BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 31) -- Not many can say that winning the U23 World Championships was the start of something special for them. It may be the pinnacle of their career. But for Andreea ANA (ROU), winning the gold in Belgrade last year was the break she wanted.
Four months after becoming Romania's first-ever woman to win gold at World Championships, the 22-year-old has become her nation's first-ever senior European champion in women's wrestling. Add to that the maiden U23 European gold she won two weeks ago in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Romania has had nine finalists over the years at the senior Euros but none had crossed the final hurdle. But Ana defeated Ukraine's young superstar Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR), 7-5 in the 55kg with a thrilling buzzer-beating four-pointer.
"I think the gold in Belgrade helped me break the mental block I had in finals. That is why I had a lot of bronze and silver medals," Ana had said in Plovdiv.
Perhaps that helped her remain calm even when she was trailing by two points with just 11 seconds. Ana and Khomenets matched each move-for-move and it was only an inactivity point that separated the two. Ana led 1-0 at the break but soon increased the pace of the bout and scored a takedown 33 seconds into the second period.
Khomenetes also matched that and 39 seconds later and scored two takedowns inside 30 seconds to lead 4-3. She added a step-out and had a 5-3 lead with just 11 seconds remaining.
When it looked all over, Ana managed to blast a double-leg and score four points and end Romania's wait for a gold medal in women's wrestling at the senior event.
"I am feeling good and proud of myself," Ana said. "I have a lot of emotions and sensations and I am happy that it ended like this. I know she [Khomenets] is strong but my technique was better to win."
Ana, who competes in a non-Olympic weight class of 55kg, had been to Tokyo Olympics at 53kg but failed to win a medal. She is now training to win a medal in Paris but has to decide which Olympic weight class to go -- 53kg or 57kg.
"I have to decide which weight class to move. I am not sure yet," she said.
Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) won her first senior European title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)
Turkey won its third-ever gold medal at the European Championships when Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) pinned defending champion Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) in just a minute and 55 seconds.
The 26-year-old was caught off guard when Selishka went for a takedown at the beginning but in the same sequence, Demirhan overturned it and scored two for herself.
The former U23 world champion from Turkey continued to put pressure on Selishka and ultimately managed to keep the Bulgarian to her back and get the fall.
"I am very happy to win gold," Demirhan said. "This was the first time I wrestled my opponent [Selishka] and I can't believe it."
Demirhan's coming-of-age performance was a testimony of how the 50kg wrestler has grown since winning the gold at the U23 Worlds five years ago.
In her semifinal, she defeated two-time Olympian and world silver medalist Amilia VUC (ROU) who she had lost to in the '18 European semifinal. Selishka had defeated Demirhan at the Yasar Dogu in the 2020 final and the Olympic qualification tournament in 2021.
"I beat all the opponents that I lost to in the past and this is my first gold at the senior level so I am very happy," she said.
Yasemin ADAR (TUR) is now a five-time senior European champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)
The day got better for Turkey when Yasemin ADAR (TUR) added a fifth gold medal to her collection of European gold medals after defeating long-time rival Epp MAE (EST) in the final. In a slow-paced final at 76kg, Adar was called passive first and Mae led 1-0 at the break. But Adar led 1-1 on criteria in the second period for Mae's passivity.
Wrestling after eight months, Adar, who won Turkey's first-ever medal in women's wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics, then defended all of Maee's attacks for the final minute. Mae's desperate attacks resulted in a counter from Adar and gave the Turkey wrestler two points.
"It's after two years I am wrestling at the Europeans and the first time since the Olympics," Adar said. "I was not in Warsaw. I am very happy to win five Euros."
The 3-1 win helped Adar maintain her perfect record over Mae. Adar has defeated the '21 World silver medalist in her previous three meetings, two of them coming at the continental level.
"I always tell the young girls on the team that follow your dreams," she said. "All five medals are the same. Only a gold medal can run with the flag on the mat and that's very important for me."
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) defeated Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) twice in Budapest to win gold. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)
Moldova's golden pair wins again
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) and Irina RIGACI (MDA) became two-time senior European champions as they dominated their respective final at 59kg and 68kg respectively. Just two weeks ago, the two had captured gold medals at the U23 European Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria as well.
In a bracket with only seven wrestlers, Nichita outscored her opponents 26-3 with two wins over Jowita WRZESIEN (POL). After beating the Poland wrestler in the opening round 4-2, Nichita repeated that performance in the final winning 4-1.
Wrzesien scored the opening takedown but Nichita answered with a takedown and led 2-1. The Poland World bronze medalist kept the former U23 world champion quiet for the first four minutes but then she switched levels in the final two minutes to win.
Irina RINGACI (MDA) won her second senior European title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)
Ringaci was more dominant in the final against Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) as hit a whizzer and then added three takedowns to win 10-0 in four minutes.
"One more gold medal in my collection," Ringaci said. "My opponents were well-prepared but my wrestling had proved who is the best."
Since moving to the Olympic weight class of 68kg, the junior and senior world champ has consistently improved.
"The Olympics are coming so I have to move up to 68kg and be ready to wrestle in this category," she said. "I am happy I’ve won as it was one of my dreams to become a senior European champion."
But there is scope for improvement as she was almost out of the final after trailing 9-1 against Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE). But she scored 12 unanswered points in the second period and ultimately got the pin.
"In the first period when the score was 7-1, I knew I had to attack to score the points, but when the score was 9-1 I was still ready to wrestle till the end," she said.
Greco-Roman begins Friday at the European Championships with five weight classes.
WW semifinal
53kg
GOLD: Emma MALMGREN (SWE) vs Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
SF 1: Emma MALMGREN (SWE) df Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL), via fall
SF 2: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), via fall
57kg
GOLD: Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) vs Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
SF 1: Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) df Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER), 8-1
SF 2: Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) df Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), via fall
62kg
GOLD: Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) vs Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)
SF 1: Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) df Natalia KUBATY (POL), 10-0
SF 2: Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) df Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), 5-3
65kg
GOLD: Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) vs Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)
SF 1: Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) df Kriszta INCZE (ROU), 2-1
SF 2: Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) df Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL), via fall
72kg
GOLD: Anna SCHELL (GER) vs Buse TOSUN (TUR)
SF 1: Anna SCHELL (GER) df Kendra DACHER (FRA), 9-4
SF 2: Buse TOSUN (TUR) df Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 7-1
WW Medal Results
50kg
GOLD: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df Miglena SELISHKA (BUL), via fall
BRONZE: Emilia VUC (ROU) df Lisa ERSEL (GER), via fall
BRONZE: Anna LUKASIAK (POL) df Turkan NASIROVA (AZE), 6-4
55kg
GOLD: Andreea ANA (ROU) df Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR), 7-5
BRONZE: Bediha GUN (TUR) df Nova BERGMAN (SWE), 5-4
BRONZE: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) df Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER), via fall
59kg
Final: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) df Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), 4-1
Bronze: Elena BRUGGER (GER) df Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE), 9-0
Final standing:
GOLD: Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
SILVER: Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
BRONZE: Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
68kg
GOLD: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), 10-0
BRONZE: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) df Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), 5-2
BRONZE: Natalia STRZALKA (POL) df Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 7-4
76kg
GOLD: Yasemin ADAR (TUR) df Epp MAEE (EST), 3-1
BRONZE: Enrica RINALDI (ITA) df Catalina AXENTE (ROU), 4-4
BRONZE: Bernadett NAGY (HUN) df Mariya ORYASHKOVA (BUL), 8-2
