SZOMBATHELY, Hungary (March 25) – Brothers Tamas and Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) forged semifinal wins against fellow Rio 2016 Olympians on Saturday to advance to the first day finals of the Polyak Imre Memorial wrestling tournament.
Elder brother Tamas forced a passivity point on Viktor NEMES (SRB) in the second period of their 75kg semifinal for a 1-1 win over last year’s European silver medalist on last-point criteria. Tamas will square off with former junior world champion Kazbek KILOV (BLR) in the title bout.
Younger brother Viktor stepped up in the 85kg semifinal with a spin-behind takedown midway through the second period and made it stand for a 4-1 win over another 2016 European runner-up Robert KOBLIASHVILI (GEO).
In the championship final, Viktor will meet Hossein SHOKRI (IRI), a newly licensed competitor on the international scene.
In Saturday’s other two weight categories, last year’s European under-23 champion Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) ran over European Games silver medalist Soslan DAUROV (BLR) for a takedown and a 4-2 victory in the 66kg semifinals. Bernatek will face 2016 Zagreb Grand Prix champion Danijel JANECIC (CRO) in the final.
At 130, Levan ARABULI (GEO) held on for a 2-0 victory over 2013 world champion Heiki NABI and forged a 5-0 win over world student champion Balint LAM (HUN) to advance to the final opposite Tuomas LAHTI (FIN).
Semifinal Results & Pairings for Medal Matches
66kg (14 entries)
Gold – Danijel JANECIC (CRO) v Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Bronze – Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN) v Hrachia MALKHASIAN (FRA)
Bronze – Katsuhiro KAWASE (JPN) v Soslan DAUROV (BLR)
Semifinals – Danijel JANECIC (CRO) df. Hrachia MALKHASIAN (FRA) by TF, 11-0, 5:58
Semifinals – Mateusz BERNATEK (POL) df. Soslan DAUROV (BLR), 4-2
75kg (12 entries)
Gold – Kazbek KILOV (BLR) v Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Bronze – Sami SLAMA (FRA) v Francisco BARRIO (ARG)
Bronze – Ilie COJOCARI (ROU) v Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Semifinals – Kazbek KILOV (BLR) df. Francisco BARRIO (ARG) by TF, 8-0, 1:04
Semifinals – Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) df. Viktor NEMES (SRB), 1-1
85kg (12 entries)
Gold – Hossein SHOKRI (IRI) v Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
Bronze – Eerik APS (EST) v Julius MATUZEVICIUS (LTU)
Bronze – Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) v Robert KOBLIASHVILI (GEO)
Semifinals – Hossein SHOKRI (IRI) df. Julius MATUZEVICIUS (LTU), 4-2
Semifinals – Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) df. Robert KOBLIASHVILI (GEO), 4-1
130kg (16 entries)
Gold – Tuomas LAHTI (FIN) v Levan ARABULI (GEO)
Bronze – Arata SONODA (JPN) v Vasil IMERISHVILI (GEO)
Bronze – Heiki NABI (EST) v Balint LAM (HUN)
Semifinals – Tuomas LAHTI (FIN) df. Vasil IMERISHVILI (GEO), 5-3
Semifinals – Levan ARABULI (GEO) df. Balint LAM (HUN), 5-0
