#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest Day Seven Finals Preview Show

Sunday, April 3, 2022 - 14:37 By Eric Olanowski

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (April 3) --- For the last time in Budapest, we welcome you back to the Bok Sports Hall for the 2022 European Championships. We’ll crown the final five champs at 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg.

The 60kg finals will be must-watch tv between two of the weights most offensives wrestlers in the world, ’20 European champ Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) and Kerem KAMAL (TUR).

Kamal has grabbed European titles at the Cadet, Junior, and U23 age-groups, but has fell in back-to-back senior-level European gold-medal matches.

You’ll see Hungary’s first finalist at 67kg, where VANCZA Krisztian (HUN) will square off against returning European bronze medalist Murat FIRAT (TUR).

The second Hungarian going for Day Seven gold is FRITSCH Robert (HUN). He’ll take on reigning European champion Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO) for 72kg gold.

At 82kg, Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist and ’21 world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) will try to win a second European title in the last three years. He’ll wrestle Georgia’s Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO).

The fifth and final gold-medal bout will be at 97kg, where Finland’s Arvi SAVO-LAI-NEN will compete against Kiril MILOV of Bulgaria.

We’ll start an hour earlier than the previous six days, so we’ll see you back here at 17:00 to close out the European Championships.

Sunday's Final Matchups:
60kg: Kerem KAMAL ?? vs. Edmond NAZARYAN ??
67kg: Krisztian VANCZA ?? vs. Murat FIRAT ??
72kg: Robert FRITSCH ?? vs. Shmagi BOLKVADZE ??
82kg: Rafig HUSEYNOV ?? vs. Gela BOLKVADZE ??
97kg: Kiril MILOV ?? vs. Arvi SAVOLAINEN ??

#WrestleBratislava

Adar, the woman of firsts in Turkiye wrestling, retires

Friday, April 11, 2025 - 09:17 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 10) -- Turkiye's first-ever Olympic medalist, first-ever world and European champion in Women's Wrestling, Yasemin ADAR (TUR)retired Thursday after 16 years of international wrestling.

A winner of seven gold medals at the European Championships did not have a fairytale ending as she lost the 76kg final against Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) on Thursday at the European Championships in Bratislava.

Despite the loss, Adar undoubtedly retires the trailblazer in Women's Wrestling for Turkiye. In 2016, she won her first European title to create history before adding the world title in 2017. In 2021, she became the first Turkish wrestler in Women's Wrestling to win the bronze medal when she pinned Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) to claim the medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

"I had an incredible career in the 76kg category," Adar said after the European Championships final. "I had many successes and many firsts. I became a two-time world champion. I was at the Olympics with bronze medal. So I have an incredibly beautiful career and I am proud of myself. I can't believe it. It's very difficult to describe. I am very emotional today."

Adar, who had tears in her eyes while was taking off her shoes on the mat to mark her retirement, is aptly called the "woman of firsts" in Türkiye. With her teammates and family in the stands cheering for her, the final match became even more emotional for Adar.

"I finished my wrestling and believe me it was not easy at all," she said. "I even rehearsed it many times before coming here. I said this is where I will finish my career. In my speech, I always wanted to be considered as the legend of 76kilograms. This match was more nervous for me. I had planned it beforehand, I knew that this match was the last match. Even though I couldn't earn the gold medal, I ended it with silver. But believe me, there are really great successes in my career."

On how she came to the decision of retiring at the European Championships, Adar was clear that she wanted to pass on the baton to the younger generation.

"Even if you don't want it, wrestling starts to leave you," she said. "Although there are those who say I am very good, I try to compare it to a situation like this. I am 34-years-old with an 18-year-old athlete and unfortunately we cannot have the same performance."