Azerbaijan’s Greco-Roman wrestling team delivered an impressive performance at the European Championships in Tirana, with several athletes progressing to the semi-finals, Idman.Biz reports.
Among the standout performers were Nihat Mammadli (60kg), Hasrat Jafarov (67kg) and Qurban Qurbanov (82kg), all of whom secured places in the last four. Mammadli booked his semi-final spot with a dominant 5-0 win over Ukraine’s Vladyslav Kuzko, while Jafarov impressed with a decisive victory by fall against Bulgaria’s Abu Muslim Amayev. Qurbanov edged a tight contest against Moldova’s Mihail Bradu, winning 5-4 to continue his run.
Earlier in the day, all three had advanced through the rounds with solid performances, underlining Azerbaijan’s strength in Greco-Roman wrestling at this level. The team’s depth was further highlighted by consistent progress across multiple weight categories.
Elsewhere, Murad Ahmadiev (97kg) saw his campaign end in the quarter-finals after a 0-4 defeat to Artur Sargsyan, competing under the UWW flag. Ruslan Nurullayev (72kg) also exited at the same stage, losing on criteria after a 1-1 bout against Gaspar Terteryan.
Earlier victories saw Ahmadiev defeat Finland’s Arvi Savolainen and Croatia’s Filip Smetko to reach the last eight, while Nurullayev beat Ukraine’s Dmytro Vasyliev before advancing. Qurbanov and Jafarov also recorded convincing wins in their opening bouts to build momentum.
The European Championships in Tirana run until April 26, with Azerbaijan now firmly in contention for multiple medals as the tournament enters its decisive stages.
