European Championships 2021
The European Championchips 2021 took place in Warsaw, Poland. Impressively, the Russian team won 6 gold medals in freestyle wrestling and 5 in Greco-Roman wrestling. Slovakia won a total of 4 gold medals in both styles and Turkey 3 gold medals, including in the two heavyweight classes with the line-up of Taha Akgül and Rıza Kayaalp.
Here are some Highlights:
Freestyle
1/8 FS – 74 kg: Tajmuraz Salkazanov, Slovakia vs. Frank Chamizo, Italy
Tajmuraz Salkazanov, Slovakia and Frank Chamizo, Italy, meet in the round of 16. With a spectacular 4-point score Salkazanov defeats the 4-time European and 2-time World Champion Chamizo. In the final Salkazanov defeats the Bulgarian Miroslav Kirov with 10 to nil.
1/2 FS – 70 kg: Arman Andreasyan, Azerbaijan vs. Israil Kasumov, Russia
Israil Kasumov, Russian Champion of 2021, is in the semi-finals against Armenian Arman Andreasyan. Kasumov wins and faces 20-year-old Azerbaijanian Turan Bayramov, U23 World Champion in 2019, in the final.
Gold FS – 125 kg: Sergei Kozyrev, Russia vs. Taha AKGUL, Turkey
The 6-time European champion Taha Akgül meets russian 2021 champion Sergei Kozyrev in the final of the heavyweight division. Akgül dominates the fight from the beginning and wins in the end by disqualification over a frustrated Kozyrev.
Greco-Roman
Gold GR – 60 kg: Kerem Kamal, Turkey vs. Sergey Emelin, Russia
In the final fight there are two controversial scenes between the Turk and European silver medalist of 2020, Kerem Kamal, and the Russian and world champion of 2018, Sergey Emelin.
1/8 GR – 72 kg: Selcuk Can, Turkey vs. Frank Staebler, Germany
Seluk Can and three-time World champion Frank Staebler put up a very close fight.
Gold GR – 130 kg: Iakobi Kajaia, Georgia, vs. Riza Kayaalp, Turkey
Two giants meet in the battle for gold. Kayaalp once again keeps the upper hand and becomes European champion for the tenth time.