#kaspeuro2018

Stadnik Searches For Eighth European Crown

Wednesday, May 2, 2018 - 22:30 By

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KASPIYSK, Russia (May 2) – Mariya STADNIK (AZE) stormed into her eighth European gold-medal bout after defeating her first three opponents by technical superiority. Even more impressive, she did so without surrendering an offensive point. 

She’ll wrestle 2017 world silver medalist, Emilia VUC (ROU) in the 50kg finals on Thursday night. Vuc was 2-0 on the day and handled U23 world champion Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 13-3. 

This 50kg final is a rematch from the 2018 Klippan Lady Open where Stadnik defeated Vuc, 10-0. 

2018 European finalist, Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR). 

The 55kg gold-medal bout features the pair of 2017 world bronze medalists in Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) and Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL). 

Both of these wrestlers are no stranger to the European finals, as they’ve each wrestled for the gold medal at least once. Zasina, the 2013 European champion is wrestling in the gold medal bout for the third time, while Kurachkina still seeking her first continental title.

2016 Olympian, Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL).

Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) and Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR) will clash in a match-up of 2016 Olympians for the 59kg crown. 

A bloody and bruised Hristova made her way to the finals by beating Belarus’ Katsiaryna YANUSHKEVICH in the semifinals. The 2016 European bronze medalist trailed by three points with seconds remaining when she scored a takedown and immediately went into a gut wrench, picking up the 7-6 victory. 

Yesilirmak who commanded the other 59kg semifinal used two takedowns and a passivity point to beat Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 5-3. 

At 68kg, Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA), 2017 world bronze medalist advanced to the finals along with Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS). 

Yasemin ADAR's (TUR) crotch lift to defeat Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 3-2. (Photo Max Rose-Fyne) 

Superstars Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and Olympic bronze medalist, Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) will battle for the gold medal at 76kg. 

Adar, the 2017 world champion clearly had the much tougher route to the finals. The Turk opened up the tournament by routing 2015 world bronze medalist, Epp MAE (EST), 10-0. She followed that win up by winning a rematch of the 2017 world finals with Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 3-2. 

Adar trailed the entire semifinal match when she took a desperation shot with under 30 seconds left. Marzaliuk tried to reattack when Adar locked in her crotch and tossed the Belarusian, scoring two exposure points. The match was tied when the final whistle blew, but Adar held the trump card and ultimatly won on criteria. 

RESULTS
50kg
GOLD - Emilia Alina VUC (ROU) vs. Mariya STADNIK (AZE) 

Semifinal - Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR), 10-0 
Semifinal - Emilia Alina VUC (ROU) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 13-3 

55kg 
GOLD - Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL) vs. Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)

Semifinal - Roksana ZASINA (POL) df. Bediha GUN (TUR), 2-1
Semifinal - Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL), 6-0

59kg 
GOLD - Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR) vs. Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL)

Semifinal- Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL) df. Katsiaryna YANUSHKEVICH (BLR), 7-6
Semifinal - Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 5-3

68kg
GOLD - Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) vs. Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS)

Semifinal - Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 8 - 1
Semifinal - Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA) df. Buse TOSUN (TUR), 4-3

76kg
GOLD - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) vs. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)

Semifinal - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 3-2 
Semifinal - Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) df. Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE), 11-0 

#WrestleCoralville

Pan-American Championships 2026 Day 1 Highlights

Thursday, May 7, 2026 - 14:28 By Eric Olanowski

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CORALVILLE, USA (May 7) -- The opening day of the Pan-American Championships is set to kick off this morning at 10:00 (local time) with Greco-Roman action. The eight weight classes that'll take the mat this morning are 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg and 130kg. 

Start in Action: 
- Luis ORTA (CUB) – Tokyo 2020 gold, Paris 2024 bronze
- Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) - Paris 2024 silver
- Oscar PINO HINDS - Returning Pan-Am champion, World silver
- Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) - Returning Pan-Am champion
- Jeremy Renzo PERALTA (ECU) - Returning Pan-Am champion

BOUT ORDER | SCHEDULE 

1:11: We're going to take a short four-minute break before heading into the semifinal matches. We'll see you over on UWW+ for those at 1:15 (local time).

12:18: Terrible scene here in Iowa. Olympic runner-up Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) went for a throw in his semifinal match and suffered a tournament-end injury to his right knee. He was take off on a wheel chair, ending his day and tournament here at the Pan-American Championships.

12:01:  Eduardo BERNAL MOLINA (CHI) was just about to give up the tech fall when he caught Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX) on his back for the fall. He moved into the 77kg semifinals with that fall, and will meet the winner of Justin BOYCE (BAR) and Oscar Antonio BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON).

11:31: U23 world bronze medalist Otto BLACK (USA) earns the 8-0 win in his senior Pan-Am debut, punching his ticket to the 67kg semifinals later today.

11:10: Orta moves into the 67kg semifinals with a fall over Horta after leading 9-0. He awaits the winner of Alejandro VARELA (GUA) and Angelo CAFE DE OLIVEIRA (BRA). That match is underway on Mat B, with the Guatemalan  winning, 9-2

11:01: For a second time today, we have a meeting of Pan-Am champions. This time, it's four-time Pan-Am champ Orta Sanchez taking on Julian HORTA (COL). The Cuban has an early 2-0 lead coming from a pair of step outs.

10:51: As expected when you have two high level Greco guys like Melelashvili and Gregorich, it was a low scoring affair, but in the end it was a 1-1 criteria win for the American. He scored the first point, which gave him the criteria advantage at the end of the bout. I'll tell you what, though, it was weird seeing a Cuban Olympic champion in Borrero, cornering an American, who was beating a Cuban. Borrero certainly knew Gregorich's strengths and helped Melelashvili use them to his advantage.

10:31: We have a pair of Pan-Am champions coming up on Mat B next in Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) and Daniel GREGORICH (CUB). The American is the reigning champ, while the Cuban won the event in 2024. 

10:23: Not wrestling related, but Cuban world and Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) is cornering USA WRESTLING athletes. He is now living in Colorado Springs, USA, where he is an Assistant Greco-Roman Coach.

10:08 - Whistles are ringing through the Xtream Arena here in Iowa, which means wrestling is underway. We're only running two mats here. The first star that'll be in action will be world and Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB). He's currently 16-0 at the Pan-American Championships and is looking for his fifth continental title.