#WrestleZagreb

Women's wrestling storylines to watch out for at Euros

Saturday, April 8, 2023 - 04:54 By Taylor GREGORIO

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ZAGREB, Croatia (April 8) -- From April 17 to 22, the best in Europe will assemble in Zagreb, Croatia and aim to be crowned continental champions.

The top four ranked wrestlers will be seeded for the tournament. The ranks were determined by performances at the 2022 World Championships and this year’s two Ranking Series events. This tournament will also serve as seeding criteria for the 2023 World Championships in Serbia.

Like other styles, the women’s field sets up the potential for massive milestones, exciting rematches and tons of talented wrestlers on display. All the action from Zagreb can be followed live on uww.org or on the UWW app.

Eight champions return

Eight of the 10 2022 European champions return in hopes of finding their way back to the podium. Leading the pack is five-time European champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR), registered at 76kg. Adar won four straight titles from 2016-2019 and claimed her fifth in 2022. Only two other Turkish women have topped the European podium, one of which was Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), who won the 50kg weight in 2022. A 2017 World bronze medalist and U23 World champion, Demirhan is back again this season, looking for her second title.

Along with Adar, three other women in the field already have multiple Euro titles under their belts, including Emma MALMGREN (SWE) at 53kg, Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) at 59kg and Irina RINGACI (MDA) at 68kg. Malmgren and Ringaci are both going for their third consecutive crowns, while Nichita won titles in 2020 and 2022.

Andreea ANA (ROU) at 55kg, Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) at 57kg and Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) at 65kg also make a run for another title in Zagreb.

Stadnik eyes 10th gold

Making her senior international debut in 2008, 35-year-old Mariya Stadnik goes for a historic 10th European gold medal. She won her first in 2009, just a few months after claiming her first Olympic bronze medal at the Beijing Games and just months before winning her first World title. Stadnik notched another European title in 2011 before going on a six-year championship run from 2014-2019. Her golds in 2015 and 2019 came in the form of European Games crowns. Stadnik’s most recent European win was in 2021 for a total of seven Euro Championships golds and two Euro Games golds.

In addition to her continental success, Stadnik is a two-time World champion, a four-time Olympic medalist and has four other World medals.

Nichita, Adar highlight 2022 World medalists

This year’s European Championships field will feature 11 medalists from last year’s World Championships, including two champions, one runner-up and eight bronze winners.

Nichita and Adar boast 2022 World golds as well as European golds and are the favorites in their respective weights.

At 62kg, Grace BULLEN (NOR), a 2022 World silver medalist at 59kg, seeks her third Euro title. She claimed her first in 2017 at 58kg, and in 2020, she was back on top of the podium, winning at 57kg.

Poland boasts three returning World medalists expected to compete in Anna LUKASIAK (POL) at 50kg, Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) at 57kg and Anhelina LYSAK (POL) at 59kg. Wrzesien and Lysak swapped weights this year and won their World medals at 59kg and 57kg, respectively. The other returning bronze medalists heading to Zagreb are Akobiia, Ringaci, Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) at 68kg, Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) at 72kg and Epp MAE (EST) at 76kg.

World champs, Olympic medalists in fray

It’s clear that the field is loaded with women’s talent that has won recent major tournaments. However, there are still several more expected in Croatia that have reached the pinnacle of the sport. Outside of those that have already been named, there are two other World champions and two other Olympic medalists. World champs include 2014 gold medalist Yuliia TKACH (UKR) at 59kg and 2021 gold medalist Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) at 62kg, while the Olympic medalists are Tokyo bronze medalists Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) at 57kg and Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) at 62kg.

#WrestleAlexandria, #WrestleParis

Algeria wins 5 Paris quotas at African & Oceania qualifiers; Elsayed falls

Friday, March 22, 2024 - 12:41 By Vinay Siwach

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ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 22) -- Algeria emerged as the most successful nation on the first day of the African & Oceania OG Qualifiers with five Greco-Roman quotas in Alexandria. Egypt was second with four spots while Tunisia won two and Morocco managed to grab one.

Egypt has the chance to complete the line-up with six quotas as it has already won one at the World Championships and was hoping to win the remaining five in Alexandria. But Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY), the top seed and favorite to win one of the two 67kg spots, lost to Souleymen NASR (TUN) 7-4.

For Algeria, Tokyo Olympians Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) and Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) led a strong performance, qualifying for the 60kg and 87kg weight classes. Fadi ROUABAH (ALG) grabbed the quota at 97kg, Abd OUAKALI (ALG) made it at 77kg and Ishak GHAIOU (ALG) won at 67kg.

Fergat controlled his semifinal against Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR) and scored two turns from par terre while Ettalibi failed to score any. Fergat won 5-1. In the second semifinal, Moamen MOHAMED (EGY) survived a scare against Latuf MADI (COM), winning 6-5.

Made did well to not give up any points from par terre in the first period but Mohamed managed pushout in the second period to make it 2-0. As Mohamed tried to hit another big move on Madi, he fell on his own back, giving Madi two points. A lost challenge from Egypt made it 3-2. It became 5-2 when Madi once again blocked an attempted throw from Mohamed.

With time ticking, Mohamed got Madi in a bear hug and launched a big move, earning him four points and a 6-5 lead. He kept Madi in danger till 10 seconds left which he saw off.

Sid Azara dominated his bouts winning all three bouts including the semifinals via superiority. He defeated Roberto NSANGUA (ANG) 8-0 in a minute and 52 seconds to earn a Paris ticket.

Fellow Tokyo Olympian Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) also dominated his earlier bouts but was in trouble in the semifinal against Hakim TRABELSI (TUN). Metwally perhaps took it easy against Trabelsi who threw him for four using a headlock in the first second of the semifinal.

Metwally gathered himself after that eye-opener. Trabelsi was penalized for a headbutt but kept a 4-3 lead. The referees then cautioned Metwally for a headbutt, extending Trabelsi's lead to 6-3. But Metwally came out all guns blazing in the second period and at one point caught Trabelsi in a lock. Unfortunately, he fell on his back and gave up two points before scoring a reversal. As Metwally tried scoring from that position, Trabelsi committed a leg four, getting him a second caution and two-point penalty. Trabelsi was finally cautioned out of the bout when he blocked Metwally who hit a four and tried to pin Trabelsi.

Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) fell in the 67kg quarterfinal.

At 67kg, after beating Elsayed, Nasr earned a Paris quota with a solid 11-0 win over Sahid KARGBO (SLE) in the semifinals. In the quarterfinal, Nasr was the first to get the par terre advantage and he rolled Elsayed twice to lead 5-0 before Elsayed scored a stepout to cut it to 5-1. In the second period, Elsayed scored a turn from par terre to make it 5-4 and as he was trying to lift Nasr for a throw, Nasr's head touched outside the zone and the referee blew the whistle. Elsayed gave up another point for a challenge.

With 1:33 left on the clock, Nasr scored a stepout when Elsayed was trying an arm throw. Nasr's lead swelled to 7-4 and Elsayed found no opening in the remaining time. Elsayed was in disbelief as he left the mat.

Ghaiout denied Australia a Greco-Roman qualification after he defeated Ando LEHTMETS (AUS) 5-1 in the semifinal.

At 97kg, Rouabh denied Tokyo Olympian Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN) another trip to the Games after an 8-0 win in a minute and 57 seconds. The other Tokyo Olympian in this weight class, Mohamed GABR (EGY) won a spot with a 10-0 win over Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR).

The same set of countries earned the Paris spots at 77kg as well with Abd OUAKALI (ALG) beating Yassine CHEKLY (MAR) 11-0 while Mahmoud ABDELRAHMAN (EGY) blanked Dean VAN ZYL (RSA) 9-0 just before the first period ended.

In the 130kg weight class, four wrestlers were entered in the tournament. Oussama ASSAD (MAR) confirmed his Paris Olympic qualification in the morning while Amine GUENNICHI (TUN) got a walkover from Marcus CARNEY (NZL) and earned the ticket to Paris.

The African & Oceania OG Qualifiers will continue on Saturday with Women's Wrestling and Freestyle on Sunday. Watch live on uww.org or UWW+.

 

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RESULTS

60kg

Paris Qualification Bouts
SF 1: Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) df. Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR), 5-1
SF 2: Moamen MOHAMED (EGY) df. Latuf MADI (COM), 6-5

67kg

Paris Qualification Bouts:
SF 1: Souleymen NASR (TUN) df. Sahid KARGBO (SLE), 11-0
SF 2: Ishak GHAIOU (ALG) df. Ando LEHTMETS (AUS), 5-1

77kg

Paris Qualification Bouts:
SF 1: Mahmoud ABDELRAHMAN (EGY) df. Dean VAN ZYL (RSA), 9-0
SF 2: Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (ALG) df. Yassine CHEKLY (MAR), 11-0

87kg

Paris Qualification Bouts:
SF 1: Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) df. Hakim TRABELSI (TUN), via cautions (13-9)
SF 2: Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) df. Roberto Mbaio NSANGUA (ANG), 8-0

97kg

Paris Qualification Bouts:
SF 1: Mohamed GABR (EGY) df. Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR), 10-0
SF 2: Fadi ROUABAH (ALG) df. Mohamed Skander MISSAOUI (TUN), 8-0

130kg

Paris Qualified Wrestlers

Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)
Oussama ASSAD (MAR)