#WrestleZagreb

European Championships freestyle preview

Tuesday, April 4, 2023 - 15:20 By Mark Pickering

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ZAGREB, Croatia (April 4) -- Europe’s elite wrestlers will descend to Croatia to compete in the continental showpiece from April 17 to 23 in Zagreb.

Out of 10 gold medalists from 2022, nine are returning to defend their titles, illustrating the importance of the must-see seven-day event. A star-laden field of champions and emerging European hopefuls will assemble in Zagreb, which successfully hosted the season-launching Ranking Series event in February, as wrestling embarks on its road to the Paris 2024 Olympics in April.

In men's freestyle, the highlight will be Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) returning to the mat since the World Cup in December. He is entered at 61kg, a weight class which will also see defending champion Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and 57kg European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MKD).

Abakarov, 30, made history by dethroning reigning world champion Thomas GILMAN (USA) to win his country’s first-ever World Championships gold last year.  

Harutyunyan shone on all fronts in 2022 by winning his second European Championships, a second world bronze medal and the U23 world to finish the year. Tokyo 2020 Olympian Harutyunyan, 24, earned bronze at the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series Tournament in February.

Egorov produced a career-best display in Budapest to become his country’s first gold medalist at the showpiece event in 23 years. Egorov, 28, is part of the 61kg line-up this year having won his gold medal and 2019 bronze in the 57kg category.

The second world champion wrestling in Zagreb will be Taha AKGUL (TUR), the defending champion bidding for a 10th European title.

Rio 2016 Olympic champion and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Akgul, 33, opened his 2023 calendar by taking gold at the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series Tournament.

The gargantuan Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) will be aiming to avenge his European Championships final loss he suffered in Budapest last year to arch-rival Akgul if the two meet.

The 29-year-old three-time world champion, who also saw Olympic gold slip away at the last hurdle at Tokyo 2020, topped the European Championships podium in 2016 and 2020.

At 65kg, defending champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) will look to collect a second straight gold medal but in his path will be Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE). The two met in the final last year and Muszukajev dominated Aliyev, winning a one-sided final in front of his home crowd.

But Aliyev will be well rested for the tournament as he last performed at the world championships last year, finishing fifth after losing to Muszukajev in the bronze medal bout.

The two should be wary of Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) as he continues his rise at 65kg. He won the U23 World Championships last year after finishing seventh at the World Championships in Belgrade.

Young star Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR) and Andre CLARKE (GER) could prove to be the dark horses.

Two-time reigning European champion Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), who also took world silver last year, will be installed by many as the favorite in the 74kg category.

The 27-year-old world number three, however, will be hoping to banish memories of his first visit to the Croatian capital this year having lost two contests at the Ranking Series event in February. His biggest challenger will be Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) who lost to Salkazanov by one point in the final in Budapest.

Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE) will be another top name on the list. Still 21 years old, he has the caliber to win against any of the top wrestlers and claims the gold medal.

Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU) won the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series event and is the dark horse of the weight classes with his speed and skill combination.

Veterans Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) and Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) will look to finish on the podium.

History-maker Myles AMINE (SMR) will look to defend his gold medal in Zagreb despite the likes of Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), Boris MAKOEV (SVK) and Fatih ERDIN (TUR) entered.

Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Amine, 27, his country’s third Olympic medallist and first in wrestling, finished fifth at the 2023 Zagreb Open.

At 57kg, it will be a test for Suleyman ATLI (TUR) as he continues his stay at 57kg after winning the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series gold medal in February.

But the competition in Zagreb will be on the higher side as his weight class has former U23 world champion Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE), Horst LEHR (GER) and former U17 world champion Andrii YATSENKO (UKR) who lost to Atli in the Alexandria finals.

In-form Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) started his season by capturing the top prize at Ibrahim Moustafa at 86kg but reverts to 79kg duty in Zagreb. The 28-year-old world number five converted his 2020 European bronze into world bronze last year.

But he will face a familiar for in defending champion Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) who will be keen on winning his second European title after winning back-to-back gold medals at the U23 level.

In the final of the U23 Euros, he defeated Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) by one point and would like to repeat the result with a bigger margin.

Iman MAHDAVI (UWW) will be part of the UWW Refugee team and compete in the 74kg weight class in Zagreb.

European powerhouses Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) and Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), who stood side-by-side on the World Championships podium in September as bronze medallists, will renew acquaintances at 92kg.

World number four Nurmagomedov, 25, is aiming for his third successive piece of continental championships hardware (bronze in 2021 and 2022) and has form on his side after picking up bronze at the 2023 Zagreb Open.

World number two Maisuradze, 24, made a senior continental breakthrough last year as he won bronze in Budapest. The highly-active Georgian opened his 2023 season by earning silver at the Zagreb Open and followed up three weeks later with bronze at the Ibrahim Moustafa.

Continental kingpin Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) starred in Budapest last year with a career-making first gold on the senior stage as he surged to European Championships glory in the 92kg category.

Akturk, 25, who has now won continental gold at the U20, U23 and senior level, comes into the event on the back of a bronze medal at the Ibrahim Moustafa.

Three current world medalists from the 97kg category will grace the division on the European stage.

World silver medallist Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) is joined by bronze medalists Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) and Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO).

Slovak Tsakulov secured Ibrahim Moustafa gold in February to underline his European title ambitions. Reigning European champion Magomedov clinched bronze at the Zagreb Open while Matcharashvili made an early exit in the round of 32 at the Ibrahim Moustafa.

Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN) can go deeper in the tournament with improved conditioning but that remains to be seen.

The action from the European Championships can be seen live at uww.org and on the UWW App.

#WrestleUlaanbaatar, #OffTheMat

Purevdorj reignites Olympic quest with Ulaanbaatar Open gold

Friday, June 20, 2025 - 09:31 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 18) -- The last time Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) wrestled in front of home crowd in Ulaanbaatar, she was one of the top wrestlers in the world at 62kg.

She was the 2017 world champion and a year before that, she had ended Kaori ICHO's (JPN) 13-year long unbeaten streak at the Ivan Yaryguin Grand Prix. Then in 2018, she won the Asian Championships in Bishkek and the Mongolian Open gold medal in Ulaanbaatar.

Few months later, she failed a dope test at the Asian Games, where she had won the gold medal in 62kg. Her rise turned into a fatal fall and Purevdorj was left to serve the four-year ban. During her long hiatus, Purevdorj focused on personal life.

“I was very sad but I decided to just live and raised my son. I kept myself busy with him,” Purevdorj says. “The most important thing is my mind. It's important to be strong.”

Purevdorj, who still remains Mongolia last world champion in wrestling, made her comeback in 2022 and was part of the Mongolian team to the World Cup. She won silver medal at the Asian Championships in 2023 and qualified for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Seven years since the ban and now in the twilight of her wrestling career, Purevdorj is hoping to reignite the fire to wrestle. She took the first step by winning a gold medal at hte Ulaanbaatar Open. The 31-year-old won in 62kg in front of her family and local fans to once again stamp herself as the best wrestler in Mongolia and even Asia.

"I am wrestling for the second time [first time internationally] this year but it's hard," she says after her gold-medal bout against compatriot and rival Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) who she defeated 11-2 to win the gold medal.

At the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Palace in Ulaanbaatar, Purevdorj is joined by her husband, son and even parents as they watch her wrestle live after a long time. It's not an ideal start for her as she gets hammered 10-0 by Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), a wrestler she has defeated multiple times in her career before.

That's not what Purevdorj or her family expected in the first bout itself. But she runs back to the warm-up hall and prepares for the second bout, this time against Asian champion MANISHA (IND). And Purevdorj looked in form against the Indian, winning via fall. [The 62kg bracket at the Ulaanbaatar Open was a round-robin bracket, hence giving Purevdorj the second chance].

The fall helps Purevdorj get five classification points and a place in the semifinal over Manisha. She will wrestle Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW) for a spot in the final. Her son, six years old, keeps cheering every time he sees his mother on the mat.

Koshkina takes Purevdorj to the limits scoring via counters. Still, Purevdorj led 9-7 at the break and both resumed their dynamic wrestling. Purevdorj managed to defend some of the attacks from Koshkina and ultimately won 15-11.

In a high-affair all-Mongolian final at 62kg, Purevdorj put on a defensive masterclass to beat Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), 11-2, and capture the gold medal.

"I was able to win because I played calmly," she said after the final. "In the first match, I was not good mental state and was not ready. But next match I was better."

Purevdorj celebrated with a few photos with her family and coaches. She looked visibly tired after the four bouts and could use some rest days.

"As I said, it's hard. I am not sure about anything," said Purevdorj, who was wrestling a UWW tournament for the first time since the Paris Games.

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) celebrating after becoming a world champion in 2017. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

When she began wrestling 17 years ago in Ulaanbaatar after her cousins introduced her to the sport, Purevdorj did not think she will reach this level. So being a world champion makes her feel happy and she is proud that she choose this sport.

“I'm seventh child in my family and only I am a wrestler. My cousins were wrestlers but they stopped soon but I never stopped. I really loved it."

But she regrets not having an Olympic medal. She has been on that stage twice but fell short. In Rio 2016, she lost in the repechage while in Paris, she lost to her long-time rival Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) in the bronze-medal bout.

Now, the only motivation to be at the 2028 Los Angeles is to get an Olympic medal which may complete her journey. A medal will make her the third Mongolian wrestler to win a medal in Women's Wresting.

“I'm not sure about wrestling till Los Angeles. But I'm just trying,” she said. “The last Olympics were so hard for me in my career. I'm trying again, and I've started this year. There are many wrestlers in 62kg who are better but I have to train more.”