Russian Women Lead After Day 4; Hungary and Belarus Within Striking Distance
Thursday, June 6, 2019 - 19:09 By Eric Olanowski
PONTEVEDRA, Spain (June 6) – Daria KHVOSTOVA (RUS) and Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) mounted come-from-behind victories in the 50kg and 55kg gold-medal matches respectively and assisted the Russian Federation in carrying a six-point lead over Hungary into the final day of women’s wrestling at the Junior European Championships.
In the 50kg finals, Daria Khvostova used a late takedown and gut wrench to win the battle of former European champions against Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU), 6-3.
The pair traded takedowns in the first period, but Khvostova found herself fighting from behind after Priceputu, the U23 world bronze medalist, had the 2-2 lead on criteria heading into the second period.
The score remained unchanged until the 30-second mark of the second period when the Russian shot a low-level knee pull single, then transitioned into a gut wrench and took the 6-2 lead. Khvostova surrendered a stepout as time expired but held onto the three-point lead and won her second European title, and first since 2016 when she won the 43kg cadet European title in Stockholm, Sweden.
Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) scored a pair of takedowns in the final minute of the 55kg finals to defeat Anna SZEL (HUN), 6-6. (Photo: Gabor Martin)
In the 55kg gold-medal match, Ekaterina Verbina mounted a four-point comeback win with one-minute left and robbed Anna SZEL (HUN) of the European title.
Verbina surrendered a pair of step outs, but scored two off a beautiful high crotch and had the 2-2 lead on criteria heading into the final three minutes. The Russian’s opponent tagged her with a takedown and gut wrench and grabbed the 6-2 lead heading into the final two minutes of the match.
With 52 seconds remaining, Verbina picked up her offensive attack rate and to fire off high crotch after high crotch. The 2018 junior world bronze medalist scored twice off those high crotches and nabbed the 6-6 lead on criteria. Verbina held on to improve on her bronze-medal finish from last year, and won her first European title since winning the 2017 cadet European title.
Russia also picked up a third medal on the day when Marina SUROVTSEVA defeated Greta CEPONYTE (LTU), 8-2 in the 76kg gold medal bout.
Bernadett NAGY (HUN) shutout Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR),3-0 in the 76kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)
Hungary and Belarus Within Striking Distance of Russian in Team Race
Hungary (76 points) and Belarus (67 points) sit it second and third respectively and are in striking distance heading into the final day of wrestling in Spain. They each won a gold and a silver on the fourth day of the Junior European Championships.
Hungary’s champion was Bernadett NAGY (HUN) and Belarus’ champion was Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR). Nagy won the 76kg title with a 3-0 win over Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR), while Sazykina shutout Erika BOGNAR (HUN), 4-0 in the 59kg finals.
Freestyle wrestling begins tomorrow morning at 11:00 (local time), and the Day 5 finals will start at 18:00.
Team Scores (After Day 4)
GOLD - Russia (79 points)
SILVER - Hungary (73 points)
BRONZE - Belarus (67 points)
Fourth - Ukraine (64 points)
Fifth - Turkey (52 points)
50kg
GOLD - Daria KHVOSTOVA (RUS) df. Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU), 6-3
BRONZE - Taru Marketta VAINIONPAEAE (FIN) df. Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA), 5-3
BRONZE - Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR) vs. Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)
55kg
GOLD - Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) df. Anna Hella SZEL (HUN), 6-6
BRONZE - Sezen BELBEROVA (BUL) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 7-0
BRONZE - Patrycja GIL (POL) df. Darya SINKAVETS (BLR), via fall
59kg
GOLD - Krystsina SAZYKINA (BLR) df. Erika BOGNAR (HUN) , 4-0
BRONZE - Veronika RYABOVOLOVA (UKR) df. Kristina MIKHNEVA (RUS), 4-3
BRONZE - Teresa LUMIA (ITA) df. Angelika MYTKOWSKA (POL), 9-1
68kg
GOLD – Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE) df. Kadriye AKSOY (TUR), via fall
BRONZE - Ewelina CIUNEK (POL) df. Johanna MEIER (GER), via fall
BRONZE - Khrystyna MALIAVKA (UKR) df. Marta OJEDA NAVARRO (ESP), 13-3
76kg
GOLD - Bernadett NAGY (HUN) df. Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR), 3-0
BRONZE - Romana VOVCHAK (UKR) vs. Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER)
BRONZE - Marina SUROVTSEVA (RUS) df. Greta CEPONYTE (LTU), 8-2
World U17 bronze and Asian U17 champion Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) will look to defend his 71kg title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari) 
World and Asian U17 champion KAJAL (IND) will lead India's charge. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)
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