#Trnava2018

Russia Wins Fifth Gold Medal, Junior World Team Title

Sunday, September 23, 2018 - 18:16 By Eric Olanowski

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TRNAVA, Slovakia (September 23) – Russia closed out the 2018 Junior World Championships winning the freestyle team title on the backs of five individual gold medals. Heading into the final day of wrestling, the Russian Federation led the second-place United States by 31 points and finished 67 points ahead of the returning champions. 

Russia grabbed a trio of gold medals on the sixth day of competition and seized championships from Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) and Soslan KHINCHAGOV (RUS) on the seventh day of wrestling at Trnava’s City Sports Hall. 

Abasgadzhi Magomedov improved his 2015 cadet runner-up finish, ending the 61kg finals bout early, grabbing the 10-0 technical superiority victory over Georgia’s Ramaz TURMANIDZE. 

The 2016 junior European champion technically and tactfully scored three takedowns via short drags, and two gut-wrenches, ending the gold-medal bout in 2:50. 

Soslan KHINCHAGOV (RUS), who was competing in his first age-level world championship since claiming the silver medal at the 2015 Cadet World Championships, shutout Aly BARGHOUT (CAN), 7-0 in the 125kg finals, giving Russia their fifth and final gold medal of the tournament. 

Overall, Russia capped off the 2018 Junior World Championships with seven medalists. In addition to their five gold medals, they also won a silver and bronze medal. Though they had seven medalists a year ago, there five gold medals are an improvement from last year’s four gold medals. 

Meanwhile, in his third career freestyle tournament, Mekhi LEWIS (USA) sealed the team silver medal for the United States with a 5-1 win over Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) in the 74kg finals.

Lewis trailed 1-0 in the opening period, surrendering a passivity point before scoring a takedown and stepout, controlling a 3-1 lead into the final period. In the second period, Lewis scored a brutality point and a second stepout to give America their first champion across any division of the 2018 Junior World Championships. 

In the 86kg gold-medal bout, Arif OZEN (TUR) stopped Deepak PUNIA (IND) from winning India’s first freestyle junior world gold medal since 2001. 

The Turkish wrestler struck first, scoring an early takedown, which ended up being the match-deciding takedown. Ozen gave up a stepout as time expired, but won the match, 2-1, giving Turkey their first freestyle gold medal of these championships.

Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI) put on a takedown clinic in the 92kg championships bout, blanking Alisher YERGALI (KAZ), 11-0.

After three-minutes, Foroutanrami commanded the 3-0 lead before firing off four takedowns in the second period to end the match with the technical superiority victory.   

RESULTS 

Team Scores 
GOLD – Russia (182 points)
SILVER – United States (115 points)
BRONZE –  Iran (98 points)
Fourth – Azerbaijan (91 points)
Fifth – India (84 points)

61kg
GOLD – Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) df. Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO), 10-0 

BRONZE - Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB), 9 - 3
BRONZE - Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ) df. Minsu CHO (KOR), 10-4 

74kg
GOLD - Mekhi Kevin LEWIS (USA) df. Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), 5-1 

BRONZE - Devid BETANOV (RUS) df. Sachin RATHI (IND), 11 - 1
BRONZE - Bat-Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) df. Erik REINBOK (EST)

86kg
GOLD - Arif OZEN (TUR) df. Deepak PUNIA (IND), 2-1 

BRONZE - Seyedabolfazl HASHEMIJOUYBARI (IRI) df. Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO), 6 - 5
BRONZE - Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN) df. Ivan NEDEALCO (MDA)  

92kg 
GOLD - Abbas Ali FOROUTANRAMI (IRI) df. Alisher YERGALI (KAZ), 11-0 

BRONZE - Askhab HAMZATOV (AZE) df. Makhsud VEYSALOV (UZB), 9 - 3
BRONZE - Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) df. Khokh KHUGAEV (RUS), 7-3

125kg 
GOLD - Soslan KHINCHAGOV (RUS) df. Aly Medhat Abde BARGHOUT (CAN), 7-0 

BRONZE - Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) df. Amir Nader YARI (IRI), 6 - 4
BRONZE - Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA) df. Rahid HAMIDLI (AZE), 3-1

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Greco-Roman Highlights

Sunday, April 19, 2026 - 19:02 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 20) -- The European Championships in underway in Tirana, Albania with five Greco-Roman weight classes -- 55kg, 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg. The big question is if Riza KAYAALP (TUR) will be successful in breaking Aleksandr KARELIN's record of 12 European gold medal.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | GRECO-ROMAN BRACKETS | UWW PREVIEW

Semifinals

55kg
Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) vs. Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) vs. Omer RECEP (TUR)

63kg
Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) vs. Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Mairbek SALIMOV (POL) vs. Sergey EMELIN (UWW)

77kg
Robert FRITSCH (HUN) vs. Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) vs. Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)

87kg
Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) vs. Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE) vs. Semen NOVIKOV (BUL)

130kg
Darius Attila VITEK (HUN) vs. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) vs. Riza KAYAALP (TUR)

13:25: Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) books his spot in the semifinals at 87kg after an 8-0 technical superiority win over Dogan KAYA (TUR). Novikov with a big throw for four to start the bout before he scores a takedown to go 6-0 up at the break. He takes 36 seconds in the second period to score two stepouts and win.

13:20: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) is into the 87kg semifinals at the European Championships after a technical superiority win over Ihar YARASHEVICH (UWW). Bisultanov with a takedown to start the match before he is awarded the par terre position. He manages exposure points to lead 5-0. A stepout in the second period makes it 6-0. Yarashevich tries a front headlock throw but Bisultanov blocks him and lands on top for the match-winning two points.

13:15: Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR), a returning bronze medalist, is into the semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) at 87kg. No last second problems for Filchakov like last year in which Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) defeated him with 2 seconds remaining.

13:10: Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) is in total shock after Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) throws him twice using the front headlock for four-pointers and finishes the match 10-2. Yilmaz scored the first takedown but Gutu answered quickly with one of his own. He then continued the scramble for the two big throws.

13:00: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) goes big from par terre and scores a four-point throw to make it 7-0. He then scores an takedown to complete a 9-0 victory over Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) and advance to the semifinals at 77kg.

12:53: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) may have crossed his biggest hurdle towards winning the 13th gold medal as he holds off Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) in the 130kg quarterfinals, 1-1. Kayaalp gets the first par terre and manages half turns so no points. Kamparov gets the second par terre which gives him the point but Kayaalp holds the criteria. The Turkiye wrestler was struggling in the final minute but manages to stop Kamparov's attacks.

12:40: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW) with two four-pointers against Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA) and he advances to the 130kg semifinals. Hlinchuk looking good for a medal here

12:35: World champion at 55kg Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) goes all big and fast and he wins Stefan GRIGOROV (BUL), 9-0. Two takedowns and two turns from par terre were his scoring action

12:30: Defending champion at 63kg Kerem KAMAL (TUR) shows up big time in the quarterfinals and takes out U23 world champion Ziya BABASHOV (AZE).

12:20: Olympic champion and returning silver medalist Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) gets his second victory at 87kg as he beats Marjan KOLA (ALB), 9-0, and advances to the quarterfinals.

12:15: Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) continues his good form from Dan Kolov Nikola Petrov tournament in which he won gold, and beats Alan OSTAEV (UWW), 1-1, to start his campaign at 87kg

12:05: An emotional moment for world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) after his opening round loss to Ihar YARASHEVICH (UWW). Komarov dropped his match 5-2 and was about to take off his shoes, a sign of retirement, but the Serbian coaches run and pull him off the mat and stop him from retiring, for now.

11:55: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) with three stepouts in his 9-0 technical superiority win over Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM). When he scored the last stepout for an 8-0 score, Armenia challenged but lost it which added one more point to Bisultanov's score

11:50: Four-time European champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) with a controlled 4-0 win over Edvin BAFF (SWE) at 77kg. He got the par terre in the first period before scoring a throw for two points. He got the par terre in the second period as well to win 4-0.

11:48: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) went murder-mode on Vilius SAVICKAS (LTU) from par terre, scoring two massive reverse throws and wins 10-0

11:33: Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) holds off for a 1-1 criteria victory over Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN) in his 130kg bout. Next up for him is Riza KAYAALP (TUR). Can Kamparov stop Kayaalp from making history?

11:30: No rust from 12-time European champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) as he uses an arm-throw to pin Albert VARDANYAN (ARM) and start his quest for a historic 13th title at 130kg.

11:22: Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), a former U23 world champion at 97kg and still looking small for 130kg, gets three turns from par terre and beats Jacob LOGAARD (SWE), 7-1 at 130kg.

11:15: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), a former U20 world champion, with a massive arm throw for four and holds Apostolos TSIOVOLOS (GRE) for a victory via fall at 130kg.

11:02: Defending champion at 63kg Kerem KAMAL (TUR) with a technical superiority victory over Maksym LIU (UKR). Kamal with turn from par terre to lead 3-0 and Liu is called for a defensive leg foul. Ukraine challenges but the foul is confirmed and Kamal leads 6-0 and the bout restarts in par terre. A side throw for four to finish the bout 10-0

10:58: Paris Olympic bronze medalist and former European champion Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) with a technical superiority victory over Matej MANDIC (CRO). He scored four turns from par terre to win 9-0

10:50: Looking for his first European medal, U23 world champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) starts off with a 4-0 victory over Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) at 87kg. He gets the stepout and par terre in the first period and then a takedown to win the match.

10:42: Returning silver medalist medalists at 77kg Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) begins his 77kg campaign with a 8-2 victory over Marcos SANCHEZ (ESP).

10:30: Welcome to the Albanian capital Tirana as the European Championships kicks off with Greco-Roman weight classes.