Another day and freestyle champions and prize winners in all weight classes will be found out. At this time, members of Georgian team are among champions and prize winners in three weight classes. Today Geno Petriashvili won bronze medal. Heavyweight of the Georgian team who is just 18 years old had a perfect debut. The only thing that he lacks is experience of wrestling at high level.

Nugzar Skhireli, private coach of Petriashvili, mentioned inexperience. Before the start of European Championship he told “World Sport” that getting in Top 3 would be the best result for the sportsmen at the stage.

There were 15 participants in heavyweight. Geno Petriashvili was No.12 seed and started participation from 1/8 final where he beat Boban Danov of Macedonia. In the first round the Georgian gained one point and in the second one – four points.

In ¼ final the Georgian heavyweight wrestled against stronger sportsman Magomedgadzhi Nurasulov of Russia. Geno lost to the Russian at last World Championship and had to take revenge. Nurasulov gained the first point but then Geno earned 3 points. In the second period the Georgian did not wait for final siren and went through to semifinal – 7:0.

Inexperience of Petriashvili showed up against Alen Zasieiev of Ukraine. The Ukrainian gained the only point at the end of the first period. In the second round Alen earned tactic points and made through to final.

In repechage Geno Petriashvili won over Nick Matuhin of Germany in two periods 9:2 (4:2 5:0).

Davit Khutsishvili started well in 74kg. In the first round he defeated Philipp Crepaz of Austria 1:0, 5:0. In 1/8 final the Georgian lost to Aniuar Geduev of Russia. When the Russian won other fights Khutsishvili wrestled for bronze.

Khutsishvili started wrestling against Tomasz Rogisz of Poland actively but suddenly, his shoulder slipped out. The Polish won the first period 4:3. Khutsishvili returned to the mat and made miracle – he beat the opponent with one hand. After the win, referee did not raise the hand of the Georgian because of injury.

In 15 minutes injured Khutsishvili wrestled against Leonid Bazan of Bulgaria. He wrestled with one hand. The referee thought the Georgian did not wrestle actively and gave point to Bazan. The Bulgarian won the period. It was so unfair that several members of European Wrestling Federation pointed the Georgian coaches to protest it. Aleko Kakhniashvili who is a private coach of Khutsishvili threw the square on the mat but referee defended his position so actively and the Georgian wrestler refused to protest it. Bazan won the second period too. The Georgian fans protested it for a long time.

“I am satisfied with the result of Geno Petriashvili. Davit Khutsishvili could have done more. He was ready for the championship if not injury”, - stated Rezo Mindorashvili, head coach of the Georgian team.

One Georgian got in Top 3 of 74kg. Gia Chikhladze won bronze medal in the name of Ukraine. Father of the sportsman was so happy that he ran round the arena of Sports Palace with Georgian and Ukrainian flags.

Tomorrow champions and prize winners will be found out in 84kg. Davit Marsagishvili will wrestle in the name of Georgia. He is No.9 seed and will start participation from 1/8 final where the Georgian will wrestle against Dominic Klaus Peter of Austria.

All Georgian and Russian wrestlers were on the one side of the draw. It is a strange and suspicious coincidence…

European Championship

Tbilisi. March 21

Freestyle wrestling

74 kg

1 Anyuar Geduev (Russia) 

2 Gabor Hatos (Hungary)

3 Gia Chikhladze (Ukraine)

3 Leonid Bazan (Bulgaria)

120 kg

1 Taha Akgul (Turkey)

2 Alen Zasieiev (Ukraine)

3 Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)

3 Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan)

 Female wrestling

55 kg

1 Sofia Mattson (Sweden) 

2 Maria Prevolaraki (Greece)

3 Iryna Husyak (Ukraine)

3 Emese Barka (Hungary)

67 kg

1 Alina Stadnik-Makhynia (Ukraine)

2 Ilana Kratysh (Israel)

3 Aline Focken (Germany)

3 Svetlana Babushkina (Russia)

Otar Maglakelidze