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

Wednesday, February 12, 2020 - 20:16 By Eric Olanowski

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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 

Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 Day 2 Highlights

Wednesday, November 19, 2025 - 07:03 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 19) — The Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 will enter the second day with two Greco-Roman weight classes, 97kg and 130kg, and three women’s wrestling weight classes — 50kg, 53kg and 57kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

13:15: Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) with a fall over Chebila CHEIMA (ALG) in the 50kg semifinal and enter the final in which she will face Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)

13:05: Mohamed ADELLATIF (EGY) scores a takedown in the second period to survive a passivity call and win his semifinal at 130kg against Fatih OZTURK (TUR) 3-0. He will face Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) for the gold medal

12:45: Tekouk ACHOUAK DJAMILA (ALG) with some strong counters after Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) scored the first four points. Djamila made it 6-4 before Suleyman scored a go behind and led 6-6 and a turn to lead 8-6. The Turkiye wrestlers defends the late attacks from Djamila and wins 10-6 to enter the 57kg final.

12:30: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) reaches the final at 130kg after an 8-0 pounding of Roman KIM (KGZ) in the semifinal. He scored four points using a suplex. Kim was called for a leg foul which gave two more points to Hedayati. A takedown and he finishes with technical superiority.

12:05: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) has not trouble in his semifinal against Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA), beating him 9-0 with four turns from par terre and advance to the final at 97kg.

11:45: World bronze medalist Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) gets a solid 5-1 win over Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR) to advance to the final at 97kg. The big question is can Ahmadiyev challenge Saravi?

11:30: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) looks unstoppable at 130kg. He scores a takedown and three turns to beat Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) 8-0

11:25: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) gets another dominant win at 57kg. She pins MIM (BAN) and moves into the semifinal with the top spot in the group.

11:10: World and Olympic champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) was in some trouble when put in par terre and Rouabah FADI (ALG) almost turned him but Saravi manages to defend that. Saravi then scores a takedown, gets par terre and scores two turns to lead 7-1 and also win with that score.

11:00: Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) gets hold of a struggling Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) in Round 2 at 50kg and finishes with a 12-2 win. Mammadova clearly struggling with a knee injury

10:55: Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) began well again Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY), taking a 3-0 lead. However, the Egyptian managed to make a comeback and beat Kandelaki 4-3 at 130kg.

10:40: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) went neck-to-neck before the former stepped up her game and secured a five-point lead 13-8. Suleyman scored a four-point and two counters to score her 8 points while Aliyeva kept coming back every time Suleyman scored. But soon, Aliyeva scored two counter lifts to win the match 15-10 at 57kg.

10:25: Two quick finishes in Round 1 at 57kg in women’s. Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) laces MIM (BAN) for a 10-0 win while Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) beats Veronica AYO (UGA) 10-0 as well.

10:15: World U23 champion Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) squares up against the Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY) in Round 1 at Greco 130kg. He begins with a stepout before securing the first par terre advantage. He scores one more point to win 3-0.

10:05: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) takes little time to secure the fall over Chahd JELJELI (TUN) in the first bout at 57kg. The former world U23 champion is the favorite to win gold here.

10:00: Day two of the Islamic Solidarity Games and we have Olympic and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) among other stars in action.