#WrestleSamokov

Russia Wins Cadet Euro WW Team Title

By United World Wrestling Press

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (June 18) --- Russia came into the final day of women’s wrestling at the Cadet European Championships with a four-point lead over Ukraine. After winning four of five medal matches on Friday night, they claimed the team title with 179 points. In the end, Russia finished 24 points ahead of Ukraine and picked up medals in nine weight classes – including a trio of titles.

Natalia KHRAMENKOVA (RUS) won Russia’s lone gold of the day, but they also earned three bronzes and a silver.

Ukraine and Belarus closed out the competition with a pair of Day Five champions and finished with 155 points. But when it was all said and done, Ukraine held criteria after winning three golds compared to Belarus’ pair of champions.

Ukraine’s pair of champions were Anastasiia POLSKA (40kg) and Iryna BONDAR (61kg). Polska pinned Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU) and won her third European gold medal. She also won U15 European gold in ’19 and ’21. Ukrainian’s second Friday champion Bondar also scored a fall in the gold-medal match. She stuck Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR) and improved on her runner-up finish from the ’19 U15 European Championships.

Sviatlana KATENKA (46kg) and Viktoryia RADZKOVA (69kg) were Belarus’ pair of champs. Katenka defeated Sofia FEDORCHENKO (RUS), 7-4, while Radzkova shutout Karolina Janina JAWORSKA (POL), 6-0.

RESULTS

40kg
GOLD - Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) df. Alexandra VOICULESCU (ROU), via fall
BRONZE - Tana TIULIUSH (RUS) df. Veranika PRYLOUSKAYA (BLR)

46kg
GOLD - Sviatlana KATENKA (BLR) df. Sofia FEDORCHENKO (RUS), 7-4
BRONZE - Kornelia Nikolett LASZLO (HUN) df. Diana LATS (UKR), 2-0
BRONZE - Zenfira HASHIMOVA (AZE) df. Marina SATKOEVI (GEO), 5-0

53kg
GOLD - Natalia KHRAMENKOVA (RUS) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), 4-0
BRONZE - Volha HARDZEI (BLR) df. Oliwia MAKUCH (GER), via fall
BRONZE - Immacolata DANISE (ITA) df. Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), 12-2

61kg
GOLD - Iryna BONDAR (UKR) df. Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR), via fall
BRONZE - Busra EFE (TUR) df. Viktoria BORSOS (HUN), 5-2
BRONZE - Viktoriia KHUSAINOVA (RUS) df. Masa PEROVIC (SRB), 10-0

69kg
GOLD - Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR) df. Karolina Janina JAWORSKA (POL), 6-0
BRONZE - Alina RYBKINA (RUS) df. Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR), 3-2
BRONZE - Noemi OSVATH NAGY (HUN) df. Cassidy RICHTER (GER), 4-0

#WrestleIstanbul

Valiev gets 74kg Paris 2024 spot; USA completes Olympic line-up

By United World Wrestling Press

ISTANBUL, Turkiye (May 12) -- A day after he was dealt with a heartbreaking loss, Cherman VALIEV (ALB) pulled off a stunning last-second win over Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

At the World Olympic Qualifier, the last chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics, Valiev lost to Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) in the 74kg semifinal on Saturday after he was docked for a singlet-pull. But 24 hours later, Valiev turned it around. Trailing 2-1 in the Olympic playoff between the two bronze medal winners, Valiev got a par terre position over Demirtas and turned him for two points with just a second left.

Demirtas challenged, asking for a block and two points as he stopped Valiev mid-turn, but blocking was not confirmed on review, giving Valiev another point for a lost challenge and a 4-2 win.

Apart from Valiev's dramatic win to earn Albania's third Freestyle quota for Paris, 70kg world champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA) won the 65kg spot for the United States to complete the line-up for Paris with all six spots. Spencer LEE (USA) won the 57kg spot on Saturday.

China earned two spots for Paris while Georgia and Hungary won a spot each. China won the spots at 57kg and 97kg, Georgia 86kg and Hungary will be represented in 125kg.

Retherford, who lost to Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) at 65kg, wrestled four bouts on Sunday with his bronze-medal bout against SUJEET (IND) being the closest. Sujeet scored a counter takedown in the first period and tried holding on to that lead in the second. But as he was pushing Retherford towards the zone, the American circled back and took Sujeet down and take a 2-2 lead which he held till the end.

In the Olympic playoff, Retherford got the better of Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN), 7-0, and earned a sixth Paris 2024 spot for the U.S. Since Retherford won the trials before coming to Istanbul, he will be now going to Paris.

Wanhao ZOU (CHN) and Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) earned the two quotas for China. Zou was up against  Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) and had little trouble beating Yatsenko in the playoff.

Habila wrestled 38-year-old Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) in the playoff at 125kg and came out on top 2-1. Ibragimov got a 1-0 lead after Habila was out on the activity clock but he failed to score. Ibragimov was put on the clock in the second period but he also failed to score giving Habila a 1-1 criteria lead. Ibragimov made a few attempts in the final seconds but failed to get any points.

Ibragimov challenged asking for fleeing but it was not confirmed on review. The Rio bronze medalist later left his shoes on the mat, symbolizing his retirement from the sport.

Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), who lost after giving up a late takedown, left nothing to luck on Sunday and defeated Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 8-2, giving Georgia its fourth qualification in Freestyle.

Hungary got its second Paris 2024 spot after Daniel LIGETI (HUN) pinned Jose DIAZ (VEN) in the playoff after building a 5-0 lead.

Paris 2024 Qualification Results

57kg
Wanhao ZOU (CHN) df. Andrii YATSENKO (UKR), 5-1

65kg
Zain RETHERFORD (USA) df. Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN), 7-0

74kg
Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR), 4-2

86kg
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), 8-2

97kg
Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) df. Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB), 2-1

125kg
Daniel LIGETI (HUN) df. Jose DIAZ (VEN), via fall...