#WrestleBucharest

European Championships 2024 Entry List

By United World Wrestling Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (January 22) -- United World Wrestling has released the preliminary entries for the European Championships, which take place in Bucharest, Romania.

The competition will kick off on February 12 with Greco-Roman, followed by Women's Wrestling and Freestyle. The tournament will finish on February 19.

Note: The entries are subject to change three days before the official draws of the respective styles.

Freestyle

57kg
Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN)
Zavur UGUEV (AIN)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Ivaylo Milenov TISOV (BUL)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Nikolaos VLANDOS (GRE)
Igor CHICHIOI (MDA)
Razvan KOVACS (ROU)
Antal VAMOS (SRB)
Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)

61kg
Andrei BEKRENEU (AIN)
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN)
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Mezhlum MEZHLUMYAN (ARM)
Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE)
Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
Levan METREVELI (ESP)
Arman ELOYAN (FRA)
Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Daniel POPOV (ISR)
Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Benjamin BOEJTHE (ROU)
Nils LEUTERT (SUI)
Nebi UZUN (TUR)
Valentyn BLIASETSKYI (UKR)

65kg
Islam GUSEINOV (AIN)
Shamil MAMEDOV (AIN)
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE)
Ayub MUSAEV (BEL)
Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
Carlos ALVAREZ (ESP)
Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO)
Andre CLARKE (GER)
Joshua FINESILVER (ISR)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Stefan COMAN (ROU)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)

70kg
Inalbek SHERIEV (AIN)
Uladzislau KOIKA (AIN)
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE)
Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA)
Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO)
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Gianluca TALAMO (ITA)
Egzon XHONI (KOS)
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
George BUCUR (ROU)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Haydar YAVUZ (TUR)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)

74kg
Nikita DMITRIJEVS MAYEUSKI (AIN)
Timur BIZHOEV (AIN)
Cherman VALIEV (ALB)
Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM)
Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE)
Ibragim VELIEV (BEL)
Ivan STOYANOV (BUL)
Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP)
Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA)
Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO)
Stas WOLF (GER)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Raul CASO (ITA)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD)
Patryk OLENCZYN (POL)
Krisztian BIRO (ROU)
Malik AMINE (SMR)
Tobias PORTMANN (SUI)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Vadym TSURKAN (UKR)

79kg
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN)
Akhmed USMANOV (AIN)
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Orkhan ABASOV (AZE)
Miroslav KIROV (BUL)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Pouria TAHERKHANI (GER)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)
Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA)
Dejan MITROV (MKD)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU)
Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
Umar MAVLAEV (SUI)
Ramazan SARI (TUR)
Oleksii DOMANYTSKYI (UKR)
Iman MAHDAVI (UWW)

86kg
Arkadzi PAHASIAN (AIN)
Artur NAIFONOV (AIN)
Mushegh MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)
Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Miko ELKALA (FIN)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Matthew FINESILVER (ISR)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Alans AMIROVS (LAT)
Domantas PAULIUSCENKO (LTU)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Ahmad MAGOMEDOV (MKD)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Vasile MINZALA (ROU)
Myles AMINE (SMR)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

92kg
Yaraslau IADKOUSKI (AIN)
Magomed KURBANOV (AIN)
Knyaz IBOYAN (ARM)
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Joshua MORODION (GER)
Balazs JUHASZ (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Andrian GROSUL (MDA)
Adam MODOSJAN (MKD)
Michal BIELAWSKI (POL)
Zoltan SZEP (ROU)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Denys SAHALIUK (UKR)

97kg
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN)
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN)
Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM)
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Erik THIELE (GER)
Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Georgian TRIPON (ROU)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR)
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)

125kg
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN)
Abdulla KURBANOV (AIN)
Martin SIMONYAN (ARM)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)
Alen KHUBULOV (BUL)
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE)
Abraham CONYEDO (ITA)
Gheorghe ERHAN (MDA)
Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Michael MANEA (ROU)
Magomedgadzhi NURASULOV (SRB)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) is the reigning European champion at 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Vitalii KABALOEV (AIN)
Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Stefan GRIGOROV (BUL)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Artiom DELEANU (MDA)
Denis MIHAI (ROU)
Adem UZUN (TUR)
Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR)

60kg
Hleb MAKARANKA (AIN)
Sadyk LALAEV (AIN)
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)
Nedyalko PETROV (BUL)
Nikolai MOHAMMADI (DEN)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Leo TUDEZCA (FRA)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
Georgios SCARPELLO (GER)
Ilias ZAIRAKIS (GRE)
Melkamu FETENE (ISR)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Olivier SKRZYPCZAK (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Georgij TIBILOV (SRB)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Viktor PETRYK (UKR)
Jamal VALIZADEH (UWW)

63kg
Yaraslau KARDASH (AIN)
Zhambolat LOKYAEV (AIN)
Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
Aker SCHMID (AUT)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL)
Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
Brian SANTIAGO (DEN)
Stefan CLEMENT (FRA)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Christopher KRAEMER (GER)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Mairbek SALIMOV (POL)
Pavel ALEXE (ROU)
Virgil BICA (SWE)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)

67kg
Maksim NEHODA (AIN)
Ruslan BICHURIN (AIN)
Gjete PRENGA (ALB)
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
Abu AMAEV (BUL)
William REENBERG (DEN)
Nestori MANNILA (FIN)
Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA)
Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
David MANYIK (HUN)
Shon NADORGIN (ISR)
Andrea SETTI (ITA)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Mihai MIHUT (ROU)
Sebastian NAD (SRB)
Niklas OEHLEN (SWE)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)
Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)

72kg
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (AIN)
Narek OGANIAN (AIN)
Ashot KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL)
Dominik ETLINGER (CRO)
Matias LIPASTI (FIN)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
Michael WIDMAYER (GER)
Krisztian VANCZA (HUN)
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Iulian LUNGU (ROU)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Michael PORTMANN (SUI)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)

77kg
Shuai MAMEDAU (AIN)
Adlet TIULIUBAEV (AIN)
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Marcos SANCHEZ (ESP)
Akseli YLI HANNUKSELA (FIN)
Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Idris IBAEV (GER)
Robert FRITSCH (HUN)
Riccardo ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Juan AAK (NOR)
Patryk BEDNARZ (POL)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Ali ARSALAN (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Per OLOFSSON (SWE)
Yunus BASAR (TUR)
Ihor BYCHKOV (UKR)

82kg
Stanislau SHAFARENKA (AIN)
Islam ALIEV (AIN)
Kelsi NELAJ (ALB)
Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Filip SACIC (CRO)
Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Deni NAKAEV (GER)
Evangelos BOUKIS (GRE)
Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA)
Adam GARDZIOLA (POL)
Vasile COJOC (ROU)
Marc WEBER (SUI)
Mats AHLGREN (SWE)
Alperen BERBER (TUR)
Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)

87kg
Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN)
Alan OSTAEV (AIN)
Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM)
Lukas STAUDACHER (AUT)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Yoan DIMITROV (BUL)
Matej MANDIC (CRO)
Raido LIITMAEE (EST)
Tourpal MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Pascal EISELE (GER)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)
Exauce MUKUBU (NOR)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Nicu OJOG (ROU)
Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)
Ramon BETSCHART (SUI)
Alex KESSIDIS (SWE)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Zhan BELENIUK (UKR)

97kg
Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)
Artur SARGSIAN (AIN)
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Kiril MILOV (BUL)
Filip SMETKO (CRO)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Richard KARELSON (EST)
Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO)
Anton VIEWEG (GER)
Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Luca SVAICARI (ITA)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Roman BALCHIVSCHII (MDA)
Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Patrik GORDAN (ROU)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR)
Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR)

130kg
Dzmitry ZARUBSKI (AIN)
Sergei SEMENOV (AIN)
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Heiki NABI (EST)
Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
Franz RICHTER (GER)
Apostolos TSIOVOLOS (GRE)
Dariusz VITEK (HUN)
Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Artsiom SHUMSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Boris PETRUSIC (SRB)
Delian ALISHAHI (SUI)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)

Grace BULLEN (NOR)62kg finalists from last year Grace BULLEN (NOR) and Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) are entered for the European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN)
Viyaleta REBIKAVA CHYRYK (AIN)
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Gabija DILYTE (LTU)
Maria LEORDA (MDA)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emilia VUC (ROU)
Khrystyna BASYCH (SVK)
Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

53kg
Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (AIN)
Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN)
Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Irena BINKOVA (BUL)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Sztalvira ORSUS (HUN)
Maria FERONE (ITA)
Laura STANELYTE (LTU)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Veronika RYABOVOLOVA (MKD)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Beatrice FERENT (ROU)
Jonna MALMGREN (SWE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR)

55kg
Ekaterina VERBINA (AIN)
Oleksandra KOGUT (AUT)
Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE)
Sezen BELBEROVA (BUL)
Maria BAEZ DILONE (ESP)
Tetiana PROFATILOVA (FRA)
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Roksana ZASINA (POL)
Andreea ANA (ROU)
Tuba DEMIR (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)

57kg
Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (AIN)
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)
Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Anna MICHALCOVA (CZE)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Ana PUIU (ROU)
Evelina HULTHEN (SWE)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)

59kg
Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN)
Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN)
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Fatme SHABAN (BUL)
Amel REBIHA (FRA)
Kelsey BARNES (GBR)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Tamara DOLLAK (HUN)
Ramina MAMEDOVA (LAT)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Othelie HOEIE (NOR)
Patrycja GIL (POL)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR)

62kg
Veranika IVANOVA (AIN)
Alina KASABIEVA (AIN)
Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Lydia PEREZ (ESP)
Viktoria VESSO (EST)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Amina CAPEZAN (ROU)
Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Ebru DAGBASI (TUR)
Yuliia TKACH (UKR)

65kg
Tatsiana PAULAVA (AIN)
Amina TANDELOVA (AIN)
Taybe YUSEIN (BUL)
Iris THIEBAUX (FRA)
Anne NUERNBERGER (GER)
Nikoleta BARMPA (GRE)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)

68kg
Hanna SADCHANKA (AIN)
Vusala PARFIANOVICH (AIN)
Albina DRAZHI (ALB)
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Nerea PAMPIN BLANCO (ESP)
Koumba LARROQUE (FRA)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Laura GODINO (ITA)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Paula ROTARU (ROU)
Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR)

72kg
Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN)
Kseniia BURAKOVA (AIN)
Yuliana YANEVA (BUL)
Kendra DACHER (FRA)
Eleni CHRYSIKAKI (GRE)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Fanni NAGY NAD (SRB)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)

76kg
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN)
Rita TALISMANOVA (AIN)
Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Epp MAE (EST)
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Aikaterini PITSIAVA (GRE)
Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
Veronika NYIKOS (HUN)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Daniela TKACHUK (POL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Yasemin ADAR YIGIT (TUR)
Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR)

#WrestleTirana

Jamalov loss, historic Olympic medal for Albania, defensive style: Valiev opens up to UWW

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 21) -- Cherman VALIEV (ALB) sits in the 'VIP Lounge' of the Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana on the sidelines of the U23 World Championships. He certainly is a very important person in Albania. At the Paris Olympics in August, Valiev won the bronze medal in the 74kg weight class, becoming Albania's first-ever Olympic medalist in any sport.

Two months later, he has had time to reflect on his Paris Olympic campaign, the controversial loss against Razambek JAMALOV (UZB), and is preparing for the new season, in which he wants to avenge that loss against Jamalov.

United World Wrestling caught up with Valiev on the sidelines of the U23 World Championships. Excerpts from the interview:

Chermen VALIEV (ALB)

- Reflecting on his bronze medal at the Paris Olympics

Valiev: It’s a dream for every athlete to compete at the Olympic Games. As for me, I was able to win a medal. It’s a historic medal for Albania, the first one ever in any sport. It’s a great honor for me that I was able to live up to their expectations. When I joined the national team, they believed in me. I am glad that I could meet their expectations.

I was given an apartment in Albania for winning the Olympic bronze. I am very grateful that they value the athlete’s hard work. I was given prize money as well. Sometimes people on the streets in Albania would come over and ask for a photo. It’s really nice and it motivates me to continue giving my all to show the best results. 

I realize that I’ve won a medal at the Olympic Games. This motivates me to keep working even harder. Time flies quickly, and before you know it, the next Olympic Games will be here.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB)

- Experience at the Paris Olympics

Valiev: I think I gave my all in those two days and did everything I could. I wrestled with all my strength and did my best on the mat. As I said before, I had four matches in Paris, and I won all four of them. To this day, I have been reviewing the matches and I believe that I won without any doubts. If there was any other wrestler in my position he would defend when leading the match. I wasn’t fleeing the mat, I was just defending and this is within the rules.

[In the bronze medal bout], I was emotionally motivated to avenge that loss in Istanbul [at the World Olympic Qualifier]. It was crucial for me at that time to prove that I was better than him, and I was very determined and focused on that match. So, I convincingly defeated Viktor with a score of 6-2 in Paris.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB)

- On his return to Ossetia after Paris Olympics

Valiev: I was welcomed very well in Ossetia as if I was an Olympic champion. I received a lot of support, people were saying that I was their Olympic champion. Even many people not from Ossetia, but from other regions were saying that they saw everything and that I was an Olympic champion for them. It’s very pleasing for me to be appreciated that way.

- On his wrestling style

Valiev: I am not going to change anything in my style. If you don't defend in wrestling, you will give up points. I defend and attack at the same time, scoring points. After all, I win matches somehow. If I didn’t attack, the referees wouldn’t give me points. As I said before, I will try to take the lead in order to avoid such situations in the future. I haven’t really noticed anyone saying that I have a passive wrestling style. I don’t know how to explain it, but as soon as I feel the referee is about to give a passivity point, I always try to change the course of the match. 

I don’t usually prepare for any specific wrestler. I just do my job. I have a plan in my head, I watch their matches, and I know their strengths and weaknesses. For example, if I know he has a signature move, I try not to get caught for that. Sitting and watching the matches of my opponents all day long isn't something I do.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB)

- On growing up with wrestling

Valiev: Wrestling is the number one sport in Ossetia. In my hometown Ardon, there was just wrestling and football. My elder brother started wrestling first. All our family is into it. My father used to wrestle as well. There are three kids in the family. My brother, sister and myself. I started wrestling when I was eight years old. My dad was wrestling only when he was at school, but my elder brother still trains, he sometimes competes at the local tournaments and finishes on the podium. So there was no choice. I liked playing football as well, but up until now, I do freestyle wrestling. When I was wrestling at the cadet level, I started showing some good results, I started going here and there to the training camps and competitions. I really loved that atmosphere of traveling to different places and meeting new people. So, I couldn’t give it up.

When I was a kid, the coaches were telling me that I was talented and that I had to train hard, but it wasn’t something like being a wonder kid or someone very special.

- On his idol Kudukhov

Valiev: I always wanted to be like Besik KUDUKHOV. I always tried to copy his wrestling style, his moves and his throws. He was super-fast and I really copied him, but only when I was a child. Over time I’ve got my own style and technique. It’s difficult to be as fast as he was. I got the chance to train with Besik only once. It was two days before he died. Up until now, people keep saying that he was a very well-mannered, decent man. He was not just a good wrestler, but also a very kind person. 

- On his return to competition next year

Valiev: My next tournament will be a Ranking Series here in Albania. When I step on the mat, the number one priority for me is to win the match. Of course, the Olympic medal gives me more confidence and status, but the medal won’t wrestle for me. So, I have to do my best to win the match.  

I have learned a little bit of the Albanian language, I really want to improve on that. But I need to start with English first.

(Translation by Karina Mirzoian)