#kaspeuro2018

Stadnik Wins Eighth European C’Ship, Adar Gets Third

Thursday, May 3, 2018 - 19:01 By Eric Olanowski

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KASPIISK, Russia (May 3) - Mariya STADNIK (AZE) captured her eighth European title and reigning world championship, Yasmin ADAR (TUR) claimed her third crown.

Stadnik sealed up the gold medal by demolishing 2017 world finalist, Emilia VUC (ROU), 10-0. 

When asked what’s the difference between this win and the first seven, Stadnik said “When I won the first few European Championships, I used to get really stressed out prior to the tournament. Now, I remain pretty calm. That’s the difference.” 

Stadnik also beat Vuc earlier this year in the Klippan Lady Open finals. She said, “I met Vuc in the finals of the Klippan Lady Open so I knew about her skills and tendencies.” 

With Mother’s Day just over a week away, Stadnik, a mother of two stated “I dedicate this win to my children. I have to leave them so often to go train, and the compensation for me being gone so much is this gold medal.”

Yasmin ADAR (TUR), now a three-time champion gave Turkey their second gold medal of the day by combining her four-point arm spin with two takedowns to best Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), 4-2. 
 

At 55kg, the difference in the bout came with two minutes remaining as Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) took down Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL) and immediately went into a gut wrench to controlled the 4-1 lead.  Zasina scored a passivity point with under 15 seconds left to cut Kurachkina’s lead to 4-2. 

Kurachkina suffered from a lapse of judgment while celebrating with one second remaining as she fell to her back with excitement. Zasina jumped on top of the Belarusian and scored a takedown, evening the score at four apiece. 

“I thought the match was over, but in reality, I almost lost the victory. I was in total shock when I saw the final two points on the board. I learned that I need to wrestle until the whistle is blown.” 

Though the score was tied, Kurachkina defeated Zasina, 4-4 on criteria. 

“This was always my dream to win a European title, and today my dream came true. But, the European gold is just one step of preparation for other important tournaments.” 

Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR) cruised to the 6-4 victory over Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL) in the 59kg gold-medal bout. The Turkish wrestler’s two takedowns and gut wrench in the opening period were enough to brush off Hristova’s pair of second-period takedowns.

“After being off for two years due to a break and an injury, this is a dream come true…I learned not to give up. It doesn’t matter if you’re injured, you can still find positives.”  

Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) successfully defended her European title by avenging a loss from the 2017 World Championships in Paris, France to Koumba LARROQUE (FRA). 

Bratchikova picked up a takedown with 20 seconds left to break the 1-1 tie, ultimately winning 3-1. 

“I’ve met Koumba Larroque four times, and the only time I lost was in Paris at the 2017 World Championships. I’ve still haven't forgotten about that loss.” 

RESULTS
50kg
GOLD - Mariya STADNIK (AZE) df. Emilia Alina VUC (ROU), 10-0 

BRONZE – Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR), 4-2
BRONZE - Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Ainztane GORRIA GONI (ESP), 6-0 

55kg
GOLD - Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) df. Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL), 4-4

BRONZE – Bediha GUN (TUR) df. Anna VOITOVA (UKR), 10-0 
BRONZE -Mariia GUROVA (RUS) df. Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL), 10-6

59kg 
GOLD - Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR) df. Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL), 6-4. 

BRONZE – Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE) df. Katsiaryna YANUSHKEVICH (BLR), 12-2
BRONZE - Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) df. Emma JOHANSSON (SWE), via inj def. 

68kg
GOLD - Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS)df. Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), 3-1 

BRONZE – Martina KUENZ (AUT) df. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU), 2-1
BRONZE - Buse TOSUN (TUR) df. Monika MICHALIK (POL) 6-4

76kg
GOLD - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS), 8-2.

BRONZE – Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE) df.Iryna PASICHNYK (UKR), 6-3.
BRONZE - Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) df. Epp MAE (EST), 8-2. 

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024: Lopez closer to historic Olympic gold; Fumita, Elor enter finals

Monday, August 5, 2024 - 22:01 By Ken Marantz

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PARIS (August 5) -- Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) continued his quest for an unprecedented place in Olympic history, swatting aside all in his path on Monday. The last man standing in his way is a former compatriot who has already made history of his own.

Lopez earned a chance to become the first-ever athlete in any sport to win five gold medals in the same event at the Summer Olympics when he advanced to the Greco 130kg final on the opening day of the wrestling competition at the Paris Olympics.

"Very happy, very proud," Lopez said. "It's been a sacrifice for a career lasting so many years, and it's beautiful for the next generations so that they have something to aspire to."

Meanwhile, Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) earned a chance to make up for his disappointing silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics at Greco 60kg -- and gained revenge in the process -- while young Amit ELOR (USA) looks poised to complete the "Golden Grand Slam" of titles by making the women's 68kg final.

Lopez, competing for the first time since winning his fourth gold at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, set up his date with destiny in Tuesday's final by defeating 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medalist Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) 4-1 in the semifinals at the Champs de Mars Arena.

The 41-year-old Lopez got the first chance in par terre and made the most of it with a well-executed gut wrench to go up 3-0 in the first period.

Put on the bottom in the second period, Lopez went beyond just putting up stiff resistance. The Iranian-born Shariati, a veteran himself at 35, managed to lift the Cuban off the mat, but when he tried to force a roll, Lopez nimbly stepped over and gained control for a 1-point reversal.

Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI)Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) confirmed Chile's first-ever Olympic medal in wrestling by reaching the 130kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Lopez, who has not lost a match since falling to long-time rival Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the final at the 2015 World Championships, will face Cuban-born Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) for the gold medal.

"It will be beautiful, special, not only for me but for the whole world," Lopez said of facing Acosta. "It's going to be a final between two Cubans, it's going to be spectacular. A result that the world will enjoy but particularly my brothers in Cuba."

Acosta assured Chile of its first-ever Olympic medal in wrestling when he outlasted Lingzhe MENG (CHN) 1-1 on last-point criteria in the other semifinal.

Acosta got the second of the two passivity points awarded, after which neither was able to turn the other. Meng was given a second chance in par terre with a minute to go but was unable to get any points off a front headlock.

Lopez expressed his joy that Acosta has clinched a medal after coming up just short in Tokyo by placing fifth.

"We've always been brothers, we've always been friends in wrestling, it's going to be beautiful for him, to win an Olympic medal and for me," Lopez said. "He deserves a medal. Chile has asked him to win that medal, and they have given him the support and the chance to compete."

Kenichiro FUMITA(JPN)Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) returned to the final after beating Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At Greco 60kg, Fumita advanced to the final by defeating nemesis Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), using a masterful 4-point throw to score a 4-3 victory over the two-time reigning world champion.

The victory avenged a loss to Sharshenbekov in the final at last year's World Championships in Belgrade, when the Kyrgyz star prevailed 11-6 in a thoroughly entertaining throwfest that uniquely featured no passivity points.

On Monday, Fumita, a two-time former world champion himself, held tough on the bottom of par terre to go into the second period trailing 1-0. Early in the second period, he locked onto Sharshenbekov's right arm and hit an elegant back suplex for 4.

Sharshenbekov, who had not lost since June 2022 and had put together a streak of 10 consecutive tournament titles, went on the offensive and used a nice duck under for a takedown to cut the gap to 4-3.

But Fumita stood his ground and conceded nothing to clinch the win and earn a chance to make up for his devastating loss in the Tokyo Olympic final to Luis ORTA (CUB) and become Japan's first Greco gold medalist since Atsuji MIYAHARA (JPN) in 1984.

For Fumita, winning an elusive gold in Paris would be particularly special. "Paris is a special place because I won my first world title here in 2017," he told the Japanese media.

"I think that the wrestling gods are telling me that by making the final, I have to win the gold. I have one more match and I will give everything so that it will be said that Fumita is indeed strong."

Facing him in the final will be world bronze medalist Liguo CAO (CHN), who scored an exposure at the buzzer for a stunning 3-3 win on last-point criteria over Asian Games bronze medalist Se Ung RI (PRK).

Ri appeared headed to a 3-1 victory after getting a gut wrench from par terre in the first period and holding out on the bottom in the second. But Cao managed to get behind from standing in the waning seconds and, with Ri keeping a solid base and his knees off the mat, Cao pulled him back and over for a 2-point exposure just as time expired. In the final, Cao will look to avenge a 3-1 loss to Fumita in the quarterfinals in Belgrade.

Elor stormed into the women's 68kg final with a 10-0 victory over teenager Sol Gum PAK (PRK) as she looks to join Yui SUSAKI (JPN) as the only wrestlers to add an Olympic gold to titles on all four age-group levels at the World Championships.

Elor, a two-time world champion at 72kg who moved down to the Olympic weight, used a snapdown to get behind Pak for a takedown, then applied a lace lock and reeled off four rolls to end the match at 1:44.

"I've been training a lot with my coach to make sure that after I get a takedown, I don't overlook the thought of getting a turn," the 20-year-old Elor said. "Turns make a huge difference, and I think a lot of times, I'll get a takedown and I'll think, 'Oh, no no, let's just go back to our feet.'

"But it makes a huge difference, and you saw that in a match like that. One takedown, four turns, and the match is over. My immediate thought was, bring her legs together, you have to get at least one lace. And it worked for me."

Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), blue, defeated Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) to enter the semifinal at 62kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Looking to stop Elor will be Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), who won a clash of Tokyo Olympic medalists in the other semifinal to move one win away from becoming Krygyzstan's first-ever Olympic gold medalist in any sport.

Zhumanazarova scored a second-period takedown, then fended off a late attempt by veteran Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) to score a 3-1 victory. That avenged a 3-2 loss to Oborududu in the quarterfinals in Tokyo, where the Nigerian went on to take the silver medal and Zhumanazarova came home with a bronze.

Earlier, Zhumanazarova pulled off a major coup by defeating two-time world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), building up a 6-0 lead before holding on for an 8-6 win.

Elor said she had prepared to face any opponent. "I like to focus on one opponent at a time, but before this competition, I thoroughly watched and analyzed all of my opponents," she said. "I honestly think that each and every opponent has their own challenges, and so however the bracket came out, I knew that I was ready for anybody."

Day 1 Results

Greco-Roman

60kg
SF 1: Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) df. Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ), 4-3
SF 2: Liguo CAO (CHN) df. Se Ung RI (PRK), 3-3

130kg
SF 1: Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) df. Sabah SHARIATI (AZE), 4-1
SF 2: Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) df. Lingzhe MENG (CHN), 1-1

Women's Wrestling

68kg
SF 1: Amit ELOR (USA) df Sol Gum PAK (PRK) by TF, 10-0, 1:44
SF 2: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) 3-1