DORTMUND, Germany (July 2) – Two-time defending champion Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) advanced to his third straight gold medal final at the Junior European Championships on Sunday with the fate of the Greco-Roman team title likely resting on his mighty shoulders.
In the championship finale at Helmut Kornig Halle, Pataridze will face Georgi GADZHINOV (RUS) in the only match-up of the evening for the two leaders in the race for the Greco-Roman team title.
Pataridze notched a pair of technical falls in the morning session and defeated 2015 European bronze medal winner Lenard BEREI (ROU), 7-1, in the semifinals.
Pataridze, who has also anchored the Georgian Greco-Roman team the previous two years at the junior championships, has led Georgia to a 58-55 team victory over Turkey in 2015 and to a 53-51 win over Russia last year in Bucharest.
Joining Zviadi in the gold medals for Georgia will be former European cadet runner-up Giorgi KURTANIDZE (GEO), who blasted his way into the 66kg final with a stunning 11-1 technical fall triumph over 2016 cadet world silver medalist Sergei STEPANOV (RUS) in the semifinals.
In the final, Kurtanidze will meet last year’s runner-up in Bucharest, Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), who countered a late headlock attempt by 2015 European champion Furat FIRAT (TUR) in the semifinals and held on for a 5-1 victory.
Russia, meanwhile, advanced three to the gold medal matches led by the new kid on the block, Aleksander KOMAROV (84kg). Komarov owns two European and world cadet titles each along with a pair of triumphs in couple of senior regional meets over the winter.
In his debut at the junior level, Komarov rolled up a pair of technical falls on his way to the 84kg final, where he will meet Mikita KLIMOVICH (BLR). Klimovich pinned Tunjay VAZIRZADE (AZE) in the semifinals to secure his first medal in an international age-group competition.
For the second day in a row, Georgia and Russia each advanced all four of their entries to the gold and bronze medal finals at Helmut Kornig Halle. Georgia grabbed a 36-32 lead Saturday evening with two gold and two bronze medals, while Russia answered with one gold and two bronze medals.
Over the course of Sunday’s morning session, Russia narrowed the gap to one point by advancing three wrestlers into the gold medal finals, while Georgia managed only two. In the semifinals, Russia and Georgia split at 55kg and 66kg.
Medal Final Pairings & Semifinal Results
Greco-Roman
55kg (17 entries)
Gold – Kerem KAMAL (TUR) v Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS)
Bronze – Helary MAEGISALU (EST) v Mykhaylo STUPIN (UKR)
Bronze – Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) v Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Semifinal – Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Mykhaylo STUPIN (UKR) by TF, 8-0, 3:45
Semifinal – Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) df. Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) by TF, 9-0, 1:29
66kg (22 entries)
Gold – Giorgi KURTANIDZE (GEO) v Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)
Bronze – Artur TATARINOV (GER) v Sergei STEPANOV (RUS)
Bronze – Sebastian NAD (SRB) v Murat FIRAT (TUR)
Semifinal – Giorgi KURTANIDZE (GEO) df. Sergei STEPANOV (RUS) by TF, 11-1, 3:19
Semifinal – Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Murat FIRAT (TUR), 5-1
84kg (21 entries)
Gold – Mikita KLIMOVICH (BLR) v Aleksander KOMAROV (RUS)
Bronze – Temuri TCHKUASELIDZE (GEO) v Tunjay VAZIRZADE (AZE)
Bronze – Dogukan KURU (TUR) v Toni METSOMAEKI (FIN)
Semifinal – Mikita KLIMOVICH (BLR) df. Tunjay VAZIRZADE (AZE) by Fall, 3:23 (10-2)
Semifinal – Aleksander KOMAROV (RUS) df. Toni METSOMAEKI (FIN) by TF, 8-0, 2:00
120kg (14 entries)
Gold – Georgii GADZHINOV (RUS) v Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO)
Bronze – Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN) v Pavel RUDAKOV (BLR)
Bronze – Yakup YERLIKAYA (TUR) v Lenard BEREI (ROU)
Semifinal – Georgii GADZHINOV (RUS) df. Pavel RUDAKOV (BLR), 2-1
Semifinal – Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) df. Lenard BEREI (ROU), 7-1
