The first day of European Championship turned out boring for Georgian spectators. Members of Georgian freestyle wrestling team lost the first round. It was tough to watch foreigners. Unfortunately, wrestling is one of the most boring sports to watch. None of the wrestlers made anything special. The sportsmen who took out balls from the tray won the matches.

In 1/8 final of 96kg Elizbar Odikadze won over Russian Vladislav Baitsev in the first period. The second one ended up without point and Baitsev took out the ball of his uniform color. He used this chance. If not the ball, Odikadze would have made through to ¼ final.

In the decisive 2 minutes, the Georgian wrestler was passive. In the third period Baitsev earned point of victory and Elizbar Odikadze lost.

Before this fight, the Georgian defeated one opponent in 96kg. He beat Belarusian Ivan Yankouski in three periods – the Georgian lost the first period and won the second-third ones.

After losing to Baitsev, we only had to wait if the Russian would go through the final. In ¼ final Baitsev defeated Azerbaijani Khetag Gaziumov but in semifinal he lost to Polish Stanislav Saskievic.

In this weight class Georgian Mikheil Chikovani who wrestled in the name of Greece could not get in top 3.

Konstantine Khabalashvili (66kg) lost to Russian wrestler. This fight was held in 1/8 final. Khabalashvili lost to Ilias Bekbulatov (1:4 0:1).

Before this fight, the Georgian sportsman defeated Albanese Wilson Ndregon - 4:0, 2:0.

After the end of the preliminary stage Georgian singers and dancers showed up on the arena of Sports Palace. “Shvidkatsa” and “Erisioni” made the ceremony beautiful. Presidents of Georgian, European and International Wrestling Federations, also Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili applied to the audience. Nenad Lalovic, head of FILA, awarded Bidzina Ivanishvili with the reward of International Federation. At the end of the opening ceremony, Levan Kipiani, minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, awarded veteran Georgian wrestlers Guram Sagaradze and Levan Tediashvili with the reward of sports knight.

Here are the results of the final fights:

European Championship

Tbilisi. March 19

Freestyle wrestling

66 kg

1 David Safaryan (Armenia)

2 Yakup Gori (Turkey)

3 Alexander Kontoiev (Belarus)

3 Ilias Bekbulatov (Russia)

96 kg

1 Pavllo Oleinik (Ukraine)

2 Stanislav Skaskevic (Poland) 

3  Luben Borisov Oliev (Bulgaria)

3 Vladislav Baitsaev (Russia) 

Women wrestling

48 kg

1 Valerya Chepsarova (Russia) 

2  Yana Stadnik (Britain)

3 Fatima Bagomedova (Azerbaijan)

3Jaklin Schelin (Germany)

Otar Maglakelidze

Photo by Badri Ketiladze

Photo by Lasha Kuprashvili