#WrestlePlovdiv

#WrestlePlovdiv: Golden Pair Ringaci, Nichita Defend U23 European Titles

Thursday, March 10, 2022 - 19:45 By Vinay Siwach

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PLOVDIV, Bulgaria (March 10) -- World champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) and her teammate Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) continued their winning start to the year as they defended their U23 European Championships title in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

The pair showed the gulf of class between them and the rest of the field, winning the gold medals with ease and adding to their stellar collection of titles.

At 68kg, Ringaci, who won the Dan Kolov Invitational tournament last month, outscored her opponents 38-2 en route to the gold medal to become a three-time U23 European champion.

“I feel great in the new weight class 68kg,” Ringaci said. “It's a new experience and I get to wrestle some new wrestlers and I will continue to wrestle in this weight [for Olympics].”

After winning Moldova's first-ever gold in women's wrestling in Oslo last year, Ringaci remained out of competition for five months but looked as good as ever on her return.

In the final, the 21-year-old wrestled Asli DEMIR (TUR) and blanked her 6-0. The two had wrestled before at Individual World Cup in 2020. Ringaci won that battle 14-4.

This time, Ringaci did not let Demir score any points and defend all attacks from the 2-on-1 position. Her ability to wear out her opponents made it even more difficult for Demir to score.

Ringaci scored four points in the second period but was in no hurry to finish the bout, playing out the clock for a 6-0 win.

Anastasia NICHITAAnastasia NICHITA (MDA) won the 59kg final 12-0 against Magdalena GLODEK (POL). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Nichita's title defense at 59kg was similar to last year as she did not look in any trouble.

Against Magdalena GLODEK (POL), Nichita began with a takedown and added two more points with a go behind.

Glodek's attacks were easily countered and a cool-as-ice Nichita was leading 8-0 at the break. She finished the bout with a four-pointer.

“I don't think too much about the final,” Nichita said. “I just treat it as any other bout or like training. So that's why don't care about the final.”

Nichita began the season with a gold-winning performance at the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series event in Istanbul, Turkey last month and says is looking forward to competing at more ranking events.

“I want to make some ranking points at 59kg and I will be at 59kg this year,” she said. “This was a good test for me for the senior competition this month where I will wrestle at 59kg.”

But as the Paris Olympics come close, Nichita will opt for 57kg as her preferred weight class.

Moldova was the only country to have two gold medals Thursday but have a chance to win another Friday. Nichita hopes that girls in her country can continue the good work.

“We have some good girls and I want them to continue working hard and get some good results,” she said. “We work hard in training and you can see the result so I want to keep this going with the whole team.”

Andreea ANAAndreea ANA (ROU) won her first European title in Plovdiv. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

U23 world champion Andreea ANA (ROU) won her first continental title after she defeated Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), 10-0 in the 55kg final. The Azerbaijan wrestler was called passive and a double-leg blast for four points helped Ana lead 5-0 at the break.

She began the second period with a go-behind before adding a stepout. The Romanian then slowed down the bout and was happy to play out the clock for the rest of the bout.

But countering a Mammadova attack, she got another two points to finish the bout 10-0.

Ana had not won a Championships before the Worlds in Belgrade but now has two back-to-back. The confidence from the Belgrade win will help her to be better at winning the finals.

“I think the world title win in Belgrade helped me a lot,” Ana said. “That made me stronger mentally and removed a big block.”

Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA)Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA) celebrates after winning the 50kg gold medal in Plovdiv. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 50kg, Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA) ended her country's four-year wait for a U23 Euro title by winning the gold against Szimonetta SZEKER (HUN).

In a 3-0 win, the France wrestler got a point for Szeker's passivity and score two via a takedown. The 23-year-old joins Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) as the only U23 European champions.

Hungary did finish with a gold medal as Bernadett NAGY (HUN) defeated Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU), 4-0 in the 76kg.

Daughter of two-time cadet world champion Attila NAGY (HUN), Bernadett scored via two takedowns, the only action in the final.

Her wrestling skills were honed at the Ujpesti Torna Egylet club in Budapest, which she joined as a 12-year-old following the wrestling tradition of her family.

While her win denied Gaucaite to become Lithuania's first-ever European champion, it was still historic as Gaucaite was the first-ever finalist from her country.

Along with her, Gabija DILYTE (LTU)'s bronze at 50kg was the nation's first medal at the U23 level.

The remaining five finals of women's wrestling will be held Friday.

Bernadett NAGY (HUN)The four medalists at 76kg including gold winner Bernadett NAGY (HUN). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

RESULTS

WW Medal Bouts

50kg
GOLD: Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA) df Szimonetta SZEKER (HUN), 3-0

BRONZE: Lisa ERSEL (GER) df Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE), 9-8
BRONZE: Gabija DILYTE (LTU) df Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR), via fall

55kg
GOLD: Andreea ANA (ROU) df Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), 10-0

BRONZE: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df Mariia MARTYNCHUK (SVK), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) df Nova BERGMAN (SWE), 3-1

59kg
GOLD: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df Magdalena GLODEK (POL), 12-0

BRONZE: Morena DE VITA (ITA) df Anna SZEL (HUN), via inj. def.

68kg
GOLD: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df Asli DEMIR (TUR), 6-0

BRONZE: Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) df Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER), 3-1
BRONZE: Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE) df Marta OJEDA NAVARRO (ESP), 603

76kg
GOLD: Bernadett NAGY (HUN) df Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU), 4-0

BRONZE: Mehtap GULTEKIN (TUR) df Vanesa KALOYANOVA (BUL), 1-1
BRONZE: Marion BYE (NOR) df Lolita OBOLEVICA (LAT), via fall

Day 4 Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) vs Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)

SF 1: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) df Rahime ARI (TUR), 6-1
SF 2: Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) df Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE), via fall

62kg
GOLD: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) vs Anna FABIAN (SRB)

SF 1: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df Paulina DANISZ (POL), 6-1
SF 2: Anna FABIAN (SRB) df Luisa SCHEEL (GER), via fall

65kg
GOLD: Amina CAPEZAN (ROU) vs Ewelina CIUNEK (POL)

SF 1: Amina CAPEZAN (ROU) df Yagmur CAKMAK (TUR), 4-2
SF 2: Ewelina CIUNEK (POL) df Viktoria VESSO (EST), 13-8

72kg
GOLD: Maria NITU (ROU) vs Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)

SF 1: Maria NITU (ROU) df Kendra DACHER (FRA), 10-0
SF 2: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) df Tuende ELEKES (HUN), 5-0

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships 2025 Day 2 Live Blog

Monday, August 18, 2025 - 07:13 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 18) -- The U20 World Championships enter the second day with four more Freestyle weight classes -- 57kg, 65kg, 79kg and 92kg. The competition began Sunday, read the recap here.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

The semifinals will begin at 17:00 hours

14:18: Anar JAFARLI (AZE) with a huge four-pointer to trip SACHIN (IND) and then uses a high gut to finish the 92kg quarterfinal 10-0.

14:15: Sumit MALIK (IND) denies Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) a semifinal place at 57kg. Malik with a four-pointer in his 9-2 win as Baghirov could not match the pace. 

14:06: Another Yamanashi Gaikun University wrestler Reiji UCHIDA (JPN) on the rise! Uchida locks Sanjarbek RUSTAMBEKOV (UZB) in a leg lace and finishes the match 11-0 to reach the 65kg semifinals.

14:02: Luke STANICH (USA) is into the semifinals at 65kg! He hangs on for a 3-3 criteria win over Alessandro NINI (ITA) after scoring a takedown which was latest action in the match. Incidentally, both Stanich and Nini were born in New Jersey and train 100 kilometres from each other -- Stanich at Lehigh and Nini at Rutgers

13:55: European U20 champion Davit TCHETCHELASHVILI (GEO) built a 3-0 lead but William HENCKEL (USA) bounces back with two takedowns to lead 4-3 at the break in their 79kg quarterfinal. Henckel gets a stepout in the second period to extend his lead to 5-3 while defending those attempted duckunders. Tchetchelashvili hits a takedown to lead 5-5 on criteria with 1:50 left in the match. Henckel hits a takedown to reclaim the lead 7-5 with a minute left in the match. A double-leg from Henckel as he gets two and a turn for a fall gives two more points to make his lead 11-5. Henchkel downs Tchetchelashvili 11-5.

13:40: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) downs defending 79kg champion Alp Arsalan BEGENJOV (TKM) 6-4, avenging his 10-0 loss to the Turkmenistan wrestler from last year. Begenjov had a 1-1 criteria lead after a stepout but Yousefi scored a stepout and Begenjov called for a medical timeout. With a 2-1 lead for Yousefi, the bout restarted in par terre and the Iranian managed to turn Begenjov for two points to lead 4-1 with 1:53 left in the match. Yousefi then stopped a duckunder and scored a takedown but Begenjov managed a takedown to make it 6-3. Yousefi was fleeing during that attack for which he was cautioned and bout restarted in par terre with 6-4 lead for Yousefi. Begenjov failed to turn Yousefi from par terre, ending his title defense.

13:25: World U17 champion Vasif BAGHIROV (AZE) has reached the quarterfinal at 57kg as he looks to add a U20 world title to his name. He will face Sumit MALIK (IND).

13:15: Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) launched Connor MIRASOLA (USA) for a counter chest wrap four-pointer and then adds couple of stepouts to lead 6-1. Mirasola comes out on top in one of the scrambles to make it 6-3 with a minute left in the bout. Kurugliyev with a stepout and Mirasola with a takedown but the Kazakh returning bronze medalist wins 7-5 and advances to the 92kg quarterfinals.

13:00: Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ), Asian U20 silver medalist, runs off to a 14-3 technical superiority win over Anthony KNOX (USA) at 57kg to enter the quarterfinals. 

12:55: Sumit MALIK (IND) pulls off a last-second victory over Rin SAKAMOTO (JPN), who will be at 57kg for the senior World Championships as well for Japan. Malik was down 10-1 but somehow mounted a comeback in the second period with a four-pointer and a takedown to make it 10-7. He scored another takedown to score 10-9 with 7 seconds left. Sakamoto wins but India challenge for a singlet-foul which on review is confirmed and a 10-10 win for Malik.

12:40: Aliasghar TATHASHTIKEH (IRI) managed to come within one point distance of Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) in the 65kg bout but goes down 10-9. Dzhandubaev, the European U20 champion, led comfortably before his conditioning struggles became evident. Three takedowns for Tathashtikeh to make it 10-8 with 20 seconds left on the clock but the Iranian managed only a stepout.

12:20: Mahdi YOUSEFI (IRI) with a fall over Narek NIKOGHOSYAN (ARM) at 79kg after building an 8-0 lead. On Mat C, defending champion at 79kg Alp Arsalan BEGENJOV (TKM) with two big moves to win 11-0 against Gan Erdene BAATARKHUU (MGL)

12:10: Yerkhan ABIL (KAZ) is too much for returning bronze medalist at 79kg Leandro ARAUJO (BRA) as the Kazakh wrestler wins 6-0. Totally shut down Araujo in that bout.

12:05: European U20 champion Davit TCHETCHELASHVILI (GEO) pins Antoni MAJCHRZAK (POL) on the mat after a four-pointer and gets the victory via fall.

12:00: In a thrilling repechage bout, returning silver medalist Ladarion LOCKETT (USA) scores a takedown with 3 seconds left to beat European U20 champion Manuel WAGIN (GER) at 74kg. Wagin hit a front headlock four-point throw to lead 5-4 but Lockett somehow managed to overturn the result of a heated bout.

11:40: Anthony KNOX (USA), wrestling internationally for the first time, doesn't waste much time and beats Mykola BRATOV (UKR) via technical superiority at 57kg.

11:30: Anar JAFARLI (AZE) hangs on for a 3-2 win against Orazmuhammet HOJALYYEV (TKM) at 92kg. Tough match for Jafarli, a returning bronze medalist.

11:25: Magomed OZDAMIROV (UWW) with a beautiful arm-throw against Arshia HADDADI (IRI) for four points. Haddadi could never recover and loses his first bout at 57kg 6-1. 

11:15: Viktor BOROHAN (UKR) with a four-pointer to take the lead 4-4 on criteria against ASHWANI (IND) and win at 65kg. The European U20 silver medalist over Asian U20 silver medalist

11:10: Leg lace is what Amal DZHANDUBAEV (UWW) gets to win his first bout at 65kg against Agha GASIMOV (AZE). Dzhandubaev is the European U20 and U23 champion this year.

11:05: Returning 79kg bronze medalist Mohammad YOUSEFI (IRI) warms up with a 10-0 win over Ion MARCU (MDA). Yousefi is a senior Asian champion this year.

11:00: Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR) comes out blazing with a takedown and then gut-wrenches Luke STANICH (USA) for an 8-0 lead. Toprak has some conditioning trouble and slowly feels the pressure of Stanich, who now has three takedowns to cut the lead to 8-6 with more than 2 minutes left in the bout. Stanich takedonw takedown to make it 8-8 and take the criteria lead. Toprak keeps going for Stanich's legs but the U.S. wrestler is quick to counter and score. He turns using a lace and now leads 16-8. He finishes with another takedown wins 18-8.

10:55: Muradkhan OMAROV (AZE), who won a silver medal at the European U20 Championships, had a slow start against David KODAKOV GIL (ESP) at 79kg but then jumps to a 9-2 lead as Kodakov Gil was seemingly passive. Omarov wins 9-2 and advances at 79kg

10:40: Defending 79kg champion Alp Arsalan BEGENJOV (TKM) starts off with a technical superiority win over Ivan ANDONOV (BUL). Begenjov gets on the scored with an activity point and then scores a takedown and turn to lead 5-0 at the break. He then counters with two chest wrap throws for four points to win 11-0.

10:35: Pan-Am U20 champion William HENCKEL (USA) raced to 5-0 lead against Maksat TABYLDYEV (KGZ) gets a few points back. Henckel, however, manages to hang on for a 8-5 win at 79kg. 

10:30: European U20 champion Davit TCHETCHELASHVILI (GEO) and Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) in a back-and-forth bout at 79kg. But Tchetchelashvili manages to score every time Gharehdaghi scores. Eventually, the Georgian manages to win 12-8.

10:00: The day will start with the repechage from Sunday's weight classes and then move to qualifications of today's weights beginning with 79kg.