#WrestleOslo

Live Blog Senior World Championships Day 3: FS 70kg, 97kg and WW 55kg, 62kg

By Vinay Siwach

OSLO, Norway (October 4) -- Two months after they met in the Olympic final, Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) may set up another final at the World Championships. 97kg alongwith 70kg begins on Monday at the Jordan Amfi arena. Women's wrestling will be underway as Olympic silver medalist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) tries to capture her second world title at 62kg. If you missed the historic day two here the recap -- Yazdani upends Taylor (MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE)

 

1330: Results of the FS 97kg quarterfinals:

Mahamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR) df Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR), 6-3
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) df Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR), 9-4
Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) df Alisher YERGALI (KAZ), 6-1
Kyle SNYDER (USA) df Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD), 11-0

1320: Results of the FS 70kg quarterfinals:

Evgenii ZHERBAEV (RWF) df Batmagnai BATCHULUUN (MGL), via fall
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df Erfan ELAHI (IRI), 8-8
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO), 4-1
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) df James GREEN (USA), 6-5

1305: Results of the WW 62kg quarterfinals:

Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) df Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN), via fall
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) df Veranika IVANOVA (BLR), via fall
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) df Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL), 3-2
Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df Alina KASABIEVA (RWF), 13-2

1250: Results of the WW 55kg quarterfinals:

Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RWF) df Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR), 12-2
Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) df Roksana ZASINA (POL), 4-0
PINKI (IND) df Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ), via fall 
Nina HEMMER (GER) df Andreea ANA (ROU), 3-2

1240: We are beginning with the quarterfinals. We will begin with WW 55kg followed by WW 62kg. FS 70kg will be before the 97kg quarterfinals

1230: Erfan ELAHI (IRI) continues his rollercoaster with 4-2 win and move into the quarterfinals. James GREEN (USA) and Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) also leading their respective pre-quarterfinals

1200: Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) both beginning their campaigns with wins. They are on the opposite sides of the brackets and can only meet in the finals

1140: Another strong attach from Ozaki but this time Tynybekova manages to defend that. But she still trails 0-4 with two minutes to go. Now Tynybekova on the attack and she cuts the lead to 2-4 with a takedown. Now another takedown to lead 4-4. She gets the gut but judges call it out of bounds. Long shot from Ozaki, she gets the leg but isn't able to finish. Tynybekova manages to get a takedown on the edge 6-4 and the time expires. What a match from the young star but Tynybekova using all her experience there to win

1135: Ozaki with a double leg takedown against Tynybekova and adds another to lead 4-0 early in the bout. Ozaki unfazed by the defending world champion

1130: Sakurai wins 10-4 and next on Mat B is Tokyo silver medalist Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) and in blue is cadet world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN). Meanwhile Batirov moves on with an 8-0 win

1125: Adam BATIROV (BRN) against Zaur EFENDIEV (SRB) on Mat A will be looking for his second world title. Junior European champion Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) gets a big throw for four to cut the lead to 4-8 against former cadet world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN).

1113: 2017 world champion at 65kg Zurabi IAKOBUSHVILI (GEO) is wrestling SUSHIL (IND) on Mat A. Sushil gets a point for passivity of the Georgian but Iakobushvili manages to tie it with a stepout. Another one gives him a 2-1 lead

1110: Erfan ELAHI wins his bout 8-0 to move on to the next round. James GREEN (USA) also advances to the next round with 10-0 win over Seungchul LEE (KOR)

1100: World silver medalist at 70kg Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) begins his campaign with a 9-0 win over Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR) and Elahi leads Motoyama 6-0 in their match

1055: Goleij has done it! He beats Odikadze 4-0 and will move on to the second round. Odikadze looking a shadow of himself from the Olympics. This bout is followed by another Iran wrestler. Junior world champion Erfan ELAHI (IRI) is wrestling Jintaro MOTOYAMA (JPN) at 70kg

1045: Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) and Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) are now wrestling on Mat B. Huge first round bout for the two. Odikadze has a world bronze medal and four fifth-place finishes

1030: Welcome to another action packed day here in Oslo. Big matches coming up and don't forget to follow wrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for all the updates

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Women's Wrestling Preview

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 16) -- Six 2025 champions will look to defend their gold medal in Women's Wrestling at the European Championships starting next week. But the tournament will also see a return of a few veteran stars in Tirana.

Among the returning champions will be Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), who ended a 24-year wait for Greece to have European champion in Women's Wrestling, now going for her second title at 53kg.

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Just as is the case globally, there’s no shortage of depth in the 53kg weight class in Europe and a number of wrestlers can upset the Greek wrestler.

Two former champions, Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) and Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (UWW), are returning to the continental championships for the first time since 2024. The two met in the final at the 2024 edition with the latter winning the gold medal.

Tirana will also mark the return of prodigious talent Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR), a former U17 world and U20 European champion. She will be among the many Ukrainians favorites to win gold in their respective categories.

Apart from the four, Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP), Gerda TEREK (HUN) and Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) are also in contention to finish on the podium.

Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), right, will look to defend her 76kg title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Strong Ukraine Squad
Ukraine have won the women’s team title in each of the last three editions and are set to defend it, thanks to a strong squad heading to Tirana. Oksana LIVACH (UKR) at 50kg and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) at 76kg will look to repeat as champions while U20 world champion Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) will make her senior debut at 72kg.

Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) at 57kg and Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) at 59kg have good chances to finish on the top of the podium as well.

Livach will be the favorite at 50kg despite the likes of returning silver medalist Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR), U23 European champion Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), returning bronze medalist Natallia VARAKINA (UWW) and rising star Svenja JUNGO (SUI).

Alpyeyeva stunned the wrestling world by winning the 76kg gold medal last year by beating Yasemin ADAR (TUR) in the final. While both bronze medalists from 2025, Martina KUENZ (AUT) and Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (UWW) are returning, it’s U23 world silver medalist Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) who likely to be the biggest challenger to Alpyeyeva.

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) is hoping to return to the top of the podium at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Two-time Olympic medalist and former European champion Koliadenko will lead the charge at 65kg. After being denied last year by Irina RINGACI (MDA) in the semifinals, Koliadenko will be looking to bounce back and add to her previous three European gold medals.

While the absence of Ringaci and last year's champion Grace BULLEN (NOR), who has moved to 62kg should make things easier, Koliadenko still has some tricky opponents in Tirana. World silver medalist Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) should be the biggest challenger for Koliadenko.

Greco-trained Sokolovska, who won the U20 world title at 76kg, will be at 72kg replacing European and world champion Alla BELINSKA (UKR) this year. In a stacked weight class, she will be challenged by Olympic medalist and former European champion Buse TOSUN (TUR), who moved down to 68kg last year and finished with a bronze medal. But she is back to 72kg, switching spots with Nesrin BAS (TUR), 2025 silver at 72kg, who is now at 68kg.

U23 European champion Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) will be another tough competitor for Sokolovska along with world medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL).

Nesrin BAS (TUR)Nesrin BAS (TUR) will present her challenge at 68kg this year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Bas' Golden Chance 
Bas at 68kg will be keen on claiming the top position in European after falling short at the continental and world level last year. She lost finals at 72kg at both the competitions in 2025.

Bas, a three-time U23 world champion, will face returning champion Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) who recently won the U23 European gold. Shauchuk has been rising quickly through the ranks and she defeated Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) in the final last year to stun the Bratislava crowd. 

Shauchuk should be ready for a tougher outing as Bas brings more skill set and Zelenykh will be keen on revenge. Former U23 European champion Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) will be the dark horse.

Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) is the defending champion at 55kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Verbina Eyes Second Straight Gold
Defending champion Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW), also a world silver medalist, could have had a smooth sailing to the gold medal but the entry of former European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) just added to the challenge of defending the title. While these two go in as favorites, keep an eye out for Tuba DEMIR (TUR) who has the potential to go deep into this bracket as well.

Grace BULLEN (NOR)Grace BULLEN (NOR) is eyeing her fifth European gold medal in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Bullen Favorite at 62kg
Grace BULLEN (NOR) spent most of 2025, a year after the Olympics, at 65kg in which she also won gold at the European Championships. But the four-time champion is returning to 62kg and will be the favorite at the weight class to win her fifth title to go with her two silver medals.

Bullen defeated Ringaci in a memorable final last year, but she should have less trouble winning gold this year. U23 European champion Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) should be her biggest threat along with former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), and former U23 world and European champion Eniko ELEKES (HUN).

Returning silver medalist Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), who has notched up a series of good results recently, will also be looking to return to the final and challenge Bullen.

With defending champion at 57kg Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) giving the European Championships a miss, returning silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) has the chance to improve the color of her medal. Among other contenders are returning bronze medalists Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and Solomiia VYNYYK (UKR). Former U20 European champion and U20 world silver medalist Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR) will also be looking to at least finish on the podium for Norway.

Another returning silver medalist from Turkiye hoping to upgrade her medal is Bediha GUN (TUR), who lost to Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) last year in the final at 59kg.

Sidelnikova’s absence will make things only slightly easier for Gun in Tirana but world silver medalist Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) is expected to pose a serious threat as she chases her first-ever European medal.

Finalists from February’s U23 European Championships, Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Marta HETMANAVA (UWW) are also entered and it won’t be a shock if the two make the final. Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), silver medalist at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in February, will be among the contenders as well.