Verbina Tops Yetgil as Russia Claims 2 More Golds at Cadet European C'ships

SARAJEVAO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (July 28) – Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) capped off a magnificent performance at the Cadet European Championships on Friday by defeating returning cadet world bronze medalist Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) 8-4 in the finals at 52kg.

Verbina's teammate Natia SVANIDZE captured gold at 46kg, giving Russia three gold medalists over the two-day women's wrestling competition. On Thursday, Mariia TIUMEREKOVA won gold at 49kg.

Verbina was unchallenged en route to reaching the finals, earning three technical falls without surrendering a point. In the finals against Yetgil, Verbina found herself in an early 4-0 hole at the break after getting thrown for four points a minute into the match. But the Russian came back strong in the second period with three takedowns - the final one being a feet-to-back takedown for four points - to earn an 8-4 victory.  

Svanidze, a bronze medalist at last year's Cadet European Championships, won the title at 46kg with a fall over Beatrice FERENT (ROU) in the finals. Svanidze controlled the match from start to finish. She took a 4-0 lead into the break, and then executed an inside trip with just over a minute remaining in the match and secured the fall.

Cadet world silver medalist Petya DELCHEVA (BUL) claimed the first gold medal on Friday, blanking Justine VIGOUROUX (FRA) in the finals at 40kg. Delcheva was dominant throughout the event, winning by technical fall in the quarterfinals and getting a fall in the semifinals. 

Erika BOGNAR (HUN) upgraded her Cadet European silver medal to a gold medal by defeating Viktoria VESSO (EST) 2-2 in the finals at 60kg. Bognar scored the match's only takedown early in the second period. 

The final gold medal in the women's wrestling competition was won by Romana VOVCHAK (UKR) at 70kg. She becomes the second Ukrainian woman to win gold in Sarajevao, joining Oksana CHUDYK, who won the title at 65kg on Thursday. Vovchak won all three of her matches in the tournament by fall. In the finals against Mehtap GULTEKİN (TUR), she built a 4-0 lead before putting Mehtap GULTEKİN (TUR) on her back in the final minute and getting the fall. 

Hungary claimed a couple bronze medals at 52kg with Szimonetta SZEKER and Bernadett NAGY at 70kg. 

Bronze medals at 40kg were by won by Regina MILLER (RUS) and Mariam KARELIDZE (GEO).

Anastasiya YANOTOVA (BLR) and Natalia WALCZAK (POL) took the bronze medals at 46kg. 

Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) edged Othelie Annette HOEIE (NOR) 6-5 to win a bronze medal at 52kg.   

At 60kg, Amina Roxana CAPEZAN (ROU) and Morena DE VITA (ITA) won bronze medals.

Lithuania grabbed a bronze medal at 70kg with Kamile GAUCAITE defeating Valeriia TRIFONOVA (RUS) 4-4. 

Results: Medal Matches

Women's Wrestling

40kg (9 entries)
GOLD:  Petya Zarkova DELCHEVA (BUL) df. Justine Fanny VIGOUROUX (FRA) by VPO, 6-0  
BRONZE:  Regina MILLER (RUS) df. Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR) by VPO1, 11-7  
BRONZE:  Mariam KARELIDZE (GEO) df. Mariia KOVALENKO (UKR) by VPO1, 8-2  

46kg (16 entries)
GOLD:  Natia SVANIDZE (RUS) df. Beatrice Ionela FERENT (ROU) by VFA, 6-0  
BRONZE:  Anastasiya YANOTOVA (BLR) df. Maria LEORDA (MDA) by VFA, 4-0  
BRONZE:  Natalia Edyta WALCZAK (POL) df. Aynur JAMALOVA (AZE) by VFA, 6-0  

52kg (18 entries)
GOLD:  Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS) df. Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) by VPO1, 8-4  
BRONZE:  Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) df. Othelie Annette HOEIE (NOR) by VPO1, 6-5  
BRONZE:  Szimonetta Timea SZEKER (HUN) df. Teresa LUMIA (ITA) by VPO1, 3-3  

60kg (19 entries)
GOLD:  Erika BOGNAR (HUN) df. Viktoria VESSO (EST) by VPO1, 2-2  
BRONZE:  Amina Roxana CAPEZAN (ROU) df. Karyna KOLESNIK (UKR) by VPO1, 6-6  
BRONZE:  Morena DE VITA (ITA) df. Iryna ZHURAULIOVA (BLR) by VPO, 4-0  

70kg (12 entries)
GOLD:  Romana VOVCHAK (UKR) df. Mehtap GULTEKİN (TUR) by VFA, 6-0  
BRONZE:  Bernadett NAGY (HUN) df. Hanna MASLAKOVA (BLR) by VPO, 4-0  
BRONZE:  Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (RUS) by VPO1, 4-4