Four members of Georgian youth freestyle wrestling team wrestled on the first day of European Junior Championship which is underway in the city of Serbia, Zrenjanin. They won three medals. Beka Petriashvili (74 kg) lost the final and won silver medal. Tengiz Chochishvili (60 kg) and Tedore Ebanoidze (96 kg) won bronze medals.

International Wrestling Federation and organizers of the tournament did not spread information operatively.

Beka Petriashvili beat Ukrainian Vitalii Zhukov, Bulgarian Miroslav Kirov and Hungarian Balint Molnar but lost against Turkish Abdulkadir Ozmen in the final.

Tengiz Chochishvili, silver medal winner of last European Championship, lost chance of improving his result in ¼ final. He lost against Azerbaijani Haji Aliyev. Before that, Georgian wrestler beat Moldovan Maxim Pepelita and when Aliyev went through the final Chochishvili wrestled in repechage. After winning over Hungarian Jozsef Molnar and Russian Abdurakhman Bagamaev, Chochishvili took the third place.

Like Petriashvili, Tedore Ebanoidze wrestled at European Junior Championship for the first time. He easily beat Latvian Nikita Petrovs and German Robin Michael Ferdinand. In semifinal, Ebanoidze lost against Russian Batraz Gazzaev and wrestled in repechage final where he beat Italian Stefano Trapani.

European and world champion Lasha Talakhadze (50 kg) was left beyond top three. He started competition well but after beating Armenian Artak Hovhannisyan and Turkish Muammer Sancak, Lasha lost against Moldovan Ghedrghe Costin in semifinal. In repechage final, Talakhadze lost against German Marc Luithle and took the fifth place.

All four Georgian wrestlers started European Championship from 1/8 final. Only 15 sportsmen were in 50 kg. 7 from them were representatives of the Soviet Union. 20-20 participants were in 60 and 74 kg and 16 – in 96 kg.

On June 22, champions and prize winners will be found out in 55, 66, 84 and 120 kg. Vladimir Khinchegashvili, Davit Tlashadze, Davit Marsagishvili and Geno Petriashvili will wrestle in the name of Georgia.

Otar Maglakelidze

Freestyle wrestling

Juniors

European Championship

Zrenjanin

June 21

50 kg

1 Aldar Balzhiminaev (Russia)

2 Ghedrghe Costin (Moldova)

3 Mirjalal Hasan-Zade (Azerbaijan)

3 Marc Luithle (Germany)

60 kg

1 Uzan Omer (Turkey)

2 Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan)

3 Tengiz Chochishvili (Georgia)

3 Rafal Statkiewicz (Poland)

74 kg

1 Ozmen Abdulkadir (Turkey)

2 Beka Petriashvili (Georgia)

3 Vitalii Zhukov (Ukraine)

3 Shamil Katinovasov (Russia)

96 kg

1 Aslanbek Alborov (Azerbaijan)

2 Battraz Gazzaev (Russia)

3 Tedore Ebanoidze (Georgia)

3 Hleb Kutey (Ukraine)