Usmanov beats Kadzimahamedau
Nesrin BAS (TUR) stepped up and won the 72kg gold medal for Turkiye. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)
Islam DUDAEV (ALB) is 29 years old. He has won medals at odd tournaments, including two bronze medals at the U23 World Championships. But he could not convince himself that he would make it big one day. He even considered retiring early from wrestling.
Thankfully for Dudaev and Albania, the wrestler did not act upon his thoughts as on Friday in Bucharest, Dudaev became Albania’s first-ever European champion.
Dudaev reached the final of a championship on Friday and went one step further by winning the 65kg gold medal. In the final, he defeated Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Gazdhimurad RASHIDOV (AIN) to capture the title.
Before Dudaev, three-time Olympian Sahit PRIZRENI (ALB) and world champion Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) reached the finals at the European Championships, but neither could win the gold medal.
Prizreni was a silver medalist at the 2011 European Championships, while Abakarov was a silver medalist at last year’s tournament.
Starting as the underdog against Rashidov, Dudaev got the first activity point, but Rashidov took a 1-1 criteria lead when Dudaev failed to score when put on the 30-second activity clock.
The referee gave a third passivity in the about, this time on Rashidov, who once again did not score in the stipulated 30 seconds, which showed a clear 2-1 lead to Dudaev, which he held till the end of the about.
Usmanov edges Kadzimahamedau
In a battle of world champion and Olympic silver medalist, Akhmed USMANOV (AIN) got a big win over Magomedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) in a fiercely contested 79kg final in Bucharest.
Both wrestlers began the final on a cautious note and were warned for passivity. But it was Usmanov who was hit with a second passivity warning, and Kadzimahamedau got the first point and went to the break leading 1-0.
Kadzimahamedau scored a step out to start the second period, but Usmanov replied with a takedown to lead 2-2 on criteria. Kadzimahamedau used a duck-under to expose for two points, but Usmanov was also awarded two as he continued to lead 4-4 on criteria.
With less than a minute left, Kadzimahamedau went for another attack, and this time, Usmanov locked a cradle to score two points but also landed in danger, which gave Kadzimahamedau two points. As the sequence finished, Kadzimahamedau was in danger again, adding two more points to Usmanov’s score. Kadzimahamedau challenged the call but lost, and Usmanov won 9-6.
Givi MATCHRASHVILI (GEO) and Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) repeated as European champions in Bucharest.
At 97kg, Matchrashvili was up against Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) in a repeat of last year’s final. While the final in Zagreb was a tense one with just a point, giving Matchrashvili the title, the final in Bucharest was very one-sided as the Georgian destroyed Magomedov.
After scoring two stepouts, Matchrashvili scored a takedown and turned Magomedov to lead 7-0 before the break. He then played the clock out in the second period to win the gold medal 7-1 and his second European title.
Harutyunyan became Armenia’s first-ever four-time European champion in Freestyle as he defeated Muhammat KARAVUS (TUR) 10-0 in just 54 seconds of the 57kg final.
In his typical style, Harutyunyan scored a takedown and transitioned to a lace, building a 6-0 lead. Karavus tried escaping the hold but could never come out of the dangerous position and ultimately gave up two points twice for being in danger.
Armenia won the second gold medal of the night when Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) defeated Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) 7-3 in the 70kg final.
Andreasyan took the lead when Kemertelidze was called passive, but Gerogian scored a takedown before the break to lead 3-1 at the break. Andreasyan was called passive in the second period, making Kemertelidze’s lead 3-1.
It was cut to 3-2 when Andreasyan managed to push him out with 54 seconds left on the clock. He scored another stepout with 33 seconds left, but Kemertelidze still held a 3-3 criteria lead. But Andreasyan hit a four-pointer using the underhook in the last 15 seconds to claim a 7-3 win and the gold medal.
He had also defeated world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) in the final 15 seconds of the semifinal with a front headlock for four points.
RESULTS
57kg
GOLD: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) df. Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR), 10-0
BRONZE: Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) df. Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA), 11-0
BRONZE: Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) df. Kamil KERYMOV (UKR), 10-8
65kg
GOLD: Islam DUDAEV (ALB) df. Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (AIN), 2-1
BRONZE: Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) df. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 4-0
BRONZE: Andre CLARKE (GER) df. Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO), 5-3
70kg
GOLD: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) df. Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), 7-3
BRONZE: Ismail MUSUKAEV (HUN) df. Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA), 2-1
BRONZE: Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) df. Haydar YAVUZ (TUR), 11-3
79kg
GOLD: Akhmed USMANOV (AIN) df. Magomedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN), 9-6
BRONZE: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) df. Ramazan SARI (TUR), 5-1
BRONZE: Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) df. Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), 6-4
97kg
GOLD: Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) df. Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE), 7-1
BRONZE: Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR) df. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN), 6-5
BRONZE: Vladislav BAITCAEV (HUN) df. Batyrbek TCAKULOV (SVK), 4-1
Photo credit: World Athletics
Molly Caudery celebrates her performance at the UK Indoor Championships in Birmingham (© Getty Images)