European Games

Russian Trio Advances to Greco-Roman Finals at European Games

Friday, June 28, 2019 - 19:08 By United World Wrestling Press

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MINSK, Belarus (June 28) - Russia made a statement on the opening day of the Greco-Roman competition at the European Games, advancing all three of their wrestlers to Saturday's gold-medal finals. 

Returning world champion Stepan MARYANYAN (60kg) and Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (77kg), along with 2018 European bronze medalist Zaur KABALOEV (67kg), earned semifinal victories for Russia.

Maryanyan, a European Games champion in 2015, was untested in his semifinal match against Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR). He cruised to a 9-0 technical superiority. Maryanyan built a 7-0 lead after the first period and put the match away early in the second period. He will face Erik TORBA (HUN) in the gold-medal match.

Torba came from behind to defeat Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO), a 2016 junior world champion, 6-5. Chkhartishvili used a four-point throw in the first period, which helped him take a 5-3 lead at the break. Torba, though, kept the pressure on and scored a passivity point before scoring with a turn to take the lead. He then held off the Georgian for the victory.

Chekhirkin, like Maryanyan, picked up a technical superiority without surrendering a point in the semifinals. His semifinal victory came over Yunus BASAR (TUR), 8-0. After getting pushed in his first match, the 33-year-old Russian has outscored his last two opponents 14-0. In tomorrow's gold-medal match at 77kg, Chekhirkin will meet Karapet CHALYAN (ARM).

Chalyan reached the finals by beating Tamas LORINCZ (HUN), an Olympic silver medalist and three-time world medalist. Lorincz scored first off a passivity to take a 1-0 lead, which is all the scoring that happened in the opening period. Chalyan came back in the second period, scoring a takedown early in the second period and adding another takedown a short time later, which proved to be enough to get him the victory.  

Kabaloev blanked Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR) 4-0 in the semifinals at 67kg, scoring all four of his points in the first period. The other semifinal winner at 67kg was Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), a U23 and junior world champion, who defeated Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) 5-0. 

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD - Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) vs. Erik TORBA (HUN)
SEMIFINAL - Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) df. Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR), 9-0
SEMIFINAL - Erik TORBA (HUN) df. Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO), 6-5

67kg
GOLD - Zaur KABALOEV (RUS) vs. Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Zaur KABALOEV (RUS) df. Oleksii KALINICHENKO (UKR), 4-0
SEMIFINAL - Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Karen ASLANYAN (ARM), 5-0

77kg
GOLD - Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) vs. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM)
SEMIFINAL - Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) df. Yunus BASAR (TUR), 8-0 
SEMIFINAL - Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) df. Tamas LORINCZ (HUN), 4-1
 

#WrestleZagreb

Yousofi wins gold in Zagreb to enter Iran's 130kg race

Sunday, February 9, 2025 - 19:32 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 9) -- Iran has selection headache at 130kg. But it's a good one to have.

With Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) and Fardin HEYDAYTI (IRI) already fighting for the spot, Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI) has thrown his hat in the process with gold medal at the Zagreb Open.

The 2021 world champion last competed internationally in the 2023 Budapest Ranking Series but returned as the new Olympic cycle began. And his first victim was European champion Sergey SEMENOV (AIN) who stunned Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the 130kg final to win gold.

Yousofi defeated Sememnov 10-1 in the opening bout, stopped Koppany LASZLO (HUN) 6-1 and won 9-1 against Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE).

In the final, Yousofi was put in par terre first against Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) tried the gut wrench but was blocked by Yousofi for two points. Then came the series of stepouts, a typical Iranian style of wrestling as Yousofi claimed a 9-1 victory the gold medal.

Iran's second gold medal came at 82kg as Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) defeated Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), 6-2, in the final. Szilvassy is a world silver medalist, having lost to Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) in the final in Tirana last year.

Farokhi was too much for Szilvassy who failed to keep up with the force of Farokhi and gave up stepouts as well.

But Iran would be disappointed at the results of 72kg as both Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) and Danial SOHRABI (IRI) lost to 19-year-old Levente LEVAI (HUN). Geraei suffered a loss in the semifinals while Sohrabi was stunned in the final by the teenager.

The final began in a very untraditional manner with Sohrabi getting cautioned for finger grabbing, which gave Levai a 2-0 lead. He was also put in par terre but Levai failed to score but still enjoyed a 3-0 lead.

Sohrabi came back with two stepouts and one point for par terre to make it 3-3 but he trailed on criteria as he was cautioned for two points early in the bout. Unaware of the criteria winner, Sohrabi was not in any attacking mode but with around a minute remaining, he realized that he is trailing on criteria.

A series of desperate attacks were made including one flying squirrel but Levai managed to defend all of them. Sohrabi asked for a challenge for the flying squirrel but no points were awarded on review, giving an extra point to Levai for lost challenge and a further cushion for victory.

In a weight class which had two world champions from Tirana, none finished on the podium. The 60kg weight class had Edlaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) but both lost to the unheralded Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) who in turn lost to U23 world champion and compatriot Alisher GANIEV (UZB) 9-0 in the semifinals.

From the other side of the bracket, Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) made it to the final against Ganiev who was leading 4-0 when a moment of brilliance from Tibilov changed it all.

In the second period of the match, Tibilov scissor jumped over Ganiev and the spun the Uzbek like a cartwheel for four points. The move gave Tibilov a 4-4 criteria lead and Uzbekistan challenged the call but lost to make the score 5-4. A second passivity further extended his lead to 6-4.

At 55kg, Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) denied Iran a gold medal, blanking Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI), 6-0.

Sargsian beats Khaslakanau

Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) suffered a heartbreaking elbow injury at the World Championships in Belgrade in 2023. After more than a year of being away from action, Sargsian marked his return with a gold medal at 97kg. He defeated former U20 world champion and Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 5-2, in the final.

Khaslakhanau was awarded the first par terre advantage of the final but he failed to score a point from that position. Soon, Sargsian launched a sag bodylock for four points which Khaslakhanau challenged for a leg four. But it was clean move from Sargsian who now led 5-1.

Khaslakhanau was giving another passivity advantage in the second period but he failed to score from that as well as Sargsian defended his 5-2 lead with ease.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) df. Mahdi AHADI ZENAB (IRI), 6-0

BRONZE: Brady KOONTZ (USA) df. Artium DELEANU (MDA), 9-1

60kg
GOLD: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) df. Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 6-4

BRONZE: Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) df. Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 9-0
BRONZE: Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) df. Huseyn GARIBOV (AZE), 9-1

72kg
GOLD: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Danial SOHRABI (IRI), 4-3

BRONZE: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) df. Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE), via inj. def.

82kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), 6-2

BRONZE: Mihail BRADU (MDA) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 2-1
BRONZE: Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) df. Vasile COJOC (ROU), 9-0

97kg
GOLD: Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) df. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 5-2

BRONZE: Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) df. Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI)
BRONZE: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 7-1

130kg
GOLD: Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) Aliakbar YOUSOFI (IRI)

BRONZE: Marat KAMPAROV (AIN) df. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), 3-2
BRONZE: Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Koppany LASZLO (HUN), via fall