BUCHAREST, Romania (April 4) – The Polyvalent Hall in Bucharest is set to host the deepest continental championship in the world on April 8-14 when it welcomes over 520 athletes from 38 nations to the 2019 European Championships.
The star-studded competition will feature 22 champions from last year’s Kaspiisk European Championships, and six wrestlers who captured gold medals at the both the World and Continental Championships
Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling each return eight title-winners, while freestyle has six returning champions.
Freestyle
The Return of “The Russian Tank”
The freestyle competition returns six of ten champions, but none more important than Russia’s top-ranked Abdulrashid SADULAEV.
On Wednesday morning, the Russian Federation pulled the mat out from undeath the feet of wrestling fans when they announced that three-time world and Rio Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev’s knee is healthy enough to compete at the European Championships.
Wednesday's announcement trumped the previous reports that “The Russian Tank” was unlikely to compete in Bucharest and would be preparing for the June’s European Games, which take place in Minsk, Belarus.
That announcement that Sadulaev will indeed be competing removed Vladislav BAITCAEV (RUS), the returning 97kg European champion, from the entry list, but kept the freestyle total at six returning champions who’ll be looking to at least repeat their title-winning efforts from last season.
For the heavily favored Sadulaev to repeat as a European champion, he'll have to go through three of the four returning medalists from last season. They are Kaspiisk silver medalist Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR), and both bronze medalists, Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) and Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO).
Sadualev hasn’t recently met Hushtyn, but he’d be favored against Odiakdze or Gadzhiyev, as he’s defeated each wrestler in their previous meeting. Most recently, the Russian roared past Odiakdze in the world semifinals, 10-0, and defeated Gadzhiyev at the 2015 European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Ranked Wrestlers at 97kg
No. 1 Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) (60 points)
No. 16 Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) (14 points)
No. 18 Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) (14 points)
Handful of Other Returning Champions
The five other returning European title holders who’ll be joining Sadulaev are Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) (57kg), Haji ALIYEV (AZE) (65kg), Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) (74kg), Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) (79kg), and Taha AKGUL (TUR) (125kg).
Azerbaijan’s returning 57kg champion Giorgi Edisherashvili scored his second consecutive European gold and secured his third overall continental championship with a late four-point throw against eventual world champion Zavur UGUEV (RUS).
If Edisherashvili expects to win his third consecutive European title, he’ll have to upend Turkey’s talented rising star Suleyman ATLI, who closed out last year’s Budapest World Championships by upsetting returning world silver medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA), claiming a surprising world bronze medal.
Ranked Wrestlers at 57kg
No. 2 Suleyman ATLI (TUR) (41 points)
No. 7 Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE) (18 points)
No. 10 Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA) (16 points)
No. 11 Muslim SADULAEV (RUS) (16 points)
Azerbaijan’s Haji Aliyev is the third returning freestyle champion.
In last year’s 65kg finals, Aliyev, the three-time world champion, sparked one of the most memorable European Championship comebacks by scoring six unanswered points in the final 49 seconds to defeat Russia’s Ilias BEKBULATOV (RUS), 8-7.
Aliyev has hopes of repeating his magical run and win his third overall European title, but to do so, he’ll have to avenge his Rio Olympic loss to eventual Olympic champion Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), who will be looking for his fourth European title.
Ranked Wrestlers at 65kg
No. 11 Andrei PERPELITA (MDA) (16 points)
No. 15 Nachyn KUULAR (RUS) (14 points)
The fourth returning champion is Russia’s 70kg gold-medal winner from a year ago, Magomed Kurbanaliev. Although the 2016 world champion won’t be competing at his title-winning weight from last year. He’ll be representing Russia at 74kg, replacing defending world champion Zaubek SIDAKOV, who is preparing for the European Games.
Kurbanaliev will have a steep road to repeating, and the odds will be stacked against him. To repeat, he’ll have to stop the trio of title-worthy competitors in Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA), Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO), and Yakup GOR (TUR).
Chamizo, one of the sport’s biggest superstars, is a two-time world champion and a Rio Olympic bronze medalist. He’s coming off a fifth-place finish in Budapest, and only dropped matches to eventual world champion Zaurbek Sidakov, and the four-time world and Olympic champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA).
If Chamizo happens to win the 74kg bracket, it’ll be the third European first-place finish on his resume. He also finished the 2016 and 2017 European Championships with a gold medal.
Avatandil Kentchadze is another serious threat at 74kg. Kentchadze was the last year’s U23 world champion and senior-level world silver medalist.
Turkey’s Yakup Gor will also be looking to make some noise and continue to rise in the 74kg world rankings. The two-time world bronze medalist is making his return to the Turkish lineup for the first time since 2017 after Turkey elected to insert Gor at 74kg over three-time defending European champion Soener DEMIRTAS. Gor bumped up to 74kg after finishing the 2017 Paris World Championships with a 70kg bronze medal but lost his starting spot to Demirtas in 2018.
Gor comes into the European Championships ranked No. 6 in the world at 74kg. He has 28 Ranking Series points after his falling to Sidakov in the Ivan Yariguin finals, and a bronze-medal finish at the Dan Kolov.
Ranked Wrestlers at 74kg
No. 4 Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) (40 points)
No. 5 Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA) (34 points)
No. 6 Yakup GOR (TUR) (28 points)
No. 7 Azamat NURYKAU (BLR) (24 points)
No. 16 Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) (12 points)
At 79kg, The reigning European champion Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) is going to be challenged by 2018 world runner-up Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) and 2018 U23 world champion Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO).
Hasanov will be looking to reach the top of the podium for the third time, but first since he last won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011. Since then, Hasanov has fallen short in the finals twice and finished with a pair of bronze medals.
Ranked Wrestlers at 79kg
No. 2 Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) (40 points)
No. 3 Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) (39 points)
No. 10 Grigor GRIGORYAN (ARM) (16 points)
No. 13 Omaraskhab NAZHMUDINOV (ROU) (14 points)
No. 19 Nika KENTCHADZE (GEO) (12 points)
The final returning European champion is Turkey’s two-time world and Olympic champion, Taha Akgul. The larger than life Turkish heavyweight has won the last two 125kg European titles and has aspirations of claiming his third consecutive title. If he’s successful in doing so, it’ll bring his overall continental gold medal total to seven.
He’ll most likely take on Georgia’s Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who is looking to reach the top of the podium at a European Championship for the first time since 2016. Since his last continental title run, the Georgian big man has won back-to-back world titles in Paris and Budapest.
Last year, Petriashvili fell to Akgul in the finals, 2-1, and settled for a silver medal.
Ranked Wrestlers at 125kg
No. 1 Geno PETRIASHVILI (70 points)
No. 4 Anzor KHIZRIEV (RUS) (34 points)
No. 5 Taha AKGUL (TUR) (30 points)
No. 6 Daniel LIGETI (HUN) (26 points)
No. 13 Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) (14 points)
Greco-Roman
Trio of World and European Champions Entered
Three of the first four weights will feature reigning world and European champions Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), Sergey EMELIN (RUS), and Artem SURKOV (RUS).
Azizli, the 55kg world and European champion should have no problem making it to the finals, where he’ll most likely be joined by 2018 world and European bronze medalist Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO).
These two met twice last season, and it was Azizli who came out on top of both matches. The Azeri cruised to the 9-0 victory in Kaspiisk and picked up the 6-3 victory over the Georgian in the world semifinals.
Ranked Wrestlers at 55kg
No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) (60 points)
No. 6 Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) (25 points)
The 60kg world and European titleholder from a season ago Sergey Emelin will be targeted by the man he defeated in Budapest to win his world title, Victor CIOBANU (MDA). The Russian won that Budapest finals matchup, 10-1.
Outside of Emelin and Ciobanu, the two others competitors that can make a title run at this weight are 2018 European bronze medalist Jacopo SANDRON (ITA) and two-time junior world champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR).
Ranked Wrestlers at 60kg
No. 1 Sergey EMELIN (RUS) (60 points)
No. 2 Victor CIOBANU (MDA) (40 points)
No. 11 Kerem KAMAL (TUR) (18 points)
No. 13 Etienne KINSINGER (GER) (16 points)
No. 18 Erik TORBA (HUN) (14 points)
Artem SURKOV (RUS) is the reigning world and European champion at 67kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)
The third reigning world and European champion is Russia’s Artem Surkov, who’ll wrestle at 67kg. Surkov’s toughest competition will be last year’s bronze medalist Karen ASLANYAN (ARM).
The pair met in the European quarterfinals, where Surkov was the victor, 6-3.
Ranked Wrestlers at 67kg
No. 1 Artem SURKOV (RUS) (60 points)
No. 3 Danijel JANECIC (CRO) (30 points)
No. 8 Fredrik Holmquist BJERREHUUS (DEN) (18 points)
No. 16 Mate NEMES (SRB) (14 points)
Russia is Heavily Favored
The clear cut favorites to win the Greco-Roman team title is the Russian Federation. Their team boasts five returning world champions, two Olympic champions, and a four-time age-group world champion whose record remains unblemished during his international career.
In addition to Emelin and Surkov who are favored at their respective weights, the frontrunner at 63kg is Russia’s returning world champions, Stepan MARYANYAN.
Maryanyan has won a European Games title but has never represented the Russian Federation at a European Championships. The path for Maryanyan to win his first European Championship title is no easy one, as his weight features a Budapest bronze medalist, the returning European champion, and two other medalists.
Although Budapest bronze medalist Rahman BILICI (TUR) is the only other returning world medal winner, last year’s European finalists, Mihai MIHUT (ROU) and Olympic bronze medalist Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) have entered their names into the 63kg entries.
Though he's a dark horse, Moldova’s 2018 European bronze medalist Donior ISLAMOV is also expected to compete for a title at this weight.
Ranked Wrestlers at 63kg
No. 1 Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) 60 points)
No. 5 Rahman BILICI (TUR) (25 points)
No. 9 Donior ISLAMOV (MDA) (16 points)
No. 12 Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) (14 points)
No. 17 Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) (12 points)
Russia’s fourth world champion Musa EVLOEV will represent his country at the continental championships for the fourth time. In his previous four appearances, Evloev has only medaled once, and has never competed in a gold-medal match.
Even if Evloev is successful in making his first gold-medal match appearance, he’ll have to scrap it out with either Kiril MILOV (BUL) or Mihail KAJALA (SRB).
Milov is the man that Evloev defeated in Budapest to win his world title, while Mihail Kajala fell in last year’s European finals.
Ranked Wrestlers at 97kg
No. 1 Musa EVLOEV (RUS) (60 points)
No. 5 Mihail KAJALA (SRB) (25 points)
No. 19 Mélonin NOUMONVI (FRA) (12 points)
The fifth and final Russian Greco-Roman reigning world champion is Sergey SEMENOV (RUS). Semenov will compete at the senior-level European champions for the first time in his career.
Semenov’s path to a 130kg European title is likely to go through defending champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR). The Turkish super heavyweight in on track to win his eighth consecutive European title, and tenth overall Continental Championship gold medal. Since dropping the 2011 European finals match to Russia’s Khassan BAROEV, Kayaalp has gone undefeated at seven straight continental champions.
Ranked Wrestlers at 130kg
No. 1 Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) (60 points)
No. 3 Heiki NABI (EST) (38 points)
No. 5 Oskar MARVIK (NOR) (28 points)
No. 8 Marko KOSCEVIC (CRO) (24 points)
No. 9 Eduard POPP (GER) (20 points)
No. 14 Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR) (14 points)
No. 16 Balint LAM (HUN) (14 points)
No. 19 Miloslav METODIEV (BUL) (12 points)
In addition to the five reigning world champions, Russia’s team will also feature Olympic champions Roman VLASOV and Davit CHAKVETADZE, and four-time age-group world champion Aleksandr KOMAROV.
At 77kg, defending champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Roman Vlasov will be making his return to the Russian lineup after withdrawing from the World Championships two weeks before the start of the competition in Budapest due to knee surgery.
Viktor NEMES (SRB) will be waiting to exact revenge on Vlasov after the Russian scored a four-point throw to grab the 5-1 victory in last year’s 77kg gold-medal match.
Ranked Wrestlers at 77kg
No. 3 Viktor NEMES (SRB) (43 points)
No. 6 Alex BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE) (20 points)
No. 9 Elvin MURSALIYEV (AZE) (16 points)
No. 10 Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) (16 points)
No. 20 Laszlo SZABO (HUN) (12 points)
Olympic champion Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS) will represent Russia at 82kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)
Russia's second Olympic champion that's entered into the European Championships is Davit Chakvetadze. Though he’s an Olympic champion, Chakvetadze comes in as an extreme underdog in the deepest and most open Greco-Roman weight class of the tournament.
In addition to Chakvetadze’s Olympic gold, 87kg also features two other Olympic medalists, three senior-level world champions, a U23 world champion, the returning European champion, and last year’s European bronze medalist.
The three senior-level world champions at this weight are Metehan BASAR (TUR), Zhan BELENIUK (URK), and Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM).
Basar is the reigning two-time world champion, Beleniuk won his world title back in 2015, and Manukyan reached the top of the world podium in 2017.
Maksim Manukyan, last year’s 82kg gold medalist will be bumping up to 87kg, where he’ll try to stop defending 87kg champion Roberti KOBIASHVILI (GEO) from winning his second consecutive European title.
Olympic bronze medalist Denis KUDLA (GER), Hungary’s U23 world champion Erik SZILVASSY, and 2018 European bronze medalists Kristoffer BERG (SWE) are also entered at this weight.
Ranked Wrestlers at 87kg
No. 1 Metehan BASAR (TUR) (60 points)
No. 2 Zhan BELENIUK (40 points)
No. 6 Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) (26 points)
No. 8 Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) (25 points)
No. 10 Islam ABBASOV (AZE) (20 points)
No. 13 Kristoffer Zakarias BERG (SWE) (16 points)
No. 20 Mikalai STADUB (BLR) (12 points)
Aleksandr Komarov is the last credentialed Russian entered into the European Championships. Komarov, the four-time age-group world champion, will wrestle at 82kg. His resume remains unblemished, as he’s won every cadet, junior and senior-level international tournament he’s ever entered.
The two wrestlers stopping him from winning his first senior European title are Emrah KUS (TUR) and Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR).
Kus is last year’s world runner-up, while Sasunouski was the Budapest bronze medalist at 82kg.
Ranked Wrestlers at 82kg
No. 2 Emrah KUS (TUR) (54 points)
No. 4 Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) (25 points)
No. 16 Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) (14 points)
No. 20 Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) (12 points)
Women’s Wrestling
Two Defending World and European Champions
Outside of Mariya STADNIK (AZE) and Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS), every reigning women’s wrestling European champion has entered their name into the Bucharest field.
The eight returning champions are Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) (53kg), Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) (57kg), Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) (57kg), Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR) (59kg), Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) (62kg), Petra OLLI (FIN) (65kg), Anna FRANSSON (SWE) (68kg), and Yasemin ADAR (TUR) (76kg).
The women’s wrestling portion of the tournament is highlighted by two of the most consistent wrestler's from last year, world and European champions Taybe Yusein and Petra Olli.
Yusein, the reigning 62kg world and European champion's toughest test will be Ukraine’s 2018 European bronze Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK, while Olli, on the other hand, will have to again defeat 2018 European runner-up Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) and 2018 European bronze medal winner Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) if she hopes to reach the top of the podium.
Six Returning Champions; 57kg Doubling up with Two Champs
Russia’s returning 53kg champion Stalvira Orshush will have one of the top-five most difficult roads to repeat out of the 22 returning champions.
To win her second consecutive title, Orshush will have to go through 2018 runner-ups Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) and Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL). The Russian defeated Kaladzinskaya in last year’s 53kg finals, but her potential Polish opponent is dropping down from 55kg where she fell in last year's finals.
Outside of the three 53kg returning finalists, Sweden’s six-time world medalist and Rio bronze-medal finisher Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) is also entered at this weight.
Ranked Wrestler at 53kg
No. 17 Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) (12 points)
Arguably the toughest women’s weight of the competition, 57kg, there will be a pair of returning champions, Bilyana Dudova and Iryna Kurachkina. Dudova is the current titleholder at this weight, but, Kurachkina is coming up from her gold-medal weight of 55kg.
In addition to the pair of reigning champions, last year’s U23 world champion Grace BULLEN (NOR), 2018 European runner-up Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS), and the pair of continental bronze medalists, Emese BARKA (HUN) and Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), are also entered at 57kg.
Ranked Wrestler at 57kg
No. 2 Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) (62 points)
No. 3 Grace BULLEN (NOR) (45 points)
No. 5 Emese BARKA (HUN) (25 points)
No. 7 Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (FOU) (20 points)
No. 13 Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR) (14 points)
No. 15 Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) (12 points)
No. 17 Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) (12 points)
At 59kg, Elif Yesilirmak will look to defend her title from a season ago. Yesilirmak, who closed out the year with a world silver, will again have to stop 2018 European silver medalist Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL), and Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), 2018 European runner-up, if she has plans of repeating.
Ranked Wrestler at 59kg
No. 2 Elif YESILIRMAK (TUR) (40 points)
No. 3 Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) (32 points)
Last year’s 72kg champion Anna Fransson will be competing at a different weight than last year’s title-winning weight. The Rio Olympic bronze medalist will be dropping down to the Olympic weight of 68kg, where Ukraine's reigning 68kg world champion Alla CHERKASOVA will be looking to stop her from winning back-to-back European golds.
The pair's toughest competition will be Russia’s young star and United World Wrestling’s 2018 Junior Women’s Wrestler of the Year, Khanum VELIEVA (RUS). Velieva won her fourth age-group world title last year, while also finishing in third place at the U23 world championships.
Ranked Wrestler at 68kg
No. 1 Alla CHERKASOVA (URK) (72 points)
No. 19 Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
The final women's wrestling returning champions is Turkey’s 2017 world champion Yasemin Adar. Adar is on a quest to win her fourth consecutive European title and is the clear-cut favorite at 76kg.
Stopping her from doing so will be the pair of world runner-ups Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) and Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER). Both wrestlers are looking to bounce back after disappointing finishes at the world championships that left them leaving empty-handed.
Ranked Wrestler at 76kg
No. 2 Yasemin ADAR (TUR) (56 points)
No. 5 Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) (40 points)
No. 8 Zsanett NEMETH (HUN) (20 points)
No. 12 Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) (12 points)
No. 16 Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR) (10 points)
No. 20 Epp MAE (EST) (20 points)
The European Championships begin on Monday in Bucharest, Romania, and can be watched live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.
For news, interviews, and behind the scenes highlights, you can follow United World Wrestling on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
SCHEDULE
Monday (April 8)
9:30 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
15:00 - Draw FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18: 00 - Semi Final FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
Tuesday (April 9)
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
9:45 - Medical Examination & Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
15:00 - Draw WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
16:15 - Opening Ceremony
17:15 - Semi Final FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg / Award ceremonies
Wednesday (April 10)
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
14:00 - Draw WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18: 00 - Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg / Award ceremonies
Thursday (April 11)
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
14:00 - Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
14:00 - Draw GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18:00 - Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg / Award ceremonies
Friday (April 12)
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
15:40 - Draw GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
17:15 - Semi Final GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
18:00 - Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg / Award ceremonies
Saturday (April 13)
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
17:15 - Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg / Award ceremonies
Sunday (April 14)
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
16:00 - Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg / Award ceremonies
