#WrestleNoviSad

Russia Leads Georgia Heading into Final Day of Freestyle Competition

Saturday, March 9, 2019 - 19:40 By Eric Olanowski

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (March 9) – Razambek ZHAMALOV and Radik VALIEV claimed Day 6 freestyle gold medals and helped the Russian Federation carry a 25 points lead over Georgia into the final day of wrestling at the U23 European Championships. 

Zhamalov barreled past Poland’s Patryk OLENCZYN and scored the 13-0 technical superiority victory in the 70kg finals. The Russian pocketed his impressive 13 points from a five-point fireman’s carry, a four-point throw, and a pair of takedowns, and claimed his first-ever continental medal. 

Radik Valiev didn’t have much trouble with Turkey's Ramazan SARI in the 79kg finals, where he scored the 7-2 victory and won his second consecutive U23 European title.

Russia also collected 20 points from their pair of Day 6 silver medalists Amirkhan GUVAZHOKOV and Shamil MUSAEV. 

Guvazhokov fell short to Ukraine’s Andrii YATSENKO in the 57kg gold-medal bout. Yatsenko was behind in the closing minute but scored a takedown and a leg lace to gain the 8-8 lead on criteria with under a minute to go in the match. The Ukrainian wrestler tacked on an exposure and another point for a failed Russian challenge and won the 57kg title, 11-8.

Yatsenko’s win on Saturday night gave him his first European title since he won the 2013 Cadet European Championships. 

The second Russian who dropped his finals match was Shamil Musaev, who fell to Turkey’s Ibrahim CIFTCI, 7-4 in the 97kg finals. 

The fifth gold medal of the day came at the only weight that did not feature a Russian competitor, 65kg. Armenia’s Vazgen TEVANYAN scored a late downtown in the first period, which ultimately turned out to be the match-deciding scoring sequence, as he defeated Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 2-1. 

RESULTS 
Team Scores 
GOLD - Russia (94 points)
SILVER – Georgia  (69 points)
BRONZE - Turkey (66 points)
Fourth – Ukraine  (52 points)
Fifth – Moldova (36 points)

57kg 
GOLD - Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) df. Amirkhan GUVAZHOKOV (RUS), 11-8 
BRONZE - Saban KIZILTAS (TUR) df. Razvan KOVACS (ROU), 7-5
BRONZE - Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) df. Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL), 5-4

65kg 
GOLD - Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 2-1 
BRONZE - Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA) df. Maxim SACULTAN (MDA), 3-1
BRONZE - Roman ASHARIN (HUN) df. Fati VEJSELI (MKD), 14-2

70kg
GOLD - Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) df. Patryk OLENCZYN (POL), 11-0 
BRONZE - Daud IBRAGIMOV (AZE) df. Vasile DIACON (MDA), 6-5 
BRONZE - Mihail Iliev GEORGIEV (BUL) df. Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK), 5-0

79kg 
GOLD - Radik VALIEV (RUS) df. Ramazan Ishak SARI (TUR), 7-2 
BRONZE - Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) df. Uladzislau YELISEYEU (BLR), 4-0 
BRONZE - Adlan BATAIEV (UKR) df. Simon Christian HARTMANN (AUT), 10-0 

97kg
GOLD -  Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR) df. Shamil Alievitch MUSAEV (RUS), 7-4 
BRONZE - Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR) df. Simone IANNATTONI (ITA), 11-0 
BRONZE - Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Aleksandar PANTELIC (SRB), 10-0 

#WrestleTirana

Kayaalp Nears Record-Breaking 13th European Gold

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - 06:12 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 20) -- Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is now one win away from becoming the most successful Greco-Roman wrestler in Europe.

At the European Championships in Tirana, Kayaalp reached the 130kg final on Monday to take a step closer to breaking Aleksandr KARELIN's long-time record of 12 European gold medals.

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Kayaalp was returning to the European Championships after two years and showed now signs of as he began with a fall over Albert VARDANYAN (ARM) using an arm throw before winning a 1-1 battle against Marat KAMPAROV (UWW).

In a dramatic semifinal which resulted in the disqualification of Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), Kayaalp kept his composure despite the aggression of Hlinchuk, a former U23 world champion.

Kayaalp got the par terre advantage in the first period but Hlinchuk escaped. However, he tried to throw Kayaalp who blocked the throw and landed on top for two points, making his lead 3-0. Hlinchuk challenged the decision but lost it and Kayaalp led 4-0.

Riza KAYAALP (TUR)Riza KAYAALP (TUR) wrestles Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) in the quarterfinal of 130kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Perhaps it was coming as the referee had warned the two wrestlers time and again to wrestle without aggression. But 30 seconds before the end of the first period, Kayaalp used a strong hand on Hlinchuk's neck. Hlinchuk first responded with shoulder to Kayaalp and then proceed to slap the Turkish wrestler who fell on the mat.

The judges decided to disqualify Hlinchuk from the competition for his act and Kayaalp, supported by a very vocal Turkish team, entered his 15th European Championships final.

He will now face Darius VITEK (HUN) who held on to his 1-1 criteria win over Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) and who now stands between Kayaalp and history.

Semen NOVIKOV (BUL)Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) tries to throw Islam ABBASOV (AZE) during the 87kg semifinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Novikov faces Bisultanov

After a season off, Olympic champion and returning silver medalist Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) will be in the 87kg final to change the color of his medal when he takes on Olympic bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN).

Bisultanov and Novikov faced each other in Paris and the Bulgarian defeated Bisultanov 5-1 in the opening round.

But Bisultanov looked in control in Tirana as he pinned Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) in the semifinals while Novikov managed to beat returning bronze medalist Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 4-0.

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) defeated Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) in the 77kg semifinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Four-time and defending champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) returned to the final with an easy 3-1 victory in the semifinal over Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) to set up a rematch of 2025 European final against Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO).

The Georgian will be keen on avenging that loss against Amoyan after he reach the final, beating Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 8-0, using two big throws for four points each.

In a shock at 63kg, U23 world champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) stunned defending champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR), 6-5, in the semifinals.

Kamal was leading 5-0 but Eriomenco managed to score from par terre. His two-point takedown was challenged by Turkiye but he lost the challenge, giving Eriomenco the clear lead.

For the gold medal, Eriomenco will face veteran and former world champion Sergey EMELIN (UWW) who scored an easy 9-0 technical superiority win over Mairbek SALIMOV (POL).

At 55kg, world champion and returning bronze medalist Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) moved into his first European final after beating Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 3-1.

He will face defending champion Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) who defeated Omer RECEP (TUR), 11-0.

Photo

RESULTS

55kg
SF 1: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 3-1
SF 2: Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) df. Omer RECEP (TUR), 11-0

63kg
SF 1: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Kerem KAMAL (TUR), 6-5
SF 2: Sergey EMELIN (UWW) df. Mairbek SALIMOV (POL), 9-0

77kg
SF 1: Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) df. Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 8-0
SF 2: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), 3-1

87kg
SF 1: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) df. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR), via fall
SF 2: Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) df. Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 4-0

130kg
SF 1: Darius VITEK (HUN) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 1-1
SF 2: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), via disqualification (4-0)