#WrestleSamokov

Russia Crowns Pair of Day Two Champs at Cadet Euro C’ships

By Eric Olanowski

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (June 15) --- The Russian Federation’s freestyle squad medaled in four of five weights and lead Armenia (70 points) by 23 points heading into Wednesday’s final day of freestyle action.

The four Russian medalists from Tuesday were Amal DZHANDUBAEV (48kg), Anzor MAZHIDOV (55kg), Marat FADZAEV (65kg) and Ilia ZHIBALOV (110kg). Dzhandubaev and Fadzaev claimed golds, while Zhibalov and Mazhidov finished in second and third, respectively.

Armenia sits in second place in the team race after the second day of wrestling in Bulgaria. Andranik AVETISYAN (ARM) scored four wins – including three technical superiority victories – en route to the 55kg gold medal. They also picked up bronze medals from Sargis BEGOYAN (48kg), Anushavan BARSEGHYAN (65kg) and Narek GRIGORYAN (80kg).

Outside of Russia (2) and Armenia (1), Ukraine and France also crowned a Cadet European champion today.

Oleksandr MAMROSH (UKR) stuck Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO) in the 80kg and won his second continental title. He also won continental gold at the ’19 U15 European Championships.

Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA) was the fifth and final wrestler to have his hand raised on Tuesday night. The French wrestler tallied an 11-1 Ilia ZHIBALOV (RUS) in the 110kg finals and improved on his bronze-medal finish from the ’19 U15 European C’ships.

Heading into Day Three, Georgia (63 points), Azerbaijan (52 points) and Ukraine (48 points) round of the top five in the team race.

Wrestling resumes tomorrow at 11:30 (local time) on www.uww.org.

RESULTS

48kg
Amal DZHANDUBAEV (RUS) df. Musa VERDIYEV (AZE)
Sargis BEGOYAN (ARM) df. Serdzhan Ashkanov YUSEINOV (BUL), 16 – 5
Vitalii HONCHAR (UKR) df. Victor ANDRIAN (MDA), 10-0

55kg
Andranik AVETISYAN (ARM) df. Tamazi SULAMANIDZE (GEO), 11-0 
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) df. Herbert AKAPIAN (BLR), 8 - 2
Anzor MAZHIDOV (RUS) df. Subhan SAFARLI (AZE), 9-3

65kg
Marat FADZAEV (RUS) df. Ion Laurentiu MARCU (MDA), 8-6
Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO) df. Dyanko Petrov DYANKOV (BUL), 4 - 1
Anushavan BARSEGHYAN (ARM) df. Marcell NAGY (HUN), 8-6

80kg
Oleksandr MAMROSH (UKR) df. Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO), via fall
Narek GRIGORYAN (ARM) df. Sattarkhan ALLAHVERDILI (AZE), 4 - 1
Daniel FISCHER (GER) df. Gabriele NICCOLINI (ITA), 9-6

110kg
Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA) df. Ilia ZHIBALOV (RUS), 11-1
Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) df. Azay ISMAYILOV (AZE), via fall
Milan GELLEN (HUN) df. Ksawery Kacper KAMINSKI (POL), 4-0

#WrestleZagreb

Croatia to host 2025 World Championships, non-Olympic Worlds returns

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 15) -- For the first time in wrestling history, Zagreb, Croatia will host the World Championships in 2025. The mega event will take place in Zagreb from September 13-21.

The United World Wrestling Bureau held a meeting Friday to discuss future hosts and the Senior World Championships 2025 was awarded to Zagreb, a regular on the wrestling calendar for a decade now, hosting the European Championships and the Ranking Series regularly. The Zagreb Open has been the season opener for international wrestling on many occasions.

The World Championships will be another historic event in Croatia’s wrestling journey. In August, the country crowned its first-ever world champion when Veronika VILK (CRO) won the U17 World Championships in Istanbul, Turkiye.

Non-Olympic Worlds in Tirana

The Bureau also decided that a World Championships in non-Olympic weight classes will be held in 2024. The World Championships will be held in Tirana, Albania from October 28 to 31, right after the U23 World Championships which will be held in the same venue from October 21 to 27.

Non-Olympic weights World Championships in Tirana this year will be the first time it will be held since 2016 when Budapest became the host. Tirana will see wrestlers in 12 weight classes -- 61kg, 70kg, 79kg and 92kg in Freestyle; 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg in Women's Wrestling; 55kg, 63kg, 72kg and 82kg in Greco-Roman.

A detailed program of the World Championships will be sent to all National Federations later.