#WrestleSkopje

Valiev Leads Russian Trio Into Finals; Arushanian, Gadzhiev Crowned Euro Champs

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 20:47 By Vinay Siwach

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SKOPJE, North Macedonia (May 18) --- Chermen VALIEV (RUS) was the highlight of another successful day for Russia as three wrestlers made it to the finals on day two of the U23 European Championships in Skopje, North Macedonia.

Amanula RASULOV (RUS) and Atsamaz TEBLOEV (RUS) were the two other Russian wrestlers to reach the final at 86kg and 125kg respectively. Azerbaijan, Turkey and Armenia also advanced two wrestlers each to the finals while Georgia managed to enter one wrestler as well.

Russia had entered four wrestlers in the final on day one of the competition at the Jane Sandanski Arena and with three more on Tuesday, their tally reached seven.

Valiev's day began with the qualification round as he faced Lucas KAHNT (GER). But Valiev did not take much time for his 11-1 win. In the 1/8 finals, Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE) did pose some trouble but Valiev came out on top 9-2. Krisztian BIRO (ROU) was the next to suffer as Valiev won the quarterfinal 10-0.

In the semifinal, Valiev had a slow start and led 2-0 at the break against Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO). He began the second period with a push out when he was put on the activity clock. Gamkrelidze later had Valiev in the danger zone but the Russian managed to switch position and instead score a four-point throw via a double leg attack. He won 7-1.

Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM) will try and stop Valiev from winning the gold on Wednesday as he made the final from the other side.

His three wins to reach the final were either technical superiority or via fall. Simon MARCHL (AUT) was the first to witness Alikhanyan's exploits as the Armenian won 10-0. In the quarterfinal, he pinned Isa DEMIR (TUR) before Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) suffered the same fate in the semifinal.

Rasulov will be looking for his first U23 Euro title as well as he reached the 86kg final. After wins over Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN) and Emre CIFTCI (TUR) with an identical scoreline of 8-2, Rasulov secured a victory by fall in the semifinal against Andrian GROSUL (MDA) in just one minute and 40 seconds.

But it won't be a cakewalk to the gold medal as he faces multiple time junior World Championships medalist Orkhan ABASOV (AZE) in the final.

Abasov came up with a big five-point throw in the semifinal against Lars SCHAEFLE (GER) to lead 7-0. But his worsening gas tank in the second period saw him give up points for step outs and a takedown. Fortunately for him, his big lead helped him win 8-7 in the end.

Osman NURMAGOMEDOV U23 European Championships

At 92kg, senior European Championships bronze medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) reached the final after overcoming Azamat ZAKUEV (RUS) 5-4 in a closely contested quarterfinal.

Then in the semifinal against Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR), he scored four points in the first period and defended that lead until the clock expired to win 4-0. He will face Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) in the final.

Yaylaci showed so signs of mercy for his opponents as he won by technical superiority in the qualification round and via fall in the quarterfinals. Up against former cadet and junior world champion Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) in the semifinal, he went into a tactical mode and etched out a 6-2 win.

Anil KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) was the second Turkish wrestler to reach the final on Tuesday as he pulled off a close 4-3 win against Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE) in the 125kg semifinal.

He will try his fate against Atsamaz TEBLOEV (RUS), who completely dominanted the day, in the final on Wednesday. Tebloev cleared the qualification round with a 10-0 win over Uvejs FEJZULAHU (MKD) before humbling junior and U23 World silver medalist Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR) with a similar scoreline.

In the semifinal, Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (BLR) had no answers to Tebloev's attacks and suffered a victory by fall after the Russian had built a 14-2 lead.

At 61kg, Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO) managed to reach his first U23 Euro final in four attempts and finishing with bronze medal three years ago. He will take on Razmik PAPIKYAN (ARM) in the final.

Arushanian, Gadzhiev Euro champs

In a bout that has the potential to become the bout of the year, junior world champion at 70kg Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) captured his first U23 European title as he defeated Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (RUS) 13-10 in the 65kg final.

Kudiev had Arushanian to his back early in the bout but could not control him there for long. That scramble gave both the wrestler two points each and a 3-2 lead to the Ukrainian.

Two takedowns later, he led 7-2 with Kudiev struggling to break into his defence. He did give up a takedown but scored a four-point throw from a head lock to lead 11-4.

Kudiev then reciprocated with a front head lock four points as well to make it 11-8. But a double leg takedown for Arushanian all but sealed the gold medal.

Dzhabrail GADZHIEV U23 European Championships

Another former age-group world champion Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) held on to a nervous 5-5 win over Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) to clinch the 70kg gold medal.

With just over over a minute remaining in the bout, Gadzhiev stepped with a two exposure to level it 4-4 and lead on criteria as Grahmez had scored two points via pushouts. Gadzhiev and Grahmez exchanged a stepout each in the last few seconds but that still gave the win to the Azerbaijan wrestler.

Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) began the medal round with a gold medal winning performance for Russia as he defeated Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) 6-0 at 57kg.

In his typical calm manner of wrestling, Idrisov managed to evade everything Rzazade threw at him and scored three takedowns in the final.

The second Russian to win the gold was Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) who defeated Radu LEFTER (MDA) 10-0 via technical superiority.

Ramazan SARI (TUR) denied Russia their third gold medal of the night he scored a 14-4 win over Khalid IAKHIEV (RUS). Sari, a bronze medalist at U23 World Championships, took advantage of Iakhiev continuous attacks and scored three four-point throws in the final.

Ramazan Ishak SARI U23 European Championships

Women's wrestling will begin in five weight classes -- 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg -- on Wednesday in Skopje.

Results:

Freestyle Semifinals

61kg
GOLD: Razmik PAPIKYAN (ARM) vs Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO)

SF 1: Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO) df Nico MEGERLE (GER), 4-0
SF 2: Razmik PAPIKYAN (ARM) df Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR), 3-2

74kg
GOLD: Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM) vs Chermen VALIEV (RUS)

SF 1: Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM) df Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), 12-2
SF 2: Chermen VALIEV (RUS) df Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 7-1

86kg
GOLD: Amanula RASULOV (RUS) vs Orkhan ABASOV (AZE)

SF 1: Amanula RASULOV (RUS) df Andrian GROSUL (MDA), via fall
SF 2: Orkhan ABASOV (AZE) df Lars SCHAEFLE (GER), 8-7

92kg
GOLD: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) vs Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)

SF 1: Erhan YAYLACI (TUR) df Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), 6-2
SF 2: Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) df Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR), 4-0

125kg
GOLD: Atsamaz TEBLOEV (RUS) vs Anil KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)

SF 1: Anil KILICSALLAYAN (TUR) df Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE), 4-3
SF 2: Atsamaz TEBLOEV (RUS) df Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (BLR), via fall (14-2)

FS Medal Bouts

57kg
GOLD: Akhmed IDRISOV (RUS) df Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), 6-0

BRONZE: Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO) df Kamil KERYMOV (UKR), 5-3
BRONZE: Simone PIRODDU (ITA) df Hafiz HASDEMIR (TUR), 4-1

65kg
GOLD: Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) df Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (RUS), 13-10

BRONZE: Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) df Uladzislau KOIKA (BLR), 10-0
BRONZE: Cavit ACAR (TUR) df Marwane Ahmed YEZZA (FRA), inj def

70kg
GOLD: Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) df Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA), 5-5

BRONZE: Inalbek SHERIEV (RUS) df Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO), 8-2
BRONZE: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df Denys BOROHAN (UKR), 3-2

79kg
GOLD: Ramazan Ishak SARI (TUR) df Khalid IAKHIEV (RUS), 14-4

BRONZE: Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) df Goga MAMIAURI (GEO), 7-4
BRONZE: Valentyn BABII (UKR) df Salvatore DIANA (ITA), 11-1

97kg
GOLD: Aslanbek SOTIEV (RUS) df Radu LEFTER (MDA), 10-0

BRONZE: Aliaksei PARKHOMENKA (BLR) df Tsvetan EVTIMOV (BUL), 11-3
BRONZE: Islam ILYASOV (AZE) df Luka KHUTCHUA (GEO), 11-0

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open: Six Paris medalists in action; Blades drops to 68kg

Saturday, February 1, 2025 - 17:26 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 1) -- With a couple of factors determining her decision, Kennedy BLADES (USA) will be moving down to 68kg, six months after winning the Olympic silver medal at 76kg in Paris.

Blades will make her 68kg debut at next week's Zagreb Open which coincides with her college wrestling season in which she wrestles at 160 pounds (around 72kg).

"Since I am in the middle of the college wrestling season and I am close to the weight (160lbs), I wanted to see how I felt," Blades told UWW.

Zagreb Open has a two-kilogram weight allowance and Blades revealed that she weighs around 72kg-73kg which makes it ideal for her to wrestle at 68kg in Zagreb. Even in Paris, Blades was wrestling under 76kg.

"I was naturally 2-4 kilograms under 76kg," she said. "So I wanted to see how I feel at my natural weight. Depending on how I feel, I'll determine if I want  to stay at 68kg or go back to 76kg."

Over her international career, Blades has never wrestled below 69kg, winning gold at the U17 Pan-Am Championships in 2018. She moved to 73kg for the U17 World Championships a year later and 72kg for the U20 World Championships in 2021. For her senior debut, Blades moved up to 76kg for the Henri Deglane in 2023 and competed at all tournaments for two years at that weight.

At 68kg in Zagreb, Blades will have to face a few long-timers.

World silver medalist from 2023 Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) and world bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) will be her biggest challenge. Former Asian silver medalist RADHIKA (IND) is also in the mix.

The United States will bring a solid team in Women's Wrestling with Blades, former world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Michaela BECK (USA), Sofia MACALUSO (USA), Skylar GROTE (USA) and Yelena MAKOYED (USA).

PRIYA (IND)PRIYA (IND) is a U20 world champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

India has a full squad going to Zagreb with a few young stars. Former U17 and U20 world champion PRIYA (IND) will be at 76kg, along with Asian medalist MANISHA (IND).

Azerbaijan will be pinning hopes on its first-ever U23 world champion in Women's Wrestling Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) to shine in the 57kg which also has Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN), Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN) and TAPSYA (IND). It also has Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) wrestling in Zagreb.

Paris Olympian Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) will be at 62kg a week after winning the Dan Kolov tournament in Varna. She will face challenges from Ameline DOUARRE (FRA), Nikolett SZABO (HUN), Bhagyashree FAND (IND) and Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA).

Freestyle

A battle of two Olympic medalists at 57kg is on the cards as Spencer LEE (USA) and AMAN (IND) are registered for the tournament. Lee won a silver medal at the Paris Games while Aman came home with a bronze medal.

While these two are the biggest achievers in the field, former European champion Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) will pose a significant challenge as he continues to find his space since he changed his nationality to Serbia. Paris Olympian Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) is also in the fray, giving a mouth-watering clash for the U.S. fans between him and Lee.

Iran is debuting Ahora KHATERI (IRI) at the senior level. He won the 2023 U17 World Championships at 45kg but moved to 60kg in one year and finished eighth at the U17 World Championships in 2024.

Iran's struggle at the lower weights has continued over a decade now and Khateri is touted as the most promising of the new lot. It is also trying its new batch at 61kg, sending Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), Ebrahim KHARI (IRI) and Reza Hossein MOMENI (IRI) to Zagreb.

But the star of the Iran line-up will be Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) who won the U20 and U23 World Championships gold medals at 125kg. He is likely to go unchallenged in Zagreb but the field includes Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO), Hayden ZILLMER (USA) and Mason PARRIS (USA) to name a few.

More closely contested battles will be on display at 92kg as Aaron BROOKS (USA) moves up from 86kg, a weight class he won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. He will have his hands full with Asian champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) and former U20 world champion Mohammadmobin AZIMI (IRI).

World silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) will be among the favorites for the gold along with former world silver medalist and Paris Olympian Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) who is returning to 92kg and will be joined by compatriot Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE). Boris MAKOEV (SVK) is also listed at 92kg for the competition.

Former Olympic and world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) will kick off his season in Zagreb and hope to reclaim the gold he lost in 2024 to Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI). The field at 97kg is a little thin but still has Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), Radu LEFTER (MDA) and Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) among others.

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is entered at 70kg for the Zagreb Open. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

2023 world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is entered at 70kg. He finished fifth at the same tournament in 2023 but will be the most experienced wrestler in the field this year. He will have a few known rivals in the field including James GREEN (USA), Alec PANTALEO (USA) and Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE).

Iran has gone with 2022 U17 world champion Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) and Sina KHALILI (IRI), a 2023 U17 world champion who finished seventh at the World Championships in Tirana last year.

Greco-Roman

Azerbaijan is all out with their Greco-Roman team in the first Ranking Series of the year. Three recent world champions, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) and Uvli GANIZADE (AZE) are part of a 22-member strong squad that also has Paris Olympic bronze medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), Tokyo bronze medalist Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE), Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) among other younger stars.

Jafarov will be back in action at 67kg and hopes to start his season on a high. The wrestlers trying to stop him include teenager Mohammadreza GHOLAMI (IRI) and U20 world champion Ahmadreza MOHSEN NEZHAD (IRI). The field also has former world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Morten THORESEN (NOR).

At 60kg, defending champion Sadyk LALAEV (AIN) leads the field, followed by Mammadli, the newly crowned world champion at 63kg. However, as Azerbaijan's first choice at the Olympic weight class, he is moving down to 60 kg. Paris Olympian Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) is also entered, along with U23 world champion Alisher GANIEV (UZB), who is known for his big moves.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) will face a tough challenge from the Iranian duo of Danial SOHRABI (IRI) and Tokyo Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI). World champion Ganizade is the defending champion at 72kg but Geraei will be keen on getting on top of the podium at an international event, a feat he hasn't achieved since winning gold at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in June 2022. Sohrabi too has blown hot and cold since winning gold at the U23 World Championships in 2022.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Zagreb Open will be a big test for Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) at 77kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The two of the highly competitive weight classes in Greco-Roman are 77kg and 87kg and the Zagreb Open will be no different.

At 77kg, Sergei KUTUZOV (AIN) will be back in action, facing a few of the mainstays of this weight class. Suleymanov will be looking to shake off his disappointment of missing a medal in Paris with a better showing in Zagreb.

But there are a few challenges. Paris Olympians Amin KAVIYANI (IRI) and Aram VARDANYAN (UZB) are competing in Zagreb and so is Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) who continues to build his profile. Gutu narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Paris Olympics but is one of the most dynamic wrestlers in the weight class. Surprisingly, former U17 world champion and Gutu's teammate Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) is also at 77kg.

Hungary has also sent Robert FRITSCH (HUN) and Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) at 77kg while Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) is a dark horse.

Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) is likely to have his Olympic bronze-medal bout rematch against David LOSONCZI (HUN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The 87kg weight class will see Paris bronze medalist Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) and a few other Paris Olympians as well. Bisultanov may have a rematch of his bronze-medal bout against David LOSONCZI (HUN) who is one of three Hungarian wrestlers entered. Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Istvan TAKACS (HUN) will also try to claim their stake for the spot on the Hungarian national team in this weight class.

Aues GONIBOV (AIN) and Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) are the two neutral athletes with decorated resumes. Former world champion Huseynov is also entered along with Ivan HUKLEK (CRO), Naser ALIZADEH (IRI), Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), Marcel STERKENBURG (NED), Exauce MUKUBU (NOR), Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) and Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB).