Host Serbia Rules Greco-Roman at Mediterranean Championships

KANJIZA, Serbia – Serbia dominated the Greco-Roman competition this weekend at the fourth Mediterranean Championships winning seven of eight gold medals en route to the team title. Gold medals in freestyle were less concentrated with seven different nations earning title, including two for France.

In Greco-Roman it was Kristijan FRIS (SRB), ranked 14th in the world at 57kg who beat three opponents in round-robin competition to claim the gold. Fris, fifth at the European Championships back in April, picked up a second-round 2-1 victory over eventual silver medalist and 2011 Mediterranean champion Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO).

World No. 6 Davor STEFANEK (SRB) defeated Valdimiros MATIAS (GRE) 12-6 in the gold-medal final at 66kg. The win gave Stefanek his third gold medal of the year. He previously won gold at the Zagreb Open in February and the Hungarian Grand Prix in March.

Rising star Aleksandar MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), ranked No. 13 in the world, won his second gold medal of the year, taking the championship at 71kg by defeating Mate NEMES (SRB) 9-4 in the final. The 26-year-old Olympian Maksimovic was fifth at the 2013 World Championships in Budapest and he was the silver medalist at the Mediterranean Games last year.

World No. 11 Viktor NEMES (SRB) topped Jure KUHAR (SLO) 1-0 in the gold-medal final at 75kg. Nemes was strong in his semifinal victory over fellow Serbian Mario STEFANEK, winning by technical fall 10-1. It was Nemes’ fourth medal of the year. He’d previously won bronze medals at the Zagreb Open and Hungarian Grand Prix and a silver at the Ljubomir Ivanovic Gedza International. 

Petar BALO (SRB) won four matches in round-robin competition at 80kg to claim his second gold of the year. Balo’s 8-0 technical fall victory over eventual silver medalist Nikolas VARKAS (GRE) was enough to propel him past the competition.

Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) won his second Mediterranean Championship and could be one to watch on the world level at his new weight of 85kg. Prior to the 2014 Mediterranean Championships, Franjkovic competed anywhere between 96kg and 120kg. The key victory in his three round-robin wins was an 8-0 technical fall victory over Dimitrios PAPADOPOLOUS (GRE). Franjkovic previously won the Mediterranean Championship in 2012 at 96kg.

The lone non-Serbian to win a title came at 98kg as Tomislav LAVRIC (CRO) defeated Spyridon KOUDOURATZIS (GRE) 3-0 in the gold-medal final. The 24-year-old Lavric won a bronze medal earlier this year at the Zagreb Open.

Nemanja PAVLOVIC (SRB) won a round-robin to win gold at 130kg. Pavlovic defeated Robert BIN (SRB) 4-0, Nikolaos LEON (GRE) 9-1, and Alexandros PARADATOS (GRE) 9-0. He also won another match by forfeit.

In men’s freestyle, Chakir ANSARI (FRA) and Ruslan MUKTAROV (FRA) gave the French two champions, tops of any country competing in the event.

Ansari captured the gold by winning four matches in a round-robin competition at 57kg. His 11-9 victory over Fai ALALLAI ALRIFA (SYR) was the individual bout that decided the gold medal finish. Ansari won both of his other two matches by technical fall, a 12-0 win over Jovica PAPIC (SRB) and a 12-1 win over Ivan ANAKIEV (MKD).

Muktarov won gold at 65kg with a fall over Nassrallah LALLOUCHE (ALG) in the final. Muktarov was up 4-0 at the time of the fall. Ghazwan LAZKANI MUNLA BADAWI (SYR) earned one of the two bronze medals, picking up a fall over Mario STEFANKE (SRB). The other bronze went to Perica DIMITRIJEVIC (SRB).

Jasin REDZALARI (MKD) won the championship at 61kg by beating both Bilal EL QUARRAQE (MAR) and Nikoa JOVANOIC (SRB).

Mohamed KHAN SHAIKHOUNI (SYR) won four matches to win the gold at 70kg, with the key victory in the round-robin competition coming over Andreas TRIATAFYLLIDIS (GRE) 7-0. Triatafyllidis would finish with the silver medal after wins over Mamuti BEHAR (MKD) and Rudolf LERINC (SRB).

Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE) won the gold at 74kg by defeating Besmir VESLOVSKI (MKD) 10-0 in the gold medal final. Savvoulidis reached the final by earning a 10-0 technical fall over Stanko STEFANEK (SRB). The 22-year-old Savvoulidis was fifth at the 2012 Junior World Championships.

African Championship silver medalist Mohamed Riad LOUAFI (ALG) won the round-robin with three victories to claim his first international gold at 86kg. Louafi’s key victory was a 12-8 decision over eventual silver medalist Abdallh KAREM (SYR). Karem’s 12-3 victory over Milos PITULIC (SRB) propelled him to the silver medal. 

The lone entrant from Albania, Egzon SHALA, claimed the gold medal at 97kg by winning three matches, including a 14-2 technical fall over eventual silver medalist Quentin MILLIERE (FRA). Shala won gold after finishing with a bronze medal in the 2013 Mediterranean Games.

Trabelsi SLIM (TUN) won three matches in the round-robin to earn a gold medal. The 21-year-old Tunisians key victory was 9-4 win over Boban DANOV (MKD).

The field in women’s freestyle was small, but Portugal claimed two of the three weights contested. Liliana SANTOS earned a 15-2 technical fall over Eva TUBA (SRB) to win the gold at 48kg, while Vanija GUERREIRO defeated Ana RANDJELOVIC (SRB) in a 4-4 criteria decision at 53kg.

Ana TUBA (SRB) defeated Una TUBA (SRB) 16-7 to claim gold at 75kg.

Greco-Roman

59kg
Kristijan FRIS (SRB) df. Jonathan THIAM LEMAIRE (MON) 5-1
Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) df. Nikoal MARKOVIC (SRB) by TF, 8-0
Jonathan THIAM LEMAIRE (MON) df. Nikola MARKOVIC (SRB) 7-3
Kristijan FRIS (SRB) df. Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) 2-1
Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) df. Jonathan THIAM LEMAIRE (MON) 5-1
Kristijan FRIS (SRB) df. Nikola MARKOVIC (SRB) by TF, 9-1

66kg
Gold – Davor STEFANEK (SRB) df. Vladimiros MATIAS (GRE) 12-6
Bronze – Tarek Aziz BENAISSA (ALG) df. Leo TUDEZCA (FRA) by TF, 9-1
Bronze – Hugo PASSOS (POR) df. Perica DIMITRIJEVIC (SRB) by TF, 8-0

Semifinals
Davor STEFANEK (SRB) df. Tarek Aziz BENAISSA (ALG) 8-3
Vladimiros MATIAS (GRE) df. Hugo PASSOS (POR) by TF, 9-0

71kg
Gold – Aleksandar Maksimovic (SRB) df. Mate NEMES (SRB) 9-4
Bronze – Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE) df. Gil NUGUES (FRA) by TF, 10-1
Bronze – Akram BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) df. Rudolf LERINC (SRB) by FALL

Semifinals
Aleksandar Maksimovic (SRB) df. Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE) 7-0
Mate NEMES (SRB) df. Rudolf LERINC (SRB) by FALL

75kg
Gold – Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Jure KUHAR (SLO) 1-0
Bronze – Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) df. Mario STEFANEK (SRB) by FALL
Bronze – Franck HASSLI (MON) df. Gievgeni PENTORETS (GRE) by TF, 8-0

Semifinals
Viktor NEMES (SRB) df. Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO) by FALL
Jure KUHAR (SLO) df. Gievgeni PENTORETS (GRE) 5-0

80kg
Tamas SLAJHER (SRB) df. Nenad DUKIC (SRB) 7-5
Petar BALO (SRB) df. Nikolaos VARKAS (GRE) by TF, 8-0
Nenad DUKIC (SRB) df. Georgios TZIOLAS (GRE) 2-0
Nikolaos VARKAS (GRE) df. Tamas SLAJHER (SRB) 6-1
Petar BALO (SRB) df. Nenad DUKIC (SRB) 4-0
Tamas SLAJHER (SRB) df. Georgios TZIOLAS (GRE) 6-4
Nenad DUKIC (SRB) df. Nikolaos VARKAS (GRE) 2-2, criteria
Petar BALO (SRB) df. Georgios TZIOLAS (GRE) by TF, 8-0
Petar BALO (SRB) df. Tamas SLAJHER (SRB) by TF, 10-2
Nikolaus VARKAS (GRE) df. Georgios TZIOLAS (GRE) 2-0

85kg
Dimitrios PAPADOPOULOS (GRE) df. Nans LE FRANC (FRA) by TF, 8-0
Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) df. Kresimir FRANIC (CRO) by TF, 9-0
Dimitrios PAPADOPOULOUS (GRE) df. Kresimir FRANIC (CRO) 12-8
Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) df. Nans LE FRANC (FRA) by TF, 12-4
Dejan FRANJKOVIC (SRB) df. Dimitrios PAPADOPOLOUS (GRE) by TF, 8-0
Kresimir FRANIC (CRO) df. Nans LE FRANC (FRA) by TF, 8-0

98kg
Gold – Tomislav LAVRIC (CRO) df. Spyridon KOUDOURATZIS (GRE) 3-0
Bronze – Mohamed LOUAFI (ALG) df. Vasilje GOVEDARICA (SRB) by FALL
Bronze – Naouzat SALEH (SYR) df. Vartan APARIAN (CYP) by TF, 8-0

Semifinal
Tomislav LAVRIC (CRO) df. Vasilje GOVEDARICA (SRB) by TF, 11-2
Spyridon KOUDOURATZIS (GRE) df. Naouzat SALEH (SYR) 6-1

130kg
Nemanja PAVLOVIC (SRB) df. Nikolaos LEON (GRE) by TF, 9-1
Robert BIN (SRB) df. Alexandros PARADATOS (GRE) 1-0
Nemanja PAVLOVIC (SRB) df. Vladimir Radosavljevic (MNE) by forfeit
Nikolaos LEON (GRE) df. Alexandros PARADATOS (GRE) 5-3
Nemanja PAVLOVIC (SRB) df. Robert BIN (SRB) 4-0
Nikolaos LEON (GRE) df. Vladimir Radosavljevic (MNE) by forfeit
Nemanja PAVLOVIC (SRB) df. Alexandros PARADATOS (GRE) by TF, 9-0
Robert BIN (SRB) df. Vladimir Radosavljevic (MNE) by forfeit
Robert BIN (SRB) df. Nikolaos LEON (GRE) 3-0
Alexandros PARADATOS (GRE) df. Vladimir Radosavljevic (MNE) by forfeit

Men’s Freestyle

57kg
Fai ALALLAI ALRIFA (SYR) df. Ivan ANAKIEV (MKD) 9-0
Chakir ANSARI (FRA) df. Jovica PAPIC (SRB) by TF, 12-0
Chakir ANSARI (FRA) df. Ivan ANAKIEV (MKD) by TF, 12-1
Fai ALALLAI ALRIFA (SYR) df. Jovica PAPIC (SRB) by TF, 10-0
Ivan ANAKIEV (MKD) df. Jovica PAPIC (SRB) by TF, 11-0
Chakir ANSARI (FRA) df. Fai ALALLAI ALRIFA (SYR) 11-9

61kg
Jasin REDZALARI (MKD) df. Bilal EL QUARRAQE (MAR) 13-10
Jasin REDZALARI (MKD) df. Nikoa JOVANOVIC (SRB) by TF, 12-0
Bilal EL QUARRAQE (MAR) df. Nikoa JOVANOVIC (SRB) by TF, 11-1

65kg
Gold – Ruslan MUKTAROV (FRA) df. Nassrallah LALLOUCHE (ALG) by FALL
Bronze – Ghazwan LAZKANI MUNLA BADAWI (SYR) df. Mario STEFANEK (SRB) by FALL
Bronze – Perica DIMITRIJEVIC (SRB)

Semifinals
Ruslan MUKTAROV (FRA) df. Perica DIMITRIJEVIC (SRB) by FALL
Nassrallah LALLOUCHE (ALG) df. Ghazwan LAZKANI MUNLA BADAWI (SYR) by TF, 10-0

70kg
Andreas TRIATAFYLLIDIS (GRE) df. Jovan MIRKOVIC (SRB) by TF, 13-2
Rudolf LERINC (SRB) df. Mamuti BEHAR (MKD) by TF, 10-0
Mohamed KHAN SHAIKHOUNI (SYR) df. Jovan MIRKOVIC (SRB) by TF, 10-0
Andreas TRIATAFYLLIDIS (GRE) df. Mamuti BEHAR (MKD) by TF, 12-2
Rudolf LERINC (SRB) df. Jovan MIRKOVIC (SRB) by TF, 16-4
Mohamed KHAN SHAIKHOUNI (SYR) df. Andreas TRIATAFYLLIDIS (GRE) 7-0
Mamuti BEHAR (MKD) df. Jovan MIRKOVIC (SRB) 8-0
Mohamed KHAN SHAIKHOUNI (SYR) df. Rudolf LERINC (SRB) by TF, 10-0
Andreas TRIATAFYLLIDIS (GRE) df. Rudolf LERINC (SRB) by TF, 12-2
Mohamed KHAN SHAIKHOUNI (SYR) df. Mamuti BEHAR (MKD) 2-1

74kg
Gold – Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE) df. Besmir VESLOVSKI (MKD) by TF, 10-0
Bronze – Metin RAMADANI (MKD) df. Ninoslav STEFANEK (SRB) by TF, 10-0
Bronze – Stanko STOJANOVIC (SRB)
Semifinals
Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE) df. Stanko STEFANEK (SRB) by TF, 10-0
Metin RAMADANI (MKD) df. Ninoslav STEFANEK (SRB) by TF, 12-0 

86kg
Abdallh KAREM (SYR) df. Milos PITULIC (SRB) 12-3
Mohamed Riad LOUAFI (ALG) df. Mladen GAVRIC (SRB) by TF, 10-0
Milos PITULIC (SRB) df. Mladen GAVRIC (SRB) by FALL
Mohamed Riad LOUAFI (ALG) df. Abdallh KAREM (SYR) 12-8
Mohamed Riad LOUAFI (ALG) df. Milos PITULIC (SRB) by TF, 10-0
Abdallh KAREM (SYR) df. Mladen GAVRIC (SRB) 6-0

97kg
Marko JOVANOVIC (SRB) df. Naouzat SALEH (SYR) by TF, 10-0
Egzon SHALA (ALB) df. Quentin MILLIERE (FRA) by TF, 14-2
Egzon SHALA (ALB) df. Naouzat SALEH (SYR) 8-4
Quentin MILLIERE (FRA) df. Marko JOVANOVIC (SRB) by TF, 11-0
Quentin MILLIERE (FRA) df. Naouzat SALEH (SYR) by TF, 11-0
Egzon SHALA (ALB) df. Mark JOVANOVIC (SRB) by TF, 13-2

125kg
Trabelsi SLIM (TUN) df. Cedo KALIC (SRB) by TF 10-0
Boban DANOV (MKD) df. Raja ALKRAD by TF 13-2
Trabelsi SLIM (TUN) df. Boban DANOV (MKD) 9-4
Raja ALKRAD (SYR) df. Cedo KALIC (SRB) 4-0
Trabelsi SLIM (TUN) df. Raja ALKRAD (SYR) 14-6
Boban DANOV (MKD) df. Cedo KALIC (SRB) by TF, 13-0

Women’s Freestyle

48kg
Liliana SANTOS (POR) df. Eva TUBA (SRB) by TF, 15-0 

53kg
Vanija GUERREIRO (POR) df. Ana RANDJELOVIC (SRB) 4-4

75KG
Ana TUBA (SRB) df. Una TUBA (SRB) 16-7