ISTANBUL (June 25) – Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) is proof that the greatest gifts come in small packages.  You can ask her coach.

The sprightly sprite rolled to her third European junior wrestling champion title at 44kg on Thursday evening with a 12-8 victory over Ksenia STANKEVICH (BLR) as the women’s events got under way at Bagcilar Sports Complex.

But, it was not all easy going. Selishka, who dialed up three technical falls in the morning session, was stunned when Stankevich scored a four-point takedown off a single-leg early in the bout.

“I was a little nervous about (being behind) in the beginning, but I knew I had time and I figured it was time to start wrestling,” said Selishka, who went to work with single-leg attacks and the occasional gut wrench to forge the win..

“I’m happy to win the gold medal again and happy that I did my job” Selishka said after defeating Stankevich for the gold medal a second straight year.

Her coach and self-proclaimed “second father,” Petar KASABOV (BUL) added further: “I’m so happy for Miglena and so proud to be her coach. She is the biggest and best wrestler a coach could ever hope for.”

With Selishka’s third junior European title in hand, the remaining three titles on offer all went to young wrestlers who were competing one year ago as cadets (wrestlers aged 15-17).  Most notable among these “youngsters” was Grace BULLEN (NOR) who claimed a senior-level bronze medal at the recent European Games in Baku.

Bullen, last year’s European and world cadet champion as well as Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games gold medalist, flattened three foes all in under two minutes at 59kg in the morning.  And then, dominated European under-23 bronze medal winner Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN), 7-2, for her first junior crown.

Asked about competing across different age groups over the last 12 months, Bullen explained “There are, of course, many more strong wrestlers at the junior-senior level with much more experience.”

“But I train very hard every day with many good people. So even though there is a big difference in age, I try to overcome it with my training." 

The gold medal final at 51kg saw two more Nanjing 2014 medalists in action with YOG bronze medalist Olena KREMZER (UKR) cobbling together a 5-0 win over silver medal winner Leyla GURBANOVA (AZE).

In the day’s finale, European and world cadet champion Nicole AMANN (GER) started slow in the 67kg final, but pulled away in the second period to pin former European cadet champion Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) at 4:11.

Competition at Bagcilar Sports Complex continues Friday with the final four categories in women’s wrestling at 48, 55, 63 and 72kg.

Women’s Wrestling

44kg (12 entries)
Gold – Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) df. Ksenia STANKEVICH (BLR), 12-8
Bronze – Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Morgane GIRARD (ITA) by TF, 12-0, 1:14
Bronze – Turkan NASIROVA (AZE) df. Anzhelika FEDOROVA (RUS), 7-2

51kg (12 entries)
Gold – Olena KREMZER (UKR) df. Leyla GURBANOVA (AZE), 5-0
Bronze – Eva SAUER (GER) df. Arianna CARIERI (ITA), 6-4
Bronze – Ksenia NEZGOVOROVA (RUS) df. Jenna SIHTOLA (FIN), 2-2

59kg (14 entries)
Gold – Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN), 7-2
Bronze – Kriszta INCZE (ROU) df. Derya BAYHAN (TUR) by TF, 15-2, 4:51
Bronze – Elin NILSSON (SWE) df. Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) by TF, 14-3, 4:26

67kg (14 entries)
Gold – Nicole AMANN (GER) df. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) by Fall, 4:11 (6-2)
Bronze – Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df. Evgenia ANDREICHENKO (BLR) by Fall, 0:27 (4-0)
Bronze – Moa NYGREN (SWE) df. Sofia GEORGIEVA (BUL), 9-3