the second 77kg semifinal. 

At 87kg, Russia’s third semifinalist Gazi Khalilov will look to end Ivan HUKLEK's (CRO) attempt at making back-to-back U23 European finals. Last year, Huklek finished with a silver medal. 

In the second 87kg semifinal, Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU) can become Lithuania’s second Greco-Roman U23 European finalist ever if he can defeat Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO). 

Oleg Agakhanov is the fourth Russian opening day semifinalist. He’ll lace up against Romania’s BEREI (ROU) in the first 130kg semifinal. 

On the bottom half of the bracket at 130kg, Georgian big-man and six-time age-group world champion Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) will wrestle Lenard BEREI’s (ROU) and attempt to make his second consecutive trip to the U23 European finals. Pataridze is the defending U23 European and world champion at this weight. 

The lone weight class not featuring a Russian semifinalist is 63kg. 

On the top half of the 63kg bracket, Erik TORBA (HUN) and Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO) will wrestle for a spot in the finals, while Armenia’s 2018 U23 European bronze medalist Slavik GALSTYAN will take on defending U23 world bronze medalist Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR) on the bottom half of the bracket. 

Monday’s semifinals begin at 18:00 (local time) and will be live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

SEMIFINALS 
55kg 
Bence KOVACS (HUN) vs. Florin TITA (ROU)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) vs. Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS)

63kg
Erik TORBA (HUN) vs. Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO)
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) vs. Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)

77kg 
Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR) vs. Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO) vs. Islam OPIEV (RUS)

87kg 
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU) vs. Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO) vs. Gazi KHALILOV (RUS)

130kg 
Artur VITITIN (EST) vs. Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO)
Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU) vs. Oleg AGAKHANOV (RUS)

#BeachWrestling, #BeachWrestlingWorldSeries

With Dakar 2026 Approaching, UWW Ramps Up Beach Wrestling in Africa

Friday, July 25, 2025 - 09:38 By Vinay Siwach

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CASABLANCA, Morocco (July 25) -- With Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games less than 500 days away, United World Wrestling is committed to reinforcing wrestling's presence on the African continent.

As a result, for the first time an African city will host the Beach Wrestling World Series. Casablanca, Morocco will see the third leg of the Beach Wrestling World Series from September 6-7, 2025, at the picturesque Ain Diab beach.

There is more in store for Africa. The final of the Beach Wrestling World Series will be held in Alexandria, Egypt on October 18 and 19, 2025.

UWW is calling for participants. REGISTER HERE!

Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)

The World Series participants will be provided with top-class facilities including five-star hotel boarding, food in hotels and transportation to the competition venue. The conditions will therefore be exceptional for a Beach Wrestling event.

Prior to the World Series, the African Championships in U15, U17 and U20 age-groups will also be held in the same venue on September 4 and 5. All wrestlers who are 18 years or older from the African Championships can take part in the World Series as well.

This is not the first time UWW has stepped up its commitment to Beach Wrestling. Along with UWW Africa, UWW provided technical assistance to African wrestlers last year and has now decided to continue that for the U15 and U17 groups.

UWW reminds all countries that the participation in these tournaments is important as the same wrestlers can be considered with priority for the Youth Olympic Games while allotting the decided quotas for Dakar 2026.

UWW's vision is to develop the younger groups who will be part of the Youth Olympics in Dakar. And it was a step in that direction to start U15 competitions in Beach Wrestling from 2025.

Irina RINGACI (MDA)World champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) competes in Beach Wrestling in Porec, Croatia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

One of the outcomes of its continued efforts was the participation numbers in the U17 Pan-Am Beach Wrestling Championships in Rio de Janeiro and the U17 Asian Beach Wrestling Championships in Vietnam this year.

The local organizing committee in Rio had to add one more ring to accommodate the participants during the event. At the Asian Championships, India, China, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam and other nations participated with full teams.

Similarly, the wrestlers are encouraged to participate in the U17 and U20 World Beach Wrestling Championships in Katerini-Pieria, Greece on September 25 and 26.

Check out beachwrestling.org for all Beach Wrestling News!

UWW's decisions underscore its deep commitment to uplifting and expanding the sport of wrestling across Africa, particularly with the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar on the horizon.

For any queries, wrestlers, NFs or organizers can contact -- sports@uww.org.