Stadnik, 34, remains unbeaten in Europe

Thursday, April 20, 2023 - 19:09 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (April 20) -- The cornrow braids and the focused scowl on her face may be absent on Thursday but the 'endless will' to win is still present in Mariya STADNIK (AZE).

As the four-time Olympic medalist stepped on the mat in the Zagreb Arena for her European Championships gold medal bout against Oksana LIVACH (UKR), there was only one way the final could have ended. The 34-year-old wrestler posted a controlled win over Livach for her ninth European title, 14 years after she won her first title in Vilnius, Lithuania.

"I always have the motivation and will to win," Stadnik said. "I have had this will since early childhood, and this is endless."

The result was hardly a surprise given Stadnik came into the final on a 33-bout winning streak at the European Championships dating back to 2009. She extended that streak to 34 after winning the final 9-4.

Returning to the tournament after skipping the last edition, she won the title in 2008, '09, '11, '14 to '18, '21 and '23. In 2015, the European Championships were replaced by the European Games. However, that was not the case in 2019 when both tournaments were held.

With her career stretching over two decades, Stadnik has faced a wrestler from almost every European country. Livach was just one of them and like all others before her, she too fell to Stadnik's highly technical and counter-attacking wrestling.

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Stadnik, who was born in Ukraine and has trained with Livach, opened the scoring with a counter on Livach's double-leg attack. She used her high gut wrench to score two more points and make it 4-0. The second time Livach tried a double-leg attack, Stadnik ducked and picked Livach's left leg for a takedown. She once again used the high gut wrench to score two more points and led 8-0 within two minutes of the bout. Livach cut the lead to 8-2 at the break when Stadnik was trying to reach her legs but Livach moved back and came behind to score a takedown.

The second period also witnessed Livach trying to attack but either her throws were slips or Stadnik would defend them with ease and happily engage in standing. Stadnik scored a pushout to make it 9-4 but she was clearly tired after five minutes of pacey wrestling. She tried to counter Livach's double-leg attempt like she did in the first period but had no energy to grab it with force. Livach scored a takedown but Stadnik was happy to be on the mat for the final 20 seconds even as Livach tried to get a lace going.

"We were training with Oksana back in Ukraine," she said. "She is like my little sister. Every year she gets stronger. We don’t train together anymore, but she has a very good perspective. Hopefully, she will make it to Paris [Olympics]."

A visibly relieved Stadnik did not celebrate like she did after winning the first European title but put a smile on her face as she walked back. It was a flashback to 2009 when she won her first title. Those days the flag celebration was not customary and Stadnik just walked off the mat with a smile on her face. However, she says that wrestling now is a habit.

"Honestly speaking, this tournament wasn’t much fun for me," she said after her final. "But the most important is the result. After the [Tokyo] Olympics, I had a little break. I was thinking if I should keep wrestling or retire because of age. I didn’t know if my physical shape would be okay or not. But as you can see I am still wrestling. I started training in January, so I am not in my best shape."

With the exception of a short appearance at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Turkey last year, Stadnik did not compete after the Tokyo Games. However, she made a comeback in February of this year at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series, where she won two matches before withdrawing.

The European Championships was her first top-level competition in a while and there is no denying that age has caught up. Even she agrees with the fact.

"When I was 18 years old, I had more excitement and motivation," she said. "Now it’s all kind of habitual to me, but I still don’t wanna lose."

Stadnik has had her share of heartbreaks as well. She lost two Olympics finals and is still trying to find a way to beat the world and Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) who has a 4-0 record against her.

"I still have one year to think how to wrestle her. I’ll make it up," she said.

While she would previously stress about winning the Olympic gold, Stadnik's obsession with the top medal has toned down, especially after finishing with a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Games.

Five years later in Tokyo, a beaming Stadnik, with the bronze medal around her neck, looked at the medal and a photo of her family on her phone and said, "these are my medals."

Stadnik Mariya STADNIK (AZE) with her two kids -- Igor and Mia. (Photo: Mariya Stadnik)

Her two children, Igor and Mia, have been staying with Stadnik in Baku, Azerbaijan after they were forced to move out of their home in Ukraine due to the current situation. She, along with the kids, shifted to her father's house, 60 kilometers from Lviv before traveling to Baku.

Igor, 13, has been one of Stadnik's biggest supporters in recent times. A keen footballer, he tries his hand at wrestling. Mia, on the other hand, is a prolific gymnast and is actively practicing wrestling. The two even had the 'retirement talk' with their mother after the Tokyo Games.

"I remember I told them I would like to retire," she recalled. "When my son was little he kept telling me, 'Mom, please, don’t go away to the tournaments'. Now he says, 'Mum, you are so strong, don’t stop.' They are my biggest fans now. When they were little, they didn’t realize where I was always going away. But now they are my biggest fans."

Fuelled by the happiness of her children and the will to win again, Stadnik will aim to become the first wrestler to win five Olympic medals in Paris next year. She also wants to win another European title.

"I would love the national anthem to be played for the 10th time. Ten is a nice number," she said. "I would also like to say that I dedicate this win to my motherland - Ukraine."

At the medal ceremony in Zagreb, Stadnik clicked a selfie with other medal winners. She did not care if she had a bruised eye, a patent for Stadnik. Even her 10-year-old daughter knows it

"My daughter told me today, 'It wouldn’t have been you if you hadn’t got this makeup [the bruise].' They are happy."

Yasemin ADAR (TUR) Yasemin ADAR (TUR) won the European gold for the sixth time after beating Martina KUENZ (AUT) in Zagreb. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

While Stadnik added to her record number, Yasemin ADAR (TUR) managed to equal the second-best record of six. Two-time Olympic silver medalist and five-time world champion Stanka ZLATEVA (BUL) also has six titles.

Adar defended her European title from Budapest with a tight, hard-fought 2-2 win over Martina KUENZ (AUT).

In what was the fifth meeting between the two, Adar scored a takedown in the first period and waited on that lead in the second. She was put on the activity clock and Kuenz scored a stepout during that time. With the score tied 2-2, Adar led on criteria owing to her takedown against Kuenz's one-point moves. Kuenz tried hard to break the criteria with 34 seconds left but Adar stood firm, winning her sixth European title.

This was the second time the two wrestlers met in the final of a European Championships as Adar had beaten Kuenz 6-1 in the 76kg final at the 2019 edition in Bucharest, Romania. Overall, Adar leads the head-to-head record 4-1.

After that final in Bucharest, Kuenz and Adar met at the 2019 Yasar Dogu. Kuenz led 5-0 when Adar threw her for a four and got the fall in that match. The two then met in the European Olympic Qualifiers in Budapest in 2021. Kuenz pinned Adar in the quarterfinals. The fourth meeting was at the World Olympic Qualifiers. In an all-important semifinal, Adar defeated Kuenz 10-1 to qualify for the Tokyo Games where she became Turkiye's first-ever female wrestler to win a medal.

Kuenz reflected on her performance in the final and said that her attacks in the first period were not confident.

"In the second period, I was more concentrated," Kuenz said. "In the first period, my attacks were confident. There are many situations, tactical, in which you think to attack or defend."

A new star rose to prominence a year before the Paris Olympics as Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) won her maiden European title after beating former European champion Alla BELINSKA (UKR), 10-3, in the 68kg final.

Yaneva began with a takedown using a single-leg attack. Belinska answered with exposure by holding on to Yaneva's arm and one leg to put her back on the mat. But the judges scored it two each for both wrestlers and a reversal for Belinska. That meant that Yaneva still had a 4-3 lead.

In the second period, both wrestlers were at it, going for leg attacks but no one was able to breach the defenses of the other. Halfway through the period, the referee called for neutral and that is when Belinska took a few extra seconds than Yaneva to return to the center, giving an impression that she was feeling the heat of the bout.

Yaneva sensed that and immediately scored a takedown to extend her lead to 6-3. Belinska tried her trademark whizzer twice but failed and Yaneva countered with a takedown. The final takedown came with 20 seconds left on the clock after which the former U20 world silver medalist celebrated her first European title.

The Bulgarian fell short of the gold in 2021 as she finished second at 72kg and won a bronze medal at the same weight last year.

Andreea ANA (ROU) won her second straight European title. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

At 55kg, Andreea Ana (ROU) asserted her dominance in the weight class by winning her second straight European title. In the final, she blanked Erika Bognar (HUN) 8-0.

Ana secured the first takedown for two points using a trip, while Bognar was on an activity clock, making it 3-0 for Ana as Bognar failed to score within the stipulated 30 seconds. She continued her aggressive wrestling in the second period, scoring a stepout in just over a minute to lead 4-0.

Bognar attempted a tame shot at Ana's legs, but the Romanian countered with a big double-leg for two points. Ana also got the turn using a locked leg to make it 8-0, leaving Bognar with no comebacks.

"I was in good shape and I win the competition. That's it," Ana said. "I am very happy."

Last year, the 23-year-old became Romania's first senior European champion in women's wrestling and managed to defend her title Thursday. Ana remains the only Romanian wrestler to win a world title in women's wrestling across all age groups. She won the U23 world gold in Belgrade in 2021.

Next year, she will attempt to become the first Olympic medalist in women's wrestling from Romania, if she manages to qualify for the Paris Games.

"For the World Championships, I will move down to 53kg," she said. "The competition is tough at 53kg but we will see."

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) gets a walkover in the 59kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Anastasia Nichita (MDA), the reigning world champion, secured the final gold medal of the night and claimed her third European championship title at 59kg. Her opponent, Yuliia Tkach (UKR), who had defeated Nichita in the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series in February, withdrew from the final, giving Nichita a walkover.

It is yet to be seen whether Nichita will move to 57kg or 62kg in a bid to qualify for her second Olympics. She participated in the Tokyo Games at 57kg.

Defending champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) reached the 53kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

4 return to finals

In the women's wrestling semifinals on day four, last year's finalists dominated as four of them advanced to the finals in Zagreb on Friday.

At 53kg, Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) secured her spot in the final with a decisive victory via fall over Turkan NASIROVA (AZE). She will face off against Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN), who defeated the silver medalist from 2022, Maria PREVOLARKI (GRE), in a close match that ended 2-2. Orshush has beaten Malmgren before in a bout in Egypt earlier this year, and the Swede will be looking to avenge that loss in the final.

Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) made it to back-to-back finals. However, she won't be facing Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) like last year. That is because Hrushyna pinned Nikolova in the semifinals. She began the day with a fall against Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA), and will now face off against Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) in the final. Aliyeva defeated Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) in the semifinals with a score of 5-0.

At 62kg, two new finalists will compete for gold as world silver medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR) secured her place in the final with a thrilling 7-6 victory over Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL). She will now face Olympic bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), who laced Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) for a 10-0 win in the other semifinal.

Irina RINGACI (MDA) moved back down to 65kg for the European Championships after moving to 68kg mid-season last year. The 2022 68kg champion will now look to win the title at 65kg again. In the semifinal, she pulled off an incredible 13-6 win over Tetiana RIZKHO (UKR) after both wrestlers put on an entertaining show for six minutes. Mimi HRITSOVA (BUL) will be the wrestler trying to stop Ringaci after she defeated Kriszta INCZE (ROU) 2-1 in the other semifinals.

At 72kg, returning silver medalist Buse TOSUN (TUR) will be hoping to upgrade her medal after she dominated her semifinal match against Dalma CANEVA (ITA), winning 10-0. She will now face Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) in the final, who defeated Liudmyla PAVLOVETS (UKR) 5-1 in the semifinals.

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Oksana LIVACH (UKR), 9-4

BRONZE: Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA) df. Miglena SELISHKA (BUL), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Anna LUKASIAK (POL), 6-2

55kg
GOLD: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Erika BOGNAR (HUN), 8-0

BRONZE: Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) df. Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), 9-0
BRONZE: Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) df. Annika WENDLE (GER), 6-4

59kg
GOLD: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Yuliia TKACH (UKR), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) df. Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 3-1
BRONZE: Othelie HOEIE (NOR) df. Eda TEKIN (TUR), 6-4

68kg
GOLD: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) df. Alla BELINSKA (UKR), 10-3

BRONZE: Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) df. Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK), 10-0
BRONZE: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), via inj. def.

76kg
GOLD: Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 2-2

BRONZE: Cynthia VESCAN (FRA) df. Marion BYE (NOR), 10-0
BRONZE: Catalina AXENTE (ROU) df. Anastasiia OSNIACH (UKR), 5-3

Day 4 Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) vs. Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN)

SF 1: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) df. Turkan NASIROVA (AZE), via fall
SF 2: Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN) df. Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), 2-2

57kg
GOLD: Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) vs. Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)

SF 1: Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) df. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL), via fall
SF 2: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), 5-0

62kg
GOLD: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) vs. Grace BULLEN (NOR)

SF 1: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), 10-0
SF 2: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), 7-6

65kg
GOLD: Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) vs. Irina RINGACI (MDA)

SF 1: Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) df. Kriszta INCZE (ROU), 2-1
SF 2: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR), 13-6

72kg
GOLD: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) vs. Buse TOSUN (TUR)

SF 1: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Liudmyla PAVLOVETS (UKR), 5-1
SF 2: Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Dalma CANEVA (ITA), 10-0

#wrestlebishkek

Makhmudov Repeats Triumph in Bishkek as Kyrgyzstan Strikes Three Gold

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 - 19:08 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 7) -- The decibel level was just as deafening, and the outcome the same. The only thing different was the venue, although it was only about 50 meters across the street.

Local hero Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) gave the host country the victory it most wanted to see, winning the 77kg gold in Greco-Roman at the Asian Championships on Tuesday in Bishkek to repeat his breakout victory of 2018 in the same city.

Makhmudov held off a fierce challenge from Ali OSKOU (IRI) for a 3-3 victory in the final to secure his fourth career Asian gold and fifth medal overall, much to delight of the thunderous partisan crowd packed into Zhastyk Arena.

“It’s a huge, huge joy,” Makhmudov said. “Of course, it’s hard to put into words, but at the same time, I’m not going to stop here or dwell on it. Yes, I became the Asian champion, the anthem was played, the flag was raised. Now it’s time to move forward.”

While the spotlight shined brightest on Makhmudov, he had to share it a bit with compatriots Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) and Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ), who also defeated Iranian opponents in striking gold at 63kg and 87kg, respectively, on the first night of medal matches in the seven-day tournament.

The night wasn’t a total wash for Iran, however, as reigning world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) showed he was still the preeminent power at 130kg by snatching his fourth career Asian gold, while Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) won the other gold at stake at 55kg.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) after winning his first Asian title in Bishkek in 2018. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Max Rose-Fyne)

It was eight years ago that a then-teenaged Makhmudov burst onto the international stage at Bishkek’s Soviet-era Kojomkul Sports Palace on the other side of Togolok Moldo Street, sending the home crowd into a cacophonous frenzy by winning the 72kg gold.

“I still remember 2018 the most, because I was younger then and the wrestling was much more spectacular,” Makhmudov said. “Right now, I’m not in my best shape, but I still managed to win my fourth gold medal. At the moment, I’m only at about 25–30 percent of my form.”

That 2018 win served as the launching pad for one of Asia’s top Greco wrestlers in history, although his ascent was delayed for some time due to a severe knee injury.

After taking a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, he reached the pinnacle in 2022 with victories at 77kg at both the World and Asian Championships, a feat he repeated in 2023. He added a second Olympic medal the next year with a bronze in Paris.

He took his time returning to the sport from a break after Paris, winning the title at the 2025 Islam Solidarity Games in his lone competition that year. This year, his only action ahead of Bishkek came at the Zagreb Ranking Series in February, where he failed to medal at 82kg.

If there were any concerns whether Makhmudov, who will turn 27 next week, has lost his edge, he put the matter to rest with his solid performance before the home fans.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) sets up a throw against Ali OSKOU (IRI) during the 77kg final at the Asian Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In the final against Oskou, the winner of the Zagreb tournament, Makhmudov got the first chance in par terre and muscled the Iranian over with a reverse body lock, although Oskou rolled through for a reversal. The Kyrgyzstan side challenged for a leg foul, but it was denied, leaving Makhmudov with a slim 3-2 lead.

In the second period, Oskou received a passivity point but could not turn Makhmudov, leaving the latter ahead 3-3 on criteria. Makhmudov got a second chance at par terre, but after failing to pad his lead, he successfully fended off Oskou for the final minute to clinch the win.

“Without a doubt, the toughest match for me was the final, as you saw yourselves,” Makhmudov said. “It was very hard and intense. I prepared for it like any other match, there was responsibility, and of course, I wanted to win, as always.”

Making the moment more special was that his family was among the throng packed into the arena.

“This victory was very important to me,” he said. “My family was here, my father was in the stands, supporting me, praying for my victory. To win in front of him and to justify his hopes means a lot.”

Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) scored a 7-2 victory over Erfan JARKANI (IRI) in the 63kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Prior to Makhmudov’s triumph, Taalaibek Uulu fired up the crowd with a stunning 7-2 victory in the 63kg final over Zagreb Ranking Series champion Erfan JARKANI (IRI) for his first major medal of any kind.

Taalaibek Uulu scored an opening takedown, then hit a 4-point throw from par terre, off of which Jarkani scored a reversal to make it 7-1 after the first period. Jarkani got his chance at par terre in the second, but couldn’t budge Taalaibek Uulu, whose only previous senior international medal was a bronze in Antalya in 2024.

Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) celebrates after beating world champion Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) in the 87kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Not to be outdone, world bronze medalist Zhanyshov completed Kyrgyzstan’s triple crown of titles with a masterful 11-4 victory at 87kg over a very tough Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI), the 82kg champion at last year’s World Championships in Zagreb.

Zhanyshov, no doubt inspired by his compatriots’ success and the crowd’s fervor, stunned Farokhi with a spectacular 4-point lateral drop for a quick lead, which grew to 7-0 with an activity point, stepout and unsuccessful challenge.

Farokhi, also the 2025 world U23 champion in this weight class, surged back with a barrel roll for 2 and a 2-point exposure. But when he tried a roll, Zhanyshov stepped over for a 2-point exposure, and another 2 was tacked on after Farokhi bridged out of the ring, making it 11-4.

That was how it ended, as neither wrestler could generate any more points. A despondent Farokhi abandoned the fight with a full seven seconds still on the clock.

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) captured his fourth Asian title at 130kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 130kg, Mirzazadeh proved too much for Russian-born Rafael TSITSUASHVILI (UZB), as he was never threatened in a 9-0 victory to add to his previous Asian golds from 2020, 2023 and 2024.

Mirzazadeh, who won his second world title in Zagreb last September, rolled Tsitsuashvili twice from par terre in the first period for a 5-0 lead, then ended the match at 27 seconds into the second with a takedown-gut wrench combination.

“After the World Championships in 2025, my first competition in 2026 started with the Asian Championships and I was able to achieve the gold medal with a brilliant performance,” Mirzazadeh said. “This is the first step of my path this year in 2026 and I hope that I can achieve succes one after the other.”

For Mirzazadeh, getting to Bishkek was half the battle, given the limits on air travel out of his country.

“Emotionally, it was definitely different,” he said. “We were probably on the road for fifty hours, on the ground, because our country is in a difficult situation right now, but I thank God that I was able to win the gold medal despite these issues and the difficulty of the route.

“I hope that I was able to bring a smile to the faces of the people of my country for a moment."

Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) celebrates after winning his first Asian title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 55kg, two-time bronze medalist Botirov struck gold at last with an impressive 9-0 win in 1:47 over LALIT (IND).

Botirov got the first chance in par terre, and that was all he needed, as he reeled off four gut wrenches despite some tough resistance from Lalit, who had been looking to become India’s first Asian champion in Greco since 2020.

“This is the result of all our efforts, my first gold medal at the senior Asian Championships,” Botirov said. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my coaches who supported me closely throughout this journey. We prepared very ntensively for this competition. Before coming here, my coach told me, ‘You will become a champion,’ and sent me here with that belief.”

Botirov, who added to the bronze medals he took home in 2023 and 2025, had avenged a loss in this year’s Zagreb Ranking Series final to Mohammad HOSSEINVAND (IRI) in the quarterfinals.

“I lost that match by two points,” Botirov said of the defeat in Zagreb. “But this time, I changed my tactics. I started attacking from the very beginning, took the first period, and studied his movements. That’s how I managed to win.”

Kaisei TANABE (JPN), Freestyle 65kg Asian champion last year, won a Greco bronze this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ex-Freestyle champ Tanabe joins exclusive club with Greco bronze

In the bronze-medal matches, Kaisei TANABE (JPN) joined an exclusive club of wrestlers in Asian Championships history who have won medals in both Freestyle and Greco when he took home a bronze at 63kg.

Tanabe, the champion last year at Freestyle 65kg, secured his place in history when he forged out a 9-0 victory over Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM), securing the winning point with a stepout at the first-period buzzer.

“My feeling is that I’m relieved, but I also have a strong regret that I didn’t put out in yesterday’s match what I did today,” Tanabe said, referring to his loss on Monday in the semifinals to Taalaibek Uluu.

Tanabe pulled away with a 4-point back drop from par terre, then reeled off three consecutive stepouts. An unsuccessful challenge that the final one was scored in time added the final point.

Regarding the flashy 4-pointer, Tanabe said, “A lot of people said they wanted me to put on an exciting match for the people watching. Whether I win or lose, I want to liven things up.”

Tanabe, who father and coach Chikara TANABE (JPN) was an Olympic bronze medalist, was unable to defend his Freestyle crown after losing in the semifinals at the All-Japan Championships in December, but earned his ticket to Bishkek by winning at Greco 63kg.

Tanabe, a product of powerhouse Nippon Sports Science University, said he will continue competing in both styles “as long as it continues to be fun for me. I want to be a wrestler who people find incredibly entertaining, whether or not they wrestle or whether or not that know about wrestling.”

On Wednesday, Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN), the Freestyle 70kg champion in 2022, will get a chance to join Tanabe in becoming a double-style medalist when he competes in the bronze-medal match at Greco 72kg.

The other 63kg bronze on Tuesday went to Hyunwoong CHOI (KOR), who jumped out to a 7-0 lead after a 4-point headlock throw, then held on to deny former champion Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB) a fourth career Asian medal.

Korea also picked up a bronze in the wildest match of the tournament so far, with Yeonghun NOH (KOR) chalking up three 4-point throws while also nearly being pinned in coming away with a crazy 15-14 win at 77kg over AMAN (IND).

Noh used a back trip, headlock and hip throw for his 4-pointers, the last of which should have ended the match at 12-3, but Aman rolled through to continue the movement and came up with a 2-point exposure that kept him alive.

Behind 14-7 heading into the second period, Aman countered for 2-point takedown, then stopped a throw attempt to send Noh straight to his back for 4 – and what the mat referee indicated was a fall. But it was not confirmed, and Noh survived the final 23 seconds, albeit there were the obligatory challenges that added to the drama but did not change the outcome.

In the other 77kg match, Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) got three gut wrenches from par terre in the first period, then finished up a 10-1 victory in the second over Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ) for his second career Asian bronze.

At 55kg, Hosseinvand, the lone Iranian to fail to make the final on the first day, assured he would not return empty-handed, silencing the home crowd with a 7-1 victory over Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ).

Hosseinvand, put on top in par terre for a second time in the first period after a foul, used the opportunity to score a 4-point throw to go up 7-0, then held out when he was on the bottom in the second period to deny Muratbek Uulu a second career Asian bronze.

Huoying SHI (CHN), who had his breakout year in 2025 with a bronze medal at the World Championships, added a continental bronze in his senior Asian debut with a 9-0 pasting of Mizuki ARAKI (JPN).

Shi, who had failed to medal on the U20 and U23 levels at either of the Asian or World Championships, scored 2 with a counter to the back, then pancaked Asian debutante Araki for 4. From there, he went to a gut wrench to finish the match in 1:17.

At 87kg, former champions Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) and Sunil KUMAR (IND) both added to hefty Asian medal collections, one with an one-sided win and other having to come from behind for a close victory.

Tursynov, who won the Asian title back in 2014 and won two silvers in the ensuing years, had little trouble demolishing Dovletmyrat BAYRAMOV (TKM), scoring a roll, 4-point back suplex and another roll from par terre for a 9-0 win in 1:41.

Kumar, the 2020 Asian champion, trailed by four points going into the second period when he used the par terre advantage to score two gut wrenches and walk off with a 5-4 victory over Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB) – a two-time past bronze medalist himself – and boost his medal tally to six overall.

At 130kg, Korea made it 3 for 3 in bronze-medal matches by winning the battle of the Kims, as Minseok KIM (KOR) defeated namesake Roman KIM (KGZ) 4-0, scoring all of his points with slick first-period arm throw that emulated wrestlers half his size.

It was the Korean Kim’s fifth career Asian medal, adding to two bronzes from the Asian Games and another from the 2018 World Championships.

Three-time Asian U23 champion Wenhao JIANG (CHN) earned his first senior Asian medal with a 9-2 win over returning bronze medalist Yuta NARA (JPN) in the other 130kg match.

Day 2 Results

55kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) df. LALIT (IND) by TS, 9-0, 1:47

BRONZE: Huoying SHI (CHN) df. Mizuki ARAKI (JPN) by TS, 9-0, 1:17
BRONZE: Mohammad HOSSEINVAND (IRI) df. Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ), 7-1

60kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) by TS, 10-0, 2:00
SF2: Se Ung RI (PRK) df. Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ) by TS, 8-0, :27

63kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ) df. Erfan JARKANI (IRI), 7-2

BRONZE: Kaisei TANABE (JPN) df. Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM) by TS, 9-0, 3:00
BRONZE: Hyunwoong CHOI (KOR) df. Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), 9-6

67kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI) by TS, 9-0, 1:58
SF2: Kensuke SHIMIZU (JPN) df. Abdumalik AMINOV (UZB), 5-2

72kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) df. Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ), 3-1
SF2: Javad REZAEI (IRI) df. Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) by TS, 9-0, 1:55

77kg (12 entries)
GOLD: Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) df. Ali OSKOU (IRI), 3-3

BRONZE: Yeonghun NOH (KOR) df. AMAN (IND), 15-14
BRONZE: Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) df. Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ) by TS, 10-1, 4:59

82kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) df. Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ), 9-8
SF2: Amin HOSSEINI (IRI) df. PRINCE (IND) by TS, 10-0, 2:25

87kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ) df. Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI), 11-4

BRONZE: Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ) df. Dovletmyrat BAYRAMOV (TKM) by TS, 9-0, 1:41
BRONZE: Sunil KUMAR (IND) df. Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB), 5-4

97kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Hadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 3-1
SF2: NITESH (IND) df. Zegang WANG (CHN), 7-2

130kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Rafael TSITSUASHVILI (UZB) by TS, 9-0, 3:27

BRONZE: Minseok KIM (KOR) df. Roman KIM (KGZ), 4-0
BRONZE: Wenhao JIANG (CHN) df. Yuta NARA (JPN), 9-2

Stadnik, 34, remains unbeaten in Europe

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Makhmudov Repeats Triumph in Bishkek as Kyrgyzstan Strikes Three Gold