NOVI SAD, Serbia (April 30) – World and Olympic Games champions Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) and Taha AKGUL (TUR) help kick off the 2017 Senior European Wrestling Championships, getting under way at Spens Sports Hall on Tuesday.
Local hero Davor STEFANEK (SRB) and fellow Rio 2016 gold medalist Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS), meanwhile, are slated to help bring the curtain down on the championships with the Greco-Roman events on Saturday and Sunday.
Khinchegashvili, who won the Rio 2016 gold medal in freestyle at 57kg, returns as the defending European champ at 61kg while Akgul seeks to add to his three continental crowns at 125kg after slipping to 10th place one year ago.
Defending champion at 125kg and Rio bronze medalist Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), fresh from winning his second European under-23 crown, will try to retain his senior super heavyweight title in a much anticipated showdown with Akgul on the fourth and final day of freestyle and women’s events.
Khinchegashvili, wrestling on the third day of competition, looks to likely match-ups with two-time world champion Haji ALIEV (AZE) and 2016 world bronze medalist Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS).
Competition in women’s wrestling will share the mats with freestyle on the first four days of the championships with three Rio 2016 silver medalists – Mariya STADNIK (AZE), Valeria KOBLOVA (RUS) and Maria MAMASHUK (BLR) – leading the way.
Stadnik sets her sights on a seventh European title at 48kg on the first day of wrestling. Koblova seeks her first continental crown since 2014 at 58kg on Day Four while Mamashuk, the silver medalist at 63kg in Rio, seeks a repeat over a talented field at 69kg.
Rio 2016 bronze medalist Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) leads the field of challengers at light heavyweight, along with 2014 world champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) and Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) -- silver medalist in the last four European championship events.
Greco-Roman will be featured the final two days of competition with Stefanek seeking to bag the gold medal missing from his collection of continental awards at 66kg on Saturday. Defending champs Mingiyan SEMENOV (RUS), Nikita MELNIKOV (RUS) and Riza KAYAALP (TUR) are also on deck.
Chakvetadze, meanwhile, targets a second continental title at 85kg with a chance to wrestle in the tourney finale against a tough field that includes last year’s runner-up Robert KOBLIASHVILI (GEO) as well as Rio bronze medalist Javid HAMZATOV (BLR).
Freestyle (Tuesday-Friday, May 2-5)
Freestyle wrestling leads off with a stellar field at 86kg including Rio 2016 silver medalist Selim YASAR (TUR) as well as London 2012 champion Sharif SHARIPOV (AZE) topping the list of entries. Defending champion Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) returns to fray at 97kg on Day Two after an 11th-place exit from Rio 2016.
Rio bronze medal winners Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) and Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) were the finalists at 74kg last year in Riga and are on tap for Day Three along with Khinchegashvili.
On the final day of freestyle, all four medalists at 70kg from Riga, led by defending champion Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL), are entered and will be joined by last year’s champion at 65kg Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) and Yarygin Grand Prix titlist Israil KASUMOV (RUS).
Women’s Wrestling (Tuesday-Friday, May 2-5)
The first day of women’s events opens with defending champ Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT), 2014 world champion Yulia TKACH (UKR) at 63kg along with returning champ at 60kg Petra OLLI (FIN), continuing her challenge at the women’s middleweight category.
Day Three will feature this year’s U23 finalists at 55kg Irina KURACHKHINA (BLR) and Bediha GUN (TUR) and last year’s finalists in the European championships at 75kg – Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS).
In addition to Koblova and Mamashuk on the final day of women’s events, two of the rising stars in the women’s ranks – Riga silver medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR) and junior world champ Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) – are set to challenge for a medal at 58kg and 69kg, respectively.
Greco-Roman (Saturday-Sunday, May 6-7)
The first day of Greco-Roman features the two lightest and two heaviest categories with Semenov (59kg) and Melnikov (98kg) seeking repeat titles, while Stefanek and 2015 European Games gold medalist Artem SURKOV (RUS) appear headed for a clash for the 66kg crown.
Rio 2016 runner-up Riza KAYAALP (TUR) aims at a sixth straight and seventh overall continental crown at 130kg, but may have to get by Rio bronze medal winners Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) and Sabah SHARIATI (AZE) along the way.
On the final day of the championships, world champion at 71kg Balint KORPASI (HUN) tries to add European champion to his list of accomplishments and Tamas LORINCZ (HUN), a London 2012 silver medalist at 66kg, sees how deep he can get into the bracket at 75kg. Viktor NEMES (SRB) attempts to improve on a silver medal in Riga.
The most interesting bracket could very well be at 80kg where 2014 world champion Peter BACSI (HUN), last year’s European champion at 75kg Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (GEO) along with defending champion Pascal EISELE (GER) and runner-up Edgar BABAYAN (POL) are set to do battle.
Schedule
Monday, May 1
17:00-17:45 – Medical Examination: FS 57 & 86kg, WW 48 & 63kg
18:00-18:30 – Weigh-In: FS 57 & 86kg, WW 48 & 63kg
Tuesday, May 2
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: FS 57 & 86kg, WW 48 & 63kg
16:45-17:45 - Medical Examination: FS 65 & 97kg, WW 53 & 60kg
18:00-18:30 – Weigh-In: FS 65 & 97kg, WW 53 & 60kg
18:30-19:00 – Opening Ceremony
19:00-21:00 – Finals and Award Ceremonies: FS 57 & 86kg, WW 48 & 63kg
Wednesday, May 3
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: FS 65 & 97kg, WW 53 & 60kg
16:45-17:45 - Medical Examination: FS 61 & 74kg, WW 55 & 75kg
18:00-18:30 – Weigh-In: FS 61 & 74kg, WW 55 & 75kg
19:00-21:00 – Finals and Award Ceremonies: FS 65 & 97kg, WW 53 & 60kg
Thursday, May 4
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: FS 61 & 74kg, WW 55 & 75kg
16:45-17:45 - Medical Examination: FS 70 & 125kg, WW 58 & 69kg
18:00-18:30 – Weigh-In: FS 70 & 125kg, WW 58 & 69kg
19:00-21:00 – Finals and Award Ceremonies: FS 61 & 74kg, WW 55 & 75kg
Friday, May 5
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: FS 70 & 125kg, WW 58 & 69kg
16:45-17:45 - Medical Examination: GR 59, 66, 98 & 130kg
18:00-18:30 – Weigh-In: GR 59, 66, 98 & 130kg
19:00-21:00 – Finals and Award Ceremonies: FS 70 & 125kg, WW 58 & 69kg
Saturday, May 6
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: GR 59, 66, 98 & 130kg
16:45-17:45 - Medical Examination: GR 71, 75, 80 & 85kg
18:00-18:30 – Weigh-In: GR 71, 75, 80 & 85kg
19:00-21:00 – Finals and Award Ceremonies: GR 59, 66, 98 & 130kg
Sunday, May 7
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: GR 71, 75, 80 & 85kg
18:00-20:00 – Finals and Award Ceremonies: GR 71, 75, 80 & 85kg
