Beach wrestling

Romania Sweeps Women’s Division; Pakistan’s Inam Repeats on the Beach

Sunday, October 7, 2018 - 21:39 By Marc Berman

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SARIGERME, Turkey (October 7) --  The 2018 Beach Wrestling World Championships wrapped up Sunday in the coastal Turkish city of Sarigerme with wrestlers from Romania sweeping the women’s division, and Pakistan’s Muhammad INAM the lone wrestler to successfully defend his 2017 world title.

In all, 159 wrestlers from 17 nations took to the sand with a number of nations medaling in United World Wrestling’s fastest growing style.

Stefania Claudia PRICEPUTU (ROU) set the standard for her Romanian teammates early, besting Sevil ALIOGLU (TUR) 3-0 in the 50kg division gold medal final. Priceputu had defeated teammate Maria Alexandra CIOCLEA (ROU) in the semifinal on her way to the finals.
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
In the 60kg finals it was Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU) stopping Francesca INDELICATO (ITA) to win Romania’s second gold. Indelicato had been cruising past opponents all weekend, but it was Incze who found a last-minute takedown to earn her first world title and Romania’s second-straight gold.

Adina Elena POPESCU (ROU) kept up Romania’s winning ways upsetting returning champion Charlotte SKAUEN (NOR). Skauen found herself down 2-0 halfway through the match but was able to fight onto the board with a hard-won takedown. Despite Skauen’s late flurry of activity Popescu found an opening, attacked and sealed her first world title, 3-1.

Catalina AXENTE completed Romania’s sweep of the women’s division defeating Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE) in the +70kg final, 2-1. With her victory, Romania became the first women’s team to ever win all weight divisions at the Beach Wrestling World Championships.
Muhammad Inam of Pakistan celebrates after defending his 90kg title against Irakli Mtsituri (not in photo) of Georgia during the second and final day of the UWW Beach Wrestling World Championships in Serigerme, Turkey on October 7, 2018 (Photo: Dean Treml)

Back on the men’s side it was Pakistan’s Inam who would inspire the local crowd on his way to making history. The young wrestler had already became the first from Pakistan to win a Beach Wrestling world title, but in besting Irakli MTSITURI (GEO), 3-1 he was also the first to repeat, and the first Pakistani wrestler to win any world title back-to-back.

Konstantine KHABALASHVILI (GEO)

At +90kg Baki SAHIN (TUR) was Turkey’s lone representative in the men’s final and didn’t let down the home crowd, upsetting former Olympian Rares Daniel CHINTOAN (ROU). Sahin was down early, but was able to score a late takedown for the win.

Georgia took the other two gold medals, winning the 70kg and 80kg titles. Konstantine KHABALASHVILI (GEO) defeated the returning champion Semen RADULOV (UKR) in the highly anticipated 70kg final. Khabalashvili, who is a medalist at the Europeans in freestyle wrestling, took down Mehmet Emin OGUT (TUR) in the semifinal before defeating Radulov in the finals match, 3-1.

Teammate Jakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) defeated Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) 2-0 to bring home a second gold medal for Georgia. Makarashvili represented Georgia at the 2016 Olympics and was dominant all weekend capping his weekend with a dominant 3-0 victory in the finals.

There were more than 300 matches competed at the Beach Wrestling World Championships, with 20 overall champions coming from the Cadets, Juniors and Senior divisions.

The 2018 Beach Wrestling World Championships also served as a qualifying event for the 2019 Beach Games, a quadrennial sporting event held next summer in California’s San Diego, USA while Beach Wrestling will expand its offerings in 2019 with a tentatively approved global tour capped by an annual prize event.
 

Men's Beach Wrestling


70kg
GOLD: Konstantine KHABALASHVILI (GEO) df. Semen RADULOV (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE: Mehmet Emin OGUT (TUR) df. Gheorghe Constantin CONSTANTIN (ROU), 5-0

80kg
GOLD: Jakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) df. Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 2-0
BRONZE: Jumber KVELASHVILI (GEO) df. Efe Sami UNAL (TUR), 3-1

90kg
GOLD: Muhammad INAM (PAK) df. Irakli MTSITURI (GEO), 3-1
BRONZE: Pedro Jacinto GARCIA PEREZ (ESP) df. Grigorios KRIARIDIS (GRE), 3-0

+90kg
GOLD: Baki SAHIN (TUR) df. Rares Daniel CHINTOAN (ROU), 5-1
BRONZE: Irfan METE (TUR) df. Niazi IMPIS (GRE), 3-0

Women’s Beach Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Catalina AXENTE (ROU) df. Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE), 2-1
BRONZE: Diana Elena VLASCEANU (ROU) df. Adina Ionela IRIMIA (ROU), 4-1

60kg
GOLD: Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU) df. Francesca INDELICATO (ITA), 4-0
BRONZE: Jeannie Agnes KESSLER (AUT) df. Camila FAMA TRISTAO (BRA), 0-0

70kg
GOLD: Adina Elena POPESCU (ROU) df. Charlotte SKAUEN (NOR), 3-1
BRONZE: Beatrice DUKOV OANCEA (ROU) df. Cesilie Hoeivik MAGNUSSEN (NOR), 3-1

+70kg
GOLD: Catalina AXENTE (ROU) df. Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE), 2-1
BRONZE: Diana Elena VLASCEANU (ROU) df. Adina Ionela IRIMIA (ROU), 4-1

#WrestleBudapest

Big-throwing Machado claims debut Ranking Series gold

Monday, July 21, 2025 - 11:08 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 20) -- Thamires MACHADO (BRA) made brief headlines at the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifiers in Mexico. She threw Amit ELOR (USA) for a lateral drop for four points. Machado had Elor in trouble which could have seen Elor, the champion in Paris Games, lose early. However, Machado fizzled out and lost her bout 6-4.

A year later on Saturday, the Brazilian won her first major gold medal at the Budapest Ranking Series after a stunning show of strength and big throws at the Ranking Series over the weekend.

"In every practice back home, I try to do the four-point moves. I want to throw," Machado said after receiving the gold medal.

In other weight classes, Grace BULLEN (NOR) had another epic match with Irina RINGACI (MDA) and won gold at 65kg and Kennedy BLADES (USA) won another Ranking Series gold to remain undefeated at 68kg going into the World Championships.

European champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) and Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) won at 55kg and 62kg respectively.

Machado, competing in her first-ever Ranking Series event, won the 76kg gold medal with wins over Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and world U20 champion PRIYA (IND) in semifinal and final, respectively.

In the gold-medal bout, Machadofaced former world U17 and U20 champion Priya and used a similar lateral drop like she did against Elor to score a four-pointer over Priya in the first minute.

Priya was pushing for a stepout and Machado used that momentum to drop her for four-points. It was catch-up from there on for Priya who failed to score any points in the first period. She got a stepout in the second get on board. Struggling to get to Machado's legs, Priya forced another stepout to make it 4-2.

Machado was put on the activity clock in the last minute but she was happy to conceded that point than to go for all-out attack during those 30 seconds. Priya also waited for the activity clock to expire before pushing for a point, perhaps a mistake to take her foot of the pedal in the final minute.

During that time, Machado managed to catch her breath and defended all attacks, including one in the last five seconds to win 4-3 and the gold medal.

"I am happy to win this gold medal in Ranking Series," she said. "This is so special for me"

In the semifinals, Machado got the better of Medet Kyzy, who opened the scoring with a double-leg takedown for two points. She led 3-0 at the break as Machado failed to score after being put on the 30-second activity clock.

Machado got her first points when she defended a leg attack from Medet Kyzy and scored a go-behind takedown. She then launched a powerful gut-wrench and turned her three times to lead 8-3. Two stepouts in quick succession for Medet Kyzy cut Machado's lead to 8-5 but the Kyrgyzstan wrestler had only a minute left to score more points and secure the win.

As they scrambled for the final minute, Machado and Medet Kyzy locked each other at the edge but it was the latter who fell outside of the zone first which gave another point to Machado with 33 seconds left. Machado held her positions better than Medet Kyzy and managed to score another stepout to lead 10-5 and win the bout.

Born in one of the favellas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Machado was part of one of the social project by the local council which taught wrestling to young kids. She joined the program and managed to learn wrestling.

In 2019, she won gold medal at the Pan-Am U20 Championships, her second ever competition. For five years, she was away from wrestling, but in 2024, she returned and won the Henri Deglane Grand Prix and was second at the 2025 Pan-Am Championships.

Bullen survives Ringaci

If both remain at the same weight class in the future, the Bullen-Ringaci rivalry can be the most fearsome in Women's Wrestling. The latest example was their 65kg final in Budapest where Bullen, down 16-8, pinned Ringaci was claim her second win over the former world champion in four months.

Ringaci, who needed one more turn from par terre or just survive the pin from Bullen, was frustrated with yet another loss and pushed aside Bullen after the bout.

The match began with a wonderful counter from Ringaci, who hit a cut-back after a Bullen snap to pass-by and got four points. Watch above. While Bullen survived the fall attempt, she fell behind 6-0.

A little later, it was Ringaci's chance survive a pin attempt from Bullen who lifted Ringaci well over her waist-level and slammed her for four. The first period ended with Bullen leading 6-6 on criteria.

Bullen tried the exact move of snap to pass-by in the second period and this time she succeeded, scoring two points and taking a clear 8-6 lead. Ringaci scored a takedown 30 seconds into the second period and scored six more points using three gut-wrenches. As she was going for the final turn to win the bout, Bullen blocked and got the headlock to pin Ringaci.

An aghast Ringaci was left in tears as Bullen herself was shocked to have won the bout, having snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

At 68kg, Kennedy BLADES (USA) had a fine tournament, winning her second Ranking Series event and third tournament of 2025. In the final, she defeated Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 13-2, a wrestler she had defeated 10-0 at the Zagreb Open in February.

The only bout she was not able to win via technical superiority was her semifinal against Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) as the Bulgarian was able to stop Blades to a 6-2 win. Blades had little injury scare in the final few seconds of the match but managed to continue.

Verbina captured the 55kg gold medal after a controlled 6-1 win over Karla GODINEZ (CAN) in the final while Tandelova blanked Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) 3-0 in the 62kg final.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) df. Karla GODINEZ (CAN), 6-1

BRONZE: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), 10-0

62kg
GOLD: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) df. Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), 3-0

BRONZE: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. Nikolett SZABO (HUN), 10-0
BRONZE: MANISHA (IND) df. Krystsina SAZYKINA (UWW), via fall (9-0)

65kg
GOLD: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA), via fall (10-16)

BRONZE: Eniko ELEKES (HUN) df. Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Macey KILTY (USA) df. Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR), 10-4

68kg
GOLD: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 13-2

BRONZE: Brooklyn HAYS (USA) df. Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), 5-4
BRONZE: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 11-1

76kg
GOLD: Thamires MACHADO (BRA) df. PRIYA (IND), 4-3

BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW), 11-0
BRONZE: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Seoyeon JEONG (KOR), 12-1