#WrestleFaenza

Russian Women Outscore Finals Opponents 25-2, Wins Trio of Day 4 Titles

By Eric Olanowski

FAENZA, Italy (June 20) – The Russian Federation capped off the fourth day of wrestling at the Cadet European Championships with women’s wrestling medals in all five weight classes, three of which were golds, and racked up an 18-2 record. Maybe more impressive, their two losses came against the eventual European champions. Russia (110 points) holds a 36-point lead over Ukraine (74 points) heading into the final day of women’s wrestling. 

Four Russian women competed in Day 4 gold-medal matches, but Amina TANDELOVA, Ekaterina GLUKHAREVA, and Olga KOZYREVA walked away as European champions. 

Angelina PERVUKHINA finished with a silver medal, while Olga REKHMETULLOVA (RUS) was able to fight back after her opening round loss to win a bronze medal. 

Amina Tandelova gave the most dominant wrestling nation in the world their first Day 4 gold medal. She picked an opening period takedown, a pair of second-period takedowns, and defeated Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), 6-0 in the 57kg gold-medal match. 

Tandelova’s first takedown came from a high crotch in the first period, but that wasn’t her most impressive move of the period. She did a beautiful job sitting out and boot-scooting to stop a Ukrainian go behind before the first period ended and carried the 2-0 lead into the final two minutes of the match.  

In the second period, a counter-offensive go-behind and a takedown as time expired helped Tandelova improve on her runner-up finish from last year with a 6-0 shutout victory. 

Ekaterina GLUKAREVA (RUS) bullied her way past a frustrated Veronica BRASCHI (ITA), 6-0 in the 65kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Russia’s second 25-point gold-medal winner was Ekaterina Glukhareva who bullied her way past a clearly frustrated Veronica BRASCHI (ITA) in the 65kg finals.

Glukhareva controlled the entire four-minute match with her left underhook, using it to pick up four stepouts and an inactivity point. Gluhareva tacked on two additional points with a defensive stop and handed Russia their second shutout win of the night. 

Olga KOZYREVA (RUS) celebrates after her 12-2 victory Jennifer ROESLER (GER) in the 73kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Olga KOZYREVA (RUS) was two points away from handing Russia their third finals shutout but surrendered a takedown before ending the 73kg gold-medal match with a 12-2 victory over Jennifer ROESLER (GER).

Kozyreva kick-started the match with a snatch single and had the 2-0 lead, then tossed Roesler to her back with a four-point whip over. Kozyreva commanded the early 6-0 lead when she shot an outside double, came up to her feet and brought Roesler back down to the mat for the takedown. She started to celebrate, thinking the referees awarded four points, but instead, she was only given two points and had the 8-0 lead. 

Kozyreva gave up a takedown and carried the 8-2 lead into the final period, but it only took her 28 seconds in the second period to pick up the four points she needed to end the match. Kozyreva closed out the match with a 12-2 victory and improved on her eighth-place finish from the 2017 U15 European Championships.

The fifth day of wrestling in Faenza being tomorrow at 11:30 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

RESULTS

43kg
GOLD - Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. Diana Tancheva PAVLOVA (BUL), via fall 
BRONZE - Olga REKHMETULLOVA (RUS) df. Zenfira HASHIMOVA (AZE), 15-4
BRONZE - Ana Maria NECHIFOR (ROU) df. Anna POLLAKOVA (SVK), via fall 

49kg 
GOLD - Rebekka MARCH (GER) df. Angelina PERVUKHINA (RUS), 6-1
BRONZE - Anastasiya YANOTAVA (BLR) df. Mariia TOMYSHCH (UKR), 3-2 
BRONZE - Natalia Edyta WALCZAK (POL) df. Vestina DANISEVICIUTE (LTU), 10-0

57kg
GOLD - Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) df. Krystyna SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), 6-0
BRONZE - Othelie Annette HOEIE (NOR) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 4-1 
BRONZE - Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) df. Maarja PLASER (EST), 8-2

65kg 
GOLD - Ekaterina GLUKHAREVA (RUS) df. Veronica BRASCHI (ITA), 7-0 
BRONZE - Yevheniia SIEDYKH (UKR) df. Nora Luca MAJOR (HUN), 4-1 
BRONZE - Zofia POLOWCZYK (POL) df. Daniela SIRBU (MDA), 4-0 

72kg 
GOLD - Olga KOZYREVA (RUS) df. Jennifer ROESLER (GER), 12-2 
BRONZE - Nazar BATIR (TUR) df. Maria Cristina ROSIORU (ROU), 8-1 
BRONZE - Julia FRIDLUND (SWE) df. Nerea IGLESIAS CAMPOS (ESP), via fall 

 

#WrestleBudapest

Grace Bullen Move: Outside Trip That Defines European Champ

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 9) -- Grace BULLEN (NOR) lost the most important match of her career while attempting her trademark outside trip, trying to finish the bout with a fall. It came in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games semifinal against Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), who countered with a neck bridge, tossing Bullen over for the fall.

UWW+

Despite the mixed results the move has produced over the years, Bullen did not hesitate to use it in the 2026 European Championships final against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS). Trailing 9-0, Bullen hooked her left foot behind Tandelova's heel and brought her down for the fall.

Three months after their epic European 62kg final, Bullen and Tandelova will be at the Budapest Ranking Series from July 15 to 19, the last stop to gain ranking points before the World Championships.

They will be joined by a strong field that includes former world champion Qi ZHANG (CHN), world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), and European medalists Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR).

The field also includes Ana GODINEZ (CAN) and former U20 world champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN), who will have the backing of the home crowd. Two Indians, MANSI (IND) and SAVITA (IND), are also entered among others.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) performs the outside trip against Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) during the 62kg final at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The same move also rescued Bullen at the Tirana Ranking Series, where she trailed Mansi before winning 6-5.

Speaking after winning European gold, Bullen acknowledged both the risk and the reward of the move.

"I know it's my go-to when I'm down, but I also lost in that situation, the same place," Bullen said. "I know how it is being on the receiving end, also being an attacker in that situation. But glad it worked out for me.

"It's more risky that way and just locking the leg and going forward it's much less risky, especially for me."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Grace Bullen (@gracebullen7)

 

A pivotal career decision saw Bullen relocate her training base to Georgia under coach Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI. Since moving to 62kg, she has won world and Olympic medals and established herself as one of the division's most dangerous wrestlers. The demanding training in Georgia and the move up in weight have transformed her wrestling and her mindset, even if the results have occasionally fluctuated.

"I'm also getting older," she said. "I have to be wise with how I train and so I keep my shape."

That experience has also made Bullen more patient than she was five years ago.

"I've years of experience in wrestling," she said. "I take losses with a greater smile than I ever did before. Just knowing that this year I was in two ranking series competitions and only won one match, I am more patient with everything. I know that even though I lose, I can win in the future."