#kaspeuro2018

Russia Sends Five to Saturday Nights #KaspEuro2018 Finals

By Eric Olanowski

KASPIISK, Russia (May 4) – Russia ended the semifinals the same way the entered them, undefeated. The host nation put all five wrestlers into the finals on the fifth day of competition at The Palace of Sport and Youth in Dagestan, Russia. 

2018 57kg European finalist, Zavur UGUEV (RUS). (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne) 

57kg 
Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) will go through Zavur UGUEV (RUS) if he plans on winning back-to-back European titles.

Uguev used three takedowns and two gut wrenches to pick up the 10-0 technical superiority victory on Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP). 

GOLD - Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) vs. Zavur UGUEV (RUS)

Semifinal - Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) df. Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR), 4-1 Semifinal - Zavur UGUEV (RUS) df. Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP), 10-0 

Russia's Ilias BEKBULATOV is looking to win back-to-back 65kg European titles as he takes on the three-time world champion, Haji ALIYEV (AZE).

65kg
Haji ALIYEV (AZE), the three-time world champion will be tasked with stopping reigning European champion, Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) in Saturday night’s finals. 

Ilias Bekbulatov, the 2017 65kg European Champion scored two takedowns and a counter exposure to shut out 2016 Olympic champion and reigning 61kg European champion, Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), 6-0 in the quarterfinals. 

He followed that up with a 12-0 routing of Poland’s Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI in the semifinals. 

GOLD - Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) vs. Haji ALIYEV (AZE)

Semifinal - Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS) df. Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), 12-0 Semifinal - Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. David HABAT (SLO), 3-0   Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) gets his hand raised after defeating Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), 5-5 in the 70kg semifinals.

70kg 
Poland’s Magomedmurad GADZHIEV, 2017 European runner-up will take on 2016 world champion, Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS). 

Kurbanaliev nearly gave his finals spot away after losing a five-point lead with under two minutes left in his semifinal bout. Murtazali MUSLIMOV (AZE) scored five unanswered points to tie the match at five, but ultimately Kurbanaliev claimed the victory via criteria. 

GOLD - Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) v. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS)

Semifinal - Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df. Murtazali MUSLIMOV (AZE), 3-2
Semifinal - Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) df. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), 5-5

Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS), 79kg finalist. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

79kg
Russia’s Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV will take on Germany’s Martin OBST in the 79kg finals. Obst highest finished before these European Championships came back in 2016 when he placed eleventh. 

Gadzhimagomedov outscored 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE), 6-1 to close his semifinal bout and take the 6-4 victory.


GOLD -Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) vs. Martin OBST (GER)

Semifinal - Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE), 6-4
Semifinal - Martin OBST (GER) df. Mihaly NAGY (HUN), 2-1.

Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS), finalist at 97kg. (Photo by Max Rose-Fyne)

97kg
Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) will look to continue his dominance as he battles Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) for the 97kg European crown. 

Baitcaev, now a three-time European top-three finisher has outscored his opponents 26-0, including a 11-0 semifinal hammering of Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR). This is the first time the Russian has been to a European final since 2011 when he lost to the eight-time world and Olympic medalist, Khetag GOZIUMOV (AZE). 

Hushtyn reached the finals by outlasting U23 European champion, Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE), 7-7. 


GOLD - Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) vs. Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS)

Semifinal - Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) df. Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE), 7-7
Semifinal - Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS) df. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 11-0

#SportsDepartment

UWW organizes fourth edition Event Organizing Workshop

By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (October 23) — Over the last decade, United World Wrestling (UWW) has focused on improving the quality of its events. To keep this improvement on track, UWW organized its fourth edition of the Event Organizing Workshop from October 17 to 22 in Tirana, within the framework of the U23 World Championship.

Nine countries, including China, Italy, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Namibia, participated in the workshop, which was held before the U23 World Championships.

Led by UWW Sports and Development Officer Yuri MAIER (ARG) and Senior Competition Manager Ramil AHMADOV (AZE), the workshop provided valuable insight into the complexities of organizing international wrestling events.

Participants arrived in Albania on October 17 and engaged in four theoretical sessions on October 18 and 19. On October 20 and 21, they had the opportunity to apply their knowledge practically by observing key event functions such as the technical meeting, draw, and weigh-in.

In addition to covering many relevant topics, the workshop featured contributions from UWW staff members specializing in Accreditation, Photography, Technology & Results, and Marketing and Communications. These sessions, which were held with the support of local organizing committees, helped participants understand the role of various departments in delivering a successful event.

KAKadir CALISKAN (GER), UWW's Photo Manager, presents at the Event Organizing Workshop. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Participants gave overwhelmingly positive feedback, praising the workshop’s structure and content. One attendee highlighted, "The level of engagement and interaction during the sessions was fantastic. The facilitators were knowledgeable, and the practical exercises were crucial in helping us understand how to apply the concepts in real-world scenarios."

Another participant added, "The networking opportunities were invaluable. Meeting professionals from different countries allowed us to exchange ideas and best practices, which will certainly help in future event organization."

Maier emphasized the importance of continuous learning, stating, "Workshops like this allow us to strengthen our network of event organizers across the world. By sharing experiences and knowledge, we ensure that every event is better than the last."

Ahmadov echoed this sentiment, adding, "The practical experience of seeing the U23 World Championship preparation up close is invaluable. It’s one thing to discuss logistics in theory but seeing them unfold in real time makes all the difference."

Overall, the Event Organization Workshop provided an excellent learning platform for participants, empowering them to organize events more efficiently and effectively in the future. It contributed to the growth and be capable of delivering better wrestling events worldwide.

United World Wrestling will continue to support and organize such Workshop in the years to come and already welcome all the interested Federations for the next editions.