Seven-time European Champion Mariya Stadnik will be missing in action as women’s bouts start on Day 3 of the European Wrestling Championships in Rome today (Wednesday). The Azerbaijan camp has confirmed without giving a reason that the two World Championships title holder has opted out of the competition.
The absence of Mariya Stadnik, who also has three Olympic medals under her belt, will certainly deprive fans of some quality action.
Elsewhere on Day 3, 76kg competition will have battles between the heavyweights. Rid de Janeiro 2016 Olympics gold medallist Ekaterina Bukina from Russia, two-time Euro Games champion Vasilisa Marzalyuk from Belarus; 2019 European Championship bronze medallist Jeanette Nemeth from Hungary, 2018 World Cup bronze medallist Martina Cuenz from Austria will all be vying for top honours.
The women’s competition on day three has bouts lined up in the 50, 55, 59, 68 and 76 kg weight categories.
In the 50 kg weight category, Russia’s Milan Dadashev, who won the bronze medal at the European Championships 2018, is pitted in the opener against the home team player Emanuello Liuzzi. On the same side of the grid, 2019 European Games silver medallist Oksana Livach and 2018 European Championships bronze winner are pitted against each other in their opening round bout.
The 2019 World Championships bronze Medallist Olga Khoroshavtseva and three-time European champion Sofia Mattsson from Sweden are expected to set up an exciting finale in the 55 kg competition.
The 59kg category semi-finals may also have an exciting battle between the 2019 World Championships silver medallist Lyubov Ovcharova and three-time European champion Bilyala Dudova from Bulgaria.
Russian women’s wrestler Khanum Veliyeva, who is a Cadet World Championships silver medallist, will open the competition in the 68kg weight category against 2019 European Games bronze medallist Sofia Georgieva of Bulgaria. Khanum also stands a chance to meet her fiercest rival Kumba Larok of France. The duo has been facing each other in the European and other international meets since their cadet days. The World and European Champion Alla Belinskaya of Ukraine is another formidable name in the 68kg category.
Vasilisa versus Martina, as well as Jeanette Nemeth and All Belinskaya, can be two other interesting line-ups in the group.
Draw: For Day 3
60kg
GOLD – Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) vs. Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
67kg
GOLD – Morten THORESEN (NOR) vs. Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS)
72kg
GOLD – Frank STAEBLER (GER) vs. Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
82kg
GOLD – Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) vs. Daniel ALEKSANDROV (BUL)
97kg
GOLD – Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) vs. Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
