#WrestleBudapest

Semenov and Chekhirkin Claim Gold on Final Day of European OG Qualifier

By Eric Olanowski

BUDAPEST, Hungary (January 20) – Russian wrestlers Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) and Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) closed out the final day of the European Olympic Qualifiers with a pair of golds, while Kerem KAMAL (TUR) cruised to his second title of the ’21 season.

Semenov rolled past Lithuania’s Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) with a pair of second-period side headlocks after he collected an inactivity point. He claimed the 130kg gold, 5-1. Semenov's compatriot and fellow ’18 world champion Chekhirkin also won gold on Sunday night. He was awarded the 77kg gold after his finals opponent Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) injury defaulted out of the gold-medal match.

Kamal reached the podium for the second time this season (he also won the Henri Deglane) with a four-point victory over Etienne KINSINGER (GER) in the 60kg finals. The match was tied in the opening period when Kamal peddled to the edge of the mat, jarred an underhook in, and tossed the German to his back for four points.

In the second period, Kamal kept his pace high and earned an inactivity point, putting Kingsinger down in par terre. The 21-year-old went for a right-side gut wrench but was stopped mid-way through and conceded a reversal. He stayed poised in the final minute and closed out the match victorious, 5-1.

The final two golds of the evening went to Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) and Islam ABBASOV (AZE). They were awarded the 67kg and 87kg golds, respectively, after their finals opponent’s injury defaulted out of the gold-medal matches.

That wraps up our coverage of the European Olympic Qualifier. The event calendar resumes with the African and Oceania Olympic Qualifier April 2-4 in Hammamet, Tunisia.

*Please note that wrestlers who won their semifinal matches at the European Olympic Qualifiers earned berths for their respective nations to the Tokyo Olympic Games. 

RESULTS
60kg
GOLD - Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Etienne KINSINGER (GER), 5-1
BRONZE - Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) df. Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), via injury default
BRONZE - Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO) df. Erik TORBA (HUN), via forfeit

67kg
GOLD - Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) df. Balint KORPASI (HUN), via injury default
BRONZE - Artur POLITAIEV (UKR) df. Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM), via injury default
BRONZE - Deyvid Tihomirov DIMITROV (BUL) df. Donior ISLAMOV (MDA), 9-7

77kg
GOLD - Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) df. Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO), via injury default
BRONZE - Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL), via injury default

BRONZE - Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) df. Oldrich VARGA (CZE), via injury default

87kg
GOLD - Islam ABBASOV (AZE) df. Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), via injury default
BRONZE - Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL) vs. Ramon BETSCHART (SUI), 5-1
BRONZE -Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Milad Valerikovitch ALIRZAEV (RUS), via injury default

97kg
GOLD - Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) df. Kiril MILOV (BUL), via injury default
BRONZE - Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN) df. Artur OMAROV (CZE)

BRONZE - Pontus Johan LUND (SWE) df. Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)

130kg
GOLD - Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) df. Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU), 5-1
BRONZE - Adam VARGA (HUN) df. Radoslav Plamenov GEORGIEV (BUL), 3-1

BRONZE - Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL) df. Marko KOSCEVIC (CRO), 11-5

#WrestleParis

Wrestling at 2024 Paris Olympics: Schedule, Venue, Timings, Weight Categories

By United World Wrestling Press

PARIS (July 1) -- The Olympic Games Paris 2024 begins in the French capital on July 26 and the closing ceremony is scheduled for August 11. Wrestling at Paris 2024 will run for seven days starting August 5. Out of the seven wrestling days, six will be with medal bouts.

Wrestling will be competed in 18 weight classes -- six each of Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling. All the bouts will be held at the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris. Women's Wrestling will be in action every day.

For all the action, news, results, and details of wrestling at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, keep a tab on uww.org, UWW+ App and follow UWW's social channels -- Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok

Wrestling's schedule at the 2024 Paris Olympics is as follows

August 5

Qualification Bouts (15:00 local time): GR 60kg, 130kg and WW 68kg
Semifinals (21:00): GR 60kg, 130kg and WW 68kg

August 6

Repechage (11:00 local time): GR 60kg, 130kg and WW 68kg
Qualification Bouts (~11:30 local time): GR 77kg, 97kg and WW 50kg
Semifinals (18:15 local time):  GR 77kg, 97kg and WW 50kg
Medal Bouts (19:30 local time):  GR 60kg, 130kg and WW 68kg

August 7

Repechage (11:00 local time): GR 77kg, 97kg and WW 50kg
Qualification Bouts (~11:30 local time): 67kg, 87kg and WW 53kg
Semifinals (18:15 local time): 67kg, 87kg and WW 53kg
Medal Bouts (19:30 local time): GR 77kg, 97kg and WW 50kg

August 8

Repechage (11:00 local time): GR 67kg, 87kg and WW 53kg
Qualification Bouts (~11:30 local time): FS 57kg, 86kg and WW 57kg
Semifinals (18:15 local time): FS 57kg, 86kg and WW 57kg
Medal Bouts (19:30 local time): GR 67kg, 87kg and WW 53kg

August 9

Repechage (11:00 local time): FS 57kg, 86kg and WW 57kg
Qualification Bouts (~11:30 local time): FS 74kg, 125kg and WW 62kg
Semifinals (18:15 local time): FS 74kg, 125kg and WW 62kg
Medal Bouts (19:30 local time): FS 57kg, 86kg and WW 57kg

August 10

Repechage (11:00 local time): FS 74kg, 125kg and WW 62kg
Qualification Bouts (~11:30 local time): FS 65kg, 97kg and WW 76kg
Semifinals (18:15 local time): FS 65kg, 97kg and WW 76kg
Medal Bouts (19:30 local time): FS 74kg, 125kg and WW 62kg

August 11

Repechage (11:00 local time): FS 65kg, 97kg and WW 76kg
Medal Bouts (12:00 local time): FS 65kg, 97kg and WW 76kg