NOVI SAD, Serbia (May 5) – World and Olympic Games champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) atoned for his lone loss on the mat in three years with a technical fall Friday over defending champion Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) at the European Senior Wrestling Championships.
Wrestling on the final day of freestyle and women’s events at Spens Sport Hall, Akgul combined low-level attacks and back exposure for a 14-4 victory over Petriashvili in the 125kg quarterfinals – making up for an 8-8 loss to the eventual champion in last year’s championships in Riga.
Akgul also defeated Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 5-0, in the semifinals and will face Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) in the freestyle finale. Petriashvili, meanwhile, came through with a win in repechage and will take on Ligeti in one of the bronze medal matches.
Meanwhile, Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), last year’s champion at 65kg, outscored three opponents 26-0 to advance to the gold medal bout at 70g and will take on defending champion Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) in the final.
In women’s wrestling, Rio 2016 silver medalist Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) went down, 7-6, to a late rally by Emese BARKA (HUN) in the 58kg quarterfinals and was knocked out of the competition when Barka fell 10-9 to two-time European junior champion Grace BULLEN (NOR).
Bullen, who stopped Rio 2016 bronze medalist Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) in the quarterfinals meets Marianna CHERDIVARA (MDA) in the gold medal match, while Barka and Sinishin meet for one of the bronze medals.
At 69kg, Rio 2016 silver medalist Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) rallied from six points down in her opening bout with Buse TOSUN (TUR) for a 14-8 win in the preliminaries. Mamashuk advanced to the gold medal match and will meet Klippan Open bronze medalist Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS).
Pairings for Friday evening’s medal matches and semifinal results:
Freestyle
70kg (17 entries)
Gold – Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) v Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
Bronze – Ruslan DIBIRGADZHIEV (AZE) v Adrian MOISE (ROU)
Bronze – Nikolay KURTEV (BUL) v Israil KASUMOV (RUS)
Semifinal – Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df. Adrian MOISE (ROU) by TF, 10-0, 1:49
Semifinal – Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) df. Israil KASUMOV (RUS), 6-4
125kg (15 entries)
Gold – Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) v Taha AKGUL (TUR)
Bronze – Levan BERIANIDZE (ARM) v Soslan GAGLOEV (SVK)
Bronze – Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) v Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Semifinal – Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) df. Soslan GAGLOEV (SVK) by Fall, 3:27 (7-0)
Semifinal – Taha AKGUL (TUR) df. Daniel LIGETI (HUN), 5-0
Women’s Wrestling
58kg (13 entries)
Gold – Grace BULLEN (NOR) v Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA)
Bronze – Elin NILSSON (SWE) v Laura MERTENS (GER)
Bronze – Natalya SINISHIN (AZE) v Emese BARKA (HUN)
Semifinal – Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA) df. Laura MERTENS (GER), 4-2
Semifinal – Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Emese BARKA (HUN), 10-9
69kg (15 entries)
Gold – Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) v Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS)
Bronze – Buse TOSUN (TUR) v Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)
Bronze – Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) v Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Semifinal – Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) df. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), 2-0
Semifinal – Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) df. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) by TF, 10-0, 4:49
