Rising star Bondar strikes third U23 European gold

Thursday, March 13, 2025 - 05:19 By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (March 12) -- In five of the last six tournaments she’d competed before landing in Tirana, Iryna BONDAR (UKR) was unstoppable. She returned with a gold medal each time, and with every passing tournament, a halo blazed around her.

On Thursday, that nearly came down crashing. In an extraordinary final in the 62kg category at the U23 European Championships, Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) gave Bondar a mighty scare. The Ukrainian ultimately asserted her class but not before she endured anxious moments.

It all looked under control until Tandelova, who was down 1-0 for passivity, scored a arm-throw for a four-point takedown to go 4-1 up and stun the arena. Bondar fired back with a reversal and gut-wrench to make it 4-4 but heading into the break, Tandelova was in the lead because of her bigger throw.

The breather gave Bondar a chance to regroup and return stronger. She didn’t put a foot wrong defensively in the second period. Her hands close, like a boxer taking her guard, she planted her left leg almost a foot behind the right, making it tough for Tandelova to go for the single-leg takedown.

Tanelova, however, looked content only defending, but it was a strategy fraught with risk. And Bondar, who didn’t lose patience, was rewarded for her perseverance. With only 45 seconds remaining, Bondar went around the outside for a single-leg takedown to which her opponent had no answer. In the nick of time, Bondar snuck ahead and then did well to defend her lead to win a thrilling bout 6-4.

Not too long ago, another Ukrainian was in the fray for the gold medal but it wasn’t to be.

Twice in her 57kg final, former U20 world champion Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW) was in deep adversity despite an early 4-2 lead. First, when she was put on activity clock with a little more than a minute left in the 57kg gold medal bout. With seconds running out, Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) grew confident that she’d reduce the 4-2 deficit by 1.

Filipovych, the senior European Championship silver medalist at 59kg, went for a single-leg attack but Martynava was on high alert and escaped to score a go-behind takedown during the activity clock for a 6-2 lead.

Then, with 22 seconds remaining, Filipovych went for a double-leg takedown. However, Martynava blocked it by double-underhook and counter-attacked to pocket two more points and win 8-2.

Since winning the U20 European Championship gold three years ago, Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) has come agonisingly close to a top-of-the-podium finish thrice: bronze medals at the U23 European and World Championships in 2023, and a silver last year at the continental U23 competition.

As she stepped on to the mat for one last time in this age-group, Mammadova looked determined to change the color of her medal. Six minutes later, she did. The 23-year-old from Azerbaijan defeated Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (UWW) 3-0 to be crowned champion in the 53 kg category.

Mammadova earned a passivity point around the minute-mark and then executed an almost-perfect headlock throw to go 3-0 up at the break. In the second period, Karpushkina threw the kitchen sink at her opponent and tried combinations of leg holds. But a wily Mammadova kept evading her grasp and successfully defended her lead to win the gold medal.

In the 65kg final, Kseniya TSIARENIA (UWW) needed only 1 minute and 22 seconds to beat Eniko ELEKES (HUN) by fall and win the gold medal.

The former U20 world and European champion from Hungary Elekes took the lead inside the first minute with a two-point takedown but her joy did not last long as Tsiarenia returned with a vengeance as she stopped a head-outside leg-attack from Elekes with a whizzer and kept the Hungarian's back on the mat to secure the fall.

Tsiarenia, thus, claimed her first-ever international gold medal and also avenged her 11-0 loss to Elekes from the 2023 World Championships in which Elekes won gold and Tsiarenia claimed bronze.

Like her, Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW), too, won her first-ever title by overturning a two-point deficit to beat Daniela TKACHUK (POL) 4-3 at 72kg.

Tkachuk led 2-0 and had Bratchikova in a double-leg hold but failed to finish. Bratchikova forced Tkachuk to let go of her legs and as the Polish wrestler spun to score a takedown, two points were awarded to Bratchikova for exposure.

Bratchikova made it 4-2 when she defended a double-arm lock from Tkachuk and stepped over to score two points. Tkachuk managed to escape the fall while Bratchikova was penalized for a foul. As the bout resumed in par terre with 29 seconds left, Tkachuk tried to roll but Bratchikova held her ground to emerge victorious.

Baidusov eyes gold on return

Former world U20 champion Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW) will be favorite to win his first U23 European Championship title when he takes on Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER) in the 77kg final Thursday, the penultimate day of the competition.

Baidusov, returning to international competition for the first time since winning the U20 world gold in 2021, dropped just one point in his three bouts. In the semifinals, he shocked Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) with a stunning underhook throw. He added a roll and in another sequence, he scored via front chestwrap for two to beat Gutu 9-0.

Another world U20 champion Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM) did not have the same luck as he fell in the quarterfinals against Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) who made it to the 87kg final and will take on Alperen BERBER (TUR), senior European champion, who finally has a U23 European medal after two previous failed attempts.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (UWW), 3-0

BRONZE: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) df. Maria FERONE (ITA), 5-4
BRONZE: Viktoryia VOLK (UWW) df. Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR), via fall (5-1)

57kg
GOLD: Aryna MARTYNAVA (UWW) df. Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR), 8-2

BRONZE: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Inna ALIMOVA (LTU), 10-0
BRONZE: Georgiana LIRCA (ROU) df. Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE), 9-2

62kg
GOLD: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW), 8-4

BRONZE: Alicja NOWOSAD (POL) df. Alesia HETMANAVA (UWW), 7-6
BRONZE: Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 5-3

65kg
GOLD: Kseniya TSIARENIA (UWW) df. Eniko ELEKES (HUN), via fall (4-2)

BRONZE: Luisa SCHEEL (GER) df. Viorica ADAM (ROU), 4-0
BRONZE: Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 8-2

72kg
GOLD: Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), 4-3

BRONZE: Haticenur SARI (TUR) df. Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN), 6-6
BRONZE: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Paula ROTARU (ROU), 13-2

Greco-Roman Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO) vs. Alibek AMIROV (UWW)

SF 1: Alibek AMIROV (UWW) df. Elmir ALIYEV (AZE), 2-2
SF 2: Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO) df. Mehmet SARP (TUR), 9-0

63kg
GOLD: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) vs. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA)

SF 1: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Romeo BERIDZE (GEO), 6-3
SF 2: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) df. Miroslav EMILOV (BUL), 8-0

77kg
GOLD: Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW) vs. Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER)

SF 1: Aaron BELLSCHEIDT (GER) df. Michal ZELENKA (CZE), 5-5
SF 2: Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), 9-0

87kg
GOLD: Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) vs. Alperen BERBER (TUR)

SF 1: Alperen BERBER (TUR) df. Ivan CHMYR (UKR), 4-1
SF 2: Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA) df. Hamza SERTCANLI (SWE), via injury (3-1)

97kg
GOLD: Magomed ALICHUEV (UWW) vs. Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)

SF 1: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Saba CHILASHVILI (GEO), via injury (1-1)
SF 2: Magomed ALICHUEV (UWW) df. Yusuf BAKIR (TUR), 3-1

#WrestleBaku

Malmgren boosts Olympics preparations with U23 Euro title

Thursday, May 23, 2024 - 18:01 By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (May 23) -- Jonna MALMGREN’S (SWE) social media bio, glittering with gold medal emojis, will soon have a new addition.

A three-time European medallist [two gold and a silver], four-time U17 and U20 European medal winner, a U20 world champion and a Youth Olympics gold medallist, the Paris Olympic-bound wrestler added another title to her overflowing cabinet. The 23-year-old, on Thursday, won her second consecutive U23 European Championship gold medal here.

And she did it with minimal fuss, winning the final against Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) 5-0.

Competing in the 55kg category instead of her usual 53kg, Malmgren conceded only two points in her four bouts and that too in her opening match against Tuba DEMIR (TUR). After that 10-2 win, she didn’t allow any of her opponents the slightest of chances to nick a point from her.

Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) used a duck under to score two points over Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) in the 55kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the gold medal bout, Vynnyk tried testing Malmgren’s patience by blocking her attacking channels but the Swede isn’t a one-trick wrestler, as she has shown in the past.

Malmgren’s wrestling style can outfox many. She is never steady on the mat. Her legs constantly shuffle back and forth, and she moves around in circles. Her hands are always trying to break the opponent’s defense and the prying eyes look for the tiniest of gaps that she could exploit with her breathtaking speed.

Her Ukrainian opponent learned it the hard way. If Vynnyk planned to keep the scoreline close, she succeeded to an extent. But it was always going to be tough to sustain that level of defense, especially with the risk of being penalized for passivity, which she was inside the first two minutes of the bout.

Malmgren upped the ante in the second period, using a duck under to add two points to her tally. Then, with a little more than a minute remaining, she got control of Vynnyk’s arm and neck before turning her over onto her back for two more points.

Malmgren ran to her corner to celebrate her second consecutive title, the kind of performance that will leave her in good stead in the build-up to the Paris Olympics.

Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) defeated Laura KUEHN (GER) to win the 76kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

It was a mixed day for Ukrainian wrestlers, who featured in three out of the five finals that were held on Thursday and lost two while winning one.

Minutes after Vynnyk lost to Malmgren, Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) defeated Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) 9-2 in the final of the 68kg category. It was the biggest title so far of the 20-year-old former U20 European silver medallist’s career.

But Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) ensured her country didn’t end the opening day of women’s wrestling with zero gold medals.

The former U20 European Championship silver medallist won the first title of her career as she defeated Laura KUEHN (GER) 6-0 in a lopsided 76kg final.

Orlevych looked in sublime form and was in the attacking mode from the get-go. Within the first 60 seconds, the Ukrainian used a one-on-two and scored a takedown over Kuehn for two points.

Kuehn defended well for the rest of the period but mid-way through the second period, Orlevych was on the offensive again, using the arm-drag to push her opponent on the mat for a further two points. Desperate to make a comeback, a tired Kuehn went for a single-leg attack but missed and Orlevych caught her on the counter to add two more points and seal the bout.

Natallia VARAKINA (AIN), right, celebrates after winning the 50kg gold medal after beating Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR), left, in the final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Earlier in the finals session, Natallia VARAKINA (AIN) won the gold medal in the most dramatic of circumstances, beating Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR) 8-8 on criteria in the 50kg final.

Varakina led 8-4 with only 10 seconds remaining but Demirhan cut the deficit to two points with a push-out and a caution to Varakina. As the clock ticked down, with just seven seconds remaining, Demirhan forced another takedown to level the scores at 8-8. However, as she tried to sneak in another point, the time was up and Varakina was declared the winner by the virtue of a higher-point hold.

Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) held on to a 5-3 win over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN) in the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The 59kg final, a battle between two former U20 world champions, Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) held on to a close 5-3 win over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN). Hetmanava was leading 4-0 with 25 seconds left in the bout when Sidelnikova scored her first point using a stepout. Both got in a tangle and Sidelnikova tripped Hetmanava who fell on her back and in danger of a fall, surviving that position as the time ran out.

Sidelnikova challenged asking for four points but the judges upheld the original decision of two points and Hetmanava won the gold medal 5-3.

Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) will wrestle for the 53kg gold medal on Friday. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Ukraine puts three more in finals

Meanwhile, on Friday, Ukraine will have more chances to win a women’s wrestling gold medal at the U23 European Championships when their three more wrestlers take to the mat in the gold medal bouts on Friday.

Leading the way for them in Thursday’s early rounds and the semifinals was the U23 European Championship silver medallist and U23 Worlds bronze medal winner Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) at 53kg.

Malanchuk didn’t concede a single point en route to the final, beating Venera NAFIKOVA (AIN) 8-0 in the quarterfinals and Laura STANELYTE (LTU) 7-0 in the semis. She will face home favorite Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) in the final.

Joining her in the title bout will be U20 European champion and U23 Worlds silver medallist Iryna BONDAR (UKR). Bondar wasn’t tested in her early rounds but was challenged in the semifinals by Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), who tried to make a late comeback. Bondar, however, prevailed 7-4 to set up a final encounter with Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) at 62kg.

The third Ukrainian in the final will be Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) who, like her compatriot, was dominant in all her bouts. She will face Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) in the 72kg gold medal match.

Paris-bound and former world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) will wrestle for the 65kg after she showed the gulf in class at the age-group level. She scored a 10-0 win in the quarterfinal and then handed another Paris-bound wrestler, Nesrin BAS (TUR), a 8-2 loss. She will take on Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) for the gold medal.

Koshkina dominated her semifinal 12-2 against Ingrid SKARD (NOR) but survived a scare in the quarterfinal against Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU). Trailing 10-5, Koshkina secured a fall over Zelenykh.

The 57kg final will be a battle between Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR).

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Natallia VARAKINA (AIN) df. Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR), 8-8

BRONZE: Ana Maria PIRVU (ROU) df. Khrystyna BASYCH (SVK), 6-2
BRONZE: Natalia WALCZAK (POL) df. Gabija DILYTE (LTU), 5-2

55kg
GOLD: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) df. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 8-4
BRONZE: Anastasiia IANDUSHKINA (AIN) df. Aliaksandra BULAVA (AIN), 13-3

59kg
GOLD: Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN), 5-3

BRONZE: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Ana Maria PUIU (ROU), via fall (8-0)
BRONZE: Amel REBIHA (FRA) df. Sevim AKBAS (TUR), 6-1

68kg
GOLD: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (AIN) df. Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR), 10-2

BRONZE: Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN) df. Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER), via fall
BRONZE: Karolina POK (HUN) df. Luciana BEDA (MDA), 5-3

76kg
GOLD: Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) df. Laura KUEHN (GER), 6-0

BRONZE: Zsofia VIRAG (HUN) df. Nazar BATIR (TUR), 4-2
BRONZE: Olga KOZYREVA (AIN) df. Daniela TKACHUK (POL), via fall (5-4)

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) vs. Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)

SF 1: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Laura STANELYTE (LTU), 7-0
SF 2: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) df. Sevval CAYIR (TUR), 11-0

57kg
GOLD: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) vs. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)

SF 1: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR), 3-1
SF 2: Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) df. Volha HARDZEI (AIN), 8-0

62kg
GOLD: Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) vs. Iryna BONDAR (UKR)

SF 1: Yana TRETSIAK (AIN) df. Viktoria VESSO (EST), 4-4
SF 2: Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), 7-4

65kg
GOLD: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA)

SF 1: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Nesrin BAS (TUR), 8-2
SF 2: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (AIN) df. Ingrid SKARD (NOR), 12-2

72kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) vs. Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN)

SF 1: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Olesia BEZUGLOVA (AIN), via fall (7-0)
SF 2: Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN) df. Bukrenaz SERT (TUR), 2-1

Rising star Bondar strikes third U23 European gold

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Malmgren boosts Olympics preparations with U23 Euro title