European Games

Russia Sweeps Greco-Roman Gold Medals on Day 5 of European Games

Saturday, June 29, 2019 - 18:18 By United World Wrestling Press

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MINSK, Belarus (June 29) - Russia swept the Greco-Roman gold medals on Day 5 of the wrestling competition at the European Games at the Minsk Sports Palace in Minsk, Belarus. 

The Russian trio of Stepan MARYANYAN (60kg), Zaur KABALOEV (67kg) and Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (77kg) earned finals victory on Saturday. 

Maryanyan, the returning world champion, claimed his second straight European Games gold medal. He capped off a dominating in Minsk with a 9-0 technical superiority over Erik TORBA (HUN) in the finals at 60kg. Maryanyan scored off a passivity and then showcased his strong par terre skills, using four consecutive gut wrenches to end the match in the first period. He outscored his opponents 32-3 at the European Games, which included three technical superiorities in four matches.

Kabaloev had to come from behind in his gold-medal match against Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), a U23 and junior world champion. Bolkvadze led 1-0 at the break after scoring off a passivity. But Kabaloev battled back in the second period, scoring off a passivity with two minutes remaining before lifting Bolkvadze and scoring with a two-point throw to grab a 3-1 lead, which would be enough to get him the victory. 

In the final match of the session, the returning world champion Chekhirkin hung on to edge Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) 7-6 in the gold-medal match at 77kg. Chekhirkin raced out to a 5-0 lead after a dominant first period. He picked up a takedown midway through the first period, added a point off a step out and then lifted Chalyan and scored two more points off a throw. But the Armenian battled back, scoring a takedown 20 seconds into the second period before adding another takedown a short time later to make the score 5-4 in favor of Chekhirkin. With just over a minute remaining, Chekhirkin extended his lead to 7-4 with a takedown. Chalyan would add a takedown with two seconds remaining, but Chekhirkin held on to win by a point. 

Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO) captured the bronze medals at 60kg. Ciobanu, ranked No.2 in the world, topped Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR) 3-1. Chkhartishvili edged Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) 3-3 on criteria. 

Soslan DAUROV (BLR) used a high dive to score a takedown with just over a minute remaining, which helped him defeat Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR) 3-2 in a bronze-medal match at 67kg. Mate NEMES (SRB) earned a 2-1 victory over Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) in the other bronze-medal match at 67kg.

Olympic silver medalist Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) earned a bronze medal at 77kg by beating Igor BESHLEAGA (MDA) 5-1. The other bronze medal at 77kg was claimed by Alex KESSIDIS (SWE), who won by fall over Yunus BASAR (TUR).

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD - Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) df. Erik TORBA (HUN), 9-0
BRONZE - Victor CIOBANU (MDA) df. Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR), 3-1
BRONZE - Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO) df. Razvan ARNAUT (ROU), 3-3

67kg
GOLD - Zaur KABALOEV (RUS) df. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-1
BRONZE - Soslan DAUROV (BLR) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR), 3-2
BRONZE - Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Karen ASLANYAN (ARM), 2-1

77kg
GOLD - Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) df. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM), 7-6
BRONZE - Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) df. Yunus BASAR (TUR), Fall (5:25)
BRONZE - Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) df. Igor BESHLEAGA (MDA), 5-1
 

#WrestleAthens

Turner back on top with second U17 title; India wins 2 golds

Thursday, July 31, 2025 - 20:30 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (July 31) -- There have been dominant runs in Women's Wrestling at the World U17 Championships history and now Morgan TURNER (USA) has joined that list as well.

After winning the world title in 2023, Turner had to be satisfied with a bronze medal in 2024. However, that bronze made Turner more determined to end her U17 age-group career on high.

Wrestling at the U17 Worlds for the third time, Turner won her second world title at this age-group. She won the 49kg gold medal in Athens, Greece on Thursday, giving United States the first gold of the tournament.

"I definitely wanted to come back harder coming from bronze last year," Turner said. So my goal was to win it. I just preparing eventually, physically and emotionally. The bronze shadowed over the gold. So I had to come back and I had to get gold. I love it."

Turner, facing Yu KATAOKA (JPN) in the 49kg final, showed how to counter those Japanese low-single attacks. Every time Kataoka tried to go for them, Tuner would sit low and block with counterattacks.

Kataoka even tried getting behind but Turner held such good positions that she was able to counter and score, eventually winning 6-1. In four bouts, the final was the only one in which did not finish with technical superiority.

Now with two golds, Turner said that Thursday's gold proved that she has evolved as a wrestler and could perform moves other than the double-legs that she has been famous for.

"Two years ago was a lot a lot more nerves. I was on cloud nine. I was 14. I was super nervous," she said. "I feel like I need to grow as a wrestler. I left the double. I don't need to do a double all the time. I can shoot sweeps. I can do little singles. I can do cradles, I can do throws, I can do different things."

With her U17 career finished, Turner will now be focused on U20 and perhaps the senior level as well.

RACHANA (IND)RACHANA (IND) won the gold medal at 43kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Mixed day for India

India, the defending team champions, had a mixed day in the field. It had four wrestlers in the finals but only two came back with gold medals.

Former world U17 silver medalist RACHNA (IND) held her own lead against Xin HUANG (CHN) and secured the gold medal at 43kg. She scored a takedown in the first period to lead 2-0 and Huang was called passive in the second to give one more point to Rachna.

Huang did get a couple of attacks going but was not able to finish. Rachana's gold was the first for India of the night.

Ashvini VISHNOI (IND)Two-time Asian U17 champion Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) is now a world U17 champion at 65kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Two-time Asian U17 champion Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) added the second as she defeated Mukhayyo RAKHIMJONOVA (UZB) at 65kg with a similar score and scoring actions. With the win, Vishnoi also denied Rakhimjonova a chance of history as she could have become the first-ever world champion for Uzbekistan in Women's Wrestling at any level.

Wenjin QIU (CHN)Wenjin QIU (CHN) defeated KAJAL (IND) in the 73kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Returning world U17 champion from 69kg KAJAL (IND), now at 73kg, suffered a loss to Wenjin QIU (CHN) in the final. This was Kajal's second loss in two months to Qiu who had defeated the Indian 10-0 in the Asian U17 Championships final in Vietnam.

Kajal began on an attacking note and raced to a 4-0 lead with two takedowns. However, in the second period, Qiu was able to counter better. Qiu scored a four-pointer and then exposure as she was looking to pin Kajal. After the sequence, Qiu led 6-5. 

Still, Kajal got Qiu locked from behind and was about to throw her for four points but the Chinese managed to block that and land Kajal in danger for two points, extending her lead to 8-5, which became the winning score for her.

The second loss for India came in the 57kg final after a bizarre sequence of events. MONI (IND), who won the Asian U17 gold over Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ), faced her again in the finals in Athens.

Moni scored the first takedown of the bout but Usmanova hit a headlock for four to lead 4-2. The scramble continued and Moni got a point for reversal. However, Usmanov got another exposure for two more points and led 6-3 as the referee asked the wrestlers to return to center.

Moni does a double arm lock throw for two points to cut the lead to 6-5 with just over a minute left in the bout. Moni, who perhaps thought that she was leading the bout, did not engage with Usmanova for the next 50 seconds. Even Usmanova, who was leading, did not bother to get into a tangle.

Ultimately, Moni went for the attack with only 10 seconds left but Usmanova was not letting her score with gold on line. With her 6-5 win, Usmanova became the first Women's Wrestling world champion for Kazakhstan in 13 years and avenged her loss to Moni from the Asian U17 Championships final.

RESULTS

43kg
GOLD: RACHANA (IND) df. Xin HUANG (CHN), 3-0

BRONZE: Madison HEALEY (USA) df. Mareim ABDELAAL (EGY), via fall
BRONZE: Inzhu BAKKOZHA (KAZ) df. Raniia RAKHMANOVA (UWW), via fall

49kg
GOLD: Morgan TURNER (USA) df. Yu KATAOKA (JPN), 6-1

BRONZE: Polina BOCHKAREVA (UWW) df. Azema KALIDINOVA (KGZ), 6-6
BRONZE: Komal VERMA (IND) df. Anhelina BURKINA (UWW), 8-3

57kg
GOLD: Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ) df. MONI (IND), 6-5

BRONZE: Sayuki TANADA (JPN) df. Sophie RITTER (ITA), 4-4
BRONZE: Alina BAROEVA (UWW) df. Marta MANKOWSKA (POL), 6-1

65kg
GOLD: Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) df. Mukhayyo RAKHIMJONOVA (UZB), 3-0

BRONZE: Feenja HERMANN (GER) df. Alexandra MOISEI (MDA), 4-2
BRONZE: Lilia ERMOKHINA (UWW) df. Anujin ERKHEMBAATAR (MGL), 9-2

73kg
GOLD: Wenjin QIU (CHN) df. KAJAL (IND), 8-5

BRONZE: Ella Jo POALILLO (USA) df. Anna GODELASHVILI (GEO), via fall
BRONZE: Eylem ENGIN (TUR) df. Deborah GARCIA (MEX), 9-1