#WrestleSamokov

Russia Leads Ukraine by Four-Points After Day Four

By United World Wrestling Press

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (June 16) --- Russia leads Ukraine by four points heading into the closing day of women’s wrestling action at the Cadet European Championships.

They both had four wrestlers win medals on Thursday, but Russian one-upped Ukraine after Millena VINOGRADOVA (RUS) and Mariia AKULINCHEVA (RUS) outnumbered Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) in the winner’s circle. Vinogradova pinned Martha Silvia FRANK (GER) in the 43kg finals, while Akulincheva scored a controlled 10-4 win over Patrycja Dorota CUBER (POL) in the 73kg finals.

Ukraine’s lone champion, Yefremova, tallied an eight-point win over Sevim AKBAS (TUR) and claimed the 49kg gold medal.

Romania and Hungary were the final two nations who crowned a champion on Thursday.

Romania’s Georgiana Carla LIRCA (ROU) stopped Russia from winning a third gold on the day after beating Angelina PERVUKHINA (RUS), 10-5, in the 57kg finals. Hungary’s Eniko ELEKES (HUN) was the fifth and final champion. She beat Daria KONSTANTYNOVA (UKR), 11-1, for the 73kg title.

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

RESULTS
43kg
GOLD - Millena VINOGRADOVA (RUS) df. Martha Silvia FRANK (GER), via fall
BRONZE - Yelyzaveta KULAKIVSKA (UKR) df. Isabela Cristina MARIN (ROU), 10-0
BRONZE - Krasimira Plamenova DIMITROVA (BUL) df. Eda Nur ERSOY (TUR), 4-3

49kg
GOLD - Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) df. Sevim AKBAS (TUR), 10-2
BRONZE - Nikola Monika WISNIEWSKA (POL) df. Darya KLIMOVICH (BLR), 10-7
BRONZE - Svenja JUNGO (SUI) df. Leonie Yvonne WOLF (GER), 6-1

57kg
GOLD - Georgiana Carla LIRCA (ROU) df. Angelina PERVUKHINA (RUS), 10-5
BRONZE - Yuliia PAKHNIUK (UKR) df. Lotta Amanda VETTENRANTA (FIN), 6–3
BRONZE - Uladzislava KUDZIN (BLR) df. Nazar KAYA (TUR), 10-6

65kg
GOLD - Eniko ELEKES (HUN) df. Daria KONSTANTYNOVA (UKR), 11-1
BRONZE - Alisa CHERNYSHKOVA (RUS) df. Alicja NOWOSAD (POL), 10-2}
BRONZE - Aliaksandra ZHUK (BLR) df. Vanja GERSAK PEREZ (GER), 4-3

73kg
GOLD - Mariia AKULINCHEVA (RUS) df. Patrycja Dorota CUBER (POL), 10-4
BRONZE - Veronika NYIKOS (HUN) df. Kseniya PATAPOVICH (BLR), 8–2
BRONZE - Ambre Oriane CHEVREAU (FRA) df. Mariia ZENKINA (UKR), 5-2

#WrestleParis

Olympic champion Focken carries Olympic torch for Paris 2024

By Vinay Siwach

ALSACE, France (June 27) -- Tokyo Olympic champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) was part of the Olympic Torch Relay on Wednesday in Alsace, stage 41 of the relay for the 2024 Paris Games.

"It was magical," Focken said. "It was a short run for only a few minutes but I enjoyed it. I felt the Olympic spirit and pride to run with the torch. We were briefed a lot, about the significance of the torch and it's for peace and I felt it all the time. It was special."

The relay began from the European Parliament and then passed in front of the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. It also lit up the city’s covered bridges, the Grande île district, the Alsatian Museum and the Notre Dame gothic cathedral before finishing at Place Kléber, in the city’s heart, where the celebration venue was located.

 

The Olympic Torch Relay continued its voyage through eastern France with a distinctly European tone. In addition to putting the spotlight on the gems of Alsace, the Olympic Torch Relay also highlighted fraternity between people, such as Franco-German links, which were celebrated during an exceptional collective relay on the Three Countries Bridge in Huningue. Another collective relay took place in Strasbourg, dedicated, as each day, to a specific sport.

Focken carried the torch at the start of the three country bridge for 250 metres. The starting point of Focken's run was in Germany while her finish was in France. She then handed over the Olympic Torch to Frenchman Eric Kueny, representative of the host country in Huningue.

Aline FOCKEN (GER)Aline FOCKEN (GER) with the Olympic torch on Wednesday. (Photo: Lewis Joly)

Focken, who won the gold medal in 76kg weight class in Tokyo, became the first woman from Germany to win gold at the Olympics in wrestling. She said her feeling was similar to Olympic Games but she was nervous before the run.

"I was nervous," she said. "It's different and all the TV is around you. I was relaxed but nervous. It was a really special moment and I thought that this may be the last Olympic moment for you so just enjoy it. I took my family with me to the relay."