DORTMUND, Germany (June 28) – Reigning world champion Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) cruised in the 55kg final and defending European champion Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS) pounded out a 4-0 win in the freestyle finale at the Junior European Wrestling Championships.

Russia and Azerbaijan divvied up the gold medals – two for each – on Wednesday, the final day of freestyle events at Helmut Kornig Halle, but  Russia grabbed the team title, 67-58, over Azerbaijan with Georgia a distant third place with 52 points.

Russia crowned four champions, anchored by Dibirov, over the two days of freestyle competition, while Azerbaijan grabbed three of the titles and Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) snared one for Georgia, at 96kg, on the opening day of the championships.

In the first final of the evening, Khashalov opened with a takedown and a pair of cross-ankle turns for a 6-0 lead and cruised to a 13-2 technical fall victory over Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL). It was Khashalov’s third technical fall of the day as he outscored four opponents, 47-2.

In the bronze medal finals at 55kg, Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) created scoring opportunities with his unorthodox style for a 10-0 victory at 1:16 over Leonid COLESNIC (MDA).  Former European cadet bronze medalist Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO) countered 2016 cadet champion Alik KHADARTSEV (RUS) effectively to claim an 8-6 victory.

Khashalov’s teammate at 84kg, defending European champion Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE) ducked behind Gadzhimagomed NAZHMUDINOV (RUS) in the closing seconds and pulled his opponent’s posterior to the mat at 5:55 to secure the victory.  A challenge from the Russian corner gave Magomedsaidov an additional point to make the final score 4-1.

In the bronze medal finals at 84kg, Zaur BERADZE (GEO) stepped to the side of a back-arching throw attempt midway through the second period by Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM) and pressed for the fall.  Osman GOCEN (TUR), the 2016 world junior silver medalist, capped a 10-0 technical fall at 2:17 with a gut wrench against Pavel UNTILA (MDA).

Anzor ZAKUEV (RUS) got Russia rolling at 66kg, closing the first period with a double-leg attack for four points and opening the second with an inside trip for four more as he rolled to an 11-1 technical fall victory over Mahal NOVRUZOV (AZE).

In the bronze medal finals at 66kg, 2016 bronze medalist Csaba VIDA (HUN) rolled up a 12-2 technical fall with a tight cross-ankle lock and turn for his second European junior medal.

Former European cadet runner-up Dzhemal ALI (BUL) locked around the head and near leg of Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) midway through the second period and rolled his opponent over for the fall at 4:30.

In the 120kg final, defending champ Dibirov found the going tough against Hovhannes MAGHAKYAN (ARM), scoring only a step-out and receiving a point off the 30-second clock before slipping out of desperation throw by the 2015 European cadet silver medalist for a late takedown and a 4-0 win.

In the bronze medal finals at 120kg, Jakub BRYLEWSKI (POL) blocked a pair of upper-body throw attempts by Onur ALKANOGLU (TUR) and landed on top the second for a fall at 5:15. Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA) scored a late takedown and held on for a 6-6 win on criteria over Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO).

Wrestling continues with the women’s events on tap for Thursday and Friday.

Results of the Medal Finals and Semifinals

Freestyle

55kg (16 entries)
Gold – Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) df. Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL) by TF, 13-2, 4:20 
Bronze – Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Leonid COLESNIC (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 1:16
Bronze – Teimuraz VANISHIVILI (GEO) df. Alik KHADARTSEV (RUS), 8-6 

Semifinal – Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE) df. Leonid COLESNIC (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 0:57
Semifinal – Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL) df. Teimuraz VANISHIVILI (GEO), 8-4

66kg (17 entries)
Gold – Anzor ZAKUEV (RUS) df. Mahal NOVRUZOV (AZE) by TF, 11-1, 3:46
Bronze – Csaba VIDA (HUN) df. Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) by TF, 12-2, 2:20
Bronze – Dzhemal Rushen ALI (BUL) df. Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) by Fall, 4:30 (5-4)

Semifinal – Anzor ZAKUEV (RUS) df. Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) by TF, 12-2, 3:39
Semifinal – Mahal NOVRUZOV (AZE) df. Dzhemal ALI (BUL) by TF, 11-0, 1:08

84kg (20 entries)
Gold – Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE) df. Gadzhimagomed NAZHMUDINOV (RUS), 4-1
Bronze – Zaur BERADZE (GEO) df. Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM) by Fall, 3:59 (8-5)
Bronze – Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Pavel UNTILA (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 2:17

Semifinal – Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE) df. Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM) by Fall, 3:25 (10-0)
Semifinal – Gadzhimagomed NAZHMUDINOV (RUS) df. Pavel UNTILA (MDA), 6-0

120kg (16 entries)
Gold – Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS) df. Hovhannes MAGHZKYAN (ARM), 4-0
Bronze – Jakub BRYLEWSKI (POL) df. Onur ALKANOGLU (TUR) by Fall, 5:15 (5-2)
Bronze – Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA) df. Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO), 6-6

Semifinal – Hovhannes MAGHZKYAN (ARM) df. Onur ALKANOGLU (TUR), 8-3 
Semifinal – Magomedamin DIBIROV (RUS) df. Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO), 2-2

Team Rankings (Top Six)
1. Russia, 67 points (4 gold medals, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
2. Azerbaijan, 58 (3-2-1)
3. Georgian, 52 (1-1-3)
4. Moldova, 40 (0-0-2)
5. Turkey, 39 (0-0-1)
6. Armenia, 27 (0-1-2)