#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)

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 5 Greco-Roman Highlights

Sunday, February 8, 2026 - 09:18 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 8) -- All Greco-Roman day at the Zagreb Open on Sunday with 55kg, 60kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg and 130kg weight classes in action. World and Olympic champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) will be in action today after being away for 2 years.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

15:25: 130kg semifinals -  Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is back in a Ranking Series final after he beats Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ), 4-0. He par terre positions in both periods and a turn the first time to lead 4-0. Syrlybay did get the third passivity which is without any points but he did not score. To capture the gold medal, Kayaalp will face Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) who posted a 2-1 victory over Artur SARKISJAN (CZE). He got a reversal when Sarkisjan was put on top.

15:10: 97kg semifinals - Alex SZOKE (HUN) gets par terre in both the periods of his semifinals against Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) to win the bout 2-0 and a place in the final. He will face another Kazakhstan wrestler in former U20 world champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) who managed to get past Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), 5-3, after a big throw from par terre in the first period. Kajaia failed to turn Yevloyev from par terre but got two points for a defensive foul.

14:55: 82kg semifinals - Mihail BRADU (MDA) blocks Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) when the Iranian was trying to turn Bradu from par terre and he gets the fall. Mokhtari is devasted. Bradu is hyped as he will wrestle for gold against Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) who defeated Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) 4-3 after scoring two stepouts and overturn the result.

14:45: 72kg semifinals - Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY), former U20 world champion, beats Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ), 8-1, and moves into the final at 72kg. He will face Nika BROLADZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian found a way to beat Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) despite being down 2-1. Both wrestlers had locked each other but then Broladze just flung Kuchkorov for two points. He continued the action and scored a suplex for four points to extend his lead to 7-2, which was also the winning score.

14:35: 60kg semifinals - Alisher GANIEV (UZB) takes 29 seconds to finish his semifinal against Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) at 60kg. He gets a bodylock throw for four points and then lifts Shiotani again and completes the suplex for another four points and the world silver medalist reaches the final. But for the gold medal, he will have to go through another Japanese phenom in U23 world champion Koto GOMI (JPN) who rolls to a 10-0 technical superiority win over Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI).

14:25: 55kg semifinals - Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) gets Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) in a front headlock and continues throwing him until securing a 9-0 lead for the win. It is ultimately called a fall. Botirov will face Mohammad HOSSEINVAND (IRI) for the gold medal after he defeated Iran's longtime 55kg wrestler Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) 1-1.

14:00: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) must be heartbroken with that loss. He led 7-0 against Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) in the 60kg quarterfinal but Shiotani gets the par terre in the second period and punishes Tibilov with two reverse lifts. A defensive foul and lost challenge give Shiotani a 11-7 lead. Another reverse lift for four points helps him win 15-7

13:45: In a battle of two age-group champions, Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) pins Abror ATBAEV (UZB) and advances to the semifinal at 72kg. After a review on challenge from Uzbekistan, they cancelled the fall for a foul from Alameldin. However, the Egyptian still posts a 2-1 victory to advance. 

13:30: Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) takes out Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) with a 3-1 victory at 82kg. A turn in par terre was all that was needed for Mokhtari to win the bout

13:15: Two of the most talented wrestlers at 60kg and both U23 world champions in different years, Koto GOMI (JPN) and Alisher GANIEV (UZB), have made it to the semifinals in Zagreb. A treat awaits if both reach the final

12:55: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) looks extremely good in his comeback! Using the gut-wrench against, he marches on with yet another 9-0 win at 130kg, this time over Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO)

12:45: U23 world champion Koto GOMI (JPN) with two beautiful throws to beat Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI), 9-0, and advance to the quarterfinals at 60kg

12:40: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) continues his good form in Zagreb with another technical superiority win at 60kg. This time he beats Mert ILBARS (TUR) 10-0

12:30: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), a mainstay of the Serbian team, begins his 97kg team with 9-2 victory over NITESH (IND). Kajaia had flirted with the idea of moving up to 130kg but has returned to 97kg.

12:20: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), known for his explosive reverse lift, keeps it simple against Maxwell BLACK (USA) at 60kg and battles out a controlled 8-4 win to advance.

12:00: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), Olympic silver medalist at 77kg in Paris, gets the fall over Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE) in their bout at 82kg.

11:45: Riza KAYAALP (TUR), returning to action after two years, begins with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Aden ATTAO (USA). He scores four turns from par terre for the victory at 130kg

11:35: Not something we see everyday but Marko MILANOVIC (CRO), the son of President of Croatia, is wrestling. At 130kg, he is off to a flying start with a technical superiority 9-0 victory over Joginder RATHEE (IND). After leading 5-0 at the break, Milanovic hits a suplex for four to finish the bout.

11:25: World silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB) wins his opening bout at 60kg, 9-0. But that's not the story. He defeated former United States team member in Freestyle Zane RICHARDS (USA), who wrestled Greco-Roman for the first time internationally. 

11:05: Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) stuns former European champion Artiom DELEANU (MDA) at 55kg. He finishes the bout after rolling from par terre and winning 9-0

10:55: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) takes his match into the second period but has not trouble in winning the 82kg bout against Marek VRBA (CZE), 9-0.

10: 45: World bronze medalist and big hope for a medal for the hosts Croatia Karlo KODRIC (CRO) drops his opening bout against Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO) 1-1 after failing to score any points from the two par terre positions he got in the 97kg bout.

10:30: Six Greco-Roman weight classes in action but Riza KAYAALP (TUR) comeback will be the most anticipated event on Sunday in Zagreb