WALBRZYCH, Poland (March 26) – Petra OLLI (FIN) turned away a challenge from World Cup star Oksana HERHEL (UKR) and kept alive her drive for five on the first day of women’s freestyle at the European Under-23 Wrestling Championships.

Olli, winner of the European junior crown four years in a row, rolled into the semifinals at 60kg on a pair of one-sided victories, looking for a chance to win her fifth straight age-group title.

But Olli faced an obstacle in Herhel, who had just gone 4-0 at the women’s World Cup meet in St. Petersburg, with wins over two world champions and a victory by fall over the reigning senior European champion.

Herhel opened the scoring with a front headlock to go-behind for a 2-0 lead, which left Olli a “little nervous”.  She added, however, “We’ve wrestled three times before, so I thought if I stayed with my own wrestling, I can win. 

At the restart of the bout, Herhel took control of Olli’s head again. This time, however, Olli ducked outside for a single-leg and hoisted the surprised Ukrainian in the air and dropped her to her back to end the challenge at 2:34 of the first period.

“I’ve practiced that technique a few times in Estonia with Epp MAE (75kg), but she was too heavy to lift.  But today, with a lighter opponent, it felt right,” explained Olli.

Asked about her bid for a fifth European age-group title, Olli remarked her opponent in the gold medal final, Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS), is dangerous with throws and will be tough, adding “But, I will try.”

Along with Yarygin Grand Prix runner-up Lipatova, Russia also advanced last year’s European bronze medal winner Nadezhda FEDOROVA (48kg) to the gold medal match and 2013 junior world runner-up Tatiana MOROZOVA (69kg) to the bronze medal finals.

Ukraine, meanwhile, had a disastrous semifinal round, losing three bouts and relegating all three to the bronze medal finals.

Turkey advanced all four its entries to the bronze medal finals while Belarus also has three wrestlers, including 2012 world medalists Vanesa KALDZINSKAYA (48kg) and Zalina SIDAKOVA (55kg), look for bronze medals. 

Pairings for Thursday’s medal finals

48kg (13 entries)
Gold - Alina VUC (ROU) v Nadezhda FEDOROVA (RUS)
Bronze - Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) v Karalina TJAPKO (LAT)
Bronze - Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) v Olga SHNAIDER (UKR)

55kg (11 entries)
Gold - Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) v Alena KOLESNIK (AZE)
Bronze - Gun BEDIHA (TUR) v Larysa SKOBLYUK (UKR)
Bronze - Anastassia KRASNOVA (EST) v Zalina SIDAKOVA (BLR)

60kg (10 entries)
Gold - Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS) v Petra OLLI (FIN)
Bronze - Madzina SIDAKOVA (BLR) v Sahin HAFIZE (TUR)
Bronze - Victoria BOBEVA (BUL) v Oksana HERHEL (UKR)

69kg (12 entries)
Gold - Fanny GRADIN (SWE) v Anna SCHELL (GER)
Bronze - Klaudia SANDOR (HUN) v Sinem TOPCU (TUR)
Bronze - Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) v Tatiana MOROZOVA (RUS)