#WrestleBudapest

Semenov and Chekhirkin Claim Gold on Final Day of European OG Qualifier

Sunday, March 21, 2021 - 18:23 By Eric Olanowski

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (January 20) – Russian wrestlers Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) and Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) closed out the final day of the European Olympic Qualifiers with a pair of golds, while Kerem KAMAL (TUR) cruised to his second title of the ’21 season.

Semenov rolled past Lithuania’s Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) with a pair of second-period side headlocks after he collected an inactivity point. He claimed the 130kg gold, 5-1. Semenov's compatriot and fellow ’18 world champion Chekhirkin also won gold on Sunday night. He was awarded the 77kg gold after his finals opponent Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) injury defaulted out of the gold-medal match.

Kamal reached the podium for the second time this season (he also won the Henri Deglane) with a four-point victory over Etienne KINSINGER (GER) in the 60kg finals. The match was tied in the opening period when Kamal peddled to the edge of the mat, jarred an underhook in, and tossed the German to his back for four points.

In the second period, Kamal kept his pace high and earned an inactivity point, putting Kingsinger down in par terre. The 21-year-old went for a right-side gut wrench but was stopped mid-way through and conceded a reversal. He stayed poised in the final minute and closed out the match victorious, 5-1.

The final two golds of the evening went to Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) and Islam ABBASOV (AZE). They were awarded the 67kg and 87kg golds, respectively, after their finals opponent’s injury defaulted out of the gold-medal matches.

That wraps up our coverage of the European Olympic Qualifier. The event calendar resumes with the African and Oceania Olympic Qualifier April 2-4 in Hammamet, Tunisia.

*Please note that wrestlers who won their semifinal matches at the European Olympic Qualifiers earned berths for their respective nations to the Tokyo Olympic Games. 

RESULTS
60kg
GOLD - Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Etienne KINSINGER (GER), 5-1
BRONZE - Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), via injury default
BRONZE - Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO) df. Erik TORBA (HUN), via forfeit

67kg
GOLD - Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) df. Balint KORPASI (HUN), via injury default
BRONZE - Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM), via injury default
BRONZE - Deyvid Tihomirov DIMITROV (BUL) df. Donior ISLAMOV (MDA), 9-7

77kg
GOLD - Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) df. Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO), via injury default
BRONZE - Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL), via injury default
BRONZE - Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) df. Oldrich VARGA (CZE), via injury default

87kg
GOLD - Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), via injury default
BRONZE - Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) vs. Ramon BETSCHART (SUI), 5-1
BRONZE -Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Milad Valerikovitch ALIRZAEV (RUS), via injury default

97kg
GOLD - Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) df. Kiril MILOV (BUL), via injury default
BRONZE - Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN) df. Artur OMAROV (CZE)
BRONZE - Pontus Johan LUND (SWE) df. Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)

130kg
GOLD - Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) df. Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU), 5-1
BRONZE - Adam VARGA (HUN) df. Radoslav Plamenov GEORGIEV (BUL), 3-1
BRONZE - Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL) df. Marko KOSCEVIC (CRO), 11-5

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW President Lalovic re-elected as IOC member

Monday, October 16, 2023 - 14:28 By United World Wrestling Press

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MUMBAI, India (October 16) -- United World Wrestling President Nenad LALOVIC has been re-elected as an International Olympic Committee member at its 141st session in Mumbai, India on Monday.

Lalovic, also a member of the IOC Executive Board, was first elected as an IOC member in 2015 for an eight-year term. He was re-elected unanimously for a new eight-year term.

As an IOC EB member, Lalovic was first elected in 2018 and then re-elected in 2022 in Beijing for a four-year term. He also serves on the WADA Executive Committee and the ASOIF Council.

"It's a privilege to be part of the IOC," Lalovic said. "I am humbled by the continuous support of the IOC members. I will continue to work towards the success of the Olympic Movement."

The 65-year-old was the first wrestling president to be elected as an IOC member in 2015, two years after being elected as the president of UWW in February 2013. He worked to keep wrestling in the Olympic program, rebranding and modernizing the sport and is also credited for bringing transparency and accountability to the workings of the federation.

"Representing our wrestling family in the IOC and Olympic Movement is also a great honor," he said. "It's a sport that teaches a lot to everyone involved and it only makes me confident that I will use those values to work towards a better delivery of my position in the Olympic Movement."