ZRENJANIN, Serbia (April 16) – World and Olympic Games champion Aleksei MISHIN (RUS) ended Russia’s quest for six berths at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with a steady, yet dominating performance at the European Olympic Games qualifying tourney on Saturday.
Mishin converted a par terre chance in the 85kg final against Nikolai BAYRAKOV (BUL) for a 3-1 victory to cap Russia’s bid for a complete set of six entries in the Greco-Roman in Rio de Janeiro this summer.
On Friday, Sanal SEMENOV (RUS) qualified Russia at 59kg in the classic style to set the table for Mishin to make it an even dozen in the men’s events in Rio.
Russia’s freestyle team qualified for all six of the Rio 2016 categories at last September’s world championships in Las Vegas, while the Greco-Roman squad bagged four medals, including a gold medal from Roman VLASOV (RUS) at 75kg.
Russian entries at 59kg and 85kg, however, fell short of the top six -- the qualifying standard in Las Vegas -- at their respective categories, leaving Russia to contemplate grabbing the last two at the European qualifier in Zrenjanin.
Mishin, a six-time European champion, rolled up four wins in the morning session, including a 2-0 triumph over 2014 world champion Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA) in the quarterfinals and 3-0 win over 2015 European under-23 champion Denis KUDLA (GER) in the semifinals to put Russia into Rio 2016 at middleweight.
Meanwhile, European championship finalists at 75kg Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (GEO) and hometown hero Viktor NEMES (SRB) were set to meet again for the title in Zrenjanin, but the champion Datunashvili took a injury default, leaving the tournament title to hometown hero Nemes.
The 2015 European under-23 champion gave Serbia its third qualifier for Rio 2016 and its second of the tourney, following a runner-up showing at 59kg by Kristijan FRIS (SRB) on Friday evening.
In freestyle, European silver medalist Jabrail HASANOV (AZE) went one better in the qualifier at 74kg by defeating Riga bronze medal winner Jakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) by technical fall, capping it with a double-leg attack to lift and drop to the back for four points.
European champion Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) was caught for a fall by Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDEAVA (ESP) in the quarterfinals. Friev Naskideava then lost to Makarashvili, 12-8, in the semifinals.
At 86kg, 2013 world bronze medalist Istvan VEREB (HUN) won by injury default over Amarhadshi MAGOMEDOV (BLR).
In the women’s finals, Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) dropped world champion Oksana HERHEL (UKR) to her back late in the 58kg final and pressed for the fall to give Bulgaria its second tourney winner in as many nights in women’s wrestling.
At 63kg, European champion Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) fashioned a 4-2 win over Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) with a drag behind in the first period and a clean double-leg takedown in the second for a 4-2 win.
Freestyle
74kg (17 entries)
Gold – Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) df. Jakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) by TF, 11-0, 3:59
Bronze – Alexandru BURCA (MDA) df. Suren KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 4-2
Bronze – Alexandros SAMANIDIS (GRE) df. Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP) by Injury Default, 0:00
Semifinal – Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE) df. Suren KHACHATRYAN (ARM) by TF, 10-0, 0:51
Semifinal – Jakob MAKARASHVILI (GEO) df. Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP), 12-8
86kg (15 entries)
Gold – Istvan VEREB (HUN) df. Amarhadshi MAGOMEDOV (BLR) by Injury Default, 0:04
Bronze – Armands ZVIRBULIS (LAT) df. Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR) by Injury Default, 0:05
Bronze – Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL) df. Rene MATEJOV (SVK), 3-1
Semifinal – Amarhadshi MAGOMEDOV (BLR) df. Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR), 3-3
Semifinal – Istvan VEREB (HUN) df. Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL), 8-3
Greco-Roman
75kg (20 entries)
Gold – Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (GEO) by Injury Default, 0:01
Bronze – Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) df. Emrah KUS (TUR), 3-0
Bronze – Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) df. Igor BESLEAGA (MDA), 9-4
Semifinal – Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (GEO) df. Karapet CHALYAN (ARM), 2-1
Semifinal – Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Igor BESLEAGA (MDA), 3-0
85kg (20 entries)
Gold – Aleksei MISHIN (RUS) df. Nikolay BAYRYAKOV (BUL), 3-0
Bronze – Artur OMAROV (CZE) df. Attila TAMAS (ROU) by Injury Default, 0:16
Bronze – Metehan BASAR (TUR) df. Denis KUDLA (GER) by Withdrawal, 0:07
Semifinal – Nikolay BAYRYAKOV (BUL) df. Artur OMAROV (CZE) by Fall, 4:14 (4-2)
Semifinal –Aleksei MISHIN (RUS) df. Denis KUDLA (GER), 3-0
Women’s Wrestling
58kg (10 entries)
Gold – Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) df. Oksana HERHEL (UKR) by Fall, 5:29 (5-2)
Bronze – Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER), 4-2
Bronze – Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA) df. Emese BARKA (HUN), 3-2
Semifinal – Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) df. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) by Fall, 1:58 (4-0)
Semifinal – Oksana HERHEL (UKR) df. Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA) by Fall, 1:54 (6-2)
63kg (8 entries)
Gold – Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) df. Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS), 4-2
Bronze – Agoro PAPAVASILEIOU (GRE) df. Irina NETREBA (AZE), 9-9
Bronze – Marianna SASTIN (HUN) df. Hafize SAHIN (TUR), 8-4
Semifinal – Anastasia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) df. Irina NETREBA (AZE), 7-2
Semifinal – Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) df. Marianna SASTIN (HUN), 4-2
