European Games

Stadnik, Marzaliuk to Wrestle for Second European Games Gold Medals

Thursday, June 27, 2019 - 20:04 By United World Wrestling Press

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MINSK, Belarus (June 27) - Two women on opposite ends of the weight categories will wrestle for their second European Games gold medals on Friday.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE) and Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) earned semifinal victories at 50kg and 76kg respectively Thursday at the European Games in Minsk, Belarus. 

Stadnik, a three-time Olympic medalist, gave up the first point in her semifinal match, but came back with six unanswered points to win 6-1. She outscored her opposition 16-1 on Thursday. 

Opposing Stadnik in the finals will be world No.2 Oksana LIVACH (UKR). Livach, a 2019 European champion, shut out Viyaleta CHYRYK (BLR) 5-0 in the semifinals. The 22-year-old Ukranian scored first off a passivity point and led 1-0 at the break. She pulled away in the second period, scoring a takedown off a double leg before exposing Chyryk for an additional two points.

Marzaliuk, competing in her home country, had to come from behind late to beat 2015 world bronze medalist Epp MAE (EST) 5-3 in the semifinals. Marzaliuk led 2-1 at the break after scoring a takedown on the edge of the mat late in the first period. In the second period, Mae scored two consecutive step-out points to take a 3-2 lead. But Marzaliuk was able to secure a takedown in the final 30 seconds to claim the victory. 

She will meet Francy RAEDELT (GER) in the finals. Raedelt rolled to a technical superiority over Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE) in the semifinals. 

At 57kg, Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) scored a last-second takedown to edge Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) 8-6. The two wrestlers traded takedowns in the opening period, and Kurachkina led on criteria at the break. The second period was filled with action as Kurachkina opened with a takedown to extend her lead to 4-2. Nichita then regained the lead, 6-4, with a four-point throw. Kurachkina scored a takedown to make the score 6-6, but she still trailed on criteria. With short time on the clock, Kurachkina scored a takedown, which was initially not awarded, but a successful challenge overturned the call.

The other semifinal winner at 57kg was Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL), who advanced to the gold-medal match with a first-period fall over Bediha GUN (TUR) at 57kg. 

Yuliia TKACH (UKR), a four-time world medalist and 2014 world champion, reached the gold-medal match at 62kg by defeating world No.1 Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) 11-8. Tkach went up 8-4 at the break and held on to win by three. She will face Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE) in the finals. Tkach was a European Games silver medalist in 2015. 

Gambarova used two takedowns to defeat Kriszta INCZE (ROU) in the semifinals. Incze scored first off a step out, but Gambarova took a 2-1 lead on the strength of a takedown off an arm spin. In the second period, Gambarova scored another takedown off an arm spin. 

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling 

50kg
GOLD - Mariya STADNIK (AZE) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 6-1
SEMIFINAL - Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Viyaleta CHYRYK (BLR), 5-0

57kg
GOLD - Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) vs. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), Fall (2:03)
SEMIFINAL - Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), 8-6

62kg
GOLD - Yuliia TKACH (UKR) vs. Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Yuliia TKACH (UKR) df. Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), 11-8
SEMIFINAL - Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE) df. Kriszta INCZE (ROU), 4-1

76kg
GOLD - Francy RAEDELT (GER) vs. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
SEMIFINAL - Francy RAEDELT (GER) df. Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE), 11-1
SEMIFINAL - Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Epp MAE (EST), 5-3
 

#WrestleZagreb

Kusaka earns shot at world title; Iran puts 3 in final

Thursday, September 18, 2025 - 15:57 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 18) -- Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN) is a step away from winning his first world title.

After finishing with a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships at 77kg, Kusaka went on to win the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at the same weight. The Olympic champion now wants the tag of world champion.

Returning for the first time since Paris, Kusaka wrestled like is the Olympic champion, beating Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 3-1, in the semifinals. He scored a takedown to open the scoring before getting the par terre advantage. He failed to score but led 3-0. Fritsch was in danger of giving up a four-pointer but he flung Kusaka on counter for a point to make it 3-1.

There was no action in the second period and Kusaka defended his lead till the time expired to earn his first trip to the finals at a World Championships.

"Like at the Olympics, you can't predict what will happen. But a year after the Olympics, I want to show my strength to the world again," Yoshida said after the win. " I always worked out with him, so we know each other well. But to me, it didn't matter if he had a strategy or not."

Earlier in the quarterfinals, he defeated Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 4-2, in a rematch of the Olympic final. Kusaka had to come back as he was down 2-2 on criteria as Zhadrayev launched a counter throw for two points. But Kusaka added two stepouts in the second period to win 4-2.

He will now face Olympic bronze medalist Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) for the gold medal after the Armenian defeated world U20 champion Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) in a one-move semifinal.

Amoyan got the first chance in par terre and he loaded for a suplex on the edge. Abdevali was ready to land on his hands but Amoyan changed his throw and slammed the Iranian in a reverse throw for four and lead 5-0.

Abdevali failed to score from par terre in the second period and dropped the semifinal 5-1 against Amoyan.

Despite Abdevali's loss, Iran managed three other wrestlers in the finals with world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) leading the way. Two World Championships debutants, Payam AHMADI (IRI) and Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) reached the finals at 55kg and 82kg, respectively.

At 130kg, world champion Mirzazadeh had no trouble reaching the final after he defeated Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 3-1, in the semifinals. He got a roll from par terre for two points and despite par terre position in the second period, he won 3-1.

He will face a surprise finalist Darius VITEK (HUN) who denied Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), 1-1, as he got the criteria for the first point in a 1-1 finish.

Farokhi, who won the Zagreb Open this year, powered his way to the 82kg final after denying local star Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-1, in the semifinals. Farokhi led 3-1 at the break after a takedown. He scored another as soon as the second period began before adding two stepouts to win.

He will face Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian denied Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) yet another comeback as he had all day on Thursday. Yoshida began with two stepouts before getting the par terre. He failed to score any points but led 3-0 at the break.

It was all Bolkvadze in the second period as he scored three turns from par terre to take a 7-3 lead. Japan challenged the last turn saying that Yoshida's head was out of bounds before last turn. However, the review showed that it was inside and Bolkvadze got a point for the lost challenge to make it 8-3 with 1:10 remaining. 

Yoshida used an arm drag to takedown and make it 8-5 but he did not have any another action and Georgia got its second finalist of the night.

Ahmadi upsets Azizli

Iran's gamble to switch Pouya DAD MARZ (IRI) with world U20 champion Payam AHMADI (IRI) a week before the World Championships paid off as he denied four-time world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) a record fifth at 55kg.

Ahmadi was subjected to a selection bout against Dad Marz in Iran and he defeated the former world silver medalist with ease thus earning a trip to Zagreb a month after winning the gold at the U20 World Championships.

In the semifinals, Ahmadi got a takedown to put Azizli on the backfoot. He was awarded the par terre position as well but failed to score. However, he led 3-0 at the break. Azizli got his chance in the second period but Ahmadi brought out his top defense to not give up any points and keep his 3-1 lead, a score he went on to win with.

He will face another teenager for the gold medal, Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), who defeated Emin CAKIR (TUR), 2-2, on last point criteria to earn a spot in the final.

Lolua, just 18 years of age, won a bronze medal at 55kg at the U20 World Championships in which Ahmadi was the champion. Lolua and Cakir traded passivity points with the latter holding first-point criteria. Lolua got a third passivity which is without points and only position, but he failed to score from that as well. Georgia challenged for a leg-foul but there was none.

Cakir got a point for lost challenge from Georgia which made it 2-1 with 40 seconds left. However, Lolua got a stepout soon after and got the 2-2 criteria for the last point scored to win.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI (IRI) vs. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)

SF 1: Payam AHMADI (IRI) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Emin CAKIR (TUR), 2-2

77kg
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) vs. Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) df. Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 3-1
SF 2: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI), 5-1

82kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) vs. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)

BRONZE: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 8-5
BRONZE: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-1

130kg
GOLD: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs. Darius VITEK (HUN)

SF 1: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 3-1 
SF 2: Darius VITEK (HUN) df. Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), 1-1