AMONG THE EUROPEAN LEADERS

The European Wrestling Championships in Vantaa, Finland, backed up Azerbaijani supporters' hopes for a successful showing by our athletes. The 10 medals won in the continental competition will be remembered for an intense struggle in all categories. In total, our wrestlers won 3 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze medals. In most categories the outcome of the contest was decided in the battle between Azerbaijan and Russia.

The performance of our free-style wrestlers stood out particularly. Great hopes for the team led by new chief coach, Semen Shterev, which set out for the European championships, rested on Olympic champion Togrul Asgarov. Unfortunately, the Ganca wrestler, who had just returned to the sport after a 19-month lay-off, quit the tournament after the first round, losing to a little-known wrestler. But one shouldn't forget that in Finland he was appearing in a weight category - 66 kg - which was new to him and one in which the winner of the summer Olympics in London could not be recognized.

Despite his failure, the coaches and management of the wrestling federation are hopeful that the athlete will be able to recover his form. The first vice-president of the AFB [Azerbaijani Wrestling Federation] and member of the FILA [International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles], Namiq Aliyev, said that Asgarov's defeat was put down to both subjective and objective reasons: "Naturally, Togrul showed signs of carelessness, but there are objective reasons for this. We spent a long time abroad treating Togrul for health problems. Another reason was the death of his grandfather, who brought Togrul up. Naturally, the loss of a relative affected him badly. When we get back to Baku we shall speak to Togrul again. I am sure that he will again give a good account of himself at the world championships."

One of the leaders of the national free-style wrestling team, Xetaq Qazyumov (97 kg) reached the final undefeated. But by losing to the Russian, Abdusalam Gadisov, in the decisive meeting, he had to be satisfied with silver. European champion three years ago, Xetaq Qazyumov has been steadily among the medallists at all Olympics and world and European championships in which he has competed.

Haci Aliyev (61 kg) and Ruslan Dibirhaciyev (70 kg) won gold medals for Azerbaijan. In the biggest tournament of his career Haci deservedly became European champion, defeating all his rivals. And in the final Ruslan gave the Armenian wrestler Grigor Grigoryan no chance at all. The judges awarded the Azerbaijani an early victory with the score 12-2 in his favour. Here's an interesting fact: before the final Ruslan promised the members of the AFB and the coaches that he would win the bout early.

Although in the 74kg category Cabrayil Hasanov was awarded the gold medal, eventually he had to be happy with silver. Last year's European champion, who was without equal last year until the final, because of his error, was unable to add another gold in a continental competition to his private collection.  As a result, in the team competition Azerbaijani wrestlers came second to Russia in the European Championships.

In the women's competition it was Maria Stadnik who again took the eye. Back in wrestling after maternity leave, the distinguished athlete became European champion for the fourth time in her career.

Nirina Netreba (58 kg) surprised her coaches in the best sense of the word by taking the silver medal. But Yuliya Radkevich (60 kg) and Patimat Bagomedova (53 kg), from whom medals were expected, came away from the championships with nothing.

Our athletes in the Greco-Roman wrestling were rather out of luck. The final meeting of World and European champion Hasan Aliyev ended in victory for his opponent because of a mistake by the Turkish judge, Levent Sen. Although he was struck off the judges panel after a protest by the AFB, Hasan still had to return to Baku with a silver medal because in such cases there is no change in the medals even if the judge is reprimanded.

In the 71kg category Rasul Cunayev [Chunayev] completed all his bouts early before the final. This made the Azerbaijani a little complacent and eventually he made an error in the main bout and only finished second.

Kamran Mammadov (59 kg) and Elvin Mursaliyev (75 kg) won bronze. And the defeat of Word Championship silver medallist Saman Tahmasib (85 kg) in the opening bout showed he was not ready for this competition.

The medals total enabled the Greco-Roman wrestlers to take third place in the team competition behind Russia and Turkey.

The 10 medals won by the Azerbaijani wrestlers prove that they are at home in the European championships. But a good result is no reason to ease up. It should be borne in mind that some of our athletes, who were reckoned to be favourites, could have done better. In five months' time the team will be taking part in the World Championships. It will be tougher there and the competition will be higher. That is why we should be preparing for it right now. What's more, the World Championships will be an excellent opportunity for the disappointed fans of Olympic champion Togrul Asgarov to recover.

AT FIRST HAND

"I think we did quite well at the European Championships, but we should have won more medals."

Semen Shterev, Azerbaijani free-style wrestling chief coach

"Before the final I said I'd beat the Armenian in one minute, and that's what happened. As he was weaker than me, I didn't want to waste time. After the European Championships I want to win a gold at the World Championship, too."

Ruslan Dibirhaciyev, European champion

"I'm the first one to blame for my defeat. I haven't taken part in a single competition for 19 months. I've had treatment on my stomach. Then I had a break because of family problems. At my last training sessions I thought I was in good shape. But the European Championships proved otherwise. What's more my opponent was making his debut. I think I'll have a chance at the World Championship. I must assert myself there."

Togrul Asgarov, Olympic champion