Two Azerbaijani wrestlers win European championship after defeating Armenian athletes in finals UPDATED/PHOTO
Two Azerbaijani freestyle wrestlers have won gold at the U-17 European Championships taking place in the Albanian capital of Tirana, defeating the Armenian representative in the finals.
In the 110kg final on June 17, reigning continental champion Yusif Dursunov beat Armenian athlete Genrikh Haykian, Report informs, citing Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation.
Earlier on the same day, gold medallist Haji Karimov (55 kg) defeated another Armenian wrestler Samvel Gevorgyan 13-0.
Another member of the Azerbaijani team, Mirzaaga Akhundov, won a bronze medal at the European Championships, beating Alexander Kambayev of Belarus 12-2.
Azerbaijan is represented at the continental championships in Tirana, the capital of Albania, by the team of Jafar Jafarov (45 kg), Bashir Verdiyev (48 kg), Jeyhun Alizade (51 kg), Haji Karimov (55 kg), Jamal Abbasov (60 kg), Mirzaaga Akhundov (65 kg), Ismayil Rahimli (71 kg), Sheykhali Babazada (80 kg), Sayid Pashayev (92 kg) and Yusif Dursunov (110 kg).
The tournament will wrap up on June 18.
In addition, Jafar Jafarov, in his debut match at the U-17 Championship, won 16-7 against Turkish wrestler Abubakr Gur, then overcame Armenian wrestler Armen Papikyan (10-0).
Jafarov's next match was against Pawel Ilnicki of Poland, who managed to resist the Azerbaijani athlete for only 35 seconds - 10:0. Thus, the member of the Azerbaijani team, reaching the final, guaranteed himself a silver medal of the tournament.
Competing in the 51kg weight category, Seyhun Alizade lost to Armenia's Sasha Petrosyan in the 1/8 final. However, as his opponent reached the final, Alizade will face England's Danush Jowkar in the repechage match.
In the 1/8 final Jamal Abbasov (60kg) did not stand a chance against Abdullah Nakaev of France, 11-0. The next duel of the pupil of Ganja wrestling school was held against Greek Flippos Psom, the meeting ended with the victory of the Azerbaijani wrestler with a score of 6:0. Having gained in the semi-final an early victory over Turkish athlete Vahid Yilmaz (10:0) J.Abbasov advanced to the final for the second time. His opponent in the decisive contest will be Russia's Akramat Shakriyev.
Ismayil Rahimli beat Arnas Linkevičius of Lithuania 10-0, but lost in the quarter-final to Narek Nikoghosyan of Armenia 2-3. His opponent's exit to the final created a chance for I.Rahimli to win a bronze medal. In the repechage, the Azerbaijani athlete will meet Yoseb Mefarishvili of Georgia.
In qualification, Sayid Pashayev failed to resist Turkish wrestler Eyup Cetin - 2:13. Pashayev gained the right to participate in a consolation match because his rival reached the final. Pashayev will compete for the bronze medal against Belarus' Alexey Kulakov.