ISTANBUL (June 26) – Defending champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) hopes to ignite the hometown fans at Bagcilar Sports Complex on Friday evening as she goes her third straight title at the European junior wrestling championships.

Tosun, who won a bronze medal at the European under-23 championships in March, will face 2014 junior world champion Lyubov OVCHAROVA (RUS) in the final at 63kg.

Tosun defeated Ovcharova, 16-10, in the quarterfinals of last year’s European junior meet in Katowice, Poland. Ovcharova, in turn, bounced back to claim the world title in Zagreb while Tosun fell in the round of 16.

Ovcharova opened the morning session with a 2-2 win over Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games bronze medalist Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) and secured her place in the final with a 14-3 triumph over 2014 junior world bronze medal winner Ragneta GURBANZADE (AZE).

Larroque and Gurbanzade will meet for one of the bronze medals at 63kg on Friday evening.

Meanwhile, Sabira ALIEVA (AZE) will seek to reclaim the European junior crown she won at 72kg in 2013, but lost when she slumped to fifth place in Katowice.  The 2014 junior world champion will face Anastasia SHUSTOVA (UKR) in the finale of the women’s competition.

Shustova, a bronze medal winner last year, stunned YOG gold medalist Daria SHISHTEROVA (RUS) with a fall in the quarterfinals on her way to the gold medal round.

In other weight categories, European under-23 champion Ayona KOLESNIK (UKR) got off to a slow start at 55kg with a 6-6 win over Maria KUZNETSOVA (RUS), but then notched a pair of falls to advance to the final opposite Particia LIUZZI (ITA).

Liuzzi is already assured her first medal in competition outside of Italy, but would like to win Italy’s third gold medal in women’s wrestling at the European junior championships. The last gold medal was won last year by Dalma CANEVA (67kg) in Katowice.

At 48kg, junior world bronze medalist Milana DADASHEVA (RUS) wrapped up 2014 European junior runner-up Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) for the fall in the semifinals.

Dadasheva meets Diona ROSCOVANU (MDA), who has not reached the medals podium since accepting silver medals at both the 2012 European junior and European cadet championships.

Demirhan battles for a bronze medal against Suzanna SEICARIU (ROU), who took bronze and silver medals at the European and world cadet championships last year.

Competition at Bagcilar Sports Complex continues Friday evening with the medal finals in four categories -- 48, 55, 63 and 72kg – to bring down the curtain on women’s wrestling. 

Women’s Wrestling

48kg (13 entries)
Gold – Doina ROSCOVANU (MDA) v Milana DADASHEVA (RUS)
Bronze – Dominika SZYNKOWSKA (POL) v Silje KIPPERNES (NOR)
Bronze – Suzanna SEICARIU (ROU) v Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR)

55kg (13 entries)
Gold – Patricia LIUZZI (ITA) v Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Bronze – Ayse VATANSEVER (TUR) v Tatiana DONCILA (MDA)
Bronze – Sonia BAUDIN (FRA) v Anastassia KRASNOVA (EST)

63kg (15 entries)
Gold – Buse TOSUN (TUR) v Lyubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Bronze – Viktoria BOBEVA (BUL) v Signe STORE (NOR)
Bronze – Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) v Ragneta GURBANZADE (AZE)

72kg (13 entries)
Gold – Anastasia SHUSTOVA (UKR) v Sabira ALIEVA (AZE)
Bronze – Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS) v Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Bronze – Vivien SZARAZ (HUN) v Francy RADELT (GER)