#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

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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

Saitiev, three-time Olympic champion, passes away aged 49

Sunday, March 2, 2025 - 17:40 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (March 2) -- Wrestling legend, three-time Olympic gold medalist and six-time world champion Buvaisar SAITIEV passed away Sunday. He was 49 years old and nine days short of his 50th birthday.

Saitiev was buried in the village of Novokuli in the Novolaksky district of Dagestan on Tuesday, March 4.

Saitiev, widely considered the best Freestyle wrestler of all time, was born in Dagestan but moved to Krasnoyarsk, Siberia to train at the Mindiashvili wrestling academy under the legendary coach Dmitri Mindiashvili.

The 49-year-old announced his retirement soon after winning his third Olympic title in Beijing 2008. His other two titles came in 1996 Atlanta Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2000 Sydney Olympics, Brandon SLAY (USA) defeated him.

Apart from the world and Olympic titles, Saitiev was six-time European champion.

 

United World Wrestling President Nenad LALOVIC expressed his shock on the untimely passing of Saitiev.

"The wrestling family is in shock with the passing of Saitiev," Lalovic said. "He was a legend of the sport and we lost him at a very young age of 49. Saitiev inspired wrestlers around the world and many took up the sport because of him. It's an unrepairable loss to the wrestling community and we are with the Saitiev family during this time of grief."

In 2007, Saitiev was awarded as the best Freestyle wrestler in history by UWW [then FILA].

Wrestling majorly in the 74kg weight class, Saitiev stood at 183 centimetres and made his World Championships debut in Atlanta, 1995. A year later, he won the gold medal at 74kg at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

He became world champion in 1997 and 1998 but did not participate in 1999. He lost to Slay in early rounds of the 2000 Sydney Olympics and finished ninth.

But he captured the gold medals again at the 2001 and 2003 World Championships and returned to the top at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He became the world champion in 2005 and 2006 and claimed his third Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.