Wrestler Zurab Datunashvili claims European championship gold

Wrestler Zurab Datunashvili claimed his second European champion’s title in two years and brought Georgia their second gold medal at the European Senior Wrestling Championships on Sunday.

Datunashvili emerged as the ultimate winner of the Greco-Roman discipline at the tournament in his 80kg weight category on the final day of the championships.

The Georgian athlete defeated Radzik Kuliyeu of Belarus with a score 4-2 in the final to take the honours at the competition held in the Serbian city of Novi Sad.

Datunashvili reached the final by edging past Russia’s Adlan Akiev (with a score 2-1) in the semifinal.

The Georgian had also scored a convincing 8-0 victory against Czech Republic’s Petr Novak in the quarterfinal and a 3-2 win over Bulgaria’s Daniel Tihomirov Aleksandrov in the Last 16 round.

The European tournament featured teams from 38 countries and included matches in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling disciplines.

Datunashvili (second from left) photographed with podium finishers in the Greco-Roman discipline. Photo: Gabor Martin/United World Wrestling.

The freestyle champion’s title in the 61kg category was swept by Georgia’s 2016 Olympic gold medal-winner Vladimer Khinchegashvili, who came out on top in his final against Akhmed Chakaev of Russia on Friday.

The Georgian team also claimed two bronze medals at the championships through efforts of Zurab Iakobishvili and Elizbar Odikadze.