#WrestlePontevedra

Russia Closes Out European C’ships with Third Team Title

By Eric Olanowski

PONTEVEDRA, Spain (June 9) – Russia’s freestyle squad medaled in all ten weights classes and closed out the final day of wrestling in Spain with the Junior European team title. Russia (205 points), who also won the Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling team titles, entered the final day of wrestling with 100 points, scored an additional 105 points on Day 7, and captured the team title 89 points ahead of second place Moldova (116 points). 

Russia inserted seven wrestlers into the finals and had four wrestlers win continental golds. They had a solo champion on Day 6 and three champions on Day 7. Dmitrii Alekseevitch KUPRIN, Aslanbek SOTIEV, and Saipudin MAGOMEDOV are the three Russian’s who joined fellow countrymen Nachyn MONGUSH as freestyle European champions. 

Dmitrii Kuprin handed Russia their first Day 7 title. Kurpin continued to dominate the 74kg competition, ending the gold-medal bout in 72 seconds with an 11-0 victory over Turkey’s Abdulvasi BALTA (TUR). Kurpin outscored his four European opponents 41-2. Aslanbek Sotiev was the second Russian of the day who scored an 11-0 shutout win in the finals to capture a European title. Sotiev did so against Askhab HAMZATOV (AZE) in the 92kg finals. Their third champion was Saipudin Magomedov, who scored a pair of takedowns after trailing 2-0 to defeat Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR), 4-2. 

Vasile DIACON’s (MDA) won the 70kg gold medal on Day 6 and helped Moldova finish in second place. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

Moldova, led by Vasile DIACON’s (MDA) Day 6 70kg gold-medal, finished in second place with 116 points. Moldova also had a silver medalist and three bronze-medal finishers. 

Azerbaijan (115 points), who finished one point behind Moldova, had two freestyle wrestlers win European titles. Their pair of champions were Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), who reached the top of the podium at 65kg and 79kg, respectively. 

Turkey (110) and Ukraine (107) rounded out the top five finishers in the freestyle team race. 

RESULTS 

61kg 
GOLD - Hrachya MARGARYAN (ARM) df. Oleksandr YEVSIEIENKO (UKR), 11-0 
BRONZE - Gamzatgadzhi KHALIDOV (HUN) df. Leomid COLESNIC (MDA), 13-3 
BRONZE - Aleksandr SABANOV (RUS) df. Hamza ALACA (TUR), 11-6

74kg 
GOLD - Dmitrii Alekseevitch KUPRIN (RUS) df. Abdulvasi BALTA (TUR), 11-0 
BRONZE - Goga MAMIAURI (GEO) df. Nasib ISAYEV (AZE), 10-0 
BRONZE - Valentin BORZIN (MDA) df. Alex PEREZ CIMARRA (ESP), 6-0 

86kg 
GOLD - Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) df. Mher MARKOSYAN (ARM), 3-2 
BRONZE - Slavik NANIEV (RUS) df. Mohammad TIMORI (SWE), 10-0
BRONZE - Demid KARACHENKO (UKR) df. Ivan NEDEALCO (MDA), 3-1

92kg 
GOLD - Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) df. Askhab HAMZATOV (AZE), 11-0
BRONZE - Ertugrul AGCA (GER) df. Aliaksei PARKHOMENKA (BLR), 6-3 
BRONZE - Bozhidar Mateev TODOROV (BUL) df. Matous VONDAL (CZE),4-4

125kg
GOLD - Saipudin MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR), 4-2 
BRONZE - Vasil KHVISTANI (GEO) df. Mikita HORHUN (BLR), via fall 
BRONZE - Pasa Ekrem KARABULUT (TUR) df. Islam Aslangereyvic ABUEV (AZE), 4-2 

Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 Day 2 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 19) — The Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 will enter the second day with two Greco-Roman weight classes, 97kg and 130kg, and three women’s wrestling weight classes — 50kg, 53kg and 57kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

13:15: Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) with a fall over Chebila CHEIMA (ALG) in the 50kg semifinal and enter the final in which she will face Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)

13:05: Mohamed ADELLATIF (EGY) scores a takedown in the second period to survive a passivity call and win his semifinal at 130kg against Fatih OZTURK (TUR) 3-0. He will face Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) for the gold medal

12:45: Tekouk ACHOUAK DJAMILA (ALG) with some strong counters after Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) scored the first four points. Djamila made it 6-4 before Suleyman scored a go behind and led 6-6 and a turn to lead 8-6. The Turkiye wrestlers defends the late attacks from Djamila and wins 10-6 to enter the 57kg final.

12:30: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) reaches the final at 130kg after an 8-0 pounding of Roman KIM (KGZ) in the semifinal. He scored four points using a suplex. Kim was called for a leg foul which gave two more points to Hedayati. A takedown and he finishes with technical superiority.

12:05: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) has not trouble in his semifinal against Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA), beating him 9-0 with four turns from par terre and advance to the final at 97kg.

11:45: World bronze medalist Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) gets a solid 5-1 win over Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR) to advance to the final at 97kg. The big question is can Ahmadiyev challenge Saravi?

11:30: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) looks unstoppable at 130kg. He scores a takedown and three turns to beat Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) 8-0

11:25: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) gets another dominant win at 57kg. She pins MIM (BAN) and moves into the semifinal with the top spot in the group.

11:10: World and Olympic champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) was in some trouble when put in par terre and Rouabah FADI (ALG) almost turned him but Saravi manages to defend that. Saravi then scores a takedown, gets par terre and scores two turns to lead 7-1 and also win with that score.

11:00: Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) gets hold of a struggling Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) in Round 2 at 50kg and finishes with a 12-2 win. Mammadova clearly struggling with a knee injury

10:55: Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) began well again Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY), taking a 3-0 lead. However, the Egyptian managed to make a comeback and beat Kandelaki 4-3 at 130kg.

10:40: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) went neck-to-neck before the former stepped up her game and secured a five-point lead 13-8. Suleyman scored a four-point and two counters to score her 8 points while Aliyeva kept coming back every time Suleyman scored. But soon, Aliyeva scored two counter lifts to win the match 15-10 at 57kg.

10:25: Two quick finishes in Round 1 at 57kg in women’s. Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) laces MIM (BAN) for a 10-0 win while Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) beats Veronica AYO (UGA) 10-0 as well.

10:15: World U23 champion Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) squares up against the Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY) in Round 1 at Greco 130kg. He begins with a stepout before securing the first par terre advantage. He scores one more point to win 3-0.

10:05: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) takes little time to secure the fall over Chahd JELJELI (TUN) in the first bout at 57kg. The former world U23 champion is the favorite to win gold here.

10:00: Day two of the Islamic Solidarity Games and we have Olympic and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) among other stars in action.