#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest: Women's wrestling bracket reactions

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 29) – The women's wrestling will begin Wednesday at the European Championships and the brackets for the 10 weight classes were released.

The European Championships is the first competition in which the four-seed system is being used and all weight categories were drawn after considering the seeds.

Ukraine will also be part of the women's competition and is allowed to replace the wrestler at any weight class if the name entered is not able to participate.

50kg (11 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Emilia VUC (ROU)
No. 2 Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
No. 3 Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
No. 4 Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)

The top two seeds Emilia VUC (ROU) and Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) are expected to reach the final at 50kg. But for that, Vuc will first have to wrestle the winner of Nataliia KLIVCHUTSKA (UKR) and Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA).

Fourth seed Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR) has Lisa ERSEL (GER) in the quarterfinal and the winner will reach the semifinal from the upper side of the bracket.

If Selishka wants to reach the semifinal, she has to get past one of Szimonetta SZEKER (HUN) or Turkan NASIROVA (AZE). In most likelihood, the semifinal will be against third seed Anna LUKASIAK (POL) who has to wrestler Julie SABATIE (FRA) or Emilia CIRICU BUDEANU (MDA).

In rankings, Vuc and Selishka are also fighting for the second spot and whoever finishes better, will be ranked second.

53kg (11 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
No. 2 Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
No. 3 Emma MALMGREN (SWE)
No. 4 Annika WENDLE (GER)

Top seed Iulia LEORDA (MDA) has a place in the quarterfinal of the 11-wrestler bracket. But if she wants to reach the semifinal, she will have to beat one of the three-time Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) or Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA).

For fourth-seed Annika WENDLE (GER), Zenyep YETGIL (TUR) can prove to be a big problem.

On the lower side of the bracket, Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) is likely to the same fourth-seed junior world champion Emma MALGREM (SWE) in the quarters. The semifinal can then see one of them facing the winner of Irena BINKOVA (BUL) and Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL).

A big shift in rankings is expected as Leorda, who is third, can dethrone top-ranked Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) by winning the gold.

55kg (9 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR)
No. 2 Andreea ANA (ROU)

In the top two seeds of the weight class hold, Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) and U23 world and European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) are expected to wrestle for the gold medal.

The two are the most accomplished wrestler in the bracket and only a big surprise will stop her from reaching the gold medal bout.

57kg (9 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
No. 2 Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
No. 3 Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
No. 4 Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) is seeded number one for the weight class and will face the winner of Jenna HEMIAE (FIN) and Tamara DOLLAK (HUN).

But the quarterfinal between number two seed and U23 world champ Anhelina LYSAK (POL) and defending champion Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) will be the biggest bout of this weight class as the two have the potential to win the gold.

59kg (7 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
No. 2 Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
No. 3 Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)

Since there were only seven participants in the 59kg weight class, the brackets were drawn in two groups. Third seed and former European champion Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) is the favorite to win the gold in the weight class and she is in Group B.

But it won't be easy for her as Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) is also in the same group. She had defeated Nichita at the U23 World Championships last year.

62kg (12 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Taybe YUSEIN (BUL)
No. 2 Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
No. 3 Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)

In the 12-wrestler bracket at 62kg, Olympic bronze medalist Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) is seeded number one with Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) taking the second seed.

Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), ranked third with 43200 points, has to reach the final in Budapest to overtake second-ranked Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI (JPN) [51000 points].

Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) is ranked ninth with 25000 points. A gold will improve her rank to sixth. Anything less than a bronze finish will not help the Ukrainian improve her rankings.

Luisa NIEMESCH (GER), ranked 20th, will jump to the 13th spot if she can reach the medal bouts.

65kg (6 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
No. 2 Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
No. 3 Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)
No. 4 Asli TUGCU (TUR)

There are only six participants in the bracket divided into two groups of three wrestlers each. Kriszta INCZE (ROU) is the top seed and she has fourth seed Asli TUGCU (TUR) and Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL) in her group. Two from the group will qualify for the semifinal.

In the second group, Tokyo Olympian Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) and Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) are placed together with Viktoria VESSO (EST). The two from this group will also advance to the semifinal.

The semifinalists will be placed in cross-style with the topper of Group A facing the second-placed wrestler in Group B and vice-versa.

68kg (8 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
No. 2 Natalia STRZALKA (POL)

The 68kg weight class has only two seeded wrestlers which means that they can only wrestle in the final.

But 65kg world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) is wrestling one weight class up and she could not have asked for a tougher test against former world champion Alla BELINSKA (UKR). The winner of this bout will face the winner of top-seed Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) and U23 European silver medalist Amina CAPEZAN (ROU) in the semifinal.

In the lower side of the bracket, Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) and Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) clash in the first quarterfinal while Natalia STRZALKA (POL) and Asli DEMIR (TUR) clash in the other quarterfinal.

72kg (9 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Anna SCHELL (GER)
No. 2 Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR)
No. 3 Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)

After their intense battle in Istanbul, Anna SCHELL (GER) and Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR) will resume their rivalry in Budapest. The two can only meet in the final as the two are top-two seeds.

But to reach there, Schell will likely go through U23 world champion Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) in her first bout.

For Tosun, Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) is the first stop and if she wins the tie, she will face one of Patrycja SPERKA (POL) or Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU).

Schell can be top-ranked if she can win the gold Thursday but fourth-ranked Tosun has no luck when it comes to rankings. She will remain at the fourth spot even if she wins the gold medal. She will have 43000 points and be tied with world champion Masako FURUICHI (JPN) and silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ). Since Bosun won a bronze, she cannot go over the two finalists in Oslo.

76kg (12 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Epp MAE (EST)
No. 2 Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
No. 3 Francy RAEDELT (GER)
No. 4 Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)

World silver medalist Epp MAE (EST) has never beaten Tokyo bronze medalist Yasemin ADAR (TUR) in their three meetings. Now, she may have another chance if the two top-seeded wrestlers can win and reach the final.

Her first bout will be against the winner of Enrica RINALDI (ITA) and Fanni NAGY NAD (SRB). If she manages to reach the semifinal, one of Catalina AXENTE (ROU), Georgina NELTHORPE (GBR) or Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) will be her opponent.

On the lower side, Adar will have either Mariya ORYASHKOVA (BUL) or Romana VOVCHAK (UKR) in the quarterfinals.

But Martina KUENZ (AUT) will be looking to avenge her loss over Adar from the World Olympic Qualifiers in Sofia. The two are likely to meet in the semifinal.

#WrestleBudapest

Ranking Series: Tazhudinov Shows No Rust on His Way to Gold

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 17) --  Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) gave an early preview to what to expect from him at the World Championships in September.

The Paris Olympic champion won the gold medal in the 97kg weight class at the Budapest Ranking Series, outscoring his opponents 44-2 in four bouts and never appearing in trouble on the mat.

"I feel very good," Tazhudinov said. "I'm very happy to be back on the mat. It’s been almost a year I haven’t been competing  and it’s such a pleasure for us when you come back and win a gold medal."

The final Ranking Series event of the season kicked off in Budapest on Thursday with several familiar names winning gold medals. Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN), world silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), world U20 champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) and SUJEET (IND) were among the gold medalists on day one.

But none were as dominant as Tazhudinov.

The Bahrain star returned to competition for the first time since Paris Olympics competing last week in Madrid, where he won gold at the Grand Prix of Spain. In Budapest, he followed it up with another flawless run, claiming his second gold medal in as many weeks.

"Overall I’m satisfied with my performance. I would say I’m not yet in full form, so I’m pleased with how I did. I’ll reach 100% form by the World Championships," he said.

Wrestling in just his third career Ranking Series, Tazhudinov capped the day with an 11-0 technical superiority win over veteran Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) in the final.

He opened the tournament with a 14-2 win over Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA), who clearly looked smaller for the weight class and had trouble matching Tazhudinov in every aspect of the game.

Tazhudinov hit a big double-leg attack for four points but Viskhanov got two points for exposure. But that was only opening Tazhudinov allowed for the rest of the bout. Viskhanov tried a few leg attacks but Tazhudinov scored a takedown and two turns to be up 10-2 before an arm-bar attempt turned into takedown for his win.

In the quarterfinals, Tazhudinov needed just one minute to defeat Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (UWW). In the semifinals, he dispatched Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) in 1:48, winning 10-0.

Despite the dominant performance in Budapest, Tazhudinov admitted the World Championships would present a tougher challenge. He’s expected to defend his 97kg world title in Zagreb.

"We’ll have two training camps leading up to the World Championships, and I think after those camps I’ll be fully ready," he said. "There will be very strong, tough opponents. So I’ll prepare thoroughly and focus on performing even better."