#WrestleRome

Three-time World Champs Aleksanyan and Staebler Among Wednesday's Euro Finalists

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 - 19:04 By Eric Olanowski

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ROME, Italy (January 11) --- Three-time world champions Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) and Frank STAEBLER (GER) collected semifinal wins and will look to add another European gold to their lengthy resumes.

Aleksanyan picked up three wins on Tuesday and navigated a tough road to the finals. He opened up his day with a 5-1 win over Rio Olympic bronze medalist Cenk ILDEM (TUR). In the quarterfinals, Aleksanyan shutout 2018 world runner-up Kiril MILOV (BUL), 9-0. He followed that match up with an 8-1 semifinal win over Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN) and will wrestle for European gold for the eighth time. He’s 5-2 in European gold-medal matches.

If Aleksanyan, the second-ranked wrestler in the world, wins against tenth-ranked Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) in the finals, he'll tie top-ranked Musa EVLOEV (RUS) for the world's top spot at 97kg.

His Italian finals opponent, Nikoloz Kakhelashvili scored back-to-back 9-0 wins over Anestis ZARIFES (GRE) and Artur OMAROV (CZE), then downed Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS), 3-2, and will wrestle in the European finals for the first time in his career. 

Frank STAEBLER (GER) pumps his fist after cementing his spot in the 72kg European finals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Frank Staebler is the second three-time world champion that’ll wrestle in Wednesday night’s finals. He’ll compete against the red-hot Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) for the 72kg title. 

Staebler, who is wrestling up from his world championship weight of 67kg, defeated Adam KURAK (RUS) to reach the finals. He trailed 1-0 after the first period but blew the match open in the second period with 11 straight points and picked up the 11-1 victory.

Despite having three world titles on his resume, Staebler has only won the European Championships once in his career. That win came back in 2012.

His finals opponent, Luri Lomadze continued his hot streak through the semifinals after he kick-started his day with a 6-4 win over Rio Olympic Davor STEFANEK (SRB). He then outscored Yury KANKOU (BLR), Dominik ETLINGER (CRO) and Selcuk CAN (TUR) 27-0 and will compete for European gold for the first time in his career. 

Reigning world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) will wrestle Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) in the 82kg finals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

The Wednesday night finals will also feature reigning world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), who will square off against Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) in the 82kg finals. Huseynov topped Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED), Bogdan KOURINNOI (SWE) and Ciro RUSSO (ITA) on his road to the non-Olympic weight finals.

His gold-medal match opponent, Aleksandrov, a three-time European bronze medalist, won three matches on the day and will wrestle in the European finals for the first time in his career. 

Kerem KAMAL (TUR) improved on his 2018 European bronze-medal finish with a scrappy 9-0 semifinals blanking of Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO). He’ll take on Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) in the finals. Gharibyan also blanked his semifinals opponent en route to the finals. He beat Helary MAEGISALU (EST), 8-0, in less than two minutes.

Morten THORESEN (NOR) will take on Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS) in the 67kg finals. (Photo: Kadir Calisnan)

Morten THORESEN (NOR) and Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS) will wrestle in the fifth and final gold-medal match on Wednesday night. The pair scored one-point semifinal wins to reach the finals. Thorsen locked up his finals spot with a 2-1 win over Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR). Abdullaev earned his gold-medal match berth with a 4-3 victory against Karen ASLANYAN (ARM). 

The Wednesday night finals begin at 18:00 and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 

60kg
GOLD - Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) vs. Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
SEMIFINAL - Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) df. Helary MAEGISALU (EST), 8-0 
SEMIFINAL - Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO), 9-0

67kg 
GOLD - Morten THORESEN (NOR) vs. Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Morten THORESEN (NOR) df. Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR), 2-1 
SEMIFINAL - Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS) df. Karen ASLANYAN (ARM), 

72kg
GOLD - Frank STAEBLER (GER) vs. Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
SEMIFINAL - Frank STAEBLER (GER) df. Adam KURAK (RUS) 
SEMIFINAL - Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) df. Selcuk CAN (TUR), 7-0 

82kg
GOLD - Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs. Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL)
SEMIFINAL - Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df. Ciro RUSSO (ITA), 7-1
SEMIFINAL - Daniel Tihomirov ALEKSANDROV (BUL) df. Hannes WAGNER (GER), 7-3

97kg
GOLD - Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
SEMIFINAL - Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) df. Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS), 3-2 
SEMIFINAL - Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN), 8-1

#development

UWW conducts REDT program in Benin

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:06 By United World Wrestling Press

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OUIDAH, Benin (December 20) -- United World Wrestling (UWW), in collaboration with the Benin Wrestling Federation, the Benin National Olympic Committee and the national sports authorities, successfully organized the Regional Education and Development Wrestling Tournament (REDT), which took place in Ouidah from November 23 to 30, 2025.

This event represents the first tournament ever organized in West Africa, marking a major milestone in UWW’s wrestling development strategy on the African continent.

Ten countries from the West African region took part in the tournament, contributing to a framework of technical and educational exchanges aimed at enhancing the competencies of wrestling stakeholders.

Deqa NIAMKEY, Director of Development at United World Wrestling, paid an official visit to Benin. She praised the progress achieved by the Benin Wrestling Federation and recalled the core objective of the REDT program.

"The REDT was initiated by United World Wrestling to support countries in the sustainable development of wrestling.”

Niamkey also conducted a sports administration education session with representatives of national federations, while Youssef BOUAZIZ delivered an online training session on ARENA.

Benin

Ahead of the competitions, a regional coaches’ education program was conducted from November 24 to 27, 2025, bringing together coaches, referees, athletes and technical staff from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Senegal.

This program was delivered by Vincent AKA, UWW Expert and Development Officer, and concluded with theoretical and practical evaluations leading to the award of UWW International Coaching Certifications Levels 1 and 2.

Celestin PAVELESCU, UWW Expert, led the refereeing education program in Olympic Wrestling and Beach Wrestling, contributing to the improvement of technical standards and the harmonization of officiating practices across the region.

The competitions were held on November 29, 2025 at the IRSP Gymnasium, while the Beach Wrestling events took place on November 30, 2025 at the Door of No Return Beach, an emblematic site of Ouidah’s historical and cultural heritage.

The host nation particularly distinguished itself during this edition, winning a total of 35 medals (11 gold, 15 silver and 9 bronze).

The development strategy focused on youth and the introduction of wrestling in the school environment, with a strong representation of U17 wrestlers, illustrates the long-term vision pursued by the Benin Wrestling Federation.

At the conclusion of the competition, the President of the Benin Wrestling Federation, Adihunkpéto YVES AZIFAN, congratulated all wrestlers and coaches, while reaffirming the federation’s commitment to position Benin sustainably among the leading nations of African and international wrestling.