Sokolovska, Shauchuk Earn U23 European Golds

Thursday, March 12, 2026 - 17:02 By Vinay Siwach

ZRENJANIN, Serbia (March 12) -- Senior European champion Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR), U20 world champion Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and three former U20 European champs earned gold medals on Thursday at the U23 European Championships in Zrenjanin, Serbia.

Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) won close finals in 59kg and 50kg, respectively while Gerda TEREK (HUN) dominated her 55kg gold-medal bout.

Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR), right, celebrates after winning the 68kg final in Zrenjanin, Serbia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Shauchuk, who won the 68kg gold medal at the European Championships last year, had a tough final against Alina SHEVCHENKO (RUS). She scored a stepout to open the scoring and then used a snap to score a takedown and lead 3-0. She used a trap-arm gut to turn Shevchenko twice and extend her lead to 7-0. Shevchenko scored a point for reversal.

In the second period, Shevchenko managed to score a takedown and turn to cut the lead to 7-5. She then got on another leg attack but Shauchuk pancaked her and scored two points to lead 9-5. A late stepout gave her the victory.

Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), right, defeated Patrycja CUBER (POL) in the 76kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 76kg, Sokolovska, who is trained in Greco-Roman, did not look in trouble at all as she defeated Patrycja CUBER (POL), 8-0, and win the gold medal. She now has the top medal at the U17, U20 and U23 continental levels.

Cuber could never get through the defense of Sokolovska who managed to score takedowns at regular intervals. With the silver medal, Cuber has now lost the finals at U17, U20 and U23 European Championships.

Kerymova gave Ukraine the second gold medal of the night as she won the final at 50kg. Wrestling Aleksandra KOPYLOVA (RUS) for the gold medal, Kerymova managed to scrape through a close 2-1 victory, thanks to an activity clock point and a stepout in the second period.

Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) scores the match-winning takedown during the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Azerbaijan won the gold medal at 59kg when Hurbanova defended her tittle. She was called passive in the first period and gave up point to Marta HETMANAVA (BLR)Hetmanava but managed to score a takedown in the second period and led 2-1. She had to defend her lead for two minutes and 14 seconds to win the title.

Gerda TEREK (HUN) turns Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE) using the leg-lace. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 55kg, Terek completed her dominant run with a 10-0 victory over Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE) in the final. This was her second victory via technical superiority while the other two via fall.

A stepout put Terek on board in the final before an activity clock point and another stepout made it 3-0. Terek soon sprung into action and scored a takedown before two turns via leg-lace to lead 9-0 at the break. She took only 12 seconds in the second period to score the one point needed for the technical superiority win

Carla JAUME (ESP)

Jaume, Vilk in Line for Historic Golds

Earlier in the day, Carla JAUME (ESP) and Veronika VILK (CRO), two bronze medalists from last year's U23 European Championships, created history for their respective countries by reaching the finals at 53kg and 76kg, respectively.

Jaume, Spain's first-ever world silver medalist for Spain in Women's Wrestling, became the first Spanish wrestler to reach the U23 European final. She defeated Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (RUS), 8-5, at 53kg to achieve the feat.

Vilk reached the 76kg final for Croatia to become the country's first-ever U23 European finalist in Women's Wrestling. She pinned Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL) to create history.

Vilk is the first Croatian wrestler to become a world champion in any level and style. She etched her name in history in 2022 when she won the U17 world title in Istanbul.

The two will now look to create further history on Friday when they wrestle in their respective finals. Jaume will take on Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) who pinned Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE) in the other 53kg semifinal.

Vilk will face Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR) who survived late attacks from Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU) to win her 76kg semifinal 4-2.

In other weight classes, senior European bronze medalist and former U20 world champion Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) will take on defending champion and U23 world silver medalist Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (BLR) at 57kg.

Martynava and Filipovych dominated their semifinals, with the former pinning Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR). Filipovych blanked Amory ANDRICH (GER), 8-0, to enter the gold medal bout.

At 62kg, senior world bronze medalist Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) will look to win her first U23 Euro title after she reached the final. She defeated Naemi LEISTNER (GER), 11-0, to book her spot in the gold medal bout against Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) who needed a late stepout to beat Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 3-3.

Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS) and Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR) both picked up falls in their semifinals and will face each other in a bid to win gold at 65kg. Koshkina pinned Maria PANTIRU (ROU) while Tsiarenia pinned Saga SVENSSON (SWE).

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. Aleksandra KOPYLOVA (RUS), 2-1

BRONZE: Svenja JUNGO (SUI) df. Ana ROTARU (ROU), 2-2
BRONZE: Sviatlana KATENKA (BLR) df. Zerda DEMIR (TUR), 7-2

55kg
GOLD: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE), 10-0

BRONZE: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df. Nesrin SYULEYMANOVA (BUL), 10-0
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Valeryia MIKITSICH (BLR), 11-0

59kg
GOLD: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. Marta HETMANAVA (BLR), 2-1

BRONZE: Olha PADOSHYK (POL) df. Sevim AKBAS (TUR), 5-3
BRONZE: Ana PUIU (ROU) df. Viktoria BOYNOVA (BUL), 13-3

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (RUS), 10-5

BRONZE: Karolina POK (HUN) df. Karolina DOMASZUK (POL), 4-1
BRONZE: Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) df. Ayse ERKAN (TUR), 4-2

76kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Patrycja CUBER (POL), 8-0

BRONZE: Mariia SILINA (RUS) df. Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL), 2-0

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) vs. Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

SF 1: Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) df. Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE), via fall (4-2)
SF 2: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) df. Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (RUS), 8-5

57kg
GOLD: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) vs. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (BLR)

SF 1: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), 8-0
SF 2: Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (BLR) df. Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR), via fall

62kg
GOLD: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (RUS)

SF 1: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 3-3
SF 2: Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) df. Naemi LEISTNER (GER), 11-0

65kg
GOLD: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS) vs. Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR)

SF 1: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS) df. Maria PANTIRU (ROU), via fall (8-1)
SF 2: Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR) df. Saga SVENSSON (SWE), via fall (4-0)

72kg
GOLD: Veronika VILK (CRO) vs. Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR)

SF 1: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL), via fall (6-0)
SF 2: Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR) df. Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU), 4-2

'I Wanted to Change My Life': Nouri's Story of Resilience on World Refugee Day

Saturday, June 20, 2026 - 16:31 By Vinay Siwach

LONDON (June 20) -- "I wanted to change my life."

Farhad NOURI doesn't mince words when explaining his decision to compete as a refugee since 2026.

Born in Tehran, Nouri is one of the 17 new refugee athletes supported by the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) and United World Wrestling, with hopes of competing at the LA28 Olympic Games.

Nouri began wrestling when he was 13 and competed for Iran in the early stages of his career. He even won a silver medal at the U23 Asian Championships in 2019. But then, he wanted to change his life.

Back in 2022, Nouri competed at the British National Championships, an open tournament that does not require a wrestling licence, and won gold. His skill and success surprised everyone, and British wrestling became interested in helping him.

Nouri decided to stay and pursue his wrestling career but had no country to represent. Earlier this year, he was granted refugee status and, on the occasion of World Refugee Day on June 20, Nouri recalled his journey from Iran to becoming the first wrestler with refugee status to win a continental medal.

"At that first British Championships, I weighed in at 67kg but won gold at 74kg," Nouri told United World Wrestling. "One of the coaches said that if I won gold, they could work on getting me to compete internationally. That's how it began."

Farhad NOURI (UWW) won a bronze medal at 74kg at the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Nouri went unbeaten at the English and British Championships for three years and, when he was allowed to compete internationally in 2026, he did not wait.

The 27-year-old began competing again under United World Wrestling's refugee status at the Zagreb Open in 2026. He did not win a medal in Zagreb or at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in February.

But Nouri became the first refugee wrestler to win a continental medal in April in Tirana, Albania, when he claimed bronze in the 74kg weight class at the European Championships.

In his first bout, Nouri was leading against Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) but lost 3-2. As Bayramov reached the final, Nouri earned a place in the repechage, where he defeated Nikita DMITRIJEVS MAYEUSKI (BLR), 9-6, to reach the bronze-medal bout.

In what turned out to be a thrilling contest against Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO), Nouri came out on top, 10-8. He trailed Elbakidze 6-2 with 1:41 remaining when the Georgian was put on the activity clock.

Nouri scored a takedown to cut the lead to 6-4 before a stepout and the activity point made it 6-6, with Elbakidze holding the criteria lead and 1:12 left in the bout. A go-behind gave Nouri an 8-6 lead, but Elbakidze turned it around again with a takedown with 20 seconds remaining to take an 8-8 criteria lead.

Elbakidze went for a double-leg to protect his lead in the final seconds, but Nouri managed to get out of the hold and score an easy go-behind for two points to claim a 10-8 victory.

"That medal gave me the energy to compete and win in wrestling," Nouri said. "Now I have the energy to train for the World Championships and prepare for the Olympics as well."

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Nouri achieved it without much support, as he only began receiving financial assistance this year. He works part-time as an accountant in London to fund his training and travel, but that does not demotivate him.

"There are fewer facilities and I lack support, but this is my life," he said. "I like wrestling and want to dedicate my life to it. And I want to tell everyone that if I can do it, then you can do it as well."

After the historic bronze medal at the European Championships, Nouri now has his sights set on a World and Olympic medal.

"I will participate in the Ranking Series in Budapest," he said. "I am preparing for the World Championships so I can win a medal. I believe I can."

Sokolovska, Shauchuk Earn U23 European Golds

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'I Wanted to Change My Life': Nouri's Story of Resilience on World Refugee Day