RIGA (March 9) – World champions had a tough night Wednesday at the European championships, but Las Vegas silver medalists Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) and Petra OLLI (FIN) emerged victorious at the European wrestling championships.

Mattsson notched her fourth fall of the day in the 53kg final for her fifth overall continental crown and Olli defeated reigning world champion at 60kg Oksana HERHEL (UKR) for her first senior European title -- making silver the new gold at Arena Riga.

Meanwhile, in the men’s events, world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) claimed the medal he “missed” last year but struggled in winning it and Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) forged a technical fall at 97kg worthy of the “God of Thunder” moniker appearing on some websites after his triumph.

Mattsson kicked the evening off with her fourth fall of the day, catching challenger Irina KURACHKINA (BLR) with a half-nelson and whip-over off a single-leg attack for the pin only 53 ticks into the women’s 53kg final.

Asked about her plans leading up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in August, Mattsson replied that she plans to remain active in competitions “I have never wrestled better, so I want to keep up with my schedule. Why change?”

Olli, who had won four European junior titles, 2011-2014, and then captured the European under-23 championship crown last year, pinned Herhel in the U23 semifinals before claiming her fifth age-group title in a row.

“We’ve (Herhel and I) wrestled a number of times in the past, so I knew what to expect from her,” Olli said after her victory. “I knew that if I wrestled smart, I would be ok.”

Most feared is Herhel’s headlock, and even though the world champ uncorked three throw attempts during the bout with effect, but Olli slipped under and behind her opponent’s grip for six of her eight points in an 8-2 decision.

After four technical falls in the early session, expectations were raised for Chamizo in the evening. But the world champ stepped onto the mat with a heavily tapped elbow and appeared to wrestle cautiously against Mustafa KAYA (TUR) in the 65kg final.

Late in the second period after Kaya took a 5-4 lead and attack the ankles of the world champion, Chamizo backed over his opponent, using his legs to turn his opponent on his way to an 8-6 victory.

“I’m not going to wrestle in anymore competitions until the Olympic Games,” Chamizo announced to reporters. “I want to rest my elbow and prepare for the Games.”

“I chose to wrestle here because I wanted a chance to win the medal I should have at the European Games last year,” said Chamizo, alluding to his loss by fall to Togrul ASGAROV (AZE) in the 65kg final.

At 97kg, Boltukaev, who defeated world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) at the Yarygin Grand Prix in January, hacked his way through a thicket of opponents that included European Games runner-up Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) and London 201 silver medalist Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR).

In the gold medal final, Boltukaev found his rhythm in the second period to hand Ivan YANOUSKI (BLR) an 11-0 technical fall loss for his first-ever European championship crown.

Results

Men’s freestyle

65kg (23 entries)
Gold – Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df. Mustafa KAYA (TUR), 8-6
Bronze – Israil KASUMOV (RUS) df. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), 13-4
Bronze – Semyon RADULOV (UKR) df. Agahueseyin MUSTAFAEV (AZE) by Fall, 5:38 (4-5)

97kg (21 entries)
Gold – Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) df. Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) by TF, 11-0, 3:36
Bronze – Erik THIELE (GER) df. Micheil TSIKOVANI (GRE), 5-1
Bronze – Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) df. Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR), 3-1

Women’s Wrestling

53kg (16 entries)
Gold – Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) df. Irina KURACHKINA (BLR) by Fall, 0:53 (4-0)
Bronze – Nina HEMMER (GER) df. Estera DOBRE (ROU) by Fall, 4:14 (6-4)
Bronze – Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR) df. Natalia BUDU (MDA), 5-2

60kg (10 entries)
Gold – Petra OLLI (FIN) df. Oksana HERHEL (UKR), 8-2
Bronze – Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) df. Charlotte SKAUEN (NOR) by Fall, 2:18 (10-0)
Bronze – Yulia PRONTSEVICH (RUS) df. Gabriella SLEISZ (HUN) by TF, 10-0, 4:33