#Rome2018

Russian Women Collect Five European Golds

Friday, August 3, 2018 - 18:34 By Eric Olanowski

Share this article

ROME, Italy (August 3) - Russia closed out women’s wrestling on the fifth day of competition at the 2018 Junior European Championships with two gold medals, bringing their overall gold medal total to five. This is an improvement from their three gold medal performance at last year’s Dortmund European Championships.  

Coming into the final day of women’s wrestling, Russia had two finalists and commanded a 26-point lead over second place Turkey who had a solo day five finalist. Russia remained in the lead throughout the day, claiming the team title 26 points ahead of Ukraine, who surpassed Turkey for the second place spot with their pair of day five champions. 

Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS) and Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) each wrapped up their gold medal bouts early, squashing their opponents 10-0 on their way to the top of the podium. 

Viktoriia Vauline, the 2014 cadet world champion finally got her age-level European gold medal after closing out the past two years with second and third place finishes. 

In the 57kg finals, Vauline shutout Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), 10-0, giving Russia their fourth women’s wrestling gold medal. 

Evgeniia Zakharchenko was the second Russian women and fifth overall to win a gold medal. Zakharchenko only needed one minute to lock up a takedown and four trap-arm gut-wrenches, grabbing the 10-0 technical superiority victory over Enrica RINALDI (ITA). 

Wrestling resumes tomorrow with freestyle’s qualification rounds beginning at 10:30 AM (local time). The semifinals start at 5:15 PM and will be followed by the medal matches at 6:00 PM. 

RESULTS

Team Scores
GOLD – Russia (186 points)
SILVER – Ukraine (160 points)
BRONZE – Turkey (136 points)
Fourth – Italy (93 points)
Fifth – Germany (77 points)

53kg
GOLD - Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df. Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE), 10-0 

BRONZE -  Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) df. Yevgeniya PAVLOVA (UKR), 12-5
BRONZE -  Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) df. Kremena Krasimirova PETROVA (BUL),11-0 

57kg
GOLD -  Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS) df. Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), 10-0 

BRONZE -  Alina AKOBIIA (UKR) df. Aleksandrina Nikolaeva KASHINOVA (BUL), 4-0 
BRONZE - Serena BOELKE (GER) df. Magdalena Urszula GLODEK (POL), 8-4

62kg
GOLD - Anhelina LYSAK (UKR) df. Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL), 5-1

BRONZE -  Daria BOBRULKO (RUS) df. Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR), 2-2 
BRONZE -  Linnea Antonia SVENSSON (SWE) df. Viktoria FELHO (HUN), 8-0 

65kg
GOLD - Oksana CHUDYK (UKR) df. Eyleen SEWINA (GER), 10-0 

BRONZE - Elena ESPOSITO (ITA) df. Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL), 1-0 
BRONZE -  Asli DEMIR (TUR) df. Noémi SZABADOS (HUN), 5-3 

72kg
GOLD -  Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS) df. Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 10-0 

BRONZE - Maria larisa NITU (ROU) df. Kamila Czeslawa KULWICKA (POL), 3-2 
BRONZE -  Romana VOVCHAK (UKR) df. Tugba KILIC (TUR), 12-2 

#WrestleAthens

U17 Worlds 2025: Iran, U.S. put two each in Freestyle finals

Friday, August 1, 2025 - 14:57 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

ATHENS, Greece (August 1) -- Iran and the United States emerged as the best performers on day one of Freestyle competition at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece after placing two wrestlers each in the gold medal bouts.

Five Freestyle weight classes were in action on Friday, as the tournament entered its final three days.

Iran and the U.S. will face off in the 48kg final after Ariah MILLS (USA) and Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) won their respective semifinals.

Mills defeated European U17 champion Ravan HASANZADE (AZE) 7-2 using his attacking style. After being put on the activity clock, Mills began his attacks and though he was not able to score in the 30-second, he hit a single leg for four points that gave him a 4-1 lead going into the break.

Hasanzade got on the leg attacks but Mills was quick to counter and scored an exposure for two points which was challenged by Azerbaijan. On review, it was given only two points for Mills and Azerbaijan lost the challenge and Mills reached the final 7-2.

Boustani had to stop some serious attacks from Masamune USHIMADO (JPN) in the second period. After taking a 6-0 lead, Boustani was put in danger by Ushimado as he scored a takedown. He then made it 6-3 with a stepout. With 13 seconds remaining, he hit another big throw but it was scored just two points as Boustani won 6-5.

The second finalist for the U.S. was Pan-Am U17 champion Arsenii KIKINIOU (USA) who came from behind to beat Morteza HAJ (IRI), 3-2, in the 65kg semifinals. Trailing 2-0, Kikiniou first scored a stepout and then managed to transition a leg attack into takedown with 13 seconds left. He held on to his lead to win.

For the gold, he will face 2024 silver medalist from 60kg, Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) who barely went past Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 3-1, in the other semifinal. Ismayilov was down 1-1 on criteria but scored point just in time to win the match.

Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) was the second finalist for Iran after he dominated Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ) and beat him 11-4 in the 80kg semifinals. For the gold, he will take on European U17 champion Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) after the Ukrainian earned himself a chance to win a world U17 goldm reaching the final with a 2-1 win over  Issa ZANGIEV (UWW).

At 55kg, returning bronze medalist from 51kg Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) denied Greyton BURNETT (USA) after beating him 8-2 in the semifinal. Okonogi never let Burnett to settle down and scored three takedowns in his win.

Having already upgraded his medal, Okonogi will look to win the gold over Asian U17 silver medalist Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UWW) who scored a late stepout to win his semifinal against Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW), who was a bronze medalist from 48kg last year.

At 110kg, it will be a battle of continental champions as European U17 champion Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) defeated Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 2-0, after getting both passivity points.

He will take on Asian U17 champion LACKY (IND) who defeated European U17 champion Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI), via fall, with a comeback.

Naghdalipour led 5-0 when he got a par terre and as he tried the gut-wrench, Lacky blocked him and scored two points. A double-leg takedown made it 5-4.

Lacky was called passive in the second period and Naghdalipout got another point and led 6-4. That is when Lacky got hold of the Iranian and sent him for four points. Iran challenged and lost, making the score 9-6 for Lacky.

Naghdalipour scored a stepout to cut the lead to 9-7 but as he tried another takedown, Lacky slammed him for four and a turn before securing the fall just as the time expired.

RESULTS

48kg
GOLD: Ariah MILLS (USA) vs. Sina BOUSTANI (IRI)

SF 1: Ariah MILLS (USA) df. Ravan HASANZADE (AZE), 7-2
SF 2: Sina BOUSTANI (IRI) df. Masamune USHIMADO (JPN), 6-5

55kg
GOLD: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) vs. Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB)

SF 1: Jinnosuke OKONOGI (JPN) df. Greyton BURNETT (USA), 8-2 
SF 2: Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB) df. Chingis SARYGLAR (UWW), 2-1

65kg
GOLD: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) vs. Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE)

SF 1: Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) df. Morteza HAJ (IRI), 3-2
SF 2: Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) df. Yeraly ASKERBEK (KAZ), 3-1

80kg
GOLD: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) vs. Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI)

SF 1: Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) df. Issa ZANGIEV (UWW), 2-1
SF 2: Mohammadparsa KARAMI (IRI) df. Dinmukhammed KASSYMBEK (KAZ), 11-4

110kg
GOLD: LACKY (IND) vs. Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW)

SF 1: LACKY (IND) df. Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI), via fall (15-7)
SF 2: Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) df. Stefan STEFANOV (BUL), 2-0