PLOVDIV, Bulgaria (March 11) -- Turkey created history by winning its first-ever continental women's wrestling team title in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
After a gold, two silver and three bronze medals, Turkey finished with 143 points, 23 more than Hungary which finished second with 120 points. Poland managed to climb to third with 118 points.
The lone gold medal for Turkey was won by Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) as she defeated Tamara DOLLAK (HUN, 8-6, surviving and attempted pin for the last 30 seconds.
In a Nelson system draw since there were only five wrestlers in the weight class, Kamaloglu won all her bouts and finished ahead of Patrycja GIL (POL) who finished with three wins and the silver medals. Dollak won the bronze medal.
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) celebrates after winning the U23 Euro title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)
Kamaloglu began with a takedown and gut wrench to lead 4-0 but Dollak cut it to 4-2 with a takedown. But as the two continued to scramble, the Turkey wrestler always managed to come out on top and at one point led 8-2.
But Dollak was in a position to pin her opponent. However, Kamaloglu's arch kept her from putting the shoulders down and she survived the attempt.
“I am feeling good,” Seref EROGLU, Turkey Wrestling Federation President, said. “Turkey is a wrestling country and it's important for us.”
The team will now be eyeing a similar result at the senior European Championships, scheduled to be held in Budapest, Hungary later this month.
Eroglu, who won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics in 66kg Greco-Roman and is a world champion, said that they will win at least two gold medals in Budapest, Hungary.
“Two gold medals at the senior European Championships,” he said. “It will start. We have a dream that we would like to get more than one gold in Paris Olympics. We have to work a lot on that. It's not easy but we can manage this.”
Ewelina CIUNEK (POL) won the gold medal at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)
In other finals, Poland won two gold Friday Ewelina CIUNEK (POL) and Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) denied two Romania wrestlers in the finals.
In a 26-point battle against Amina CAPEZAN (ROU) at 65kg, Ciunek ended up winning 14-12. The multiple-time European medalist was down 12-12 with 10 seconds remaining but was penalized for fleeing. A lost challenge gave Ciunek one more point.
The final began with Ciunek getting two a counter and then an exposure from crotch lift and lead 5-2 at the break. But Capezan stunned her with two headlock throws for four points each.
Ciunek did score two points with counter-attacks and took an 11-10 lead. A double-leg from Capezan gave her two points and it was at this point that she once again tried to throw Ciunek for four points but ended up giving one to Ciunek. But she still led 12-12 on criteria.
But the referees called for a fleeing caution and gave a point straightway without warning as it occurred in the final 10 seconds.
Ciunek, born in the wrestling rick town Namyslow and training for 12 years, said that she could have controlled the final better but was happy to win it.
“It was a little hard in the final,” Ciunek said. “But I think to win is the most important thing I did it. I thought she [Capezan] will try to score a stepout but she used good throws."
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) defended her 72kg U23 European title in Plovdiv. (Photo: UWW / Konstadin Andonov)
At 72kg, Choluj defended her title in a contrasting final as she went past Maria NITU (ROU), 10-0 with 3:15 remaining on the clock. More than the final, the Poland wrestler was happy that she managed to not give a single point throughout the competition. She outscored her opponents 25-0 in three bouts.
“I am happy that I did not give a single point,” Choluj said. “I don't know how to express it but it is satisfying.”
Last year, she had two one-point wins and a win on criteria. One of her opponents was Merve PUL (TUR) whom she defeated 10-0 in the quarterfinals in Plovdiv.
“To improve so much makes me happy,” she said. “Last year I won by one point [against Pul]. Now I want to focus more on the next competitions.”
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) gave her country the third gold medal at the Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) won her nation's third gold medal with a close to perfect final against Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER). In her 10-0 win, the Moldova wrestler matched Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) and Irina RINGACI (MDA)'s gold medals from Thursday.
Like her seniors, Dragutan looked in no trouble against her German opponent and managed to defend all attacks.
“I really wanted to win this,” Dragutan. “Our team has this willpower to win only gold and that's why we win.”
Beginning on a slow note, the 53kg final saw the Moldovan lead 1-0 at the break after Blayvas' passivity. But in the second period, Dragutan scored two points with an exposure. A slide-by and then an attempted pin helped her extend the lead to 8-0.
Blayvas tried another attack but got exposed on the lift and gave up two points, ending the bout 10-0 in Dragutan's favor.
This was her first-ever medal at a Championships but is keen on working hard.
“My brother wrestles and that is why I began. He did not come here,” she said. “I want to wrestle at the Olympics but Moldova has a wrestler [Iulia LEORDA] who is good.”
The three gold medals for Moldova helped them to fourth place in the team ranking and Dragutan said that it is special and she will celebrate with her family back home.
“My family and coach are waiting in Moldova,” she said. “We will celebrate the gold medal there.”
The four medalists at 62kg with gold winner Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)
Azerbaijan won the 62kg gold medal after Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) denied Anna FABIAN (SRB) to create history by becoming Serbia's first-ever European champion at the U23 level.
She began with a takedown and then another to lead 4-0. The same action saw Fabian score a point for reversal.
Aliyeva then decided to play the clock in the second period. She was called passive and gave up a point but Fabian need three more points for a win.
The Serb's desperate attempts to score via takedown were countered and Aliyeva scored two more points to win 6-2.
RESULTS
WW Finals
53kg
GOLD: Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) df Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER), 10-0
BRONZE: Nazife TAIR (BUL) df Rahime ARI (TUR), 4-1
BRONZE: Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE) df Beatrice FERENT (ROU), 11-1
57kg
ROUND 5: Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) df Tamara DOLLAK (HUN), 8-6
ROUND 5: Patrycja GIL (POL) df Sezen BELBEROVA (BUL), 8-0
Final Standing:
GOLD: Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
SILVER: Patrycja GIL (POL)
BRONZE: Tamara DOLLAK (HUN)
62kg
GOLD: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df Anna FABIAN (SRB), 6-2
BRONZE: Ameline DOUARRE (FRA) df Paulina DANISZ (POL), 2-1
BRONZE: Luisa SCHEEL (GER) df Nikolett SZABO (HUN), 5-3
65kg
GOLD: Ewelina CIUNEK (POL) df Amina CAPEZAN (ROU), 14-12
BRONZE: Yagmur CAKMAK (TUR) df Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT), 3-1
BRONZE: Viktoria VESSO (EST) df Nerea PAMPIN BLANCO (ESP), 11-0
72kg
GOLD: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) df Maria NITU (ROU), 10-0
BRONZE: Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK) df Kendra DACHER (FRA), via fall
BRONZE: Tuende ELEKES (HUN) df Merve PUL (TUR), 4-1
FS Semifinals
57kg
GOLD: Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO) vs Horst LEHR (GER)
SF 1: Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO) df Yusuf DEMIR (TUR), 10-0
SF 2: Horst LEHR (GER) df Ivaylo TISOV (BUL), 12-1
65kg
GOLD: Hrachya MARGARYAN (ARM) vs Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE)
SF 1: Hrachya MARGARYAN (ARM) df Ayub MUSAEV (BEL), 4-2
SF 2: Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) df Marwane YEZZA (FRA), 6-2
70kg
GOLD: Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) vs Narek HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
SF 1: Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) df Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA), 9-7
SF 2: Narek HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df Ivan STOYANOV (BUL), 6-3
79kg
GOLD: Evsem SHVELIDZE (GEO) vs Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
SF 1: Evsem SHVELIDZE (GEO) df Oktay HASAN (BUL), 3-1
SF 2: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df Mushegh MKRTCHYAN (ARM), 10-7
97kg
GOLD: Johannes MAYER (GER) vs Islam ILYASOV (AZE)
SF 1: Johannes MAYER (GER) df Radu LEFTER (MDA), 5-3
SF 2: Islam ILYASOV (AZE) df Richard VEGH (HUN), 6-1
