#WrestleNewDelhi

Sunil Rallies to Give Host India a Finalist on Opening Day of Asian Championships

Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 10:31 By Ken Marantz

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NEW DELHI (Feb. 18)---Kumar SUNIL (IND) took losing in the final at last year’s Asian Championships personally. With a furious comeback in the semifinals, he put himself into position to make amends in front of home crowd.

Sunil stormed back from an 8-2 deficit to defeat Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ), 12-8 to make the final of Greco-Roman 87kg on the opening day of action at this year’s Asian Championships in New Delhi.

In the medal round in the night session at K.D. Jadhav Wrestling Stadium, Sunil will face Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ), who became a beneficiary of a late injury suffered by Behrooz HEDAYAT (IRI) in their semifinal. Hedayat was leading 7-0 when an apparent knee injury forced him to stop with just seven seconds left in the match. 

Even with Hedayat’s misfortune, a second-string Iranian squad had the most wrestlers make the five finals with three. Korea and Uzbekistan had two each, with host India, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan having one each. 

Sunil, who lost to Hossein NOURI (IRI) in the Asian final last year in Xi’an, China, fell behind in the semifinal when Kustubayev stopped the Indian’s back suplex attempt twice, each giving him four points.

Sunil, started his comeback with a takedown and two rolls to tie the score, although it left him trailing on criteria. With 1:13 left, he went ahead with a stepout, then added two more (the second a 2-point fleeing) for the 12-8 win.

“I’m feeling really good,” Sunil said. “I thought the opponent had less endurance.”

Coach Bhusan Prasad SHASHI (IND) said Sunil was still feeling the sting of last year’s loss in the final 

“It is more personal that he should win,” Shashi said. “We have prepared to get the gold medal.”

Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) will square off against SONG Jinseub (KOR) in the 63kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Meanwhile, Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) showed he is feeling more at home at his usual weight of Greco-Roman 63kg, and just how dominant he remains on his home continent.

Tasmuradov, a Rio 2018 Olympic bronze medalist aiming for his fifth career Asian gold and first since 2018, stormed by world U-23 champion Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) by 10-1 technical fall in the semifinals.

Tasmuradov, who dropped to the Olympic weight class of 60kg at the World Championships and secured an spot at Tokyo 2020 by placing fifth, will face SONG Jinseub (KOR) in the finals.

Song emerged from the lighter bracket by beating Mohammad ALAJMI (KUW), 8-1 in his semifinal. In his opening match in the quarterfinals, Song rallied from a 7-0 deficit against Mubinhon AKMEDOV (TJK) to go ahead 8-7 in the first period, then held on to win by that score.

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is one of three Iranian finalists. He'll wrestle KIM Minseok (KOR) in the 130kg finals. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

The Iranian finalists are Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) at 55kg, Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) at 77kg and Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI).

Naserpour, a 2018 world junior champion, survived a scare in his semifinal victory over Arjun HALAKURKI (IND), rallying for a 8-7 victory, after which he appeared to lose consciousness. After remaining prone of the mat and being checked by a doctory, he woozily got to his feet to have his hand raised, then was helped off the mat. 

In the final, Naserpour will face Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB), who grinded up 2019 bronze medalist Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) by 8-0 technical fall. 

Last year’s runner-up, Hiromu KATAGIRI (JPN), fell in the qualification round to Sardarbek KONUSHBAEV (KGZ), who subsequently lost in the quarterfinals to Zhakansha.

Postham defeated Renat ILIAZ UULU (KGZ) 5-0 in the semifinals to set up a showdown in the final with Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ), who has already improved on his bronze medal from 2019 after sweeping aside Sultan Ali EID (JOR) by 8-0 technical fall.

Mirzazedah, a 2018 world junior champion, will face KIM Minseok (KOR) for the gold. Mirzadedeh topped Arata SONODA (JPN), 6-1, while Kim scored a 9-1 technical fall over Singh MEHAR (IND)

The tournament is missing teams from China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Turkmenistan, due to circumstances related the new coronavirus outbreak mainly in China.

Greco-Roman

55kg (9 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) df. Arjun HALAKURKI (IND), 8-7
SEMIFINAL - Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB) df. Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) by TF, 8-0 (1:40)

63kg (10 entries)
SEMIFINAL - SONG Jinseub (KOR) df. Mohammad ALAJMI (KUW), 8-1
SEMIFINAL - Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) df. Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) by TF, 10-1, 5:13

77kg (13 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ) df. Sultan Ali EID (JOR) by TF, 8-0, 1:52
SEMIFINAL - Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) df. Renat ILIAZ UULU (KGZ), 5-0

87kg (9 entries)
SEMIFINAL - Kumar SUNIL (IND) df. Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ), 12-8
SEMIFINAL - Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ) df. Behrooz HEDAYAT (IRI) by Inj. Def., 5:53 (0-7)

130kg (8 entries)
SEMIFINAL - KIM Minseok (KOR) df. Singh MEHAR (IND) by TF, 9-1, 2:17
SEMIFINAL - Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Arata SONODA (JPN), 6-1

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Greco-Roman Preview

Thursday, April 16, 2026 - 09:14 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 15) -- When Aleksandr KARELIN won his 12th European gold in 2000, it seemed like one of the most impregnable records in wrestling. In 2023, Riza KAYAALP (TUR) equaled that accomplishment but his hopes of going past Karelin came to naught after he was pinned in the final at Bucharest in 2024. [Kayaalp’s 12 golds include the 2025 European Games gold medal since no European Championships was held in that year].

Two years later, Kayaalp will take another shot at history when he steps onto the mat in Tirana next week for the European Championships in the 130kg weight class.

DOWNLOAD FULL PREVIEW HERE | European Championships 2026 Schedule | European Championships 2026 Freestyle Preview | European Championships 2026 Women's Wrestling Preview

Kayaalp began this season with a gold medal at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series to set the stage for an epic European comeback. Apart from breaking the record, a win in Tirana will give Kayaalp much-needed confidence as the 36-year-old continues his comeback after missing two years of action.

The field in Tirana includes Muhamet Malo Ranking Series winner and perhaps Kayaalp's biggest threat Marat KAMPAROV (UWW). 2025 European bronze medalists Jello KRAHMER (GER) and Darius VITEK (HUN) are returning with an aim to change the color of their medals.

Among other contenders are former U23 world champion Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), former U20 world champion Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) and Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) who once pinned Kayaalp in Istanbul.

Turkiye will be hoping to win more golds than just Kayaalp's.

Defending champion at 63kg Kerem KAMAL (TUR) will look to find the same form he did in the first half of 2025, winning three gold medals in a span of four months.
 
Trying to stop Kamal from winning a second straight gold medal will be returning silver medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM) who fell short in a one-sided final last year. Also in the mix are U23 world champion Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) and world bronze medalist Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA). Babashov defeated Eriomenco in the final of the U23 World Championships but both can make a run for gold in Tirana.

Veteran Sergey EMELIN (UWW) enters with hopes of winning his third European gold and first since in 2021.

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) is a four-time European champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Amoyan's World
There is no Greco-Roman wrestler who can be considered as dominant as Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) among current wrestlers. The defending champion will land in Tirana in a bid to win his fifth straight European title. He last lost at the European Championships in 2021, dropping his 72kg final.

But since then, Amoyan has been untouched at the continental level. He never looked in trouble during his golden run in 2025 and is unlikely to suffer any upsets this year as well.

Lining up to challenge him are returning silver medalist Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) and former champion Robert FRITSCH (HUN). Joining them will be U23 world champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), Sergei STEPANOV (UWW) and world bronze medalist Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR).

Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is one of the three defending Greco-Roman champions for Azerbaijan. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Azerbaijan's Defending Champs
Azerbaijan is bringing all three of its 2025 champions as it looks to defend the team title. Olympic bronze medalist and world silver Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) leads the charge at 67kg and is the favorite to win gold.

A possible rematch of last year's final is on the cards as Abu AMAEV (BUL) returns to maintain his 100 percent record of winning a medal at the European Championships. Amaev has two bronze and a silver at the tournament.

Two young stars who can pose a threat are U23 world silver medalist Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) and former U20 world champion Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW). Chkhikvadze began this year with two silver medals at the Zagreb Open and Muhamet Malo Ranking Series events.

Zakriev made his senior debut at the Muhamet Malo in Tirana and finished with a bronze medal.

Returning at 60kg is Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) who began this season with a gold medal at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. He would like to forget the medalless campaigns at World Championships and Islamic Solidarity Games and regain the form he was at last year's Europeans, winning three out of four bouts via technical superiority.

The only wrestler who troubled Mammadli was Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) who will be returning with the hope of changing his silver to gold this year. Tibilov's defense can be hard to penetrate but he has not been able to stop Mammadli's par terre offense, from where he lost the final last year.

Gurban GURBANOV (AZE) is the third returning champion for Azerbaijan as he looks to defend his 82kg gold medal. Apart from the two technical points he gave up, Gurbanov was unscored upon as he won four bouts to win the gold medal.

He blanked Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 4-0, in the semifinals but the Georgian will be keen on avenging that loss. The world silver medalist was not awarded the par terre position in the semifinals last year which could have changed the result of the bout.

Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), silver medalist at 77kg at Zagreb Open, is moving up to 82kg and will be among the medal contenders in Tirana along with Muhamet Malo Ranking Series silver medalist Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW).

Return of Novikov, Milov
After missing the entire 2025 season after the European Championships, Olympic champion Semen NOVIKOV (BUL) and European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL) will be back in action in Tirana with an aim to win gold medals at 87kg and 97kg respectively.

Novikov was stunned in the 87kg final last year by David LOSONCZI (HUN) but he will like to make amends and win his second European gold. At the recent Dan Kolov tournament in Bulgaria, Novikov suffered a 7-3 in the semifinal against Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) who had troubled Novikov at the European Championships last year as well.

Filchakov will be in Tirana to challenge Novikov again along with several other stars including world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) who picked up a bronze medal last year. Paris bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN), who skipped the tournament last year, will also be returning to action for the first time this year.

Returning bronze medalist Islam ABBASOV (AZE), former world champion Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), former European champion Istvan TAKACS (HUN) and Alan OSTAEV (UWW) are also in the hunt for medals at this weight class.

Kiril MILOV (BUL)Kiril MILOV (BUL) defeated Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) for the first time in his career and went on to win the 97kg gold. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

For Milov, the path to gold should be much simpler than Novikov. Milov stunned Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) last year, handing the Armenian legend his first European loss since 2017, before winning his second European gold medal. In Tirana, he will be joined by the three other medalists from the 2025 edition -- silver medalist Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER), and bronze medalists Alex SZOKE (HUN) and Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW).

But Milov's biggest threat will be world silver medalist Artur SARGSIAN (UWW) who suffered a shocking loss to Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED). Sargsian has an explosive offense from par terre and can defend as well as he did during the World Championships, winning four bouts by the score of 1-1 before losing the final.

At 55kg, it can well be the passing of the baton as world champion and returning bronze medalist Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) takes on defending champion Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW). These are the only two returning medalists but Lolua is primed to upset Sefershaev.

At 72kg, world silver medalist Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), who had to share the gold medal with Levente LEVAI (HUN), will be the sole favorite this year. He has one of the most effective defenses in the world.

Among the few challengers will be Krisztian VANCZA (HUN), U20 world champion Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM) and former U23 European champion Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE).