#16 SENIOR MEN LEFT 55KG (3485)
1. DMYTRO, BEZKOROVAINYI UKRAINE (3305)
2. NAZARII, IVANYTSKYI UKRAINE (3326)
3. TALGATBEK, RUSTEMBEK KAZAKHSTAN (4932)
 

The 55 kg class is an Ukrainian specialty! Routine versus youth! Dmytro has competed in this class for many years. I get the impression that Nazar didn’t weigh 55 kg when I saw him last time. 15 years older than Nazar, Dmytro is the legend of this division. The match began with Dmytro’s strong attack and an elbow foul for Nazar. You could clearly see Dmytro had the edge over his opponent and eventually it’s him who walked away with victory after a second foul for Nazar.

#17 SENIOR WOMEN LEFT 65KG (3582)
1. OLGA, SHLIZHEVSKAYA KAZAKHSTAN (4936)
2. ANDERSSON, HEIDI SWEDEN (3022)
3. MARLENA, WAWRZYNIAK POLAND (0180)
 

Heidi was to defend the good name of Swedish female armwrestling. The Swedish audience cheered on their representative. The tall and slim Swede was waiting at the table when her opponent, a slightly tanned and muscular competitor of Kazakhstan, entered the stage. It was Olga who defeated Marlena Wawrzyniak in a hard fought match. After a slip, the match went to straps. Heidi was not looking into her rival’s eyes. Both ladies strained hard against each other, but eventually it was Heidi who won the confrontation. Olga made a mistake at the very beginning of the match as she didn’t spot her opponent’s weak point and got an elbow foul. Although Heidi won, there was a rematch. After a short break, the ladies entered the stage once again to start a match in straps. The Swede lost the match, which came to her as a surprise. Olga placed herself 1st.

#18 SENIOR MEN LEFT 60KG (3486)
1. GAIDARDJIEV, GEORGI BULGARIA (0208)
2.  MAKSUD, DOLIYEV UZBEKISTAN (4203)
3. CHAGAROV, KAZBEK RUSSIA (7899)
A brief final, a decisive win of Gaidardjiev of Bulagaria.

#19 SENIOR WOMEN LEFT 50KG (3579)
1. ALINA, VOLKOVA RUSSIA (7839)
2. A. TATYANA, VERINA KAZAKHSTAN (4948)
3. BABAYEVA, SNEZHANA SLOVAKIA (0412)

Displaying a high level of focus, both ladies, though slight, demonstrated technical proficiency. 3rd place was taken by Snezhana Babayeva, which tells a lot about the level of this class. As soon as the final match began, Tatyana was given an elbow foul. When the ladies locked arms again, the competitor of Russia proved to be much stronger!

#20 SENIOR MEN LEFT 65KG (3487)
1. OLEG, CHERKASOV RUSSIA (2819)
2. RIM, KHAMIDULLIN RUSSIA (2861)
3. ZAIR, AKHMEDOV KAZAKHSTAN (4901)

Muscular, but slim Gentlemen. Another final match between competitors from Russia. After some problems with setting up, the competitors finally locked arms to put on a display of strength and ability. The match ended with Oleg placing himself 1st.

#21 SENIOR WOMEN LEFT 55KG (3580)
1. VIKTORIIA, ILIUSHYNA UKRAINE (3323)
2. TATIANA, ISTOMINA RUSSIA (2851)
3. MOOK, KATRIN GERMANY (0514)
An evenly matched final between two experienced multiple medalists. They have fought against each other many times. It took the ladies a lot of time to set up. Having the edge over her rival from the very beginning, the competitor of Russia was given an elbow foul. When the competitors locked arms again, it was Tatiana who attacked, but again she was given an elbow foul, which meant Victoria’s win.

#22 SENIOR MEN LEFT 70KG (3488)
1. ZAUR, SAITOV RUSSIA (7813)
2. ARSLAN, SERHAT TURKEY (3274)
3. GEORGIY, KHUBAEV RUSSIA (2847)
Zaur attacked his rival right away, but the first confrontation ended with an elbow foul for Arslan. When the competitors locked arms again, Zaur won with relative ease.

#23 SENIOR WOMEN LEFT 60KG (3581)
1. DEBNAROVA, LUCIA SLOVAKIA (0407)
2. OLGA, TIMUKINA KAZAKHSTAN (4944)
3. FARIA, TATIANE BRAZIL (4423)

It took the competitors a lot of time to set up. When a slip occurred, the match went to straps. Following a short break, the competitors locked arms again on the table. I guess they both went for a slip so as to use the top roll technique. The match eventually ended with Lucia’a win.  

#24 SENIOR MEN LEFT 75KG (3489)
1. OLEG, ZHOKH UKRAINE (3392)
2. ATSAMAZ, URTAEV RUSSIA (7836)
3. DARIUSZ, GROCH POLAND (0119)

What can I write about this match? Oleg has become more confident, his trip to Las Vegas helped him boost his confidence for sure. Will Atsamaz pose a threat to him? After an elbow foul for Urtaev, the competitors had to set up again. The match went to straps. Would Oleg follow in our Legends’ footsteps? After Atsamaz’s attack, Oleg won the match easily.

#25 SENIOR WOMEN LEFT 70KG (3583)
1.  VASCONCELOS, GABRIELA BRAZIL (4414)
2.  REISEK, FIA SWEDEN (3016)
3. ALENA, MIROMANOVA RUSSIA (2889)

The competitor from Brazil defeated her opponent in next to no time!

#26 SENIOR MEN LEFT 80KG (3490)
1. VLADIMIR, MNATSAKANYAN ARMENIA (0806)
2. KAZIMIR, ISKANDEROV AZERBAIJAN (1007)
3. GETIASHVILI, JABA GEORGIA (3610)

The competitor of Armenia was the favourite to win. Kazimir would have to surprise his rival to place himself 1st, but he didn’t.

#27 SENIOR WOMEN LEFT 80KG (3584)
1. IRINA, MAKEEVA RUSSIA (2881)
2. EVGENIA, FOMINA RUSSIA (2836)
3. ZALITE, SANDRA LATVIA (2309)
After a slip at the beginning of the meeting, the match went to straps. My favourite athlete hardly needed to break sweat to win the match.

#28 SENIOR MEN LEFT 85KG (3491)
1. IEVGENII, PRUDNYK UKRAINE (3359)
2. MGER, MUSAYELIAN UKRAINE (3347)
3. VALERIY, BARANOV KAZAKHSTAN (4907)

The final in the 85 kg class without Babayev? Well, he’ll be absent from competitions for two years. But still, this class remains an Ukrainian specialty. MUSAYELIAN was given a warning for a false start. When the competitors locked arms after a short break, Prudnyk won in next to no time!

#29 SENIOR WOMEN LEFT +80KG (3585)
1. VAITKUTE, EGLE LITHUANIA (2401)
2. VALENTINA, FEDOSEEVA RUSSIA (2833)
3. HAGEL, DANY GERMANY (0506)

Will a police officer from Lithuania win as easily as she used to? Her opponent from Russia is much heavier, but will it be enough to win? The match showed it was not enough!

#30 SENIOR MEN LEFT 90KG (3492)
1. ALEXANDR, GETALO KAZAKHSTAN (4914)
2. ZELIMKHAN, ISMAILOV RUSSIA (2850)
3. GOLEMANOV, STOYAN BULGARIA (0232)

Getalo entered the final without conceding a match on the day. Both experienced, and multi medallists  of international competitions, the athletes guaranteed a display of power and technical proficiency. Ismailov was first given an elbow foul and then a warning for a false start. Both competitors strained hard against each other which led to a slip. As a result the match went to straps. When the athletes locked arms again on the table, the Kazakh attacked, but was given an elbow foul. So the competitors approached the table once again to battle hard. After much struggle Getalo proved to be stronger on the day and walked away with victory. This was the longest match of the day and required a lot of endurance from both competitors.

#31 SENIOR MEN LEFT 100KG (3493)
1. KOSTADINOV, KRASIMIR BULGARIA (0216)
2. DZAMBOLAT, TCORIEV RUSSIA (7829)
3. ARMEN, CHAPUKHYAN ARMENIA (0803)
 

An evenly matched final! „Krasi” is a versatile athlete. You won’t believe what sport he practised in the past. Well, he played table tennis. Today “Krasi” fought against a cheerful athlete of Bulgaria, always with a smile on his face. Kostadinov entered the final with one match conceded. When the competitors locked arms on the table, “Krasi” defeated his rival in next to no time!

#32 SENIOR MEN LEFT 110KG (3494)
1. OSMANLI, FERIT TURKEY (3233)
2. DMITRIY, TRUBIN KAZAKHSTAN (4945)
3. JAN, ZOLCINSKI POLAND (0185)
Again, I didn’t know who to support... OMG! Osmanli won in next to no time!

#33 SENIOR MEN LEFT +110KG (3495)
1. MICHALICKA, JURAJ SLOVAKIA (0405)
2. ARTEM, GRISHIN RUSSIA (2845)
3. LUTIDZE, REZO GEORGIA (3619)

If he wins, Juraj will be the first Slovakian athlete to become the champion in the +110 kg class since 2003. The last athlete of Slovakia to earn victory at the championships was Peter Gazdarica. After a quick start, the competitors slipped and the match went to straps. When they locked arms again Juraj took a win over Artem very quickly!

But that was not the end! After a protest, there was a rematch. This time again Juraj walked away with victory!

The end:-) Thank you ladies and gentlemen

PeSzy