#development

Romania hosts first coaches course of the year

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 - 13:50 By United World Wrestling Press

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IZVORANI, Romania (February 10) – The Romanian Wrestling Federation (FRL), supported by United World Wrestling and the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, hosted the first coaching course of the year. The course was held in the Olympic Center Sydney 2000 on February 6-9. The course was hosted by Mr. Răzvan Pîrcălabu (UWW Member and President of Romanian Wrestling Federation) and attended by Mr. Mihai Covaliu (President of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee) and Mr. Eduard Novak (Minister of Sports in Romania).

At the course, more than 150 Romanian coaches were present.  The program included theoretical and practical sessions along with a written examination. During the three days, the coaches had the chance to learn from international Educators and guest speakers that included:

  • Mr. Arsen Julfalakyan (UWW Member and President of Athletes Commission)
  • Mr. Petru Toarcă (UWW Lecturer)
  • Mr. Ferenc Gyarmati (Olympic Referee and UWW Instructor)
  • Mrs. Ramona Ceamuru (Director of National Training Center for Romanian Coaches)
  • Mrs. Alina Gherghisan (Sports Psychologist of Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee)

ROMA birdseye view from the first coaching course of the year. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

During the course, all the participants learned the foundations of being a successful coach. Topics included: role of coaches, coach vision, coach as a key resource of performance, psychological approach for young wrestlers, discipline in sport, proper nutrition-healthy food and importance of the recovery.  The coaches also had practical on-the-mat sessions with Mr. Julfalakyan and Mr. Toarcă.  These sessions focused on different situations in the standing and par terre positions.  Lastly, the coaches participated in a referee course. This course was conducted by UWW Instructor Ferenc Gyarmati.

ROM1All eyes from the coaches course are on world champion Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM). (Photo: United World Wrestling)

“I would like to thank the Romanian wrestling federation for the invitation. It was really a very unique experience. Not every time you can have the opportunity to work with more than 150 coaches from different styles and in a country with such a rich wrestling traditions,” said Mr. Julfalakyan.

The Romanian Wrestling Federation aims to improve wrestling activities at all age groups. Providing educational courses is an important chapter in their overall development strategy for the Federation. This course was a big success and a great start to 2023.

#WrestleTirana

Ukraine Puts Four in Women's Finals at Europeans

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 - 19:09 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 22) -- Ukraine kicked off Women's Wrestling at the European Championships with four finalists in five weight classes, including two defending champions in Tirana.

Oksana LIVACH (UKR), defending champion at 50kg, and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), defending champion at 76kg, returned to the finals, while Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) and Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) made it to the 55kg and 59kg gold-medal bouts.

At 68kg, the only weight class in which Ukraine did not get a finalist, a blockbuster final is set between U23 world champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) and defending champion Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW).

Livach used her aggressive style to score multiple stepouts in her 6-2 victory over Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW), setting up a rematch of the 2025 European final against Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), who was at her defensive best against Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU) and won 6-0.

Alpyeyeva reached the final after a clinical 4-0 victory over Martina KUENZ (AUT) in the semifinal. She will now face former European champion Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), who moved past Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 3-1, in a low-scoring semifinal.

Malanchuk at 55kg came alive in the second period, scoring six points and securing a fall over U23 world silver medalist Tuba DEMIR (TUR). She led 1-1 on criteria at the break, then hit a double-leg attack and tried to hold Demir on the mat for a fall, but she survived.

Demir tried a leg attack, but Malanchuk countered and held her on the mat to secure the fall with 1:45 remaining.

She will now face former European champion Andreea ANA (ROU), who saw off Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-0, in the other semifinal.

Vynnyk, who was all but beaten in the semifinal against Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 6-2, tripped the Azerbaijan wrestler with less than 10 seconds remaining to claim a stunning victory and reach the 59kg final. After the trip, Vynnyk also scored exposure points.

She will now face Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), who defeated Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), 4-2, in a low-scoring bout. Wrzesien led 3-1 and was in danger of giving up a takedown when Lipatova attacked on a single leg. However, the Polish wrestler defended well and gave up only a stepout. Lipatova challenged but lost, conceding one more point to Wrzesien.

Bas vs Shauchuk

Defending champion at 68kg, Shauchuk defeated Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), 4-3, scoring two second-period takedowns. She had beaten the Romanian in last year’s final. For gold this year, Shauchuk will face Bas, a U23 world champion and returning silver medalist from 72kg.

Bas had no trouble completing a 12-1 technical superiority win over Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

50kg
SF 1: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU), 6-0
SF 2: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW), 6-2

55kg
SF 1: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), via fall
SF 2: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-0

59kg
SF 1: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 6-2
SF 2: Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), 4-2

68kg
SF 1: Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) df. Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), 4-3
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 12-1

76kg
SF 1: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 4-0
SF 2: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 3-1