SKOPJE, Macedonia (May 15) – Armenia, Russia, and Turkey came into Tuesday nights finals with a pair of wrestlers searching for Cadet European titles, but Turkey was the only nation to claim more than one gold medal. 

Adem UZUN (TUR) only needed 36 seconds to dismantle Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM), 10-0 in the final bout at 51kg.

Uzun, the fifth-place finisher at the 2017 Cadet World Championships stopped Khndzrtsyan’s shot attempt and spun behind to pick up his first two points. The Turkish wrestler immediately rolled into a sequence of four gut wrenches to take the 10-0 win. 

Hamza ALACA (TUR), 2018 Cadet European champion. (Photo by Gabor Martin)

Hamza ALACA (TUR) gave Turkey their second gold medal of the night with a 12-2 routing of Stanislav NOVAC (MDA). 

Alaca, the two-time Cadet European bronze medalist trailed 2-0 in the first period after giving up an early takedown. He regained the lead with a four-point sequence and ended the match outscoring Novac 12-0 to take the 60kg crown. 

Armenia, Georiga, and Russia were the remaining nations who claimed a gold medal on the second day of wrestling in Macedonia. 

Rafayel HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) silenced the chants of “Basir” in the 45kg gold-medal bout, ending Besir ALILI’s (MKD) quest for a Macedonian Cadet Euro gold medal. 

Harutyunyan collected the Armenian flag from the blue corner after picking up the 10-0 technical superiority victory 24 seconds into the seconds period by jumping to a pair of trapped arm gut from a swing single. 

Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) 2018 Cadet European champion. (Photo by Gabor Martin)

Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) survived a late flurry of attacks in the 71kg gold medal bout to defeat Ramazan ABUZAGIDOV (RUS), 6-5. 

Gagnidze trailed early but ended the first period with a four-point throw, taking the 4-3 lead into the final period. 

The Russian wrestler nearly picked up a takedown with an underhook throw-by but stepped out before the takedown was awarded. After a failed Russian challenge, Gagnidze commanded the 6-3 lead with 17 second left. 

Abuzagidov used a two-point head pinch to move to within a point, but time expired and Gagnidze was victorious 6-5.

Russia's lone champion from the second day of action, Gadzhi GAMZATOV (RUS). (Photo by Gabor Martin) 

At 92kg, Gadzhi GAMZATOV (RUS) claimed the final gold medal of the day, giving Russia their lone champion by after trading blows with Johannes MAYER (GER) in the 18 point gold medal bout. 

RESULTS 

45kg
GOLD -  Rafayel HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Besir ALILI (MKD)  , 10-0 

BRONZE -  Vasile MARCU (MDA) df. Stanislau MAZOK (BLR)  , 10-4
BRONZE - Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) df. Vladyslav ABRAMOV (UKR)  , 4-2 

51kg
GOLD -  Adem Burak UZUN (TUR) df. Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM)  , 10-0 

BRONZE -Giorgi TCHOLADZE (GEO) df. Aleksandrs MOROZOVS (LAT)  , 9-7
BRONZE - Samvel TERZIAN (RUS) df. Ioannis MARTIDIS (GRE)  , 10-0 

60kg
GOLD - Hamza ALACA (TUR) df. Stanislav NOVAC (MDA)  , 12-2 

BRONZE - Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Bagrat PANDARIIA (RUS) 13-12 
BRONZE -  Simon Jakob MONZ (GER) df. Balint BALAZS (HUN)  , 14-6 

71kg
GOLD - Bagrati GAGNIDZE (GEO) df. Ramazan ABUZAGIDOV (RUS)  , 6-5 

BRONZE - Muhammet CAVUS (TUR) df. Vitali IHNATOVICH (BLR)  , 7-1 
BRONZE - Hristiyan Stefanov STEFANOV (BUL) df. Marian Luca RALL (GER)  , 10-0 

92kg
GOLD -  Gadzhi GAMZATOV (RUS) df. Johannes MAYER (GER)  , 12-6 

BRONZE - Cagri Can BAYRAM (TUR) df. Nika BERULAVA (GEO)  , 10-0
BRONZE -  Danylo STASIUK (UKR) df. Joel HENCZ (HUN)  , 10-0