#WrestleRome

Trio of Reigning European Champs Punch Ticket to Thursday Night’s Finals

By Eric Olanowski

ROME, Italy (February 12) --- Reigning European champions Oksana LIVACH (UKR), Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) and Yasemin ADAR (TUR) punched their tickets to Thursday night’s finals and will look to defend their continental crowns from last year. 

Livach won three matches on Wednesday and will square off against Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) in the 50kg finals. She started her day with a two-point win over seventh-ranked Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR). She also defeated Demirhan by two points at last year’s European Championships. 

Livach added a 12-2 technical superiority victory over Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA), setting up a semifinals match against U23 world silver medalist Milana DADASHEVA (RUS). She survived the 17-point back-and-forth brawl against the Russian and will face off against Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) in the finals.

Selishka stopped Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR), 10-6, in the semifinals and will meet Livach in a rematch of last year's 50kg European finals. 

Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) celebrates after beating Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS), 5-5, in the 59kg semifinals. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Bulgaria’s Bilyana Dudova will wrestle rising star Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) for the 59kg gold medal. 

Dudova scored seven unanswered points in her semifinals match against reigning world silver medalist Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) and remained in line to defend her European title from last year. She was down 6-0 but scored seven straight points and will meet the young Moldavan who has been on a tear in Rome. 

Nichita, who’ll celebrate her 21st birthday next week, went 3-0 on Wednesday, picking up a fall and outscored her other two opponents 20-0 en route to the finals.

She crushed Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN), 10-0, in her opening match, then pinned third-ranked Anhelina LYSAK (UKR) on her way to the semifinals. She reached the finals with a 10-0 shutout win over Laura MERTENS (GER). 

The 76kg finals will feature Yasemin Adar and Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS). 

Adar won three matches on Wednesday and made it to her fifth straight European finals. The four-time defending champion eked out a 5-4 win against third-ranked Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) in her opening-round match. She followed that match up with a fall over Kamila Czeslawa KULWICKA (POL) and a 10-0 stomping of Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA). 

Adar will wrestle Rio Olympic bronze medalist Bukina in a rematch of the 2018 European finals.

Bukina erased a five-point deficit against 2017 world silver medalist Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) and will lace up in her fourth European gold-medal match. She’s 0-3 in her previous three trips to the finals. 

Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) locks up a cradle against world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) in their semifinals meeting. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Russia Puts Three into Thursday Night Finals 
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) and Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) joined Bukina in the winner’s circle on Wednesday night and will wrestle for European gold on Thursday night. 

Olga Khorshavtseva laced her way to a 10-8 victory over Rio Olympic bronze medalist Sofia MATTSSON (SWE). She’ll meet Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR), who edged Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) in the 55kg finals. 

Khanum Velieva picked up arguably the biggest win of her young senior-level career and set up a battle with Italy’s unlikely European finalist, Dalma CANEVA (ITA). The Russian three-time age-group world champion dominated the 2018 world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), 11-1, and locked up a finals berth in her first senior-level European appearance.

She’ll square off with Italy’s Dalma Caneva in the 68kg gold-medal match. Caneva won two matches on Wednesday and closed her day out with a stunning 4-2 win over reigning world bronze medalist Anna SCHELL (GER).

The Day Four women's wrestling finals start at 18:00 (local time) and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

RESULTS 
50kg
GOLD - Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) vs. Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR), 10-6 
SEMIFINAL - Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Milana DADASHEVA (RUS), 9-8 

55kg
GOLD - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) vs. Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), 9-8 
SEMIFINAL - Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) df. Sofia MATTSSON (SWE), 10-8

59kg
GOLD - Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) vs. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
SEMIFINAL - Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) df. Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS), 7-6 
SEMIFINAL - Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df. Laura MERTENS (GER), 10-0 

68kg
GOLD - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) and Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
SEMIFINAL - Dalma CANEVA (ITA) df. Anna SCHELL (GER), 4-2 
SEMIFINAL - Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) df. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), 11-1 

76kg
GOLD - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) vs. Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df. Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), 10-0 
SEMIFINAL - Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) df. Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR), 5-5 

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series: Day 3, GR and WW Live Blog

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 19) -- The Budapest Ranking Series enters day three with five Women's Wrestling weight classes and three Greco-Roman weight classes.

Till the World Championships, every competition will follow this rule for Greco-Roman

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 2 RESULTS

15:00: Another Hungarian Greco wrestler in the final as Darius Attila VITEK (HUN) pins Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) in the semifinal. Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) beats Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN), 3-1 to book a place in the final against Vitek

14:45: It's Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) vs David LOSONCZI (HUN) final at 87kg. Bisultanov beats Tamas LEVAI (HUN), 7-2, in the semifinal while Losonczi blanks Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 4-0.

14:35: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) drops his 72kg semifinal to Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), 5-3, and the Uzbekistan wrestler makes his way to the final. He will face Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) who beats Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO).

14:25: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) suffers a upset loss to Thamires MARTINS (BRA) who beat the Kyrgyz 10-5 and enter the final. Martins will have PRIYA (IND) for the gold-medal bout.

14:15: Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) gives the local fans a huge moment to cheer by beating Brooklyn HAYS (USA) 10-0 in the 68kg semifinal. She will face Kennedy BLADES (USA) in the final after Blades beat Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) 6-2.

14:00: Irina RINGACI (MDA) takes less than a minute to gut-wrench Eniko ELEKES (HUN) and storm into the 65kg final. She will face Grace BULLEN (NOR) in the final after the Norwegian secured a come-from-behind fall over Macey KILTY (USA). Bullen was leading 6-5 before she tried a throw from bad position and conceded four points. Kilty had her in fall position but did not finish. Both tried a headlock in the second period and while Kilty scored four, Bullen scored reversal and kept the headlock to pin Kilty just in time.

Last time Ringaci and Bullen met, Bullen defeated the Moldovan.

13:50: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) rolls to an 11-0 win over Krystsina SAZYKINA (UWW) in the first semifinal at 62kg. She will face Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) in the final after she defeated Ana GODINEZ (CAN) 12-9 in the other semifinal.

Semifinals will begin shortly

13:25: David LOSONCZI (HUN) uses all his strength to get past world U20 champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) and reach the 87kg semifinals. Yevloyev scored a suplex from par terre to lead 5-0 before Losonczi rallied back.

He scored a stepout and then from par terre, he scored a correct throw for two points. Yevloyev committed a foul and was docked two points. Losonczi ultimately won 9-5.

13:10: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) gets a correct challenge with 3 seconds left in the bout to win his 72kg quarterfinal against Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ). Jafarov was down 3-3 on criteria but scored exposure points with 3 second left which were not awarded and Azerbaijan challenged.

12:55: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) with a first-period victory over Alan OSTAEV (UWW) to make it to the 87kg semifinal. A big four-pointer at the start and then scoring from par terre for the win for Bisultanov.

12:50: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) with a reversal takedown on Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) after a scramble and Godinez scores a fall! What an incredible victory for Godinez after Dudova had taken a 4-4 criteria lead.

12:45: A fall for Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) over Dymond GUILFORD (USA) at 76kg with six seconds left. Guilford was leading 4-0 and but Medet Kyzy scores a takedown to cut it to 4-2 before getting Guilford on the mat and securing the fall

12:35: Grace BULLEN (NOR) survives a pin against Kadriy AKSOY (TUR) to recover and win 12-2 in her 65kg bout. That was really close for Bullen there.

12:20: Macey KILTY (USA) takes up all six minutes of her bout but manages to beat Aleah NICKEL (CAN) 10-0 at 65kg.

11:45: Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) got the first point against Islam ABBASOV (AZE) but then told the referee that he is unable to continue. He had suffered a rib injury at the Thor Masters.

11:40: Kennedy BLADES (USA) can't stop doing the suplex! She opens her Budapest campaign with a suplex, this time over Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) and then laces her for a 10-0 win in just over a minute at 68kg.

11:30: Turpal BISULTANOV (USA) with a correct throw from par terre and he easily manages to beat Bachir SID AZARA (ALG), 4-1, at 87kg.

11:20: Brooklyn HAYS (USA) with a takedown in the final 10 seconds to beat world champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) at 68kg, 6-5. Tosun really disappointed with that and takes her time to return to center

11:10: Ana GODINEZ (CAN), who will be in Zagreb for the World Championships, pulls off a 6-5 win over Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) at 62kg. Big win for Godinez over U.S. representative for the World Championships.

10:55: Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) and David LOSONCZI (HUN) are paired in the opening round at Greco-Roman 87kg. Losonczi gets the first par terre advantage but fails to turn. However, he had criteria having the first point. Losonczi scored a stepout to take a clear 2-1 lead and won.

10:40: Former world U23 champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) gets a turn from par terre and beats Payton JACOBSON (USA) 4-1 at 87kg to get things going.

10:30: Women's Wrestling in 55kg, 62kg, 65kg, 68kg, and 76kg and Greco-Roman 72kg, 87kg and 130kg in action in Budapest on Saturday.