#kaspeuro2018

Russia Reels in Trio of Greco-Roman Golds on Third Day of Euro C’Ships

Wednesday, May 2, 2018 - 19:30 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

KASPIISK, Russia (May 2) - The Russian national anthem was on replay during the final day of Greco-Roman action at the Palace of Sport and Youth as the host nation claimed three of the five possible gold medals, bringing their tournament gold medal count to four.

“If you're comparing this year's performance to last years, we were better all around.  We were much more prepared, which is why we have three champions. Hopefully one more is coming” said 67kg champion, Artem SURKOV (RUS). That “one more” Surkov mentioned came from Adam KURAK (RUS) in the 72kg gold-medal bout. 

In addition to Kurak and Surkov, Sergey EMELIN (RUS) won a gold medal for the Russian Federation on the third day of wrestling in Kaspiisk, Russia. 

At 60kg, 2017 U23 world runner-up Sergey Eemelin faced a 5-0 deficit against the U23 world champion, Murad MAMMADOV (AZE). Mammadov, the 23-year-old held an early 5-0 lead after a four-point throw and a lost challenge from the Russian corner. Emelin rebounded with a takedown and two guts, closing out the match on a 6-0 run. Emelin, who was competing in his first senior-level European Championship defeated Mammadov, 6-5. 

When asked if there was any hesitation while facing the five-point deficit, Emelin said “No, because of my mental preparation. I was ready when I stepped on the mat…We’ve wrestled three times, so I knew coming into that match that he was a strong opponent.” 

Artem SURKOV (RUS) gets his hand raised after sticking Olympic bronze medalist, Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO). (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

In the 67kg finals, Surkov, who was already up 8-0 stuck 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) in the opening period. After the match, Surkov added, “I dedicate this win to the President of the Russian Wrestling Federation, my country, all my coaches, my family and especially to my twin brother who has spent every single minute training with me.”

Adam KURAK (RUS) celebrates after defeating Olympic bronze medalist, Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) to win the 72kg gold medal. 

Adam Kurak was the third Russian to capture gold on final day of Greco-Roman wrestling. The 2014 European champion found himself down 5-1 to 2015 world champion and clear crowd favorite, Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE). 

“I knew that Chunayev was the favorite, but I was sure that I had a chance to win. If you’re on the mat and not sitting in the stands or in front of the television, you have a chance to win.” 

Midway through the match, Kurak cracked Chunayev’s puzzle and scored the remaining eight points of the bout, winning the 72kg gold-medal bout, 9-5. 

“I wish I could divide my gold medal into pieces and give a piece to everyone who has supported me. If I did that, I’d only have a tiny piece of the medal because so many people have been there for me….But, these European Championships gave me a taste of victory. My next step is hopefully world and Olympic gold medals.” 

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) defeated Mikheil KAJAIA (SRB), 7-0 to win his fourth European Championship. 

Armenia’s Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) and Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) closed out the Greco-Roman portion of the tournament, claiming the remaining two gold medals. 

Artur “The White Bear,” Aleksanyan reclaimed European gold for the first time since 2014 by routing Mikheil KAJAIA (SRB), 7-0 in the 97kg gold-medal match. 

“I feel very proud that I could become a European champion for the fourth time, and that I could bring one more gold medal to our country.”

Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM), the 2017 world champion claimed his first gold medal by earning the 9-0 technical superiority victory over Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR). The 2018 European gold medal was the Armenian’s first continental championship. 

Russia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan are the top-three finishers in Greco-Roman at the 2018 European Championships. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

Team Results
GOLD - Russia (169 points) 
SILVER - Georgia (127 points)
BRONZE - Azerbaijan (113 points)
Fourth Place - Armenia (97 points)
Fifth Place - Hungary (71 points)
Sixth Place - Turkey (65 points)
Seventh Place - Germany (57 points)
Eighth Place - Serbia (56 points)
Ninth Place - Bulgaria (49 points)
Tenth Place - Belarus (46 points)

RESULTS
60kg
GOLD - Sergey EMELIN (RUS) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), 6-5

BRONZE - Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO) df. Etienne KINSINGER (GER), 1-1
BRONZE  - Jacopo SANDRON (ITA) df. Maksim KAZHARSKI (BLR), 8-1

67kg
GOLD - Artem SURKOV (RUS) df. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 8-0

BRONZE - Enes BASAR (TUR) df. Fredrik Holmquist BJERREHUUS (DEN), 5-4
BRONZE - Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) df. Dawid KARECINSKI (POL), 7-2

72kg 
GOLD - Adam KURAK (RUS) df. Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), 9-5

BRONZE - Luri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Daniel CATARAGA (MDA), 15-6
BRONZE - Balint KORPASI (HUN) df. Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL), 10-0 

82kg 
GOLD - Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) df. Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR), 9-0

BRONZE - Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df. Roland SCHWARZ (GER), 4-3
BRONZE - Daniel Tihomirov ALEKSANDROV (BUL) df Laszlo SZABO (HUN), 3-2

97kg
GOLD: Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Mikheil KAJAIA (SRB), 7-0

BRONZE - Balazs KISS (HUN) vs. Ramsin AZIZSIR (GER), 4-1
BRONZE - Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) df. Laokratis KESIDIS (GRE), 10-7

#JapanWrestling

Tokyo champ Shidochi dealt setback in return from two-year layoff

Friday, June 20, 2025 - 16:02 By Ken Marantz

Share this article

Top photo: Haruna MURAYAMA flips Mayu SHIDOCHI onto her back for a 2-point takedown during their women's 53kg quarterfinal match. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

TOKYO (June 20) -- Through their years as university teammates and beyond, Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI and Haruna MURAYAMA each compiled a long list of laurels that included three world titles.

But when their paths crossed on the mat, Shidochi had been the dominant one. Murayama showed on Friday that those days are over.

Shidochi, returning to the mat after a two-year layoff that included giving birth to her first child, saw her bid for a shot at a fourth world title end when Murayama dealt her a 5-1 loss in the women's 53kg quarterfinals at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in Tokyo, the second of two qualifiers for this year's World Championships.

Shidochi, who won the Tokyo Olympic gold at 53kg under her maiden name of MUKAIDA, was ahead on criteria in the second period after each received an activity point, but Murayama (nee OKUNO) went ahead with a pair of takedowns.

"It's really disappointing," said Shidochi, who had a 9-0 career record against Murayama before losing to her for the first time at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships in December 2022. "I lost to Okuno at the Tokyo qualifier and I really wanted to get revenge for that."

Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN)Haruna MURAYAMA works to get behind Mayu SHIDOCHI for a takedown during their women's 53kg quarterfinal match. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Shidochi, who will turn 28 on Sunday, had last competed two years at the Meiji Cup, which was part of the qualifying process for the Paris Olympics. Her dreams of an Olympic repeat ended with a loss by fall in the second round to Akari FUJINAMI, who went on to take the 53kg gold in Paris.

Shidochi, who has her sights set on the 2026 Asian Games to be hosted by Japan, had planned to return in July at a lower-tier national tournament, where she could qualify for this year's Emperor's Cup, a qualifier for the Asian Games. But she moved it up a month when she found out her status as a former Olympic champion granted her entry into the Meiji Cup.

"Even though I lost like this at this tournament, I'm glad I took up the challenge," she said. "Ilost, but I found out things that I need to work on. I want to use that to step up my game so I can win in December."

Shidochi said that is probably more nerves than rustiness that did her in against Murayama, who is two years her junior.

"When I was warming up, I was moving really well," she said. "But during the match, I thought I could do more. I wasn't moving my feet. In preparation, I trained hard and did my research. I was really looking forward to it, but it didn't work out."

Murayama still has her work cut out for her if she wants to be on the plane to Zagreb. In Saturday's final, she will face Moe KIYOOKA, who last year succeeded her as the world 55kg champion. The two met in the final at the 2023 Emperor's Cup, which Kiyooka won 5-1.

A victory by Kiyooka would give her the world team spot outright. If Murayama wins, it will set up a playoff between the two later in the session, although Murayama has another option.

Murayama won the 55kg title at the Emperor's Cup, but opted not contest that playoff.

In another weight class that started Friday and will end Saturday, world 72kg champion Ami ISHII looks poised to grab the world team spot at 68kg after easily winning her lone match of the day in a four-woman round-robin that is down to three after Rin MIYAGI's injury withdrawal.

Ishii will clinch the spot with a victory in her final match against Seia MOCHINAGA. Meanwhile, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI will need to take the playoff route if he wants to improve on the world silver medal at freestyle 70kg that he won last year.

Aoyagi, the Emperor's Cup champion, was dealt a last-second 3-2 defeat in the semifinals by world U20 champion Ryoya YAMASHITA, who will take on Shoya MIURA in Saturday's final in a battle of 19-year-olds.

Aoyagi, a two time world U23 medalist, is coming off winning a gold at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series tournament in Tirana and his second career Asian medal with a bronze in Amman.

Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN)Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI scores a takedown during his 4-4 victory over Emperor's Cup champion Ryunosuke KAMIYA in the freestyle 74kg semifinals. (Photo: Takeo Yakubi / wrestling-spirits.jp)

There will also be a playoff at freestyle 74kg, where Emperor's Cup champion Ryunosuke KAMIYA was dealt a nail-biting loss to 19-year-old collegiate champion Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI.

Gharehdaghi, whose father is Iranian, has already made Japan's team to the U20 worlds. To get the senior worlds, he will first have to get through fellow collegian Subaru TAKAHARA, who has qualified for the U23 worlds.

At freestyle 61kg, 2021 world bronze medalist Toshihiro HASEGAWA scored in double-digits in all three of his victories to advance to the final, capped by a 10-2 semifinal win over Aiki KAWAI.

In the final, Hasegawa will face Akito MUKAIDA -- Shidochi's younger brother, who has already qualified for the World U23 Championships.