#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest: Kamal third time lucky to win European title

Sunday, April 3, 2022 - 18:40 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (April 3) -- Turkey claimed back-to-back gold medals to close out the European Championships in Budapest. 

Overall, Turkey finished with three gold, one silver, and three bronze at the tournament to finish 150 points. However, this was not enough to overtake Azerbaijan which had 165 points and won the Greco-Roman team title. Georgia finished third with 114 points.

Kerem KAMAL (TUR) was third time lucky in the final as he won the gold after previously losing two finals in 2020 and 2021. But in his third final in three years, he defeated former European champ Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) 5-0 to win at 60kg.

"I have been waiting for this for a very long time," Kamal said. "This is my third final and I lost the first final 5-5, the second final 3:1, finally I managed to win the gold medal. I am still very young and have many goals."

After getting a point for Nazaryan's passivity, Kamal managed to score from a step-out to lead 2-0. A second-period takedown and a step-out gave him a comfortable 5-0 lead.

Nazaryan looked like a shadow of himself from Saturday. He had defeated defending champion Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) 10-1 in the semifinal but could not repeat the performance in the final.

Kamal was well aware of Nazaryan's abilities to score from par terre and had planned to not let the Bulgarian get that chance.

"I know exactly who is the father [Armen NAZARYAN] of my opponent in the final," he said. "I know with which technique he became Olympic champion. His son [Edmond] is as good and talented as his father. I knew it would be hard, but I won with my will and stubbornness."

Kamal burst into the scene with three back-to-back world titles and has now added all age-group European titles to his name. Kamal, all recovered from his injury at the U23 Worlds, has his eyes set on a senior World title.

"I suffered a serious injury at the U23 World Championships six months ago," he said. "I know who I am and what I want, and I know that I always want to be the strongest."

Murat FiratMurat FIRAT (TUR) won the gold at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The second gold for the nation came from Murat FIRAT (TUR) as he denied Krisztian VANCZA (HUN) a gold medal at home. In the close final, Firat used an exposure close to the zone to win 3-1.

Vancza had his chance to take the lead when Firat was called passive but he did not manage to score any points from par terre in the second period.

This was Firat's second championships win, seven years after he won the first one at the junior European title in 2015.

Robert FRITSCHRobert FRITSCH (HUN) won Hungary's first gold of the tournament. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Hungary did have a home champion as Robert FRITSCH (HUN) upset Rio bronze medalist Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-2, at the 72kg final. In one of the closest bouts of the tournament, Bolkvadze led 1-0 at the break for a passivity point.

But Fritsch bounced back with a gut wrench from par terre to lead 3-1. A reversal point for Bolkvadze but his lead to 3-2 but he managed to hang on for the win.

In a historic feat, Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE) became the first-ever Azerbaijan wrestler to win three European titles.

Wrestling Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) in the 82kg final, Huseynov gave up a point for passivity but defended the par terre position. Georgia asked for a challenge for Huseynov's fleeing but lost it. Huseynov got the second point from Bolkvadze's passivity and kept the 2-1 lead to win the gold.

The final gold of the tournament went to Kiril MILOV (BUL) who upgraded from his silver in 2019. With fond memories of Budapest, he changed the color of his medal with an error-less performance in the final against Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 4-1.

Milov got the match-deciding gut wrench in the second period to defeat the former U23 world champion Savolainen who won the title in Budapest three years ago.

GR medal bouts

60kg
GOLD: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df (BUL) Edmond NAZARYAN, 5-0

BRONZE: Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) df Razvan ARNAUT (ROU), 5-2
BRONZE: Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) df Erik TORBA (HUN), 5-1

67kg
GOLD: Murat FIRAT (TUR) df Krisztian VANCZA (HUN), 3-1

BRONZE: Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) df Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO), via fall
BRONZE: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) df Sebastian NAD (SRB), 8-1

72kg
GOLD: Robert FRITSCH (HUN) df Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), 3-2

BRONZE: Ulvi GANIZADE (AZE) df Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU), 14-7
BRONZE: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) df Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO), via fall

82kg
GOLD: Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) df Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), 2-1

BRONZE: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df Mihail BRADU (MDA), 4-1
BRONZE: Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df Pascal EISELE (GER), 6-1

97kg
GOLD: Kiril MILOV (BUL) df Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), 4-1

BRONZE: Daniel GASTL (AUT) df Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE), 4-1
BRONZE: Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR) df Felix BALDAUF (NOR), 8-0

#WrestleBudapest

Maroulis golden in Budapest; India wins two Ranking Series golds

Friday, July 18, 2025 - 23:55 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 18) -- Three pins, zero points given and only 10 minutes spend on the mat for four bouts.

Helen MAROULIS (USA) did not show any signs of a one-year break from international wrestling and won the 57kg gold medal at the Budapest Ranking Series on Friday.

The three-time Olympic medal had not wrestled since winning the bronze-medal at the Paris Games but when she stepped on the mat in Budapest, it felt as if Maroulis was never off it.

Maroulis was the lone gold medalist from the United States among the five World Championships team members competing on Friday. India captured two of the five gold medals on offer in Women's Wrestling as ANTIM (IND) won her second straight Ranking Series gold at 53kg while Asian U20 champion HARSHITA (IND) rose above her level to beat three-time world silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) at 72kg.

Hosts Hungary also managed to get a gold, its third-ever in Women's Wrestling at Ranking Series events, as Erika BOGNAR (HUN) defeated Elena BRUGGER (GER) in the 59kg final. Turkiye won the 50kg gold medal through Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR).

Maroulis, who was coached by Paris Olympic champion Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), drew compatriot Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) in the first round. She had beaten Martinez at the Final X last month to make the World Championships team.

It took Maroulis some time to pick up pace but once she did, the bout was over in two minutes as she pinned Martinez using her signature arm-bar technique.

In the only match she failed to pin her opponent, Maroulis defeated Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW), 7-0, keeping her position as solid as possible. In the semifinals, Tamara DOLLAK (HUN) was pinned using the same arm-bar after an 11-0 lead to reach the final.

Neha SANGWAN (IND), world U20 bronze medalist and Mongolia Open winner, reached the other side of the bracket with good wins. She got the taste of elite wrestling when Maroulis foot-swept her on the mat and then secured the fall in just 31 seconds.

Maroulis did her punch in the air celebrations after the final and felt ready for the World Championships in September when she can win her fourth world title.

Twin golds for India

Antim and Harshita were the two gold medal winners for India, the only country to achieve two golds on Friday in Women's Wrestling.

Antim picked up from where she had left off in Ulaanbaatar and won three of her four bouts via technical superiority including a 10-0 opening round victory over Zeynep YETGIL (TUR). Antim had lost 10-0 to Yetgil in the first round of Paris Olympics and left the mat in tears.

But Budapest was entirely different as she did not even let Yetgil reach her legs, forget scoring points on her. In the semifinal, she blanked Felicity TAYLOR (USA), 10-0, and booked a place in final against Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW).

In Ulaanbaatar, Antim had beaten Malysheva twice, both via technical superiority. While the final did not go how she planned, Antim still beat Malysheva 7-4 to win the gold medal for India.

Malysheva was on the activity clock after avoided a few attacks from Antim who scored a takedown soon after the activity period to lead 3-0 in the final. But she got a misdirection takedown in the second period to cut the lead to 3-2.

Antim performance a slide to go-behind and score another takedown and stretch the lead to 5-2. An ankle pick made it 7-2 before a last-second takedown from Malysheva cut the lead to 7-4.

But Antim would the win, two months before the World Championships where she is already has a bronze medal.

Harshita was a little more dominant at 72kg as she won gold over Bakbergenova by blanking the Kazakhstan wrestlers 10-0 in the Round 5 bout as this weight class had five wrestlers.

She opened the day with a fall over Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) in the first round. Lecarpentier was not happy with the fall and pushed Harhista as the Indian was trying to stand up after the whistle. Lecarpentier was disqualified for her actions.

Harshita was unfazed by that incident and continued her progress, winning the next bout against Kseniia BURAKOVA (UWW), again via fall. She got a walkover by Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) in Round 4.

The Round 5 bout against Bakbergenova became a virtual final and Harshita was the underdog against the former Asian champion.

Bakbergenova was put on the activity clock and after getting the one point, Harshita scored a double-leg takedown to make it 3-0. In the second period, Harshita got Bakbergenova in trouble using a double-leg attack but the Kazakhstan wrestler throw her using chest-wrap. Harshita defended it well and kept control on Bakbergenova which ultimately got her four points.

In the same sequence, Harshita rolled Bakbergenova for two more points to lead 9-0. A stepout finished the bout 10-0.

Hosts Hungary celebrated the gold medal at 59kg after Bognar defeated Brugger 2-1 in the 59kg final, with all three points begin activity clock points. Brugger got a passivity against her t o give Bognar the lead. Brugger took a 1-1 criteria lead when Bognar was called passive and put on the activity clock.

There was third passivity it was Brugger who was put on an activity clock. She once again failed to score and Bognar took a 2-1 lead and the victory.

Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) needed a late counterattack against Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) to win 50kg gold medal.

RESULSTS

50kg
GOLD: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW), 9-6

BRONZE: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) df. Erin GOLSTON (USA), 10-0
BRONZE: NEELAM (IND) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (UWW), 6-3

53kg
GOLD: ANTIM (IND) df. Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW), 7-4

BRONZE: Felicity TAYLOR (USA) df. Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), 11-0
BRONZE: Seoyoung PARK (KOR) df. Vestina DANISEVICIUTE (LTU), 5-0

57kg
GOLD:  Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. NEHA (IND), via fall

BRONZE: Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 7-4
BRONZE: Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) df. Tamara DOLLAK (HUN), 10-3

59kg
GOLD: Erika BOGNAR (HUN) df. Elena BRUGGER (GER), 2-1

BRONZE: Nadzeya BULANAYA (UWW) df. Arian CARPIO (PHI), via fall
BRONZE: Abigail NETTE (USA) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), 7-1

72kg
GOLD: HARSHITA (IND)
SIILVER: Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
BRONZE: Kseniia BRATCHIKOVA (UWW)