WALYBRZYCH, Poland (March 24) – Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) won Italy’s first men’s freestyle gold medal at a European Championships in nearly a quarter century as the inaugural under-23 continental championships got under way.

Chamizo won the cat-and-mouse game with Zarubi IAKOBASHVILI (GEO) in the 65kg final, jumping behind a double-leg attack in the first period and throwing a hip-toss counter in the second for a 4-0 victory at Aqua Zdroj Sports Center.

“I’m so very happy to participate in this event for Italy and to have this victory,” beamed Chamizo, becoming Italy’s first European champion in freestyle since Giovanni SCHILLACI (ITA) won the 62kg crown at senior continental meet in 1992.

Along with his European crown, Chamizo won the Pan American title in 2010 at 55kg for Cuba and later that year added a bronze medal at the Moscow world championships.
Asked about his next challenge, Chamizo pointed to the European Games in June and the world championships in the United States which will also serve as the first qualifying meet for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Confided Chamizo, however, “At this moment, I can’t say too much about Baku or Las Vegas because there are so many opponents who are so quick and strong. I think I will enjoy this victory for a bit and then get back to work.” 

Meanwhile, even though Chamizo’s victory was only one blemish on Georgia’s near perfect day of wrestling, Zurab ERBOTSONASHVILI (74kg) and Omar GUSOSHVILI (97kg) won back-to-back gold medals as Georgia bagged four medals on the first day of the meet.

Gusoshvili, a bronze medalist at the Medved Prizes three weeks ago, stormed from behind with seven unanswered points in the second period to defeat European junior champion Nurmagomed GADZHIEV (AZE), 9-2, in the day’s finale.

Erbotsonashvili, meanwhile, took a penalty point and caution off the 30-second clock in the first period of the 74kg final and made it stand for a 1-1 victory over last year’s  European silver medalist Grigor GRIGORYAN (ARM).

In the 57kg final, Yarygin Grand Prix silver medalist Ismail MUSKAEV (RUS) capped a one-sided bout with 2011 junior world runner-up Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) with a four-point takedown to the back for an 11-0 technical fall triumph.

Along with Musukaev’s gold medal, Russia also bagged a pair of bronze medals while Turkey grabbed three bronze medals after being held winless in the semifinals.

57kg (17 entries)
Gold - Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) df. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) by TF, 11-0, 3:46
Bronze - Nebi UZUN (TUR) df. Juan Pablo GONZALEZ (ESP) by TF, 13-2, 6:00
Bronze - Beka BUDZHIASHVILI (GEO) df. Mirjalal HASANZADE (AZE) by TF, 13-1, 2:54

65kg (18 entries)
Gold - Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df. Zarubi IAKOBASHVILI (GEO), 4-0
Bronze - Evgeni ZHYERBAEV (RUS) df. Narek SIRUNYAN (ARM), 9-2
Bronze - Magomed MUSLIMOV (AZE) df. Maxim PERPELITA (MDA), 7-4

74kg (21 entries)
Gold - Zurab ERBOTSONASHVILI (GEO) df. Grigor GRIGORYAN (ARM), 1-1
Bronze - Mihaly NAGY (HUN) df. Ismail ENGIN (BUL), 9-7
Bronze - Murat ERTURK (TUR) df. Kubilay CAKICI (GER) by TF, 12-2, 4:54

97kg (19 entries)
Gold - Omar GUSOSHVILI (GEO) df. Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE), 9-4
Bronze - Yusuf Can ZEYBEK (TUR) df. Alxios KAOUSLIDIS (CYP), 8-0
Bronze - Zaynulla KURBANOV (RUS) df. Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER) by TF, 11-0, 5:49