#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

#WrestleBratislava

Young stars make Azerbaijan best team at Europeans

By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 13) -- Azerbaijan is the best team of Europe and its way ahead of others.

The country claimed the Greco-Roman team title at the European Championships in Bratislava with 151 points, 41 points more than second-placed Turkiye which had 110 points. Hungary managed to put itself on the podium at the third place with 104 points.

After only a silver and bronze medals on Saturday, Azerbaijan bounced back with three gold medals and a bronze medal to finish on the top of the standings.

Starting the gold rush world 63kg champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) who downed Geogij TIBILOV (SRB), 7-3, in the 60kg final.

Mammadli got the first par terre advantage and completed a standing to danger suplex for four points and a turn to lead 7-0. He tried one more turn but Tibilov defended the attempt. Tibilov managed to turn Mammadli in the second period when he got the par terre position but that was all the action from him.

The 7-3 win gave Mammadi his second straight European gold medal and confirmed his spot on the Azerbaijan team for the World Championships.

At 67kg, Paris Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) continued his dominance at the continental event, winning his third straight European gold medal.

Facing Abu AMAEV (BUL), who Jafarov had defeated last European Championships in the quarterfinal, in the final in Bratislava, Jafarov turned him in par terre for two points. At the end of the mat, Jafarov lifted Amaev and completed the throw for four points to lead 7-0.

Amaev failed to break Jafarov's defense from par terre and got only one point as he dropped the bout 7-1. By reaching the final, Amaev earned his best European Championships medal -- a silver. He has two bronze medals from past editions.

Another young star gave Azerbaijan its third gold as Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) won the top medal at 82kg. He defeated world silver medalist Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) 6-0 in the final.

Earning a par terre advantage in the first period, Gurbanov scored from a turn to lead in the first period before blocking an armthrow from Szilvassy to earn two points. Hungary challenged the call for slip throw but lost it, giving one more point to Gurbanov for a 6-0 lead.

The gold medal is Gurbanov's first major senior gold medal as he already has two European U23 golds and one U17 gold. Gurbanov has won the World Championships gold medal at U17, U20 and U23 levels.

Kiril MILOV (BUL) comleted is glorious run at the European Championships with the 97kg gold medal, his second in the continental history. In the final, he beat Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER), 7-1, a day after he defeated seven-time European champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM).

Milov scored two gut wrench turns from par terre to lead 5-0 and then was saved by a challenge in the second period. Lazogianis completed a throw from par terre which was blocked by Milov and he never landed in danger. But Lazogianis was awarded four points which gave him a 5-5 criteria lead for a bigger move.

Bulgaria challenged the decision and got two points as he had blocked Lazogianis and made him land in danger instead. He then defended his 7-1 lead for the gold medal.

At 72kg, two gold medals were awarded after a scoreboard glitch gave Levente LEVAI (HUN) a 4-4 criteria win over Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) in the final.

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) df. Georgij TIBILOV (SRB), 7-3

BRONZE: Victor CIOBANU (MDA) df. Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO), 10-0
BRONZE: Sadyk LALAEV (UWW) df. Olivier SKRZYPCZAK (POL), 5-0

67kg
GOLD: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df. Abu AMAEV (BUL), 7-1

BRONZE: Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL) df. Yanis GUENDEZ NIFRI (FRA), 5-0
BRONZE: Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) df. Murat FIRAT (TUR), 3-1

72kg
GOLD: Levente LEVAI (HUN) and Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) [NO SILVER]

BRONZE: Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) df. Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (UWW), 2-1
BRONZE: Mehmet SAHIN (TUR) df. Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU), 9-1

82kg
GOLD: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), 6-0

BRONZE: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df. Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR), 5-3 
BRONZE: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Samvel GRIGORYAN (ARM), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df. Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER), 7-1

BRONZE: Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW) df. Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED), 8-5
BRONZE: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), via inj. def.